Back East Brewery
Back East Brewing Company is a craft brewery and taproom in Bloomfield, Connecticut, founded in 2012, producing award-winning IPAs, sours, lagers, porters, and cider sold through on-site taproom sales, on-site food service, regional wholesale distribution across Connecticut and Massachusetts, and a subscription membership program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBloomfield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Back East Brewery does
Back East Brewing Company is a craft brewery and taproom operator founded in 2012 by Ed Fabrycki and Tony Karlowicz and headquartered at 1296 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, Connecticut. The company produces a broad portfolio of craft beer styles — including New England IPAs (flagship Ice Cream Man, ranked #5 on Draft Magazine's Top 50 IPAs), West Coast IPAs, sours, lagers, pilsners, an English-style Brown Porter (2017 GABF Gold, 2016 GABF Bronze), an imperial brown ale, wheat ales, and an unfiltered hard cider (Storm Along Blue Hills Cider) — and serves craft beer enthusiasts and local community members across Connecticut and Western/Central Massachusetts.
The business model is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer and wholesale. Direct revenue streams include on-site taproom draft sales, packaged beer-to-go (4-packs of 16oz cans ranging $8-$24, growler fills), an on-site craft kitchen (The Kitchen @ Back East, launched January 2023), branded merchandise sold through an online storefront, private event hosting in a semi-private taproom area, gift cards, and the Brewer's Collective annual membership ($200 new / $175 renewal, capped at 125 members through June 2027). Wholesale revenue is generated through three regional distributors: Hartford Distributors (CT counties Hartford, Tolland, Windham, Middlesex, New London, Litchfield), G&G Beverage (CT counties New Haven, Fairfield), and Quality Beverage (MA counties Hampshire, Worcester, Middlesex, Hampden). Weekly programming — Wednesday trivia with BarRated Trivia, Thursday Music Bingo with Good Thomas, Friday live music, plus weekday food-and-drink specials ($15 burger + free beer Wednesdays, $10 nachos / $15 pitchers Thursdays, $5 beers Friday happy hour) — drives taproom traffic and customer retention.
Back East operates as a privately-held, founder-owned business with 11-50 employees and a single disclosed funding round of $200,000 in May 2014. The company has no app, no public API, and no disclosed institutional ownership. Distribution is intentionally regional, anchored by Connecticut with a foothold in Western/Central Massachusetts, and the product strategy emphasizes continuous seasonal and limited-release SKU churn alongside core year-round offerings.
Back East Brewery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Back East Brewery
- Legal name
- Back East Brewing Company
- Website
- https://backeastbrewing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Back East Brewing Company is a craft brewery and taproom in Bloomfield, Connecticut, founded in 2012, producing award-winning IPAs, sours, lagers, porters, and cider sold through on-site taproom sales, on-site food service, regional wholesale distribution across Connecticut and Massachusetts, and a subscription membership program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Back East Brewery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer
- NAICS
- Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)
Keywords
Where Back East Brewery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bloomfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Back East Brewery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Taproom Sales: Direct beer sales at the taproom including draft, cans, and growler fills. Also includes on-site food sales from The Kitchen @ Back East opened January 2023.
- Beer Distribution: Distribution of packaged beer through regional distributors across Connecticut and Massachusetts.
- Brewer's Collective Membership: Annual membership program offering exclusive perks, limited-edition beers, branded merchandise (mug, challenge coin, t-shirt), and bragging rights. New membership $200, renewal $175. Limited to 125 members.
- Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including hats, stickers, t-shirts, and other apparel through online store and taproom.
