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14th Star Brewery is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with the Afterglow Foundation through the release of Afterglow Ale, a special collaboration beer brewed to support the Foundation’s mission of raising awareness about suicide prevention and encouraging meaningful conversations that can help save lives.

An approachable American Ale with a crisp, balanced profile and clean finish, Afterglow Ale was crafted to bring people together.

As a veteran-founded brewery, we understand that suicide affects people from every walk of life, including veterans, young people, families, friends, and our neighbors. It doesn’t discriminate, and we hope this collaboration helps encourage conversations that remind people they are never alone.

The collaboration reflects a partnership that began with the very first Afterglow event in 2019. Since then, 14th Star Brewery has been honored to stand alongside the Foundation as it transforms loss into hope through education, awareness, and community support.

Afterglow Ale will be available for a limited time at the 14th Star Taproom, as well as at select Vermont retailers and restaurants leading up to the festival. Including The Spanked Puppy, The Pour House, The Feral Fox (at Alburg Country Club), Rozzi’s Lake Shore Tavern, Nellies Pub, Irons & Ale (at Champlain Country Club), The Elks Lodge (No. 1566), Snow Shoe Lodge & Pub, Bayside Pavilion, The North Hero House, The Lighthouse Restaurant, and more. Afterglow Festival attendees will also be able to enjoy Afterglow Ale alongside a variety of other 14th Star beers served throughout the event.

The 2026 Afterglow Music Festival will take place on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Hard’ack Hill in St. Albans. More than a music festival, Afterglow brings people together through live music, remembrance, and community while raising funds for suicide prevention, awareness, and mental health initiatives across Vermont.

The 2026 festival will feature performances by Love Story: A Tribute to Taylor Swift, Best of the Eagles, and Dirty Deeds: The AC/DC Experience, along with local food vendors, family-friendly activities, a Memory Wall honoring loved ones lost to suicide, and educational resources from community mental health organizations.

Whether enjoying a pint at the festival, sharing a four-pack with friends, or simply taking a moment to learn more about the Foundation’s mission, every conversation helps shine a light on suicide awareness and prevention.

For festival information, tickets, or to learn more about the Afterglow Foundation, visit afterglowfoundation.com.

Fourteen years ago, a brewery born from a handwritten business plan in the mountains of Eastern Afghanistan opened its doors in St. Albans, Vermont.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve our community for the past 14 years. We owe deep gratitude to our investors, supporters, family, and friends — your belief and encouragement made this dream possible. Above all, I want to thank our employees, past and present. So many remarkable people have walked the halls of our brewery, and each has left a lasting impression on the business and on our family. We would not have endured without their heart, dedication, and loyalty to the brand. Together, as one family, I’m confident we’ll thrive for another fourteen years and beyond.”
— Zachariah Fike, Owner and General Manager

From Afghanistan to Franklin County

The story of 14th Star Brewery began in 2010 when founders Steve Gagner and Matt Kehaya were deployed overseas. Longtime homebrewers, they spent their downtime discussing two things familiar to many soldiers: beer and life after military service. What started as a handwritten business plan eventually became 14th Star Brewery.

After an open house in December 2011, 14th Star Brewery officially opened its doors on Lower Newton Street in St. Albans in January 2012, filling growlers to-go and operating on a makeshift 3.5-barrel brewing system built from retrofitted maple sugaring equipment. As demand grew, so did the brewery.

In 2014, with the help of investors, family, and friends, 14th Star moved into its current 16,000-square-foot home at 133 North Main Street, transforming the former St. Albans Bowling Alley into a brewery and Taproom capable of producing over 8,000 barrels annually. In 2016, the brewery installed its own Wild Goose canning line, expanding distribution throughout the Northeast.

Like many small businesses, 14th Star faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, pivoting to online ordering, curbside pickup, and outdoor service before eventually returning to full operations. More recently, the brewery launched its Mug Club program in 2023 and welcomed Black Radish Catering as its in-house food partner in 2025.

More Than Beer

Over the last 14 years, 14th Star has released more than 300 different beers and earned 24 beer and brewing awards, along with 19 community and business awards.

