English Ales, Monterey County's original brewery, is for sale.

Before breweries starting popping up seemingly everywhere, and before there were countless different types of sours and IPAs, there was a humble local brewery making simple, drinkable beer and serving basic pub fare—nothing fancy. There was English Ales, opened in Marina in 2000, and still thriving in its most unfancy, accessible, old-school format. 

Now the business is up for sale, posted for $595,000 as a turnkey operation with an existing lease in the current Reindollar Avenue location. 

The owners announced their plans to retire and sell on Sept. 10, just three days before English Ales' 24th anniversary. 

The beer scene has changed in those 24 years, which has made it hard to compete, according to the company's Facebook announcement. "When we opened in 2000, we were the only small brewery around. Now, there are so many in our area, which is great for beer lovers, but tough on a small, family-run business." 

Despite challenges, the brewery rebounded after the pandemic closure. Management team Karen Blackwell-Harrison and her husband, Harry Harrison, renovated the pub during the Covid shutdown, but kept the original, homey vibe. A second English Ales location opened in Capitola in 2020, just before the pandemic.

English Ales' beloved mug club started in 2002 with 50 mugs; today, 1,500 mugs from members hang from the ceiling. For mug club members thinking about coming in to pick theirs up, the intent is not to close, but to find someone to buy the brewery and keep it open. "It’s time for some young, new blood to take over," Karen Blackwell-Harrison wrote.