Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company
{{Short description|American brewing company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company
| logo = Figueroa Mountain Logo June 2022.jpg
| type =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = {{start date and age|2010|11}}
| founder = Jaime Dietenhofer, Jim Dietenhofer
| defunct =
| location_city = Buellton, California
| location_country = United States
| locations = 5{{Cite web|title=Taprooms|url=https://www.figmtnbrew.com/taprooms|access-date=2021-04-21|website=www.figmtnbrew.com}}
| area_served = Southern California
| key_people =
| industry = Alcoholic beverage
| products = Beer
| production =
| revenue =
| owner =
| num_employees =
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = {{url|https://www.figmtnbrew.com/}}
| footnotes =
}}
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company is an American brewing company based in Buellton, California. Founded in 2010 by Jaime and Jim Dietenhofer, the company grew rapidly during the subsequent decade, opening multiple tasting rooms across Southern California. By 2019, the company was producing 23,145 barrels of beer annually and winning medals in industry competitions. In 2020 however, the company declared bankruptcy and, as of October 2022, is undergoing reorganization in bankruptcy.
History
File:Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company - 2021-09-27 - Sarah Stierch 02.jpg
The company opened for business over Thanksgiving weekend in 2010.{{Cite news|last=Kettmann|first=Matt|date=January 1, 2011|title=Beer Paradise in Wine Country|work=The Santa Barbara Independent|url=https://www.independent.com/2011/01/01/beer-paradise-wine-country/|access-date=April 21, 2021}} Father and son duo, Jaime and Jim Dietenhofer opened the brewery in a converted warehouse in Buellton, California, that housed the company's brewing operations and a small taproom. Jason Courtney served as the company's first brewmaster. The company, drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape, named itself after the local Figueroa Mountain and named its beers for characteristics of the surrounding region.
In 2013, the company opened its first expansion with a second taproom in Santa Barbara, California.{{Cite news|last=Comingore|first=Aly|date=June 5, 2013|title=Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. Opens in the Funk Zone|work=The Santa Barbara Independent|url=https://www.independent.com/2013/06/05/figueroa-mountain-brewing-co-opens-funk-zone/|access-date=April 21, 2021}} Further expansions followed with taprooms in Los Olivos, California, and Santa Maria, California, in 2014{{Cite news|last=Kettmann|first=Matt|date=June 19, 2014|title=Figueroa Mountain Lizard's Mouth|work=The Santa Barbara Independent|url=https://www.independent.com/2014/06/19/figueroa-mountain-lizards-mouth/|access-date=April 21, 2021}}{{Cite news|last=Sell|first=Wendy|title=Figueroa Mountain Brewery sets up shop in Santa Maria and soon in Arroyo Grande|work=The Santa Maria Sun|url=http://www.santamariasun.com/eats/12512/figueroa-mountain-brewery-sets-up-shop-in-santa-maria-and-soon-in-arroyo-grande-/|access-date=April 21, 2021}} and Arroyo Grande, California, and Westlake Village, California, in 2015.{{Cite news|last=Ames|first=Danielle|date=July 10, 2015|title=Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. opens taproom in Arroyo Grande|work=The San Luis Obispo Tribune|url=https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/business/article39056373.html|access-date=April 21, 2021}}{{Cite web|title=Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. Taproom Opening Friday, December 11th in Westlake Village|url=https://www.conejovalleyguide.com/local-buzz/figueroa-mountain-brewing-co-taproom-coming-soon-to-westlake.html|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Conejo Valley Guide {{!}} Conejo Valley Events|date=3 December 2015 |language=en-US}}
By 2017, the company claimed to be brewing beer "around the clock — 22 and a half hours every day — to keep up with demand."{{Cite news|last=Molina|first=Joshua|date=December 7, 2017|title=BizHawk: Epic Purchases Telegraph Brewery; Figueroa Mountain Plans Expansion|work=NoozHawk|url=https://www.noozhawk.com/article/bizhawk_epic_purchases_telegraph_brewery_figueroa_mountain_plans_expansion|access-date=April 21, 2021}}