Beyond brewing, the company estimates it has contributed more than $1 million in donations, sponsorships, fundraising support, and community partnerships benefiting organizations throughout Vermont and beyond, including the Franklin County Trails Alliance, Hard’ack Recreation Area, United Way of Northwest Vermont, Steps to End Domestic Violence, Northwest Family Foods, the Alzheimer’s Association, Pink Boots Society, National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Purple Hearts Reunited, and many others.

Today, 14th Star’s community extends far beyond the brewery walls, with a large social media following and a loyal Mug Club membership of more than 100 members.

Looking Ahead

The craft beer industry has changed dramatically since 2012. Consumer tastes continue to evolve, competition has intensified, and breweries across the country have faced new challenges in recent years.

Yet 14th Star remains optimistic about the future.

By continuing to focus on quality beer, meaningful community connections, innovative new releases, live events, and creating memorable experiences for guests, the brewery is committed to building on the foundation established over the last 14 years.

The anniversary celebration serves not only as a chance to look back, but also to raise a glass to what’s next.

Whether you’ve been with us since the Lower Newton Street days or just discovered us recently, we hope you’ll join us as we celebrate 14 years of great beer, great people, and the community that made it all possible.

Here’s to the next chapter, and Cheers to 14 years!

Welcome to 2024, a year of new beginnings and exciting possibilities!

Here at 14th Star Brewery, we’re raising our glasses in anticipation of another year filled with exceptional craft beers and memorable experiences.

Core Brews for 2024

As we embark on our 12th year in business, we’re thrilled to unveil our 2024 core brew lineup! Available in cans and on tap year-round in all our distribution areas, these five brews feature something for everyone and showcase the balance and quality that 14th Star Brewery is all about.

Classic offerings like our famously hoppy Tribute Double IPA, our dark and delicious Maple Breakfast Stout, and the beer that started it all Valor Ale are joined by our new refreshing Mexican Style Lager, and our hazy, juicy, and crushable CodeName Session IPA.

Visit Our Brewery

The 14th Star Brewery Taproom is not just a place to enjoy our rotating lineup of favorites and limited releases or grab a bite from Grazers; it’s a gathering place for friends, family, and craft beer enthusiasts. Our events, from tastings to live music, reflect our love for creating memorable experiences for our community.

Join the whole team here at 14th Star Brewery in raising a glass to 2024, a year filled with great beer, good company, and a continued commitment to our community.

Here’s to another fantastic year at 14th Star Brewery! Cheers!

Valor — The roots with this brew run deep, and we intend to grow them deeper, locally driven.

This Hoppy Amber Ale holds a special place in our hearts as a key player in the early days of the foundation that was built down at our humble beginnings on Lower Newton Street. Our trifecta of heritage offerings are still brewed and celebrated today, Valor, Maple Breakfast Stout, and Tribute.

“I never take Valor for granted, it’s a beer that I come back to here on a regular basis. I started my beer career alongside some classic brands and breweries that are also still here, and relevant today. Meeting Steve and Matt, and Dan at the time also on Lower Newton was a fun field trip, and it resulted in a fun journey here that started with Valor for me also. Our crew here has taken the ask of incorporating local where, and when we can with real purpose and passion, something that means a lot to all of us” – Ryan Chaffin, 14th Star General Manager

Valor Hoppy Amber Ale is as relevant today as it was back in 2012, and recently got a little evolution with the addition of locally grown Centennial Hops from Champlain Valley Hops. The beer market has evolved, and this update reinforces our commitment to try and support local Vermont agriculture when, and where we can.

“To Matt and I, Valor embodies the reasons we founded 14th Star. Being one of our original homebrew recipes, Valor ties our past to our present. By adding the locally-sourced ingredients, it demonstrates our commitment to improving our local economy. As a delicious beer, it reminds us of our vehicle for doing all these great local and philanthropist things: world-class beer! We love the direction Valor has taken – as well as the direction it has taken us.” – Steve Gagner, 14th Star Founder

Our brewers respect the techniques of the past while finding new and innovative ways to brew. This balance of history, innovation, and flavors can be found in every batch of 14th Star beer. So while we keep innovating, releasing pilot batches, and building our new core lineup, Valor will be along for the ride as our trusted friend.

Valor’s evolution is constant, and we are proud to continue to offer this original flagship beer at our Taproom with draft and cans, and across the state on tap only, as a Vermont-exclusive offering.

 

14th Star Brewing’s Mexican Style Lager is HERE!

