Full Circle Brewing Co

What Full Circle Brewing Co does

Full Circle Brewing Co. is a Fresno, California-based craft brewery founded in 2000 that, under CEO Arthur Moye since his 2016 acquisition, has grown into the largest Black-owned craft brewery in the United States. The company operates a single 25,000+ barrel-capacity production facility producing a portfolio of beers organized into named series — Captain Save a Hop (West Coast IPA, NE IPA, Imperial Punch), Bomb (Peach, Mango, Pina fruit-forward IPAs), Illa (Milkshake IPAs), Pie of the Tiger (sour ales), and the Vibe series — alongside lower-ABV releases such as Victory Vibes blonde ale and Peachy Vibes wheat ale.

Through its 2022 merger with Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, Full Circle absorbed the Speakeasy craft beer label and Sonoma Cider brand, materially expanding its brand portfolio and shelf presence. Revenue is generated across four channels: on-premise taproom sales and live entertainment events at its Fresno venue, wholesale distribution to 15 wholesalers across 7 states, placement in major West Coast retailers and big box stores, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce via fullcircle2go.com with local delivery, taproom pickup, and California-wide shipping.

The business model is a multi-channel CPG operation with a community/identity-driven brand layer. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but revenue mechanics are pure unit sales (cases, kegs, pints, event tickets, online orders). The company also operates a live entertainment venue, hosting signature events such as the Black History BBQ Cook-Off, concerts, and private bookings, which functions as both a direct revenue stream and a community engagement and brand-building asset.

Name

Full Circle Brewing Co

Legal name

Full Circle Brewing Co.

Website

https://fullcirclebrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Full Circle Brewing Co. is a Fresno, California-based craft brewery and live entertainment venue that produces and distributes its own beer plus the Speakeasy and Sonoma Cider brands across seven states, serving wholesale distributors, major retailers, and direct-to-consumer customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer & Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Craft brewery
• Craft beer distribution
• Taproom events
• Live entertainment venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Fresno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Craft Beer Sales: Full-scale production craft brewery selling beer through multiple channels including taproom, retail stores, restaurants, and wholesale distribution across seven states. Family of brands includes Speakeasy and Sonoma Cider.
2. Taproom & Events: Live entertainment venue hosting events, private bookings, and on-site beer sales at the Fresno taproom location.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Sells to 15 wholesalers across seven states; products available in major retailers and big box stores across the West Coast.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Full Circle Brewing Co. is a full-scale production craft brewery that manufactures and sells a portfolio of craft beers (Captain Save a Hop IPA series, Bomb series, Illa Milkshake IPA series, Pie of the Tiger Sour series, Victory Vibes Blonde Ale, Juicy NE IPA, Peachy Vibes Wheat Ale, and the acquired Speakeasy and Sonoma Cider brands). The company distributes its beers through 15 wholesalers across 7 states, major West Coast retailers, an on-site taproom with live entertainment events, and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site (fullcircle2go.com) with local delivery and California-wide shipping.

Product overview

Full Circle Brewing Co. is the largest Black-owned craft brewing company in the United States, operating as a full-scale production craft brewery and live entertainment venue headquartered in Fresno, California. The company produces a portfolio of craft beers organized into several product series: the Captain Save a Hop series (West Coast IPA, NE IPA/Hazy, and Imperial Punch variants), the Bomb series (Peach Bomb, Mango Bomb, Pina Bomb fruit-forward IPAs), the Illa series (Strawberry, Blueberry, and Vanilla Milkshake IPAs), and the Pie of the Tiger series (Apricot and Nectarine Sour Ales). The company also offers Victory Vibes, a blonde ale created in partnership with Bulldog Bread Collective. Additional offerings include the core Juicy NE IPA and Peachy Vibes wheat ale. Through acquisition, the company expanded its family of brands to include Speakeasy and Sonoma Cider. The company operates a taproom venue for events and offers direct-to-consumer sales through its online store with local delivery, taproom pickup, and California-wide shipping options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Victory Vibes: A crushable blonde ale created in partnership with Bulldog Bread Collective to support Fresno State student-athletes through the NIL landscape.
• Captain Series
• Vibe Series
• Bomb Series
• Illa Series
• Pie of the Tiger Series

