New Glarus Brewing

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.

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

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

• Craft beer production
• Wisconsin craft brewery
• Malt beverage manufacturing
• Brewery merchandise retail
• Specialty fruit beer

Headquarters

HQ city

New Glarus

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Sprecher BreweryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 March 2026Collaborative 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)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Kellogg 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)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 May 2025Old 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 BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2025Foxtown 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

Direct 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

• Instagraminstagram.com/newglarusbrewing
• Xx.com/newglarusbeer
• Facebookfacebook.com/newglarusbrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-glarus-brewing-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 New Glarus Brewing