Lost Worlds Brewing Company

What Lost Worlds Brewing Company does

Lost Worlds Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery founded in April 2020 by Dave Hamme in Cornelius, North Carolina. It operates a 10BBL on-site brewing system that supplies two owned taprooms - the original Cornelius brewery (95-seat indoor taproom plus 150-seat outdoor biergarten) and the Charlotte taproom at Metropolitan in Midtown (4,000 sq ft, opened April 13, 2024) - plus a branded concession taproom at Truist Stadium in Winston-Salem opened April 9, 2024 under a partnership with the Winston-Salem Dash. The product portfolio is structured around five year-round Basecamp Beers (Equator Juicy IPA, Euchre Golden Ale, Trek Porter, Vista IPA, Emmer Wheat) and a rotating Adventure Series of limited releases, each tied to a documented historical exploration narrative with a corresponding artifact displayed in the taproom and a QR-linked story.

The company generates revenue across six streams: on-site taproom beer and full-bar sales, food and coffee service (Lost Worlds Coffee and Lost Worlds Kitchen), off-premise wholesale distribution through 100+ accounts across Lake Norman, Charlotte, Western NC, and the Triad (including Total Wine, Lowes Foods, Common Market, and Rhino Market), private event hosting at both taproom locations, merchandise and gift card sales, and a paid Beer School 101 educational experience ($35/attendee) alongside free brewery tours. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer at owned taprooms, community-led programming through nonprofit partnerships and seasonal festivals (Oktoberfest, Holiday Market, Block Party, Lost at the Lake concert series, St. Patrick's Day, Buffett Beach Fest), event-driven demand generation, and a regional wholesale sales team. The company is founder-owned, with no institutional or PE investment disclosed, and employs 11-50 people. Award credentials include 11 medals in its first year of operation, a 2023 GABF Bronze (Director of Brewing Will Warren), and multiple NC Brewer's Cup and US Open Beer Championship medals across its lineup.

Name

Lost Worlds Brewing Company

Legal name

Lost Worlds Brewing Company

Website

https://lostworldsbeer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lost Worlds Brewing Company is a craft brewery founded in 2020 by Dave Hamme in Cornelius, NC, operating taprooms in Cornelius and Charlotte plus a partnership taproom at Truist Stadium. It produces award-winning beer on a 10BBL system, distributes through 100+ NC accounts, and offers food, coffee, private events, and educational experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Craft brewery operations
• Taproom hospitality
• Beer distribution services
• Private event venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Cornelius

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. On-site Taproom Beer Sales: Direct beer sales at two taproom locations (Cornelius and Charlotte) and a Truist Stadium partnership taproom. Full bar service including craft beer, cocktails, wine, NA beer, and kombucha. Primary revenue driver.
2. Food and Coffee Service: Lost Worlds Coffee shop serves lattes, seasonal drinks, and pastries from 7-8am on weekdays. Lost Worlds Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Food trucks partner for additional revenue on weekends.
3. Off-Premise Distribution: Distribution of canned and bottled beer through 100+ retail accounts (Total Wine, Lowes Foods, Common Market, etc.) and on-premise draft accounts (restaurants, bars, country clubs) across Lake Norman, Charlotte, Western NC, and Winston-Salem/Triad.
4. Private Event Hosting: Revenue from private event space rentals, corporate meetings, birthday parties, weddings, and buyouts. Adventure Guide dedicated server available for $100/hour. Custom cask/keg and curated wine list options for events.
5. Merchandise and Retail: In-taproom merchandise sales including branded apparel, hats, and custom Euchre playing cards. Gift cards available. Dog treats made from spent grain sold in taproom.
6. Tours and Beer School: Brewery tours offered Mon-Fri at noon, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm. Beer School 101 at $35/person includes guided tasting, facility tour, and brewing instruction. Course length approximately 1.5 hours with minimum 10 attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Lost Worlds Brewing Company is a craft brewery that produces and sells its own beer on-site using a 10BBL brewing system. It operates two taprooms (Cornelius and Charlotte) and a stadium partnership taproom at Truist Stadium, distributes through 100+ wholesale accounts across North Carolina, and offers ancillary food service, coffee, private event hosting, brewery tours, and Beer School 101 educational experiences.

