Fort Bend Brewing closing

This is a big bummer to see. Good or bad beer, still a loss for the state of Texas to loose a local business, especially in this industry.

 

While I agree that it's bad to lose a business I don't think that being "local" should be an excuse for continuing to make mediocre beer and staying in business. The whole point of craft beer is doing it for the beer and to make great beer. I'm not saying that wasn't Fort Bend's desire, but the prevailing feeling of this forum is that they didn't.

 

Small start-up companies come and go all the time in Texas. Sometimes, those that produce a good product and/or good service still fail due to a variety of other reasons - less than ideal location, lack of management experience, lack of marketing skills, lack of prior industry experience, not developing a specific business plan, poor record keeping or adequate financial controls, failure to use a business advisor, etc, etc.

It's even harder to make it when some of the above apply to you and you produce a poor product. Obviously.

The odds of a few homebrew buddies jumping into commercial production of their homebrew and making a success out of it are as slim as in any other small business. Yet, names are popping up like crazy lately of future breweries or brewpubs planned for Texas and I would wager quite a few of them don't have a professional brewer lined up as part of their team nor savvy business people. Some will not get enough startup capital to even open and some will but then fail within a few years. Same thing as in other industries. The fact that we care for craft beer and want to see it grow in Texas doesn't mean that all comers will make it, or should. As others have stated here, the market works itself out. Appreciate the ones that do make it. Those are the ones who've earned it.

 

Didn't the city try to sell it to a developer of condos or something? My ex used to work for Imp Sug, across the street in the strip mall looking office. I used to hear all kinds of stories about that old hulk.

Anyone know of any Ft Bend stock still on shelves? I'd like to try one, even if it's old, even if it's bad, just to so I can say I did.

 

I'm not sure, to be honest. But I know the city still hosts party type things like wine and craft fairs there.

If you're in the Sugarland area I would check the HEB on HWY 6 and Dulles. I used to see it there all the time.

 

I've bought their stuff at the Specs on 6 in sugarand, as well as world of beer.

 

Ah.... thanks for that info.... would have made a cool brewery location... but in the end.. the beer does matter some... although other than perpetual peace there is nothing I would pay for from No Label.