What Lakefront Brewery does

Lakefront Brewery is a Milwaukee-based craft brewery founded in 1987 by brothers Russ and Jim Klisch, producing and distributing a diverse portfolio of alcoholic, non-alcoholic, gluten-free, and hemp-derived THC beverages. Its core product set spans year-round flagships (Riverwest Stein Amber Lager, Eastside Dark Bavarian Dark Lager, the IPA family including Hazy/Royal/Tropical Rabbit), seasonal offerings (Lakefront Maibock, Oktoberfest, Pumpkin Lager, Snake Chaser Stout, Weissconsin), an extensive barrel-aged and Brewers' Reserve limited-release program (including annual Black Friday releases), the New Grist gluten-free line (the first gluten-free beer approved by the US government), a growing non-alcoholic portfolio, and the High Jinx Delta-9 THC beverage. The company is a Certified B Corporation and holds Gluten-Free Certification Organization, kosher, and Independent Craft Brewer Seal certifications on relevant SKUs.

Name

Lakefront Brewery

Legal name

Lakefront Brewery, Inc.

Website

https://lakefrontbrewery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Gluten-free beer
• Non-alcoholic beer
• Barrel-aged beer
• Brewery tours hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beer Sales (Direct to Consumer): On-site taproom and Beer Hall sales directly to consumers visiting the Milwaukee brewery location, including draft pours, packaged beer to-go, and crowlers.
2. Food Service (Beer Hall Restaurant): Restaurant and food service operations in the Beer Hall serving Milwaukee favorites including fish fries, cheese curds, and full menu. Operates as counter service during the week and table service on Friday Fish Fry nights.
3. Brewery Tours: Award-winning brewery tours generating revenue through ticket sales. Tours are $13 on weekdays and $16 on weekends, including four 8oz pours and a souvenir pint glass.
4. Wholesale Distribution: Distribution of packaged and draft beer to retailers, restaurants, and bars through wholesale relationships across multiple U.S. states.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online and on-site sales of branded merchandise including clothing, drinkware, home goods, and other items through the company's e-commerce storefront.
6. Special Events and Private Bookings: Revenue from private events, catering services, Date Night in Bernie's Chalet reservations, and the Curds à la Carte rental service for off-site events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lakefront Brewery produces and distributes a diverse portfolio of craft beer, including year-round flagships (Riverwest Stein, Eastside Dark, IPA, Hazy Rabbit), the New Grist gluten-free line (the first gluten-free beer approved by the US government), non-alcoholic beers (Extended Play NA, Eastside Dark NA, Riverwest Stein NA), seasonal and barrel-aged limited releases, and a hemp-derived Delta-9 THC beverage (High Jinx). The Milwaukee brewery also operates a Beer Hall restaurant, award-winning brewery tours, a cheese curd food truck (CurdWagon), private event spaces, and an e-commerce merchandise storefront.

Product overview

Lakefront Brewery is a Milwaukee-based craft brewery founded in 1987 offering a diverse portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages alongside hospitality services. The core product line centers on year-round flagship beers including Riverwest Stein Amber Lager, Eastside Dark Bavarian Dark Lager, and the IPA family (IPA, Hazy Rabbit, Royal Rabbit, Tropical Rabbit). A significant differentiator is the New Grist gluten-free beer line—the first gluten-free beer approved by the US government—featuring New Grist Pilsner, New Grist IPA, and New Grist Radler. Non-alcoholic offerings include Extended Play NA, Eastside Dark NA, and Riverwest Stein NA. Seasonal and limited releases encompass Lakefront Maibock, Oktoberfest, Pumpkin Lager, Nitro series (Creamsicle, Pumpkin Pie, Honey Nut Beerios), and barrel-aged specialty beers. The Brewers' Reserve Series and annual Black Friday releases represent premium small-batch offerings. Hospitality services include the Beer Hall restaurant, award-winning brewery tours, CurdWagon food truck, and event spaces. The company also produces High Jinx, a hemp-derived Delta-9 THC beverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• New Grist: Gluten-free beer line including Pilsner, IPA, and Radler varieties, first brewed in 2005. It was the first gluten-free beer given approval by the US government for production.

