Who owns Benicia Brewery?

Benicia Brewery is independently owned — there is no parent company above it on record. It is based in Benicia, California, USA.

Is Benicia Brewery independent?

Yes. Benicia Brewery is recorded as independent, with no parent company. Independence is recorded as the brewery states it; where a stake is a minority holding or joint venture, this archive leaves it unmapped rather than calling it ownership.

When was Benicia Brewery founded?

Benicia Brewery was founded in 1855 in Benicia, California, USA.

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Archive record · Brewery

Benicia Brewery

Name: Benicia Brewery
Address: Benicia, California, USA

Benicia, California, California, USA

Also known as Benicia Brewery and Soda Works

Closed · 1945Ownership unknownMicrobrewery

Founded: 1855
Closed: 1945
Archive ID: TB-TPF63WKG
Last checked: Not yet checked

Who owns this brewery?

Independent

Independent ownership is recorded. No parent company is held in the archive.

From the record

Summary

Benicia Magazine, citing the Benicia Historical Museum, says Swiss-born brewer John Rueger moved his brewing business from Marysville to Benicia in 1855 and converted the California House on West H Street into the Benicia Brewery. The brewery remained in business until a March 1945 fire destroyed the old brewery building; by then it had been renamed Benicia Brewery and Soda Works. Contemporary 1870s newspaper evidence independently confirms Benicia Brewery operations/distribution. Exact intermediate ownership chronology remains open.

A summary written during research. The sourced facts are in the sections below.

Show your working

Sources

recordProbable
Brewery record taken from Tally's California master, Pass 187, which cited https://www.beniciamagazine.com/benicias-brewing-history-and-a-resurgence-of-craft-beer/ for this entry. The cited page has not been opened by the archive.
Tally's California master, Pass 187 (research workbook) · Tally's Beer Universe research workbook · 2026
CommercialMedium reliabilitySource accessed 2026-08-19
Claim last checked 2026-08-19

Only the claims above are sourced. Everything else on this page is the archive's own research and has not yet been tied to a document — which is worth knowing rather than hiding.

Straight answers

Common questions about Benicia Brewery

Who owns Benicia Brewery?: Benicia Brewery is independently owned — there is no parent company above it on record. It is based in Benicia, California, USA.
Is Benicia Brewery independent?: Yes. Benicia Brewery is recorded as independent, with no parent company. Independence is recorded as the brewery states it; where a stake is a minority holding or joint venture, this archive leaves it unmapped rather than calling it ownership.
Is Benicia Brewery still open?: No. Benicia Brewery has closed (1945). Benicia Magazine, citing the Benicia Historical Museum, says Swiss-born brewer John Rueger moved his brewing business from Marysville to Benicia in 1855 and converted the California House on West H Street into the Benicia Brewery. The brewery remained in business until a March 1945 fire destroyed the old brewery building; by then it had been renamed Benicia Brewery and Soda Works. Contemporary 1870s newspaper evidence independently confirms Benicia Brewery operations/distribution. Exact intermediate ownership chronology remains open.
When was Benicia Brewery founded?: Benicia Brewery was founded in 1855 in Benicia, California, USA.

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