Land-Grant officially announces takeover of Nocterra Brewing Company’s brand and Powell tap house

POWELL — It’s official: Land-Grant is coming to Powell in late November, taking over the former Nocterra Brewing Company’s flagship tap house.

Land-Grant has acquired the Nocterra Brewing Company brand and will continue brewing Nocterra’s beers at its Franklinton production facility, with plans to “bring fresh batches of fan-favorite Nocterra beers back to taps and shelves at retailers, bars and restaurants throughout Columbus and beyond,” according to a press release from Land-Grant.

According to the release, Land-Grant plans to reopen the Powell taproom as soon as possible, targeting a late November reopening.

Land-Grant prioritizes “preserving the spirit of Nocterra” and continuing to make its beers available.

“We aren’t looking at this as replacing Nocterra. We see it as continuing what they started,” Walt Keys, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Land-Grant Brewing Company, said.

“Nocterra has earned a loyal following because of its beer, its people and the experiences it created,” Keys said. “We’re excited to honor that foundation while bringing new energy, investment and opportunities to the brand and the Powell location.”

Nocterra Powell will transform into an immersive Christmas pop-up for the holiday season upon reopening, which will include festive decorations, specialty holiday cocktails served in themed take-home glassware, Christmas Ale and rentable heated igloos in the beer garden, the release reads.

The future of Nocterra under Land-Grant’s ownership

President and Co-Founder of Land-Grant Brewing Company Adam Benner said he anticipated the brewery will temporarily close in January to begin an extensive renovation that will optimize the existing footprint, expanding the usable taproom space.

“Nocterra has built something incredibly special in Powell. They’ve created more than a lineup of great beers. They’ve created a community and a destination with an identity all its own,” Benner said.

“Our immediate priority is getting the doors back open, getting fresh Nocterra beer into people’s hands and giving this community a place to gather again. From there, we’re excited to invest in the space and help build its next chapter.”

The renovations will build on the property’s existing character while bringing Land-Grant’s experience in hospitality, events and experiential spaces to the Powell location, according to the release.

Future plans also include introducing elements of Land-Grant’s popular Wintergarden experience to the property, bringing new opportunities for seasonal activities and year-round gathering.

“Through our twelve years in Franklinton, we’ve seen firsthand how thoughtful spaces, creative programming and unique experiences can bring people together,” Benner said.

“We’re excited to take what we’ve learned and apply it in Powell, building on what makes Nocterra special while finding new ways to elevate the guest experience.”

The release also shows appreciation for Nocterra founders Bryan Duncan, Lori Duncan and Bruce Vivian for building Nocterra into what it is known for today.

“We have an incredible amount of respect for the entire Nocterra team and everything they’ve poured into building the brewery and taproom over the years,” Keys said.

“Anyone in this industry knows how much passion, dedication and hard work it takes to build a brewery, especially given the challenges our industry has faced in recent years. They’ve built a brand with a strong identity and a truly loyal community, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to carry that forward.”

Specific reopening dates, beer availability, renovation timelines and additional details about the future of the Powell taproom will be announced in the coming weeks, according to the release.

Nocterra Brewing Company’s social media pages, under the handle @nocterrabrewing, will be the location for the most current updates, according to the release.

Background about Nocterra’s closure

Nocterra abruptly closed its doors on Aug. 30, citing struggles in the industry as a partial reason for the closure.

In a release previously posted to Nocterra’s social media pages, the brewer’s owners wrote:

“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.”

Nocterra’s Powell location at 41 Depot St. opened in 2019, and was one of two breweries within city limits, with the other being Ill Mannered Brewing.

The brewery expanded its footprint in 2024 to Columbus with a second restaurant and bar at Scioto Audubon Metro Park, 516 Maier Place.

That second location Audubon faced road construction and closures that complicated access to the park in its first year of business, according to Columbus Business First.

Land-Grant officials did not immediately respond to Delaware Source’s inquiry about whether Land-Grant intends to take over that facility as well.

Powell Economic Development Administrator Sean Hughes previously said the closure tells a bigger story about downtown Powell business activity.

“It can’t be a two-day week modeling, we have to start supplementing the business with more visitation, more destination business,” Hughes said.

“And that also takes working towards having a model here that is really drawing that foot traffic, and that requires us to be working with our building managers or property owners to be filling every building intentionally.”

Hughes also previously said he was excited for the new owners to occupy Nocterra.