Bell's Brewery

Name

Bell's Brewery

Legal name

New Belgium Brewing Company, Inc.

Website

https://bellsbeer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• American IPA
• Stout and porter
• Seasonal wheat ale
• Brewery taproom

Headquarters

HQ city

Galesburg

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

Revenue model

1. Beer Sales: Bell's generates primary revenue through the sale of packaged and draught craft beers through retail stores, bars, restaurants, and direct-to-consumer sales at their taproom locations.
2. Merchandise: The company sells branded merchandise including apparel, wall art, bar gear, and pet swag through its online store.
3. On-site Food & Beverage: Revenue from the Eccentric Café which offers eclectic pub grub alongside Bell's beers, with private event bookings for corporate events, weddings, and gatherings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bell's Brewery produces and sells a portfolio of craft beers — including year-round IPAs and ales (Two Hearted IPA, Amber Ale, Kalamazoo Stout, Porter), the Hearted IPA family, wheat ales (Oberon), limited releases (Hopslam, Octoberfest, Christmas Ale, Expedition Stout), and seasonal varieties — distributed across all 50 U.S. states via 200+ wholesalers and sold direct-to-consumer through the Eccentric Café taproom, brewery tours, and an online store for beer and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Bell's Brewery is a craft beer company offering a diverse portfolio of beer products centered around its iconic IPA family and classic styles. The core product line consists of year-round offerings including the flagship Two Hearted IPA (named America's #1 Beer in 2017), the Hearted IPA family (Big Hearted, Hazy Hearted IPA, Light Hearted IPA, Cold Hearted), Amber Ale (the original 1985 beer), Kalamazoo Stout, Porter, Best Brown Ale, Flyover Light Lager, and Lager for the Lakes. Limited time offerings include the celebrated Hopslam Ale Double IPA (launched 2006), Oberon Ale (seasonal wheat ale), Octoberfest, Christmas Ale, Expedition Stout, Special Double Cream Stout, Cherry Stout, and Eclipse. The product portfolio is available through variety packs including the Hearted IPA Variety Pack featuring four Hearted IPAs plus exclusives. Bell's joined New Belgium Brewing in 2022, operating as a division while maintaining its independent spirit and Michigan-based brewing operations in Kalamazoo and Comstock.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Upper Hand Brewery: A sister brewery offering a different line of beers, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (Escanaba).

