It was a shocker of a Saturday morning for employees of Rogue Brewery and its repercussions are being felt across the craft beer community today

At 8:00 AM sharp, a message landed in the company’s scheduling app for everyone—from the brewers in Newport to the bartenders in Portland. The news was instant and devastating: Rogue was ceasing operations at all facilities, effective immediately.

Unfortunately, the closures are total and sweeping, hitting the main brewery in Newport, Oregon, and all its beloved pubs dotting the state in Astoria, Newport, Portland, and Salem.

A Gut-Punch

One employee, speaking about the stunning announcement, said there was absolutely no warning. “Just an unexpected, polite but gut-punching message this morning,” they shared, confirming the note announced the sweeping closures and ended with a simple wish of well-being for the now-jobless staff.

The sudden move caught everyone off guard. However, looking back, the trouble had been bubbling for a while.

Trouble Was Brewing

Rogue recently went through a quiet downsizing when it shut down its distilling operation, located right next to the massive 47,000-square-foot production brewery in Newport. Both of those properties are leased from the Port of Newport, and it appears the bills were piling up.

Multiple reports suggest the company owes the Port a hefty sum—over $500,000 in rent—and is also on the hook to Lincoln County for $30,000 in taxes. The initial word on this dramatic closure broke on November 14, courtesy of the Lincoln Chronicle.

What’s Next for Rogue?

The big question now hanging over the Oregon craft beer scene is whether this marks the definitive end for Rogue Brewery. no official statements have been released by the company and our requests for clarification have at this point gone unanswered.

Rogue launched in Ashland, Oregon in 1988 before relocating to Newport a year later. For over 30 years Rogue Ales has been one of the better-known brands in Oregon’s vibrant beer industry, considered to be a true pioneer in the US craft beer biz. Its owners have declined several offers to sell the company over the past 20 years…and now this.

One tragic certainty remains: the approximately 60 people working at the production facility, along with all the employees at the pubs, are out of work just as the holiday season approaches.

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