Page 23 - BusinessWest May 27, 2024

Yes They Can
Vanished Valley Brewing Rolls with the Punches
BY JOSEPH BEDNAR
[email protected]
“Mike stayed up nights smoking meat — night after night after night, just to meet demand. So we were delivering barbecue and beer to door to door, and it stuck.”
Josh Britton remembers the early, heady days of Vanished Valley Brewing Co. — and the challenging ones that followed.
He had started brewing beer in his garage around 2015 when he met Michael Rodrigues, owner of Europa Black Rock Bar & Grille in Lud- low, and Manny Vital, who owned Europa’s build- ing on Route 21. Vital retrofitted a building out back that became the first Vanished Valley brew- ery; the name was chosen to honor the drowned Quabbin Reservoir towns of Dana, Enfield, Green- wich, and Prescott.
“We started that process in 2016, but the licensure took nine months for approvals at the state level. Then we started hammering it out
in 2017,” Britton said. Within a year or two, the brewery was rated third-best in Massachusetts by BeerAdvocate.
“We had lines out the door,” he added. “We were only producing like 10 barrels at a time, which for that space is a lot of barrelage; it’s pretty tight in there. We were selling cans in a tent next to the building and doing well. And we were fuel- ing Europa with our kegs. We had people show
up and ask, ‘oh, where’s your taproom?’ And they found out it was just a small, 20-by-20 space.”
From left, Vanished Valley principals Joshua Britton, Michael Rodrigues, and Manny Vital.
Rodrigues decided to retire the Europa brand Staff Photo
Outdoor Dining, Certified Angus Beef, Catering/Private Functions Available, Extensive Wine List, Live Music Thu-Sun
Surf & Turf
The Dish Worth Driving To
as featured on
Sherri Via, Owner 350 Grill
(413) 439-0666 / 350grill.net 350 Complex / 350 Worthington Street Springfield, MA 01103
BusinessWest
<< RESTAURANTS >> MAY 27, 2024 23