Backpocket Brewing

What Backpocket Brewing does

Backpocket Brewing is a privately held Iowa craft brewery that produces and sells beer through both direct-to-consumer taprooms and wholesale retail distribution across the Midwest. Founded in 2008 as Old Man River Restaurant and Brewery in McGregor, Iowa, the company relocated to Coralville in 2012 and rebranded as Backpocket Brewing, expanding from a 7-barrel brew house to a 30-barrel production facility. Its beer portfolio is organized into four lines: year-round core beers (including Bubba Hazy IPA, Slingshot Dark Lager, Tipsy in Tijuana, and Tipsy After Dark), seasonal releases (Lemon-Made Shandy, Pumpkin Spiced Ale, Pretzel Stout, Hawktoberfest, Winter Lager), officially licensed Iowa State University Cyclones beers (Forever True, Cyclone Power, Hilton Magic), and the Raygun Cat Series of limited experimental sours and hazy IPAs co-developed with regional retailer Raygun since 2017. A 2023 World Beer Cup gold medal (Pumpkin Beer category for Pumpkin Spiced Ale) anchors its quality credentials.

The company operates three taproom locations in Iowa: the Waterloo Brewery & Taproom at the historic Wonder Bread building (production brewery and taproom), the Dubuque Pin & Pixel taproom in the Millworks District, and the Johnston Pin & Pixel taproom featuring arcade games and duckpin bowling. Distribution extends across Midwestern retail shelves through wholesale partnerships, supplemented by an online merchandise storefront. Revenue is generated through one-time beer sales (taproom and wholesale), taproom transaction revenue (on-site consumption, food service, entertainment), and merchandise sales. In November 2024 Backpocket acquired PeaceTree Brewing, and effective January 1, 2026 the company consolidated operations with SingleSpeed Brewing under The Brewery @ WonderBread brand in Waterloo, expanding production capacity from 5,500 to 12,000-14,000 barrels annually with municipal grant support of $750,000 and an additional 15 jobs in the Cedar Valley area.

Name

Backpocket Brewing

Legal name

Backpocket Brewing

Website

https://backpocketbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Backpocket Brewing is an Iowa craft brewery producing core, seasonal, Iowa State University licensed, and Raygun-collaborative beers, sold through three Iowa taprooms and Midwest wholesale distribution, with production capacity expanding to 12,000-14,000 barrels after its 2026 WonderBread consolidation with SingleSpeed and PeaceTree Brewing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF), Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Taproom operations
• Beer distribution
• Brewery merchandise
• Seasonal beer releases

Headquarters

HQ city

Coralville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Revenue model

1. Beer Sales: Sale of craft beer through taproom direct sales and distribution to retail stores across the Midwest region.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of brewery merchandise including apparel, glassware, and accessories through online storefront.
3. Taproom Revenue: On-site beer sales, food service, and entertainment at taproom locations including Pin & Pixel entertainment venues.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Backpocket Brewing is an Iowa craft brewery that produces and sells craft beer through four main product lines (Core Beers, Seasonal Beers, Iowa State University licensed beers, and the Raygun Series). The company operates taproom locations across Iowa and distributes canned and bottled beer through wholesale partners across the Midwest, supplemented by branded merchandise sales.

Product overview

Backpocket Brewing is an Iowa craft brewery offering a portfolio of beer products organized into four main lines: Core Beers (year-round offerings including Hazy IPA, Lagers, and Mexican Style Lagers), Seasonal Beers (limited-time releases like Shandy, Pumpkin Ale, Stout, and seasonal Lagers), Iowa State University Beers (officially licensed Blonde Ales for Cyclones fans), and Raygun Series (collaborative cat-themed sour beers). The company operates three taproom locations (Waterloo production brewery, Dubuque Pin & Pixel arcade taproom, Johnston Pin & Pixel with bowling), an online merchandise store, and as of 2026 has consolidated with SingleSpeed Brewing and PeaceTree Brewing under The Brewery @ WonderBread brand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pin & Pixel: Entertainment concept featuring arcade games and duckpin bowling lanes at taproom locations
• Raygun Series
• The Brewery @ WonderBread

