Acquisition - The Beer Thrillers

Pour Man’s Brewing Acquires St. Boniface Brewing Company

B. Kline — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:24:22 +0000

Pour Man’s Brewing Acquires St. Boniface Brewing Company (photo courtesy of Pour Man’s Brewing Company)

Pour Man’s Brewing Has Acquired St. Boniface Brewing Company

Just announced (less than fifteen minutes ago) via social media, Pour Man’s Brewing Company out of Ephrata PA, has acquired St. Boniface Brewing Company (also out of Ephrata, PA). They made an announcement on their social media (see quote below) that lists a FAQ with news and notes of their acquisition.

St. Boniface Brewing

St. Boniface Brewery (photo courtesy of St. Boniface Brewing Company)

St. Boniface Brewing is located at 1701 W Main St, Ephrata, PA 17522.

They also own the Tied House in Lititz (which Pour Man’s Brewing did not purchase).

St. Boniface Brewing has been looking to sell and has been ‘on the market’ for just about two years now.

More Information on St. Boniface Brewing

The following comes via Untappd.

St. Boniface Craft Brewing Co. is a micro brewery out of Ephrata, PA. They have 284 unique beers and over 125,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.8 (as of 4.30.24). Their Untappd description is blank.

You can follow them on these social media platforms:

Also read our other article about them: Beer and Pretzel Review: Legends and Lore (St. Boniface Brewing Company) and Garlic Parm Pretzels (Pretzels.com)

The Announcement

One of our biggest goals at Pour Man’s, outside of providing great beer and service, has always been to grow deep roots in our community. That’s why when the opportunity came for us to purchase St Boniface Craft Brewery we jumped right in. We love brewing beer for Central PA and our surrounding areas as well as running our taproom right here in Ephrata, and this opportunity allows us to do more of just that! There are so many details we could go on and on about, but the most important thing we want to talk about is how excited we are to continue to grow Pour Man’s and Boniface right here in Ephrata!

With Love, Ryan, Sam & James

To answer some questions, we made a quick Q&A section below and of course we will continue to provide details throughout the entire process.

Will you be changing the beers?

For the most part no. We have been drinking Boniface beers since their original location and we plan to bring back some beers from the past and also introduce rotating new beers as well.

Will you be changing the food?

Absolutely not! The food is amazing! We would like to eventually introduce some rotating specials.

Is this just a second location for Pour Man’s?

No, we will continue to operate the Boniface brewery and taproom in Ephrata as its own company. Of course, we will make it our own with some tasteful tweaks but it will still be Boniface.

Are we also buying Tied House?

No

Will Boniface beers still be available in wholesale?

Yes! With the combined production of Pour Man’s and Boniface we plan to deliver more beer all over central PA.

Why own a second brewery right in Ephrata?

We feel the two places offer a different enough product to both be successful. By combining our brewing/wholesale productions we can reduce overhead and be a more efficient business.

#pourmansbrewing #lancasterbreweries #ephratabreweries

Pour Man’s Brewing Company – Facebook Post

More Information on Pour Man’s Brewing

The following comes via Untappd.

Pour Man’s Brewing is a micro brewery from Ephrata, PA. They have 288 unique beers and over 35,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.88 (as of 4.30.24). Their Untappd description reads: “We are a craft micro brewery dedicated to creating unique and flavorful beers. ”

You can follow them on these social media platforms:

They are located at: 24 E Main St, Ephrata, PA 17522.

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Smuttynose Brewing to Acquire Wachusett Brewery

B. Kline — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 04:59:02 +0000

Smuttynose Brewing to Acquire Wachusett Brewery

In the rumor mill, and with a little announcement, today its become knowledge that Smuttynose Brewing (via FinestKind LLC) is set to acquire Wachusett Brewery.

Just back in November of 2023 it was announced that Smuttynose Brewing and Five Boroughs Brewing were combining to make FinestKind LLC. (See article: Smuttynose Brewing and Five Boroughs Brewing Joining Under the Ownership of Finestkind Brewing)

Wachussett Brewery is located in Westminster, Massachusetts.

