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Parting Ways, Peacefully

Breaking up, as they say, is hard to do. When a brewery and its cofounder or head brewer part ways, planning ahead goes a long way toward helping to prevent acrimony.

Industry All Access
Illustration: Jamie Bogner
Illustration: Jamie Bogner

No one likes to talk about breakups, particularly in the early stages of a relationship when the mood is all sunshine and roses. Yet, in business as in life, separations are the rule rather than the exception: People change, grow, and move on. Confronting this reality early on can help prevent conflict down the road.

In the context of the brewing industry, it’s common for head brewers, co-owners, and cofounders to leave after a period of time. Sometimes it’s amicable; sometimes it’s not. Either way, brewery owners need to be prepared for the internal and external ramifications.

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