Hops & Grain

What Hops & Grain does

Hops & Grain is a craft brewery founded in Austin, Texas in 2011 by Josh Hare with $325,000 of initial capital. The company operates a portfolio of year-round, seasonal, and experimental beers including Lupulin Rodeo IPA, Haze County Double IPA, The One They Call Zoe pale lager, A Pale Mosaic IPA, River Beer premium lager, and PorterCulture, alongside sub-brand lines such as the federally trademarked Dispensary Series hoppy beers, the Pellets & Powder hop exploration series, and barrel-aged Volumes of Oak and mixed-culture Volumes of Funk programs. Production is anchored at the East Austin brewery on Calles Street, with a second San Marcos facility opened in 2019 that ceased operations in 2020; the Austin taproom closed in December 2020 as the company shifted to production and wholesale distribution. The brewery differentiates through science-driven quality control (PCR-based spoilage detection, spectrophotometry, yeast cell counting, a proprietary AGU sensory rating system, and novel fermentation dry-hopping), sustainability leadership (first Austin brewery to join 1% for the Planet and to deploy Earthly Labs CiCi carbon capture), and community-rooted brand building (River Beer conservation donations, Guild leadership by the founder).

Revenue is generated through three streams: wholesale beer sales to Texas distributors (Capitol Wright, Faust, Houston Distribution) and Colorado distributor Crooked Stave Artisan Distributors; off-premise packaged beer sold through Central Texas retail partners; and, prior to December 2020, on-premise taproom sales including tours, private events, and beer-to-go. Pricing for taproom reservations was disclosed at $20 per person (credited toward the tab), while packaged and wholesale beer prices were not publicly disclosed. Customers are primarily local and regional craft beer enthusiasts and the bars, restaurants, and retailers that serve them, with secondary relationships to environmental non-profits via the 1% for the Planet program.

The company's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer taproom experience (now wound down), channel-partner wholesale distribution across Texas and into Colorado, and event-driven marketing at festivals such as the Texas Craft Brewers Festival and the Great American Beer Festival. Distribution gaps remain in nearby Texas markets such as San Antonio, Waco, and Temple, indicating both untapped regional potential and a constrained physical footprint at present.

Name

Hops & Grain

Legal name

HOPS • GRAIN, LLC

Website

https://hopsandgrain.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hops & Grain is an Austin, Texas craft brewery founded in 2011 by Josh Hare, producing year-round, seasonal, and experimental beers distributed through Texas and Colorado wholesalers and Central Texas retailers after closing its Austin taproom in December 2020.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Artisan lagers
• Hop-forward IPAs
• Barrel-aged beers
• Mixed culture saisons

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Taproom Sales: Direct sales of beer for on-site consumption including pints, flights, and pitchers. Also includes coffee, Italian sodas, and cocoa during seasonal periods.
2. Beer To-Go: Sale of canned beer, 6-packs, crowlers (32oz), and growlers (32oz and 64oz) from taproom. Also limited bottle releases of barrel-aged beers.
3. Wholesale/Distribution: Sale of packaged beer to distributors (Capitol Wright, Faust, Houston Distribution) who resell to retailers and bars/restaurants across Texas. Also distribution to Colorado via CSA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hops & Grain is an Austin, Texas-based craft brewery that brews and sells a portfolio of beers including year-round IPAs (Lupulin Rodeo, Haze County Double IPA), pale lagers (The One They Call Zoe, River Beer), porters (PorterCulture), and specialty series such as the Dispensary Series, Pellets & Powder hop exploration, Volumes of Oak barrel-aged beers, and Volumes of Funk mixed-culture Saisons. Following the 2020 closure of its Austin taproom and San Marcos production facility, the company now focuses on brewing and distributing packaged beer through wholesale partners to retailers across Central Texas and Colorado.

Product overview

Hops & Grain is a craft brewery in Austin, Texas offering a portfolio of beers under two main categories: core year-round products and seasonal/specialty releases. Core offerings include Lupulin Rodeo IPA, Haze County Double IPA, The One They Call Zoe (pale lager), A Pale Mosaic IPA, River Beer (premium lager), and PorterCulture porter. Specialty lines include the Dispensary Series (6 hoppy beers for rotating tap handles) and Pellets & Powder (hop exploration series). Barrel-aged offerings are branded as Volumes of Oak, while mixed-culture sours fall under Volumes of Funk. The brewery also offers canned beer for take-out through its taproom. The company has deployed Earthly Labs CiCi carbon capture technology for sustainability. As of December 2020, the Austin taproom has closed and operations are focused on production and distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dispensary Series: Series of 6 hoppy beers always available including Pale Ale, IPA, and Pilsner variants, trademarked with federal approval
• Lupulin Rodeo IPA
• Haze County Double IPA
• The One They Call Zoe
• A Pale Mosaic
• River Beer
• PorterCulture
• Volumes of Oak
• Volumes of Funk
• Pellets & Powder IPA
• Terpene Dream APA
• Suerte Lager
• Maibock
• Proximity Pilsner
• Bangin Pale
• Son of a Poor Haze Farmer IPA
• Bales of Haze IPA
• Raspberry Kettle Sour
• Mixed Culture Saison