Finestkind will acquire Massachusetts mainstay Wachusett Brewing Co., the companies shared with the Globe this week. Known for its blueberry ale and the Red Sox-mascot inspired Wally IPA, Wachusett has been in business since 1994.

”Their commitment to quality and community closely aligns with our own values at Smuttynose,” says Steve Kierstead, Smuttynose’s CEO. “Wachusett, a brand with 30 years of history, is not only a local leader in the fruit beer category, but their addition significantly diversifies our portfolio.”
Smuttynose to buy Wachusett Brewing Co. – The Boston Globe

Wachusett Bewery

Wachusett’s 15,000 barrel production (one barrel is equivalent to 31 gallons in the beer world) increases the total capacity of Smuttynose’s beer production to over 50,000 barrels annually. Kierstead says there are no current plans to change Wachusett’s beer lineup, though the company will review what is working and what is not and won’t rule out future changes.
Smuttynose to buy Wachusett Brewing Co. – The Boston Globe

The following about Wachusett Brewery comes via Untappd:

Wachusett Brewing Company is a regional brewery from Westminster, MA. They have 158 unique beers and over 209,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.58 (as of 1.19.24).

Their Untappd description reads: Wachusett Brewing Company was founded in 1994 by 3 Massachusetts college buddies who developed a significant appreciation for craft beer during their adventures of biking, canoeing and hiking around New England. Armed with a “we can do this” attitude, the three cast off from their careers in engineering and biology to pursue their passion to make great beer. Today, Wachusett has grown to become one of the largest breweries in Northeast with a diverse and award-winning portfolio of ales and lagers that are still made with the same “we can do this” attitude that started the brewery over 20 years ago. Come visit us at The Brew Yard located at our brewery in Westminster MA to learn more about our story and sample our wide variety of beers. We hope to see you soon!

You can find them on the following social media pages:

F

or More Information on Smuttynose Brewing Company

(The following comes from press release.)

Smuttynose Brewing Co. is a leading independent craft brewery founded in 1994 and situated on a historic 14-acre farm in Hampton, New Hampshire. The Smuttynose campus features a state-of-the-art LEED Gold-Certified© brewery, tasting bar and retail store, beer garden, and pub-style restaurant with one of the Seacoast’s best outdoor patios.

(The following comes from Untappd.)

Smuttynose Brewing Company is a regional brewery from Hampton, New Hampshire. They have 289 unique beers and over 860,000 ratings with a global average rating of 3.63 (as of 1.19.24). Their Untappd description reads: New Hampshire’s Craft Brewery. Est. 1994.

You can find them at the following social media pages:

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Guinness Baltimore Blonde Beer Production Moving to New York

B. Kline — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 12:39:26 +0000

Guinness Baltimore Open Gate Brewery

Guinness Baltimore is Closing and Moving the Baltimore Blonde Production to New York

Its been no secret now that the Guinness Brewery in Baltimore (Guinness Baltimore Open Gate Brewery) is closing down. There was talks of trying to keep the Baltimore Blonde beer production still in Baltimore, but looks like that won’t be happening. The Baltimore Blonde will now be produced in New York.

Diageo, the beverage company that owns Guinness, one of the beer market’s most recognizable names and one of the top twenty producers world wide, announced in April that it would shut down its beer production plant in Relay this month . The plant, which closed Friday (June 9th), is on the site of Guinness Open Gate Brewery, where a taproom, a 270 – seat restaurant and a smaller innovation brewery — all of which employ about 100 people — will remain open.

F.X. Matt Brewing Company (Saranac Brewing) which recently acquired Flying Dog Brewery will be producing Baltimore Blonde in New York.

This will add to their already increased production level. The acquisition of Flying Dog Brewery will most likely see them be put into the top ten of beer production for next year, and adding Baltimore Blonde will only mean more of an increased in beer production.

