SHELBURNE FALLS — If all goes as planned, an eighth brewery could soon make its home in Franklin County.
Zachary Livingston, who is originally from Worthington, bought the storefront at 38-40 State St. in Buckland last summer and plans to open Floodwater Brewing Co. LLC — a brewery with a sampling bar for the beers made on the premises.
The name goes back to the flooding of State Street during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, and is intended to reflect what Livingston sees as an unforgettable part of the town history. “It’s an homage to the town and its people, who were able to bounce back after such a devastating natural disaster,” he said in a telephone interview.
The way Livingston sees it, besides the bars and taverns where beer-lovers can drink brews from everywhere, craft breweries are becoming tourism destinations for families and others who want to sample and savor beers the way wine connoisseurs do at wineries.
In Franklin County, Lefty’s Brewing Co. and People’s Pint in Greenfield, Brick & Feather in Turners Falls, Berkshire Brewing Co. in Deerfield, Element Brewing Co. in Millers Falls, Stoneman Brewery in Colrain and Honest Weight Artisan Beer in Orange also are only selling their own beers, made on site.
“This is an exciting time for beer and beer tourism,” said Peter Webster, an architect-in-training for Austin Design Inc., which is designing Floodwater Brewing. “That, to me, is a cultural shift. It’s not about being late at night and drinking a lot. It’s much more a European style of drinking.”
He said breweries are setting up “beer trails,” where visitors can “connect the dots” and sample brews in different destinations.
“We’re working on four different breweries right now,” said Webster, although Floodwater is the only one in Franklin County. The other breweries they are designing are in Vermont, Connecticut and Charlton. The Colrain-based Austin Design also designed the Northampton Brewery.
In Buckland, a week after voters at the annual Town Meeting allowed the town to establish a new farmer series pouring brewery and winery permit, Webster was explaining Livingston’s plan to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Livingston, a mechanical engineer by training, was in California, working on a brewery water-treatment system and could not be present.
Webster said Livingston hopes to brew about 600 barrels a year of beer — or roughly 115 gallons per day — and sell it on the premises.
When asked at the ZBA hearing what was the difference between this and a traditional pub license, Webster said Livingston could not sell any other alcohol product other than what is made in the brewery. He said the operation would be similar to Brick & Feather Brewery in Turners Falls, where customers can sample one or more beers.
“It’s geared for people to try things, make a purchase and go their way,” he said. “He’s allowed to sell bottled product to them,” said Webster, pointing out that taverns cannot sell bottled alcohol for customers to take out.
Livingston would also be allowed to distribute his product for sale in other venues, including bars and package stores, Webster said.
The Farmer Series Pouring Brewery and Winery Permit was established by the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission in 2013.
It gives farmer breweries, farmer wineries and farmer distilleries the right for on-premises retail sales as well as the right to offer samplings of the alcoholic beverages that are made on the premises. As with other types of state liquor licenses, the Select Board serves as a local licensing authority. Such breweries also have been allowed to sell wares at farmers markets.
The purpose of the ZBA hearing was to give abutters a chance to hear the proposal and to bring any concerns to the board. In this case, no abutters came to the hearing. However, the ZBA continued the hearing until Livingston is present, to hear plans for water use and wastewater disposal issues.
When reached later by phone, Livingston said brewing beer has been a hobby, and that the Shelburne Falls brewery will be his first. As a mechanical engineer, Livingston designs, programs and has overseen green-energy wastewater treatment systems installed at Lagunitas Brewing Co. and Bear Republic Brewing Co. in California — two of the largest craft brewers in that state.
“Out here in California, there are so many craft breweries,” he remarked. Sonoma is reputed to be ‘wine country,’ but is also developing as ‘beer country.’ People are treating beers as they would treat wine.”
Livingston now lives in Boston. But he also lived and worked in Greenfield for five years. He said he was thinking of buying a home in Shelburne Falls, when he saw that JoAnn Sherburne’s framing and gift shop was for sale, and bought it.
At first, Livingston thought he might rent it as an art gallery. But in walking around the village, he realized that a brewery would be something Shelburne Falls does not already have — and something that might attract people.
He said he is renovating the space and waiting to obtain his federal permit. “Ideally, I would be open in the fall sometime,” he said. Livingston plans to partner with a brewmaster and said the business will only sell beer — mostly made with local ingredients when possible — along with memorabilia and souvenirs.
“This will have a BYOF — bring your own food — option. That way, people could grab something to eat (from a local restaurant) to enjoy with their beer.”
Is Franklin County becoming saturated with too many breweries? Josh Breitner and brewer Chris Sellers of People’s Pint don’t think so.
“The answer is ‘no,’” said Breitner, general manager. “I don’t think we’re at capacity. A lot of us do different things. You’ve got the wholesale side of it, with BBC (Berkshire Brewing Co.), a niche with Brick & Feather. We’re the only restaurant and brewery. We don’t all cater to the same crowds. Craft beer is really, really popular. People are drinking a lot less Budweiser and a lot more craft beer.”
“I think it would be great if Franklin County could become a mecca for craft beer and wine,” he continued. “I don’t think it’s going to be a problem for anybody.”
Sellers said he finds it fascinating how quickly a number of craft brewers have sprung up in the nine years that he has worked for People’s Pint.
“I think the real key is everybody’s doing a different thing. In pre-Prohibition times, every town had a lot of local breweries, and, when you went there, you had regional characteristics,” he said.
“Now, the number of licensed brewers is at the level, or greater, than the number was before Prohibition,” said Sellers. “Beer drinkers are in the best place they could possibly be.”
“I think, at the end of the day, it really helps to build a community of brewers here,” said Sellers. “It would put Franklin County on the map of places where you can have a really great beer — and a great variety of beers.”