Miller Brewing Shutting Down Austin's Celis Brewery; Selling Facility, Trademark

AUSTIN-Effective Dec. 31, Miller Brewing Co. will close the Celis Brewery in Austin amid ongoing talks with a buyer for the 27,111-sf facility and its accompanying trademark.

The decision is rooted in a company focus on core brands. Miller will retain a regional presence with the specialty beer franchises for Leinenkugel and Henry Weinhard, which have play important regional roles within Miller’s brand portfolio.

The 10-employee brewery is an eight-year-old building situated on 8.47 acres at 2431 Forbes Dr. in an industrial park. A Miller Co. source has told GlobeSt.com that talks are under way with a prospective buyer.”It doesn’t make economic sense for us to continue brewing Celis at this time,” the source says. Miller also has a large brewery in Ft. Worth. that produces millions of barrels a year.Miller has owned majority interest in Celis since 1995. In April, Miller had acquired full ownership as part of its contractual obligation when the Celis family elected to sell its minority interest in the brewery to Miller.

Miller Brewing Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Philip Morris Cos. Inc. Its principal brands include Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft, Miller Genuine Draft Light, Miller High Life, Milwaukee’s Best, and ICEHOUSE and Red Dog from the Plank Road Brewery. Miller also brews Sharp’s, a non-alcohol brew.