Highlights
- Tilray has acquired Brewdog's UK brewing operations, brand and 11 pubs for £33 million after the craft beer firm entered administration.
- 484 jobs have been lost and 38 bars closed immediately after being excluded from the rescue deal .
- Around 200,000 small investors who put money into the Equity for Punks scheme face losing their entire £75 m investment.
AlixPartners said there had been "significant interest" in the company but that no offer had been received that would have preserved Brewdog in its entirety.
Workers were informed of their redundancies on a conference call with just 25 minutes notice , a move Unite union described as having "echoes of P&O."
Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary, said it was "a devastating day," adding "BrewDog workers built this brand. They deserved respect. Instead, they were treated as disposable pawns."
Jobs and closures
Tilray will take control of Brewdog's brewery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, and The Hop Hub distribution centre in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, along with 11 UK pubs including locations in Birmingham, London, Manchester and Edinburgh.
Brewdog's 18 franchise bars in the UK and internationally will continue to operate. However, Brewdog's German arm including a brewery and bar in Berlin was not included in the sale and will be liquidated.
The two firms are still negotiating over Brewdog's assets in the United States and Australia.
Founded by friends James Watt and Martin Dickie in 2007 in Aberdeenshire, Brewdog grew from a garage operation into a global brand valued at around £1 bn within a decade.
However, the last five years proved deeply damaging the company lost almost £150 m, failed to make a profit and was mired in debt.
Its reputation also took a series of hits, including a BBC Scotland documentary highlighting allegations about former chief executive James Watt's behaviour, and a backlash after the company abandoned its commitment to paying the real living wage in 2024.
Watt later stepped down as chief executive and Dickie left the company last year for personal reasons.
Brewdog had posted a £37 m loss in October last year and had already closed 10 bars across the UK earlier in 2025.
