On Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, neighbors stood with picket signs outside Hamilton Family Brewery at 8889 Archibald Ave. The Daily Bulletin described the protests as weekly, with complaints about parking, noise, traffic and patrons who had been drinking. The brewery had moved into the building only four months earlier, in September 2025.
Nine months after those first pickets, the question has been settled in a way few people predicted. On Oct. 7, the Rancho Cucamonga City Council unanimously approved a deal for the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District to buy the building and turn it into a fire station. The city's first craft brewery is moving again. The rest of the city's beer scene is staying on the same few industrial streets where it has always been, and where Hamilton itself started.
A $7.8 Million Purchase, Split Two Ways
The Daily Bulletin's Oct. 13 report laid out how the money divides. Of the $7.8 million total, the Fire District puts in $6 million to buy the property and building. The city covers the other $1.8 million for relocating the business and related logistics, according to a city report City Manager Elisa Cox presented at the meeting.
The owners aren't fighting it. Co-owner Josh Hamilton told the council that he and his wife had spent nearly $2.5 million bringing the building up to current code, plus hundreds of thousands more on equipment. He called the agreement "the best-case scenario for everybody involved," and added, "We are supportive of this deal."
The Fire District first noticed the property in March 2026, the same month the council told staff to review the brewery's operations. Officials said the Archibald location was "more appropriate for a fire station and fire apparatus."
The complaint record also had limits. The January coverage reported that city staff's noise readings did not exceed city standards. It also reported that noise and music complaints investigated by the Sheriff's Department led to no citations or further action. In March, Hamilton told KTLA that he was offering a shuttle and considered the business "here to stay." The October agreement replaced that plan.
What Is Settled and What Is Still Open
The Oct. 7 vote answered the big question. It left the practical ones open, and those are the ones a regular cares about.
- Settled: The Fire District is buying 8889 Archibald Ave. for a fire station, the council approved it unanimously, and the owners publicly support it.
- Settled: The brewery is relocating, either to a previous property or to a new location.
- Open: No closing date for the Archibald taproom has been announced, and no destination has been named.
- Open: Final terms are still being worked out between the city manager and City Attorney Nicholas Ghirelli.
- Open: The meeting set no construction timeline for the fire station.
Meanwhile, Hamilton's website still lists the Archibald taproom with daily hours: noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and noon to midnight Thursday through Saturday. The brewery doesn't serve food. It hosts rotating food trucks and posts each week's schedule, holiday hours and taproom news on Instagram and Facebook. Those social accounts are where a move date would most likely show up first, so check them before heading over.
Where Hamilton Started, and Why That Matters
Hamilton Family Brewery opened in 2014 at 9757 7th St. as Rancho Cucamonga's first craft brewery. Josh and Crysten Hamilton sold their home to start it. They rented that space and outgrew it. Then they bought the Archibald building and renovated it, adding a large taproom and more seating.
The move was short. The Archibald building sits near Main and 8th streets, on an industrial lot, just a few blocks from the original. What changed was the street next door. As the Daily Bulletin put it, "the surrounding area, especially along Main Street, is mostly residential." Parking on residential streets was among the complaints neighbors raised in January.
The Hamiltons bought the Archibald building because they had outgrown the rented 7th Street space, and the larger taproom sits beside the homes on Main Street. Going back to a previous property is one of the two relocation options on the table.
The Five Taprooms Still Pouring Nearby
Look at the addresses of the city's other taprooms and the pattern is clear. Nearly all of them sit on the same short run of numbered industrial streets, with one on Arrow Route a few blocks south.
| Taproom | Address | Most recent sign it's open |
|---|---|---|
| Mars Brewing | 9728 6th St. | Its tap list is labeled "Currently on Tap as of 10/17/2026" |
| Rowdy's Brew Co. | 10002 6th St. A | Hours posted in an undated feed on its site |
| Sour Cellars | 9495 E. 9th St., Unit B | Posts hours of 5–10 p.m. weekdays, 1–10 p.m. weekends |
| The Brewmill | 9037 Arrow Route, Suite 170 | Reported newly open in May 2026; Untappd activity in September 2026 |
| Solorio Brewing | Feron Boulevard | Untappd activity through Oct. 11, 2026 |
Mars Brewing has the most current proof of the group. Its posted tap list was dated Oct. 17, 2026, and its Untappd page showed activity on Oct. 17 and 18. Its own site describes a tasting room on 6th Street. Rowdy's Brew Co. lists its tasting room on the same street, at 10002 6th St. A. Its hours appear only in an embedded social feed, so confirm them before you go.
Sour Cellars on 9th Street keeps the most predictable hours: evenings only on weekdays, and from 1 p.m. on weekends. That makes it the easiest stop to plan after work.
The Brewmill is the newest. The San Bernardino Sun reported on May 20, 2026 that it had recently opened in the Arrow Route space where No Clue Craft Brewery had operated until closing in 2024. That's another sign of how this part of town works. When a taproom closes here, another brewery tends to move into the space. The Brewmill's Untappd page lists fruited lagers, an IPA, a red ale, a stout, a cream ale and a seltzer.
Solorio Brewing, on Feron Boulevard, completes the list. Its Untappd profile showed activity in late September and as recently as Oct. 11.
One name that sometimes shows up on Rancho Cucamonga lists doesn't belong there. Dragon's Tale is at 8920 Vernon Ave. in Montclair.
Planning a Round While Archibald Is Still Open
Right now, with no closing date announced, the Archibald taproom is still listed with its regular hours. If you want a last look at the building the Hamiltons spent nearly $2.5 million on, that window is open, but nobody has said how long it will stay open. Check Hamilton's social posts for that week's food truck before you go, since the taproom doesn't serve food.
Every other taproom on the list is a short drive from Archibald and Main. A weekday evening fits Sour Cellars' 5 p.m. opening. A weekend afternoon gives you time for Mars and Rowdy's, which share 6th Street. The Brewmill and Rowdy's are the two to call ahead on, since neither has a dated hours notice.
Hamilton's next address has not been named, and final terms with the city are still being discussed. Whether they return to a previous property or choose a new one, every other taproom in the city is already on these same industrial streets.
At The Mowery Group, we follow how Rancho Cucamonga's commercial blocks and residential streets meet, because those edges shape daily life and property value alike. If you own a home near Archibald and Main, or anywhere a nearby building is about to change hands, we're glad to talk through what it could mean for you. Schedule a free consultation.
