BrewDog sold; 2 Columbus taprooms close, dozens of others, hundreds lose jobs

After abruptly shuttering two taprooms in the Short North and Franklinton, BrewDog, the brewery brand with U.S. headquarters in Canal Winchester, announced via social media that it was a tough choice, but no specific reason was provided.

A month and a half later, it appears that BrewDogs all over the world are closing. But this time, it’s because the Scotland-based brewery has been acquired by Tilray, a beverage and cannabis company. 

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BBC reported that Tilray bought BrewDog’s U.K. operations, brand, and 11 pubs in a £33m (about $44 million) deal, and while this sale preserved 733 jobs, 38 bars had to close and 484 jobs had been lost.

Tilray said that they’re negotiating agreements to also acquire BrewDog assets in the United States as well. Could that impact the Canal Winchester or New Albany locations? We won’t know for a while. Currently, both locations remain open in addition to the location inside John Glenn airport.

“BrewDog is one of the most iconic, mission-driven craft beer brands in the U.K.,” Irwin Simon, CEO of Tilray, said in a public announcement. “As we begin a new chapter for this great brand, our priority is to refocus BrewDog on the craft beer excellence that made it beloved in the first place and strategically invest to return the operations to profitable growth.”

Tilray is home to other popular beer brands such as Alpine Beer, Atwater Brewery, Blue Point Brewing Company, Montauk Brewing Company, SweetWater Brewing, and more.

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