Last Call: Stone Ordered to Pay Back Rent at Closed Napa Taproom; SweetWater to Open 2 Bars at Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Reuben’s Brews to Sell Original Brewery

Stone Ordered to Pay Back Rent at Closed Napa Taproom

Stone Brewing must pay past rent on the brewpub it shuttered in Napa, California, in October 2021, according to a court ruling.

“In sum, Stone has failed to raise a triable issue of fact that it was delayed, interrupted, or prevented from paying rent due to COVID-19 and the related closure orders,” San Francisco Superior Court Judge Christine Van Aken wrote.

The Escondido, California-headquartered craft brewery and its Napa landlord, West Pueblo Partners, have been embroiled in a legal dispute over non-payment of Stone’s $40,000 monthly rent since 2021.

Stone argued that the force majeure clause in its lease agreement meant that it did not have to pay rent while operating under pandemic-driven restrictions, a provision Stone called upon when unsafe conditions due to the 2018 Camp Fire delayed construction on the building before it opened. However, Van Aken was “unpersuaded.”

“The mere fact that Stone was generating less revenue during this time period did not render its performance impossible or impracticable, and the force majeure event therefore did not impair Stone’s ability to pay its rent,” she wrote. “Stone merely argues that the force majeure event made it more costly to do so.”

Before it was renovated into Stone’s Napa brewpub, the historic Borreo building was vacant for 15 years, according to Stone’s press release announcing the outpost in May 2016. The 10-barrel brewhouse and 9,500 sq. ft. taproom and restaurant opened its doors under the Stone flag in May 2018.

Stone, which was acquired by Sapporo in 2022, operates seven taprooms in Southern California and one in Richmond, Virginia.

SweetWater Announces Partnership with Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Tilray-owned SweetWater Brewing will open two new branded bars at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in its hometown of Atlanta.

The stadium – home to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and MLS’ Atlanta United – will feature SweetWater bars on the 100 and 200 levels and SweetWater placements throughout.

The announcement marks the second sporting venue partnership in recent weeks for Tilray’s beer division. Last week, Montauk Brewing, which Tilray acquired in late 2022, announced two new branded spaces at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.

“This is another exciting new partnership as we continue our coast-to-coast expansion and serve our great beer to sports fans across the country,” Tilray U.S. beer president Ty Gilmore said in a press release. “SweetWater has deep roots in Atlanta, and serving our beer at the city’s premiere entertainment destination is one of the exciting new ways we’re engaging with the community.”

Reuben’s Brews to Sell Original Production Facility

Seattle, Washington-based Reuben’s Brews has put its original brewery location up for sale.

Reuben’s has brewed out of the 1,440 sq. ft. facility, located in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, since 2012. Over the past few years, the location has served more as a pilot production facility, following the 2019 opening of a new, larger location a few blocks away.

“This brewery and taproom will always hold a special place in our hearts,” co-founder Adam Robbings said in a press release. “As our brand has outgrown the space, we’re looking to pass forward the successes it can offer to another brewery at the beginning of their story.”

The Ballard facility includes a 1,080 sq. ft. main floor and 360 sq. ft. mezzanine. The location – which has a maximum annual capability of 800 barrels – is offered as a turnkey sale, with a 5-barrel brewhouse, three 10-barrel unitanks, one 10-barrel brite tanks and two 7-barrel unitanks.

Reuben’s produced 24,544 barrels of beer in 2021, a +2% increase year-over-year, according to the Brewers Association (BA). The brewery has increased production every year since at least 2017, according to the May/June 2022 issue of the BA’s New Brewer Magazine.

Mother’s Brewing Founder to Retire, Hands Over Ownership to Local Entrepreneurs

Mother’s Brewing Company CEO and co-founder Jeff Schrag is passing the baton to new ownership.

Schrag announced his planned retirement during a press conference Wednesday. The Springfield, Missouri-based brewery will be handed over to Jeff and Lindsay Seifried, who have backgrounds in marketing and sales, the Springfield News-Leader reported.

Schrag will continue to assist with operations during the transition and will remain a minority investor in the company.

The Seifrieds have several plans already laid out for Mother’s Brewing, including expanding the Barrel House, the brewery’s event space and storage area, transforming the entire space into an event center for business events and meetings, according to the News-Leader. They also plan to add outdoor food and drink service and a full food menu, as well as expand the brewery’s distribution footprint beyond Missouri.

