I’m sad to report that Bavarian Barbarian Brewing Co in Williamsport, PA is closing it’s doors. I know Mike & Kira have been fighting the fight, and I was really hoping that things had turned around for the better. A profound thank you to Mike & Kira Hiller for everything they’ve done for the local beer community as well as my website and radio show…I will miss Bavarian Barbarian a great deal. Cheers to you both for a wonderful venture….you should both be proud of what you created.
This news from Mike Hiller:
I am profoundly sad to report that Bavarian Barbarian Brewing Company is closed. We have worked extremely hard for the last four years to make the Barbarian a thriving, dynamic brewery and we owe whatever success we've enjoyed to our friends, family, bar and restaurant friends, wholesale partners and all you Barbarians out there.
My wife, Kira, and I want to thank you all for the support, encouragement and enthusiasm that you've shown us. We both regret that we will not be able to spend time with you in our tasting room, see you at the festivals and share our beers with you. Indeed, one of the most rewarding and fulfilling aspects of our Barbarian experience has been meeting and building friendships with so many awesome people. We put a lot of love into our beers and our business and we're grateful for the love we got in return.
While our enterprise is ending in disappointment, I am still very proud of what we've been able to accomplish. From the thrill of seeing our beer poured for the first time in a bar four years ago to the delivery of pallet-loads of beer to our wholesalers just weeks ago, I am happy to report that in between we've seen many more ups than downs.
We take great pride in being successful in the one thing that was most important to us: that you all enjoyed our beer in good times and with good friends. We're happy we could be a part of your lives, if even for just a short time.
Thank you and we wish you all the best!
From Mike:
This past week has been probably the most difficult time in my life. It will come as a surprise to most everybody that we were forced to close. I spent the past week selling off our remaining beer inventory and moving our personal property from the brewery. The bank refused to work with us any longer and is foreclosing on our equipment. At the same time, we were three weeks late with our rent ...(we threw everything we had at the bank) and our landlord decided that he couldn't stand to wait any longer and began to evict us. We could fight one problem or the other, but not both. This weekend, we're recovering and regrouping. Next week, we'll begin planning for what's next. I'm grateful for all your support over the last four years. We never would've gotten as far as we did without your help and encouragement. Thank you.
And then THIS from Mike on Probrewer:
I just announced the loss of my brewery, Bavarian Barbarian, yesterday. I don't wish to discuss what happened, so please don't ask. As you might imagine it has been a very difficult couple of days as I have lost my company, the respect of everyone I've disappointed, an awful lot of money and everything else I've worked extremely hard for over the last four years.
I have received condolences and offers of help from many of my brewing friends here in Pennsylvania and I greatly appreciate it.
However, I have also been contacted by several people whom I have never met asking for my equipment and to advise them with the details of my company's demise.
I find this to be extremely distasteful, rude and completely disrespectful. It would never occur to me to treat a man (especially a man I've never met) who has just lost everything as an opportunity either for cheap equipment or a free lesson in what not to do in business management. I'm not easily shocked by anything at all, but I can tell you that I'm disturbed by some people who think it's perfectly fine to contact me in an attempt to pick over the carcass of my lost company.
Please do not contact me. I will not sell you my equipment and I will not take the time to teach any lessons while I am closing my company.
__________________
Mike Hiller
Barbarian Chief
Bavarian Barbarian Brewing Company
Nooooooooooo! That is so sad, will really miss their beer :(
ReplyDelete