Rogue Ales, Craft Beer Pioneer, Closes Suddenly

Rogue Ales, an American craft beer pioneer based out of Newport, OR, closed suddenly last week.

Rogue was founded in 1988 as part of the first wave of craft beer in the U.S. The brewery became known for its once-ubiquitous Dead Guy Ale. Additional popularity came from the company’s well-liked line of specialty beers, including barleywines, stouts and seasonal releases.

Rogue’s positive reputation among beer drinkers created a legion of fans that stretched from coast to coast. You could find the brewery’s beers distributed nationally for the last two decades.

Now, in a sign of the difficult times faced by craft beer and the entire alcohol industry, the brewery has shut down its large-scale brewing operation and other facilities/restaurants.

The business reportedly owes more than half a million dollars in back taxes and rent.

The craft beer business, which was growing before Covid-19, has slid in the opposite direction since the pandemic shuttered taprooms nationwide. Compounding this negative momentum is newer trends like younger consumers drinking less, tariffs, GLP-1 drugs and the rise of cannabis as an alternative to alcohol. The entire alcohol industry must contend with these headwinds in 2025/6 during our current period of economic slowdown.

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