For the second time in less than two years, Penticton is losing a brewery.
Two winters ago it was Bad Tattoo Brewing; now it’s Slackwater Brewing that has announced it will be shutting its doors at the end of the month.
Slackwater will be closing its taproom on Martin Street for good, with the final day of service set for Saturday, Oct. 26.
“After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our taproom in downtown Penticton,” explained a statement from the brewery.
“The financial and operational challenges we’ve faced in recent years have made this choice necessary for the sustainability of our business.”
There are some differences between the closures of Bad Tattoo and Slackwater, however.
Bad Tattoo fully shut down operations, but Slackwater will continue to produce and distribute beer going forward.
That means you’ll be able to get your favourite Slackwater beers at liquor stores across Western Canada, as well as restaurants and bars close to home.
The brewery said that Slackwater will live on and the team is “committed to delivering the quality you know and love.”
In the case of Bad Tattoo, the Penticton-based brewery was replaced by Yellow Dog Brewing downtown, although the new brewery has yet to open its doors to the public.
It’s not known at this point what the future holds for the Slackwater taproom, which has long been a centre point of Penticton’s nightlife.
Before it opened as a brewery in 2019, many will remember the location as The Mule Nightclub, which shut its doors at the end of summer 2018 before it was transformed into the brewery.
The team at Slackwater is hoping beer lovers will stop by for some pints over these final three-plus weeks and help blow the roof off the joint at a final celebration on Oct. 26.
“Thank you for your support throughout this journey,” the brewery’s statement added. “We look forward to sharing our brews with you in new ways!”