Product overview

Lost Worlds Brewing Company operates as a craft brewery with a multi-location taproom model, offering both core and limited-release beer products alongside food service, coffee, private events, and educational experiences. The core product portfolio consists of Basecamp Beers (five year-round offerings: Equator Juicy IPA, Euchre Golden Ale, Trek Porter, Vista IPA, and Emmer Wheat) and the Adventure Series (rotating limited releases named after explorers and destinations including Enterprise Blonde Ale, Wardour Cold IPA, and Zorita Hazy IPA). Supporting services include Lost Worlds Coffee, Lost Worlds Kitchen food service, private event hosting, brewery tours, Beer School 101 educational classes, and retail distribution through their Beer Locator network. The company operates two taproom locations in Cornelius and Charlotte, plus a stadium partnership at Winston-Salem Dash Truist Stadium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basecamp Beers Year-round core craft beer lineup including Equator Juicy IPA (4.7% ABV), Euchre Golden Ale (3.8% ABV), Trek Porter (6.5% ABV), Vista IPA (7.2% ABV), and Emmer Wheat (4.1% ABV). Sold by pint, flight, crowler, or growler at taprooms and distributed in cans/bottles at retail accounts. Each beer is tied to a historical narrative and corresponding taproom artifact.
• Adventure Series Limited-release rotating craft beers named after famous world explorers and historical destinations, sold by pint, flight, crowler, or growler. Includes Enterprise Blonde Ale under a Star Trek licensing partnership, Wardour Cold IPA, Tortuga Juicy IPA, GoldKrush Hazy IPA, Hala Pineapple Sour, Zorita Hazy IPA, Twain's Amber Ale, Kama Hazy IPA, and seasonal offerings such as Shillelagh Irish Ale.

