New Glarus Brewing
New Glarus Brewing is an employee-owned Wisconsin craft brewery producing ~230,000 barrels annually of Spotted Cow and other flagship beers, distributing exclusively within Wisconsin via wholesale retailers and a direct-to-consumer gift shop, tours, and merchandise store.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersNew Glarus, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What New Glarus Brewing does
New Glarus Brewing Company is a privately held, employee-owned craft brewery founded in 1993 by co-founders Daniel and Deb Carey in New Glarus, Wisconsin. The company produces approximately 230,000 barrels of beer annually across two production sites — the original Riverside Brewery and the 2006-completed Hilltop Brewery — making it the 12th-largest craft brewer in the United States by volume. Its product portfolio spans year-round flagships (notably the Spotted Cow unfiltered farmhouse ale), seasonal releases (Fat Squirrel, Back 40 Bock), limited Thumbprint series, experimental R&D beers produced in the proprietary Wild Fruit Cave, and the Splash fruit-flavored malt beverage line. Distribution is deliberately restricted to the state of Wisconsin, supported by a CO2 reclamation sustainability system and traditional German/Belgian brewing methods.
The company's go-to-market is anchored in wholesale beer sales to Wisconsin retailers, bars, and restaurants (approximately 97% of volume), supplemented by direct-to-consumer channels including a New Glarus gift shop and tasting room, paid Hard Hat brewery tours ($31.65 per person), and a Shopify-powered online merchandise store shipping apparel and accessories to the continental US. The brewery does not ship beer direct to consumers. Customer segments are concentrated in Wisconsin residents and visitors, craft beer enthusiasts, and Wisconsin on-premise/retail accounts. Brand positioning revolves around the trademarked "Only in Wisconsin" exclusivity, reinforced by community initiatives (Oktoberfest, Only in Wisconsin Giving charitable arm), a podcast hosted by Master Brewer Dan Carey, and active Instagram/social presence.
The business is founder-led and now employee-owned following an equity transition by the Careys; there are no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or parent company involvements. Strategic activity is focused on in-state capacity expansion (a $55M HQ addition is reported), product line extensions (Splash malt beverages), selective heritage-tourism and county-parks partnerships (Old World Wisconsin Wittnebel's Tavern, Sprecher Brewery's Traveling Beer Garden), and ESG-aligned collaborations (Kellogg School of Management regenerative agriculture). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; production volume and the scale of the planned HQ build together suggest an estimated annual revenue in the $50M–$100M range.
New Glarus Brewing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- New Glarus Brewing
- Legal name
- New Glarus Brewing Company
- Website
- https://newglarusbrewing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- New Glarus Brewing is an employee-owned Wisconsin craft brewery producing ~230,000 barrels annually of Spotted Cow and other flagship beers, distributing exclusively within Wisconsin via wholesale retailers and a direct-to-consumer gift shop, tours, and merchandise store.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
New Glarus Brewing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA), Beer Retail (Bottle Shops & Beer Merchants) (CRANABAC), Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)
Keywords
Where New Glarus Brewing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Glarus
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
New Glarus Brewing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Beer Sales (Wholesale): Wholesale distribution of beer to Wisconsin retailers, bars, and restaurants. The company sells approximately 97% of production through Wisconsin retailers, with only about 3% sold through the gift shop.
- Merchandise and Gift Shop: Direct sales of branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, drinkware, signs, and home goods through the brewery gift shop and online store
- Hard Hat Tours: Paid guided behind-the-scenes tours of both Riverside and Hilltop breweries with beer and cheese pairing, priced at $31.65 per person
- Only In Wisconsin Giving: Charitable arm that partners with local nonprofits. While not a revenue generator, it supports community relations and brand reputation in Wisconsin
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Hard Hat Tour - guided 3-hour brewery tour with beer and cheese pairing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apparel and merchandise items |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
New Glarus Brewing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
New Glarus Brewing Company is a craft brewery producing a diverse portfolio of handcrafted beers distributed exclusively within Wisconsin. The product lineup includes year-round flagship beers (led by Spotted Cow), seasonal releases, limited-edition Thumbprint Series, experimental R&D beers aged in the Wild Fruit Cave, and Splash fruit-flavored malt beverages. The company also operates an on-site gift shop and online merchandise store selling branded apparel, accessories, drinkware, home goods, signs, outdoor items, and pet products, and offers brewery tours at its New Glarus, Wisconsin facilities.
Product overview
New Glarus Brewing Company is a craft brewery offering a diverse portfolio of handcrafted beers distributed exclusively within Wisconsin. The product portfolio includes year-round flagship beers (led by Spotted Cow), seasonal releases (Fat Squirrel, Back 40 Bock, Cabin Fever), limited-edition Thumbprint Series brews, experimental R&D beers aged in their Wild Fruit Cave, and the Splash Malt Beverage line featuring fruit-flavored malt beverages. The company also operates a merchandise/store division selling branded apparel, accessories, drinkware, home goods, signs, outdoor items, and pet products, plus offers brewery tours and a podcast. The brewery is employee-owned and run by co-founders Daniel and Deb Carey.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Thumbprint Series: Beers brewed in limited batches and never guaranteed to come back.
- R&D Beer
- Splash Malt Beverage
- Year-Round Beers
- Seasonal Beers
Products and services
- Year-Round Beers Flagship beers brewed annually, including Spotted Cow (unfiltered farmhouse ale), Pilsner, Moon Man, Two Women, and Totally Naked — the backbone of New Glarus Brewing's product lineup.
