Stradling M&A Team Represents Wicked Weed Brewing in its Acquisition by Anheuser-Busch

May 2017

Represented Wicked Weed Brewing, one of the fastest-growing craft breweries in Asheville, North Carolina, in connection with its sale to Anheuser-Busch. Wicked Weed Brewing will join The High End, a business unit of Anheuser-Busch that provides unique craft and European import brands. The High End was established in 2015 to create long lasting partnerships and provide more variety to its customers. It includes brands such as Stella Artois, Shock Top, Goose Island, Blue Point, 10 Barrel, Elysian, Golden Road, Virtue Cider, Four Peaks, Breckenridge Brewery, Devils Backbone, SpikedSeltzer, and Karbach Brewing Co.

Wicked Weed Brewing was founded in 2012 by Walt and Luke Dickinson and lifelong friends Ryan, Rick and Denise Guthy. They currently own four operating facilities in Asheville: the original Downtown brewpub, where over 150 different beers are produced a year; the “Funkatorium”, the first dedicated sour beer taproom and barrel house on the East Coast; a 50-barrel production brewery in West Asheville; and the “Funk House and company headquarters”, a brewhouse and training facility. Wicked Weed Brewing is known for their award winning Pernicious IPA, Lunatic Belgian Blonde and numerous barrel-aged sour and farmhouse ales.

The deal team representing Wicked Weed Brewing was led by Marc Alcser. In addition, Salil Bali advised on intellectual property matters and Kristin Larson advised on environmental matters.