Who Wants to Run Milwaukee Brewing?

Have you ever wanted to be a beer baron in the Brew City? Now is your chance.

Milwaukee Brewing Company is hiring a new president and chief executive officer. The business, founded in 1997, runs the Milwaukee Ale House restaurant in the Historic Third Ward, a brewery in Walker’s Point on S. 2nd St. and a large, new brewery in The 42 building located in The Brewery redevelopment (of the former Pabst Brewery).

The job opening doesn’t mean the brewery’s founder, co-owner and current CEO, Jim McCabe is leaving. “Jim McCabe will remain deeply involved with all MKE locations, with a heavy focus on the engineering and creative side of our company’s efforts,” said the brewery in a statement. “Jim will work closely with the new president, along with the rest of the management team, to operate efficiently and drive our creative and groundbreaking culture.”

“The ideal candidate will have experience leading teams in craft brewing, distillation, consumer goods or hospitality,” reads a job posting shared online by human resources firm Jaz Humanagement. “A passion for leading people and for good beer is a requirement.”

“This hiring is the next step in our Company’s strategic plan to achieve long-term success and growth,” said the company in a statement.

The company opened its 58,000-square-foot 9th Street Brewery in a redeveloped warehouse in The Brewery complex last fall. Described as a “reverse mullet” by McCabe at the groundbreaking, the building offers visitors a party in the front – Glass + Griddle restaurant and the brewery’s taproom – with business in the back in the form of office space and a large production brewery. The brewery, restaurant and office space operate cooperatively owing to interlocking investors in each entity.

The 9th Street Brewery had an announced capacity of 30,000 barrels annually at its 2017 groundbreaking. The company at the time reported it was near capacity at its 2nd Street Brewery, having reported production of 12,000 barrels to the state in the year prior.

Michael Horne reported for Urban Milwaukee in early 2018 that the 2nd Street Brewery was for sale as a turnkey brewery for $3.1 million. “We have recently received some interest in the 2nd St. brewery as is, and although we’ve planned all along to keep the brewery for new concepts, if the right price is offered we will do what is best for the company. I am very attached emotionally to 2nd St. as it has gotten us to an amazing place,” said McCabe.

The brewery is still on the market today, and a listing from January 2019 shows that the price has been reduced to $1.5 million.

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