Our entire team here has played numerous roles within the Vermont Craft Beer industry over the last two decades, with us all seeing firsthand how Vermonters and beyond respect those who roll up their sleeves every day, trying to find just the right combination of malts and hops in hopes of achieving the perfect brew to appease their faithful followers. That’s certainly something here at 14th Star that drives us, and will keep us motivated as we roll through 2023 and beyond.

We have a few “House Beers”, or “Go-To’s” depending on the season when we gather as a group to do some “quality control”, and our Mexican Style Lager is always on the top of mind around here. We have offered this Mexican-style Lager featuring hints of corn sweetness balanced by a pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lime for years at our Taproom for portions of the summer while it lasts. But the time has come to take this delicious beer out for a full-time ride across the entire state and region, so everybody has access to one of our house favorites!

This beer will be on tap at the 14th Star Brewery full-time, and across Vermont, along with 16oz. Cans. The brewhouse under Prescott, Andrew, Kendall, and Sam have worked hard to hone this beer to where we are today, and at our good friends over at El Gato in Essex and Burlington our original partners to help us build this brand. Food-friendly, thirst-quenching, sessionable ABV coming in at 4.75, and built for mass appeal and any occasion, we are ready to go!

This is a style and category that has rich origins, and Mexico’s lager beer roots are deep. Our entire portfolio is built on balance, and the sessionable, crisp, and flavorful profile with our take on this style is a perfect fit to welcome into the core offerings we produce.

We are honored to have a local offering available to compliment those legendary Mexican beers across the state of Vermont, We are all proud to offer our twist on the Mexican Style Lager Beer, brewed right here in St. Albans, Vermont!

We are excited to share our new core brew lineup for 2023!

Our crew here at 14th Star loves enjoying a fresh pint after a day of brewing, and the word balance means a lot to us. Not just in our daily lives, but within the offerings we designate as our core beers across Vermont and the region we distribute in. The overall destination for our portfolio has always been about that word, and we have been operating with this mindset throughout 2022 and early into 2023.

Overhauling and evolving our portfolio was critical back in 2021 as we were Wayfinding our new path which included telling our story and laying the building blocks for the next decade. That all starts with some good friends, and we have a handful of besties.

The classic double IPA Tribute, the beer that was part of the double revolution!

Our celebration of all things Citra, Citranade is the hazy Double IPA you all love, now in a more vibrant can!

Our Hazy. Juicy. Crushable. CodeName Session IPA, features some fun new color additions across the can.

Wayfinder Pilsner launched in July 2022 and continues to receive wonderful feedback across Vermont and beyond.

Now, our soon-to-be world-famous, Mexican Style Lager. We knew it was time to take this house favorite out for a full-time ride and to join the core team!

So, let’s welcome the newest member. Our NEW Mexican Style Lager is HERE! Look for it on tap at the 14th Star Brewery full-time, and across Vermont over the upcoming months. 16 oz. cans roll off the line in a few weeks debuting in March. The brewery under Prescott, Andrew, Kendall and Sam have produced, and enjoyed this beer for years at the Taproom, and at our good friends over at El Gato in Essex and Burlington. I was introduced to it last year, and was immediately planning for this to be a larger part of our 2023 and beyond plan. This category is important for us to enter, and it adds another layer of balance within our modern portfolio. We are all proud to offer this Mexican Style Lager Beer, brewed right here in Vermont.

Our portfolio extends well beyond this, with our seasonals, heritage, pilot program, partnership beers and smaller releases you can find on tap and canned in the Taproom. These batches are as important to the foundation here, and are meant to compliment the core offerings here that have been curated to touch every palette, and occasion.

While we are excited to build upon new opportunities, the mission remains the same: being a craft brewery known for producing a wide variety of world-class beers, raising awareness, and supporting local organizations and various charities, all while allowing new exploration to inspire our future path. But always remembering our commitments to brewing quality, community involvement, sustainability, fostering a positive culture, an “all are welcome here” mentality, creating safe environments for our staff and guests, and service to our brand.

– Ryan Chaffin, 
General Manager 14th Star Brewing Co.

 

Check out our full Retailer Brand Deck presentation below!