F.X. Matt Brewing Lands Baltimore Blonde

Baltimore Blonde (beer can as of time of production at the Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore)

Diageo, which also owns such liquor brands as Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Baileys and Smirnoff, said Wednesday that it selected FX Matt Brewing Co. in New York as its new supplier of Baltimore Blonde, with production to start in October. Diageo invited four brewers to submit proposals, including one in Maryland that the company did not identify. Only one brewer, FX Matt, submitted a bid and that proposal met Diageo’s needs.

Diageo invited four brewers to submit their proposals, including one in Maryland. Only one brewer submitted a bid: FX Matt Brewing Company, whose response aligned with the company’s business needs.
Guinness Baltimore Blonde beer production leaving Maryland for New York (PennLive)

F.X. Matt Brewing Company, known for its Saranac beer line and its Utica Club lager, which it claims was the first beer sold after Prohibition ended in 1933, said last month that it is acquiring Flying Dog Brewery (Flying Dog Brewery is based out of Frederick Maryland), and taking over Flying Dog beer production by August.

The Flying Dog Brewery announcement came amid continuing consolidation in the industry. This was also after the Cape May Brewing Company and Flying Fish Brewery merger – which has since been cancelled. Just over a week ago, Baltimore-based DuClaw Brewing Co. was acquired by River Horse Brewing Co . (based out of Ewing, New Jersey), becoming the latest Maryland craft brewery to be acquired by an out – of – state brewery.

There is certainly been a trend of consolidation, acquisitions, mergers, and closings. The craft beer “bubble” might not be bursting, but its certainly contracting.

After conducting a due diligence process, which also considered options to keep production of Baltimore Blonde in the state, the supplier that best met the business case and production timeline was FX Matt Brewing Company in New York.
A spokesperson for Diageo Beer

Diageo already has the market and distribution taken care of, as well as the production facility in Baltimore. They have stated that distribution should hold until the new production begins in New York and that the supply chain won’t break down and distributors won’t be lacking. They are also preparing for the closing of the production plant, announcing that up towards 97 employees will be laid off as their jobs become unneeded.

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery will remain open and will continue to brew a variety of experimental beers on their 10 – barrel innovation brewery on the ground floor of the visitor center.

The facility’s innovation brewing and hospitality operations are not changing in any capacity — we are open and continue to welcome visitors to our taproom.
A Diageo Spokesperson

The Relay plant had been Guinness’ first brewing operation in the United States since the 1950s. The facility on site of a former Seagram’s bottling plant was hailed as a key economic engine for the area.

Diageo opened Guinness Open Gate in August 2018, a $90 million project on a 62-acre property it had acquired in 2001 as part of its purchase of Seagram. Until 2015, Diageo had used the longtime manufacturing plant for bottling and aging Captain Morgan rum products.

The property previously had been home to Maryland Distilling Co. after Prohibition, then was used to produce several brands over the decades, including Lord Calvert Whisky.
Guinness Baltimore Blonde beer production leaving Maryland for New York (PennLive) [Lorraine Mirabella of the baltimoresun.com wrote this story. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.]

Guinness Brewing is Shutting Down Halethorpe Maryland’s Production Facility

(The following comes from our previous article here – Guinness Brewing is Shutting Down Halethorpe Maryland’s Production Facility).

Guinness owner Diageo will be closing the Guinness production facility in Halethorpe, Maryland. They opened the facility just three years ago in 2020.

The closure will not impact the Guinness Open Gate Brewery tap room and restaurant, also in Halethorpe. It will continue brewing beers to serve at the tap room in its. They are maintaining their 10-barrel innovation brewery on the ground floor of the visitor center that they use for ‘experimental ales’.

This all coming after announcements of Guinness Brewing opening a Chicago facility and brewery. (Read more here: Guinness Brewing Planning on Opening a Chicago Brewery.)

The closing of the facility in Baltimore will result in around 100 employee lay – offs. Diageo stated the reasoning for the closure is that the Halethorpe / Baltimore facility is “underutilized and unnecessary”.

