After more than a decade serving beers inside Louisville Slugger Field, one of the city’s most recognizable breweries is preparing to close its downtown flagship.
Against the Grain announced Tuesday that it will not renew its lease at 401 E. Main St., ending a 14-year run at the ballpark that helped shape Louisville’s modern craft beer identity.
The brewery’s last day of operations will be Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025.
“All good things come to an end… or whatever it is they say! Our lease has come to an end at Slugger Field and we’ve made the difficult decision to not renew it,” the brewery said in a Facebook post.
A Legacy at the Ballpark
Opened in 2011, Against the Grain Public House — affectionately known to fans as “the smokehouse,” “the pub,” or “the main grain” — became a staple for baseball fans and beer lovers alike. The post reflected on the brewery’s 14-year run with humor and nostalgia:
“The last 14 years have been a blast-and-a-half with so many great people — from getting blasted on Yelp! for having smoked grapes in a salad to giving Louisville its first ‘whale beer’ Bo & Luke, hosting countless international and national brewers and a pop-up from renowned cocktail bar The Aviary, helping share our fondness for local music during The Local Lineup series, and just being a part of the growth of downtown Louisville. It’s all been a heckuva ride, and one that we’ll cherish forever.”
Founders Jerry Gnagy and Sam Cruz said the decision was driven by the end of the lease term and the company’s evolution toward beverage manufacturing and innovation.
“But Against the Grain is evolving,” the post stated. “All these great experiences and our community have helped shape us into the beverage manufacturing company we are today… So there are no heavy hearts or regerts (see Jerry’s tattoo), only a million great memories and friendships that will never fade.”
The brewery stressed that its beers will continue to be widely accessible through the current lines of distribution, which include pubs, restaurants and liquor stores.
Against the Grain also made references to potential events and future “pop-ups” at its Portland production plant at 1800 Northwestern Parkway, which it might open “for a party or two.”
“We’d love it if you’d stop into the restaurant one last time before the end of the year to share a beer and a memory,” the post concluded. “We know it has meant a lot to a lot of people, including us, so come on down and make the most of our final days!”
Against the Grain remains one of Louisville’s largest beer producers, brewing roughly 5,000 barrels annually, and continues to grow its beverage lineup — including ZAZA, a THC-infused drink now available in Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and the Chicago area.
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This article appears in Nov. 1-30, 2025.