Products and services

• Lupulin Rodeo IPA

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced CO2 costs by over 50%
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Earthly LabscoreTechnology or Integration · 13 November 2018Public benefit corporation providing CiCi carbon capture technology for craft breweries. Hops & Grain was the first brewery to deploy this technology, enabling 50% reduction in CO2 purchases and avoidance of 500,000+ lbs of CO2 emissions over 10 years. Josh Hare serves on Earthly Labs advisory board.
• Crooked Stave Artisan Distributors (CSA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 November 2017Colorado wholesale distribution partner enabling Hops & Grain to enter the Colorado market and Front Range. First shipment successfully delivered during GABF week.
• Capitol Wright DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Austin-area wholesale distribution partner enabling beer sales to retailers and bars/restaurants across the Austin market. One of three Texas wholesale partners mentioned.
• Faust DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Houston-area wholesale distribution partner. One of three Texas wholesale partners mentioned enabling broader market reach.
• Houston Distribution CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Houston-area wholesale distribution partner. One of three Texas wholesale partners mentioned for distribution in Houston area.
• Capitol Reyes DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Distribution and sales partner listed on company contact page. Additional distributor partner for getting beer to market.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Environmental organization that Hops & Grain was the first Austin brewery to join, committing to donate 1% of annual revenue to local environmental non-profits.
• Local Environmental Non-ProfitscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Various local environmental non-profits receive donations as part of 1% for the Planet membership and ongoing community engagement.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Austin Beerworks: Austin-based craft brewery with year-round IPAs (e.g., Pearl-Snap, Fire Eagle) and a comparable taproom-plus-wholesale GTM; directly competes with Hops & Grain for the same Austin craft drinker and the same Texas DSD shelves via overlapping wholesalers.
• 512 Brewing: Small Austin craft brewery selling hop-forward and seasonal beers through taproom and Texas wholesale, overlapping Hops & Grain on customer segment (Austin craft enthusiasts), distribution channels, and product format (cans/6-packs).
• Independence Brewing: Austin craft brewery similarly founded around the same period with comparable year-round and seasonal beer portfolio, DSD distribution across Texas, and taproom presence; close peer for size, geography, and category.
• Live Oak Brewing: Austin-area craft brewery with comparable DSD distribution across Texas and a similar mix of flagship and specialty beers; overlapping wholesale partners in the Austin market make it a close competitor for shelf and tap.
• Jester King Brewery: Austin craft brewery specializing in mixed-culture, oak-aged, and wild ales — directly overlapping with Hops & Grain's Volumes of Funk / brettanomyces program on product positioning, target drinker, and on-premise/event marketing.
• Saint Arnold Brewing Company: Houston-based craft brewery with statewide Texas DSD distribution and a year-round plus specialty portfolio that competes with Hops & Grain for Houston-area on-premise and retail placement through Faust and Houston Distribution.
• Karbach Brewing: Houston craft brewery with broad Texas DSD coverage and large-scale hop-forward lineup, competing for the same retailers and bar accounts in Hops & Grain's Houston channel and pressuring shelf velocity with deeper marketing budgets.
• Real Ale Brewing: Blanco, TX craft brewery with year-round IPAs and barrel-aged specialty programs; overlaps Hops & Grain's central Texas wholesale footprint, mixed-culture/barrel-aging specialty line, and sustainability/branding positioning.
• Deep Ellum Brewing: Dallas-based craft brewery with Texas-wide distribution via DSD and a hop-forward flagship line (e.g., IPA), competing for the same Texas craft drinker and for off-premise shelf space in overlapping regional markets.

Broad incumbents

• Firestone Walker Brewing: Large regional craft brewery with deep barrel-aging programs (similar to Volumes of Oak) and broader distribution reach; competes at the upper end of Hops & Grain's specialty positioning from a much larger scale and capital base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hopsandgrain
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hopsandgrainbrewing
• Facebookfacebook.com/hopsandgrain
• Instagraminstagram.com/hopsandgrain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hops-and-grain-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 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 Hops & Grain