KY's solar-powered cidery and brewery is for sale
We opened our doors in 2016 and have grown into an important member of our community. We produce a broad portfolio of ciders and beers that are served in our Lexington and Louisville taprooms and through distribution in KY. After guiding the business through its founding and Covid, the owner and production staff are stepping away from the company.
25,800 followers on Instagram
4.7 rating on Google with 271 Reviews
4 1/2 stars on Yelp with 80 reviews.
“Love love love this space.
It feels like there is always something fun or exciting to do.”
Lydia C
The Sale Process
We are looking for a quick transition to minimize disruption for our front-of-house staff, and we will be taking offers until 7/31.
The condensed timeline will let buyers hit the ground running with our existing sales staff. The buyer of the Lexington operation will need to put a production team in place or ideally absorb Pivot’s production into their current operations.
We will be moving forward with offers as they come in, and the sale will close on a rolling basis.
Contact kevin@pivotbrewingcompany.com to request additional information and schedule a site visit.
We are taking offers on all or any combination of the following:
- The Lexington Production Facility and Taproom
- The Louisville Taproom
- Pivot’s Intellectual Property
The Lexington Production Facility and Taproom
Situated between the Kenwick neighborhood and the Winchester Rd corridor into downtown at 1400 Delaware Ave, the Lexington taproom has built a consistent following through great events.
We opened the space in 2016, and it consists of a main room, covered patio, and private room for 49 people. The total guest area inside is approximately 1800 ft2. We do not have a kitchen, but we have an area for food trucks by the patio. Space is available in the overall building for the installation of a kitchen. The draft system has 20 taps and is direct through the wall.
A paved lot with 17 parking spaces is available on the west side of the building, and an employee lot with unmarked spaces is available on the east side.
A 1200 sf patio and green space to the south of the building are available.
Follow this link for a pdf sketch of the space: Sketch of space
The production space faces Delaware Ave and is approximately 4800 ft2. The tank area has sloped floors that are serviced by three central trench drains.
The major assets in the production facility include:
- ABE 10 BBL Brewhouse
- 4 x 90 BBL Deutsche Beverage FV
- 2 x 40 BBL ABE FV
- 5 x 10 BBL FV (2 x Deutsche Beverage and 3 x DME)
- 1 x 20 BBL Premier Stainless BT
- 1 x 3 BBL Stout Tanks FV
- Microcanner Flex Canning Line
- Packleader Labeler
- Lipinger Date Coder
- Toyota Electric Forklift
- Ingersoll Rand Rotary Screw Air Compressor
- Keg Washer
- Pall Supradisc Lenticular Filter
- Approx. 685 ft2 Walk-In Cooler with a 13′ Ceiling
- Diaphragm Pump
- Event Tent (20×40)
- Event Tent (30×40)
- Cooperage – 272 1/2-BBLs and 720 1/6-BBLs
The Louisville Taproom
The Louisville taproom opened its doors officially in Feb 2023 at 1753 Bardstown Rd. It is located in leased space with a group of businesses on one of the primary entertainment thoroughfares for Louisville. The location’s neighbors include The Post pizza restaurant and Purrfect Day Cat Cafe.
The taproom was built with the expectation that it would be supplied approximately once a month from an off-site production facility. It is about 2600 ft2 and contains an 8 x 13’ draft walk-in and an 11 x 14’ keg storage walk-in.
The draft system has 16 taps and a Micromatic glycol tap line chiller.
The Louisville taproom presents an opportunity for another brewery to assume the current lease and step into a fully functioning taproom in a high-traffic area on day 1.
Follow this link for a pdf sketch of the space: Sketch of space
Pivot participates in festivals throughout the Louisville and Lexington areas.
Pivot's Intellectual Property
- Pivot holds trademarks for Pivot in beer, cider, and restaurants.
- In November 2023, we contracted with another company that was seeking to register “Pivot” for energy drinks. We agreed not to contest their registration for an initial payment in 2023 and a second payment of 43,702 due in Nov. 2025, which is contingent on their continued use of the mark.
- Pivot has an extensive portfolio of beer and cider. Many of the products have been distributed in cans, and we started shifting everything from 12 oz cans to 16 oz this year.
Prior to 2024, we were distributed by several of the AB distributors in KY. However, we consolidated our distribution with Nolen Distribution in January of 2024, and we have seen our distribution numbers improve 96% for Q1 and Q2 YOY.
Purchasing the intellectual property of Pivot would allow a purchaser to access our baseline of distribution and use our well-developed and respected products to access the cider market quickly.
Licensing
Federal: Brewer’s Notice and Bonded Winery
KY: Microbrewery, Small Farm Winery, NQ Package, NQ4 Drink, Quota drink, and Special Sunday Retail Drink
Terms and Disclosures
- The minimum bid for the entire operation will be $430,000.
- The Lexington taproom is situated in an I-1 zone, which permits a wide range of uses including microbreweries and craft distilleries. However, the principal uses do not include establishments that provide entertainment to guests. Pivot has operated for 7.5 years under the assumption that an adaptive reuse application filed in 2017, which would permit entertainment activities, had been approved and finalized. We were recently made aware that several departments within the city had not signed off on the final plan. We are being allowed to continue operating normally with the expectation that we will apply for and receive a new adaptive reuse for the property. A purchaser of the Lexington Taproom that wishes to conduct entertainment activities will need to continue the application process for an adaptive reuse.
- The owner of Pivot also owns the real estate housing the Lexington Production Facility and Taproom. A new lease will need to be negotiated for the space.
- Moving forward, the large tents that were obtained during Covid and cover the patio in Lexington will need to be permitted by Building Inspection as temporary structures.