USA, NC: Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery ends its 20-year run in Farmville

Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery, a fixture of North Carolina’s craft beer scene since 2004, has ended its 20-year run. The Farmville-based brewery, best known for its Milk Stout and Baltic Porter, cited mounting financial pressures as the reason for its closure, Beer Street Journal reported on May 12.

Founded by Paul Philippon, a former philosophy professor, Duck Rabbit made dark beers its primary focus. At its peak, the brewery was distributed across six states and produced an estimated 3,000 barrels annually. By contrast, the town of Farmville, North Carolina, had a population of 4,546 in 2023.

The closure was driven by rising costs of hops, malt, and packaging, as well as supply chain disruptions and shifting consumer preferences toward seltzers and low-alcohol options.

The brewery’s name, “Duck Rabbit,” was inspired by the rabbit-duck illusion, an ambiguous drawing that can be seen as either a rabbit or a duck. First published in 1892, the image sparks philosophical discussions about perception, reflecting Philippon’s roots as a philosophy professor.

Duck Rabbit’s assets will be sold at auction to pay off outstanding debts. The brewery’s final weekend of operation was April 26–27, 2025, marking the end of its legacy in Farmville.

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