Just got a tip from a reader to check the Beercraft site (and yes, I've added it to the list, sorry I missed that one) for news of Dave Schlosser leaving High Falls in Rochester. I contacted Dave, and I'm sorry to say that it's true. He's left the building -- not necessarily his idea -- and will be thinking about where to go next.
Bluntly, this sucks. Dave made some very good beers there, like the Dundee Pale Bock and IPA, and was a breath of fresh air. He was a nice guy, very knowledgeable, and seemed like the right guy to put Genessee/High Falls on the Saranac path to regional craft brewery. I hope this is not a statement that High Falls is leaving that path. The other rumor -- which remains a rumor -- is that High Falls is prepping for a buy out. We'll see.
My apologies, by the way, for the low level of NY brewery news. I'll try to do better.
11 comments:
This is really sad. Dave offered homebrew advice to me a few years back, and he was always responsive to folks on Beer Advocate back when I belonged. I loved his extensions of the J.W. Dundee line-up, and was glad he played a part in getting Genesee Cream Ale to Illinois! I hope he finds greener pastures, and hope High Falls remains viable -- if sold, i hope their Rochester presence remains.
Mr. Schlosser, if you find yourself in the Chicago area, I'll gladly buy you a round or three!
Great post, I really enjoyed it. I will have to bookmark this site for later.
So long big guy seems most of the true beer guys and owners who really care are moving along or are being eaten up ..some times by the global breweries or the greedy wholesalers who priced their beer out the door hey forget about all you did for brewery as they saw you out the door do not let it hit you in the ass on the way out...so dave if you happen to come across this blog head on up to the lion brewery heard they are doing great things with knights head and their new block buster intercourse beer..
The craft segement has come along way but sometimes you have to wonder if 1995 is just around the corner.Take a few weeks off sure their are plenty of jobs around just look at some of the talent who are presently selling saranac these days most of them might not know its in their house..
good luck see you around
The Pale Bock is just heavenly. Sad to see the man go who brought it to life.
That buyout rumor has been hanging over the brewery for a couple of decades, and it's never happened. but when they let a guy like Dave go, the architect of their reinvention as a niche brewery, you gotta wonder.
Re: "That buyout rumor has been hanging over the brewery for a couple of decades, and it's never happened."
It's only been High Falls since 1999 or 2000, and that was the result of an employee-led buyout -- the Genesee Brewing company was thinking of folding, but accepted an offer from employees (and probably outside investors as well) to sell to them. Genny Cream, Beer, and Light were saved, though 12 Horse Ale is no more. Sigh. They put in effort to promote Dundee's Honey Brown, and eventually started expanding the Dundee's line. And contract brewed for lots of folks.
New CEO last year. Hmm.
I was referring to the rumor of a buyout by the majors. Genesee has been ripe for the picking since at least 1980.
In all the accolades, no one has mentioned the fabulous Dundee's Porter, another stellar seasonal submission from the Schlosser era at High Falls. along with the Pale Bock, two of the best craft beers on the market at bargain prices, even after the recent price hikes. Hell, I just looked at the label of the Blue Point Toasted Lager I bought recently, and it seems I paid $32 a case for a (decent) contract brew vs. $20 a case for Dundee's crafts. Best of luck to the hangers-on in Rochester! Keep brewing good stuff...please!!!!
Thanks for all the kind comments. I've really appreciated all the support that I've received over the past 8 years at High Falls and very much appreciate the willingness of the beer community to try Craft beer brewed on some pretty big toys. It was certainly a hoot on my end putting in pallets of specialty grain rather than a bag or two when I was at the smaller breweries. There's no doubt that I'll be back doing something with good beer in the future and I just hope that I get some of the same support that I've gotten so far in my 15 year brewing career.
Cheers and I'll see you around in the Craft Beer Industry.
Cheers,
Dave
Dave, I hope you open up a brewery of your own in Rochester. I can't give you any venture capital, but I sure as heck would patronize the place.
Gotta second the vote for the Dundee Porter - awesome brew Dave. Sorry to hear you're moving on...but good luck to you in your future endeavors. That sample of fresh yeast you gave me years ago when you were at Custom Brew Crafters helped produced one of the greatest batches of Buck Snort Ale home brew. Happy brewing!
Steve Gilbert
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