Hey you know that brewery at Citi Field? Well, you’re never gonna guess who owns it!
In one of the beer industry’s strangest Kevin Bacon-esque connections, it only takes one person to get from world-renowned contract brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergsø to disgraced investment fraudster Bernie Madoff. The intermediary is Saul Katz, who, according to paperwork filed on June 20, 2017 with the New York State Liquor Authority and obtained through a FOIA request with the state, (more here, and here) set up a 9% stake in an LLC that is an owner of Mikkeller Brewing NYC, located in Citi Field.
Along with Katz, two sons of his business partner and New York Mets owner, Fred Wilpon, are also heavily invested in the brewery, according to paperwork filed with New York State. Bruce Wilpon (47.2%) and Jeff Wilpon (9%) are part of 14 total people behind Sterling MB Holdings LLC. That LLC is the almost-exclusive owner of SEMB Holdings CF LLC alongside Jim Raras, who has a 2.5% stake.
Source: How Am I Not Myself? — Mapping Mikkeller’s Ownership DNA — Good Beer Hunting
Now, I don’t really care that Wilpons own it, and I am not sure they tried to keep it a secret, but they didn’t exactly wave the flag letting us all know that they do. A little…..odd……and the net result is it feels sneaky and now I like the place and brand less.
Hey, if that affordable housing next to the Airline Parking ever gets built this brewery could be a good spot for the in-crowd to hang!
