Nocterra Brewing Co. has closed both of its taprooms, the original location at 41 Depot St. in Powell and the taproom and restaurant at 516 Maier Pl. at Scioto Audubon Metro Park in Columbus.
Speculation began on social media on August 30, with customers sharing stories of employees telling them to keep their pint glasses as souvenirs. The next day, both taprooms went dark. In their first statement, Nocterra’s owners said they had exhausted every resource available and that the brewery is “out of runway to keep fighting,” though a second signed statement released later that day stopped short of calling the closure permanent.
Whether the closure is permanent is not settled. Co-founder Bryan Duncan told The Columbus Dispatch on Monday morning that the company is still trying to sort out what comes next, and questions about the brewery’s leases, equipment and any possible reopening remain unanswered.
The shutdown came with almost no warning. The brewery’s calendar still listed events at both locations into December, and Nocterra hosted its annual Quitter’s Run at the Powell beer garden on August 23, just over a week before both locations went dark.
Duncan, a former intensive care nurse, and co-founder Bruce Vivian, a former Mercedes mechanic, met through homebrewing competitions and teamed up on a brewery of their own. The name blends the words nocturnal and terra, a nod to late-night homebrewing sessions and a shared love of the outdoors. The Powell taproom held its grand opening in February 2019 inside a converted freight train depot more than a century old, and the brewery became known for its “Beer + Outside” tagline and core beers like Beta Flash New England IPA and Trail Break Helles Lager.
The company expanded in June 2024 with a 5,000-square-foot taproom and restaurant at Scioto Audubon Metro Park, with a full kitchen and a 50-seat patio facing the park.
The closure lands in a hard stretch for craft beer generally. According to the Brewers Association, national craft production fell 4 percent in 2025 and brewery closings outpaced openings for the year.
Update: Nocterra has released this statement on Instagram:
“Nocterra is aware of the chatter online, messaging coming from our taprooms and the broader public. It’s no secret that sectors of the hospitality industry have been struggling, and we are not immune. While rumors have spread, we will not validate any of the information circulating as of today. One thing we want to make abundantly clear: there is no truth to any of the negative theories floating about Wolf’s Ridge Brewing Co. They have been nothing but firm friends and industry peers. Nocterra’s leadership is committed to finding a path forward. We plan to regroup, reorganize, and reemerge as the best version of Nocterra to serve our customers and team members, focusing on our core: great beer and great people. We appreciate our community’s understanding as we navigate the next steps for Nocterra.”
The statement, dated August 31, is signed by Bryan Duncan, Bruce Vivian and Lori Duncan.
