Founders Brewing
Mahou San Miguel to take 90% stake in Founders Brewing
Spanish brewer Mahou San Miguel is taking a majority stake in Founders Brewing.
In late 2014, it was announced that Mahou would be taking a 30% equity stake in the Grand Rapids-based brewery. Now, Mahou San Miguel is upping that equity stake to 90%.
According to MiBiz.com, papers have been filed documents with the Michigan Liquor Control Board, indicating Spain’s Best Beer Company, an affiliate of Mahou San Miguel would be assuming 90% ownership of Founders Brewing.
The remaining 10% stake will be held by co-founders Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers.
Earlier this year, the same entity took a 70% stake in Colorado’s Avery Brewing.
Founders has now released a statement on the majority purchase, shortly after the news broke:
- Mahou will assume the larger stake in early 2020.
- All shareholders in the brewery will be bought out, except Engbers and Stevens
- Founders states no brewery processes will change with this equity purchase
- There are no plans for Mahou San Miguel to purchase 100% of the company
- No Mahou brands are or will be brewed in Michigan
- The is no intermingling or relationship with Avery, other than shared ownership
If you are wondering “why” Founders sold the additional 60%, this is the only comment Beer Street Journal has the moment:
We decided to partner with Mahou Group in late 2014 to help strengthen the legacy of our brewery; to ensure it would last for generations to come. As Spain’s largest and oldest brewery, Mahou Group values legacy above all else and that value was critical in informing our decision to partner with them. Mahou Group has allowed us to grow and thrive as an autonomous partner and, even with their increased investment, the plan is to continue to allow us to pursue our dreams as we always have.
The brewery states the financial terms of the deal are confidential and will not be disclosed.
An email to Mike Stevens has not been returned.
Founders CBS returns again in November for the last time for a while
Founders CBS will return to the brewery’s Barrel-Aged lineup again on November`1st. This is last time you’ll see it for some time.
One of the most demanded beers in Grand Rapids, Michigan based Founders Brewing’s lineup is CBS, aka Canadian Breakfast Stout.
The imperial stout is brewed with a blend of coffee and imported chocolates, then aged in spent bourbon barrels that have most recently been aging pure Michigan maple syrup. Folks go insane at the mere mention of this beer.
The first time the world saw bottles of this release was in October of 2011, as the second release in the brewery’s Backstage Series.
FOUNDERS UNDERGROUND MOUNTAIN BROWN JOINS BARREL AGED SERIES
Since then, the Backstage Series has grown eventually morphing into the Barrel-Aged Series. Fans begged, but CBS was still missing from the lineup until December of last year. Since then, CBS has made just two more times, with the latest release missing the iconic Canadian Mountie rider. Why? The Royal Canadian Mounted Police filed a legal cease & desist over the depiction of the Mountie seen in the Beer Street Journal pic below. We know it’s not a titillating story, but it solves the mystery behind the horse with no rider on the last bottle.
CBS will return November 1st as the 5th release in the brewery’s Barrel-Aged Series, in both 750-milliliter bottles and new 12-ounce bottles. According to Founders, this is the last time this beer will be released in the foreseeable future.
Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Chocolate. Maple Syrup. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability:750ml Bottles, 12oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.
Latest Return: 11/2/19
11+% ABV
PIC: Beer Street Journal
Founders Underground Mountain Brown ships mid-August
Founders Underground Mountain Brown will be the 4th release in the brewery’s Barrel-Aged Series this August.
Brewery fans know this beer under a different name, Barrel-Aged Sumatra Mountain Brown. Founder takes an imperial brown ale, adds Sumatra coffee, and ages it in bourbon barrels in their caves for nearly a year. This release follows new margarita-inspired Mas Agave, presumably on shelves now.
FOUNDERS MAS AGAVE, BARREL-AGED SERIES #3
A team of malts complements the bold Sumatra coffee perfectly, while time spent immersed in oak creates layers of depth and complexity. A celebration of the barrel, the bean and everything in between.
Founders Underground Mountain Brown will be available in 12- ounce and 750-milliliter bottles, as well as draft, starting in mid-August.
Style: Imperial Brown Ale (w/ Coffee. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 750ml, 12oz, Draft. Limited Release.
Debut: Mid-August 2019
11.9% ABV, 30 IBUs
Founders Pilsner gets a new look
Founders Pilsner has a fresh new look this year.
Margarita inspired Founders Mas Agave is Barrel Aged Series #3
Founders Mas Agave will be the 3rd Barrel-Aged Series release in 2019, following Backwoods Bastard and CBS.
This margarita-inspired release is an imperial gose, brewed with agave and lime, and aged in tequila barrels. According to Founders, the tequila gives this beer “just the right amount of kick”.
The label is inspired by Day of the Dead imagery, especially the altars built to honor loved ones.
Founders Mas Agave will be available in 750-milliliter bottles, 12-ounce bottles, and draft in May 2019
Style: Gose (w/ Lime. Agave. Barrel Aged. Tequila.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: May 2019
?? ABV
Founders Blushing Monk returns after multi-year hiatus
Founders Blushing Monk makes a return to the brewery’s Limited Release Series in 2019.
Back by popular demand Blushing Monk, considered the older, boozier sibling to raspberry heavy Rubaeus is the first release in the brewery’s Limited Series in 2019. The fruit beer is fermented with a Belgian yeast strain on a “abundance” of raspberries.
Fruit-forward ferment aromas and spice esters combine with an abundance of raspberries for a tart and luscious, raspberry-jam character.
Founders Blushing Monk will be available nationwide in both 750-milliliter bottles, new 12-ounce bottles and draft starting January 4th.
Style: Fruit Beer (w/ Raspberries.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles. Draft. Limited Release.
Latest Release: January 2019
9.2% ABV
Image: Founders Brewing
Ed Note: Removed the 750ml bottle size. Only 12oz will be available.
Founders Brewing adds Colorado distribution in September
Founders Brewing will soon be available in Colorado. The brewery has signed distribution deals with Rocky Mountain Coors, Coors Distributing, High Country Beverage, Mountain Beverage, B&K, High Country Western Slope and A&L Coors to cover the state.
All year-round, seasonal and specialty releases will be available throughout the state in bottles, cans, and draft – the brewery’s 47th distribution state.
The only states that lack Founders will be Utah, Wyoming, and Hawaii.
