HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Two Huntsville microbrewing companies have made the decision to wind down operations by the end of the month, their announcements coming within 72 hours of each other.
Fractal Brewing Project on Leeman Ferry Road made their announcement public Sunday morning. "We had some great parties, provided space for the community to gather, raised money for mental health services, and made some really good beer," their message reads. "The direct impact of COVID, the lingering supply chain issues, and the changes in the beer industry have all made it impossible to continue."
Fractal has been a figure in many homeless charity drives as well as Huntsville History Month and was a sponsor for the area AHSAA soccer championships. Their farewell post thanked "clientele that visited our taproom, drank our award winning beer, solved our math problems, celebrated with amazing local and regional musical talent, supported Huntsville City Football Club, and just had a great time."
The news of Fractal's closure comes as the brewpub community was still reeling from another closing announcement.
"It's been a nutty couple of years," the operators of Salty Nut Brewery said in an image on Friday's Facebook post. "With some salty tears, we have to announce that July 31st, 2023, we will be closing our doors."
Since launching May 2011, Salty Nut has become a fixture in Huntsville's microbrew community. It found a home on the Campus 805 complex on Clinton Avenue, and was purchased by Straight to Ale, another Huntsville-brewed original, in 2020.
Reaction on social media has been swift and plentiful, with patrons already sharing photos and memories of events shared at the pub.
In its decade-plus history, Salty Nut had been a place for local musicians and artists to flourish, offering stage space for performances of all sizes. "I enjoyed all the gigs I played over the years solo, duo and with the band," wrote local guitarist Mike Slaten. "First comedy show I ever produced was here," added Meg Eller, who included a photo of an empty stool holding a sign reading 'Bust a Gut at the Salty Nut.'
It has also been the place for fans of Anaheim Chili to get a bowl or some Frito Pie after the restaurant's physical location closed. "We found you in the original tap room prepping for a chili cook off," recalled Facebook user Joye Hehn. "We enjoyed 'Halfway to Halloween ... your team and your brews will be missed!"
Salty Nut's philanthropy has been a hallmark of their history in Huntsville. They held countless fundraisers for causes such as breast cancer awareness and hurricane relief.
Impacted as many small businesses were during the early and frenzied days of the pandemic, Salty Nut closed for lockdown, laying off most of its staff in the process. But in May 2020, they reopened, and with it a mission to help impacted workers throughout the city with a 'Rocket City Relief' fundraiser.
"A lot of people tend to think this industry is full of cutthroat competition," said Salty Nut co-founder Michael Cox during our coverage of that fundraiser. "Not true. All of us that own these breweries are friends."
A reason was not given for the decision to close in the social media announcement. We have reached out to Salty Nut and Straight to Ale for further comment.