Great Divide Brewing Company acquired

LAFAYETTE BIZ

Denver-based company taken over by Wilding Brands

Wilding Brands, a Lafayette-based, founder-owned family of craft beverage brands, has acquired Denver-based Great Divide Brewing Company.

Founded in 1994, Great Divide has earned national recognition for its award-winning lineup including Yeti Imperial Stout, Titan IPA and Colette Farmhouse Ale. Under Wilding Brands’ ownership, according to a news release, “Great Divide will maintain its commitment to quality and innovation, ensuring that fans continue to enjoy the craft beverages they love.”

Formed last year in a merger between Stem Ciders, Denver Beer Co. and Funkwerks, Wilding Brands is led by Colorado craft beverage veterans Eric Foster, Brad Lincoln and Charlie Berger, who started his career on the bottling line at Great Divide before founding Denver Beer Co.

“We’re honored to welcome Great Divide into the family,” Berger, chief development officer at Wilding Brands, said in a prepared statement. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the craft and quality of the product, and Great Divide has a rich history and a well-earned reputation for brewing some of the best beers in Colorado and arguably the country. Our goal is to honor that legacy while bringing new energy and resources to help the brand grow and continue to be a foundation of the Colorado craft beer story.”

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

“The dedication to evolving the business and a passion for Colorado make Wilding and Great Divide a perfect match. I couldn’t be happier knowing that Eric, Charlie, and Brad will be carrying the torch forward,” Great Divide founder Brian Dunn said in the news release. “I’ve seen a lot of change in the craft beer industry over the years, and Wilding is building with a clear vision. This is exciting news for Colorado and the industry.”

The acquisition includes Great Divide’s wholesale business and any future brick-and-mortar locations. There will be no changes to the Great Divide Colorado outpost locations in the areas of Castle Rock, Lone Tree or Belmar, or Concourse C at Denver International Airport, or to the Tap Room and Barrel Bar locations in Denver.Production brewing will move to Wilding’s Canworks facility in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood, and the acquisition retains and creates employment opportunities in the Wilding Brands organization, the company said.

The transaction comes just a few months after 14-year-old Denver Beer Co. joined forces with Wilding Brands.

According to the Boulder-based Brewers Association, Denver Beer Co. in 2023 was the fourth-largest Colorado independent brewery, behind only Oskar Blues, Odell Brewing and Left Hand. Those figures don’t include breweries such as Coors, New Belgium, Breckenridge or Avery Brewing, which were all owned by multinational brewing interests in 2023.