Schweinhaus owner charged with felonies, accused of trafficking in stolen alcohol
The owner of Schweinhaus Biergarten in Bellingham has been charged with multiple felonies related to the unauthorized purchase and reselling of alcohol belonging to an Issaquah brewery that he previously co-owned.
Brandon Robert Bates, 48, created Formula Brewing in Issaquah, Washington, in a 50-50 partnership with Daniel Bohm in 2018, according to court records obtained by The Bellingham Herald. Bates managed daily operations, while Bohm focused on building construction and brewing.
Bohm and the brewmaster “started seeing red flags” in late 2020 and early 2021, court documents show. Despite being promised compensation, Bates refused to pay the brewmaster. The brewmaster filed a federal lawsuit and was awarded compensation at 2% of the business.
It was also determined at trial that Bates and Bohm couldn’t agree on the direction of the business, so Formula Brewing went into receivership status, meaning a third party took over the business while Bates and Bohm finished a partnership separation. During that time, Bates and Bohm were not allowed to engage in any business on site or access business funds without authorization.
However, Bohm discovered that “large purchases” of expensive alcohol had been made by Bates, including three $1,400 bottles of Louis XII cognac. When he looked into their other accounts, he found other alcohol purchases that were picked up on-site and never delivered to or served at Formula Brewing, according to court documents.
Court records allege that Bates stored this alcohol at a warehouse belonging to the owner of a Seattle seafood business. Bates attempted to become a tenant and open a bar in the same building while Formula Brewing was in receivership, but the tenancy was never finalized.
Bates later filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against the seafood business and lost. During the case, Bates admitted to purchasing the pallets of alcohol through Formula Brewing and storing them at the warehouse, according to court records. The business owner found the alcohol and reported it to Bohm.
Bohm estimated that Formula Brewing lost about $125,000 through Bates’ purchases between November 2022 and July 2023, when the brewery reopened under Bohm’s exclusive ownership.
Bates was also sued in federal court in January 2022 by a Schweinhaus employee who alleged that he was not paid all tips that were owed to him in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. A judge ruled in favor of the employee that December, and awarded him over $23,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees.
Bates could not be reached for comment.
Bates was charged with first-degree theft, first-degree identity theft, first-degree possession of stolen property and first-degree trafficking of stolen property on June 25. His arraignment in King County Superior Court is scheduled for July 13.
Editor’s note (July 2): This article was updated to provide additional details alleged in court documents regarding Brandon Bates and how the alcohol in question was handled after purchase.
This story was originally published July 2, 2026 at 5:25 AM.