Icicle Brewing Company enters new chapter as founders hand off ownership

LEAVENWORTH — After 16 years, the founders of Icicle Brewing Company are passing the torch to long-time family, hop industry partners and friends, Shelley and Eric Desmarais of CLS Farms.

“What attracted us to Icicle was not only the quality of the beer and the strength of the brand, but the people,” said Shelley Demarais. “The team has built something special. We are excited to support that success and help ensure Icicle remains a strong, independent brewery for generations to come.”

The award-winning independent craft brewery and brewpub was founded by Pam and Oliver Brulotte in 2010, nearly a decade after they founded München Haus in 2001. Today, the company is family- and employee-owned, committed to its mission of brewing quality beer and creating memorable experiences for the communities it serves.

“This is not a decision we came to lightly,” said Pamela Brulotte. “Icicle has never been just a business to us. It has been a purpose, a passion, a gathering place, and a shared labor of love.”

Icicle Brewing Company’s roots date back to the Yakima Valley over 140 years ago, when Oliver Brulotte’s family first started working in the hop industry. Oliver was a fifth-generation hop farmer at his family farm, A/B Hop Farms, which was founded by his parents and uncle. Before A/B Hop Farms, his grandmother farmed hops in Moxee, WA, along with multiple generations before her, according to the company’s history.

Those ties have not only shaped the brewery’s identity, but have also led to its next chapter.

“When we began thinking about retirement, our priority was finding people we trusted to carry forward what makes this brewery special. Shelley and Eric share our values, understand our industry, and care deeply about our people and community,” said Brulotte.

The decision to sell their majority ownership to Desmarais was based on a relationship spanning generations. Oliver and Eric are second cousins, their fathers were lifelong friends, and Pam and Shelley have spent years working together on the One in Eight breast cancer fundraising initiative.

The Desmaraises are also the owners of CLS Farms, a fifth-generation, family-owned hop farm based in Yakima. Over the years, Icicle Brewing Company has collaborated with CLS Farms through hop sourcing, brewery collaborations, charitable initiatives, and a shared commitment to supporting independent craft beer.

“Long before ownership discussions began, there was friendship, trust, and a shared belief in the importance of family-owned businesses,” said Shelley Desmarais. 

As the Brulottes step into retirement, they have put together a succession plan designed to preserve the culture, independence, and values that have defined Icicle Brewing Company since its founding. 

The brewery will continue to operate as an independent company under the leadership of CEO Joel Martinez, VP of Wholesale Operations Jason Leal, and VP of Sales & Marketing Chris Danforth, all of whom will maintain their ownership interests and continue leading day-to-day operations. Employees and existing facilities and operations will also remain in place.

“Our role is not to change what is working,” said Eric Desmarais. “The brewery has a proven leadership team, outstanding employees, and a track record of growth and excellence. We believe in the people who have built Icicle into what it is today, and we are excited to support them as they continue writing the next chapter of the brewery’s story.”

Looking forward, the Icicle Brewing team and the Desmarais family said they share a vision centered on innovation, quality, community and long-term sustainability. Together, they plan to continue strengthening the connection between farmers and brewers while preserving the independent spirit that has defined both Icicle Brewing and CLS Farms.

“This transition is happening from a position of strength,” said Martinez. “Our team has worked incredibly hard to build momentum, expand our distribution footprint, and continue raising the bar for quality. What excites me most is that the things that matter most to our employees, customers, distributors, and community are not changing.”

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media