ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A 2nd Abilene brewery is permanently closing due to what they call an ‘unsustainable market’.
Sockdolager Brewing Company announced their impending closure in Spring 2023 Thursday, saying “with heaviness of heart, we must announce that our taps will stop flowing in the spring of 2023. We have decided not to renew our lease and will be closing down Sockdolager Brewing Company permanently.”
The owners penned a letter on social media, explaining that like Pappy Slokum, another mainstay brewery that officially closed at the end of December, they can’t keep up with an “unsustainable market” and decided to close shop on their dream.
There isn’t a set closing date yet, but Sockdolager says to watch their social media pages for details on a farewell party in the Spring, as well as other special events.
Read the full letter from owners James, Will, and Alex below:
Today, with heaviness of heart, we must announce that our taps will stop flowing in the spring of 2023. We have decided not to renew our lease and will be closing down Sockdolager Brewing Company permanently.
Over the last year we have come to a place in our personal lives where we as individuals must decide to follow new opportunities and growth in other career fields or to continue to pour ourselves into our small brewery in what Pappy’s said best, an “ unsustainable market “. After a lot of soul searching, discussion, and time the three of us have decided that after 6 years, the time and personal lives of us as owners and that of our families must take the forefront to our dream that once was. Dreams change as time and people often do.
We want to first and foremost thank Pappy Slokum for carving the path for beer culture in Abilene, for helping us as we were a budding brewery, and for being wonderful humans, friends, and mentors.
We want to thank our families, our friends, and customers for tirelessly supporting our dreams, for loving us through long hours, for helping us build an idea and hope into a reality. For being in the taproom every week for beer, trivia, burgers, events, and most importantly friendship and community.
Owning and operating a business isn’t for the faint of heart; it is time consuming and grueling at times. It is undoubtedly hard work and humbling … but through this venture we have learned that it also brings about new and timeless friendships, lessons of self, and can be more rewarding than we ever dreamt. We’ve learned that patience and grace come in many forms and that there is a beer for every occasion. Your families have shaped ours, your encouragement has kept us going when we were running on fumes, your support has meant the world. What started as a business partnership resulted in a family and brotherhood we hadn’t expected. It’s something that we are proud of and thankful for.
We want to encourage budding young entrepreneurs to jump in both feet, to blaze your own trail. You’ll never regret the things that come along with daring to dream; success is secondary to the lifelong lessons and relationships you will build.
We will continue business as usual until our farewell party, to be announced at a later date. Keep an eye out for specials and events here! Until then, drink local, please make sure to support your local breweries.
