Pirates owner Bob Nutting to buy Wigle Whiskey, Threadbare Cider & Mead

Pittsburgh-based craft distillery Wigle Whiskey announced Thursday that it will be selling its operation to Pittsburgh Pirates owner and multi-millionaire Bob Nutting.

Wigle operates a distillery in the Strip District that produces whiskey, gin and other spirits. The company also runs a facility in Spring Garden that produces hard cider and mead for its Threadbare brand.

In a press release, Wigle and its sister company Threadbare Cider and Mead said they have entered an agreement of sale to Pittsburgh Spirits, an entity owned by the Nutting family.

Wigle co-founder Meredith Meyer Grilli said the company has been looking at potential partners to help Wigle and Threadbare expand and ultimately decided that Pittsburgh Spirits would carry on those efforts.

“Our greatest hope was that Wigle and Threadbare would remain family and Western Pennsylvania owned,” said Meyer Grilli. “We know that Bob Nutting, his family and the team at Pittsburgh Spirits will be owners devoted to quality, innovation, regional story-telling and cultivating our team and Wigle and Threadbare’s regional and national footprint.”

Wigle was founded in 2011 and opened to the public in 2012 at its distillery in the Strip District. It has since expanded with some cocktail bars throughout the region and added Threadbare to the brand. Wigle distributes its spirits — which include rye whiskey, bourbon, gin, rum, liqueurs, and ready-to-drink cocktails — to 10 states.

It has earned several craft distillery awards over the years. Wigle’s focus on re-igniting the Western Pennsylvania tradition of rye whiskey has also earned accolades. Wigle is named after Philip Wigle, the man who started the 1790s Whiskey Rebellion in protest of Alexander Hamilton’s Whiskey tax, according to a release.

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Nutting said he plans to keep the brand focused on this tradition.

“With every conversation I had with the Meyer-Grelli family, I had a deeper appreciation for how much they care about this company and the team of great people behind the growing success of these brands,” he said. “Their passion is infectious.”

This sale doesn’t come without controversy. Nutting has been widely criticized by Pirates fans for failing to properly invest in his baseball team. Many on social media expressed disappointment in Wigle selling to Nutting.

Another craft distillery located in the Strip District, Maggie’s Farm Rum, said on Twitter, “We will never sell to Bob Nutting.”

Wigle also recently came under fire after the U.S. Department of Labor ordered the company to pay $39,000 to workers after an investigation showed servers were required to share tips with managers. Wigle at the time said the order arose from a good-faith dispute over who should be entitled to tips, and that the manager spent 90% of their time in direct service of customers.

The craft booze company has also been credited with being instrumental in helping to modernize Pennsylvania liquor laws to make it easier for craft distilleries to open in the state. Wigle was also praised by Pittsburgh City Council in 2016 for being one of the first companies in the city to raise its minimum wage to participate in a city program.

Wigle will continue to run the distillery, cider and other locations over the coming months to assist in the transition. Eric Mauck, CEO of Pittsburgh Spirit, said he is dedicated to a smoother transition.

“Our goal is to listen and learn from the current team of experts as to how our hospitality and customer service expertise can best support the future of both brands,” said Mauck.