Mraz Brewing Company is closing the taps for good in El Dorado Hills, with its final day of business set for next Wednesday, Dec. 31. The neighborhood favorite at 2222 Francisco Drive has built a loyal following for its sours, Belgian-style ales and steady rotation of new releases, and the weekend announcement has given regulars and nearby restaurants that pour its beer only a short runway to say goodbye.
As reported Sunday by the Sacramento Business Journal, the brewery shared on social media that Dec. 31 will be its last day of service and that the taproom will close permanently. The outlet highlighted the tight timeline and passed along the company’s brief message to customers.
From its home at 2222 Francisco Drive, Suite 510, Mraz has pitched itself as an award-winning craft brewery, prominently touting "2018 California Brewery of the Year" on its website. The taproom’s online presence features an up-to-date tap list and events calendar, reflecting a lineup that has included live music nights, special releases and weekend food trucks that drew beer fans from across the Sacramento region. Details on hours, contact information and the current beer list are still available through the company site.
Industry headwinds for small breweries
The closure lands against a backdrop of mounting pressure on small, independent brewers. Local coverage has repeatedly cited market saturation, rising costs and distribution challenges as ongoing headaches for operations like Mraz, trends that have preceded other recent brewery closures in the region.
Sacramento News & Review has chronicled those issues and quoted founder Mike Mraz saying, "There's not always an open tap handle for craft beer anymore," a candid assessment of how hard it can be for smaller producers to secure draft lines. That reporting positioned Mraz’s experience within a broader debate about scale, capital and the difficult decisions that independent breweries are being forced to make.
What customers should know
In the post cited by the Business Journal, the brewery did not outline long-term plans for production or staffing. For now, it is unclear whether Mraz-branded beer will continue to appear on store shelves or draft lists after the El Dorado Hills taproom shuts its doors.
For the latest word on hours, final events and any remaining merchandise, the company’s website still lists contact information and the taproom schedule. Mraz Brewing Company remains the main online hub for those updates.
Whether Mraz’s decision reflects a business-specific pivot or signals another shift in the regional craft beer landscape, its exit will take a notable taproom out of El Dorado Hills just as the local dining and beverage scene continues to evolve. This story will be updated if the brewery releases more details on staff transitions, future collaborations or new plans for the brewing space.
