The ownership team of Bensalem, PA’s Broken Goblet Brewing (Andrew Grosse, Jason Grosse, Michael LaCouture, and recently added Kate Sweeney) have announced a new brewers and distillers collective and co-operative, designed to be a disruptive driver in an ever-evolving industry.
Together with award-winning brewer, distiller, and music-industry alum Jeremy Myers (formerly Neshaminy Creek Brewing, Sourland Spirits), Philadelphia Craft Beer legend Mike “Scoats” Scotese (formerly Grey Lodge, Hop Angel, Bonk’s Tavern), and multi-faceted brewing and raw materials industry pro Jason Macias (Tricor Braun/Zuckerman Honickman), the newly formed executive team have formed MUTUAL RESPECT BREWERS CO-OP, a platform for smaller breweries to share economies of size and scale through pooled resources and expertise, but also maintaining full independence of the brands and cultures.
The newly formed group will expand the footprint currently occupied by Broken Goblet in Bensalem with an additional 6000+ square feet of taproom space, a full kitchen, and most excitingly in the future, a distillery. As a result of the merger, the three breweries, as well as the as-yet-unnamed distillery, will become brands under the Mutual Respect banner. Under the umbrella, each brewery will release beers independently, and the parent company will also release beers. The kitchen will remain separate and will be a leased entity.
Joining Broken Goblet will be Myers’ Trauger Brewing, a passion project for industry veteran Myers that was in motion even before his departure from the ownership team at Neshaminy Creek Brewing in 2020. Inspired by the classic styles and brewing techniques of Germany, and in part, an inspirational product of Myers’ most recent project – lead consultant for the new large-scale production facility for Braumanufaktur Bachs in Neunkirchen, Germany – Trauger Brewing strives to brew authentic and true to style Lagers and Ales in accordance to the German Purity Law, the Reinheitsgebot. His adherence to traditional production methods like step and decoction mashing, natural carbonation through spunding and krausening, and extended lagering, as well as utilizing only imported German raw materials, is a refreshing change in an industry flooded with adjunct-laden offerings.
“I’m really excited to be working with this group on this project that I have been so passionate about.” says Myers. “This industry is changing, and you can’t just sit back and hope that doing the same thing will sustain you. Combining my experience in brewing and distilling with the drive and energy of the others, all while keeping music as a huge part of it, well it’s something I just could not pass up.”
Lucky Cat Beer Co. will also be joining the collective, the brainchild of Scotese and Macias after smartly recognizing the changing climate for craft beer bars. Originally formed in the Mayfair section of the Greater Philadelphia Area, Lucky Cat’s mission is to explore and revitalize styles of craft beer seemingly lost to the annals of beer history. Scotese brings over 25 years of bar management expertise to the leadership team, including connections built through a lifetime of goodwill in the burgeoning craft scene as the owner and driving force behind The Grey Lodge, a Philly Burbs beer institution. Macias, no stranger to both sides of the brewing business having helped launch Vault Brewing (Newtown, PA) in both a brewer and sales manager capacity, now brings his raw materials experience into the collective, working with Zuckerman Honickman (a TricorBraun Company) in technical sales specializing in South African hops and US grown/malted barley, and having launched ZH Hops & Malt in late 2021.
Since its inception in 2014, Broken Goblet Brewing has grown to become the most prolific event-based brewery and taproom in the Northeast Region. After outgrowing their original location, music-industry vets LaCouture and Jay Grosse, and Andrew “Bubba” Grosse elected to move the facility to a 15,000+ sqft location in Bensalem, PA.
Beyond the large-scale events, a high-quality and award-winning music program, and a commitment to charity, the brewery is known for a preference for eclectic brew styles and for a very forward-facing ownership group and staff who are lauded for the customer service provided. Joining the leadership team as they transition to the new collective board is Kate Sweeney (formerly Flying Fish Brewing, Somerdale, NJ), a long-time and vital member of the management team. “We’ve taken to calling this ‘Voltron’ internally,” says LaCouture, “because each constituent part brings something really special – and important – to the co-op. When you put it together, it’s unlike anything in the area, and will be a disruptive influence in the way small breweries and even distilleries adapt to the always-changing climate in alcohol sales and taproom trends.”
All current brands under the Mutual Respect banner will be produced at the Bensalem, PA facility, commanding a joint capacity of over 3000 barrels of potential annual production, and the expected expansion should complete in mid-to-late 2022. The newly formed board will oversee general operations, and each brand will maintain all individual management and staff in the transition. The board anticipates the conversion to an ESOP, or an Employee Share Option Plan, in the next 12-18 months, as a way to further integrate and activate both employees as well as the larger community with the growing co-op. Additionally, Mutual Respect will actively look for physical expansion opportunities as well as added brands in the future.
