Thesis
Scottish ale: Bert Grant and the rise and fall of the Yakima Brewing & Malting Company, 1982-2005
Washington State University
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
05/2019
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000000053
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/119111
Abstract
Established in 1982, Scottish brewmaster Herbert “Bert” Grant opened what is generally
believed to be the first brewpub in the United States since Prohibition in a former opera house in
downtown Yakima, Washington. The brewpub was part of a larger trend in American beer in
which small, independent breweries began opening up in the United States after having been
largely wiped out by Prohibition. These breweries focused on making flavorful and unique beer
using high-quality ingredients, as opposed to the mass-produced and cheaply made beers of
international and nationwide beer corporations. These breweries have collectively become
known as “craft breweries,” and their beer is referred to as “craft beer.” In recent decades, craft
beer has exploded in popularity and now accounts for approximately one fourth of all beer sales
nationwide.
The Yakima Brewing & Malting Company slowly garnered a devout following through
the 1980s and 1990s. Production expanded, and the brewpub moved into a larger venue to
accommodate its ever expanding client base. The company began bottling its beer in 1986 and by the early 1990s its beer was distributed in locations all over the country. In 1995 Grant sold the
company to Stimson Lane Vineyards in the hopes of continuing to grow the company. Grant
remained the public face of the company, but fell into ill health and died in August 2001.
Stimson Lane sold the company to Black Bear Brewing several months later. Under Black
Bear’s management, the company struggled to remain profitable and pay its debts. The
brewery’s new owners held a public stock offering in 2003 and 2004 to raise capital. However,
they quickly came under investigation by the Washington State Securities Division for
misleading investors about the financial health of the company. The Yakima Brewing & Malting
Company closed its doors for good in 2005. However, the company and its founder Bert Grant
left a substantial impact on the growth of the craft beer industry.
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Details
- Title
- Scottish ale: Bert Grant and the rise and fall of the Yakima Brewing & Malting Company, 1982-2005
- Creators
- John Tappan Menard Jr
- Contributors
- ROBERT R MCCOY (Degree Supervisor) - Washington State University, History, Department ofROBERT ALAN BAUMAN (Committee Member) - Washington State University, History, Department ofJEFFREY C SANDERS (Committee Member) - Washington State University, History, Department of
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- History, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 92
- Identifiers
- 99900590962301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis