Big Drop Brewing
Big Drop Brewing is a UK-based alcohol-free craft brewery founded in 2016, producing 0.5% ABV beers across multiple styles using proprietary full-fermentation brewing. It distributes in 10,000+ retail and on-trade locations across the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada, and the USA, with direct-to-consumer e-commerce alongside wholesale.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersIpswich, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Big Drop Brewing does
Big Drop Brewing Co. is a UK-based alcohol-free craft brewery founded in August 2016 by Rob Fink (former City lawyer) and James Kindred, headquartered in Ipswich, England. The company is the world's first brewer dedicated exclusively to making 0.5% ABV craft beer, producing across styles including IPAs, pale ales, stouts, lagers, brown ales, golden ales, porters, and sours. Its core technical differentiation is a proprietary brewing method, developed by brewmaster Johnny Clayton (formerly of Wild Beer Co), in which beer is fully fermented at 0.5% ABV from the outset rather than having alcohol extracted post-fermentation, preserving flavour depth and avoiding the aroma losses typical of de-alcoholisation.
The business operates an asset-light contract brewing model, producing fresh beer locally through a network of brewing partners worldwide using over 20 speciality grains (barley, rye, wheat, oats). Revenue is generated through three streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via shop.bigdropbrew.com and Amazon UK; wholesale retail distribution to UK supermarkets (Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Morrisons, Tesco, Ocado), health retailers (Holland & Barrett, 800+ stores), and international chains (Systembolaget, Albert Heijn, LCBO, Australian and US retailers); and on-trade distribution to pub and restaurant groups including Nando's, Mitchells & Butlers, Fortnum & Mason, The Ivy Group, and Barworks.
The company serves three primary customer segments: health-conscious and mindful drinkers seeking full-flavoured alcohol-free craft beer; retailers and on-trade venues seeking premium, award-winning AF brands; and the broader global non-alcoholic beer market, projected to roughly double to USD 43.9B by 2036. With over 40 international awards including four "World's Best" titles at the World Beer Awards, distribution across 10,000+ locations in the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada, and the USA, and a portfolio expanded via the World Collab Series of partnerships with established craft brewers, Big Drop operates as a category-defining brand in alcohol-free craft beer. The company is privately held, having raised a £500k seed round in December 2018 and exceeded targets in two Seedrs equity crowdfunding campaigns (March 2020 and November 2022, the latter approximately $3.05M).
Big Drop Brewing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Drop Brewing
- Legal name
- Big Drop Brewing Company Limited
- Website
- https://bigdropbrew.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Big Drop Brewing is a UK-based alcohol-free craft brewery founded in 2016, producing 0.5% ABV beers across multiple styles using proprietary full-fermentation brewing. It distributes in 10,000+ retail and on-trade locations across the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada, and the USA, with direct-to-consumer e-commerce alongside wholesale.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Drop Brewing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Alcohol-Free Craft Beer
- NAICS
- Breweries (312120)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alcohol-Free & Low-Alcohol Beer/Wine/Spirits Production (AFAFAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)
Keywords
Where Big Drop Brewing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ipswich
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Big Drop Brewing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Big Drop operates its own online shop (shop.bigdropbrew.com) and Amazon UK storefront to sell directly to consumers. Customers can purchase individual cans/bottles and packs for home delivery.
- Retail and On-Trade Distribution: Big Drop supplies its 0.5% ABV craft beer range to supermarkets (Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Morrisons, Ocado), health retailers (Holland & Barrett), pub groups (Mitchells & Butlers, Nando's, Draft House), restaurant chains (The Ivy Group, Hakkasan, Fortnum & Mason), and on-trade venues across the UK and internationally.
