Bellingham's craft cider scene is consolidating. Bellingham Cider Company announced Wednesday, September 23, that it has purchased Lost Giants Cider Company, combining two of the city's homegrown hard cider operations under a single ownership umbrella while preserving the distinct identities of both brands.
Both companies opened their taprooms in 2018, growing simultaneously through a period when craft cider was finding a strong audience across western Washington. The acquisition was initiated this past spring when Lost Giants co-owners Brad Wilske and Abe Ebert approached Bellingham Cider Company with an offer to sell.
Why the Owners Decided to Sell
"We're really proud of what we've built. It's been an incredible ride, and we're grateful for all the people who have supported us," Wilske said in the ownership announcement. "At the same time, we feel like we've taken the company as far as we can, and the time feels right to hand it off to someone who can bring new energy and take it even further."
That kind of candor from departing founders is notable in the craft beverage industry, where owner fatigue is a genuine challenge that does not always get acknowledged publicly. Running a small-batch cider operation involves not just the craft of production but the full weight of distribution management, retail relationships, taproom staffing, equipment maintenance, and marketing. Wilske and Ebert built Lost Giants from scratch into a recognized Bellingham brand with distribution reaching across western Washington, and their willingness to pass it on rather than close it down is a meaningful choice for the brand's employees and fans.
What Changes and What Stays the Same
Bellingham Cider Company has committed to preserving the elements that made Lost Giants what it is. The recipes will not change. The branding and packaging that Lost Giants customers recognize will remain in place. The distributor relationships that the company built to move its cider onto shelves across the region will be honored. And current employees will stay on staff through the transition and beyond.
The two companies plan to merge their production locations, bringing the physical operations under one roof in an effort to streamline resources and grow both brands simultaneously. The specific timeline for that consolidation was not spelled out in the announcement, but the intent is to use combined production capacity to expand rather than contract either label's presence in the market.
For regular taproom visitors, the practical question is what happens to the Lost Giants taproom location. The announcement described plans to merge the two production locations but did not specify whether both taproom spaces will continue to operate independently or whether one will eventually close as the consolidation progresses. That is a detail worth watching for customers who have a preferred location.
Bellingham's Craft Beverage Scene
Bellingham has developed a notably dense craft beverage ecosystem for a city of roughly 95,000 people. The city supports multiple breweries, cider houses, wineries, and distilleries, many of which have built followings that extend well beyond Whatcom County. The craft beverage sector contributes to both the local economy and to Bellingham's identity as a destination for visitors from the broader Pacific Northwest.
Hard cider in particular has found a strong regional audience, partly because the Pacific Northwest's apple-growing heritage gives local producers access to interesting fruit varieties not available in other parts of the country. Bellingham sits within easy reach of Skagit Valley apple orchards and the apple-growing regions of eastern Washington, and craft cider makers have used that proximity to differentiate their products from mass-market alternatives.
The acquisition of Lost Giants by Bellingham Cider Company reflects a pattern seen across the craft beverage industry nationally: as the market matures, smaller operations that built their brands in the early growth phase either find buyers or close. The outcome here, with both brands continuing under new stewardship and employees retaining their jobs, is among the more positive versions of that story.
For anyone looking to taste both labels side by side before the production consolidation takes full effect, now is a good time to visit the taprooms. Both Bellingham Cider Company and Lost Giants maintain their own pour lists, and each has developed a distinct style profile over their eight years of operation. Details on taproom locations and hours can be found through Bellingham Cider Company's website.
Washington's craft cider industry is supported in part by the Washington Cider Association, which tracks production trends and advocates for favorable conditions for small producers across the state. Bellingham's growing reputation in the cider world has benefited from the organization's efforts to elevate Pacific Northwest cider nationally.
For more on Bellingham's local business scene, see earlier coverage of how local food and agriculture businesses are thriving in Whatcom County this year.