Products and services

• Riverwest Stein Amber Lager Lakefront's flagship year-round Amber Lager with medium body, caramel malt sweetness, pleasing hop notes, and a crisp lager finish. First brewed in 1987.
• Eastside Dark Bavarian Dark Lager Year-round Bohemian-style dark lager blending three specialty grains. Lakefront's most award-winning beer with multiple European Beer Star Gold Medals.
• Dive Beer Milwaukee Lager Year-round all-malt Premium Lager with light body, smooth clean lager finish, and imported noble hops. First brewed in 2024.
• Hazy Rabbit Hazy IPA Year-round Hazy IPA with flaked oats providing creamy mouthfeel and Mosaic, El Dorado, Azacca, and Cashmere hops delivering ripe citrus and tropical fruit flavors. ABV 6.6%.
• IPA India Pale Ale Year-round well-balanced IPA with Cascade, Chinook, Citra, and Cashmere hops providing nice bite with smooth body and malty flavor. ABV 6.7%.
• Royal Rabbit Imperial Hazy IPA Year-round Imperial Hazy IPA with double the juicy hops and flaked oats for creamy mouthfeel, featuring El Dorado, Mosaic, Azacca, and Cashmere hops. ABV 8.6%.
• Tropical Rabbit Tropical IPA Year-round Tropical IPA with mild malt body and Eclipse, Galaxy, and Vic Secret hops delivering flavors of sweet orange, ripe pineapple, and juicy peach. ABV 6.8%.
• Bumble Bear Honey Brown Ale Year-round medium-bodied Honey Brown Ale with fresh-baked biscuits, clover honey, and chocolatey, toasty malt notes. Winner of Good Food Awards 2023. ABV 5.0%.
• New Grist Gluten-Free Pilsner Year-round gluten-free Pilsner, the first gluten-free beer approved by the US government, brewed without wheat or barley using sorghum, rice, and malted millet. First brewed 2005.
• New Grist IPA Gluten-Free IPA Year-round gluten-free IPA packing citrus, pine, and dank flavors using late boil Citra, Idaho 7, and Mosaic hops. First brewed 2024. ABV 6.5%.
• New Grist Radler Gluten-Free Grapefruit Radler Year-round gluten-free grapefruit radler combining grapefruit soda with New Grist ale for a refreshing citrus and crackery rice malt flavor. ABV 3.0%.
• Extended Play NA Pale Ale Near Beer Year-round non-alcoholic pale ale delivering hoppy IPA goodness with citrus forward flavor and light caramel malt. ABV less than 0.5%.
• Riverwest Stein NA Amber Near Beer Year-round non-alcoholic version of flagship Riverwest Stein with medium-light body, caramel malt sweetness, and crisp near-lager finish. Grand Champion for Non-Alcoholic Beer 2024.
• Eastside Dark NA Dark Near Beer Year-round non-alcoholic Bavarian dark-inspired near beer blending three specialty grains for a rich, smooth dark brew. ABV less than 0.5%.
• High Jinx Lime Lemonade THC Beverage Hemp-derived Delta-9 THC beverage blending tart and sweet citrus flavors, containing 10mg Delta-9 THC per can. Made with legal hemp-derived THC under the 2018 Farm Bill, independently lab-tested.
• Lakefront Maibock German-Style Lager Seasonal German-style Maibock lager celebrating spring with robust malty-sweetness and mild balanced hoppiness. Available January-March. ABV 6.8%.
• Oktoberfest Märzen Style Seasonal traditional Märzen-style lager with Vienna and Munich malt and German Saphir hops. Winner of 2024 Milwaukee Business Journal Oktoberfest Beer Bracket Challenge. Available August-October.
• Pumpkin Lager Spiced Lager Seasonal spiced lager made with real pumpkin and pie spice featuring cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, and candied yam flavors. First brewed 1987. ABV 6.1%.
• Bourbon Barrel-Aged Honey Bock Barrel-Aged Series German-inspired strong lager brewed with honey, Vienna, Munich, and caramel malt, rested in bourbon barrels. Picks up vanilla, oak, almonds, and pipe tobacco notes. ABV 11.2%.
• Barrel-Aged Holiday Spice Barrel-aged winter warmer brewed with cinnamon, orange zest, clove, and honey, then brandy barrel aged. Winner of Best in the Midwest for Spice Beer 2024. ABV 10.5%.
• Brandy Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Imperial Ale Barrel-Aged Series imperial pumpkin ale with brandy barrel aging featuring pumpkin pie spice, caramel malt, and oaky-vanilla brandy flavors. Available in August. ABV 11.6%.
• Lakefront Brewery Beer Hall & Restaurant On-site Milwaukee Beer Hall restaurant offering counter service, Friday Fish Fry, private events, catering, and Wisconsin favorites including award-winning cheese curds. Open to all visitors.
• America's Favorite Brewery Tour Award-winning 50-minute guided brewery tour including four 8oz beer pours and a souvenir pint glass. Weekday $13, weekend $16. Available 7 days a week in multiple languages.
• CurdWagon Food Truck Cheese curd food truck serving midwestern-inspired eats on the patio during warmer months. Went completely gluten-free in 2024.
• Curds À La Carte Converted hot dog cart rental service for off-site private events, serving award-winning fried cheese curds. Available April through October.
• Lakefront Brewery Online Merchandise Store E-commerce storefront offering Lakefront Brewery branded merchandise including clothing, drinkware, and home goods, available online and on-site.

