Ship Bottom Brewery

What Ship Bottom Brewery does

Ship Bottom Brewery is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2016 and headquartered in Beach Haven, New Jersey, operating a 15-barrel production brewery bayfront on Long Beach Island. The company produces a broad portfolio spanning core IPAs and lagers, blonde ales, fruited sours, adjunct stouts, hard ciders, hard seltzers, and frozen alcoholic slushies, with the Mermaid Blonde Ale winning the 2024 World Beer Cup Gold Award. Distribution extends to bars, restaurants, and liquor stores across New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania, complemented by private event hosting across all three tasting room locations and a mobile draft trailer and 1971 VW Bus for off-premise service.

The business operates three customer-facing locations: the Beach Haven NJ production brewery and taproom (year-round), the Beer Garden at Linvilla Orchards in Media PA (seasonal, weekends), and the Swarthmore PA Blendery & Barrel House (Wednesday-Sunday). Revenue is generated through on-premise draft and package sales, wholesale distribution, branded merchandise and gift cards sold via an e-commerce store, a $99/year Mug Club subscription, and private event bookings. Partnerships anchor venue and ingredient sourcing, most notably the core Linvilla Orchards relationship for the beer garden and orchard-sourced cider and strawberry blonde ale, alongside named collaborations with The Local Market, Chicken or the Egg, Pinocchio's Beer Garden, Fir Farm, and the Danksters Crew.

The company is independently owned with no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds; Robert Zarko serves as owner and president. Operations are supported by 51-100 employees and rely on standard third-party tools (Untappd for beer menus, Store Locator Plus for the Beer Finder), with marketing concentrated on organic social channels, email, and on-premise event programming including the recurring Shark Week campaign.

Name

Ship Bottom Brewery

Legal name

Ship Bottom Brewery LLC

Website

https://shipbottombrewery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ship Bottom Brewery is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2016, operating a 15-barrel production brewery and three tasting room locations across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It serves beachgoers, regional wholesale accounts, and craft beer enthusiasts via award-winning beers, merchandise, and a Mug Club subscription.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (31212)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Hard cider production
• Hard seltzer manufacturing
• Tasting room operations
• Wholesale beer distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Beach Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. On-Premise Tasting Room Sales: Direct beer sales at three owned locations - Beach Haven NJ, Swarthmore PA, and Beer Garden at Linvilla Orchards Media PA. Revenue from draft pours, flights, canned beer, and packaged goods sold at each location.
2. Distribution to Retail: Wholesale distribution of packaged beer (cans, bottles) to bars, restaurants, and liquor stores throughout New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania.
3. Hard Seltzer Slushies: Frozen alcoholic slushie beverages including Shark Attack and Shark Tank hard seltzer slushies sold at Beach Haven location.
4. E-commerce and Merchandise: Online store sales of branded merchandise including clothing, hats, mugs, glassware, accessories, gift cards, and mug club memberships.
5. Mug Club Membership: Annual mug club membership ($99) providing members with custom 20oz take-home mug, discounted pours, early access to releases, and quarterly specialty 4-pack. Available for Beach Haven and Swarthmore locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ship Bottom Brewery is a craft brewery that manufactures hand-crafted beer, hard cider, and hard seltzer at its 15-barrel production brewery in Beach Haven, NJ. It sells its products through three owned tasting room locations (Beach Haven NJ, Media PA, Swarthmore PA), wholesale distribution to bars/restaurants/liquor stores across New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania, an e-commerce merchandise store, and recurring annual Mug Club memberships.

