USA, NJ: Backward Flag Brewing Co. closes down for good

Backward Flag Brewing Co., which opened in Lacey in 2015, has closed, Asbury Park Press reported on July 1.

The last day for the brewery, owned by U.S. Army veteran Torie Fisher, was June 29.

News of the closing was shared on social media.

"We know how hard this news will hit some. We feel that sting, too," read the announcement. "We have fought to keep our doors open for a while now, but this is a fight we cannot win. We are so grateful for the community that has risen up around us over the years. It is meant with all genuineness that it has been a privilege and an honor to serve you."

Fisher, who served two tours of duty in Iraq, ran Backward Flag with head brewer Melinda Gulsever, a member of the Army National Guard.

The brewery employed a large number of veterans, first responders and their family members; launched a charitable organization to help veterans after 9/11; released a series of canned beers to benefit veterans; and supported LGBTQ causes.

Backward Flag Brewing opened when Fisher "decided to take a hobby and make it into a way of life," according to the brewery's website. "After learning to brew from a friend in her unit, Torie developed a passion for craft beer and began home brewing. When the time was right, she decided to open a brewery in Forked River ... and so with that, Backward Flag Brewing Company was born."

The brewery grew from a one-and-a-half-barrel system to a 10-barrel system. Its beers, at one time only available in its tasting room, could be found in bars, restaurants and liquor stores across New Jersey.

"It’s difficult to find the words to express the full importance of every bond and memory that has been made here," read the brewery's closing announcement post. "We know what we did. You know what we did. Sometimes there are just no words.”

02 July, 2024