Celis Brewery Declares Bankruptcy, Will be Sold at Auction

Celis Brewery, the Austin, Texas brewery that left the scene for many years and was resurrected by the daughter and granddaughter of the late founder Pierre Celis, has declared bankruptcy and will be sold at auction next week.

Opened in 2017 to reminiscent fanfare, Celis Brewery has been financially troubled for quite some time. Debts, unpaid taxes, etc. have led to property liens and ultimately to a declaration of chapter 11 bankruptcy. Many factors can be cited for the brewery’s financial woes, but most can be traced to the heavy investment in the brewery and facility: an investment that required Celis to grow rapidly in order to create enough cash flow to repay debts and other obligations.

Celis Brewery has a fascinating history. The brewery dates back to 1966 when Pierre Celis opened the original brewery that bears his name in Hoegaarden, Belgium. He later moved his family to Texas and opened Celis Brewery in Austin, Texas, in1992. Eventually, Pierre Celis sold his brewery to Miller Brewing, which then shut down production in the early 2000’s. Pierre’s daughter Christine Celis established the modern Celis Brewing in Austin just two years ago, hoping to revive the brewery that helped popularize the witbier style- a style of beer that had been practically extinct before Pierre Celis brought it back from the brink.

Here at Great Beer Now, we hate to see any brewery close and we were extremely interested when we heard news that Celis Brewing was making a comeback in 2017. We remember the original Celis brand and appreciate what Pierre Celis did to help resuscitate witbier in the United States. We envisioned a new Celis Brewery that would build upon the Celis legacy and expand in new and exciting directions. Based on information available now, it appears that the newest version of Celis Brewery was a victim of trying to grow too large, too quickly. There wasn’t sufficient cash flow or capital to keep the brewery afloat.

Celis Brewery’s building and brewing equipment will be sold at auction on July 2, 2019.