Bison Brewing Company will close its doors March 1 after brewing
beers on Telegraph Avenue for 13 years and relocate its brewing to
Gilroy.
Bison Brewing Company will close its doors March 1 after brewing beers on Telegraph Avenue for 13 years and relocate its brewing to Gilroy.
Bison is partnering with Coast Range Brewing Company in Gilroy to lease brewing time there.
Bison Owner Daniel Del Grande wants to focus on brewing bison beers and alcoholic Hard Ice Tea for bars, restaurants and grocery stores in California. Bison’s Berkeley brew pub was breaking even but took most of Del Grande’s time.
“The brew pub has proven that people love our beers and teas, but my passion is brewing rather than running a restaurant,” Del Grande said. “I’m excited about devoting my full attention to brewing and growing the Bison brand.”
Bison launched its all natural, brewed Hard Ice Tea in October 2000. Sales have climbed steadily, reaching 10,000 six packs in December, fueled by new distribution at Trader Joe’s. Hard Ice Tea now makes up 60 percent of Bison’s beverage sales.
Also Bison plans to launch an organic, low calorie craft beer this spring and will keep brewing beers such as Chocolate Stout, Belgian Rye and Gingerbread Ale. In addition to Trader Joe’s, Bison beers and teas are available at Andronico’s, Draeger’s, Lunardi’s, Mollie Stone’s, PW Markets and Whole Foods Markets.
A new tenant has yet to be found to fill Bison’s Berkeley brew pub site at the corner of Telegraph Avenue and Parker Street, Bison spokesman Patrick Galvin said.
“It’s not good news for Telegraph Avenue to have someone go out, but for Dan it’s very good news,” Galvin said. “The glass is either half-full or half-empty.”
If Bison’s sales continue to increase, Del Grande hopes to open his own brewery back in Berkeley. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Del Grande bought Bison in 1997.
“I’m closing the restaurant but opening the door to what will be a very exciting future for Bison,” Del Grande said.
Details: bisonbrew.com.