- Crowdfunding Investment: Big Drop sought investment through Seedrs to fund expansion and product development, allowing fans and investors to take a stake in the business.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Direct-to-Consumer Online Shop |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Holland & Barrett Retail Listing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Big Drop Brewing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Drop Brewing Co. produces a range of alcohol-free craft beers at 0.5% ABV across multiple styles including IPA, Stout, Pale Ale, Lager, Brown Ale, Golden Ale, Porter, Sour, and seasonal editions. The company brews its beer through full fermentation at low alcohol strength rather than removing alcohol after brewing, preserving depth of flavour. Products are sold through a direct-to-consumer online shop, Amazon UK, major UK supermarkets, on-trade venues, and international retail partners across Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States.
Product overview
Big Drop Brewing Co. is a UK-based alcohol-free craft brewery founded in October 2016, dedicated exclusively to making 0.5% ABV beer. The company produces a diverse portfolio of alcohol-free beer styles including Stout (Galactic Milk Stout), Lager (Reef Point Craft Lager, Uptime Craft Lager), Pale Ale (Pine Trail Pale Ale), IPA (Paradiso Citra IPA, Tailwind IPA, Waterslide), Brown Ale (Woodcutter Brown Ale), Golden Ale (Fieldhopper Golden Ale), Hazelnut Porter (Off Piste Hazelnut Porter), Sour (Double Strike Sour), and seasonal/limited editions. The company pioneered brewing techniques to make alcohol-free craft beer without artificial alcohol removal, using over 20 speciality grains (barley, rye, wheat, oats) across its range. Products are distributed in the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada, and USA through major retailers, pub chains, and online channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- World Collab Series: A limited edition collaboration series with leading full-strength craft brewers worldwide, curated by award-winning beer writer Melissa Cole.
Products and services
- Paradiso Citra IPA Flagship 0.5% ABV IPA featuring citrus fruit aromas and bright, sharp bitterness. Award-winning World Beer Awards Style Winner with gluten-free and vegan-friendly options. 31 IBU and 11 calories per 330ml.
- Pine Trail Pale Ale Alcohol-free Pale Ale featuring rosy floral aromas, light limey citrus bite, and balanced bitterness. Brewed with Magnum, Mosaic and Amarillo hops. 42 IBU, 61 calories per 330ml. Gluten-free.
- Galactic Milk Stout Rich, unctuous milk stout with honeycomb and chocolate flavours, made with Brambling Cross hops, cocoa nibs, and lactose. Less than 20PPM gluten. 35 IBU, 102 calories per serving. Multiple World's Best awards.
- Reef Point Craft Lager Golden lager with soft honey aroma and robust malt backbone, balanced with gentle bitterness from noble hops and delicate citrus notes. 23 IBU and 13 calories per 330ml.
- Coba Maya Cerveza Mexican-style crisp, clean lawnmower lager with straw colour, balanced malt punch, and spicy herbal noble hop aroma. USA-exclusive regional product. 37 IBU.
- Woodcutter Brown Ale Malt-focused brown ale with toasty aroma, soft grassy hop notes, and malty palate with fruit and caramel. Australian-exclusive regional product. 17 IBU.
- Fieldhopper Golden Ale English-style golden ale with earthy honey flavours from East Kent Goldings hops, balanced bitterness, and delicate orange blossom and grapefruit aroma. 18 IBU.
- Double Strike Sour Sour beer with clean white grape aroma, hints of fresh white bread, and lemon curd-like sourness. Designed as a gateway sour and aperitif style. 53 IBU.
- Off Piste Hazelnut Porter Luxurious porter combining chocolate notes with hazelnut flavour for a chocolate-bar-in-glass experience. Features Challenger hops. 10 IBU.
- Good Things Irish Stout Traditional dry Irish stout style with soft creamy caramel-coloured head, bittersweet chocolate aroma, and rich roasted coffee finish. 75 calories.
- Tailwind IPA Crisp, refreshing IPA with lemon zest and tropical pineapple scents and subtle bitterness. Features Chinook, Cascade and Willamette hops. 40 IBU.
