Kim Jordan of New Belgium Brewing (Denver Post file).
Fort Collins-based New Belgium Brewing made a last-minute push to purchase Elysian Brewing just before Anheuser-Busch snatched up the Seattle craft brewing pioneer in a controversial deal that shook the U.S. beer industry.
Elysian’s Dick Cantwell, who on the eve of last month’s Craft Brewers Conference in Portland, confirmed the discussions had advanced but ended up being derailed.
Cantwell said New Belgium was prepared to make a competitive offer. Late in the AB discussions, Elysian’s board held an emergency meeting and voted to give New Belgium time to develop a concrete offer, Cantwell said. But according to Cantwell, no time was given in the end and the A-B deal was struck over his objections without New Belgium getting a shot.
The merger would have been a marriage of craft beer heavyweights; New Belgium is the nation’s fourth largest independent craft brewery by the Brewers Association’s rankings. Cantwell and New Belgium president and CEO Kim Jordan are a couple.
This post will be updated.
