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Wed, 15 Jul 2026

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 Brewdog co-founder James Watt launches bid to buy back beer firm

Watt says he has made an offer to buy back the craft beer business months after it was sold to a US company.

* James Watt, co-founder of Brewdog, has made an offer to buy back the craft beer business months after it was sold to a US company, Tilray.
* Watt stood down as CEO in 2024 and moved to a newly created position of "captain and co-founder".
* About 20,000 people invested in Brewdog's "Equity for Punks" scheme, typically spending £500 on shares costing £20-30 each. These investors were left worthless when the firm collapsed.
* Watt has launched a new beer brand, Second Best, offering nearly 20% of shares to those who lost money investing in Equity for Punks.
* In an email to those who signed up to the Second Best offer, Watt said he had made an official offer to buy back Brewdog and that investors would receive their original stake in the company "for free" if successful.
* Investors have expressed skepticism about Watt's plans, citing past controversies surrounding Brewdog's management and treatment of staff and investors.