More on Rogue's Alleged Green Dragon Takeover

Brewpublic just received a clarification and retraction order from Rogue’s lawyer.  We originally wrote:

(Portland, OR) It looks like the Green Dragon is a Dead Guy.  According to reliable and undisclosed sources, Rogue will purchase what is currently the Green Dragon Pub and Bistro.  One source says “Apparently papers are to be signed Friday (November 14).  Officially no one has been fired but no one is expecting to have a job and they already have new people lined up. They are going to close down the Dragon on Monday for three days which is some kind of legal thing to change over ownership of the business. No employee is promised a job after this week.”  Another source reported that Loren “Lolo” Lancaster still remains a 1/3 owner of the establishment, and the brewer and publican is trying to find a means to stop the changeover. It is also unclear whether the switch will even be totally legal.  This will mean no more eclectic tap offerings outside of Rogue’s own brands and perhaps a limited guest taps at the location.  What started out as one of the best beer bars in Portland will simply become another Rogue location.  A local beer lover and blogger said of this potential move “Say it ain’t so.  That would be a pisser.” Another regular of the Green Dragon and employee of a local bottle shop sarcastically commented “It’s a good thing, too. I’m sick of rotating tap offerings and visiting brewers. I’ve always said we needed a place in SE where we could buy $5.50 pints of house-made beer and $15 cheeseburgers.”  Rogue was founded by University of Oregon frat brother Jack Joyce and Bob Woodell and another friend Rob Strasser in 1988.  Joyce, a former CEO, and supposed Coors drinker, and his comrades currently offer no happy hour at any of their ten locations. The company distributes brands to twenty countries, many of which feature repackaging of other available brands.  With some of the most expensive local beers around, Rogue recently sent out a press release boasting of its awards in the Annual Beverage Dynamics Advertising and Promotions Awards.  These awards claimed by Rouge include those for “New Product Packaging”, “Banner Streamer”, and “Press Release Streamer.”

More to come…”

Here’s a letter from Rogue’s lawyer:

Angelo-

We have read your post on brewrepublic.com.*

We request an official retraction and clarification of the following:

-no employees at the Green Dragon have been fired

-we do not have new employees “lined up”

-the proposed purchase is not final and is subject to regulatory approval

-the Green Dragon will not be closed down for 3 days.  It will not be closed at all.

-while it is true that we export Rogue Ales, Stouts, Porters, and Lagers to 19 countries, it is not accurate that “many feature repackaging of other available brands.”  We make special bottles (Red Fox, White Crane, and Brown Bear) in Japanese for our long-time importer, bar owner, and Japan craft beer pioneer Phred Kaufman.  All other Rogue Nation countries offer the same beers made available in the U.S.A.- no “repackaging” at all.

Cheers,

Brian Schweppenheiser

Attorney General, Rogue Nation

Also, a comment in the last post from Brett Joyce:

“We have requested the following retraction and clarification from brewrepublic.com*:

-no employees at the Green Dragon have been fired
-we do not have new employees “lined up”
-the proposed purchase is not final and is subject to regulatory approval
-the Green Dragon will not be closed down for 3 days. It will not be closed at all.

Cheers,
Brett Joyce
Rogue Ales

So, the rumors are true that there is a proposal, but nothing concrete. Glad to hear the staffs jobs are safe for a little while. Everyone at the GD always treated me great, sad to see it go.

This information about closing for three days and the uncertainty of Green Dragons employees’ future contradicts what has been reportedly said by current Green Dragon majority owner Ed Schwartz to a reliable source. Further, by the term “repackaging” Brewpublic meant putting a different label on the same beer and giving it a different name. For instance, the several “alternative” labels listed on Ratebeer.com and other sites like many of Rogue’s Aquarium series beers. We apologize if what we believed as fact was incorrect. The information we received about Rogue’s distribution to 20 countries was from a press release that stated “Rogue has 550+ awards for taste and quality and is available nationally and in 20 countries.” We were counting the USA as one of those countries. We were in search of the truth on this story, but so far, neither Rogue or the Green Dragon have responded to our inquiries.

Angelo De Ieso II
Brewpublic.com editor

*this website is  brewpublic.com not brewrepublic.com

Thanks for knowing the difference.

28 Comments