Full Pint Brewing soon to shut down

UPDATE: As of April 2021, Full Pint Beer is back in the market under a new ownership team.
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(April 8, 2020) The Pittsburgh area could lose one of its storied small breweries this month as Full Pint Brewing Company in North Versailles closes. Brewing has ceased, and co-owner Barrett Goddard says the brewery is for sale. Full Pint is currently attempting to sell out all of its remaining beer inventory. And there is a West Virginia connection.

Got his start in Morgantown

A chemical engineer by training, Goddard broke into the industry in 2001 as an assistant at John Harvard’s Brew House in Monroeville, PA, before moving down to West Virginia Brewing Company in Morgantown in early 2002. He brewed for a couple of years in Morgantown under head brewer Ned Strauser. While there, he was known for his drive and brewing ability. In mid-2004, Goddard moved again to brew in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. When John Harvard’s brewery went bankrupt in 2008. he and some other former John Harvard employees bought the John Harvard brewing equipment and founded Full Pint Brewing in 2009. Goddard later became the lead owner.

Nathan Herrold, now co-owner of Bridge Brew Works in Fayetteville, worked with Goddard while he was at West Virginia Brewing. He remembers him well.

“I owe Barrett a debt of gratitude for me pursuing my path in the craft beer industry,” Herrold said. “His attention to detail, knowledge and passion about our craft inspired and challenged me, even to this day. There is always something to learn in this ever evolving industry.”

“He took me under his wing when the craft beer industry was in its infancy. He’s a special person. Thank you and cheers Barrett.”

Bankruptcy protection filed

Last November, Full Pint Brewing filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, so you knew there was trouble. By late December 2019, the brewery had closed its Wild Side Tap Room in Lawrenceville, which it had opened in 2015. Folks in the Pittsburgh beer community speculated that Full Pint was finding difficulty competing in the now crowded Pittsburgh brewery market. Goddard was quoted this week on TribLive.com as saying the craft beer market is moving away from breweries with a larger capacity brewery, like Full Pint’s 15-barrel operation, to brewpubs with a three-barrel capacity.

Posting on Facebook, March 27, Goddard said: “My heart carries weight as the last few pages of Full Pint’s journey comes to a close… ” In an Instagram post, Goddard wrote, “I have done everything in my power to keep Full Pint alive these past few years…. Thank you to all of you for supporting us these past 9 years, we were 1 month shy of 10 years in business.“

Full Pint Brewing was among the first craft breweries in the new wave of brewers to hit the Pittsburgh market early in the past decade. After its founding, it quickly grew to become one the the areas largest-selling brands. Through its 10-years in business, it introduced countless people to the new styles of craft beer. It was distributed pretty widely in Pennsylvania, and for a time, in parts of Maryland/DC, Ohio, and Florida.

Full Pint Brewing had an extensive line of canned beer. Some of its more popular brews included: Chinookie IPA, White Lightning Wit, Night of the Living Stout, Hopism Double IPA, Rye Rebellion Imperial Stout, Festivus Winter Warmer, Wild Side: T-Funk Berliner, and All In Amber Ale. Full Pint’s White Lightning Belgian-style Wit won a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2012. 

Hoping to sell

“While we are selling through our remaining inventory,” Goddard wrote on Facebook, “we are going to have Full Pint Brewing Company up for sale, and we hope someone will purchase the business,”

Bob Batz, writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quoted Goddard as saying he is trying to sell the business for $750,000. “Hopefully we get a buyer by June,” he said. “If not it will go to auction.”

Full Pint operates a 15-barrel brewhouse, 30-bbl fermenters, with full packaging and canning line. Anyone interested in purchasing Full Pint Brewing or its equipment should email Barrett Goddard at Barrett @ fullpintbrewing.com.

UPDATE: Apparently, the brewery was sold and began operating under a new ownership team in April, 2021.

Bass Hop

Last summer (2019), Full Pint collaborated with Pittsburgh musician Jonny Goood to brew and release a new canned 2xNEIPA call Bass Hop. Brilliant Stream caught up with Goood at the Fresh Fest festival in August. The beer was clean and flavorful, featuring Azaca and Cashmere hops. Fresh Fest article link