“Lindsay and I have loved Mother’s Brewing since it opened in 2011 and have watched it become one of Springfield’s and Missouri’s top craft beer brands,” Jeff Seifried said in a press release. “We look forward to building on the legacy Jeff Schrag built.”

Schrag opened Mother’s Brewing in 2011, then one of fewer than 2,000 breweries in the country. The microbrewery has grown from producing four beers annually to offering about 70 different beers, about a dozen of which are distributed.

Mother’s Brewing reached its peak production in 2018, producing 11,713 barrels of beer, according to the BA. In 2021, the most recent year production data is available from the BA, the microbrewery produced 8,008 barrels of beer.

“I thought I was going to be one of those guys who would not retire, and then all of a sudden it just hits you like a switch,” Schrag said during the press conference. “I’d like to do some other things with my life and don’t have to be so tied to my career.”

The Bruery Expands DTC Shipping to 47 States, Plus DC

While The Bruery recently slimmed down its own-premise presence, it is not slowing down on getting its beers to more consumers.

The Placentia, California-based brewery announced the expansion of its direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping capabilities to 47 states and Washington, D.C. The only states excluded are Alaska, Hawaii and Utah.

The news follows the closure of the Bruery’s D.C. store. The location opened in 2017 as a pick-up spot for bottle club members to grab orders, as well as a retail outlet for beer to-go, offering beers from both the Bruery and its sister brand Offshoot Beer Co.

The Bruery’s e-commerce business took off in 2020 with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the company has prioritized expanding the program with more offerings and a wider shipping map. Consumers can also join the newly launched Reserve Society Select club for limited releases and discounts on DTC items, or the Bruery’s other DTC clubs.

CEO Barry Holmes spoke to Brewbound last year, following the brewery’s 14th anniversary, and gave details on the steps the company took in adding leadership and infrastructure to support this DTC expansion.

The Bruery produced 17,225 barrels of beer in 2021, a +27% increase year-over-year, nearly recovering fully from the -30% production decline it recorded in 2020, according to the BA.

Avery Brewing Issues Voluntary Recall of Gose Con Sandia

Boulder, Colorado-based Avery Brewing Co. has issued a voluntary recall of its Gose Con Sandia sour ale.

The recall applies to a batch packaged on January 20 in 12 oz. 6-packs and distributed in 13 states: Colorado, Indiana, Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wyoming, Illinois, North Dakota, Missouri and South Carolina.

The recall is due to fermentation that “could lead to excess carbonation and package failure,” according to a press release.

“The liquid itself does not pose any food safety risk to the consumer,” Avery said in the release. “If you have the product and observe any deformity in the can, please place it in a bag, and dispose of the product.”

Consumers who have purchased the product from the affected batch can contact infor@averybrewing.com and receive a refund with proof of purchase.

Gose Con Sandia is a 4.5% ABV sour ale with watermelon, lime and sea salt. The offering, announced in April, is an extension of the brewery’s year-round sour ale brand El Gose.

Boston Paves Way for Pups at Beer Gardens, Breweries

Breweries, bars and restaurants with outdoor dining space will be able to apply for a variance to host dogs beginning June 1, Mayor Michelle Wu announced yesterday.

“We’re committed to making Boston a vibrant, family-friendly city, and that means rethinking our outdoor spaces to better build community,” Wu said in a press release. “Residents and small business owners have been eager for four-legged family members to be able to enjoy our outdoor spaces too, so we’re happy to make this regulatory change allowing dogs on outdoor patios and beer gardens.”

Any on-premise establishment hoping to welcome canines must ensure no food preparation happens in the outdoor space where dogs are allowed, post signage delineating the dog-friendly space, sanitize tables after each use and set tableware only after tables become occupied. Dog owners are asked to bring their own water bowls, not feed dogs from plates and keep their dogs off chairs and tables.

“We’re thrilled about the city’s decision to welcome dogs in beer gardens,” Aeronaut Brewing co-founder Ronn Friedlander told the Boston Globe.

Aeronaut operates a seasonal beer garden in Boston’s Allston neighborhood, for which the brewery intends to apply for a dog friendly space variance, and year-round taprooms in Somerville and Everett, which cannot welcome dogs, according to the brewery’s FAQ page.

Another Massachusetts brewery that will ostensibly be excited about the potential to host dogs is Notch Brewing, which operates taprooms in Salem, where dogs are welcome, and in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood.

“We love dogs,” the brewery wrote on Instagram last month. “Unfortunately, the city of Boston does not feel the same way.”