Quantifiable outcome

• Earned 11 major medals in first year of business (2020)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northwood Retail (Metropolitan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2024Northwood Retail selected Lost Worlds Brewing as a tenant for Metropolitan in Midtown Charlotte, recognizing the brand's commitment to quality and community. The location along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway aligns with Lost Worlds' outdoor adventure ethos. Lauren Britt, leasing manager at Northwood Retail, stated Lost Worlds is 'poised to become a magnet in Midtown.'
• Cain Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2024'Lost at the Lake' is a summer concert series partnership bringing together Lost Worlds Brewing and Cain Center for the Arts. Three headline performances (Carbon Leaf June 5, Kruger Brothers July 10, John Waite August 21) held in the back lot of Lost Worlds Cornelius. A public-private partnership celebrating community, art, entertainment, and local culture. Tickets sold through Cain Center website.
• Winston-Salem Dash (Truist Stadium)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2024A Lost Worlds branded taproom was constructed behind left field at Truist Stadium. Beer is served at the custom bar, at concessions throughout the ballpark, and in private event spaces for all 66 home games. The partnership was designed to elevate the ballpark's craft beer offerings and create a biergarten-style fan experience. Brian DeAngelis, president and GM of the Dash, called it a win-win for fans.
• South Charlotte Dog RescuecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly 'meet and greets' and adoption events hosted at the Charlotte taproom. Fall 'Pups and Pints' event. Part of the '12 Dogs of Christmas' holiday adoption campaign. Adoption perks for adopters include $50 Lost Worlds gift card, dog starter kit from Dog Supplies Huntersville, and training support from Project Six NC.
• North Meck Animal RescuecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular adoption event partner featured in the '12 Dogs of Christmas' campaign and ongoing taproom adoption programs. Dogs featured include Jackson (Husky/Shepherd mix), Pickle (Cattle Dog/Chihuahua mix), and the Christmas Puppies litter.
• Sloan and Finn Animal RescuecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in '12 Dogs of Christmas' holiday adoption campaign with featured dogs including Willow (Lab mix), Buster (Lab mix), and the Christmas Puppies. Donations accepted through Lost Worlds store.
• Piedmont Animal RescuecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured rescue in '12 Dogs of Christmas' campaign. Notable featured dog Lucy was rescued after surviving Hurricane Helene. Adoption perks include $50 Lost Worlds gift card and training support from Project Six NC.
• Pat's Place Child Advocacy CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharlotte Community Partnership. Nonprofit partner for which Lost Worlds provides fundraising support and event participation. Part of Lost Worlds' ethos of exclusive partnerships that benefit the nonprofit, community, and business.
• Carolina Raptor CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharlotte Community Partnership. Lost Worlds supports the Raptor Center through fundraising events, market participation, and pop-up events at the brewery. Partnership has deepened over time beyond simple event support.
• The Trail of HistoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharlotte Community Partnership listed on the Lost Worlds Charlotte community partnerships page.
• American Foreign Academic Research (AFAR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth Cornelius and Charlotte Community Partner. Dave Hamme participated as part of an excavation team at Zorita Castle in Spain, which inspired the Zorita Hazy IPA (QR code in taproom links to full story). Partnership connects exploration theme to real archaeological work.
• Lake Norman YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Shillelagh Shuffle 5K + Fun Run held in conjunction with St. Patrick's Day celebrations at Cornelius taproom. Race takes place March 14, 2026 with winner announcements and costume contest following the run.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Wooden Robot Brewery: Charlotte-area craft brewery with taproom and food offering. Comparable as a Charlotte-based direct craft brewery peer with similar taproom-plus-wholesale structure.
• Sycamore Brewing: Charlotte craft brewery with a large South End taproom, full food menu, and broad regional distribution. Comparable as a multi-location Charlotte-area craft brewery with similar taproom-plus-distribution model and similar revenue scale.
• NoDa Brewing Company: Charlotte-based craft brewery operating a flagship taproom with rotating experimental IPAs and event programming. Directly comparable as a Charlotte craft brewery with on-site taproom, food service, and wholesale distribution across the same NC metro.
• Heist Brewery: Charlotte craft brewery with two taproom locations and food service. Comparable as a direct NC craft brewery peer with similar multi-taproom footprint and on-site kitchen/dining model.
• Birdsong Brewing Company: Charlotte craft brewery operating a taproom with small-batch focus and regional NC distribution. Comparable as a same-metro craft peer with on-premise taproom sales and off-premise wholesale.
• Triple C Brewing Company: Charlotte-based craft brewery with taproom in the South End area. Comparable as a Charlotte craft peer with comparable taproom-driven business model and regional distribution.
• Divine Barrel Brewing: Charlotte craft brewery with taproom and barrel-aged specialty focus. Comparable as a Charlotte craft peer with similar experimental/specialty lineup and direct taproom sales.
• Free Range Brewing: Charlotte-area craft brewery with taproom and food service. Comparable as a Charlotte craft peer with similar taproom-plus-kitchen model targeting families and local residents.

Emerging players

• Resident Culture Brewing Company: Charlotte-based craft brewery with a taproom and strong hazy IPA focus that overlaps with Lost Worlds' Equator Juicy IPA and Zorita Hazy IPA products. Comparable as an emerging Charlotte craft peer with overlapping product style and demographic.

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Major US craft brewer with an Asheville, NC brewery and taproom operation. Comparable as a larger craft incumbent with NC presence and taproom experience that competes for share of voice and shelf/tap real estate with regional craft players like Lost Worlds.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lostworldsbeer
• Instagraminstagram.com/lostworldsbeer
• Xx.com/lostworldsbeer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lost-worlds-brewing-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Lost Worlds Brewing Company