Ned sent me a beermail yesterday asking if I’d heard about the closure at Grant’s. I was startled and poured over Google’s news page, the Herald Republic, the Seattle Times, and Real Beer and couldn’t find anything and was curious if it was just a rumor. I went to sleep thinking things were still alright.
Today however, courtesy of the Brew Crew listserve, I got a link to the actual Cease and Desist order from the State Securities office. It seems that the brewery was bought by a couple scofflaws who issued bad stock and misrepresented their potential value.
Oddly enough, just 3 weeks ago we were having a beer at Bob’s Keg & Cork in Yakima and reminiscing with Bob, the proprietor. We talked about the glory days of Grants, the ground-breaking beer, the vision, the social outlet and legacy which all seems to have wavered in the last couple years. I know I’ve been hard on the Mandarin Hefe, but I think it is the official beer of the downfall of one of the greatest brewing legacies. Not to mention moving from the train station. I know they didn’t have money, but still. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.
So while I consider this a small tragedy, it was by no means unexpected. Goodbye fair Scottish, I’ll miss you cask Imperial Stout and Perfect Porter, a bitter farewell to the first truly hoptacular IPA.