Over the last two years, the craft beer industry has lost some of its most iconic breweries to bankruptcy, liquidation, or an out-of-court closing.
San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing was one of the best-known and highly regarded independent craft breweries since its founding in 1896.
After Japan-based brewer Sapporo Holdings Limited purchased the company in August 2017 for $85 million, the company struggled with production and national distribution. A January 2021 rebranding of the company from its classic red banner and blue anchor logo to a new yellow and blue one failed.
Legendary brewery Anchor Brewing shut down in 2023
Anchor Brewing ceased national sales in June 2023 a month before filing Chapter 11 in July 2023 and shutting down operations.
Sapporo launched a sale effort and found a buyer about 10 months after Anchor filed for bankruptcy.
Shepherd Futures, the family office of Hamdi Ulukaya, the billionaire founder and CEO of Chobani yogurt, on May 31, 2024, said in a statement that it would purchase all of Anchor Brewing’s assets and would relaunch the brand.
New owner won’t reopen original brewery
Unfortunately, over a year later, in the summer of 2025, the new owner of Anchor Brewing revealed that the company would not reopen the original brewery and would not reestablish a taproom in San Francisco. The company plans to brew Anchor somewhere outside of the city using a contract brewer.
And now, another highly-regarded West Coast craft brewery has unexpectedly closed down with an unknown future.
Rogue Ales & Spirits unexpectedly closed down all of its locations.
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Rogue Ales & Spirits abruptly shuts down
Iconic craft brewery and distillery Rogue Ales & Spirits abruptly shut down all operations on Nov. 14, including its six Oregon brewpub locations, The Lincoln Chronicle first reported.
The Newport, Ore.-based brewery and distillery, which features 13 beers on its website, faced financial distress, having fallen behind on lease payments, owing $545,000 to the Port of Newport and about $30,000 in taxes to Lincoln County, Ore.
Rogue Ales informed its landlord, Port of Newport, that it would be shutting down immediately on Nov. 14, the port told KOIN-6 News.
“We are sad to hear the news, as Rogue represents one of our largest employers here in Newport and a big tenant of the Port,” said Port of Newport Executive Director Paula J. Miranda told KOIN.
“With so many uncertainties in our current economy, this is certainly not the kind of news we would like to hear,” Miranda said.
Rogue Ales & Spirits closed locations:
- Astoria, Ore., 100 39th St.
- Portland, Ore., 928 SE 9th Ave.
- Newport, Ore., 2122 Marine Science Drive
- Newport, Ore., 748 SW Bay Blvd.
- Newport, Ore., 2320 OSU Drive
- Salem, Ore., 555 9th St. NW
Rogue Ales’ website listed six brewpub locations, which are all now closed: three in Newport, Ore., and one each in Portland, Salem, and Astoria, Ore. The company previously closed two brewpubs in Portland, one in 2020 and one in 2024.
The Port of Newport in October agreed to lease Rogue’s 4,800 square foot distillery space to a seafood processor, West Coast Seafood, Lincoln Chronicle reported.
The brewery and distillery operator has not indicated whether it will file for bankruptcy.
More closings:
- Major trucking company closes Home Depot distribution facility
- 63-year-old bankrupt retail chain closes all stores permanently
- Discount retail chain closes half its store locations
Another classic San Francisco craft brewery, 21st Amendment Brewery, which operated for 25 years on Second Street in San Francisco’s South Park neighborhood, two blocks from the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park, revealed on Instagram in September that it too will close its doors by November, including its San Francisco-based brewpub and its San Leandro, Calif., brewery and taproom in the East Bay.
The company had a major decline in sales, falling 20% each year since 2021, as a result of a downturn in the American craft beer market, the company’s co-founder Nico Feccia told the San Francisco Chronicle. The company’s cash bleed led to its lender informing the company that it would no longer fund its business.
Rogue Ales & Spirits beer selection
- Rogue Batsquash Hazy IPA
- Rogue Berry Blonde
- Rogue Chocolate Stout Nitro
- Dead Guy Ale Maibock-Style
- Dead Guy Imperial Golden Ale
- Dead Guy Imperial IPA
- Dead Guy IPA
- Dead Guy Pale Ale
- Dead Guy Pilsner
- Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale
- Rogue Honey Kolsch
- Rogue Pacific Northwest IPA
- Rogue Pacific Coast Hazy IPA
Related: Popular beer brand shuts business down after completing sale