Massachusetts-based Exhibit A Brewing has closed its Framingham brewery and taproom, and will move operations more than 90 miles west to Williamsburg, the craft brewery announced this week.
Exhibit A has operated out of the Framingham location since 2016, taking over the space that formerly housed Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, with the latter brewery moving out in search of increased capacity.
“Throughout this journey we faced several challenges and have been so proud of the swift navigation and adaptability of our staff,” Exhibit A wrote in a post on Facebook. “Most recent and notable are the pandemic and a planned patio that never materialized.
“As we think about our core values, long term goals and strategize for the future, Exhibit A Brewing has made the difficult decision to move both our brewing operations and taproom to a new location in Williamsburg, Massachusetts.
“Although we are sad to say goodbye to where we initially laid our roots, we could not be more excited for what is to come.”
Exhibit A did not share an anticipated opening date for the new location, or when the Framingham location’s last day was. However, the company shared in its social media posts that the new location has “robust brewing equipment” which will allow the brewery to continue production, as well as “introduce new beverages to the portfolio,” with “no interruption of availability of our beers in the marketplace.”
Exhibit A did not respond to Brewbound’s request for comment, including questions about how many employees are affected by the move.
Exhibit A opened in 2016. Head brewer Matthew Steinberg is the only listed co-founder on the brewery’s website. However, Exhibit A’s 2015 corporate filing with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, corporations division, lists Sean Siegal as president, treasurer, secretary and director of the organization.
Siegal is also the owner and president of Atlantic Beverage Distributors, which was embroiled in a multi-year legal dispute with Jack’s Abby, which terminated their relationship when the commonwealth’s franchise law was reformed in 2021.
Exhibit A did not publish annual production data for 2023 or 2022 in the Brewers Association’s (BA) New Brewer Magazine. In 2021, the brewery produced 6,027 barrels of beer, a +4% increase year-over-year.
Exhibit A dollar sales (-6.8%) and volume (-7.8%) both declined single-digits in In NIQ-tracked off-premise channels (total U.S. xAOC + liquor plus + convenience) year-to-date through June 15. In 2023, Exhibit A dollar sales (-24%) and volume (-24.5%) both declined double-digits.
At the end of 2023, Exhibit A and other Greater Boston area businesses battled an atypical two-day rain and wind storm, which resulted in 16 inches of rainwater filling Exhibit A’s parking lots and delivery area, and damaging the brewery’s chiller, WBZ News reported.