(Courtesy Aslin Beer)

Last week two big East Coast brewing names announced that they have joined forces.. Aslin Beer Co. (headquartered in the D.C. / Virginia area) and Manhattan-based Torch & Crown Brewing have announced a merger—and together they’ve launched a new umbrella company called Driven Collective.

And, don’t worry, neither brand is getting swallowed whole. Instead, the idea is to combine strengths while letting both Aslin and Torch & Crown continue brewing under their unique identities.

Here’s how it’s shaping up:

• Aslin’s Alexandria, Virginia facility will become the brewing hub for both Aslin and Torch & Crown’s core and seasonal beers.
• Torch & Crown’s SoHo brewpub will remain a center for small-batch releases, innovation, and more experimental projects.
• On the leadership front: Andrew Kelley (currently at Aslin) steps into the CEO role for Driven Collective, while John Dantzler of Torch & Crown becomes CFO.
• Distribution is part of the puzzle, too. Torch Distributing—based in NYC—will help provide more direct access to bars, restaurants, and drinkers in New York City for the combined portfolio.

So yes: even though Aslin is the bigger of the two (it brewed roughly 25,000 barrels in 2024 versus Torch & Crown’s ~5,000), the merger is framed as an equal partnership with complementary assets.

(Courtesy Torch & Crown / Union Square)

So why now?

Mergers in craft beer often conjure fears: job cuts, diluted brands, or selling out. This one wants to avoid those tropes. According to the press release, not a single job will be eliminated because of the merger.

Instead, Driven Collective seems built around four big ideas:

Scale without losing craft — by consolidating production, they aim to gain efficiencies but still keep room for experimentation.

Stronger distribution reach — the merger gives Aslin a more direct pipeline into NYC via Torch Distributing.

Shared creative infrastructure — small-batch, collaboration, and innovation can use both breweries as labs.

Room to grow — the founders hint this won’t be the last merger for Driven Collective.

As Andrew Kelley put it, “We’re combining great brewing, NYC hustle in distribution, East Coast reach, and a shared drive to keep pushing boundaries.”

“In an era when many craft breweries  are weathering contraction, closures, or consolidation, Aslin and Torch & Crown are placing a bet on expansion” said American Craft Beer editor Tom Bobak. “The merger doesn’t look like a rescue operation; it feels more like a leap forward. This is how smart craft breweries will survive these more turbulent times”

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