Iron Hill Brewery has abruptly closed all of its locations amid a reported bankruptcy filing.
The Exton, Pennsylvania-based chain had 16 brewpubs in five states. Earlier this month, it closed three locations in the Philadelphia area, including its flagship brewpub in Newark, Delaware.
In a message on its website Thursday, the chain thanked customers for their years of support and loyalty, and said that it hoped to return in the future.
No reason was given for the sudden closures. But according to an internal email published by the website Breweries in PA, Iron Hill is also filing for bankruptcy.
The company had not responded to a request for comment as of publication time.
Iron Hill was founded in Newark in 1996. It was known for its creative, scratch-made menu and its award-winning beers, which were brewed on-site at each location.
It had been expanding in recent years, including opening four locations during the pandemic, and sales increased 4% in 2024, according to Technomic.
In January, Iron Hill hired restaurant veteran Mark Kirke as CEO, declaring a “new chapter” of growth and menu innovation.
But the post-pandemic period has been hard on breweries. Not only are they complex and costly to operate, but they have also faced changing consumer drinking habits such as the rise of spiked seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages. Several breweries have filed for bankruptcy in recent years.
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