The Colorado-based Wilding Brands platform has grown again.
Denver-based Great Divide Brewing has been acquired by the parent company of Stem Ciders, Denver Beer Co. and several other brands.
“The dedication to evolving the business and a passion for Colorado make Wilding and Great Divide a perfect match,” Great Divide founder Brian Dunn said in a press release. “I couldn’t be happier knowing that Eric [Foster], Charlie [Berger], and Brad [Lincoln] will be carrying the torch forward.”
Wilding Brands formed last year and includes seven bev-alc brands (Stem Ciders; Howdy Beer; Denver Beer Co. and its offshoots, Cerveceria Colorado and Formation Brewing; Funkwerks and now Great Divide), Easyliving hop water, and two on-premise establishments: Acreage, a sprawling indoor/outdoor complex, and Ghost Box Pizza.
Acreage and Ghost Box Pizza are both in Lafayette, Colorado, but the company’s other own-premise businesses are spread across the Centennial State, with a concentration in Denver. Formation, a subsidiary of Denver Beer Co., operates a taproom in Phoenix, Arizona.
Wilding Brands sold its Acreage Ciderhouse & Eatery, a 7.6-acre complex in Stem Ciders’ hometown of Lafayette, in early March, according to the Denver Business Journal, which reported the news on Monday, March 31. Boulder-based Tebo Properties paid Wilding $12.19 million for the two-lot property, which it will lease back to Wilding for at least 25 years, owner Stephen Tebo told the publication.
Proceeds from the transaction will allow Wilding to invest further in its business, which may include developing an additional event venue at Acreage, Tebo said. Acreage offers beverages from across Wilding’s portfolio, wine and spirits, full service dining and a food truck in the summer. The complex also hosts public and private events, including weddings, according to its website.
The deal includes Great Divide’s six taprooms and “any future brick-and-mortar locations,” according to the release.
Great Divide operates outposts in Denver’s Ballpark and River North (RiNo) neighborhoods, in the city’s Lakewood, Castle Rock and Lone Tree suburbs and in Concourse C at Denver International Airport.
Wilding’s Canworks production facility in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood will assume production of the Great Divide portfolio.
“We’re honored to welcome Great Divide into the family,” Wilding Brands chief development officer Charlie Berger said in the release. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the craft and quality of the product, and Great Divide has a rich history and a well-earned reputation for brewing some of the best beers in Colorado and arguably the country.
“Our goal is to honor that legacy while bringing new energy and resources to help the brand grow and continue to be a foundation of the Colorado craft beer story,” he continued.
Berger, who co-founded Denver Beer Co., began his craft beer career working on the bottling line at Great Divide, according to the release.
It is unclear what will happen to Great Divide’s production facilities at its Ballpark and RiNo locations, which have a combined annual capacity of 60,000 barrels.
The future is also unclear for Great Divide’s partnership with Aurora-based Dry Dock Brewing, which was formed in 2023. Under the agreement, Great Divide took over production of Dry Dock’s beers and ready-to-drink (RTD) offerings, and the companies were considering sharing sales and marketing services.
Dunn founded Great Divide in 1994, long before the state’s well-developed craft beer industry took shape.
“I’ve seen a lot of change in the craft beer industry over the years, and Wilding is building with a clear vision,” Dunn said in the release. “This is exciting news for Colorado and the industry.”
The brewery’s output peaked at 43,806 barrels of beer in 2015, according to data from the Brewers Association (BA).
In 2023, Great Divide produced 18,407 barrels, according to the May/June 2024 issue of the BA’s New Brewer magazine. Denver Beer Co. produced 21,849 barrels, and Funkwerks produced 1,090 barrels in 2023, the latest year data is available from the BA.
The breweries’ combined 41,346 barrels would have landed among the top 60 largest regional craft breweries in the country, according to BA data.
Editor’s note: this story has been updated at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday, April 2 to include information about Wilding Brands’ sale of its Acreage campus.