Odonata Beer Co., co-founded by former Sacramento Brewing Co. brewmaster Peter Hoey, recently suspended operations.
Hoey, who founded the business in 2009, used equipment at Sudwerk Brewery to produce the bulk of his suds. He quickly gained a reputation of producing some of the Sacramento area's finest beers, including a popular and tangy Saison made in the style of Belgian "farmhouse" ales and a quadruple Belgian-styled beer called Rorie's Ale.
"We were trying to bring a premium product to market at an affordable price, but the margins weren't there to support that business model," Hoey said. "It got to the point where we needed to brew another batch to supply the market, and I had to make a call (to cease operations)."
He said there's still a two-month supply of Odonata in stores. In the meantime, Hoey is working as a consultant for a number of Northern California breweries, including Sutter Buttes Brewing in Yuba City. He's also working with some startup Sacramento breweries and predicts five of them will open within a year.
"I love helping other breweries, but ultimately I want to have my own brand again," Hoey said. "We'll get there."
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