Hair of the Dog Brewing founder Alan Sprints announces closing date, reflects on retirement and legacy

Alan Sprints has announced the last day that his Hair of the Dog Brewing will be open, we wanted to know what he plans to do in retirement and how he views the brewery’s legacy after nearly three decades in business.

Hair of the Dog Brewing founder Alan Sprints

First published 2/16/2022, this article has been updated after recent announcements on Hair of the Dog’s closure:

A surprise Valentine’s Day video from Hair of the Dog Brewing founder Alan Sprints announced his impending retirement and the closure of the world-famous and now classic nearly 29 year old Portland institution. In that video Sprints said his goodbye’s to the industry, adding that he wouldn’t sell Hair of the Dog (HOTD) and still has a few more beers up his sleeve before the brewery and tasting room close for good. The final days are now upon us, with the last day to enjoy Hair of the Dog in-person will be Sunday, June 26th.

Alan Sprints says he has always wanted to retire in his early 60’s (he is turning 63 this year) and the pandemic has left him tired. He owns the building, at 61 SE Yamhill St, Portland, OR 97214, that Hair of the Dog relocated into in 2010, which gives him a modicum of flexibility. One thing the pandemic did do for the brewery was prove that beer nerds across the world would still shell out for HOTD’s vintage barrel-aged beers. Even with the sizable dent that the shutdown made on Sprints vintage cellar after online auctions and pick-ups, there is still plenty to tap into for the remaining months providing a steady income for those wanting to obtain the last vestiges of a legendary brewery.

Unlike many other brewery owners in his position, Sprints is choosing not to sell or pass on the business, even as his son currently follows in his footsteps on HOTD staff. “My kids have been a big help keeping the brewery going but they all have their own interests. Brewing was my passion and it takes that drive to keep going in the tough times,” says Sprints.

Sprints discussed some of those necessary cutbacks and compromises and his relationship with time and age in our article about the taproom reopening in July 2021. The impending closure allows them to go out on their own terms, and by waiting until COVID-19 has slowed it’s spread they will be able to say goodbye properly and even host some long lost events and beer releases.

The celebrated Fred Fest which is one of the first rare beer charity style events to honor the birthday of the late-great journalist and beer advocate Fred Eckhardt celebrated it’s final event earlier this year May 13-15. In the months since announcing their impending closure Alan has put some great vintage beers on at the taproom like Don, Cherry Adam, and Matt “they should all be bangers” he says.

Even though Sprints owns the building and could turnover the operation turnkey to a prospective operator, he thinks he will probably liquidate the equipment and perhaps sell the building. “The beer in the barrels will get drunk, and the barrels recycled, hopefully the equipment will find a new life making great Beer.”

In retirement Sprints plans to pursue his many hobbies and spend time with family and friends, but won’t stop traveling and collaborating with friends on future beers. On the closure of the brewery he says he has no regrets. “Working with other Brewers are some of the most memorable, sharing the same passion give you that much more in common. It has taken me around the world, to work with people in places that inspired me. The look in someone’s eyes as they taste Adam and chocolate for the first time. The idea that people would line up for hours before opening for bottle releases, and that we would sell out as fast.”

In the end, Sprints said all he ever wanted to do was make beer people liked and has been able to do more than he ever thought. But he does offer some passing wisdom to others in the craft beer industry,

“Please be true to yourself in your approach to brewing, don’t follow trends, lead the way.”

Sounds like good advice to me.