USA, TX: City Acre Brewing to close down for good in July

The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on breweries, and while many have held on as long as they could, a significant number of Houston taprooms have recently closed, almost closed or gone up for sale, Chron reported on June 8.

The latest victim is City Acre Brewing, a beloved small brewery in north Houston whose backyard-style outdoor area served as a chill hangout spot as well as a venue for many weddings. It brewed blonde ales, pale ales, cream ales and IPAs, and offered cocktails, wine, cider and non-alcoholic drinks, too.

City Acre also had a robust food menu, including snacks like a fried pickle basket, and burgers made with pork, venison and bacon patties.

The kitchen closed on June 5 and the brewery will keep pulling pints until July 3, coinciding with its sixth birthday. In a message shared on City Acre's website and social media accounts, the team shared: "Rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey had us naively believing that we'd seen the worst disaster City Acre would encounter. We had some great years since, but after the pandemic hit, we've just never quite been able to get back to where we once were."

Some brewery operators seek new ownership before, or instead of, shutting down. B52 Brewing in Conroe is currently for sale, Conroe Today reported in May. In 2014, two brothers who were homebrewers opened the suburban taproom north of the city, set in a wooded area that made B52 look like it was in the middle of a forest.

B52 is selling the six-acre property, which includes the 10,000-square-foot brewery, all of the equipment, and the intellectual property.

Another undisclosed brewery in Harris County is for sale, according to commercial property site LoopNet. The listing claims it's a local brewery with "a huge following" whose revenue is split half-and-half between the taproom and distribution. The sale includes the property and $18,000 in inventory, and the brewery has six employees. The seller's realtor has not responded to requests for comment.

These are just the latest shake-ups in the Houston area's dynamic beer scene. Bearded Fox Brewing in Tomball had made preparations to close in April, only to have local businessman Arif Manji swoop in at the last minute to purchase the brewery just one day before its last. Holler Brewing has also been under new ownership for a few months. However, 6 Wards Brewing in Dickinson closed for good in February.

Local Group Brewing, which had opened north of downtown mere weeks before the pandemic hit, seemed to have an uncertain future after the team announced the kitchen was closing in March "due to some unforeseen circumstances." It was finally bought by newly formed group Distincture Hospitality, and will soon have different beers, different food, and even a different name.

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