The Ale Apothecary finds new owners at Wolf Tree
When we reported that The Ale Apothecary was up for sale, founder Paul Arney struck a note of optimism in an otherwise sad story of the decline of farmhouse and wild ales. The news caused much consternation in the industry among both brewers of sour and funky ales and beer nerds who love them, but shortly after the article came out Arney let us know he may have found a buyer in the midst of the fallout.
Joe Hitselberger and his wife Taryn are the new owners of The Ale Apothecary. You may know them as Wolf Tree Brewery, the Seal Rock, Oregon based ranch brewery known for both clean hoppy beers as well as barrel-aging and farmhouse ales with a penchant for the liberal use of native spruce. The Wolf Tree Brewery shuttered their taproom in late 2023 and entered a restructuring phase, Hitselberger told us he was planning to uproot and relocate the brewery to Sisters, Oregon.
“After we closed our taproom in Newport last October, we were trying to find a landing spot closer to home in Central Oregon,” says Hitselberger. “When we were told that Paul was considering selling The Ale Apothecary, my wife/ business partner; Taryn and I had to consider it. Having the ability to keep The Ale Apothecary brand alive while also incorporating some aspects of Wolf Tree is a great opportunity. In our mind, this is a much better path to take than trying to reestablish Wolf Tree in a new area.”
The timing was great for Arney, who was looking to find a new owner as soon as possible to avoid further risk of shutting down or liquidating assets in an attempt to stave off eventual closure. Ale Apothecary head brewer Connor Currie wanted to stay on and keep the brewery alive, but he needed a partner to do so.
“Joe and Taryn are buying my brewery because they love these beers as well,” adds Ale Apothecary’s founder and original brewmaster Paul Arney. “With Connor Currie staying on to maintain our process, the beers will be available into the future. The Ale Club will definitely continue on and I'm confident that they can find a way to continue the tradition that our members enjoy. Joe and Taryn's primary objective is to keep The Ale Apothecary around.”
The combination of Ale Apothecary’s already well established name and distribution network, and a brewer with the knowledge and passion to keep making the beloved and eccentric beers, was the biggest selling point.
“For this whole thing to work, it was critical that Connor stay on and join us,” says Hitselberger. “Connor has been with The Ale Apothecary for a long time and has intimate knowledge of the beers and brewing process. That being said, people should expect the same high-quality beers that The Ale Apothecary is known for.”
Ale Apothecary head brewer Connor Currie
But how will the similar, yet quite different, Wolf Tree Brewery beers and brand, coexist or merge in with The Ale Apothecary. Wolf Tree beers will initially be available in Ale Apothecary’s Bend taproom and cellar at 30 SW Century Dr #140, Bend, OR 97702. “The shift to Ale Apothecary is a really exciting opportunity for us, and there is a way to blend the two brands somewhat. Paul built a unique brewery, and the brand has a ton of equity, more so than the Wolf Tree brand,” adds Hitselberger. While the Wolf Tree brand has an uncertain future, it may live on in some form especially for some of the fan favorite recipes. But the priority is first to expand and diversify Ale Apothecary’s beers, as well as the distribution footprint and presence in Central Oregon. That will include “clean” beers brewed in popular ale and lager styles, not just the foraged gruit-style saisons and Lambic-inspired creations of The Ale Apothecary.
Arney expects to sign over the ownership of Ale Apothecary and step away. “It's going to be a pretty clean break for me. I'm sure I'll drop in from time to time, but I've had my time and put everything I had into The Ale Apothecary...it would be hard for me, personally, to be involved at a reduced level. I honestly believe the best chance of success for the brewery, brand and beers is for me to set it free. Just like Sting said!”
The production of Ale Apothecary beers is another big challenge that Hitselberger downplays a bit. Since it’s inception, Ale Apothecary has been brewed on Paul Arney’s family property in the woods outside of Bend. That setting has allowed Arney to tinker with spontaneously fermented ales and local fonta and flora like twigs, leaves, and berries found around the area. The brewery was never set up for quantity, or as a production space that could be used by anyone but the family. So Wolf Tree will be bringing in a new 7bbl brewhouse, and making room at the Bend taproom and cellar space to install it and incorporate some of the equipment that is critical for their current brewing process. In the meantime, Arney has offered the use of his woodland brewery for up to 6 months to facilitate the transition. Connor Currie will be joined by Jen House on the brewing team, an industry veteran who was previously head brewer at both Double Mountain and Thunder Island in the Gorge.
The Ale Apothecary acquisition by Wolf Tree Brewery is still working it’s way through the internal process that should be finalized by mid-July, at which point the transition could pause operations before the brewery relaunches from its chrysalis in September or October.
“It won't be easy, but I feel that we can usher The Ale Apothecary into the next chapter and see continued success in what Paul built. We are fortunate that Paul sees us as good stewards of The Ale Apothecary brand and we will maintain the art over industry mission,” adds Hitselberger.
Adds Paul Arney: “I hope first and foremost that Joe, Taryn and Connor are successful and find enjoyment with this endeavor. I'm hopeful that The Ale Apothecary will continue to be the benchmark for what wild ales can aspire to be. I'm also hopeful that this brewery can find a way to introduce newcomers to beer to the magic of fermentation and the rich and complex history that this ancient beverage has. Lastly, I'm hopeful that the tasting room can continue it's trajectory to become a gathering spot for people who like to celebrate art and music, and want something different out of the typical beer experience.”