A Northern Kentucky-based brewery has acquired Factory 52’s resident brewery in a move that both parties call mutually beneficial for future growth.
As of Monday, Hi-Wire Brewing in Norwood’s Factory 52 is officially now a Braxton Brewing Co. location. The Asheville, North Carolina-based Hi-Wire says after Hurricane Helene heavily damaged its headquarters, flagship taproom and distribution center in September, the company had to make some tough decisions as it moved forward to recover from the historic flooding.
“We had to think about how to ensure the health of the business, and that meant making some hard choices,” Adam Charnack, co-founder and CEO of Hi-Wire Brewing, said in a press release. “We share a lot of the same core values with our friends at Braxton, and while this was a difficult decision that we did not take lightly, this new partnership has really been a silver lining. We believe that they will handle this transition in a way that feels right for our business, community and employees and helps to ensure Hi-Wire Brewing is as strong as ever.”
Braxton will take over Hi-Wire’s taproom, as well as the green space and full-service bar in front of the brewery, which will be rebranded as The Porch by Braxton Brewing Co. The brewery will close today for some minor renovations, but it will retain Hi-Wire Brewing’s employees, who will train at Braxton Brewing locations until the Factory 52 location reopens sometime later this month.
Several of Hi-Wire’s beers will also remain on tap at the new Braxton space, and those looking for their favorite Hi-Wire brews in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky can still find them using the brewery’s online beer finder tool.
“Adam and I started the conversation roughly six months ago about what a transition of this space for our breweries might look like,” said Jake Rouse, co-founder and CEO of Braxton Brewing. “Our team has loved watching the evolution of Factory 52 and has been considering what it might be like to have a presence in one of the coolest multi-use spaces in Cincinnati. After discussing further with the team at Hi-Wire, we felt that we could build upon the incredible foundation they established at the Norwood location and carry on that legacy through this new agreement. This transition is not transactional; it’s really the start of a new friendship.”
Braxton says it plans to continue offering family-friendly programming and events in the brewery’s green space, including movie nights and pop-ups. The breweries are also collaborating on a special commemorative, co-branded beer to celebrate the new chapter. The beer will be announced and launched in select Braxton and Hi-Wire taprooms this summer.
Learn more about Braxton Brewing Co.: braxtonbrewing.com.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 10, 2025.
