USA, TX: Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. to move to a new Fort Worth location

Rahr & Sons Brewing Co., which helped usher in the Texas craft beer boom and was a trailblazer in the South Main revival, is planning to move to a new Fort Worth location, Fort Worth Report said on April 7.

The company, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, said in a Facebook post it is seeking a new location for its brewery, now located at 701 Galveston Ave., just off South Main Street in the Near Southside.

Rahr & Sons said in the Facebook post on April 6 that it has “surpassed the capabilities of our current location” and is searching for a new home. Rahr’s beers range from lagers like Rahr’s Blonde and Texas Red to ales such as Iron Thistle, Winter Warmer and other seasonal offerings.

The post said Rahr beer “will still be brewed by the same talented brewers in Fort Worth” and that it will continue to be available in restaurants, bars and stores.

The brewery’s tap room, which was the location for many events as well as regular weekend tours, will remain open until May 17.

Rahr & Sons is one of the pioneers of craft brewing in the area and the state. The brewing capacity has grown from 2,000 barrels a year in 2004 to more than 20,000 barrels annually. The company’s beers are now distributed in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Nebraska. The brewery has received over 90 nationally recognized awards including six Great American Beer Festival medals.

When Rahr & Sons opened its doors in 2004, the tagline was “The brand new beer with a 150-year history,” referring to the Rahr family first making beer in America in 1847, shortly after William and Natalie Rahr immigrated from Rhineland, Germany to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The Rahr’s Eagle Brewery was the first lager brewery in Wisconsin.

About 160 years after the founding of Eagle Brewery, William Rahr’s great-great-grandson and namesake, Frederick “Fritz” Rahr Jr., opened Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.

The local craft brew industry has seen several changes over the past 18 months, according to previous Fort Worth Report coverage. A long list of shutdowns ranges from Fort Worth’s Funky Picnic, Neutral Ground, Fort Brewery and Pouring Glory to Deep Ellum Brewing in Dallas, Brutal Beerworks in North Richland Hills and Shannon Brewing in Keller, along with the shift of production of Blood & Honey out of Granbury. At the same time, several brewers have opened up in the suburbs and beyond.

In February 2024, Rahr & Sons’ property was posted as being for sale. At the time, the company said in a note on Facebook that it was not closing operations.

The property that Rahr currently occupies is being marketed for lease by Nathan Vasseur, principal at Team & Vasseur Commercial Real Estate. He said the property is currently available, but he is “in ongoing talks with several potential tenants to take over the space when Rahr vacates.”

Tarrant Appraisal District valued the property at $1.3 million in 2024.

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