The Abridged version:
- Major Sacramento breweries such as Device, Track 7 and Big Sexy closed in recent years as craft beer drinking and production dropped nationwide.
- But new breweries such as Mattie Groves, Balance Beerworks and Geisthaus have emerged with fans and accolades.
- Many of the new breweries prioritize in-taproom experiences over distribution.
First it was High Water Brewing. Then came Device. Track 7 was next, and more followed.
Sacramento’s craft beer scene has lost several of its most recognizable fixtures in recent years. The closures are part of a broader reckoning in an industry that spent the last decade expanding and now faces declining production, shifting drinking habits and a more crowded marketplace.
National craft beer production declined 3.9% in 2024 and 4% in 2025, according to the Brewers Association. At the same time, Americans reported drinking less alcohol overall. According to a Gallup poll in 2025, 54% of U.S. adults said they drink alcohol, the lowest level recorded by the polling organization.
As drinking trends downward on the national level, many Sacramento breweries have struggled to stay afloat. Those breweries that have avoided closure — along with fresh additions to the scene — are searching for a new way forward.
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Trouble brewing
You don’t have to look at the numbers to see the downward trend in Sacramento; you can see it in the empty spaces. Sacramento was once home to many breweries that were recognized at the regional, state and even global level, many of which have closed their doors within the past five years.
High Water Brewing closed at the end of 2023. At the height of its popularity, High Water distributed beer to 16 states and more than 15 countries, including England, France and Australia — all from its two locations in Lodi and East Sacramento.
Big Stump Brewing, a small Midtown Sacramento brewery, closed its doors in December 2023. Big Sexy Brewing followed in June 2024 in southeastern Sacramento.
In 2025, three Sacramento-area breweries closed with little notice. Device Brewing closed suddenly in April 2025 after 12 years of operation. Device distributed its beer to more than 100 grocery stores and 2,500 retail accounts throughout California. It had three taproom locations in Sacramento at the time of closing, including the original at its production facility on 14th Avenue.
Track 7, another established Sacramento brewery with a significant distribution footprint, closed in May 2025 after 13 years. The closure left behind two vacant locations, one in North Natomas and one in Curtis Park.
Mraz Brewing, a small El Dorado Hills brewery known for its sour beers, closed its doors on Dec. 31, 2025, citing “ongoing challenges.” The brewery had been in operation for 12 years.
The closures haven’t stopped in 2026, either. Davis’ Super Owl Brewing announced last month it would cease all operations sometime after Thanksgiving, ending a nine-year run. Four miles away, the pioneering Davis Beer Shoppe shut down that very same day after 15 years.
Finding balance
But the closures around Sacramento don’t tell the whole story. In September, Claimstake Brewing announced that it’s transitioning to a new concept called Mad Fate Beer Company, continuing to serve Claimstake’s core beers alongside its own lineup. The former Big Stump facility found a new tenant in Mattie Groves Brewery in January 2024. High Water’s former East Sacramento location is now a satellite taproom for Bike Dog Brewing. And Device’s former production facility is home to Sacramento’s newest brewery, Balance Beerworks.
Balance opened in August and is owned and operated by several local families, including former Device head brewer Bruce MacPhee and his wife Katie. Where Device built a business around multiple taprooms and broad distribution, Balance chooses organic growth and a more personal touch.
“When we aren’t working the taproom or brewing, we are boots on the ground, visiting owners of restaurants, taphouses and small local markets to talk, offer tastings and build those one-on-one relationships,” MacPhee said.
When asked about his vision of craft beer’s future in Sacramento, he described it as “hyper-local,” adding that they are “working hard to establish ourselves as part of the East Sacramento community and surrounding areas.”
Winning isn’t everything … but it’s nice
Balance isn’t the only brewery betting on the Sacramento region’s future. Geisthaus Brewing opened off Bradshaw Road in November 2024 and began winning accolades shortly thereafter.
Owner Ben Allgood and his business partner Brady Jones have been homebrewing together since 2010. Allgood, a lifelong Sacramento area resident, once worked for Rubicon Brewing, a long-since closed Sacramento brewery with an acclaimed history.
Geisthaus’ unique approach goes against the trends of the industry; of the 10 beers poured from its traditional side-pull draft system, none are IPAs, seltzers or sours. Instead, the brewery focuses on beers that excite them, namely traditional lagers. This philosophy has garnered Geisthaus a lot of attention; in its first two years, it has earned more than 16 awards.
“Our philosophy is simple: use time-tested methods paired with open-mindedness toward new techniques,” Allgood said.
Award-winning beer doesn’t necessarily draw large crowds on its own. While the awards have not resulted in a major boost in direct sales, Allgood says they offer valuable marketing opportunities and help establish credibility with consumers.
To keep the crowds engaged, Allgood and his partners employ a steady rotation of programming including weekly trivia nights, monthly comedy nights, larger quarterly events and a rotating lineup of food trucks.
“We look forward to hosting more events in the future that align authentically with who we are,” Allgood said.
Finding community in the foothills
In Cameron Park, Moirae Brewing is also betting on the immediate community. Owner Zach Grinnell moved to the Sacramento area in 2019 and saw an opportunity to build his dream brewery in the foothills. After refining his homebrew recipes during quarantine, he and his wife began looking at spaces for a potential brewery. When he learned that the former Camerado Brewing location was available, he pounced.
Much like Bruce MacPhee at Balance Beerworks, Grinnell said he sees the Sacramento craft beer scene becoming “hyper-local.” That means Moirae will not depend on distributors, but will market instead to its direct community. Operating a brewery in the foothills also means building a customer base from a smaller population.
“We know our customers very well, and we have a stable group of regulars,” Grinnell said.
When asked about Moirae’s role in Sacramento’s brewing future, Grinnell responded that they plan to “keep showing up for our community — whether it’s showing our support or being a gathering spot.”
Learning from the past, looking to the future
Allgood described the 2010s as a period of innovation that raised the bar for craft beer in terms of quality and variety.
“It was exciting, and there was a real buzz. Breweries were popping up everywhere and experimenting with new styles,” Allgood said.
Now, he says, the scene is “evolving and self-correcting” because the market has reached saturation, “requiring breweries to offer something truly unique.”
Grinnell agreed, saying breweries will have to be “more scrappy,” as he foresees more consolidation ahead. He also predicts “more local neighborhood taprooms popping up” in Sacramento’s future.
“I feel the beer scene now … is not as bleak as it seems, but it’s definitely not the old ‘build it and they will come’ model,” Bruce MacPhee said. “In the new world of craft beer, you need to give them a reason to come, not just present them with great beer.”
The breweries currently finding ways to adapt in the current climate are emphasizing a model that is smaller, more nimble and more attuned to the needs of their immediate community. That may mean a brewer needs to be a purveyor of entertainment, community and hospitality, as well as an artisan of their own craft.
Sacramento’s brewing past gained international notoriety. The future of the region’s craft beer scene will be up to the locals.