- Waterslide Juice bomb IPA with Southern Hemisphere and New World hops. Features sherbet fruit aromas, tropical notes, and delicate lingering lemongrass bitter finish. Uses Wai-iti, Calypso, Motueka, Ekuanot and Victoria Secret hops. 60 IBU.
- Wildtrack American Pale Ale West coast-style American Pale Ale with gentle, understated drier balanced malt finish. Features Chinook, Columbus and Centennial hops delivering pine resin and tropical notes. 30 IBU.
- Poolside DDH IPA Double dry-hopped summer IPA with tropical flavours, pineapple, citrus, pine and stone fruit aromas. Features Azacca, Chinook, Mosaic and Motueka hops. 62 IBU.
- Kodama IPL Summer India Pale Lager with honey undertones from German speciality malts, Japanese Sorachi Ace hops providing citrus and orange, balanced with gooseberry and white wine from Nelson Sauvin. 34 IBU.
- Firesider Pumpkin Spiced Ale Autumn seasonal ale brewed with pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and toasted malts. Warm, subtle bitterness for fireplace relaxation. 110 calories.
- Kinzig Gateau Stout Limited edition stout with vanilla aroma, decadent chocolate flavour, and dark cherry undertones reminiscent of Black Forest Gateau. 140 calories.
- Paradis'Mo Citra IPA Special edition Movember twist on Paradiso IPA, featuring citrus fruit notes and bright sharp bitterness. Supports men's health awareness as Big Drop's official AF Beer of Movember.
- Leafkicker Amber Ale Coffee-infused amber ale collaboration with London-based Square Mile Coffee Roasters. Features Red Brick Seasonal Espresso blend with earthy tones, fresh rain, and vanilla notes alongside Citra hops.
Quantifiable outcome
- Big Drop's Pale Ale was named World's Best Pale Beer (low strength) at the World Beer Awards 2017, beating full-strength competitors in blind tastings.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Big Drop Brewing
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Big Drop Brewing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Big Drop Brewing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered notable.
- Square Mile Coffee RoastersnotableBig Drop launched a collaboration brew with London-based Square Mile Coffee Roasters, producing the Leafkicker Coffee Flavoured Amber Ale in September 2021. This is part of Big Drop's broader World Collab Series strategy of working with leading full-strength craft brewers and specialty partners.
- Einstök (Iceland)notableEinstök is one of the Nordic breweries featured in Big Drop's World Collab Series #2 — The Nordics. A collaboration brew Arctic Beach Coconut Stout was produced.
- Hop Notch (Iceland)notableHop Notch is one of the Nordic breweries featured in Big Drop's World Collab Series #2 — The Nordics. A collaboration brew Fläderlätt Elderflower IPA was produced.
- Amundsen (Norway)notableAmundsen is one of the Nordic breweries featured in Big Drop's World Collab Series #2 — The Nordics. A collaboration brew Rush Rider Pastry Sour was produced.
- Fat Lizard (Finland)notableFat Lizard is one of the Nordic breweries featured in Big Drop's World Collab Series #2 — The Nordics. A collaboration brew Rye'd Said Fred Juniper Rye IPA was produced.
- Fourpure (UK)notableFourpure is one of the UK breweries featured in Big Drop's World Collab Series #1 — The United Kingdom, curated by Melissa Cole. A collaboration brew Big River Black IPA was produced.
- Fyne Ales (UK)notableFyne Ales is one of the UK breweries featured in Big Drop's World Collab Series #1 — The United Kingdom, curated by Melissa Cole. A collaboration brew Jam Session Raspberry Gose was produced.
- Harbour Brewing (UK)notableHarbour Brewing is one of the UK breweries featured in Big Drop's World Collab Series #1 — The United Kingdom, curated by Melissa Cole. A collaboration brew Going Swimmingly Hibiscus Saison was produced.
