USA, NY & NH: Five Boroughs Brewing Co. acquired by New Hampshire’s Smuttynose Brewing Co.

Brooklyn-based craft brewery Five Boroughs Brewing Co. has been acquired by Smuttynose Brewing Co., New Hampshire's original craft brewery, PRNewswire reported on November 7.

The acquisition, announced on November 7, 2023, provides Finestkind Brewing LLC, the owner of Smuttynose, with access to resources in the New York market and an expanded presence in the tri-state area. Over the next few months, Five Boroughs' production will transition to Finestkind Brewing's facility in Hampton, New Hampshire.

"We're thrilled to partner with Smuttynose Brewing Co.," said Blake Tomnitz, Co-Founder and CEO of Five Boroughs Brewing Co. "Smuttynose is a craft beer pioneer, and we share their commitment to high-quality craft beers. Under their leadership, we're confident in the brand's continued growth, reaching even more craft beer consumers across the tri-state area and beyond."

Five Boroughs' taproom in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, will continue to operate as an innovation hub for the brewery, supporting new projects, including small-batch beers for select accounts.

"We remain dedicated to our Sunset Park taproom's role as a hub for creativity and experimentation," said Kevin O'Donnell, Co-Founder and COO of Five Boroughs Brewing Co. "It serves as a space for pushing craft beer boundaries while celebrating the community that has shaped the brand."

"We've closely monitored Five Boroughs from a distance for some time now," said Steve Kierstead, CEO of Finestkind Brewing. "We admire their remarkable achievements in the competitive craft beer space. Through discussions with Blake, Kevin, and Kian, we are convinced of their integrity and passion for the brand, making this partnership fruitful."

The acquisition represents a new chapter for Finestkind Brewing as it explores potential expansion into new beverage categories, including non-alcoholic options. Five Boroughs will join Smuttynose Brewing Co. and Island District Cocktails as one of Finestkind's core beverage brands. Smuttynose Brewing is committed to ongoing portfolio development and establishing a new beverage platform, with a focus on geographical diversification and a warm welcome to like-minded brands eager to join its expanded portfolio.

"We are incredibly proud of the foundation laid by the entire team here at Five Boroughs over the last six years. Each team member, past and present, has contributed to the success of the company and collectively propelled us to where we are today," said Kian Oveissi, Co-Founder and CFO of Five Boroughs Brewing Co. "I am fully confident that Finestkind will be great stewards, leveraging resources and economies of scale, to ensure the continued growth and future of what the team here has built."

E-malt.com, the global information source for the brewing and malting industry professionals. The bi-weekly E-malt.com Newsletters feature latest industry news, statistics in graphs and tables, world barley and malt prices, and other relevant information. Click here to get full access to E-malt.com. If you are a Castle Malting client, you can get free access to E-malt.com website and publications. Contact us for more information at marketing@castlemalting.com .