……

For many in Baltimore this comes as… not so shocking news. Stating the tap room’s decline in quality, issues with staffing, slow wait times, and differences in ordering and receiving drinks due to COVID – 19 protocols.
Guinness Brewing is Closing Their Maryland Production Facility (The Beer Thrillers)

Acquisitions, Consolidations, Closings, Mergers and More

In recent months (weeks really) there has been considerable news in the craft beer industry about how its consolidating and constricting. No one is quite willing to say the bubble is bursting yet, but that it is definitely contracting in on itself.

In recent weeks, here along the East Coast, there’s been quite the shake up in mergers and acquisitions and such. First with Cape May Acquiring Flying Fish Brewery – which they then later cancelled.

Then, in a very big announcement F.X. Matt Brewing (Saranac Brewing) announced that they had acquired Flying Dog Brewery. This combined the 14th (F.X. Matt Brewing) and the 34th (Flying Dog Brewery) craft breweries of 2022 into one organization. (See: Top 50 Craft Breweries.) Flying Dog Brewery is based out of Frederick, Maryland.

Next up was River Horse Brewing acquiring DuClaw Brewing Company. River Horse Brewing is out of Ewing New Jersey, and DuClaw Brewing is out of the Baltimore / greater Maryland area.

And of course, this is all after the announcement of the Guinness Baltimore Brewery closing.

So its certainly been a time of consolidation and constriction, especially for the Maryland area breweries. But, yet, still some breweries are expanding. Black Flag is opening a second location in the Frederick area, and Cushwa Brewing is expanding as well – into the Columbia Maryland area.

So there is hope that the craft beer community is still growing, but I do fear it is certainly tightening and that things might be a bit rougher for a while before they get better.

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Thank You For Reading

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Cheers.

-B. Kline

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River Horse Brewing Company Acquires DuClaw Brewing Company

B. Kline — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 20:15:00 +0000

River Horse Brewing Company has Acquired DuClaw Brewing Company

River Horse Brewing Company, out of Ewing New Jersey, has just announced that they have acquired DuClaw Brewing Company (from Baltimore, Maryland).

This comes soon after the news of F.X. Matt Brewing Company (Saranac Brewing) acquiring Flying Dog Brewery. (Click that link to read more.)

The press release, announced on the social media platforms for both companies was the same, and reads as follows:

Attention NJ & MD craft beer lovers- we have an announcement!

New Jersey’s River Horse Brewing Company, in Ewing, NJ has acquired DuClaw Brewing Company of Baltimore, MD. The powerful combination of two beloved brands that each boast a legacy of over 25 years of great beer will ensure the continued success of these products.

While each brand will be managed separately, the efficiencies created by combining facilities and sharing production capacity and certain distribution partnerships will strengthen both entities. Dave Benfield, Founder of DuClaw will continue to be the driving force behind the strategy, portfolio, product innovation and vibe of DuClaw and will ensure the continuity of the highest quality beer. River Horse will be expanding capacity in its Ewing, NJ facility in order to meet the demands of DuClaw’s national distribution footprint. Stay tuned to some new innovative product releases to supplement the amazing DuClaw lineup.

“From the first day that we sat down with Dave to discuss a possible combination, we knew that this would be a wonderful partnership.” Says River Horse’s Chris Walsh. “Dave is one of the most innovative minds in brewing and is always ahead of the curve in his flavor profile formulations.” Dave is thrilled to transition the production responsibilities to the team in Ewing, NJ so he can give 100% of his attention to the part of the business that he truly loves, products, strategy and sales. “The operations side of brewing is challenging, and at the end of the day I was spending too much of my time and energy chasing the latest mechanical, supply or logistical issue, and was taken away from driving the brand the way I wanted.” Says Benfield. “This partnership will allow me to focus on what I am best at.”

Don’t expect to see too many changes though, you should be able to get your favorite River Horse and DuClaw beers at your local store and taverns without interruption.

River Horse is currently seeking new team members. Anyone interested in becoming part of the brewing, packaging or cellaring team should send a resume to jobs@riverhorse.com

@duclawbrewingco
River Horse Brewing Company – Facebook Post

What All Does This Entail

For the moment, it looks like not a whole lot for the consumer. It would appear that both River Horse Brewing Company and DuClaw Brewing Company beers will be appearing on shelves (with possibly greater distribution); on the production side of things, it looks like the two breweries will be using each other’s production facilities and brewhouses.