Product overview

Ship Bottom Brewery is a craft brewery with a multi-location operation featuring award-winning beers across core, seasonal, and limited release categories. The product portfolio includes core IPAs (Hop and Hazy, Shack IPA, Orange Sunset Double IPA, Retro Fish DIPA), lagers (LBI Lager, Clean Surf), blonde ales (Mermaid Blonde Ale - 2024 World Beer Cup Gold Winner), ciders (Linvilla Hard Cider), hard seltzers, and extensive seasonal/limited releases including sours, stouts, fruited ales, and specialty slushies. The brewery also offers merchandise (mug club memberships, clothing, glassware, accessories), and operates three locations: Beach Haven NJ (main brewery with 15-barrel production), Beer Garden at Linvilla Orchards (Media PA), and Swarthmore PA (Blendery and Barrel House). Private event hosting and online retail are additional service offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mermaid Blonde Ale Core easy-drinking blonde ale with no hop bitterness, slight malt sweetness, and notes of toasted bread, biscuit, and wheat; ABV 5.0%; sold draft and packaged.
• Hop and Hazy IPA Hazy IPA with creamy mouthfeel featuring flavors and aromas of juicy citrus fruits and earthy pine notes; ABV 6.0%; core product sold draft and packaged.
• LBI Lager Delicate pale lager honoring Long Beach Island with light golden hue, classic noble hops on the nose, and snappy finish; ABV 4.2%; core product.
• Clean Surf Light lager at 2.5% ABV with 90 calories; brewed with premium Pilsner Malt, Flaked Maize, and Czech Saaz; sessionable and refreshing.
• Orange Sunset Double IPA Double IPA brewed with Idaho 7, El Dorado, and Citra hops; tastes like fresh squeezed orange juice beermosa; ABV 9%.
• Retro Fish Double Hazy IPA Double Hazy IPA brewed with Flaked Wheat and Oats, hopped with Citra and Anchovy Hops; aromas of berries and pine; ABV 7.5%.
• Shack IPA West Coast IPA created to honor The Causeway Shack landmark; features hops with hints of earthy tropical and stone fruit aromas; 91 IBU.
• Linvilla Hard Cider Traditional dry hard cider made with freshly pressed Pennsylvania apples from Linvilla Orchards; crisp, semi-sweet, and gluten free; ABV 5.5%.
• Hard Seltzer Hard seltzer offerings in Blood Orange, Pineapple, Prickly Pear, and Tropical flavors; some available as slushies and infusions.
• Shark Attack Blue raspberry hard slushie with piña colada flavors, grenadine, and blue gummy shark garnish; ABV 5%; available during Shark Week at Beach Haven location.
• Shark Tank Blue raspberry hard slushie packaged in 16oz cans with blue gummy shark garnish; ABV 5%; available during Shark Week at Beach Haven NJ.
• Bomb Pop Sour Ale Fruited sour ale conditioned on sweet cherries, raspberries, lemon, and lime; popsicle-inspired with cherry, lemon, and raspberry flavors; ABV 6%; seasonal release available at brewery and distribution.
• Mermaid Strawberry Blonde Ale Limited edition blonde ale with freshly picked Linvilla Orchards strawberries (2 lbs per gallon added); easy-drinking summer ale with no hop bitterness; ABV 5.0%; brewery-only release.
• Beach Patrol Hefeweizen Ale Light, refreshing wheat beer with notes of clove and bananas; hazy golden summer thirst-quencher; ABV 5.2%; current seasonal release.
• Surf Party Repeat Mexican Lager Crisp and clean Mexican Lager brewed in collaboration with local Danksters Crew; ABV 4.5%; seasonal release.
• Handcrafted Cocktails Rotating seasonal handcrafted cocktails including Rum Punch, Dirty Shirley, Creamsicle Crush, and Orange Crush; served at brewery locations.
• Mug Club Membership Annual $99 membership providing a custom 20oz take-home mug, 20oz pours at 16oz pint pricing (excludes beers over 8% ABV), 10% off crowler and grower fills, early access to beer releases, and a quarterly specialty 4-pack (must pick up during current quarter); valid at Beach Haven NJ and Swarthmore PA locations.
• Gift Cards Gift cards redeemable at all Ship Bottom Brewery locations (Beach Haven NJ, Linvilla Orchards PA, Swarthmore PA); available in $25, $50, $100, $200, and $300 denominations.
• Branded Clothing Apparel merchandise including shirts, tank tops, UV protection shirts, and hoodies; sizes and styles vary; sold via online store and brewery locations.
• Hats Headwear merchandise including bucket hats and trucker hats; priced around $30.
• Mugs and Glassware Beer glassware including tulip glasses, taster glasses, IPA glasses, beer can glasses, and silicone pint glasses; prices range from $6 to $20.
• Accessories Miscellaneous merchandise including tin tackers, stickers, magnets, floating beer tubes, keychains, and beach balls.
• Private Event Hosting Private event hosting at all three locations (Beach Haven NJ, Linvilla Orchards PA, Swarthmore PA) for corporate events, parties, and fundraisers with various package options including draft trailer and 1971 VW Bus.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2024 World Beer Cup Gold Award for Mermaid Blonde Ale
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Linvilla OrchardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate Beer Garden at Linvilla Orchards location in Media PA. Seasonal operation (spring, summer, fall) open Saturdays and Sundays. Collaboration on Linvilla Hard Cider made with freshly pressed Pennsylvania apples. Seasonal Mermaid Strawberry Blonde Ale brewed with freshly picked Linvilla Orchards strawberries.
• The Local MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to brew Local Stout using Papua New Guinea coffee from The Local Market, providing sweet creamy flavor and low acidity with notes of coffee, almonds, chocolate, oatmeal, and creamy mouthfeel.
• The Chicken or the EggminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration born from 2014 Hop Sauce Festival. Chicken or the Egg IPA created with stinging undertones and honey finish, honoring the restaurant's iconic status.
• Pinocchio's Beer GardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration creating Stupid Paddle Boat Session IPA using Citra and Mandarina Bavaria hops for easy drinking summer beer.
• The Causeway ShackminorOthersShack IPA created as tribute to The Causeway Shack, an iconic landmark that greeted vacationers for decades before being lost to Hurricane Sandy. Not an active partnership but inspiration for beer naming.
• Fir Farm (Colts Neck NJ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHop farm collaboration for Wet Hop Harvest Ale. Brewery crew visits farm to pick Cascade and Chinook hops directly from the bines for freshest harvest ale.
• Danksters CrewminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal crew collaboration on Surf Party Repeat Mexican Lager, a crisp and clean lager celebrating local legendary crew.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Broad incumbents

