Last October, Finest Made Ales announced a shift in its business model, telling fans via social media that the Santee-based interest would no longer operate a tasting room at its brewery. Owner Rey Knight added that Finest Made Ales would continue to produce beer to serve his interest’s distribution channels. Meanwhile, word on the street was that he was in search of a buyer. It would appear that pursuit was fruitless, as Fischer Auction Company is currently shopping the company’s assets via auction.
The auction is taking place online through March 13, with bidding closing at 10 a.m. local time. Items up for bid include everything from Finest Made’s seven-barrel brewhouse and pair of 15-barrel fermenters to numerous Premier Stainless Systems products, including 30-barrel hot- and cold-liquor tanks, fermenters, a whirlpool, auger, mill and grist case. Cold boxes, pallet racking, chillers, valves, hoses, sinks and a deli case round things out and display the wide-ranging breadth and full-sale nature of the auction.
Fischer is including a bulk-sale option that would include additional options, such as acquisition of the company’s brand, recipes and a distribution agreement. The bulk-sale price for the business is $250,000 (or best offer). Finest Made’s 5,000-square-foot facility at 9962 Prospect Avenue, Suite E is also up for lease at a price of $4,500 per month. Those interested can participate in the auction by clicking here.
Finest Made Ales started out as Butcher’s Brewing in 2011 when Knight opened the business, contract brewing his recipes and building a client base large enough to validate taking over the brewery vacated by Manzanita Brewing Company (which went on to rebrand as Twisted Manzanita Ales before going out of business in 2016) in 2013. In 2016, Knight rebranded the business as Finest Made Ales, with the plan to expand into other beverage lines that would also operate under the “Finest Made” handle.
