Brewery Acquisitions

Wiseacre Brewing acquires Bearded Iris

Wiseacre Brewing Acquires Bearded Iris Brewing, Uniting Two of Tennessee’s Top Craft Breweries

Memphis-based Wiseacre Brewing Company has acquired Nashville’s Bearded Iris Brewing in a deal announced this week, combining two of Tennessee’s largest craft breweries.

Wiseacre Brewing, through its Abel Brewing Continue Reading →

Ecliptic Brewing sells

Ecliptic Brewing in Portland, Oregon has announced the brewery has been sold.

Ecliptic Brewing announced this week that the brewery has officially been sold, per the brewery’s owner and brewmaster John Harris.

In an Instagram announcement, the Harris stated the Continue Reading →

NoFo Brewing acquires Tantrum Brewing

NoFo Brewing, located just north of Atlanta, has acquired Cleveland, Georgia-based Tantrum Brewing. The deal was closed this morning.

NoFo is acquiring the brewing equipment, 10,000+ square foot building, and 5.3 acres of land owned by Tantrum, located just two Continue Reading →

Posted in Bearded Iris Brewing, Brewery Acquisitions, Headlines, Wiseacre Brewing

Wiseacre Brewing acquires Bearded Iris

Wiseacre Brewing Acquires Bearded Iris Brewing, Uniting Two of Tennessee’s Top Craft Breweries

Memphis-based Wiseacre Brewing Company has acquired Nashville’s Bearded Iris Brewing in a deal announced this week, combining two of Tennessee’s largest craft breweries.

Wiseacre Brewing, through its Abel Brewing LLC, has applied for permit changes for Bearded Iris’ locations at 101 Van Buren St. and Sylvan Supply at 4101 Charlotte Ave.

Bearded Iris was founded in 2014 by Paul Vaughn, Matt Miller, and Kavon Togrye in Nashville, Tennessee. Wiseacre Brewing was established a year earlier in Memphis by brothers Kellan and Davin Bartosch. The merger is seen as a strategic alliance across the Volunteer State, aimed at overcoming challenges facing the craft beer industry, including rising costs, pandemic fallout, increasing insurance expenses, and shifting consumer preferences.

IndieBrew and Scofflaw

In October 2021, Atlanta-based Scofflaw Brewing founded IndieBrew, a brewing collective. Bearded Iris joined IndieBrew in December of that year. The collective provided shared business services, from HR to brewing operations, to enhance the long-term sustainability of member breweries. Bearded Iris co-founder Kavon Togrye was deeply involved in the initiative.

Discussions about IndieBrew have been scarce since late 2022. The acquisition of Bearded Iris, which does not involve Scofflaw Brewing, likely impacts the IndieBrew partnership.

Future

The acquisition brings two of Tennessee’s most popular craft beers—Wiseacre’s Tiny Bomb (a pilsner) and Bearded Iris’ Homestyle (an IPA)—under one brand. No word of any leadership changes or exits by any existing brewery founders.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Developing…

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Brewery Acquisitions

Tilray acquires Terrapin Beer, Hop Valley, Atwater, & Revolver from Molson Coors

Tilray Brands has acquired Terrapin Beer Company, Atwater Brewery, Revolver Brewing, Hop Valley Brewing Company from 98 Coors, officially announced today.

Tilray Brands is expanding their beer and beverage portfolio again by acquiring four breweries from Molson Coors, including Terrapin Beer Company, Atwater Brewery, Revolver Brewing, and Hop Valley Brewing. This deal comes exactly a year after Tilray bought Shocktop, Breckenridge Brewing, 10 Barrel Brewing, and Blue Point Brewing among others from Anheuser-Busch.

Most notably with this deal, SweetWater Brewery and Terrapin Beer Company – both Georgia companies, will be owned by the same owner for the first time.

Financial details of the deal were not immediately disclosed.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Brewery Acquisitions, Headlines, Mad River Brewing

Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians acquire Mad River Brewing

The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians has acquired Mad River Brewery from the Yurok Tribe in Northwestern California.

Mad River Brewery has changed ownership hands this week- now officially owned and female-led by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. The deal closed this week.

In 2019, Mad River Brewery became one of the first tribal breweries in the United States and the first tribal-owned brewery to partner with a Major League Baseball team, the San Francisco Giants. In 2021, the Paskenta Band opened The Paskenta Brewery and Distillery, the first tribal-owned distillery in California. This week, the Band extended its brewing and distilling portfolio with the Mad River Brewery acquisition.

“We’ve enjoyed great community response since opening Paskenta Brewery & Distillery. Now, with the acquisition of Mad River Brewery, we’re honored to extend our expertise in blending tribal identity and craft beer to the Northern California community and tribes across the nation. As we continue to innovate, we proudly lead the way in crafting beers and spirits within Indian Country.” – Andrew “Dru” Alejandre, Tribal Chairman

Linda Cooley heads Mad River Brewery as the Chief Executive Officer. “It fills my heart to know the business will remain in tribal hands and continue supporting the tribal community. I have no doubt Mad River Brewery will continue its growth with this Paskenta Partnership,” she says.

Mad River Brewing was opened in 1989 by brewmaster Bob Smith in Blue Lake, California, using some of Sierra Nevada’s original brewing equipment.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Brewery Acquisitions, Ecliptic Brewing, Headlines

Ecliptic Brewing sells

Ecliptic Brewing in Portland, Oregon has announced the brewery has been sold.