Products and services

• Victory Vibes Blonde Ale 5.0% ABV crushable blonde ale brewed in partnership with Bulldog Bread Collective to support Fresno State student-athletes through NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) initiatives.
• Captain Save a Hop West Coast IPA West Coast IPA at 7.0% ABV brewed with Azacca and Amarillo hops, featuring tangy citrus hops and a clean, flavorful profile.
• Captain Save a Hop Hazy (NE IPA) New England IPA at 7.0% ABV crafted with malts, oats, Mosaic Incognito, and Centennial hops. Features tropical cyclone of flavors with notes of pineapple, mandarin, exotic fruits, blueberry, and pine.
• Captain Save a Hop Imperial Punch Imperial NE IPA at 10% ABV with tropical aromas of mango, pineapple, orange, and passionfruit. Brewed with Lotus, Mosaic, Chinook, Citra, and Azacca hops.
• Juicy (NE IPA) New England IPA at 6.6% ABV. An aromatic, unfiltered, opaque beer with notes of ripe fruits and bright citrus, soft drinkable bitterness, and dry finish.
• Peachy Vibes (Wheat Ale) German-style wheat ale at 4.7% ABV brewed with locally grown Central Valley peaches and fuggle hops. Clean, crisp, and fruity.
• Strawberry Illa (Milkshake IPA) Milkshake IPA at 6.5% ABV featuring vanilla, lactose, and strawberry-forward sweetness reminiscent of strawberry candy.
• Blueberry Illa (Milkshake IPA) Milkshake IPA with blueberries, hops, vanilla, and lactose creating blueberry, orange, and cream notes with pleasant mouthfeel and mild hoppy finish.
• Illa Vanilla (Milkshake IPA) Milkshake IPA with hops, vanilla, and lactose creating orange and cream notes with pleasant mouthfeel and mildly hoppy finish.
• Peach Bomb (Imperial IPA) Imperial IPA at 9.5% ABV, a hazy double IPA with a high amount of peach, described as a 'PULP FREE' hazy DIPA.
• Mango Bomb (Hazy IPA) Hazy IPA at 7.0% ABV dry-hopped with Azacca hops and fortified with over 200 pounds of mango puree. Features estery burst of rich pineapple flavor and bright tropical sweetness.
• Pina Bomb (Hazy Double IPA) Hazy Double IPA dry-hopped to the extreme, infused with freshly toasted coconut and fortified with pineapple puree.
• Apricot Pie of the Tiger (Sour Ale) Sour Ale at 6.0% ABV brewed with apricot puree, cinnamon, and lactose. Features slightly acidic front balanced with smooth hint of cinnamon and pie crust.
• Nectarine Pie of the Tiger (Sour Ale) Sour Ale featuring tree-fulls of nectarine puree with notes of cinnamon, creating a tart summer pie experience.
• Speakeasy (Acquired Brand) Craft beer brand acquired through the 2022 merger with Speakeasy Ales & Lagers; part of Full Circle's family of brands distributed through major West Coast retailers.
• Sonoma Cider (Acquired Brand) Hard cider brand available under Full Circle's family of brands, distributed through major retailers across the West Coast.
• Taproom & Event Venue Full-scale production craft brewery with live entertainment venue at 620 F St (and 712 Fulton St), Fresno, CA. Offers event booking for parties, concerts, and community gatherings with on-site beer sales.
• Online Beer Ordering & Delivery Direct-to-consumer online ordering through fullcircle2go.com offering local delivery, taproom pickup, and California-wide shipping.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,800% growth since 2016 under CEO Arthur Moye
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bulldog Bread CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2024Partnership to launch Victory Vibes, a crushable blonde ale benefiting Fresno State student athletes. Bulldog Bread Collective is a NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) entity founded by former Fresno State athlete Chris Pacheco and run by former Quarterback Marcus McMaryion. A portion of proceeds from each beer sold goes to benefit Fresno State student-athletes through various NIL initiatives. This partnership supports student athletes and addresses funding and opportunity gaps for athletes of color.
• Speakeasy Ales and LagerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Merged with Speakeasy Ales and Lagers in 2022, making Full Circle Brewing the Nation's largest black-owned brewery. This strategic partnership brought additional brands under the Full Circle family and expanded distribution capabilities.
• Block 15 Brewing (Corvallis, Oregon)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration beer created for Brews for New Avenues event - a Belgian Farmhouse Ale with black currants. This was a one-time collaboration for a charitable craft beer event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BrewDog: Large craft brewery with global distribution and branded taproom venues. Comparable in combining craft beer production with venue-based experiences and brand-driven marketing.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. One of the largest U.S. craft brewers with national distribution, a taproom, and large-scale production capacity. Comparable to Full Circle in product format and route-to-market, though far larger and more established.
• Lagunitas Brewing Company: Major craft brewery owned by AB InBev with multi-state distribution and taproom venues. Comparable in production scale and distribution footprint, with deeper marketing resources.
• New Belgium Brewing Company: Large craft brewer (now owned by Lion) with national distribution and a taproom business. Comparable to Full Circle's multi-state production and brand portfolio approach.

Direct peers

• Firestone Walker Brewing Company: Regional California-based craft brewery with multi-state distribution, a taproom, and live entertainment programming. Highly comparable to Full Circle in scale, distribution model, and event-driven GTM.
• Stone Brewing: California craft brewery with West Coast and national distribution and an emphasis on IPAs — overlapping with Full Circle's Captain Save a Hop and Bomb series. Similar production scale and brand positioning.
• Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. Mid-sized craft brewer known for IPAs and high-gravity specialty beers with regional distribution. Comparable product mix (IPAs, fruited/sour styles) and a similar scale tier to Full Circle.
• Harlem Brewing Company: Black-owned craft brewery with regional distribution and a community-focused brand identity. The closest peer to Full Circle on the 'Black-owned craft brewery' dimension, though at smaller scale.
• 21st Amendment Brewery: San Francisco Bay Area craft brewery with a taproom, distribution, and an emphasis on approachable craft styles. Comparable to Full Circle in California geography, production scale, and taproom-plus-distribution model.

Emerging players

• Athletic Brewing Company: Fast-growing craft brewer (non-alcoholic focus) with national distribution and a strong brand-led marketing playbook. Comparable to Full Circle in scale-up trajectory, retail distribution strategy, and brand storytelling, though in a different product category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FullCircleBrews
• Facebookfacebook.com/FullCircleBrewingCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/full-circle-brewing-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/fullcirclebrewingco
• TikToktiktok.com/@fullcirclebrewingco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Full Circle Brewing Co