This Week's New Beer Labels (But First, Closings)

Two days, two Chicago-area shutters

Before we get into this week’s labels, we’re in a little bit of a flurry of brewery closings, sad to say.

Minutes before we sent Monday’s email, Dyer’s Windmill Brewing announced their closure as of June 29th. Then, yesterday we learned that Light the Lamp Brewing in Greyslake would also be shuttering that weekend, with their last day of operations set for June 30th.

Overnight, I received a couple emails telling me that Iowa’s Peacetree Brewing was also planning to “cease brewing operations” after nearly 15 years in business. Their two taprooms will continue to operate (somehow) by “gradually growing our lineup of guest taps.”

And outside of our coverage area, Portland’s pioneering long-time sour-beer brewer Cascade Brewing announced that they were shutting down (Jim Vorel at Paste puts their loss into context quite nicely), and in LA, Eagle Rock Brewing also announced that they too were closing after 15 years of operation.

It doesn’t look like there’s any one thing that’s leading to a bunch of closings all at once, or maybe I’m just looking at a more localized part of a larger wave — google “brewery closing” and sort your news by recent and there’s no shortage of other shutter reports.

No matter what, it’s a bummer to see so many beermakers having to shut their doors before peak summer drinking season.

Okay - onto labels!

The New Illinois Beer Label of the Week:

Here’s something that’s lasted for quite a while: The Riggs Family Farm, in business for 150 years. Riggs Beer Company celebrating that by brewing a beer using farm-grown grains is very cool. If you’re not familiar with Riggs, their backstory is pretty impressive.

Up next for our Premium Subscribers: A new DDH-Colada, some Corsets and Whips, and one of the world’s strongest lagers ever brewed.

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