BrewDog to close brewery and five bars ahead of sale
In an email seen by reporters, the Ellon-based firm said that bosses have taken the "very difficult decision” to liquidate the German arm business.
It comes as suitors are being asked to table second-round offers for the firm and its brands, including Punk IPA and Elvis juice.
"We appreciate this is disappointing news and are sorry for the uncertainty this creates," the leaked email sent to staff states.
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The move would see the closure of a brewery, taproom and bars in Germany.
German BrewDog sites to close:
Berlin Mitte
Dogtap Berlin
St Pauli
Earlier this month, BrewDog launched a formal sale process that could lead to the break-up of one of Scotland’s most high-profile businesses.
The brewer appointed restructuring specialists AlixPartners to run a “structured and competitive” process.
The move followed five consecutive years of losses and comes amid mounting pressure on independent brewers across the UK.
The latest email further reads: "As we prepare for the transition to new ownership. We will be taking a small number of temporary operational steps. We will temporality suspend trading via our e-commerce sites to ensure a smooth transition.
The exterior of BrewDog on Gallowgate, Aberdeen (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)
"Our bars will continue to trade as normal on Saturday and Sunday. Early next week, we will need to make some arrangements across the business to ensure everyone can attend the company-wide All Hands meeting and receive a full update directly."
It concludes: We fully appreciate that the past few weeks have been challenging for and are hugely grateful for your continued professionalism and support. We will communicate with you all again as soon as possible."
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The email is signed off "JT", for chief executive James Taylor.
The company reported a pre‑tax loss of £59m in 2023, followed by another of £36.6m in 2024, which it partly attributed to one‑off impairment costs linked to historic acquisitions and restructuring.
BrewDog co-founder James Watt stepped down as chief executive of the firm in March 2024, 17 years after it was first established. His fellow co-founder, Martin Dickie, then stepped down "out of the blue" in August 2025.
In July 2025, the firm had shuttered 10 of its bars, including its original, flagship Aberdeen venue.
