Mad River Brewing

What Mad River Brewing does

Paskenta Mad River Brewing Company LLC operates a tribally-owned, women-led independent craft brewery founded in 1989 in Blue Lake, Humboldt County, California, and owned since March 2024 by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians (previously held by the Yurok Tribe from October 2019). Core products include the flagship Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, Jamaica Red Ale, Historic State Park IPA, Canyon of Dreams Double IPA, the recently introduced Maize Goddess Indigenous Ale (a new beer style featuring regeneratively grown red Aztec corn from the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska's Ioway Farms), and the Undammed craft-brewed hopped hard seltzer line tied to Klamath River restoration advocacy. Production runs on small-batch brewing processes with new commercial canning capacity operational since the end of summer 2025, supporting ~30,000 barrels annually against pandemic-era lows of 15,000-18,000 barrels.

Revenue is generated across four streams: wholesale craft beer and seltzer distribution in California, Oregon, and Washington through regional distributors (Sacanni, Blach, Eagle Distributing, Humboldt Beer Distributors, Heimark, Chrissa Imports); direct taproom and beer garden sales at the Blue Lake flagship including live music, food from partner trucks, and the soft-opened El Chipotle Cerveceria; enterprise B2B tribal-casino sales (Sky River Casino, San Manuel Casino) advancing intertribal commerce; and sports-venue distribution via the SF Giants (Oracle Park), San Jose Barracuda (Tech CU Arena), and Sacramento Kings partnerships. The brewery employs a time-honored, cut-no-corners small-batch approach with Yurok Country Certified sustainability standards and has won 7 WRAP awards, 4 Gold/4 Silver/1 Bronze GABF medals, the 2010 GABF Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year, and two Bronze awards at the World Beer Cup.

Name

Mad River Brewing

Legal name

Paskenta Mad River Brewing Company LLC

Website

https://madriverbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mad River Brewing is a tribally-owned, women-led independent craft brewery in Blue Lake, California, producing award-winning ales and hard seltzers distributed across CA, OR, WA, and via sports-venue and tribal-casino partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blue Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 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 and Seltzer Sales: Core revenue from craft beer and hard seltzer products sold through distribution channels, taproom, and retail locations
2. Taproom Sales: Direct taproom sales of beers, food, and merchandise; hosts events and live music
3. Sports Venue Partnerships: Products sold at professional sports venues (Oracle Park, Tech CU Arena) through partnership agreements
4. Tribal Enterprise Sales: Sales to tribal casinos and enterprises including Sky River Casino and other tribal partners

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Mad River Brewing is a tribally owned craft brewery that hand-crafts award-winning ales and hard seltzers, including flagship Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, Jamaica Red Ale, Historic State Park IPA, Canyon of Dreams Double IPA, and the Maize Goddess Indigenous Ale, plus the Undammed hard seltzer line. The brewery operates a taproom and beer garden in Blue Lake, California, and distributes its products through regional distributors, professional sports venues, tribal enterprises, grocery and convenience stores across California, Oregon, and Washington, with select international distribution.

