Greece's Wood Kettle Brewing announces closure

Brewery, which initially opened in 2017, said it will close by the end of the year.

Wood Kettle Brewing, the only craft brewery in Greece, Rochester’s largest suburb, will close in two weeks, the brewery announced Friday morning on social media.

WKB, which opened at 1192 Manitou Road in December 2017, always positioned itself at as a neighborhood spot where strangers might turn into friends and eventually family. It will close its doors on Saturday, Dec. 28.

That ethos was reflected in both the atmosphere and the beers, many of which leaned toward traditional and sessionable.

“We are not closing by choice. Forces and constraints beyond our control have led us to this emotional and unfortunate decision,” owners offered in the closing announcement. (It’s worth noting, and a search of public records confirms, the Wood Kettle folks don’t own the property — read into that what you will.)

The closure is a big blow for westside craft beer nerds. Compared to the rest of Monroe County, particularly the eastside, areas of west of the Genesee River continue to be woefully underserved by craft beer. Sure, Rochester’s best beer store, One Stop Brew Shop, is in Greece. But there are no breweries in Greece, Gates, or the western side of the city of Rochester. (Opportunity abounds?!)

It’s undoubtedly a difficult and tenuous time in craft beer. Many spots are teetering on the edge, inching closer to closure, but many still, those that provide a quality customer experience with great beer, are thriving. Importantly, it’s a reminder to support those places we love, because there’s no telling how they’re really doing or if they might close their doors tomorrow. I value spots that create and foster community. And it’s my hope that others in this area do, too.

Wood Kettle’s closing announcement showcased the grace of co-founder Mark Miles and his family. Just weeks before opening in 2017, brewery co-founder Bill Allen passed away at the age of 58. Bill was the jovial one who wanted to create that welcoming and comfortable environment at his brewery. Miles and others made sure that legacy persisted and worked diligently to honor Bill.

“You just have to keep plowing ahead," Miles told me in 2017. “We're going to get it together and make it happen.”

Greece-based Wood Kettle Brewing

Wood Kettle’s greatest victory came in 2022 when it was awarded the Governor’s Cup for the best beer in the state at the New York State Craft Beer Competition. It was honored for its Brother Bear Brown Ale.

As they shared on social media, “This journey began with dreams of establishing a gathering place where people could connect through great beer, food, and conversation.” It continued, “Although faced with life-altering events and unexpected obstacles, we like to think that we did just that.”

It’s sad to see that dream deferred or denied, but Miles and family can take solace in the fact that they truly created a community in the Greece/Hilton area.

The 5,500-square-foot building, built in 2005, formerly housed a restaurant and then a daycare. The space was completely transformed. It featured a warm and inviting taproom, a small kitchen, and a 7-barrel brewhouse (probably one of the prettiest brewing systems in the region).

Wood Kettle overcame so many obstacles and hurdles to even open its door. Owners initially ordered and paid for a 7-barrel system from an Ohio company that then filed for bankruptcy and abruptly closed. Some startup breweries never received their equipment or got a refund, while Wood Kettle’s was delayed six months.

The brewery also had issues with naming. Originally, it hoped to brand itself as “Cobblestone Trail,” but a California winery, which already held the trademark on that name, didn’t want to share with a small craft brewery in New York. It eventually settled on Wood Kettle and employed brewing equipment that artfully mirrored the name.

Owners thanked dedicated employees, musicians, and customers for their support.

“We are grateful for each and every one of you,” they said. “…To our loyal customers, thank you for your unwavering support, your countless visits, and for choosing to spend your time with us over the past seven years. You have been the heart of Wood Kettle, bringing life and laughter through our door day after day. We appreciate you beyond measure.”

A final note: It’s pretty wild to think I’ve been working on this independent publication for over two years now. In that time, I’ve published 200 newsletters, highlighted some of my favorite people in the industry, curated two beers festivals (that featured 150 participants and 4,600 attendees), and continued to break all the biggest news in the region (closures, consolidations, openings, etc.).

The Cleveland Prost remains the preeminent source for regional beer news. If you own a brewery, bar, or beer-adjacent business, this is the best place to reach the nerds you wanna be in front of. So I remain open to sponsorships, advertisements, and sponsored content. Feel free to reach out to me at clevelandprost@gmail.com for more. And more than anything, thanks for all the support. None of this would be possible without the devoted (and thirsty) audience.