What Wiseacre Brewing does

Wiseacre Brewing Co. is a Memphis, Tennessee-based craft brewery founded in 2013 by brothers Davin and Kellan Bartosch. The company produces a portfolio of craft beers anchored by light-colored lagers — most notably Tiny Bomb American Pilsner (the #4 best-selling craft pilsner nationwide) and Sky Dog Premium Lager (Gold Medal winner for America's Best Light Lager at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival, 99 calories) — leveraging water from the Memphis Sands Aquifer, an underground source naturally filtered through fine grain sand over approximately 3,000 years. The company has accumulated four national and international medals and has broadened its portfolio into seasonal releases (Oktoberfest, Azazel, Gotta Get Up to Get Down), specialty beers (Astronaut Status barrel-aged Imperial Stout), and non-alcoholic and adjacent beverages including Hop Zip (zero-calorie hop water), Cold Brew Coffee (developed with Metropolis Coffee), and The Set Up (99-calorie sparkling cocktails).

The company operates two owned taprooms in Memphis — the Downtown HQ at 398 S B.B. King Blvd (paired with Little Bettie Pizza and Snacks) and the OG Broad Avenue taproom at 2783 Broad Ave (paired with Panuzzo King sandwich kitchen) — generating direct-to-consumer revenue. Wholesale distribution is executed through regional distributor partners across more than 20 U.S. states (including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, and D.C.), with named partners including Eagle Distributing, Tri-Star, Lakeshore Beverage, Gulf Distributing, Central Distributing, and Clark Distributing. Ancillary revenue streams include direct keg sales, an online merchandise store (powered by Square), private events at both taprooms, brewery tours, and a charitable giving program. In July 2025, Wiseacre acquired Bearded Iris (Nashville-based craft brewery) for an undisclosed amount, marking the company's first disclosed M&A transaction and signaling a shift toward inorganic growth alongside its wholesale and product-line expansion.

Name

Wiseacre Brewing

Legal name

Wiseacre Brewing Co

Website

http://wiseacrebrew.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wiseacre Brewing Co. is a Memphis-based craft brewery founded in 2013 by brothers Davin and Kellan Bartosch, specializing in light lagers made with Memphis Sands Aquifer water. It operates two taprooms, distributes across 20+ U.S. states, and offers core, seasonal, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Lager production
• Taproom operations
• Craft brewery distribution
• Non-alcoholic beverages

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

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. Direct Taproom Sales: Wiseacre operates two taprooms in Memphis where they sell beer directly to consumers for on-premise consumption, along with food service through Little Bettie Pizza and Panuzzo King sandwich kitchen.
2. Merchandise E-commerce: The company operates an online shop selling apparel, accessories, drinkware, stickers, signs, and gift cards with shipping across the continental US.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Wiseacre sells its packaged and canned beer through a network of regional distributors to retailers, restaurants, and bars across 20+ states.
4. Keg Sales: Direct keg sales to consumers and retailers through their website, with pickup available at taproom locations.
5. Private Events: Venue rental and event services for private bookings at taproom spaces, including staffing, drink service, and catering coordination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wiseacre Brewing is an independent craft brewery that manufactures and sells award-winning packaged and draft beer under its own brand. It operates two company-owned taprooms in Memphis, Tennessee with integrated food service (Little Bettie Pizza and Panuzzo King), distributes its canned and kegged beer through regional wholesalers to retailers and restaurants across 20+ US states, and sells merchandise, kegs directly to consumers, and hosts private events.

Product overview

Wiseacre Brewing Co is a craft brewery based in Memphis, TN, founded by brothers Davin & Kellan Bartosch. The company specializes in crisp, light-colored lagers, leveraging the exceptional water from the Memphis Sands Aquifer. Their core beer portfolio includes flagship products Tiny Bomb (American Pilsner, #4 best-selling craft pilsner nationwide) and Sky Dog Premium Lager (Gold Medal-winning light lager). Seasonal offerings include Oktoberfest, Astronaut Status (barrel-aged Imperial Stout), and specialty releases. The company has expanded into non-alcoholic alternatives including Hop Zip (hop water), Cold Brew Coffee, and The Set Up (sparkling liquor-based beverages). Their taproom experience integrates food services through Little Bettie Pizza and Panuzzo King sandwich kitchen. Additional revenue streams include keg sales, online merchandise, private events, brewery tours, and a charitable giving program. Distribution spans 23+ states across the US.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Little Bettie: Pizza and snacks kitchen operating at the Downtown HQ Taproom location
• Panuzzo King
• The Set Up
• Hop Zip

