The first month of the new year has seen a number of brewery closures including the 32 year-old Marin Brewing Company in the Northern California Bay Area town of Larkspur.
Founded by Brendon Moylan in 1989, Marin Brewing is one of only a handful of California breweries from the 1980’s that has remained in business over the three decades. The brewery will cease all operations at that location and sell the brewing equipment. Brendon also owns Moylan’s Brewing Company 30 minutes north in the town of Novato. Although not confirmed, it was rumored that Marin was closing because the company was unable to renew the lease with the landlord.
Another well-known although much younger Bay Area brewery in Santa Clara, California, Hermitage Brewing Co. also announced that it was closing.
North of the Bay Area, both Dreaming Dog Brewery in Elk Grove and Campus Brewing in Davis announced they were closing this month.
Other closures across the country include Exferimentation in Pontiac, Michigan which will permanently close after being in operation for 5 years. And in Maine Sebago Brewing Co. will close their Portland location. The company said it plans to sell the building and put the money into upgrading its three other brewpubs and improve the canning line at its production brewery.
Virginia’s Wild Wolf Brewing Company announced it would permanently close by the end of the month.
Cool Springs Brewery, a brew pub and restaurant in Franklin, Tennessee has also permanently closed.