Quantifiable outcome

• First gluten-free beer approved by US government for production
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Badger State BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration brew with Badger State Brewing on the 'Gold Package' Golden Lager, a Pilsner, Light Munich, and Vienna malt golden brew with fresh bread and honey flavors.
• Great Lakes Distillery (Rehorst)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakefront's Brewers' Reserve Grand Cru is aged in Great Lakes Distillery Rehorst Barrel-Aged Gin Barrels for 6 months, bringing juniper and coriander notes from the gin barrel aging process.
• Pink Boots SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrawBharbie strawberry rhubarb ale was brewed for the 2026 Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day. A portion of proceeds from sales of this beer go to the Pink Boots Society, supporting women in the beer industry.
• Friends of Wisconsin State ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakefront Brewery's State Parks Crowler Initiative donates $10 per crowler purchased to Friends of Wisconsin State Parks, with the company matching customer donations for a total $10 donation. The company also includes Wisconsin State Park passes in random 12-packs and 15-packs of beer.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New Belgium Brewing: Fort Collins-based craft brewery comparable to Lakefront in scale and category breadth, with a similar emphasis on sustainability (Certified B Corp prior to its Tilray transaction), wide multi-state distribution, and a flagship plus seasonals mix. Closely comparable on business model: production brewery plus taproom/tours plus distributed craft portfolio.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Independent craft pioneer with multi-state distribution and a portfolio spanning year-round flagships, seasonals, and limited barrel-aged releases; operates on-site taprooms and brewery tours. Comparable to Lakefront in product structure, sustainability positioning, and regional-multi-state distribution footprint.
• Great Lakes Brewing Company: Cleveland-based craft brewery founded in 1988 with a Midwest distribution footprint, on-premise pub, and brewery tours. Closely comparable to Lakefront on geographic anchor in the Midwest, year-round-plus-seasonal portfolio, and integrated hospitality offering.
• Bell's Brewery: Michigan-based craft brewery acquired by Lion (Kirin), with deep Midwest roots, multi-state distribution, year-round and seasonals, and an iconic flagship (Two Hearted). Comparable to Lakefront on regional craft production scale and category overlap (IPAs, stouts, seasonals).
• Lagunitas Brewing Company: California-based craft brewery (now part of Heineken-owned HIJOS DE RIVERA portfolio via various transactions historically) with broad distribution across the U.S. and integrated taprooms. Comparable to Lakefront in product breadth, multi-state wholesale penetration, and brewery tour/taproom experience business.
• Stone Brewing: San Diego craft brewery with multi-state U.S. distribution, year-round and seasonals lineup, and on-site restaurants/taprooms. Comparable to Lakefront on portfolio depth, award-winning branding, and integrated hospitality stack.
• Capital Brewery: Wisconsin-based craft brewery (Middleton) with a strong regional Wisconsin/Midwest distribution footprint, German-style lagers and seasonal lineup, and on-site Bier Garten/tours. Direct regional peer to Lakefront in geography, brewing style focus, and tour-and-taproom business model.
• Ale Asylum: Madison, Wisconsin craft brewery with Midwest regional distribution and taproom presence. Direct regional peer to Lakefront on Wisconsin craft category competition, multi-channel distribution, and on-premise business mix.
• Boulevard Brewing Company: Kansas City craft brewery with multi-state distribution, year-round and seasonals, and an on-site Beer Hall/tour experience. Comparable to Lakefront on integrated hospitality, category breadth, and regional-to-national distribution arc.
• Deschutes Brewery: Oregon-based regional craft brewery with multi-state distribution, year-round and seasonals, and an integrated pub/taproom and tour business. Comparable to Lakefront on size, portfolio breadth, and direct-to-consumer + wholesale mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lakefront
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lakefrontbrewery
• Facebookfacebook.com/lakefront
• Instagraminstagram.com/lakefrontbrewery

Compliance5 records

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&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Lakefront Brewery