News Exclusive

Macleod Ale Brewing stays open after rumoured business closure

03 January 2023 By Jessica Mason

MacLeod Ale Brewing Co has revealed plans to continue to operate and keep brewing, despite recent fears of it facing closure.

Speaking exclusively to the drinks business, MacLeod Ale Brewing Co CEO Jennifer Febre said: “At the time of my publicly shared private memo to the LA Brewers Guild, things looked very bleak and frankly hopeless. However, since that day, my family and close associates have had a chance to step back, assess, discuss, strategize, etc. and plot a path forward. It will not be easy, and we still may not succeed, but we are not ready to close our doors yet.”

The LA brewer, which in November saws leaked memo making an announcement that indicated its original location in Van Nuys, CA and its brand new location in Highland Park we’re going to close has since been able to turn things around.

Febre told db: “After our announcement on 14 November, we were actually able to reopen the pizza kitchen in Van Nuys after just two days of closure. The Highland Park kitchen remained closed until mid December, but both are open and operating daily now, and both taprooms are pouring a wide selection of MacLeod beers.”

She added: As heartbreaking as it is to conduct a massive layoff, it has allowed us enough breathing room financially to at least keep the doors open and most vendors paid.” Febre reassured fans of the brewery’s beer that it is doing what it can to keep things going and said: “We are still catching up with some vendors and will continue to do so. We are operating with a much reduced staff, and we are slowly and cautiously adding back staff as needed.”

Macleod Ale Brewing Co, which is famed for its British cask ale styled beer, will move forwards with the brewery and its sites tentatively from here and understands that it may need to stay agile to remain open in the future.

Febre explained that she had a lot of empathy for breweries in the same position as Macleod and that she knew that the brewery was not alone in its hardships and lamented: “We have seen news reports of other breweries struggling and/or closing down. This is the sad reality of our times. While government funds are no longer offered, businesses like ours are still suffering the consequences of the pandemic and resulting financial instability. Whatever the reason, this ‘slow season’ has been beyond any slow season we have experienced so far. We are hopeful that due to our lack of reliance on distribution, and our well-honed ‘pivoting’ skills, we can maneuvere and keep MacLeod open and welcoming patrons for the foreseeable future. We wish the same for all our fellow LA Guild breweries.”

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