Products and services

• Two Hearted IPA Brewed and dry hopped with 100% Centennial hops; named after fishing waters in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Bell's flagship year-round American IPA named #1 Beer in America by the American Homebrewers Association in 2017.
• Oberon Ale Iconic seasonal wheat ale brewed with wheat malt, hops, water, and signature house ale yeast; bright orange color with citrusy, smooth, refreshing character. Released annually on Oberon Day in March to mark the start of summer.
• Hopslam Ale — Double IPA Double IPA brewed with six hops varietals and a dollop of honey; among the first Double IPAs to see wide distribution and a seasonal bellwether for Bell's limited releases.
• Citrus Hopslam Double IPA slammed with Citra and Nectaron hops, featuring big notes of orange and grapefruit; modern citrus variant celebrating 20 years of Hopslam.
• Cold Hearted Cold IPA brewed with lager yeast, fermented at cooler temperatures, then cold filtered and dry hopped; combines hop-forward IPA character with clean lager finish.
• Hazy Hearted IPA Hazy IPA with tropical and fruity aromas that finishes smooth; brewed with water, malt, hops, wheat, and oats, available in 6-pk and 12-pk cans.
• Light Hearted IPA Lo-Cal IPA with only 110 calories, brewed with Centennial and Galaxy hops for citrus and pine aromas; offers light-beer calories with craft-beer flavor.
• Big Hearted Imperial IPA featuring citrus and berry hop aromas with slight bitterness; intentional expansion of the Two Hearted legacy into a higher-ABV variant.
• Amber Ale The first beer brewed at Bell's in 1985, known as 'the beer that built the brewery'; toasted and sweet caramel notes balanced with herbal and citrus hop aromas.
• Kalamazoo Stout Smooth, full-bodied stout named after Kalamazoo; offers dark chocolate and freshly roasted coffee aromas balanced with significant hop presence.
• Porter — Robust Porter Award-winning robust porter bridging malty brown ales and heavily roasted stouts; notes of chocolate, coffee, and roasted barley offset with slight hop bitterness.
• Best Brown Ale Well-balanced brown ale bridging the gap between lighter-bodied beers and malty stouts; smooth, toasty beer with hints of cocoa and caramel.
• Flyover Light Lager Light lager grounded in Midwest living, delivering crisp and smooth un-fussy refreshment as a year-round light lager.
• Lager for the Lakes Smooth American Lager with a clean finish; designed to bring summer year-round as a year-round style.
• Oberon Light Ale Light wheat ale with only 99 calories, citrus aromatics, and a mouthwatering finish; notes of fresh orange and citrus peel with light wheat bread balance.
• Eclipse Raspberry Wheat Ale Raspberry Wheat Ale fermented with signature house ale yeast; subtle bright raspberry notes complement the wheat malt for a balanced, easy-drinking refresher.
• Expedition Stout One of the earliest examples of Russian Imperial Stouts in the United States; immensely complex flavors crafted specifically with aging in mind (10.5% ABV), with unlimited shelf life.
• Special Double Cream Stout Velvety, creamy-textured stout brewed with 10 different specialty roasted malts imparting notes of rich mocha and espresso; completely dairy-free.
• Christmas Ale Traditional Scotch Ale rich and malty with notes of caramel and a warm finish; designed to make any occasion festive.
• Cherry Stout Tinted ruby-black stout gaining signature tartness from 100% Montmorency cherries grown in Michigan's Traverse City region; tart cherry counterpoints dark chocolate notes.
• Octoberfest Beer Traditional Märzen lager with rich German malt flavors and crisp hop aromas, spending a full six weeks in fermentation vessels maturing; a fall seasonal festival tradition.
• Hearted IPA Variety Pack Variety pack featuring four Hearted IPAs (Two Hearted, Hazy Hearted, Big Hearted, Light Hearted) plus exclusive SMaSH Hearted (Single Malt and Single Hop) and Change of Heart: New Zealand IPA.
• Eccentric Café Taproom & Private Events Downtown Kalamazoo taproom at the original Bell's brewery offering 20+ Bell's beers on draught, pub food at the café, a beer garden, concert venue, brewery tours, and private event space for corporate events, weddings, and gatherings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bell's Two Hearted IPA ranked #1 Beer in America by American Homebrewers Association
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• New Belgium Brewing CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Bell's joined forces with New Belgium Brewing in early 2022. While Bell's remains independent in many ways, the two iconic breweries are integrating as one company with shared policies, benefits, and programs. Bell's operates as a division of New Belgium, which is owned by Kirin Holdings. Bell's website and terms of service are maintained by New Belgium Brewing Company, Inc.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Founders Brewing Co. Michigan-based craft brewery of comparable size with a strong IPA portfolio (All Day IPA, Centennial IPA) and similar national distribution via wholesalers. Closest direct peer on regional heritage, IPA focus, and craft scale.
• New Belgium Brewing: Bell's parent company since 2022 and one of the largest U.S. craft brewers (Fat Tire, Voodoo Ranger). Directly comparable on craft scale, IPA-forward portfolio, and national distribution footprint.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Iconic craft brewer founded 1979 with national distribution, a strong IPA portfolio (Hazy Little Thing, Pale Ale), and similar commitment to sustainability. Closest peer on national craft scale and brand equity depth.
• Stone Brewing: California-based craft brewer historically famous for its hop-forward IPAs (Ruination, Arrogant Bastard) with comparable national craft scale and a similar emphasis on hop-forward style leadership.
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: East Coast craft brewer known for 60 Minute/90 Minute IPAs and experimental limited releases. Similar in scale, innovation cadence, and reliance on a flagship IPA brand family; now part of The Boston Beer Company.
• Lagunitas Brewing Company: Northern California craft brewer known for IPA and Sumpin' Easy, with broad national distribution and ownership under Heineken. Comparable scale and IPA-led brand portfolio.
• Deschutes Brewery: Oregon craft brewer with broad regional-to-national distribution and a strong lineup of IPAs and stouts. Comparable craft scale and similar brand-equity-driven portfolio.

Emerging players

• Three Floyds Brewing: Indiana craft brewer recognized for hop-forward IPAs (Zombie Dust) and barrel-aged stouts. Comparable IPA-focused innovation and Midwest roots, but with smaller geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Short's Brewing Co. Michigan craft brewer with strong local identity and eclectic portfolio. Overlaps with Bell's on Michigan regional market and craft consumer base, but operates primarily within the state.
• SweetWater Brewing Company: Southeast craft brewer (Atlanta) with a national-leaning distribution footprint and strong IPA lineup (IPA, Hazy IPA). Comparable in craft scale but primarily serves the southeastern U.S. market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BellsBreweryInc
• Instagraminstagram.com/bellsbrewery
• Xx.com/BellsBrewery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bellsbrewery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Bell's Brewery