Report: Untitled Art Craft Beverage Co. shutting down
Untitled Art is shutting down their beverage business according to internal sources and memos circulated around the company employees and partners. The Wisconsin based brand turned 10 years old this year, and over the last decade has become one of the most innovative and flexible craft breweries in the U.S. making everything from full-flavored non-alcoholic brews, decadent stouts and sours to all-natural hemp beverages in their Florida Hard Seltzer, FLVR! NA, Goodwell CBD Water, and Mystic Orbit THC drinks brands.
In Oregon the Untitled Beverage brands Florida Hard Seltzer and FLVR! non-alcoholic are best-sellers both off-premise in bottle shops and grocery stores and as supplemental offerings at taprooms all over the state. The colorful cans are likely familiar, even if you haven’t engaged with their often fruit and tropical forward flavors. Non-Alcoholic beer and Hard Seltzer fans often swear that Untitled Art’s are the best around, the closest approximations to the fresh and hyped flavors of contemporary full flavored craft beers. They are currently available through Day One Distribution, which still has a limited stock in warehouse, but are hoping for a final shipment.
By collaborating with brewers, visual artists, and photographers, Untitled Art craft unique bold beverages with colorful and equally bold art. Untitled Art was founded by Levi Funk of Madison, Wisconsin’s Funk Factory Geuzeria and Isaac Showaki of Octopi Brewing. There is no brick-and-mortar location of Untitled Art, they brew at Octopi Brewing in Waunakee, Wisconsin on a large scale, and distribute their products in 35 states.
The closure of Untitled Art is related to the 2024 acquisition of their partners Octopi Brewing by Japan’s Asahi.
Wisconsin-based Octopi will become part of Asahi Beer USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Asahi Europe & International. Nikkei Asia reports Asahi targets roughly 700,000 cases (50,800 barrels) of production at Octopi. In the most recent estimates from the Brewers Association (BA), Octopi produced 220,000 barrels of beer alone in 2022 as the 13th largest U.S. craft brewer. - Good Beer Hunting, 1/5/24.
Word is that Untitled Art is losing their contract brewing arrangement with Octopi Brewing, leading to the shut down of the brand. The New School reached out to Untitled Art’s media representative and Untitled Art and Octopi owner Isaac Showaki for comment, but have not received a response by time of publishing.