What Upland Brewing does

Upland Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery founded in 1998 and headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana. The company operates 10+ taproom and brewpub locations across Indiana (Bloomington, Carmel, Indianapolis, Columbus, Jeffersonville) and announced its first out-of-state expansion into Colorado for 2025. Its product portfolio spans year-round beers (Dragonfly IPA, Wheat Ale, Champagne Velvet, Bad Elmer's Porter, Campside, Hoosier Gameday Lager, Juiced In Time), seasonal offerings (Oktoberfest, Patio Cat, Tropical Vortex, Little Dragon), an award-winning barrel-aged sour ale program of 20+ varieties produced at the dedicated Wood Shop Sour Brewery using traditional Belgian lambic methods and white oak barrels from Oliver Winery, and newer alternative beverage sub-brands rāe (sparkling golden ale) and HopRX (non-alcoholic hop water).

The company generates revenue through four primary streams: on-premise food and beverage sales across its 10+ Indiana taprooms, packaged beer distribution through 20+ wholesalers across the Midwest with sour ales available coast-to-coast, private event hosting (on-site for 30 to 1,000+ guests) and off-site catering in the Columbus-Bloomington-Nashville-Bedford corridor, and a $50/year Mug Club subscription offering discounted pours and monthly free crowlers. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer-led, supplemented by exclusive marketing partnerships with Indiana University Athletics, the Indiana Pacers, Butler Athletics, IU Auditorium, MOKB Presents, the Center for Performing Arts, and Indianapolis CLG. Digital infrastructure relies on Toast Tab for online ordering, OpenTable for reservations, TripleSeat for event bookings, and Stripe for subscription payments; no proprietary AI or machine-learning capabilities are disclosed. The company is Indiana's third-largest craft brewery, operates without disclosed institutional or PE/VC backing, and completed its first acquisition (Floyd County Brewing) in 2026.

Name

Upland Brewing

Legal name

Upland Brewing Company

Website

https://uplandbeer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Upland Brewing is a privately held Indiana craft brewery (founded 1998) operating 10+ taprooms statewide with an award-winning barrel-aged sour ale program, Midwest wholesale distribution, and a new Colorado expansion. It sells year-round and seasonal beers, alternative beverages (rāe, HopRX), and hosts private events and off-site catering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (42481)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF), Alcohol-Free & Low-Alcohol Beer/Wine/Spirits Production (AFAFAAAJ)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Brewpub restaurants
• Barrel-aged sour ales
• Taproom beer sales
• Craft beer distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Taproom and Restaurant Sales: Revenue from food and beverage sales at 10+ Upland Brewing taproom and brewpub locations across Indiana. Includes draft beer, bottled/canned beer, and full food menu with locally sourced ingredients.
2. Direct Beer Sales (Distribution): Sales of packaged beer (cans, bottles, draft) through distribution network throughout the Midwest. Sour beers available coast to coast through select distributors.
3. Mug Club Membership: $50 annual membership providing 21oz pours for pint prices, daily $4 specials, and one free seasonal beer crowler per month. Auto-renewal subscription model.
4. Private Events and Catering: Revenue from hosting private events including weddings, corporate events, rehearsal dinners. Off-site catering services for events ranging from 30 to 1,000+ attendees in Columbus, Bloomington, Nashville, Bedford areas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upland Brewing Company is an independent craft brewery that brews and sells ales, lagers, and award-winning barrel-aged sour ales through 10+ taproom/brewpub locations in Indiana and through wholesale distribution throughout the Midwest (with sour ales available coast-to-coast). The company operates brewpubs with full food menus, offers private event hosting and off-site catering, and runs a Mug Club membership loyalty program. Its product portfolio includes year-round flagship beers (Dragonfly IPA, Wheat Ale, Champagne Velvet, Bad Elmer's Porter, Campside, Hoosier Gameday Lager, Juiced In Time), seasonal offerings, sour ales aged in oak barrels from Oliver Winery, and adjacent beverage brands rāe and HopRX.

