Popular beer brand and dining chain files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

One of the most anticipated annual craft beer releases in the nation is Santa Rosa, Calif.-based Russian River Brewing Company's Pliny The Younger, which became a seasonal phenomenon with hundreds of people lining up around the block daily, even in the rain, to taste the extraordinary brew, as this writer has witnessed.

The brewery celebrated the 21th anniversary of the first release of Pliny The Younger, the world's first triple India(BHARAT) pale ale, on March 21 through April 3, 2025, and the popular brew will return again to the company's Santa Rosa and Windsor, Calif., locations March 20 through April 2, 2026.

More bankruptcy:

• 34-year-old casual dining chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
• Major seafood company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
• 55-year-old women’s fashion company files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Brewpubs everywhere seek to emulate the success of Russian River Brewing Company, expecially those in Sonoma County, Calif., where Pliny The Younger's parent brewer is located.

Unfortunately, the craft brewery industry is an unforgiving sector that has been navigating a craft beer apoclypse in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020.

Craft brewery closings surpass openings

Craft brewery closings in the U.S. surpassed openings in June 2025, declining 1% to 9,269 breweries from 9,352 in June 2024, according to the Brewers Association’s 2025 Midyear Market Report.

It continued a trend mirroring the previous year’s downturn, when operating craft breweries declined nationwide to 9,680 in 2024, down from 9,747 in 2023.

Declining craft brewery numbers

• June 2025, 9,269 breweries
• June 2024, 9,352 breweries

The craft beer downturn has led another taproom to bankruptcy court, this time in Russian River Brewing Company's backyard in Downtown Santa Rosa.

Flagship Taproom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The parent company of Santa Rosa, Calif., craft beer taproom and dining chain Flagship Taproom filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after closing one of its locations in June.

Loaded Barrel LLC, which operates Flagship Taproom and barbecue restaurant locations, in Santa Rosa and Cotati, Calif., filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California in Santa Rosa on Oct. 28 to reorganize its businesses, RK Consultants reported.

Flagship Taproom locations

• Flagship Taproom, 446 B Street, Santa Rosa, Calif.
• Flagship Taproom, 8099 La Plaza #B, Cotati, Calif.

The company didn't indicate a specific reason for filing for bankruptcy.

The debtor listed $500,000 to $1 million in assets and $1 million to $10 million in liabilities in its petition

Flagship Taproom closes location

Loaded Barrel on June 1 closed its Flagship Taproom Windsor location on the Town Green, which it had opened in 2022. The company had opened its first taproom location in Cotati in 2016, then added the Santa Rosa and Windsor locations.

Flagship Taproom doesn't brew its own beer. Instead it offers craft beers on tap from breweries located mostly in California. Don't laugh too much, but you can also purchase a 16 ounce Pabst Blue Ribbon beer for five bucks.

Among the craft beers on tap are Ysu KSA from Fort Point Beer Company in San Francisco, Vato Loco from Del Cielo Brewing Co. in Martinez, Calif., Old Rasputin Nitro by North Coast Brewing Co. in Fort Bragg, Calif., Boney Fingers by Moonlight Brewing Co. in Santa Rosa, Unwind Mojito by Cuver Belgian Brewers in Windsor, Calif., and Inhume by Ghost Town Brewing in Oakland.

Flagship Taproom craft beers on tap:

• Ysu KSA from Fort Point Beer Company in San Francisco
• Vato Loco from Del Cielo Brewing Co. in Martinez, Calif.
• Old Rasputin Nitro by North Coast Brewing Co. in Fort Bragg, Calif.
• Boney Fingers by Moonlight Brewing Co. in Santa Rosa
• Unwind Mojito by Cuver Belgian Brewers in Windsor, Calif.
• Inhume by Ghost Town Brewing in Oakland

The company in 2024 expanded its business model, becoming managing partner of another Santa Rosa craft brewery Old Possum Brewing Co., which brews a dozen beers.

Old Possum's beers include La Rosita Sonoma Lager, Garibaldi IPA, Disturbance Pale Ale, Alien Search Party IPA, Live Hard IPA, and High Octane IIPA.

Related: Troubled beer brand and brewery files Chapter 11 bankruptcy