Molson Coors Beverage Company said halting production, distribution and marketing of its Saint Archer brand effective immediately and sell its San Diego-based brewery and taproom to Kings & Convicts Brewing Co., which owns the Ballast Point brand. Terms weren’t disclosed.
As part of the deal, Kings & Convicts will take over Saint Archer’s 100,000-barrel capacity Miramar brewery and adjoining taproom, as well as its 1,200-square-foot taproom in Leucadia, Calif. Kings & Convicts, headquartered in San Diego and Highwood, Ill., plans to retain operations and retail team members at both locations.
Molson Coors will retain the rights to the Saint Archer brand. It invested significant resources behind Saint Archer’s production and commercialization efforts, including expanding the brand beyond its home state and launching nationally a light lager called Saint Archer Gold. But the brewery came under significant pressure amid the pandemic in a declining San Diego craft market, according to Paul Verdu, vice president of Tenth & Blake, Molson Coors’ U.S. craft division.
Taproom, bar and restaurant closures in the California market wrought by the pandemic hit Saint Archer particularly hard, he says. On top of that, the brand’s big bet — Saint Archer Gold, which was aimed at health- and wellness-minded consumers — launched into the teeth of the pandemic, restricting its ability to build awareness among consumers with events, festivals and other sampling opportunities.