Product overview

Upland Brewing Company is an Indiana-based craft brewery operating a multi-location brewpub and taproom model with distribution across the Midwest. The product portfolio centers on core year-round beers (Dragonfly IPA, Wheat Ale, Champagne Velvet, Bad Elmer's Porter, Campside, Hoosier Gameday Lager, Juiced In Time), seasonal offerings (Oktoberfest, Patio Cat, Tropical Vortex, Little Dragon), and award-winning sour ales aged in wood (Basis, Blackberry, Boysenberry). The company has expanded into alternative beverages with rāe (sparkling golden ale) and HopRX (non-alcoholic hop water). Operations include 10+ Indiana locations serving food and beer, off-site catering services, private event hosting, and a Mug Club membership program. Distribution spans the Midwest with sour ales available coast-to-coast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• rāe: A new sibling beverage brand launched in 2024, offering sparkling golden ale as its first product. Targeted at the next generation of craft consumers with a mindful, conscious drinking focus.

Products and services

• Dragonfly IPA Year-round flagship India Pale Ale featuring seven hop additions for a powerful hop profile balanced by a solid malt base; Upland's most popular beer and introduction to craft beer for many consumers.
• Wheat Ale Year-round Belgian Witbier, one of the foundational classics on which Upland built its brewery, awarded multiple medals at GABF, World Beer Cup, and Denver International Beer Competition.
• Champagne Velvet Year-round pilsener reformulated from a 1902 Walter Bruhn recipe, marketed as 'The Beer with the Million Dollar Flavor.'
• Bad Elmer's Porter Year-round porter brewed with roasted malt, featuring flavors of coffee, licorice, and chocolate with a clean, dry, roasty finish.
• Campside Year-round American Pale Ale brewed with Cascade, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops, delivering citrus, apricot, and pine character.
• Hoosier Gameday Lager Year-round Vienna Lager produced as the first official Indiana University Athletics branded beer, developed through fan surveys and using Sugar Creek Malt from Indiana.
• Juiced In Time Year-round New England-style IPA with tropical fruit and bold juicy citrus flavors, brewed with Galaxy, Amarillo, Citra, and El Dorado hops.
• Oktoberfest Seasonal Bavarian Marzen-style lager with notes of caramel and toffee.
• Patio Cat Seasonal summer ale with guava, featuring strong citrusy tropical hops and a light, sessionable body.
• Tropical Vortex Seasonal Southern Hemisphere IPA brewed with Galaxy and Waimea hops, delivering passionfruit, peach, citrus, and mango flavors.
• Little Dragon Low-calorie IPA brewed with Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, and Strata hops, designed for hop lovers seeking responsible consumption.
• Basis Barrel-aged sour blonde ale inspired by traditional Belgian lambic brewing methods, aged on white oak barrels from Oliver Winery.
• Blackberry Barrel-aged fruited sour ale fermented with wild yeast and aged on whole Indiana-grown blackberries for nearly a year.
• Boysenberry American Wild Ale combining a lambic-style base beer with boysenberry fruit, barrel-aged for complex tart and fruity flavors.
• rāe Sparkling golden ale made with malted barley, lemon puree, ginger root, and Himalayan pink sea salt; 110 calories and 4.2% ABV; positioned as a sub-brand targeting next-generation craft consumers.
• HopRX Non-alcoholic sparkling hop-infused water with vitamin C and lime flavor; zero alcohol, zero calories, and zero sugar.
• Taproom Exclusives Small-batch experimental and barrel-aged beers available only at Upland taprooms; the Fountain Square location features a dedicated small-batch brewery for tinkering and barrel-aging.
• Off-Site Catering Professional bar service and catering for events in Columbus, Bloomington, Nashville, Bedford and surrounding areas, including draft beer systems, personnel, and certified bartenders for events of 30 to 1,000+ attendees.
• Private Events Event hosting services at all Upland locations including weddings, corporate events, rehearsal dinners, and holiday parties with dedicated staff and A/V capabilities, plus dedicated event venues such as The Jefferson Riverfront Venue and the Columbus Pump House.
• Mug Club $50/year membership loyalty program providing 21oz pours for pint prices, daily $4 specials, and one free seasonal beer crowler per month, with auto-renewal subscription billing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Third-largest craft brewery in Indiana
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Indiana University AthleticscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 August 2022Exclusive craft beer sponsor for Indiana University Athletics beginning with 2022-2023 season. Includes exclusive rights to brand Hoosier Gameday Lager as official IU Athletics beer. Features commemorative cans for 2025 National Championship. Partnership positions Upland as the face of craft beer in Indiana college sports.
• Indiana PacerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of the Indiana Pacers NBA team. Provides visibility at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and team events.
• Upland CyclingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner of Upland Cycling team. Supports local cycling community and team outreach programs through USA Cycling.
• Butler AthleticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Craft Partner of Butler Athletics, providing craft beer visibility at university sporting events.
• IU AuditoriumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Season Partner of IU Auditorium, supporting performing arts events with craft beer offerings.
• MOKB PresentsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner of MOKB (My Old Kentucky Home) Presents, supporting music and entertainment events.
• CFPA (Center for Performing Arts)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner of Center for Performing Arts in Indianapolis.
• Indianapolis CLGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner of Indianapolis CLG (esports/gaming organization).
• Taxman BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on EXTENSION sour ale. Both breweries focused on Belgian-inspired beers made this a natural partnership. Complex spice and citrus presence with subtle fruity aroma.
• Blackberry Farm BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on FOUND wild ale. Upland visited Blackberry Farm Brewery in the Smoky Mountains, foraged yeast specimens, and collaborated on recipe to highlight unique yeast characteristics.
• Oliver WinerycoreOthersOriginal source of white oak barrels acquired in 2006 that enabled Upland's sour ale program. Longstanding supplier relationship since the beginning of the Wood Shop sour brewery operations. Oliver Winery continues to provide barrels and collaborative opportunities (Devined beer using Chambourcin grapes).

