Abita Brewing Co. co-founder, Jim Patton, passed away last month. He left the company years ago but was getting back into brewing with a startup company in Florida. Here is what Wynwood Brewing Co. posted on its Facebook page last week.

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It is with our deepest of regrets and sadness that we say goodbye to our brewer and friend Jim Patton. There are no words that can describe the feelings of his loss in passing. For over a year I’ve had the blessed opportunity to work with Jim in putting together what was once just an idea I had and make it a reality. It takes a special person to move across the country to be part of something that he believed in so much. I am more determined than ever to make this project open and thrive. WBC wasn’t just my dream, it was Jim’s too and there is no better way to honor him than by doing so. Today we’ve pulled our city permit for construction and it couldn’t happen without his guidance. So I ask you all to cheers today in Jim’s name. Cheers. -Luis