Seven years after purchasing San Diego's Saint Archer Brewery, Molson Coors has discontinued the brand and sold the brewery and local taprooms to Illinois-based Kings and Convicts Brewing.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Monday that the move comes as the craft brewing industry deals with fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and changing consumer tastes toward seltzers and other alternatives to beer.
“Unfortunately, Saint Archer has struggled to meet expectations in a challenging and competitive San Diego market," Molson Coors vice president Paul Verdu wrote in an email to employees.
Molson Coors will cease production of Saint Archer immediately, but will keep ownership of the brand name, the Union-Tribune reported.
Kings & Convicts, which owns San Diego-based Ballast Point Brewing, will take over Saint Archer's roughly 50,000-square-foot brewery in Miramar.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Kings & Convicts plans to offer jobs to about 40 employees of Saint Archer’s brewery, warehouse, packaging and taproom facilities, the Union-Tribune said.
