Mill Creek Brewing Announces New Ownership

Having announced bankruptcy back in November 2019, Mill Creek Brewing Co’s Nolensville facility and taproom is officially under new ownership.

The new owners, who call themselves MC Investors, LLC, consist of Miten Patel (CEO) and partners Drupal Patel, Jatin Shah, Kunal Patel, and Puneet Mahan.

“As a group of friends who love Mill Creek Beer, many of whom had visited the taproom with our families, we were saddened by the prospect of this beloved brewery shutting its doors,” MC Investors said in a statement regarding Mill Creek’s closure last year.

“In addition to years of friendship, we cumulatively share extensive business experience in industries including retail food service, industrial operations, law, alcohol retail, real estate, and hospitality,” MC Investors added.

Rather quickly, the friends came together and submitted a letter of intent as part of an open bidding process. A deal was reached and capital infusion was made that allowed the Nolensville brewery and taproom to reopen, ensuring the brewery’s full-time employees kept their jobs. MC Investors only purchased the Nolensville facility and taproom.

MC Investors took over financial responsibilities through an operating agreement with Mill Creek Brewing Co. while the bankruptcy purchase proceeded. The entire brew-staff, the director of sales and marketing, and the entire taproom staff were asked to stay on board. While then CEO and founder Chris Going remained involved, he gave up his CEO title in January, MC Investors said. However, recently, Going’s job was terminated. MC Investors states that the economic disruption caused by COVID-19 led to them making “difficult personnel decisions and one of those decisions was to part ways with Going.”

The concept of Mill Creek began years ago after Going went on a family trip to the Smoky Mountains. A guitar teacher turned avid homebrewer, set out to craft some suds that his light-beer loving brother-in-law would not only drink but enjoy throughout the vacation. Chris tweaked some traditional styles and other recipes he’d been working on, and focused on making beer that just tastes good. From that experience, Mill Creek Brewing Co. was born.

During the 4 years since Mill Creek’s inception, the brewery saw tremendous growth with beers like Lil Darlin, a citrus-infused wheat beer. They quickly expanded beyond Nashville, taking their beer statewide in 2016 and in 2017 expanding into Alabama, Kentucky and Indiana.

“When the new group [MC Investors, LLC] reached out initially, I was hopeful Mill Creek wasn’t just finding new partners who could deal with the financial realities, but more so were interested in carrying on the brand’s life and would be bringing that vision to fruition moving forward. Unfortunately, as these things go, I’m afraid money is about all Mill Creek gained. It’s one of those things that I think many involved in the company at the time expected and sadly it played out like clockwork starting in January as key people were being shoved out one by one, effectively cutting the heart and soul of what made Mill Creek what it is. Not really sure what the strategy is at this point. I wish them luck. They’re going to need it.”

Prior to his departure, Going and the Mill Creek team launched a new series of IPAs and a hard seltzer with three flavors (lime, peach and tangerine).

“The team and I worked extremely hard on the seltzer concept, aiming to fit what is considered by many as “non-beer” into a look, feel, and taste that is unabashedly Mill Creek while landing key retail placements for its launch.  It’s a tough pill to swallow having the excitement of that brand be the last thing I touch at Mill Creek and ultimately knowing it will only be to the benefit of those that just gave me the boot. But such is life.  I’m turning my attention to the future and the next adventure I find myself in,” said Going in a statement.