- Seasonal Beers Seasonal specialty beers released based on time of year, including Fat Squirrel (fall/winter), Back 40 Bock (spring), and other holiday-themed offerings such as Cabin Fever, Wassail, Uff-Da, and Staghorn.
Quantifiable outcome
- 230,000 barrels produced annually, ranking 12th among US craft breweries
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use New Glarus Brewing
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
New Glarus Brewing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
New Glarus Brewing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Sprecher BreweryminorCollaborative presence in Milwaukee's Traveling Beer Garden initiative managed by Milwaukee County Parks. New Glarus products are available alongside Sprecher beer through mobile beer trucks repurposed from fire trucks.
- Kellogg School of Management (MBA Students)minorKellogg MBA students conducted a 'Levy Inspiration Trek' visiting New Glarus Brewing Co. as part of exploring regenerative agriculture. The partnership highlights entrepreneurial challenges in sustainable farming and cross-stakeholder collaboration.
- Old World Wisconsin (Wittnebel's Tavern)minorOld World Wisconsin's restored 1906 Wittnebel's Tavern and biergarten features rotating beer selections from New Glarus alongside Foxtown Brewing and Duesterbeck's. This historic park partnership showcases Wisconsin's brewing heritage.
- Foxtown BrewingminorFoxtown Brewing partnered with Old World Wisconsin to brew Kettle Brau, an exclusive beer for Wittnebel's Tavern. Both Foxtown and New Glarus provide rotating selections for the historic venue.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
New Glarus Brewing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bell's Brewery: Mid-size regional craft brewery with a similarly cult flagship (Oberon vs Spotted Cow) and historically limited geographic footprint. Bell's was acquired by Lion in 2022, providing a relevant valuation/comparable signal for mid-size craft with regional brand strength.
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Founding-era craft brewery of comparable scale and family/independently-operated ethos, with broad national distribution and flagship Pale Ale — a directly comparable reference point for craft brewing scale, brand maturity, and product portfolio breadth.
- Great Lakes Brewing Company: Ohio-based regional craft brewery with similar mid-tier size and strong regional brand loyalty, comparable to New Glarus's Wisconsin-only positioning and consistent year-round/seasonal portfolio strategy.
- Deschutes Brewery: Oregon-based craft brewery of similar scale (~300k+ barrels historically), with broad distribution and a comparable specialty/seasonal portfolio. A strong comparable on craft brewery P&L and capacity scaling benchmarks.
- Three Floyds Brewing: Indiana craft brewery with comparable cult brand status and specialty/sour brewing expertise. Similar in scale and brand cachet relative to local market size.
Broad incumbents
- Boston Beer Company: Largest US-independent craft brewer (Samuel Adams). Relevant as the public-market reference for craft brewery economics, though substantially larger and nationally distributed vs New Glarus's regional focus.
- Lagunitas Brewing Company: Major craft brewery (now part of Heineken) with national distribution. Relevant comparable on growth trajectory and portfolio positioning, though significantly larger and geographically broader than New Glarus.
- Stone Brewing: Large craft brewer (acquired by Sapporo in 2022) with broad national distribution and a strong specialty IPA/specialty portfolio. Relevant on craft scale, geographic expansion, and M&A valuation comparables.
Regional players
- Lakefront Brewery: Milwaukee-based Wisconsin craft brewery with similar regional focus, smaller scale, and significant tour/tasting room business. Direct local Wisconsin competitor with overlapping distribution channels.
- Capital Brewery: Middleton, Wisconsin craft brewery specializing in German-style lagers. A direct Wisconsin peer competing for the same regional retail and on-premise accounts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
New Glarus Brewing social profiles
Digital presenceNew Glarus Brewing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
New Glarus Brewing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
New Glarus Brewing subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
New Glarus Brewing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
New Glarus Brewing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about New Glarus Brewing
What does New Glarus Brewing do?
New Glarus Brewing Company is a craft brewery producing a diverse portfolio of handcrafted beers distributed exclusively within Wisconsin. The product lineup includes year-round flagship beers (led by Spotted Cow), seasonal releases, limited-edition Thumbprint Series, experimental R&D beers aged in the Wild Fruit Cave, and Splash fruit-flavored malt beverages. The company also operates an on-site gift shop and online merchandise store selling branded apparel, accessories, drinkware, home goods, signs, outdoor items, and pet products, and offers brewery tours at its New Glarus, Wisconsin facilities.
Is New Glarus Brewing a public or private company?
New Glarus Brewing is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was New Glarus Brewing founded?
New Glarus Brewing was founded in 1993. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is New Glarus Brewing based?
New Glarus Brewing is headquartered in New Glarus, United States, in the North America region.
How does New Glarus Brewing make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Beer Sales (Wholesale) is the primary driver. The others are merchandise and Gift Shop, hard Hat Tours and only In Wisconsin Giving.
Who are New Glarus Brewing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bell's Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Great Lakes Brewing Company, Deschutes Brewery and Three Floyds Brewing. Broad incumbents are Boston Beer Company, Lagunitas Brewing Company and Stone Brewing. Regional players are Lakefront Brewery and Capital Brewery.
Does New Glarus Brewing have an API?
No public API is recorded for New Glarus Brewing.
What industry is New Glarus Brewing in?
New Glarus Brewing's product category is Craft Beer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAA, Beer Brewing & Brands, with a secondary code of AFAFAAAA, Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing. Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.