In 2019, the company announced a collaboration with Dean Norris related to his portrayal of the fictional character Hank Schrader in the popular television series Breaking Bad.{{Cite news|last=Archana|first=KC|date=March 28, 2019|title=Good News For Breaking Bad Fans, Fictional Schraderbrau Beer Might Soon Become A Real Thing|work=India Times|url=https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/good-news-for-breaking-bad-fans-fictional-schraderbrau-beer-might-soon-become-a-real-thing-364494.html|access-date=April 21, 2021}}{{Cite web|last=Erickson|first=Nate|date=2019-03-21|title=Schraderbräu Was an Obscure 'Breaking Bad' Reference. Now It's a Real-Life Beer.|url=https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a26882717/breaking-bad-beer-schraderbrau-dean-norris-interview/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Esquire|language=en-US}}
By the end of 2019, the company was reportedly producing 23,145 barrels of beer annually and expected to produce up to 27,000 barrels by 2022.{{Cite news|last=Mercado|first=Jorge|date=October 5, 2020|title=Figueroa Mountain Brewing announces Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing|work=Pacific Coast Business Times|url=https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2020/10/05/figueroa-mountain-brewing-announces-chapter-11-bankruptcy-filing/|access-date=April 21, 2021}} On October 5, 2020, however, the company announced that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and that it intended to reorganize and continue operating the business post-bankruptcy.{{Cite web|last=Harris|first=Mike|title=Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. files for bankruptcy, citing business challenges of COVID-19|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/conejo-valley/2020/10/16/figueroa-mountain-brewing-company-files-bankruptcy-covid-19-protection/3665646001/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Ventura County Star|language=en-US}} As of June 2022, the company remains in bankruptcy.{{Cite news|last=Mercado|first=Jorge|date=April 9, 2021|title=More conflict on tap in Figueroa Mountain's bankruptcy|work=Pacific Coast Business Times|url=https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2021/04/09/more-conflict-on-tap-in-figueroa-mountains-bankruptcy/|access-date=April 21, 2021}}{{Cite web |title=Secured Lender's Credit Bid Right in Bankruptcy Sale Denied |url=https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/secured-lender-s-credit-bid-right-in-7336930/ |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=JD Supra |language=en}}
In June 2022, the company announced that it was acquiring new taprooms in West Los Angeles, Westwood, Echo Park, and Sherman Oaks.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-22 |title=An old-school Eagle Rock restaurant is now stylish aperitivo bar Capri Club |url=https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2022-06-22/old-school-eagle-rock-restaurant-is-now-stylish-aperitivo-bar-capri-club |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Zehnder |first=Katherine |date=2022-06-22 |title=Figueroa Mountain's new venture |url=https://newspress.com/figueroa-mountains-new-venture/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Santa Barbara News-Press |language=en-US}}
Products
The company has launched dozens of beers spanning a wide range of styles.{{Cite web|title=All Beers|url=https://www.figmtnbrew.com/catalog/beers|access-date=2021-04-21|website=www.figmtnbrew.com|archive-date=2021-04-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421051744/https://www.figmtnbrew.com/catalog/beers|url-status=dead}} As of April 2021, the company's most popular beers include:
- Danish Red Lager
- Davy Brown Ale
- Hoppy Poppy IPA
- Hurricane Deck DIPA
- Lizard's Mouth IIPA
- Paradise Road Pilsner
- Stagecoach Stout
The company had received a number of awards for its beers,{{Cite web|title=Awards|url=https://www.figmtnbrew.com/our-beers/awards|access-date=2021-04-21|website=www.figmtnbrew.com}} including a gold medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, the world's largest commercial beer competition for U.S. beers.{{Cite news|last=Kettmann|first=Matt|date=October 9, 2014|title=GABF Honors for Central Coast Breweries|work=The Santa Barbara Independent|url=https://www.independent.com/2014/10/09/gabf-honors-central-coast-breweries/|access-date=April 21, 2021}}{{Cite news|last=Andre|first=Lisa|date=October 12, 2019|title=Fig Mountain Brew's 'Hoppy Poppy' recognized at world's largest beer fest|work=Lompoc Record|url=https://lompocrecord.com/lifestyles/fig-mountain-brews-hoppy-poppy-recognized-at-worlds-largest-beer-fest/article_6fceaa1e-f06b-5bf8-97e3-2c94eae03ef4.html|access-date=April 21, 2021}}
References
External links
- [https://www.figmtnbrew.com/ Official website]
- [https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18505770/figueroa-mountain-brewing-llc/ In re Figueroa Mountain Brewing, LLC bankruptcy docket]
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Category:Beer brewing companies based in California
Category:American companies established in 2010
Category:Food and drink companies established in 2010
Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020