Mercury Brewing Company Timeline
1991: Ipswich Brewing Company founded by Paul Sylva and Jim Beauvais. Ipswich Ale and Dark Ale introduced on draft and in 64 oz. growlers and 1 liter swingtops.
1995: Product line extended with Ipswich IPA and Oatmeal Stout; all styles introduced in 12 oz. bottles.
1996: Ipswich 1722 Commemorative Porter is introduced.
1997: Ipswich Brewing Co. forms alliance with United States Beverage for sales and marketing support. Ipswich Winter Ale is introduced.
1998: Product line extended with Porter and Nut Brown. All packaged product contracted by Clipper City Brewing Co., in Baltimore, MD. Ipswich Ale Mustard is introduced.
1999: January: Ipswich Brand purchased by United States Beverage. Brewery still separately owned and operated.
1999: September: Rob Martin purchases Ipswich Brewing Co. from Sylva and Beauvais and renames brewery “Mercury Brewing and Distribution Company”. Martin buys Stone Cat brand; sells and self-distributes Stone Cat Ale, I.P.A., and E.S.B.
2000: Mercury Premium Soda line is established as 13 flavors of caffeine free, old-school sodas made with real sugar. The Stone Cat brand is expanded to include: Blonde, Blueberry Ale, Hefewiezen, Octoberfest, Pumpkin Ale, Winter Lager, and Scotch Ale. Mercury also starts contract brewing for Dornbush and Farmington River beer companies.
2001: Mercury Bubbly Water line is introduced. Dornbush ceases production.
2002: Cisco Brewers enlist Mercury to brew their Whale's Tail draft.
2003: Mercury purchases Ipswich Ale brand from United States Beverage. All Ipswich production reverts to Mercury. Ipswich Summer is introduced and Ipswich E.S.B. is discontinued. Ipswich is available in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
2004: Endurance Brewing Company contracts Mercury to design a recipe and brew Endurance Pale Ale.
2005: Ipswich Harvest Ale is introduced as a Fall seasonal. Contracts grow to include Cisco Brewers Whale's Tail and Sankaty Light, Cape Ann Brewing's Fisherman Ale and Fisherman's IPA, and the entire Z Street portfolio.
2006: New contracts include various Opa-Opa Steakhouse and Brewpub Ales and John Harvard's Pale Ale and Amber Ale. Beer production tops 9700 BBLs and 15,000 cases of soda for 2006. Distribution of Ipswich is expanded to parts of Pennsylvania and New York City.
2007: Contract work expands to include Hook & Ladder, Offshore Ale, Sherwood Forest Brewers, and Kennebec River Brewing Company. Ipswich distribution is expanded to all of New Jersey and New Hampshire. Mercury now produces 47 different beers and 19 soft drinksr. In 2007 our beer production topped 14,000 BBLs (434,000 GAL), a 44% increase from 2006. Soda production came to 1180 BBLs (36,580 GAL), an increase of 22% from the previous year.
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