In spite of the almost 8000 craft breweries currently online in the US, we continue to receive new announcements almost daily.

And here’s just some of what’s been happening…

After a Decade of Brewing Coalition Abruptly  Closes

It’s been difficult times for Oregon’s beer biz and the hits just keep coming. On October 24, Lompoc Brewing, one of Portland’s oldest craft brewers announced its closure, and last week Coalition Brewing also announced that it was calling it quits.

Founded by Kiley Hoyt and Elan Walsky in 2010, Coalition was a compact 10 barrel brewhouse operation with its own craft beer community, a roster of core offerings and limited seating.

“With the explosion in popularity of CBD in food and drinks, Coalition Brewing was one of the only breweries in the country marketing a year-round alcoholic CBD product,” according to The New School. But even with the success of its CBD beer, Coalition Brewing’s closure was abrupt. No goodbye event, no final toasts, only this Facebook announcement….

Over the last nine and a half years, we have had the distinct privilege of brewing and serving beer in one of the greatest cities and craft beer cultures in the world. This chapter has been one of the most exciting, challenging, and gratifying experiences of our lives…and like all chapters, it must have an ending.

So today, with a decade of fond memories to smile back upon, we are announcing that Coalition has closed our doors, and we will be pursuing new adventures to honor changes in our personal lives.

At Coalition, our motto is “Community Through Beer” and it is truly the community that has allowed us to live this dream. We want to say our most heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported and inspired us throughout the years…

We made beer for the community, but it is the community that truly made this a Coalition. We love you all, and hope to see you all to hoist a pint.

Cheers,

Team Coalition [/box]

Gorges Beer Company Plans Destination Brewery

The bad news about Coalition Brewing’s closure was buffered by news that the Gorges Beer Company has purchased the brewery and hired Bryan Keilty, the award-winning head brewer at the now closed Lompoc, to helm what will be the beginning of Gorges Beer.

The company, which is  made up of four Portland businessmen, will eventually move the operation 45 minutes upriver to Cascade Locks, Oregon and open a destination brewery, in the popular tourist region complete with “a hotel, an event venue, outdoor park/garden, a bar and restaurant with rooftop seating and views of the gorge,” according to the New School.

Haint Blue Brewing Closes Taproom

Haint Blue Brewing, one of three breweries in Mobile, Alabama, has announced via  its Facebook page that it had closed their taproom for good over the weekend but would continue operating as a production facility.

Opened in 2018, Haint Blue Brewing is a Certified B Corporation®, a designation that requires for-profit organizations to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Housed in downtown Mobile’s historic Crystal Ice House, Haint Blue Brewing’s now closed taproom had a limited interior space that opened that onto a large kid-friendly courtyard according to AL.com.