Product overview

Paskenta Mad River Brewing Company is an Independent Craft Brewery offering a portfolio of award-winning ales and hard seltzers. The core product lineup includes flagship Steelhead Extra Pale Ale (the most decorated ale with 2 Gold and 2 Silver GABF medals), Jamaica Red Ale (Silver GABF Medal winner), Historic State Park IPA, Canyon of Dreams Double IPA (second in California State Park Series), and Maize Goddess Indigenous Ale (new beer style featuring tribally grown corn). The brewery expanded into craft hard seltzers with the Undammed line (Cucumber and Huckleberry flavors), brewed with Perle hops and tied to Klamath River restoration advocacy. Beyond packaged products, the company operates a Tap Room and Beer Garden in Blue Lake, CA (open Mon, Wed-Sun), featuring seasonal pilot system releases exclusive to the taproom. As of 2026, food service is provided through El Chipotle Cerveceria operating within the tap room. The brewery is tribally owned by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians (acquired March 2024 from the Yurok Tribe) and is women-led.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Steelhead Extra Pale Ale Flagship bright golden-hued ale of medium body with subtle floral hop character and very mild bitterness. ABV 5.6%, IBUs 26.2. Available in 6-packs, 12-packs, and 12oz bottle 12-packs for craft beer consumers.
• Jamaica Red Ale Mahogany-hued ale with intense spicy aromatic hop character balanced by full-bodied caramel richness. Silver Medal Winner at the Great American Beer Festival. ABV 6.5%, IBUs 45.3.
• Historic State Park IPA Deep golden-hued IPA with bold grapefruit and fresh citrus aromas, tropical fruit flavors of passionfruit, peach, and ripe melon. Supports California State Parks co-management partnership. ABV 6.6%, IBUs 36.8.
• Canyon of Dreams Double IPA Imperial Pale Ale, malty, hoppy, and robust with dry-hopped Amarillo hops for a fresh piney flavor and citrus aroma. ABV 8.6%, IBU 95.2. Named in Food & Beverage Magazine winners list for 2025.
• Maize Goddess Indigenous Ale A light golden cerveza celebrating women and Indigenous cultures, featuring red Aztec corn sourced from Ioway Farms (Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska), promoting regenerative agriculture and intertribal commerce. ABV 4.3%.
• Undammed Hard Hopped Seltzer Craft-brewed hopped hard seltzer line featuring Cucumber Mint, Ginger, and Huckleberry flavors, brewed with Perle hops. Gluten-free, sugar-free. Tied to Klamath River restoration advocacy. 5% ABV in 16oz 4-packs.
• Tap Room and Beer Garden The brewery's taproom and beer garden in Blue Lake, CA, offering award-winning ales, small-batch seasonal ales, outdoor dining, pet-friendly environment, live music, and food service via El Chipotle Cerveceria. Open Monday and Wednesday-Sunday, closed Tuesdays.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze medals at Great American Beer Festival
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Sacramento KingscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2024In-game activations, theme nights, arena signage, and special samplings at Kings games and concerts. Partnership highlights Indigenous visibility and innovation.
• Yurok TribeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Yurok Tribe sold Mad River Brewery to Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians in March 2024. Previously owned since 2019 through Yurok Agricultural Corporation.
• Mia Bella CupcakesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2024Valentine's Day craft beer and cupcake pairing collaboration. Four mini cupcakes with selection of seasonal brews for $25 package.
• Arcata Main StreetminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2023Partnership for Arcata Bay Oyster Festival. Special 'Shuck It' Indigenous Ale released for event featuring regeneratively grown corn from Ioway Farms.
• Wilton Rancheria (Sky River Casino)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2022Sky River Casino in Elk Grove, CA serves Mad River Brewery beer and seltzer products. Partnership advances intertribal commerce.
• San Manuel Band of Mission IndianscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2022San Manuel Casino serves Mad River Brewery products including Jamaica Red Ale. Partnership builds on historic trade relationship between tribes.
• HenHouse BrewingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2022Collaboration for Inclusion Beer Project through Bay Area Brewers Guild DEI committee. Donation portion went to Yurok Tribe's Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Project.
• Grey Snow Management SolutionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2022Partnership to expand craft beer production and distribution through Midwest distribution warehouse and brewery on Iowa Tribe reservation. Incorporates 21st century technology into traditional trade practices.
• San Jose BarracudaflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2022First AHL team to serve tribal beer. Exclusive bar sponsorship of East Bar at Tech CU Arena. Branded Barracuda Sparkling Ale. Featured in Hoptoberfest craft brewing event.
• San Francisco GiantsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2022First tribal brewery partnership in Major League Baseball. Products sold at Oracle Park including Historic State Park IPA, Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, and Undammed Huckleberry Hard Seltzer. Features in-game activations and Native American heritage celebrations.
• Yurok Tribe Construction CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Acquired Bigfoot Golf Course & Country Club in Willow Creek for tap room development. Phase one includes restaurant conversion to Mad River Brewing tap room.
• California State Parks (Redwood District)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Historic State Park IPA partnership celebrating co-management of Stone Lagoon Visitor Center. Proceeds support park operations. First-of-its-kind joint powers agreement between tribe and state parks.
• Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska (Ioway Farms)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Regeneratively grown corn supply for Maize Goddess Indigenous Ale. Plans for Midwest distribution warehouse and second brewery on reservation. Advances intertribal commerce and regenerative agriculture.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Boston Beer Company: Large publicly traded craft-adjacent brewer producing flagship ales (Sam Adams) and hard seltzers (Truly) — comparable as both a craft ale competitor and a hard seltzer competitor to Undammed.
• Mark Anthony Brands (White Claw): Dominant hard seltzer producer — comparable given Mad River's Undammed hopped hard seltzer line competes in the same category at substantially smaller scale.

Direct peers

• 21st Amendment Brewery: San Francisco-area craft brewery with flagship pale ale and IPA, strong taproom identity, and partnerships with the SF Giants — directly comparable given the shared Bay Area sports-venue footprint.
• Firestone Walker Brewing Company: Award-winning California craft brewer with multiple GABF medals, regional distribution, and taproom operations — directly comparable in product positioning, awards pedigree, and West Coast craft focus.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. California craft brewery with a flagship pale ale, broad distribution, and strong taproom/event experience — closely comparable in product mix, regional roots, and channel strategy to Mad River Brewing.
• Lagunitas Brewing Company: Northern California craft brewery known for flagship IPAs and pale ales, broad multi-state distribution, and a comparable blend of branded packaged beer and taproom experience.
• Anderson Valley Brewing Company: Northern California craft brewer with a similarly small-batch, sustainability-forward identity and regional distribution footprint — comparable in scale, geography, and craft ethos.
• North Coast Brewing Company: Independent California craft brewery with broad regional and national distribution, taproom operations, and a premium positioning in IPA/ale styles similar to Mad River.
• Bear Republic Brewing Company: Independent Sonoma County craft brewery with strong pale ale and IPA lineup, regional California distribution — comparable in scale, California craft heritage, and bar/restaurant focus.

Emerging players

• Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. Native American-women-owned craft brewery in New Mexico — comparable as one of the few tribally-owned craft brewers and similarly Indigenous-led in mission and storytelling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/madriverbrews
• Facebookfacebook.com/madriverbrewing
• Instagraminstagram.com/madriverbrews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mad-river-brewing-co

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Mad River Brewing