NANAIMO, BC – Late last year, we reported that Fat Cat Brewery had been sold, and that the new owners would be changing the name to Wolf Brewing, with a relaunch planned for February.
While the relaunch is running a bit late, a photo posted to Twitter by Dave Mitchell of the blogs Beer in BC and Beer on the Rock shows the four brands that Wolf is planning to offer: Red Brick IPA, Black Tail Porter, Golden Honey Ale and Woodcutter Mild Ale.
Based on a previous statement from Wolf co-owner Jennifer Lewis that they would be retaining the Fat Cat recipes under different names, it’s likely that the first three beers listed above are rebrandings of Fat Cat’s Fat Head IPA, Pompous Pompadour Porter and Fat Cat Honey Beer.
Less clear is whether Woodcutter Mild is new or a rebrand, although it may correspond with Bunny’s Black & Tan. Also unclear is whether the seasonal Old Bad Cat Barley Wine will be returning under a new name.
Not sure why one would dump a known, unique company name and start up with a Brewery name that copies another and mimics many others. However, those Island dwellers often march to a different tune!
Red Brick IPA, Black Tail Porter and Woodcutter Mild Ale were available to taste at the Island Beer Festival. They tasted better than I remember the Fat Cat beers tasting. Then again it could be a question of old bottles versus fresh draft beer.
They were by far the most busiest of the booths, but I think some of that had to do with their server.
oh, and I forgot to mention that once they sell out all the remaining Fat Cat branded products Wolf brewing beers will start rolling out.
It’s a shame that the Fat Cat brand is going down the gurgler. The names of these brews, like the new name for the brewery itself, are mind-numblingly generic and unimaginative. I was a regular Fat Cat customer for years because I enjoyed supporting a local (Nanaimo) brewery owned by people who lived in the community. But the new owners are commuters from Mill Bay, so the local connection is gone, and I really doubt that will be able to maintain the consistent high quality that former owner Rob Haseloh delivered.
I’m looking forward to seeing what the changes will be. Certainly, those who identified with the Fat Cat brand will be disappointed. In the end, sales will tell whether or not the change was for the better.
It is sad ot see Rob and Bunny fade away and carpetbaggers form Mill Bay move in. Kind of kills the “support local businesses”. It is a said day for Nanaimo to lose their own community owned brewery. I guess that is “progress”…………
I stopped by the brewery and tried the new “Wolf” beers and they are great. My favourite is the woodcutter ale. I love the new look, it is so much classier. The staff at the brewery and very friendly. I will definitely be back!
Mill Bay is not actually all that far away from Nanaimo — both locales are on the very same island!
I’ve been a fat cat drinker since i was first introduced their ipa. Since that time, all other ipa seemed to have faded in comparison. Unfortunately the new owners also have failed in comparison.
When the brewery changed hands, I began paying attention to the dates on the beers I purchased, and their ipa has not only changed, it when from being friendly to not friendly to my system.
That’s right, the beer actually didn’t agree with me. Some of you will understand what I’m referring to but we get graphic here.
Bottom line is only by a six pack from every new batch. So far I’m not impressed at all. I’ve got from drinking more than 200 bottles of fat cat ipa a month, to less than a dozen.
I’m drinking one now for the first time in several months. Its dated good till april, and I’m half way thru the third and I’m pouring it out cause I feel sick.
I can’t remember the last time I felt sick drinking beer. Beer has always been my medicine, especially the good ones. Fat cat always was one of the best. I could count on it. Now every time I drink Wolf beer, I feel sick!
Whats with that?
You call that an improvement?
I call it an adulteration of an otherwise Great product. Boo to the new owners for changing the recipe or not being in control of the process the way the previous owners were.
How the heck are those people that sold out? If you know, please respond and I’ll finance them. What ever it takes, I’ll pay to get my Fat Cat IPA back.
I miss it, I drank it and loved every drop, and it never left me feeling the way I feel right now.
Fuck man, their barley wine was the IPA times two, and I used to drink that like most people drink what ever it is they called beer. Now I can’t even enjoy my beer.
Yes there are some decent IPA’s on the market, I suppose, but none come close to the Fat Cat IPA I enjoyed for years.
Who is this Rob guy you mentioned? Is he still available to brew?
Wow, you sound totally insane