Independent breweries across the U.S. have been operating in a tougher market as closures have continued to outpace openings, according to the Brewers Association. In Washington, that pressure now coincides with the planned closing of Off Camber Brewing, a Puyallup taproom that has been part of the local craft beer scene since 2017. Its final day is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Off Camber Brewing has set a final closing date in Puyallup
Off Camber Brewing, located at 6506 114th Ave. Ct. E in Puyallup, is scheduled to close on September 26, 2026, according to the brewery’s website and recent local reporting. The business opened in 2017 and built its identity around a garage-turned-brewery model led by owner James Brandt. Brandt has been homebrewing for years longer than the business itself, and the brewery’s site says he spent more than a decade brewing in that space before opening commercially.
The brewery confirmed regular taproom hours through the final stretch as Thursday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Local coverage reported that the final day is expected to include a closing celebration with food and live music. Hoodline also reported that Brandt is retiring after more than 20 years in the beer industry and is ending operations rather than continuing under new ownership.
That gives Off Camber a run of roughly nine years as a licensed brewery and tasting room in Pierce County. The brewery’s public materials identify assistant brewer Matthew Vargo as part of the brewing team and describe the taproom as an all-ages, dog-friendly space. Those details help explain why the closure stands out locally: this is not a chain retrenchment or a multi-location shutdown, but the end of a single-site independent brewery with an established neighborhood following.
The closure will be felt in Puyallup, though some next steps are already confirmed
The confirmed impact is local and specific: Puyallup is losing one independent brewery location, and Off Camber has not announced plans to reopen elsewhere in Washington. The brewery has also not released any public statement indicating a sale to a new owner who would continue the business under the same name. As of now, the September 26 closure appears to be permanent for the existing taproom operation.
What is known, however, is that parts of the brewery’s operation may carry on in another form. Hoodline reported that Firemind Brewing in downtown Puyallup plans to purchase Off Camber’s brewing equipment and signature recipes, including Off Camber Amber and Rubicon IPA. If that transaction proceeds as reported, some beers associated with Off Camber may remain available locally even after the original taproom closes.
What remains unconfirmed is the full scope of operational changes tied to the shutdown, including whether any staff positions will be affected beyond the end of service at the taproom. No public filing or company statement reviewed for this article listed a workforce count or broader closure plan beyond the final service date. For residents, the immediate change is straightforward: the Puyallup location will stop pouring beer after September 26 unless the company announces otherwise.
Retirement is the direct reason, as craft beer headwinds continue nationally
The direct reason given for the closure is Brandt’s retirement. Recent local reporting said he decided to end the business as he steps away from the industry, rather than transfer operations to new ownership. That makes this closure different from bankruptcy-driven restaurant and brewery exits, even as it lands during a difficult period for small craft producers.
The broader context is less local. The Brewers Association reported that new brewery openings fell to 300 in 2025, while 481 breweries closed, and the group said overall U.S. beer production and imports were down 5.7% that year. In its 2026 midyear report, the association said 9,344 breweries were operating in June 2026, down 1.8% from a year earlier, showing that contraction has continued even as some segments have stabilized.
For customers in Puyallup, the practical takeaway is that September 26 is the confirmed final day for Off Camber Brewing under its current ownership. The brewery has continued normal taproom hours ahead of that date, and local reporting said the final event is expected to include food and live music. After that, the original Off Camber location is set to close, while any future availability of its recipes would depend on follow-through by Firemind Brewing and any additional public announcements.