NEWPORT– Rogue Ales & Spirits, which has seen its beer sales drop and owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent and back taxes, abruptly shut its massive Newport operations and all of its restaurants Friday, the Lincoln Chronicle has learned.

Rogue officials met with Port of Newport officials Friday morning to tell them they planned to close their operations immediately. Rogue rents its South Beach space – 47,000 square feet for its brewery, warehouse and restaurant – from the Port.

Rogue, which has been in business for 37 years, had recently shut its distillery operation and the Port agreed last month to re-lease a portion of the 4,800-square-foot building to a seafood processor.

Rogue is drastically behind on rent and taxes – owing $545,000 to the Port of Newport and up to $30,000

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