Community Beer Works, LLC (CBW) has agreed to a deal in principle to acquire Thin Man Brewery of Buffalo, LLC (Thin Man), taking the art of brewing to new heights in Buffalo.

CBW is set to acquire the brand rights and brewery assets of Thin Man, pending regulatory approval. The undisclosed investment encompasses the Thin Man brand rights, recipes, distribution rights, and the capital assets at 166 Chandler Street. CBW is set to continue brewing, marketing, and distributing CBW and Thin Man beers.

With this new acquisition, CBW goes from a 4,000 barrel capacity brewery to a scale of up to 40,000 barrels. The investment in Thin Man also opens up a 16-state distribution channel, boosts brewing capacity to six times the current barrel volume and provides resources for forging new contract brewing relationships and establishing a community brewing center.

Upon final regulatory approval, brewing production will be split between CBW’s existing facilities at 520 7th Street and the former Thin Man brewhouse at 166 Chandler Street. Thin Man at 492 Elmwood Avenue, which closed its doors in July, will remain closed and is not part of the sale.

Thin Man co-owner Bridget Termini is gearing up for a well-deserved retirement, thus, a deal was born.

“For more than a year, we have been searching for someone who can carry on the creativity and quality of Thin Man Brewery. We have finally found that match with CBW,” Termini says.

CBW co-founder Chris Smith expresses the broader vision behind the acquisition.

“It’s a step forward in our commitment to delivering world-class beer experiences to the people of Buffalo and beyond,” explains Smith. “Thin Man has gained international recognition and respect for their beer, and we are honored to carry their legacy forward.”

Beyond the local impact, the acquisition provides Community Beer Works with the resources and expertise
to scale operations, ensuring that both CBW and Thin Man will continue to brew exceptional beer that competes
globally. This means more innovation, variety, and a better beer-drinking experience for our friends and neighbors.

“It’s a full circle moment for me in some ways,” Smith said. “We’ve struggled to grow, mostly because we’re not big enough to attract the investment necessary to grow to the next stage. When I found out this was available, I took it to our investors and said, this is our opportunity to scale. They were all on board, they see the value in what we want to do, not just a financial perspective, but this kind of stuff helps you sustain through the ups and down of this business. Thin Man is now part of CBW, we own it. What we are really doing here is taking [former owner] Rocco (Termini)’s original vision and taking it to the finish line.”

Paul Vukelic, president of Try-It Distributing said, “Community Beer Works and Thin Man Brewery are known
for their high-quality beer, and this exciting acquisition brings two of our valued local partners together.
We look forward to working with them to bring their great beers to market for years to come!”

“Things have changed a lot around here recently. Here we are. It’s time to grow. I have a plan and it’s coming together nicely,” says Smith. “We’re on the cusp of something truly special here in Buffalo, let’s have a beer and celebrate!”

For more information, visit https://communitybeerworks.com.