Ecliptic Brewing announced this week that the brewery has officially been sold, per the brewery’s owner and brewmaster John Harris.

In an Instagram announcement, the Harris stated the last two years of brewery operations have been challenging – citing the pandemic, rising cost of goods, and overall economic climate. “It has gotten to the point where we are no longer able to continue operations, and the company has been sold,” the statement reads.

“A Bigger Entity.”

Harris mentioned in the statement that the sale will allow the brewery to pay back debts with a “bigger entity” – which has now been disclosed as Great Frontier Holdings that includes Ninkasi Brewing and Wings & Arrow Beer Company.

The restaurant will be open through Saturday, November 18th.

The Ecliptic Brewing beers and production will presumably continue on through Great Frontier Holdings channels.

Ecliptic Brewing opened their “Mothership” restaurant and brewery in October of 2013. In November 2021, Ecliptic took over Base Camp Brewing’s space in southeast Portland- renaming the location “The Moon Room.”

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Anheuser-Busch, Brewery Acquisitions, Headlines

Anheuser-Busch sells off 8 brands to Tilray

It seems like only yesterday that the beer industry would spend their days and weeks wondering who Anheuser-Busch would buy next. It all started when A-B bought Goose Island back in 2011. Fast forward to today, Bud Light is no longer the #1 selling beer in America, and Anheuser-Busch is selling off breweries they once acquired to a cannabis company.

Shock Top, Breckenridge Brewery, 10 Barrel Brewery, Redhook Brewery, Widmer Brothers Brewing, Square Mile Cider Company, Blue Point Brewery, and Hi Ball Energy have been sold to Tilray Brands Inc. in an all-cash deal that will close by the end of 2023.

Tilray also owns Atlanta’s SweetWater Brewery, Alpine Beer Company, Montauk Brewing Company, and Green Flash Brewing.

By Tilray’s estimates, this acquisition will put them as the 5th largest craft brewing company in the United States, upfront 9th. Combined, the craft brewing portfolio is worth $300 million.

According to Andy Thomas, the president of Bud’s “The High End,” the brewery’s segment of craft breweries they have purchased (Goose Island, Wicked Weed Brewing) stated in a press release that Tilray approached Bud earlier this year about acquiring these brands – which would pre-date Budweiser’s massive multi-billion dollar crash this summer after a failed marketing move with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

Ty Gilmore, the president of U.S. Beer at Tilray states this transaction will push their beer production from 4 million case equivalents to 12 million.

Tilray is headquartered in New York City, with operations in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America, with an annual revenue of $628 million dollars in 2022.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Brewery Acquisitions, Don't Miss This, NoFo Brew Co, Tantrum Brewing

NoFo Brewing acquires Tantrum Brewing

NoFo Brewing, located just north of Atlanta, has acquired Cleveland, Georgia-based Tantrum Brewing. The deal was closed this morning.

NoFo is acquiring the brewing equipment, 10,000+ square foot building, and 5.3 acres of land owned by Tantrum, located just two miles from the base of popular North Georgia hiking spot Mount Yonah.

This is NoFo’s third location in just over three years of operation, as the brewery will open a taproom in Gainesville, Georgia this summer. This move is part of NoFo’s strategy to dominate the North Georgia market.

“North Georgia is a special place for NoFo, and we think our brand will be an excellent addition to White County and the surrounding area. We look forward to serving customers in Cleveland very soon,” says Joe Garcia, Co-Founder and CEO.

Tantrum Brewing will retain its recipes and intellectual property. NoFo will not be brewing or maintaining any of Tantrum’s current lineup.

MORE: FULL CIRCLE BREWING ACQUIRES SPEAKEASY

The Cleveland facility has a 30-barrel brewhouse which NoFo expects to have online by June. The sale will be complete on May 15th and will start re-branding the facility immediately. A distillery will be added to the site sometime this year as well.

NoFo tells Beer Street Journal that their annual capacity will hover around 4,000 barrels annually after this purchase in 2023, only distributing in Georgia through Modern Hops.

The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. NoFo Brewing Cleveland will be located at 1939 Helen Highway, Cleveland, Georgia.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Brewery Acquisitions, Full Circle Brewing, Headlines, Sonoma Cider, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

Full Circle Brewing Acquires Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

Full Circle Brewing has merged with San Francisco-based Speakeasy Ales and Lagers. Together the two, along with Sonoma Cider Full Circle acquired in 2020, combine to be the largest and most distributed black-owned brewery in the United States.

In 2017, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers ceased operations citing “outstanding debt & difficulty securing capital investment.” By May of that year, Speakeasy announced a sale to Hunters Point Brewery, a company founded by former beverage distributor Ces Butner.

Butner will remain on the advisory board going forward as the brands grow together. “I am excited for the passing of the baton to the next generation of Black Entrepreneurs in the craft beer space. I will continue to sit on the advisory board, and look forward to seeing the Speakeasy brand grow and evolve,” Butner says.

All three brands will be run under the leadership of Full Circle Brewing’s CEO Arthur Moye. Altogether, the group has an annual production capacity of 20,000 barrels annually.

“We are excited to apply what we learned from revitalizing Full Circle and increasing sales by 5,000%, to San Francisco’s longest running Independent Brewery. We plan to breathe new life into current brands, and expand its range of products”

Arthur Moye, Full Circle CEO

The three entities will continue distribution through their current networks. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

by Reid Ramsay