The Wilpons’ brewery has permanently closed

Mets Police Beer Correspondent @ceetar is reporting that Mikkeller NYC has closed.  This is confirmed by this letter from Mikkeller!

Now, we here at the Mets Police almost never want to see anyone lose their jobs except for all Mets employees (losers) except for Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard but most importantly starting with the General Manager…but I digress…

The reasons I am mentioning this is

(a) obviously the location was at Citi Field

and (b) you forgot that…

In one of the beer industry’s strangest Kevin Bacon-esque connections, it only takes one person to get from world-renowned contract brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergsø to disgraced investment fraudster Bernie Madoff. The intermediary is Saul Katz, who, according to paperwork filed on June 20, 2017 with the New York State Liquor Authority and obtained through a FOIA request with the state, (more here, and here) set up a 9% stake in an LLC that is an owner of Mikkeller Brewing NYC, located in Citi Field.

Along with Katz, two sons of his business partner and New York Mets owner, Fred Wilpon, are also heavily invested in the brewery, according to paperwork filed with New York State. Bruce Wilpon (47.2%) and Jeff Wilpon (9%) are part of 14 total people behind Sterling MB Holdings LLC. That LLC is the almost-exclusive owner of SEMB Holdings CF LLC alongside Jim Raras, who has a 2.5% stake.

Together, all these people and a limited liability corporation combine to make SEMB CF LLC, who, on July 18, 2017, filed paperwork to open Mikkeller Brewing NYC.

(via Good Beer Hunting)

I don’t think I ever made it inside the place – and have zero intention of visiting 41 Seaver Way during the 2020s – but as a friend once said, “I liked the idea of it.”