• BrewDog: BrewDog is a multi-national craft brewer with an aggressive taproom-and-flagship-brand playbook, relevant as a comparable for Ship Bottom's lifestyle-brand and taproom-driven growth model.
• Yards Brewing Company: Yards Brewing is a long-established Philadelphia craft brewery with a taproom and broad regional distribution, serving as a larger PA-market incumbent comparable to Ship Bottom's PA taproom presence.
• New Belgium Brewing Company: New Belgium is a national craft brewing incumbent with broad portfolio and distribution, useful as a comparable for Ship Bottom's longer-term scaling trajectory and shelf-positioning dynamics.
• Dogfish Head Brewery: Dogfish Head is a larger Delaware-based craft brewery with broad mid-Atlantic distribution and an experimental product line, comparable to Ship Bottom on category overlap though operating at significantly greater scale.
• Victory Brewing Company: Victory Brewing is a larger Pennsylvania craft brewery with multi-location taprooms and broad distribution, comparable to Ship Bottom as a PA-region craft peer but operating at greater scale.

Direct peers

• Carton Brewing Company: Carton Brewing is a New Jersey craft brewery with a taproom and packaged wholesale distribution, sharing Ship Bottom's regional NJ craft positioning and small-batch production model.
• Flying Fish Brewing Company: Flying Fish is a New Jersey-based craft brewery with broad statewide wholesale distribution and a flagship-led portfolio, comparable to Ship Bottom in geography and channel mix.
• Cape May Brewing Company: Cape May Brewing Company is a New Jersey coastal craft brewery of comparable scale with a taproom and regional distribution footprint, making it the most directly comparable mid-Atlantic coastal peer to Ship Bottom Brewery.
• Tired Hands Brewing Company: Tired Hands is a Philadelphia-area craft brewery known for small-batch innovation and taproom-forward sales, comparable to Ship Bottom on limited-release programming and tasting-room economics.
• Twin Lights Brewing Company: Twin Lights Brewing operates a New Jersey craft brewery and taproom on the Shore, closely mirroring Ship Bottom's coastal-lifestyle branding and direct-to-consumer tasting room model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shipbottombrew
• Facebookfacebook.com/shipbottombrewery
• Instagraminstagram.com/shipbottombrewery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ship-bottom-brewery

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&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ship Bottom Brewery