I'm curious how everyone's local breweries are doing. I noticed a few local breweries around me seem to be starting to disappear (although there are a lot of them nearby). I wasn't sure if it's just around me or if everywhere is starting to lose its local spots. I still support local breweries as much as possible and make an effort to go visit and buy various swag as well.
There are other threads about breweries across the country closing - so I believe there is an ongoing consolidation. But in a more general sense, most around are shifting focus - brewing fewer new beers, while focusing on distributing there standard option, or focusing on running their brewpub as a popular restaurant. I think it’s the price of surviving
"HappeningsInCasper" I lost my favorite places back to back around the end of the pandemic and my other favorite got bought out by a corporation .
There is a ‘chain’ of brewpubs in my area that has closed: Iron Hill. It has been announced that some locations have been purchased but at this point in time it is not clear if they will reopen as Iron Hill Brewpubs. And some locations have not been purchased (yet?) so…Lots of folks still unemployed, hopefully found jobs elsewhere. Cheers!
In Humboldt County, CA it seems like most of the small breweries are doing quite well. Not as crazy busy as they used to be, but they’re never empty
From what I can tell, all the "legacy" Asheville breweries, is what we'll call them, are doing fine. The big 5 (in terms of barrelage): Highland, Green Man, Burial, Wicked Weed and Hi-Wire continue doing their thing. Hi-wire may have overextended themselves with their ambitious expansion of taprooms in other parts of the south, since I see they've closed the Louisville and Birmingham locations. We'll see if more are to follow Helene definitely did a number on our standing as Beer City USA since the obliteration of New Origin and Cursus Keme I think have knocked us off the throne. French Broad River Brewery, Zillicoah and The Wedge's Foundation location were all down for the count as well but have since reopened. FBR has stepped up and started hosting some great live music events both indoor and outdoor. Zillicoah has been struggling to keep up with demand (lots of guest taps every time I go), but they're beloved by the community and the renovations to their Taproom are incredible, so they'll be fine. The Wedge Foundation just opened back up recently and held the annual BBQ competition they're known for hosting and it went great, so they should be all right. Terra Nova just recently closed which is a shame, but I chalk that up more to bad timing and bad luck rather than poor decision-making or the state of the beer market. Honestly too complex of a situation to get into here, but I elaborated a bit in the Regional thread. All the rest of the little breweries are plugging away (Diatribe, Hillman and Cellarest being among some of the best imo). Tourism is down here, but it seems to be down across the board for the US. It'll be interesting to see the numbers for this year. We almost surely did not get our usual ~11 million tourists per year that we normally see. Probably a little under 10 if I had to guess
I was a minor investor in a local brewery. I did get some kegs but it was a terrible investment and has closed. No one in their right mind should ever invest in restaurants or breweries. It’s like Las Vegas, just consider it an entertainment expense and don’t expect to get it back.
Reno/Tahoe breweries seem to be plugging along, with Imbib being the only recent closure I know of, though I guess a new brewery has already taken over their former Reno location.
It's a mixed-bag around here. In the past two years, Obscure closed, and two branch-taprooms for out-of-town breweries closed (Lupulin and Miner). Then Miner closed altogether. Woodgrain bought the Obscure brewery, much better/bigger brew-space than their old one. Covert Artisan closed their downtown taproom, is opening a new taproom next to their brewery, and has started regional distribution. I suspect we may see another brewery closing in 2026.
Forest and Main recently opened a third location. Guess that means they are doing ok. Human Robot also opened one or two new spots in the last year. Those are my two favorites, not that I get there often even with HR a few miles up the road. The cost to drink a beer at a brewery is too much anymore. I can grab a 4x16 from their cooler for the cost of two pours and even that is more than I want to pay. Enjoy
I have three breweries here in town, plus another three that are within 20 miles, and I try to visit each of them on a rotating basis. Each is a brewpub arrangement and relies on food as part of their sales. One only has a light menu (mostly pizza) and opens during the week at 3 pm. Another can't decide if they want to be open during the lunch hour and afternoon during the week, and has started/stopped doing it twice now. So they seem to be closely watching their bottom line to avoid losing money by opening too early. (I always would go there for lunch, and it usually wasn't very busy.) The other four are open for lunch and they always seem to be modestly busy when I'm there. Each has been increasing the frequency that they post on social media and are announcing food specials, new beers, live music events, etc. so their 'marketing' has been actively trying to keep the customers interested in finding their way there. I don't think any of them are making money hand over fist, but each seems to be using some savvy to keep the doors open.
I am out in the western suburbs of Chicago. More Brewing has three locations in Illinois and I usually go to Villa Park. It’s always packed, and I hear the other two are doing well. 93 Octane bought Elmhurst Brewing’s property after they closed and when I went to 93 Octane, there was a good crowd. Goldfinger Brewing seems to have a good crowd whenever I go. I think Noon Whistle is doing well. So where I am, things are good.
It's a mixed bag here from what I can tell. Places are closing and brand new places are opening up as well. But I think there are more closings than openings. Fair State just closed their taproom but they're still makin' beer/contract brewed.
Norfolk, VA: Smartmouth shuttering their original location end of year, just gonna use their VA Beach oceanfront satellite... but Wasserhund just opened up a new satellite in town. So we basically traded. And lets not forget the Armed Forces BrewCo debacle that happened this year. (I invite you to Google the previous) Rip Rap was either acquired/combined with Coastal Fermentory (Newport News brewery) a few months ago. Other things I've seen in E side of VA: Strangeways closing half their locations (Williamsburg and non SA RVA location) and just keeping the Scotts Addition RVA and Fredericksburg location. Red Dragon in Fredericksburg closing end of year. Starr Hill has some arrangement with Hardywood, like all their beer is on draft at Hardywood West.
Maybe a silly question, but do you make it a point to visit each of them on a regular basis because they all make great beer, or because you're trying to support local breweries?
