Von Trapp Brewing

With this dream in mind, Johannes worked to start a brewery at Trapp Family Lodge. It became a reality in the spring of 2010, when von Trapp Brewery officially opened. Our brewery was originally a modest facility located in the lower level of the Lodge’s DeliBakery. We currently brew around 50,000 gallons of lager each year, with brews available year-round and seasonally. In 2015 we opened our new 30,000 sq. ft. brewery located on Luce Hill Rd. featuring a Rolec Brew House and capable of producing up to 50,000 barrels of beer annually.  You can enjoy our beers at the Lodge or in multiple restaurants and bars throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and New York.

MEET THE BREWMASTER

JP Williams has been with von Trapp Brewing since October of 2012. His experience as a brewmaster and passion for his craft are a valuable addition to our expanding operation.

Williams grew up in New Jersey and attended college in New Hampshire. It was during his college years that he took a trip to Dublin, Ireland, and visited the iconic Guinness Brewery. There, he became fascinated with all things beer. Upon his return to the states, he traded in some of his old textbooks for homebrew equipment. He even changed his major to bring in more of a chemistry background. Making test brews in college was easy because he always had research subjects—a.k.a. roommates—to try each of his concoctions.

As his love for alchemy quickly spread, Williams and his wife packed their cars and made the pilgrimage to the great beer state of Vermont. His first job in the industry was as a brewer for Magic Hat in South Burlington, the sixth biggest craft brewery in America. Four years later, he became their General Manager, overseeing all operations from grain to glass.

The city life started to become a bit of a bore for the Williams family, so they decided to move out to the country and bought a house in Waterbury. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had her own plans, as Tropical Storm Irene decided to drop a couple feet of water in the couple’s new living room. As they patched up the house and moved on with life, Williams realized that the “super-giant” brewery life was not for him. He missed the small artisan breweries, which drove his interest from the beginning.

Williams started the next chapter of his life at von Trapp Brewing and his love affair with lagers continues. Williams is thrilled with his new role, saying, “My quality of life is up tenfold, the people are outstanding and the scenic views are breathtaking. Waking up every day and seeing the Worcester Range while brewing the state’s best lagers is just heaven.” We’re thankful for Williams and look forward to seeing all the ways he’ll contribute to von Trapp Brewing.