Editing Celis White (section)

== History ==
In 1966,  Pierre Celis in Hoegaarden revived witbier, a regional beer style that had become extinct almost a decade earlier when the town's last brewery closed. Celis's first brewery was in his father's stable. In 1972, he relocated to an abandoned soft drink factory, and by 1985, he was brewing 300,000 barrels a year. His [[Hoegaarden Brewery]] burned to the ground that year, and Celis, who was under-insured, wound up selling his Hoegaarden brand to Belgian giant [[Interbrew]]. That company, now known as [[Anheuser-Busch InBev]], continues to make Hoegaarden to this day.

[[File:Celis White.jpg|thumb|x200px|Celis White]]

Celis, at the age of 67, founded a microbrewery in Austin in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web | title=New microbrewery makes Austin debut | url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/New+microbrewery+makes+Austin+debut.-a012120073 | work=[[Austin Business Journal]]| date=March 2, 1992 | publisher=[[The Free Library]]}}</ref> At a Brickskeller tasting, Celis, who spoke English haltingly, remarked that he chose Texas because its inhabitants speak with a slow drawl, making them easier to understand. Celis White received a perfect four-star rating from the British beer writer [[Michael Jackson (writer)|Michael Jackson]] in his ''Pocket Guide to Beer''.<ref name="Jackson">{{cite book |first1=Michael |last1=Jackson |title=The Running Press pocket guide to beer: the connoisseur's companion to more than 2,000 beers of the world |location=Philadelphia |type=Print Hardcover |pages=208 |publisher=Running Press |edition=7th |date=August 10, 2000 |isbn=0762408855}} {{ISBN|978-0762408856}}.</ref>  Celis Brewery made several other varieties of beer in addition to the celebrated White, including Dubbel, Grand Cru, Pale Bock, Pale Rider and Raspberry.<ref name="Lisheron">{{cite web|url=http://www.austin360.com/aas/dining/beer01/celis01.html |last1=Lisheron |first1=Mark |date=February 21, 2001 |title=Last call for a Celis: Whether you blame the beer big boys, Texas tastes or marketing mistakes, a great little Austin brewery is gone |publisher=[[Austin American Statesman]] |accessdate=April 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020311075809/http://www.austin360.com/aas/dining/beer01/celis01.html |archivedate=March 11, 2002 }} at [[Wayback Machine]]</ref> These types have been carried on by Michigan Brewing Company.

Celis Brewery floundered after ownership was purchased by [[Miller Brewing Company]] in 1995, and the plant was shuttered on the final day of 2000. In 2002, Celis White and other brands were acquired by [[Michigan Brewing Company]] in [[Webberville, Michigan]], which continued to produce them until it closed in 2012. The Michigan Brewing Company was foreclosed upon and its assets sold at auction.<ref name="freep">{{cite news |last=Meyer |first= Zlati |url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012206190339 |title=Michigan Brewing assets to be sold at auction |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |date=June 19, 2012 |accessdate=March 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924043813/http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012206190339 |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Reed1">{{cite news |url=http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20120620/NEWS01/306200050/Michigan-Brewing-Co-auction-sells-out-falls-short |title=Michigan Brewing Co. auction sells out, falls short |first1=Steven R. |last1=Reed |location=Webberville, Michigan |work=[[Lansing State Journal]] |accessdate=June 26, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Among the assets was the Celis name, which had been acquired by Bobby Mason for Michigan Brewing in 2002.<ref name="Reed">{{cite news |url=http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20120620/NEWS01/306200055/Celis-brand-returning-Texas |title=Celis brand returning to Texas |date=June 20, 2012 |first1=Steve |last1=Reed |location=Webberville, Michigan |work=Lansing State Journal |accessdate=June 26, 2012 }}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Sushil Tyagi of Craftbev International Inc. acquired the Celis brand.<ref name="beerpulse.com">{{cite web|url=http://beerpulse.com/2012/06/celis-brand-returns-to-texas-millercoors-spotted-at-michigan-brewing-auction/|title=Celis brand returns to Texas, MillerCoors spotted at Michigan Brewing auction|work=beerpulse.com|date=21 June 2012 }}</ref> He said, "I have been building a brewery with the Celis family. We've already been building the distribution network. We're making all the plans for marketing and branding. This [brand name repurchase] is just the one missing piece".<ref name="Reed"/>
[[File:Celis Brewey Austin Texas 2022.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Celis Brewery and Taproom in North Austin.]]
On June 25, 2012, the ''Austin Business Journal'' reported under the headline: ''Family brings Celis brewery back to Austin<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/retail/2012/06/family-brings-celis-brewery-back-to.html |title=Family brings Celis brewery back to Austin |work=Austin Business Journal |first1=Sarah |last1=Drake |date=June 25, 2012 |accessdate=June 26, 2012}}</ref>'' 
"Christine Celis, daughter of Belgian brewer Pierre Celis, plans to use an existing facility to begin producing beer as soon as possible.
The family has been developing plans for a new brewery for some time and can begin to move forward since the family name has been reclaimed, Christine Celis said.
“Now that we have the right to brew my Dad’s famous recipes under our own name once again, nothing can stop me from making that a reality,” she said." In an update to that article the ''Austin Business Journal'' reported that: ''''Celis brewery hires The Ampersand Agency to develop all branding aspects for Celis, including planning social media events.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/creative/2012/06/celis-brewery-hires-the-ampersand-agency.html |title=Celis brewery hires The Ampersand Agency |work=Austin Business Journal |first1=Sarah |last1=Drake |date=June 25, 2012 |accessdate=June 26, 2012}}</ref>''

Early in 2017 Christine Celis announced that she had acquired the Celis Brewery name and would be reopening in Austin that summer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/food/2017-04-14/celis-brewery-returns/|title=Celis Brewery Returns|first1=Eric|last1=Puga|date=April 14, 2017|website=www.austinchronicle.com}}</ref> In June 2017 Celis Brewery opened a 50,000-barrel brewery, taproom, and music venue to the public.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://communityimpact.com/austin/northwest-austin/business/2017/06/22/celis-brewery-opens-june-23-north-austin-taps-july-11-grand-opening-celebration/|title=Celis Brewery opens June 23 in North Austin, taps July 11 for grand opening celebration|first=Amy|last=Denney|date=22 June 2017|website=Community Impact Newspaper}}</ref> In 2019, the brewery entered [[Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] due to its inability to sustain the double-digit year-over-year growth needed to service its huge debt.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/taranurin/2019/06/25/the-father-of-modern-witbiers-family-brewery-is-reportedly-closing/|title=The Father Of Modern Witbier's Family Brewery Is Declaring Bankruptcy|first=Tara|last=Nurin|date=June 25, 2019|website=Forbes}}</ref> The brewery and taproom continued to operate, however, and remain open as of July 2024.

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