Magic Hat, the largest craft brewery in Vt., is sold to NY-based North American Breweries

Vt. craft brewery Magic Hat sold to NY beer maker

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — Magic Hat Brewing Co., Vermont’s largest craft brewery, has been sold to North American Breweries Inc. of Rochester, N.Y.

The purchase was announced Wednesday.

The Burlington Free Press says North American has acquired Magic Hat’s parent company, Independent Brewers United Inc., as well as the Portland, Ore.-based MacTarnahan’s beer.

North American owns the Genesee Brewing Company and Dundee Ales & Lagers. It’s the primary U.S. distributor of Labatt beers and Seagram’s coolers.

North American Breweries CEO Rich Lozyniak says the breweries it acquired have 600 employees and North American Breweries employs about 500.