Jackalope Brewing has completed its first acquisition, bringing Black Abbey Brewing Company under its umbrella.
The acquisition comes a little over a year after Jackalope Brewing came under the ownership of Steve Barone, who had a long career in tech before taking over the brewing company in October 2024.
“I moved to Nashville not knowing beer but absolutely loving beer. I was planning to just hang out, but I met the Jackalope founders, found my way into the beer business,” Barone told What Now Nashville. “From the beginning, it was about taking a brewery with the best people and the best beer and being able to tell a bigger story.”
Since then, Barone and the team — including founder Bailey Spaulding acting as chief beer officer — have tightened up their operations and charted a path toward growth. Barone said a major part of their growth strategy is acquisitions in addition to organic growth. When they began to have conversations with companies, the Black Abbey team felt like a natural fit as a fellow Nashville brand whose team knew the Jackalope team already.
Launched in 2013 by founder Carl Meier, Black Abbey specializes in European-inspired beers.
“Black Abbey makes great beers and the portfolio is totally complementary to ours,” Barone said. “We were able to reach a deal that made everybody happy.”
Amid the acquisition, Meier will join the sales team at Jackalope.
“This feels less like a sale and more like joining forces,” Meier said in a release. “Jackalope has always felt like family. We share the belief that beer is about people and community. I’m excited to help take what both breweries are known for — especially our events — and make them even bigger and better together.”
Barone said that in the next month or so, Jackalope will be adding dedicated taps for Black Abbey in the Jackalope taproom. The acquisition will also help expand the reach and distribution channels for Black Abbey products.
“It’s going to help Black Abbey be all the beer it can be,” Barone said. “We’re not changing the beer recipes or the way we distribute. You’ll still get it from the same bars and stores.”
The acquisition of Black Abbey is the first step in a larger growth plan for Jackalope. Currently, Jackalope produces about 8,500 barrels per year. The team is looking to expand it to 20,000 barrels per year, both through organic growth and additional acquisitions.
Barone said they are focused on staying true to their Nashville roots, even as they expand.
“At the end of the day, this industry is fun. For us to bring aboard friends that both companies like so much in an industry that is tied to community [is great],” Barone said. “Our core goal is to make Nashville the epicenter of our entire story. We’re not going anywhere, so the Nashville branded beer becomes everything. The fact that we were able to pull off our first acquisition with another local beloved beer is really fun and cool to us.”
