Molson Coors says it plans to close not only the Leinenkugel’s 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee, but also the brewery in Chippewa Falls, where the company was founded more than 150 years ago.
Operations at both will come to a halt as of Jan. 17 and all production from these facilities will move to the Valley Brewery in Milwaukee.
The announcement comes a few months after Molson Coors sold four of its Tenth & Blake "craft" brands. New York-based Tilray Brands acquired Hop Valley, Terrapin, Revolver and Atwater from Molson Coors' Tenth & Blake division.
No changes to the J. Leinenkugel's Barrel Yard at American Family Field are expected.
"Following the end of a large contract brewing agreement and amid an ongoing canning line investment project at our Milwaukee brewery, we’ve made the decision to close two of our smaller brewing operations in Wisconsin and centralize statewide production at our main site in Milwaukee," said Molson Coors Chief Supply Chain Officer Brian Erhardt in a statement released Wednesday.
"While never easy, these choices are made with much thought and consideration to position Molson Coors for continued success in Wisconsin and beyond.
"Ever since Leinenkugel’s joined Miller Brewing in 1988, the brand and Chippewa Falls have been a cherished part of our company and culture. That’s not changing. Leinie’s Summer Shandy and the rest of the portfolio will continue to play a role in our premiumization plans.
Chippewa Falls' Leinie Lodge tasting room and shop and adjacent pilot brewery will remain open year-round, according to Erhardt.
"I am deeply saddened by the decision of the Molson Coors leadership team to close our Chippewa Falls brewery and home," former Leinenkugel's president Dick Leinenkugel told WTMJ News.
"For over 157 years and six generations of family management, Leinenkugel's has been brewing great beers for our legions of fans throughout Wisconsin and across the country. None of our family members were aware or counseled ahead of the decision."
The 10th Street Brewery, 1515 N. 10th St., was built in 1986 by La Crosse-based G. Heileman, which then closed it a few years later. It was purchased by Miller for Leinenkugel's production in 1995.
The Chippewa Falls brewery has been home to Leinenkugel's since it was founded in 1867.
The Miller Brewery in Milwaukee currently produces 75 percent of Leinenkugel's output, Erhardt said.
"We made the decision to close Tenth Street in Milwaukee in light of the sale of the Tenth & Blake breweries, as production at the facility included 19.2-ounce cans of those brands," he wrote in an email to distributors.
"We will transition production of 19.2-ounce cans of Blue Moon and other continuing brands to the Milwaukee Brewery, made possible through a can line investment at that facility."
Molson Coors did not say how many jobs will be lost due to the closings.
Last year, about 40 workers at the Chippewa Falls brewery went on strike for seven weeks, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. That action ended with the signing of a new three-year contract.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
