Rohrbach Brewing Company Transfers Ownership to Brockport Brothers Joel and Nathan Will

Rohrbach Brewing Company announced March 6, 2026 that ownership and leadership are transferring to Brockport brothers Joel and Nathan Will, naming Joel president and chief operating officer and Nathan chief executive officer. The company framed the handoff as a planned succession for the brewery founded in 1991 by John Urlaub and Patty Yahn-Urlaub at the old German House in Rochester.

Co-founder John Urlaub celebrated the choice of the Will brothers in the company statement: "In the life cycle of every business, there comes a time to transition to a new generation of leaders like Joel and his leadership team, who can take the business to the next level. There’s not a better scenario for this transition. It’s been an honor working with our loyal partners, dedicated team members, and all the customers who have supported us throughout the years. Our business has a very bright future with this new leadership team, and I look forward to continuing to support Rohrbach’s moving forward." Urlaub told the Democrat & Chronicle he plans to ease into retirement and transition to a sales role with the company.

The move pairs internal operating continuity with outside business experience. Joel Will, who began working at the Rohrbach Brewpub and has been with the company for nearly two decades, most recently oversaw day-to-day operations across the business and will now run operations as president and COO. Nathan Will brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in international energy, finance and real estate to his CEO role, and framed the transaction as both a stewardship of local identity and a growth moment for the brand: "Rohrbach has always represented the spirit of this region — community, craftsmanship, and pride of place. It’s a privilege to partner with Joel and the entire Rohrbach team to help carry forward the legacy that John and Patty built, while supporting the brewery’s next chapter in a way that stays true to its roots in the region where we were born and raised. We’re also excited about our acquisition of Young Lion, and look forward to carrying on one of the region’s most loved and respected brands within the Rohrbach Brewing portfolio."

The announcement reiterated that Rohrbach will continue to operate its restaurant and brewpub, a production brewery opened in 2008 and a Beer Hall opened in 2016 in Rochester’s Market District, and its restaurant that traces back to a 1995 brewpub opening in the Ogden area. The company employs more than 85 team members and distributes its beer throughout the region through longstanding wholesale and retail partnerships.

Company materials and reporting so far do not disclose financial terms of the ownership transfer or the purchase price for Young Lion Brewing Company. Rohrbach positioned the transition as succession rather than rescue, with founders staying engaged in a sales capacity while handing day-to-day leadership to the Will brothers as the brewery moves into its next chapter.