- Salt (Manchester, UK)notableSalt is one of the UK breweries featured in Big Drop's World Collab Series #1 — The United Kingdom, curated by Melissa Cole. A collaboration brew L'il IPL India Pale Lager was produced.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Big Drop Brewing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Athletic Brewing Company: The leading US dedicated alcohol-free craft brewery, operating a vertically integrated model with broad retail distribution. Most direct comparability to Big Drop as a category-defining, exclusively alcohol-free craft brand targeting the same sober-curious consumer.
- Partake Brewing: Canadian alcohol-free craft brewery producing a multi-style 0.0% ABV range. Directly comparable to Big Drop on product format (non-alcoholic craft beer across styles), target consumer, and retail distribution model.
- Heaps Normal: Australian alcohol-free craft beer brand with broad supermarket and on-trade listings. Comparable to Big Drop on geography expansion trajectory (Australia launch 2020), product format, and craft positioning against incumbent brewers.
- Nirvana Brewery: UK-based alcohol-free craft brewery producing a multi-style 0.0% ABV range. Direct UK domestic peer competing for the same supermarket and on-trade listings as Big Drop.
- Days Brewing Co: UK-based alcohol-free craft lager and pale ale producer with listings in major UK supermarkets. Direct UK domestic competitor with overlapping retail channel strategy and product positioning.
- Surreal Brewing Company: US-based alcohol-free craft brewery offering a wide range of styles (IPA, Stout, Lager). Comparable to Big Drop on multi-style craft approach and direct-to-consumer plus retail distribution.
- Bravus Brewing Company: US-based dedicated non-alcoholic craft brewery producing lagers, IPAs, and stouts. Comparable on category focus (exclusively non-alcoholic craft), product range breadth, and target consumer.
- Wellbeing Brewing Company: US non-alcoholic craft brewery producing a multi-style AF beer range. Comparable to Big Drop on craft positioning, product format, and US retail expansion overlap.
- Two Roots Brewing: US-based alcohol-free craft brewery producing lagers, IPAs, and stouts with national distribution. Comparable on product format, target consumer, and US retail channel strategy.
Broad incumbents
- Clausthaler: Long-established German alcohol-free beer brand owned by Radeberger Gruppe (Dr. Oetker). Comparable as a broad incumbent in the alcohol-free beer category with multi-market distribution and significantly larger scale than Big Drop, but lacking Big Drop's craft positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Big Drop Brewing social profiles
Digital presenceBig Drop Brewing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Drop Brewing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Big Drop Brewing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Drop Brewing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Big Drop Brewing
What does Big Drop Brewing do?
Big Drop Brewing Co. produces a range of alcohol-free craft beers at 0.5% ABV across multiple styles including IPA, Stout, Pale Ale, Lager, Brown Ale, Golden Ale, Porter, Sour, and seasonal editions. The company brews its beer through full fermentation at low alcohol strength rather than removing alcohol after brewing, preserving depth of flavour. Products are sold through a direct-to-consumer online shop, Amazon UK, major UK supermarkets, on-trade venues, and international retail partners across Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States.
Is Big Drop Brewing a public or private company?
Big Drop Brewing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Big Drop Brewing founded?
Big Drop Brewing was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Big Drop Brewing based?
Big Drop Brewing is headquartered in Ipswich, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Big Drop Brewing make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce is the primary driver. The others are retail and On-Trade Distribution and crowdfunding Investment.
Who are Big Drop Brewing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Athletic Brewing Company, Partake Brewing, Heaps Normal, Nirvana Brewery, Days Brewing Co, Surreal Brewing Company, Bravus Brewing Company, Wellbeing Brewing Company and Two Roots Brewing. Clausthaler is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Big Drop Brewing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Drop Brewing.
What industry is Big Drop Brewing in?
Big Drop Brewing's product category is Alcohol-Free Craft Beer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAJ, Alcohol-Free & Low-Alcohol Beer/Wine/Spirits Production, with a secondary code of CRADAIAA, Beer Brewing & Brands. Its NAICS code is 312120 and its SIC code is 2082.