SYLVAN LAKE, AB – Two and a half years after its launch, Undercurrent Brewing has announced its permanent closure due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Undercurrent was opened in April 2018 by the husband-and-wife team of Bryan McHale and Kathryn Blair, both former lawyers who left the law trade to start the brewery, and was focused primarily on sales in its own taproom and retail store.
In a letter posted on social media and the brewery website, McHale explained the decision to close:
The pandemic, well, you know. Undercurrent Brewing requires bums in seats and in retrospect, we painted ourselves into a corner. Operating a business is a labour of love, or as I like to say, a love for labour. With everyone’s support we successfully created what we sought to create and even though the well has run dry, on in this case, the fermenter, I am extremely proud of Undercurrent Brewing. The events, artists, charitable work were the fruits of our labour and stand out to me as justification for our hard work and sacrifice. And so, with heavy heart I say thank you for the memories. We are officially shuttering and hope 2021 will be a year of growth and rebirth.
For more details, see the full announcement.
Source & Photo: Undercurrent Brewing