In another consolidation move to maintain efficiencies in a contracting craft beer segment, 12 employees at Cigar City Brewing have been laid off, as the brewery’s owner, Monster Beverage Corp plans to move production of Cigar City beers to their Oskar Blues Brewery in North Carolina.
Energy drink maker Monster Beverage, which is owned by the Coca-Cola Company, entered the craft brewing market two years ago when they bought Cigar City, Oskar Blues Brewery, Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Perrin Brewing Co., Squatters Brewery and Wasatch Brewery from CANarchy.
Monster will likely keep the Cigar City tap room open and brew some beer there, but most production will be moved to the Oskar Blues Brewery production facility.
Longtime Cigar City brewmaster Wayne Wambles was laid off last month, after nearly 16 years with the company, when Monster said that they “eliminated” the position of brewmaster at the brewery.
Anheuser-Busch has also recently consolidated some craft brands, announcing it was closing two of its craft breweries in February and closed the iconic Goose Island Clybourn Street brewery in Chicago last December.
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