I did a short trip down to Charlottesville, VA the other day (Friday Jan 2) and stopped at 2 reputable breweries there. One seemed to be thriving (good beers, service, food and vibe) when we stopped for lunch around 1pm timeframe. The other I stopped at around 5pm on. Friday evening. Beers ok, vibe felt dead / completely off. Not many patrons especially for a Friday 5pm time slot (maybe only 7-10 people if I were to guess. Not sure how that place is keeping lights on. In my part of MD a similar place with that level of food and beer would have triple the patronage at least for that day/time slot.
Just curious... came to name the 2 breweries? Wondering if the "good" one was a big heavy-hitting brewery in VA and the other is... not so much.
When the Brewer's Association gives their end of year numbers, does a satellite tap room count as a brewery closing?
It’s good to know, and my guess it it’s when an entire brewery closes and opens, not when a new location opens and closes. When discussing these numbers we want to be careful and ensure we’re making a fair comparison. If a single taproom/location closes, while not good, it can’t be considered an entire brewery closing.
There are some solid options in Chicagoland; I can drive an hour in any direction and visit some great Breweries. Mikerphone, Old Irving, Half Acre, Imperial Oak, Off Color, etc... I support them because I like their product; some places are more inviting than others, and yes, I do support them just because they are local too.
Always liked Revolution and Piece, as well. Chicago does, indeed, have some great local options! I find this to be odd. With SO many super solid breweries putting out excellent products, why support locals that are less than that standard? Do you have a connection to the industry or a specific brewery? Do the breweries in question have another reason for you to visit or buy their products? I'm truly curious.
I only visit the local breweries I consider below average/substandard beers when a group of family and friends is meeting there. One brewery in particular I get sucked into visiting regularly probably makes the worse beer amongst 10-15 breweries in a 20 mile radius from my house, but they do have a cool setup for hanging out and good food. They pack the place regularly yet make subpar beers. I just get food and a soda (or at best have their bland house lager that is drinkable at least.
As a example of someone doing well, my local brewery, Fiddlehead (Vermont) has focused primarily on shipping instead of new beers every week.they have continued to increase their volume every year and are on track to be in the top 20 craft brewers this coming year. I was in NYC this week and saw them in several places. They are the biggest Vermont owned brewer, out shipping many more famous brands - Alchemist, Lawson’s…
Fiddlehead IPA is on tap everywhere, has been for quite some time. Cans everywhere too. I love it for when I’m at a place not known for beer. It’s not just a serviceable IPA, it’s an excellent one. And they somehow are always one of the cheapest options. They don’t just make a great beer, they have great prices. That’s a winning business model.
I am amazed at how quickly Fiddlehead has moved on from an occasionally available beer to being available at almost every bottle shop and supermarket. I only ever see Fiddlehead IPA and (less often) Second Fiddle, but this seems to be the case with most brands - stores will only stock the flagship and maybe a seasonal, looking for the reliable repeat sales. This has to be the reason why they have been able to get on shelves/coolers in so many stores. The beers are of high quality, popular with a lot of craft drinkers and at a great price. The cost for retailers must be such that it provides a good profit margin and sales are such that it keeps the stores reordering.
I just read that Buffalo Ridge Brewing in Hartford SD, near Sioux Falls, is for sale. They'd like someone to take it over, but could end up closing. It's a 20 minute drive, but I've never been there. I've had two of their beers, but was unimpressed. Another brewery closed in Hartford in 2024.
Definitely. And they hit all the key formats. Draft, 12 packs, 4 packs, and stovepipes. I've seen more than one bar that will have Fiddlehead as a deal on the tap list. Something along the lines of $5 for a 20 oz. pour.
That's an amazing price! To compare, I looked up prices at a nearby pub/restaurant called "Wood n Tap" and they had Fiddlehead IPA for $7.50 for a 16 oz draft. One could choose between this and Counter Weight Headway and NEBCo Sea Hag (same price), or spring for the Coors Light for $5 (not me, though).
While I don't have sales figures, it seems the local ones here in the Akron area are holding their own. Akronym closed both the Medina & Akron locations last year. The Akron location reopened a few month's ago. Every time I drive past Magic City, the lot is full. Magic also moved in to the old R.Shea location down in the valley & is called Down the Rabbit Hole. Wooster (JAFB) always has a full parking lot.
