Benchmark Brewing Company seeks a buyer

On Tuesday afternoon, Rachael Akin issued an SOS: Benchmark Brewing, which she and husband Matt founded five years ago, needs money. Fast.

“Benchmark Brewing Company is looking for a buyer,” she wrote on a Facebook post. “As many of you know Matt and I have been struggling in the extreme with our distribution sales over the past year, the loss in revenue has led us to sever ties now that our contract has ended, and sign on with a new distributor (Brown Bag Beverage).”

While expressing “confidence” that strong sales could help the brewery “get back on track” in a few months, her message’s overall tone was glum. A tussle with their landlord, she noted, could mean that Benchmark will have to abandon its headquarters in San Diego’s Grantville neighborhood. (The brewery opened a second tasting room in Bay Park this summer.)

Therefore, she wrote, “the only solution at this point is cash. So if you or anyone you know might be interested in a brewery please direct them to me. rachael@benchmarkbrewing.com.”

For the time being, the brewery is open and selling beer. (Very good beer at that — I gave a favorable review to its Trail Dog IPA last week, and its Oatmeal Stout has twice won Great American Beer Festival medals.)

Here’s hoping Benchmark can pull out of this tailspin.

Read more from Peter Rowe’s column, here.