Products and services

• Core Beers Year-round core beer lineup including Bubba (Hazy IPA), Gold Coin (Blonde Lager), Slingshot (Dark Lager), Tipsy After Dark (Dark Mexican Style Lager), and Tipsy in Tijuana (Mexican Style Lager) targeted at everyday craft beer consumers.
• Seasonal Beers Limited-time seasonal releases including Lemon-Made Shandy (Shandy, Feb-Aug), Pumpkin Spiced Ale (Aug-Nov), Pretzel Stout (Sept-Nov), Hawktoberfest (Fall), and Winter Lager (Oct-Feb) targeted at craft beer enthusiasts seeking variety.
• Iowa State University Beers Officially licensed craft beer series for Iowa State Cyclones fans including Forever True (Blonde Ale), Cyclone Power (limited edition Blonde Ale), and Hilton Magic (limited edition Blonde Ale) targeted at Iowa State University fans and alumni.
• Raygun Series Collaborative cat-themed beer series with Raygun featuring quarterly limited-quantity releases including Strawberry Shortcat (Dessert Sour) and Tiki Sour Cat (Tropical Sour), available on tap and in cans, targeted at experimental beer drinkers.
• Waterloo Brewery & Taproom Main production brewery and taproom located at 325 Commercial Street in the historic Wonder Bread building in downtown Waterloo, Iowa. Open Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-8pm. Open to consumers for on-site beer consumption, food service, and merchandise purchases.
• Dubuque Backpocket Pin & Pixel Satellite taproom in the historic Millworks District in Dubuque, Iowa featuring 16 rotating handles of craft beer and vintage arcade games. No kitchen on site. Targeted at craft beer consumers seeking entertainment alongside their beer.
• Johnston Backpocket Pin & Pixel

Segments3 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.

• SingleSpeed BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 December 2025Combined operations with SingleSpeed Brewing and PeaceTree Brewing under The Brewery @ WonderBread brand in Waterloo, Iowa. Effective January 1, 2026, creating one of the largest craft brewery operations in Iowa with expanded production capacity from 5,500 to 12,000-14,000 barrels annually.
• PeaceTree BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Acquired by Backpocket Brewing in November 2024 and consolidated with SingleSpeed Brewing operations at The Brewery @ WonderBread in Waterloo, Iowa. Part of major consolidation effort to expand brewing capabilities.
• RayguncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Collaborative Raygun Cat Series launched in 2017 featuring cat-themed beers with creative designs from Raygun. Series includes full-flavored experimental beers like sours and hazy IPAs, released quarterly in limited quantities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bell's Brewery: Michigan-based craft incumbent (now part of Lion) with broad Midwest retail distribution. Comparable as a larger craft competitor in Backpocket's core wholesale geography.
• New Belgium Brewing: National craft brewery owned by Kirin. Competes with Backpocket on Midwest retail shelves and in taproom-style brand experiences, but at much larger scale and as a broad portfolio incumbent.

Direct peers

• PeaceTree Brewing: Iowa craft brewery acquired by Backpocket in November 2024 and now co-located at The Brewery @ WonderBread. Comparable in scale, Iowa footprint, and taproom-plus-distribution model.
• Exile Brewing: Des Moines, Iowa craft brewery operating a downtown brewery and taproom plus regional distribution. Comparable scale and on-premise + wholesale GTM motion.
• SingleSpeed Brewing: Waterloo, Iowa craft brewery that is one of Backpocket's two co-consolidation partners under The Brewery @ WonderBread. Operates a similar scale of taproom and Midwest distribution, making it the closest direct comparable.
• Toppling Goliath Brewing: Decorah, Iowa craft brewery widely regarded as one of the state's largest and most award-winning producers. Direct Iowa regional peer with similar emphasis on quality, taprooms, and national craft recognition.
• Confluence Brewing: Des Moines-based craft brewery with taproom and Iowa/Midwest distribution. Comparable in size, regional distribution model, and taproom-led brand-building approach.
• Big Grove Brewery: Iowa City-based craft brewery with multiple Iowa taprooms and statewide distribution. Highly comparable on multi-location taproom strategy and Midwest retail presence.
• Millstream Brewing: Amana, Iowa craft brewery—one of Iowa's oldest craft operations—with taproom and regional distribution. Closely comparable legacy craft producer in the same state.

Regional players

• Boiler Brewing Company: Lincoln, Nebraska craft brewery with taproom and regional distribution. Comparable in size and model, serving an adjacent Midwest geography rather than Iowa directly.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BackpocketBrew
• Facebookfacebook.com/BackpocketBrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/backpocket-brewing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Backpocket Brewing