How are your local breweries doing?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by BourbonForBeer, Dec 11, 2025.

  1. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    If you sold burritos you would be a billionaire!!

    Cheers!
     
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  2. wmeckley44

    wmeckley44 Savant (1,114) Nov 1, 2023 Tennessee
    Trader

    There's rumors going around that Barrique is closing in a week permanently due to stadium construction without plans to restart. If so, with Southern Grist leaving, Nashville beer is pretty much dead unless Xul does great work with the SG space. Nothing confirmed about Barrique, but the Nashville beer subreddit is usually 100% accurate with leaks.
     
  3. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    That would be a huge disappointment if it happens. I have already decided that if I'm able to take a trip through the South next year, it will go thru Nashville and Barrique.
     
  4. wmeckley44

    wmeckley44 Savant (1,114) Nov 1, 2023 Tennessee
    Trader

    Just stopped by and yes, January 1st is the last day they'll be open. The owner found out 2 days ago and the staff yesterday. Their cellar is fully open, same with glassware. I'll be stopping by Monday to share a bottle with the staff and if anyone is interested in anything from there, I'm happy to pick it up.
     
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  5. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Any hints at all that they'll try to open elsewhere in town?
     
  6. wmeckley44

    wmeckley44 Savant (1,114) Nov 1, 2023 Tennessee
    Trader

    I just ran up for their newest release but I'm planning on going to sit for a while on monday. Hopefully I'll get to see where the staff is going then, both brewers have been in the local scenes for a while and this was such a passion project that I hope they don't retire altogether. It seems like they've never been more popular or made better beer than the past year so it's insane to think it's all over in a week or so.
     
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  7. moodenba

    moodenba Pooh-Bah (2,502) Feb 2, 2015 New York
    Society Pooh-Bah

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  8. woemad

    woemad Grand Pooh-Bah (5,601) Jun 8, 2003 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    They're struggling. Three closed down this fall. Another had to close their downtown location to the public (it still functions as a production facility).
     
  9. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Depending on how you want to define 'local' breweries (an entire state?), this is interesting (and surprising to me).

    I downloaded a list of supposedly active Michigan breweries in July, 2024. That list had 452 breweries listed. Over time I would add newly-opened breweries and mark any brewery as 'Closed' whenever I heard about them thru the BA forums. If a brewery is listed as closed, it remains on the list rather than being deleted. Today that list has grown to 501 breweries, thus 49 new openings between July, 2024 and December, 2025. That's 10.8% growth in roughly 18 months.

    Earlier in this thread I replied that the 6 breweries that are more local to me seem to be holding their own. I discovered that I had saved a copy of the list in early November of 2025 so I counted the number of listings that showed 'Closed' and came up with 44. That's 9.7% of the original list. All of these closings would have been noted by me from this forum, social media, etc.

    So I got further curious about how the entire state is doing, so I reconciled my list against the BA database. Now there are 66 breweries listed as closed. I may have caused a few of these closings to be listed on BA, but the majority of the 22 closings since early November have come from other sources. There's no way for me to know whether these 22 closures actually happened during the last 50-60 days without doing a lot of research (and I'm not that curious). But the numbers mean that potentially 4.4% of Michigan's breweries closed in that 50-60 day period, and that's not good. So things may be worse than I thought if 'local' goes beyond my local area.
     
    #89 PapaGoose03, Dec 26, 2025
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2025
  10. Noelito76

    Noelito76 Pooh-Bah (2,282) Oct 30, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    The Bronx Brewery seems to be doing well. They expanded their main location and host live bands on the weekends. They also opened 2 Manhattan outposts. Those rents can't be cheap. On the flip side, Gun Hill closed. They brewed really good beers but I didn't get the sense marketing was their strong suit.
     
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  11. zotzot

    zotzot Grand Pooh-Bah (5,352) Feb 22, 2015 Vermont
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Just saw an article that 40 breweries shutdown down in Colorado this year. This includes multiple outlets for a given brewery or breweries which just shut their tasting rooms - but it’s stilll a lot.
    Because of their paywall, I couldn’t read the whole article.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. jzlyo

    jzlyo Pooh-Bah (2,743) Mar 4, 2012 Iowa
    Pooh-Bah

    Backpocket out of Coralville and Peace Tree out of Knoxville both essentially merged/got bought out by Singlespeed, which is based in Waterloo.
     
  13. DarrellK

    DarrellK Savant (1,061) Nov 16, 2002 Florida

    We had our rather large local brewery close down a few months ago here in Oviedo FL. I know business slowed but it's location might have been too expensive to support.
     
  14. CasualRodness

    CasualRodness Initiate (166) Aug 6, 2017 Indiana

    Northwest Indiana here. Three Floyds taproom remains closed. 18th Street looks like it's on it's last legs despite still being my fave. Spots in Highland and Griffith (Fuzzyline, Byway, New Oberpfalz, Wildrose) all seem to be thriving. Sad to see breweries closed
     
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  15. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Given the hype that 18th Street used to have on this site I've always wanted to visit them. The 'sketchy' reputation of the communities where they're located (my perception, valid or not I don't know), but I haven't traveled to that area as much as I used to. But I just wonder if their location's reputation hurts them with others considering going there too.
     
  16. Frothingslosh

    Frothingslosh Aspirant (287) Nov 22, 2009 Pennsylvania

    I have 13 breweries within 30 minutes of my home and all seem to be doing ok financially - but none make exceptional beer and at least 2 make absolutely terrible stuff. There is a glut of very mediocre beer out there but I will take it over what the beer scene was 20 years ago when I became a geek about it.
     
  17. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Where in PA do you live?

    This kind of reminds me of the time I went to a beer festival in Selinsgrove. I dumped a lot of beer that day. I think I went back to the Troegs booth many times to drink non-mediocre beer.

    Luckily for me the craft beer scene is much better in SEPA (Philly and surrounding counties).

    Cheers!
     
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  18. sulldaddy

    sulldaddy Grand Pooh-Bah (5,716) Apr 6, 2003 Connecticut
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Some more south central Connecticut stuff. Places near me closed but were immediately re-opened by more established breweries.
    Definitely a downward trend in overall numbers Statewide. Mostly average beers leaving the market in my opinion.
    Still plenty of good to very good options within 30 mins of my house.
     
  19. Frothingslosh

    Frothingslosh Aspirant (287) Nov 22, 2009 Pennsylvania

    Greensburg PA. 45+ minutes southeast of Pittsburgh
     
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  20. bubseymour

    bubseymour Grand Pooh-Bah (4,800) Oct 30, 2010 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    My local brewery scene seems to be doing ok. I know of 2 locals that are trying to sell their businesses (one makes good beer and food, the other is just so/so). It seems that vibe of location and food really makes the difference and quality of beer plays second fiddle to patronage. Most breweries in my area are packed on Saturday afternoons. That’s seems to be “prime time” in my area, even during winter when people are trapped inside. Summer time, Fridays md Saturday evenings can be very crowded as well if places offer a good outdoor vibe. Most all places pretty dead during weekdays/evenings. Even the places that pack in hundreds of people on a Saturday afternoon, if you go on a Wed/Thursday happy hour time around 4-5pm, probably only 3-5 patrons “regulars” in most places. Not sure financially how they are doing.