Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Secures Future with Sale of Company Assets

From Speakeasy:

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers is happy to announce that the company’s brewing equipment and beer brands have been purchased by Hunters Point Brewery, a new company founded by Ces Butner, former owner of Horizon Beverage Company in Oakland, CA. Beers by Speakeasy Ales & Lagers will continue being produced at the San Francisco brewery, securing twenty years of independent brewing history and tradition. The deal was finalized on May 8, 2017, and terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

“I worked with Speakeasy Ales & Lagers for five to six years as a distributor,” said Ces Butner. “We were one the first companies to expand their distribution beyond San Francisco. There was a tremendous amount of growth and interest in the Speakeasy brands. It was one of the best craft breweries we worked with and the beer quality is very high. I thought it would be a shame if the brand, and one of the few production breweries left in San Francisco, disappeared because of financial problems. Keeping Speakeasy’s San Francisco born and brewed tradition alive is very important to me.”

Sam Cappione has been appointed Vice President and General Manager to oversee all aspects of company operations. The eight employees who remained at Speakeasy Ales & Lagers during the sale of company assets will continue working at the brewery. Additional staff will be hired in the next few weeks and months to fill key positions in operations, sales, packaging, the tap room, and brewing departments. The tap room will be opened as soon as possible.     

There will be no changes to the Speakeasy beer lineup at this time. According to Ces Butner, “The beer quality will remain the same and we have every confidence that the current distribution network and territories will stay intact. We’ll be working closely with all the distributors. Right now we just need to revive the Speakeasy brands, and I’m prepared to do just that.”