Blank Slate closed

per https://blankslatebeer.com/ "CLOSED. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES."

what a surprise. I was planing on going there this week. I was there maybe a month or two ago and never got the impression they were closing.

any insight?

I heard a rumor that they might have been bought out by a larger brewing operation, but yes I was a little shocked to hear they closed. I thought they had some of the best beers produced in Cincy.

They had apparently been shopping it around, to no avail. Word on the street is that potential buyers invested in Northside Distillery instead.

It’s a shame they closed because I thought they made some of the consistently best beer in the area, too. I know that they struggled financially for a while. I think Scott admitted that he wasn’t the best businessman, and I remember his struggles with MSD and some other things.

I think this marketplace is going to be brutal on production-minded breweries who don’t fit a niche of satisfying hot new style trends, aren’t in a cool neighborhood or don’t have a cool space, aren’t a brewpub with good food, or otherwise have a distinguishing feature.

Blank Slate made mostly unsexy styles very well. They had a cold, industrial space in a cold, industrial area. They were fighting other brands for shelf space and can sales. This is a tough business model in a super competitive marketplace.

I remember talking to Scott not long after Blank Slate opened, during a tap takeover at Taste Of Belgium downtown. He was obviously very well versed in the beer making part of the business. He made the type of beers (generally speaking) he told me he was going to make. But yes, there’re things like economics and marketing to consider as well. Such a shame. I’ll definitely be picking up some more Blank Slate at a bottle shop before the stocks run out.

Dumb question but what is going to happen to all the full kegs and cans that are still at the brewery? I just saw Tmoney add some new beers he had on tap. what’s up with that? I guess I could beermail him.

I imagine they will sell what they can from behind closed doors. There is no reason I can come up with to let all that beer sit.