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Full Sail Brewing, one of the state’s oldest craft breweries, has sold to a national brand and closed its Hood River brewpub.
Sazerac, a Louisville, Kentucky-based spirits giant that owns hundreds of beverage brands, confirmed Tuesday that it had purchased the company, telling The Oregonian the acquisition “enables us to add additional capacity and capabilities to our network.” The company’s portfolio includes well-known spirits such as Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle and Southern Comfort, as well as ready-to-drink brands like BuzzBallz.
Sazerac did not immediately respond to inquiries from WW regarding its plans for the Hood River facility, the future of the attached brands, nor the number of employees affected by the change. A call to Full Sail’s marketing line went to voicemail.
News of the acquisition came on the heels of social media reports that the brewpub had closed abruptly Monday and all restaurant staff were laid off.
Brad Prouty, who identified himself as the weekend brewing lead at Full Sail, wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday morning that he was told Full Sail is now a “100% contract production facility,” meaning the facility would continue operating as an anonymous production plant for other labels.
Hood River Brewing Company opened in 1987 in a former cannery in Hood River, just two years after the passage of a landmark law allowing breweries to serve beer at the site of manufacture, which went a long way in making Oregon’s craft brewing scene what it is today. The company later renamed itself to Full Sail Brewing, in honor of its Full Sail Amber Ale. According to New School Beer, which covers the brewing industry, Full Sail was also the first Oregon brewery to successfully package its beers in 12-ounce bottles.
The company became employee-owned in 1999, but in 2015 sold to Encore Consumer Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity firm. Under Encore’s ownership, the company pulled back on packaging its full lineup of flagship beers, focusing instead on its Amber Ale and on Session lager, and on contract brewing for other brands.
Brewers in Oregon and elsewhere have faced bitter headwinds in recent years, with the number of operating breweries declining amid shifting consumer tastes and increased costs. Last year Rogue Ales and Spirits filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and abruptly shuttered its breweries and pubs, and Anheuser-Busch sold eight of its craft beverage brands (including Oregon brands Widmer, 10 Barrel and Square Mile Cider) to a cannabis company, suggesting larger beer companies are losing interest in the craft-beer market.
