SALLY POLLAKFree Press Staff Writer

There are beer geeks. There are co-op geeks, too. Matt Cropp could be a hybrid.

"I geek out on co-ops," said Cropp, 27, of Burlington. He writes about credit unions and is making a video about a central Vermont electric co-op.

The beer part concerns Cropp's work with Full Barrel Cooperative Brewery and Taproom, a cooperative brewery in the making. He is one of the principal organizers.

The group, comprised of about 80 volunteers, will host its first public tasting — a brew day event — Saturday at Intervale Community Farm in Burlington from 2 to 7:30 p.m.

There will be beer made by group members, with an Irish Red ale the featured brew, Cropp said. The event will include demos, meetings about the project, a book talk by Kurt Staudter, author of "Vermont Beer: History of a Brewing Revolution," and a 5 p.m. barbecue.

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In a state with a rapidly growing number of breweries, Full Barrel brings something new to the craft beer enterprise, Cropp says.

"The co-op model allows for a certain level of experimentation, drawing on a deep base of participating members," Cropp said. "The structure will allow for a lot of creativity in what we produce."

The co-op volunteers are engaged in a variety of projects related to the enterprise, including developing bylaws and a business plan, food planners and brewers.

The brewing group has about 35 members, ranging from people who are interested in learning how to brew to those with substantial experience and systems, Cropp said. Full Barrel is using a 15-gallon brewing system on loan from a volunteer, with the possibility of acquiring (on loan) a one-barrel apparatus, he said.

"That reflects a lot of how we've been growing," Cropp said. "This has all been on a shoestring, from nothing but a dream. But a lot of people who are interested in the idea have come forward."

A beer cooperative in Austin, Texas, Black Star Co-op, serves as an interesting and viable model, Cropp said. City Market also is a useful model, one whose structure Full Barrel could follow with patronage refunds and a member-elected board of directors, Cropp said.

Memberships will cost $100 to $250, depending on how much money the co-op needs to raise, according to Cropp. People can pledge now to become co-op members.

Full Barrel's goal is to have an incubator space with growlers for sale by the end of winter, Cropp said. The next step would be the creation of a brew pub.

"People really value local beer, the collaborative culture around beer, and the sense of authenticity that comes with it," Cropp said. "The co-op model takes that to the logical next step."

For more information visit www.fullbarrel.coop

Contact Sally Pollak at spollak@burlingtonfreepress.com or 660-1859; www.twitter.com/vtpollak