A beloved brewery at a historic location in downtown Los Angeles is closing.
Angel City Brewery, located at the corner of Alameda Street and Traction Avenue in the Arts District, is expected to close its doors next April at the conclusion of its lease.
The decision was confirmed to KTLA by the brewery’s owner, Boston Beer Company, which is best known for its Samuel Adams brand, as well as Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard.
Both Angel City Brewery and Truly LA, the adjacent taproom on the same property which serves Truly hard seltzer, another brand owned by Boston Beer Company, will be shut down to allow the fourth-largest brewer in the U.S. to “focus on growing [its] core, national brands.”
Truly LA will be “gradually” shuttered in the coming months, switching to Friday and Saturday service only by the end of the year. The existing space, which was completely renovated when it reopened under the Truly banner just a few years ago, will be repurposed to provide “overflow and rental space,” officials said.
The brewery, on the other hand, will remain in service through the duration of the company’s lease, which ends in April 2026.
Boston Beer Company says the Angel City Brewery brand is actually performing relatively well, and while the Los Angeles taprooms don’t align with its current business strategy, there is belief that it could survive on its own.
“We believe there is potential for this brand to succeed outside of Boston Beer as a strong local offering, and we’ll be putting significant efforts behind selling Angel City so the brand can continue to live on,” company officials said.
Angel City Brewery was founded in 1997 by Michael Bowe in Culver City. In 2004, the company purchased a German-themed brewery in the now-closed Alpine Village in Torrance, before moving into the historic John A. Roebling Building in 2010 where it resides today.
Once an industrial plant for the manufacturing of metal cables used in the construction of local bridges, powerlines and even slinky toys.
The brewery was acquired by Boston Beer in 2012, which created an entirely new beer menu from scratch, turned the Roebling Building into a must-see attraction in downtown L.A., and eventually launched Truly LA on site.
Angel City is a popular location for dog owners, sports fans looking for a drink before heading out for a Dodgers, Lakers or Kings game, or a place for a quick bite as tourists and Angelenos alike explore Little Tokyo and the Arts District. Some people likely stop by just to see the slide.
If Boston Beer is able to find a buyer for the existing brand, the new owners will inherit the loyal fan base. If no one comes forward to save the brewery, the Roebling Building is considered a hot commodity on the real estate market.
Boston Beer says it hopes to “avoid a significant impact” to its affected employees, aiming to absorb as many employees as it can from Truly LA into the Angel City Brewery staff, and keep the brewery team employed for the remainder of of its lease and ownership of the company.