MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewing Co. says it is closing its taproom at 1128 N. Ninth St. - and a brewer from Chicago that describes itself as an incubator dedicated to the art of brewing is reportedly buying the place.
Our news partners at OnMilwaukee report that Pilot Project Brewing Company is purchasing the taproom, citing a source. Their headquarters is located at 2140 N. Milwaukee Ave. in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.
Sources close to Milwaukee Brewing Co. meanwhile tell our partners at the Milwaukee Business Journal that the buyer will purchase the brewery's assets, equipment and the 9th Street facility. Staff will be offered positions at the new brewery, they said.
Neither Milwaukee Brewing nor Pilot Project Brewing confirmed the sale. (This report will be updated when we learn more).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
— Milwaukee Brewing Co (@MKEbrewco) August 23, 2022
"We want to send out a very heartfelt THANK YOU to all of our patrons that have enjoyed our tours and taproom over the years. It has been an honor to serve you and this city." pic.twitter.com/aCHG1m98qG
"We are excited to announce that there is a new brewery purchasing our taproom on 1128 N. Ninth St. While we can't share who the brewery is just yet, we'd love to share that their innovation in the craft brewing industry, passion for sharing beer with others, and creativity make them the perfect brewery to take over this space," Milwaukee Brewing Co. said in their announcement posted to social media on Tuesday.
The company said their last day of taproom service is Aug. 30, when - "in true MBC fashion" - they are hosting an open house from 7-9 p.m. with timed tappings from some of the beers they have been aging.
Also - instead of "Beer On Us" tokens during their popular tours, they are extending their brewery tours by 15 minutes, ending tour samples on the half hour. The 9th Street location is accepting leftover "Beer On Us" tokens people have, by their closing date.
This comes after Milwaukee Brewing said last week they are closing the Milwaukee Ale House (at 233 N. Water St. in the Third World), the company's other 25-year-old brewing space and restaurant.
Milwaukee Brewing moved to the 9th Street location near the old Pabst Brewery after outgrowing its old spot in Walker's Point in 2018.
Their beers including O-Gii, Louie's Demise and MKE IPA, among others, are famous citywide. It remains to be seen if Milwaukee Brewing's signature beers will continue to be for sale under the reported new ownership.
Pilot Project describes itself as such on its website: "It is our mission to foster experimental and small-batch brewing, present an unparalleled consumer tasting experience, and be an industry-defining innovator in fermented malt beverages. We are Chicago’s incubator dedicated to the art of brewing and community inspired by the craft."
Pilot Project helped launch more than 10 breweries since launching in 2019 and last year launched Funkytown Brewery, a Black-owned brewery startup founded by friends in Chicago, according to a feature piece about the company at Fortune.com.