This should likely increase both brands distribution footprint. But no word on that, or guarantee of that yet. No word on the specifics of the deal yet either.

Reception of the News

The news broke first to a few journalists, then to the public at large. The reception was ‘interesting’ in the Maryland and southern (going to Asheville NC) region. One (anonymous) brewer said “this should have happened 20 years ago”, and another (anonymous) brewer said “I feel bad for River Horse for getting attached to the shitty DuClaw organization”. (Both comments were said on Facebook, but I have chosen to keep the brewers names anonymous.)

For More Information about DuClaw Brewing Company

The following comes from Untappd. DuClaw Brewing Company is a regional brewery from Baltimore, Maryland. They have 81 unique beers with over 1.2 Million ratings. They have a global average rating of 3.69 (as of 6.1.23). Their Untappd description reads: “Maryland Brewery established in 1996. Brewing and drinking what we like. Trying not to take ourselves too seriously. Craft be cherished, rules be damned.”

You can find them on the following social media platforms:

For More Information About River Horse Brewing Company

The following information comes from Untappd. They are a micro brewery from Ewing New Jersey, with a total of 346 unique beers and over 240,000 ratings. They have a global average rating of 3.64 (as of 6.1.23).

You can follow them on these social media platforms:

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:

Thank You For Reading

Thank you everyone for reading. It seems like the craft beer world is shrinking a bit. More acquisitions, more closings, seem to be happening by the day. Such a shame, but we are kind of at a bad spot economically, and the craft beer bubble was “due to burst” at some point.

Hopefully the trend stops, and we get some stability. Fingers crossed.

Tomorrow Drew and I leave for Atlantic City for the AC Beer and Music Fest. We are also running the 5K on Sunday. God help us.

Thanks for reading everyone, and we’ll keep you updated on any news we get.

Cheers.

-B. Kline

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

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If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

ZX Ventures Fully Acquires RateBeer: What It Means for Craft Beer Enthusiasts

B. Kline — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 14:32:20 +0000

ZX Ventures Fully Acquires RateBeer: What It Means for Craft Beer Enthusiasts

In a move that’s stirring up some chatter in the craft beer world, ZX Ventures—the venture capital arm of global brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev—has fully acquired RateBeer.com, the popular beer ratings website. For those following this story, this isn’t entirely new; ZX Ventures had already made an initial investment in the platform back in October 2016. But now, the company has taken the final step, purchasing the remaining shares and gaining full ownership.

RateBeer has been bought by ZX Ventures (photo courtesy of ZX Ventures / RateBeer)

Let’s dive into what this means for craft beer fans, RateBeer users, and the industry at large.

The Deal: What We Know

While the financial details of the transaction remain under wraps, ZX Ventures has confirmed that the deal is closed. In their statement, they emphasized that RateBeer will continue to operate as an independent entity, with its familiar rating system staying intact. So, if you’re a long-time user worried about changes to your beer-rating rituals, breathe easy—at least for now.

ZX Ventures hinted at exciting developments, including expanding RateBeer’s reach into “new areas.” One pilot program already underway is an affiliate marketplace in Australia, which could pave the way for similar ventures in other regions. Additionally, users can look forward to further upgrades to the platform’s user experience—a likely nod to improved functionality and design.

RateBeer’s Journey to Now

Since ZX’s initial investment in 2016, RateBeer has undergone several changes. Co-founder Joe Tucker noted that the funding allowed the platform to modernize its infrastructure, including a revamped website, updated code, and even the development of an in-house mobile app. These upgrades were necessary for RateBeer to stay competitive in an increasingly crowded beer-review space.

Tucker, who will remain with the company as its global community manager, shared that this additional investment will help expand RateBeer’s footprint—starting with an e-commerce platform in Australia. “It’s something we want to fully develop there,” he said, “and it will certainly have application elsewhere.”

