Craft breweries face challenges as Milwaukee favorites close their doors
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — A city known for its rich brewing history is witnessing a troubling trend as several beloved craft breweries shut down. Enlightened Brewery in Bay View, Company Brewing in Riverwest, and MobCraft Beer in Walker’s Point have all announced closures in recent months, leaving beer enthusiasts and neighborhood patrons grappling with the changing landscape of Milwaukee’s craft beer scene.
Enlightened Brewery, located in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood, announced their closure in a statement on Facebook last week:
"This journey has led us around three breweries in two locations and filled our lives with passion, creativity, lots of love, and a deep sense of community. We’re eternally grateful to each and every one of you who has been a part of it.”
Enlightened’s last day of operation will be Sunday, Jan. 5.
Tim Eichinger, co-owner of Black Husky Brewing in Riverwest, says the closures lend insight into the current state of the craft beer industry. "It's scary, I'll tell you that right now," Eichinger said. "Inside the industry, we've been waiting for that shoe to fall."
While there are many possible reasons for a craft brewery to close, Eichinger says the biggest reason for this trend is simple: too many breweries, too few customers. "We started our brewery in 2010, moved down here (to Milwaukee) in 2016. We were the 74th brewery that had a license in the state of Wisconsin. Now I believe we are 400-ish."
The closures of Enlightened, Company Brewing, and MobCraft reflect broader challenges facing the craft beer industry nationwide. Demand for beer is reported to be the lowest its been since the 1970s.
Once enjoying double-digit growth rates, the market has seen a slowdown as consumer preferences shift, competition increases, and economic pressures mount. Breweries that thrived during the early days of the craft beer boom are now struggling to adapt to a more crowded and less forgiving landscape.
Eichinger advises beer lovers to not take their local favorites for granted.
"This next first quarter of the year is going to be rough, it always is, but this year is going to be even worse I think."