USA, NY: Shmaltz Brewing Company sells Clifton Park brewing facility and assets

Shmaltz Brewing Company has sold its Clifton Park brewing facility and assets to Rich Buceta, owner of SingleCut Beersmiths, based in Astoria, Queens, the Times Union reported on May 22.

Beers under the Shmaltz name will continue with Shmaltz owner Jeremy Cowan retaining ownership and control of all its brands under the Shmaltz, He’brew Beer and New York 518/838 Craft, and Alphabet City lines. Cowan also retains the exclusive licensing agreement with CBS for the line of custom Star Trek-themed beers. The details were announced in a press release.

Dan Bronson, general manager of SingleCut Beersmiths, said in a phone interview that the acquisition follows the rapid success of the SingleCut company's brand on the east coast and in Europe. IPA drinkers may recognize the winged 18-Watt IPA from their brand.

The brewery, founded in 2012, produces 11,000 barrels of beer annually at its Queens facility and only will produce its own line of beers at the Clifton Park facility. Referred to as SingleCut North, Bronson said it will redesign the current tasting room and offer many of the same amenities as its current Queens tasting room — like a large vinyl record collection and live music programming — which will continue to operate as usual.

Cowan plans on producing his beers under a contract brewing system, which Shmaltz had done prior to opening its Clifton Park facility in 2013. That process involved hiring other breweries to produce and package the company's beer. One of those facilities was the former Spa City-based Olde Saratoga Brewing company, owned and closed by California-based Mendocino Brewing Co. in January 2018 and remains closed.

The beers will continue to be brewed at the facility during this transition period, through late 2018. Cowan said he hopes to produce most of the beer with partners in New York State while doing small-batch creative projects in other locations. Shmaltz currently produces 26,000 barrels (approximately 806,000 gallons) annually.

Shmaltz will continue to make brand favorites like Slingshot, Jewbelation, and Hop Manna, while collaborating on creative and innovative beers with breweries where Shmaltz has a strong presence, like California, Florida, Washington and Illinois.

SingleCut will not be contract brewing Shmaltz products nor other products for non-Singlecut beer brands after the close of the transition period.

“This is a rather unique opportunity for two brands to succeed,” Cowan said in a phone interview. He said he was first introduced to SingleCut's owner Buceta during his time running the New York City Brewers guild.

The Shmaltz tasting room located at the brewery will continue to operate through late 2018. Current Shmaltz staff will continue to be employed with the company during that time.

A new Shmaltz tasting room and bottle shop in Troy, on Monument Square at 200 Broadway in the former Subway storefront, is slated to open in late June and will continue operations as a Shmaltz holding. Shmaltz beers, beverages from around New York State and food representing Lower East Side (to connect to Shmaltz's Jewish roots) and Upstate farm-to-table fare will be served at the Troy location.

Neither representative disclosed the price of the sale nor annual sales figures in dollar amount, but Bronson said SingleCut’s impact in the region will “certainly be in the millions.” Its Bronx-based distributor, Sarene Craft Beer Distributors, plans to add a salesperson and distribution truck to serve the Capital Region and promote SingleCut products to area retailers.

Cowan said Shmaltz also will use this opportunity to expand and promote its line of distilled products. The brewery was ranked by RateBeer.com as one of the top 100 brewers in the world in 2013, and has won many accolades, including a platinum award for Jewbelation 20 from the World Beer Cup.

22 May, 2018