Brewery Closing Months After Owner's Heartbreaking Health Announcement
A Milwaukee brewery is shutting its doors just a few months after one of its owners revealed her gut-wrenching cancer battle.
1840 Brewing Company, which closed its newer location in West Bend earlier this month after 13 months, announced in a social media post Friday that it is shuttering its original Bay View taproom, which has been open since 2017. The final day of service will be June 29.
"We are so grateful for the connections, friendships, collaborations, and memories we have made together. We will cherish them forever," the post reads.
Sadly, the news comes almost seven months after Stephanie Vetter, who owns the business with her husband Kyle, announced she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
In their Facebook post on Friday, the Vetters acknowledged their decision to close the taproom was largely based off the desire to spend more time together as a family.
"You may already be aware of the difficult health battle our family is facing at home. Unfortunately, the combination of running a small brewing business in a challenging market and fighting pancreatic cancer has become too much," the post said.
"We have made the incredibly difficult—yet simultaneously easy—decision to close up shop with our heads held high. We are insanely proud of the liquid we produced with the incredible team of people we were lucky enough to make it with. But it is time for every waking minute to be spent together at home, continuing our fight against cancer and making more family memories."
On Sunday, Kyle Vetter shared a tasting video for the brewery's final beer release, Little Bro Blue, a Brett Saison ale with blueberries.
"It's been an honor to be the craftsman, to make these beers for you guys over the years, and we can't thank you enough," Vetter said in the video. "Hug the ones that you love tightly, and do that over quality craft beer."
You can find 1840 Brewing Company's official website here. The taproom's hours for its final week of existence will be 4-9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 4-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 12-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.