A fixture of Winnipeg’s craft beer scene is back in business after a bankruptcy that briefly took it off store shelves. Half Pints Brewing Company’s assets were purchased out of bankruptcy in June by entrepreneur Andrew Holtmann, and the brand’s beers began returning to stores on Friday, with the taproom set to reopen before the end of the month.
Holtmann, 49, said one of his first moves after taking over was hiring Half Pints founder David Rudge as brewmaster. “The beers that (Dave’s) been making for 20 years have stood the test of time,” Holtmann said. “Winnipeggers like them and we’re really just focused on getting the same great beers back out so people can keep enjoying them.”
Rudge, 51, said he is satisfied with the new arrangement, describing his daily routine of brewing as something that makes him happy. He founded Half Pints in 2006, at a time when the market was dominated by national and international beer brands and the Winnipeg craft scene consisted of just Half Pints and Fort Garry Brewing Co., then owned by a British Columbia firm.
From Founding to Bankruptcy
Half Pints started on Keewatin Street before outgrowing that location and relocating to 550 Roseberry St. in the St. James neighbourhood. At its peak, the company employed 14 people. Rudge also lobbied the provincial government over the years to make it easier for craft breweries to operate and open licensed taprooms.
Rudge and the company’s ownership group, which included family members, decided to sell the business in early 2025, with Rudge announcing the move on social media in March. When no buyer was found, Half Pints fell into bankruptcy in May. “It’s just the way that sometimes business goes,” Rudge said. “I wasn’t too worried about it.”
New Ownership and Investment
Holtmann purchased the company’s assets — including its name, equipment and recipes — in June for a sum he described as roughly “the price of a car.” He has since put an additional $250,000 into ingredients and equipment, including a canning line. His goal is to return the brewery to its pre-pandemic peak production levels and eventually surpass that by 50 per cent.
Currently, Holtmann and Rudge are the only two staff members, but Holtmann said he expects to hire around eight more people within the next month. Half Pints beers returning to shelves include St. James Pale Ale, Little Scrapper IPA, Bulldog Amber Ale, Stir Stick Stout, Code Name: Ghost IPA, a seasonal Oktoberfest brew, and the Bikey McBikeface grapefruit lager, which is back after more than two years off shelves.
Half Pints is the first company Holtmann has owned outright, though he has a background in business and finance, holding an undergraduate degree in agricultural economics and an MBA from the University of Manitoba. He has previously worked as a manager of capital markets at Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, a research analyst at Tundra Oil and Gas, and a research associate at James Richardson & Sons, Limited. He also grew up working in his family’s Vita Health store chain in Winnipeg, now run by his brother Mathew Holtmann.
Craft Beer Sector Growth
Manitoba’s craft brewing sector has expanded significantly since Half Pints’ early days. In 2014, the province had two craft brewers; by 2023-24, there were 26 brick-and-mortar breweries along with 12 contract breweries. The sector contributed $14 million directly to Manitoba’s GDP and another $10 million indirectly.
The brewery’s return was welcomed by figures in the local beer community. Raj Maniar, who organizes the Beer is Art festival at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, said he was pleased to see Half Pints back and was curious to see what the new ownership would bring. Steve Nelson, manager at the Beer Boutique vendor on Regent Avenue West, said Half Pints products were always in high demand at his store and that he looks forward to discussing carrying the brand again, noting the importance of supporting local craft beer brands.
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