Products and services

• Tiny Bomb American Pilsner Balanced American Pilsner made with German pilsner malt and local wildflower honey, delivering crisp cereal malt flavors balanced by spicy floral hops. Targeted at craft beer enthusiasts and everyday drinkers.
• Sky Dog Premium Lager Refreshing light lager brewed with North American two-row barley malt, corn, and Czech Saaz hops. Only 99 calories, targeted at health-conscious adult beer drinkers seeking a craft alternative to macro light lagers.
• Oktoberfest Gemutlichkeit Märzen-style German amber lager with rich toasted bread malt flavor and mild sweetness at 6% ABV and 22 IBU. Seasonal offering for craft beer enthusiasts.
• Hop Zip Completely non-alcoholic sparkling hop water made with Mosaic hops, with zero alcohol, sugar, calories, and carbs. Targeted at non-alcohol consumers, designated drivers, and health-conscious drinkers.
• Cold Brew Coffee Smooth cold brewed coffee made in partnership with Metropolis Coffee, slightly tart with roast and peanut buttery finish. Caffeinated non-beer beverage available year-round for non-alcohol consumers and coffee drinkers.
• The Set Up 99-calorie liquor-based sparkling beverages that are 0 sugar, 0 carbs, and gluten free. Non-beer alcoholic alternative aimed at non-beer drinkers in brewery settings.
• Astronaut Status Barrel-aged Imperial Stout aged 10 months in bourbon barrels, with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, cherry, coconut, toasted marshmallow, and chocolate at 10% ABV. Specialty offering for craft enthusiasts seeking high-end styles.
• Memphis Sands Crisp, clean pale lager brewed with water from the Memphis Sands Aquifer, with very low bitterness and malt flavors of bread and crackers at 5.1% ABV. Core lager for craft beer enthusiasts.
• Gotta Get Up to Get Down Coffee Milk Stout featuring Ethiopian Konga region coffee with blueberry pie flavors, built on added lactose and oats for a silky medium body. Seasonal craft beer offering.
• Azazel Strong Belgian Golden Ale with super-fruity flavors of pear, bubblegum, over-ripe mango, and spice from Belgian yeast at 8.3% ABV. Seasonal craft beer offering.
• Holy Candy

Quantifiable outcome

• Tiny Bomb is the #4 best-selling craft pilsner nationwide
• +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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gulf DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor for Alabama and Florida Panhandle, distributing Wiseacre beer to retailers and restaurants in these territories.
• Eagle Distributing (Memphis)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary Memphis-area distributor for Wiseacre beer products, serving the local market where the brewery is headquartered.
• Tri-Star DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor covering Clarksville, Cookeville, and Chattanooga, Tennessee markets.
• Lakeshore BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIllinois distributor handling Wiseacre beer distribution in the Chicago metropolitan area.
• Central DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJackson, Tennessee regional distributor for Wiseacre beer products.
• Metropolis Coffee CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoffee supplier and development partner for Wiseacre's cold brew coffee project, providing expertise in coffee sourcing and brewing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. One of the largest U.S. craft breweries with national distribution and a diversified lager, IPA, and seasonal portfolio. Comparable to Wiseacre as a craft producer built around flagship brands, food-friendly taprooms, and broad wholesaler-led reach.
• New Belgium Brewing: Large craft brewer (Fat Tire, Voodoo Ranger) with national distribution and an integrated taproom experience. Relevant peer for a regional craft brewer scaling through flagship lager/Pilsner brands and diversifying into non-alcoholic and seasonal offerings.
• Stone Brewing: Large Southern California craft brewer with broad U.S. distribution and taproom/hospitality venues. Comparable to Wiseacre as an established craft incumbent using flagship brands and experiential on-premise operations to maintain national relevance.
• Yuengling & Son: America's largest independently owned brewery with strong regional heritage and national expansion in light lager (Yuengling Light). Highly relevant comparator for Wiseacre's strategic positioning against a heritage light-lager brand scaling nationally.
• Lagunitas Brewing Company: Major craft brewery with national distribution, flagship IPA and Pilsner offerings, and taproom experience. Comparable to Wiseacre as a craft brewer that scaled through flagship styles and diversified into non-alcoholic and lower-calorie products.

Direct peers

• Bell's Brewery: Independent craft brewer with strong Midwest roots, broad regional distribution, and a flagship light/colorful lager line (Bell's Light) plus extensive award-winning portfolio. Closely matches Wiseacre's regional-brewery-plus-taproom model and focus on approachable, light-bodied styles.
• Founders Brewing Co. Michigan-based craft brewery with national distribution and taproom experience. Comparable as a regionally anchored craft brewer leveraging flagship brands (e.g., All Day IPA) and event-driven on-premise operations to scale beyond its home market.
• SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta-based craft brewery distributing across the Southeast and broader U.S. with a taproom experience. Highly comparable to Wiseacre given the Southern U.S. regional footprint, distribution-led growth model, and emphasis on flagship IPAs and lagers.
• Memphis Made Brewing Co. Direct Memphis-based craft brewery competitor operating its own taproom and local distribution. Closest local peer to Wiseacre with overlapping geography, taproom model, and Memphis identity-driven branding.
• Bearded Iris Brewing: Nashville-based craft brewery acquired by Wiseacre in July 2025; was a direct craft peer known for hazy IPAs and a taproom experience. Remains relevant as the integrated second brand within Wiseacre's portfolio and a comparable craft brewery in the Tennessee market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wiseacrebrew
• Facebookfacebook.com/Wiseacre-Brewing-Company-119247578256714
• Instagraminstagram.com/wiseacrebrewingcompany
• Pinterestpinterest.com/wiseacrememphis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wiseacre

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Wiseacre Brewing