Urban Chestnut’s new owner makes a big bet on beer

rban Chestnut Brewing was one of St. Louis's most beloved craft beer brands — until debt, the pandemic, and shifting consumer trends drove it into bankruptcy. Entrepreneur Brian Travers, who acquired the brewery in early 2025, joins host Erik Siemers to discuss how he's steering it toward stability.

Topics covered:

- How his years as an Urban Chestnut regular during COVID led him to acquire the company out of bankruptcy

- Why he kept the original leadership team, including CEO Dave Wolf, largely intact

- Acquiring O'Fallon Brewing and other regional beer brands to build a larger beverage platform

- Urban Chestnut's expansion beyond German-style lagers with the new Squirrel Works hazy IPA line

- Plans to grow into ready-to-drink cocktails and other beverage categories

- Why brand strength and consolidation, not category growth, will define craft beer's next era

- New locations, including the O'Fallon, Illinois food hall, and wholesale expansion into Tennessee and Chicago

This episode is brought to you by Maryville University and Cass Commercial Bank.

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