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Boston Beer Company: Largest U.S. independent craft brewer (Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea, Truly), with national distribution and a much broader portfolio. Operates as a broad incumbent across the same craft beer category where Upland competes.

Direct peers

• Sun King Brewing: Indianapolis-based craft brewery operating multiple taproom locations across Indiana with wholesale distribution. Closest direct regional peer to Upland, competing head-to-head in Indiana taproom and on-premise channels.
• Bell's Brewery: Michigan craft brewer with Eccentric Café taproom, broad Midwest distribution, and Oberon/Two Hearted flagships. Direct Midwest brewpub-plus-distribution peer with comparable portfolio breadth and regional brand scale.
• Founders Brewing: Grand Rapids, Michigan craft brewery operating a large taproom and broad distribution. Comparable Midwest brewpub-with-distribution model and similar flagship-plus-seasonal portfolio structure.
• Stone Brewing: Escondido, CA craft brewery with a large brewpub/taproom concept and national distribution. Comparable multi-location taproom strategy and award-winning specialty portfolio (including barrel-aged and sour programs).
• Revolution Brewing: Chicago-based craft brewery with a brewpub and production brewery plus a dedicated wood-aged barrel program. Closely mirrors Upland's multi-location brewpub plus sour/barrel-aged strategy in an adjacent Midwest market.
• New Belgium Brewing: Colorado-based craft brewery with taprooms, sour program (La Folie, wood-aged series), and national distribution. Closely mirrors Upland's combination of wood-aged sour specialty plus taproom and broad distribution.
• Three Floyds Brewing: Indiana craft brewery known for hop-forward and barrel-aged beers with a Munster brewpub. Comparable scale, regional brand strength, and award-winning specialty portfolio make it a direct craft peer.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing: California craft brewery with taproom restaurants, broad national distribution, and specialty programs. Peer via combined brewpub, distribution, and specialty craft portfolio across multiple geographies.
• Taxman Brewery: Bargersville, Indiana craft brewery focused on Belgian-inspired beers. Already a direct collaboration partner with Upland (EXTENSION sour ale), and competes in the same Indiana craft and sour/wild ale niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uplandbrewco
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UplandBrewingCo
• Facebookfacebook.com/UplandBrewingCo
• Instagraminstagram.com/uplandbrewco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upland-brewing-co

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Upland Brewing