Beer

Somerville Brewing Co. is going out of business

"Having plenty of time to think, rest, and reset, we have decided to close for good," the brewery wrote.

Somerville Brewing Co. announced its closure. Steve Greenlee / The Boston Globe

August 3, 2020

After a tumultuous year, Somerville Brewing Company announced Monday that it is permanently shutting down its line of Slumbrew craft beers, its brewery and taproom in Somerville, and American Fresh Brewhouse at Assembly Row.

“Today we say THANK YOU and goodbye,” the company shared in an Instagram post. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to bring you Slumbrew beers, the outdoor beer garden, our brewery, and American Fresh Brewhouse. Having plenty of time to think, rest, and reset, we have decided to close for good.”

The brewery did not immediately respond to Boston.com’s request for comment. A phone line for the Somerville taproom was disconnected Monday afternoon.

The news comes on the heels that Somerville Brewing had placed its Somerville property and equipment up for auction. According to a notice of sales filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court, a telephone hearing is scheduled for August 11. The auction follows a rough year for the company, which had previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2019. According to The Boston Globe, Somerville Brewing attributed the bankruptcy to the buildout of its new American Fresh Brewhouse taproom at Assembly Row, which resulted a shortage in cash flow and falling behind in rent.

Somerville Brewing launched in 2011, opening its first brewery and taproom in 2014 at 15 Ward St. in Somerville. In December 2017, the company expanded with American Fresh Brewhouse at Assembly Row. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, American Fresh Brewhouse closed and its Somerville headquarters, like so many other local breweries, began selling beer to go.

“Thank you for the good times, great conversations and celebrating the many special moments of your lives with us,” Somerville Brewing’s sign-off continued. “Thank you to the hundreds of staff that have served our guests, opened and closed our doors day after day. (You know you work at Slumbrew when someone you love picks a mustard seed off you and then asks ‘What the eff is that!?’) Thank you to our colleagues, wholesalers, retailers, draft accounts, and partners. We’ll look in on you from time to time and share our next chapters. Stay safe and be well. Slainte!”