Predictions for Houston Beer in the next 3-5 Years

Couldn't sleep last night, so like any normal person I started thinking about how effed craft beer is in the current economy. With the news of Circle Brewing closing out of Austin, I couldn't help but wonder what was in store for Houston breweries in the next 3-5 years.

My predictions:

• Saint Arnold will be fine and stay relatively the same
• Eureka Heights will be fine and stay relatively the same
• Spindletap will be fine and stay relatively the same, OR they could sell to a minor national/Texas brand that is looking to increase Houston distribution. It wouldn't be a big sale, but they might want to get out of the business.
• Great Heights will sell- I thought they were effed with the road construction that went on forever, and I heard a rumor that one of the original partners is already out.
• Platypus will sell. The owners will go back to Australia and a restaurant group will buy that space and put in a restaurant/All day cafe/ bar.
• True Anomaly will get effed by the city with the elevated 45 development or just a dwindling downtown in general. They're well liked, so could try and find a different location, but I don't know if that would translate well, so that leads to selling or closing.
• Sigma/Equal Parts will actually continue to do ok. I think they might have an angel investor already. I could see them expanding into a Pinthouse/ Pizza Port situation.
• Holler is already under new ownership and seems to be doing ok. They've got a decent location at least, so I could see them either expanding into that dance studio that no one ever seems to be in and also pulling a Pinthouse/ Pizza Port situation OR another potential ownership flip. If things pan out for Buffalo Bayou getting sold to a recognizable brand, that would be good for them.
• Local Group aka Gristworkz (new ownership) seems like they're concentrating more on cocktails and restaurant so I wouldn't be surprised if they got rid of the brewing component altogether. Although I think that location is also effed so I'd be surprised if they were still around, or if the original partnership was still in place.
• New Magnolia is sitting on some valuable real estate so I see that turning into tall skinny houses.
• Urban South will realize putting in a Houston based tasting room was a mistake and will close/sell, especially after all the drama with their opening team.
• Buffalo Bayou is the one that boggles my mind the most- I know the original team is out and its mainly managed by an investment company. I think they'll sell to a subpar national brand that is also looking to put in a Houston distribution center and restaurant component.

As for some of the others, whether they're outer loop or just new, I haven't fully processed my thoughts, but a lot of them kind of run together- Elder Son, Frost Town, Bad Astronaut, they could still make 3 years I suppose, but after the the quick open/shut of Counter Culture and Black Page, who knows!

Edit to add:

8th Wonder, honestly I don’t even think about them for beer anymore, so I think if they keep doing what they’re doing with Delta 8, seltzers, and the distillery they’ll be fine and their beer distribution will just shrink.

Baileson- I think they’ll be fine since they’re so small, but I could see them pulling a Holler and doing a quiet sale because they’re over it.

​

What do y'all think?