Just two years ago Ninkasi Brewing sold a majority stake to a newly formed company called Legacy Breweries, an investment group started by former Yakima Chief CEO Don Bryant. The Legacy concept was to add additional breweries to the family and then pool resources such as distribution, marketing and even production. In a fast moving and evolving industry, the idea was to increase margins through the efficiencies of multiple breweries working together.
Soon after the Ninkasi deal, Legacy acquired stakes in Laurelwood Brewing and Aspen Brewing. But only a year or so into the deal, Ninkasi pulled out of the partnership, it was announced last week. Ninkasi co-founder Nikos Ridge and Jamie Floyd are again majority stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Legacy has a newly formed ownership group, High Country Brewing LLC, and is back on the acquisition trail. Aspen Brewing Co. (part of the new High Country Brewing LLC) has announced that it will purchase Capitol Creek Brewing Co. in Basalt, Colorado later this month. More details on that purchase here.