Over the past decade, 14th Star Brewing has contributed much to Vermont’s vibrant brewing culture, as well as to the overall northeast brewing scene. We are proud of the brewing culture that exists here in the Green Mountain State. This drives us, and will keep us motivated as we enter the next decade of business.

As we wrap up our Decade of Dedication, we have been honoring the past, and the heritage of our early beginnings. And now, as we are looking ahead and steadily building for the future, we found ourselves with renewed energy as we engage in some wayfinding for the next round. Throughout 2022, we took the opportunity to refocus and modernize our core portfolio offerings, along with allowing the crew to start cementing their stamps on this brewery with the new foundation we began to build.

The overall destination for our portfolio has always been about balance, but the road seemed unmarked in a fast-paced, always-changing, and incredibly innovative craft beer market. We leaned in and trusted our instincts, experience, and palates to shine a light on our new beers in 2022, which will continue into 2023 and beyond.

While we are excited to build upon new opportunities, the mission remains the same: being a craft brewery known for producing a wide variety of world-class beers, raising awareness, and supporting local organizations and various charities, all while allowing new exploration to inspire our future path. But always remembering our commitments to brewing quality, community involvement, sustainability, fostering a positive culture, an “all are welcome here” mentality, creating safe environments for our staff and guests, and service to our brand.

We welcome you all to join us and encourage you to check out our full 2023 Brand Deck Presentation.

– Ryan Chaffin, 
General Manager 14th Star Brewing Co.

We are excited to team up with our friends at Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports to brew “Empowerment” — a new hazy Vermont Pale Ale perfect for enjoying after a day of play in the Green Mountains!

14th Star Brewer Andrew Godiksen Says: “Empowerment is a modern style Pale Ale, a west coast meets Vermont. This hazy light straw-colored beer has notes of grapefruit and tangerine. It also has the OG dankness associated with West coast IPAs to blend the two coasts together and create a very well-balanced beer. 14th Star is proud to use a hearty amount of Vermont kilned wheat from Vermont Malt House as well as Vermont-grown hops from Champlain Valley Hops in this beer. The slight bitterness pairs well with the big juicy flavors of tangerine and grapefruit as well as a soft finish from its house yeast used for NE IPAs. Sliding in at 5.5% ABV, this beer is perfect to enjoy a few for some Apres fun.”

Every sip of Empowerment helps support Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports’ year-round programming for people of all ages and abilities.

Learn more at www.vermontadaptive.org

 

Crafted Exports, the leading international distributor for American craft beers and spirits, has partnered with Man in the Moon to bring the best Vermont has to offer to Sweden!

We at 14th Star Brewery are honored by the opportunity to represent Vermont craft beer in Sweden’s Stockholm Showcase! Fun fact: our brewery’s name ’14th Star’ is a reference to our pride as Vermonters and Vermont being admitted to the United States as the fourteenth state back in 1791. We are a small award-winning craft brewery out of St. Albans Vermont known for producing a wide variety of world-class brews with a mission to give back to local organizations and various charities. We believe a balance of history, innovation, and flavors can be found in every batch of 14th Star beer and hope the Sweden craft beer fans enjoy the diverse selection of brews we have provided. We look forward to continuing to work with Crafted Exports to provide 14th Star beer to our friends across the pond!

For all of January 2023, the following breweries will be showcased at Man in the Moon!

• Long Trail Brewing Co
• Otter Creek Brewing
• The Shed Brewery
• Burlington Beer Co
• Foley Brothers Brewing
• Zero Gravity Brewery
• 14th Star Brewing Co
• Whetstone Beer Co

Jake Collier, Sales Manager of Crafted Exports, comments: “We are once again starting off the year in celebration by partnering with Man in the Moon to showcase the best in beer from a new US state. This year we’ve chosen Vermont (the state where I grew up) and are beyond excited to share with the fans in Sweden some of the best beer the state has to offer!”

Commenting on the partnership, Daniel Rhawi, Owner of Man in the Moon, said: “We are thrilled to organize the eighth consecutive American Beer Fest at Man in the Moon. After doing California, Hawaii, Ohio, New York, Florida, Illinois and Massachusetts it’s time for the fantastic beer state of Vermont in January 2023. We would like to send huge thanks to Crafted Export for great partnership and also to all participant breweries. We really look forward to serving some of the best beers Vermont offers to the Swedish beer crowd.”