Yankee Brew News Archive

Bay State Craft Brewer Closes Doors: Ould Newbury Falls Victim to Six Pack Demand

Originally Published: 02/97

By: Kerry J. Byrne

The Ould Newbury Brewing Company of Newburyport, Massachusetts has become a victim of the changing dynamics of the New England craft brew industry.

"Unless something amazing happens, it appears we're going out of business," said Ould Newbury owner Joe Rolfe in mid-December. "We stopped brewing a week ago."

The brewery opened in 1992 before expanding to its most recent location in Newburyport in 1994. Its most popular products were Yankee Ale and Plum Island Pale Ale, which were sold in growlers, 22-ounce bottles and on tap.

Rolfe said an inability to get financing for six-packs was his downfall.

"You could see this coming last year when we didn't get the financing we needed," said Rolfe. "The banks didn't give us a yes or a no, they just kept stringing us along."

"If you want to move any volume and have distributors interested in you as a starter, you have to have six-packs," asserted Rolfe. "Period. No question."

Other brewers in the region, such as Ipswich Brewing Company and Wachusett Brewing Company have recently added six-packs to their product line.

With the closing of Ould Newbury comes the end also to operations for Clam Town Brewing Company, which operated by alternating brewery arrangement out of the same facility in Newburyport.

The ever-growing presence of beers put out by large brewers such as Boston Beer Company, the Redhook Ale Brewery, and Pyramid Brewery has also driven down prices, making it harder for small brewers to compete, said Rolfe.

He also said the "fickle" nature of the New England market was a factor.

"I have good brand loyalty in Newburyport. There's a lot of people here, this is all they drink because it's the local product. But in Boston it's like 'which beer is local today.'" Rolfe said it is unlikely he will remain in the brewing business.

Rolfe said that Ould Newbury's brewing system is now up for sale. It is a four-barrel custom-designed Pierre Rajotte system and Rolfe said it would be "perfect for a pub. It will probably do about 1,000 barrels per year." The asking price is $65,000, which comes with "installation, start-up and consulting," said Rolfe.