Day-to-day operations will now be overseen by Douglas Mitchell, freeing Tucker to focus on community engagement—something he says he’s passionate about.

A Divisive Move

Not everyone is raising a glass to this acquisition. When ZX Ventures initially bought into RateBeer, backlash erupted from some users and even prominent craft brewers like Dogfish Head and Karl Strauss. Concerns about the site’s independence and unbiased ratings led some breweries to request their beers be removed from the platform entirely.

Joe Tucker addressed these criticisms, acknowledging that the controversy cost RateBeer “a few” users. However, he countered that the site gained about ten times more users in the same period, setting records for new ratings and beer additions. “We’ve created this culture that’s still flourishing,” he said.

As for the tensions this acquisition has sparked, Tucker said he welcomes the dialogue. “It shows how passionate people are,” he noted, adding that the criticism offers valuable insight into what users care about most.

What’s Next for RateBeer?

With ZX Ventures at the helm, it’s clear that RateBeer is setting its sights on growth. Whether that means new tools for beer lovers, expanded global access, or further integration into the e-commerce space, one thing is certain: RateBeer is evolving. And while the partnership with Anheuser-Busch InBev may make some craft beer purists uneasy, it also brings resources and opportunities that could benefit the platform’s millions of users worldwide.

For now, Tucker assures the RateBeer faithful that the core mission remains the same: providing independent, consumer-driven information about beers and breweries.

The Bigger Picture

This news comes on the heels of RateBeer’s annual release of its “Top 100 Brewers” list. This year, Vermont’s Hill Farmstead Brewery claimed the top spot, followed by heavy hitters like Russian River Brewing and Trillium Brewing. The list’s prestige underscores RateBeer’s continued influence in the craft beer world, even as it transitions under new ownership.

As this story unfolds, it raises questions about the intersection of craft beer’s fiercely independent spirit and the growing presence of big beer in the industry. For local breweries, avid beer enthusiasts, and curious newcomers alike, it’s a trend worth watching.

What Do You Think?

How do you feel about RateBeer’s acquisition by ZX Ventures? Does it change your perception of the platform or its reviews? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s keep the conversation going!

Stay tuned to The Beer Thrillers for more updates and insights into the craft beer world. Whether it’s brewery news, beer reviews, or industry analysis, we’ve got you covered. Cheers!

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:

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If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

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Acquisition - The Beer Thrillers

Pour Man’s Brewing Acquires St. Boniface Brewing Company

Pour Man’s Brewing Has Acquired St. Boniface Brewing Company

St. Boniface Brewing

More Information on St. Boniface Brewing

The Announcement

More Information on Pour Man’s Brewing

More Articles on Pour Man’s Brewing:

Brewery News

Thank You for Reading

Smuttynose Brewing to Acquire Wachusett Brewery

Smuttynose Brewing to Acquire Wachusett Brewery

Wachusett Bewery

F

or More Information on Smuttynose Brewing Company

Other Smuttynose Brewing Articles

Brewery News

Thank You For Reading

Guinness Baltimore Blonde Beer Production Moving to New York

Guinness Baltimore is Closing and Moving the Baltimore Blonde Production to New York

F.X. Matt Brewing Lands Baltimore Blonde

Guinness Brewing is Shutting Down Halethorpe Maryland’s Production Facility

Acquisitions, Consolidations, Closings, Mergers and More

Brewery News

Thank You For Reading

River Horse Brewing Company Acquires DuClaw Brewing Company

River Horse Brewing Company has Acquired DuClaw Brewing Company

What All Does This Entail

Reception of the News

For More Information about DuClaw Brewing Company

For More Information About River Horse Brewing Company

Brewery News

Thank You For Reading

ZX Ventures Fully Acquires RateBeer: What It Means for Craft Beer Enthusiasts

ZX Ventures Fully Acquires RateBeer: What It Means for Craft Beer Enthusiasts

The Deal: What We Know

RateBeer’s Journey to Now

A Divisive Move

What’s Next for RateBeer?

The Bigger Picture

What Do You Think?

Brewery News

Thank You For Reading