- Private Events: Hosting of private events in the taproom's semi-private area with catering options.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ice Cream Man IPA - $15/4 pk |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Back East Light - $8/4 pk |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Afterglow Sour - $24/4 pk |
| Subscription | Annual | Brewer's Collective Membership - $200 new / $175 renewal |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 60oz Draft Pitchers - $15 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wednesday Burger Special - $15 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Thursday Nachos - $10 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Friday Happy Hour - $5 beers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Back East Brewery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Back East Brewing Company is a craft brewery and taproom that brews and sells a diverse lineup of craft beers (IPAs, sours, lagers, porters, pilsners, wheat ales, and a hard cider) directly to consumers through its Bloomfield, CT taproom, packaged beer to-go, and an on-site kitchen. Beyond beer production, the company operates The Kitchen @ Back East for food service, hosts live entertainment and private events, and sells branded merchandise and gift cards. Wholesale distribution through regional partners extends its beer across Connecticut and Western/Central Massachusetts.
Product overview
Back East Brewing Company is a craft brewery based in Bloomfield, CT, operating since 2012. The company's product portfolio centers on a diverse range of craft beers including IPAs (West Coast, New England, and Double IPAs), sours, lagers, pilsners, porters, wheat ales, and ciders. The core offering includes flagship products like Ice Cream Man IPA (ranked #5 by Draft Magazine), the GABF award-winning Porter, and seasonal releases. Beyond beer, the company operates The Kitchen @ Back East (opened January 2023) offering food service, and the Brewer's Collective membership program providing exclusive perks. The business also offers gift cards, merchandise, and private event hosting services. Distribution spans Connecticut and Western/Central Massachusetts through regional distributors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ice Cream Man IPA A New England IPA positioned as an everyday flagship offering, sold in 4-pack 16oz cans ($15/4 pk, 6.4% ABV) and on draft at the Bloomfield taproom. Recognized as #5 on Draft Magazine's 'Top 50 IPAs.'
- Porter An English-style Brown Porter with roasted notes of chocolate and coffee. Winner of the 2017 GABF Gold medal and 2016 GABF Bronze medal. Available in cans and on draft.
- Double Scoop A New England Double IPA offering the timeless NEIPA experience in higher intensity.
- Lil' Scoop A lighter take on the New England IPA, offering pint-sized bliss.
- Tropical Double Scoop
Companies that use Back East Brewery
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Back East Brewery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Back East Brewery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hartford Distributors (HDI)corePrimary distribution partner for Back East beer in Hartford, Tolland, Windham, Middlesex, New London, and Litchfield counties in Connecticut.
- G&G Beverage DistributorscoreDistribution partner for Back East beer in New Haven and Fairfield counties in Connecticut.
- Quality BeveragecoreDistribution partner for Back East beer in Hampshire, Worcester, Middlesex, and Hampden counties in Massachusetts.
- Blue Hills OrchardminorProvides cider apples for Storm Along Blue Hills Cider, an unfiltered hard cider reminiscent of farmstand cider press.
- BarRated TriviaminorProvides weekly trivia entertainment on Wednesdays with DJ Super K.
- Good ThomasminorProvides weekly Music Bingo entertainment on Thursdays.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Back East Brewery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Two Roads Brewing Company: One of the largest craft breweries in Connecticut, producing a diverse portfolio of IPAs, sours, and lagers with statewide distribution and a taproom. Direct competitor for CT taproom traffic and off-premise shelf space.
- Thomas Hooker Brewery: Bloomfield, CT-based craft brewery and taproom operating in the same town as Back East. Comparable size and model — brews award-winning beer, operates a taproom, and distributes regionally.
- Stony Creek Brewery: Connecticut craft brewery with a large taproom, branded entertainment programming, and statewide distribution. Closely comparable in combining food/entertainment with multi-channel beer sales.
- New England Brewing Company: Woodbridge, CT craft brewery with strong local brand recognition and Connecticut-centric distribution. Competes directly for taproom visits and CT retail accounts.
Emerging players
- Tree House Brewing Company: Massachusetts craft brewery famous for its New England IPAs and destination taproom experience. Comparable in product style (NEIPAs) and taproom-driven model, but at a much larger scale and cult-brand status.
- Trillium Brewing Company: Massachusetts-based craft brewery with multiple taprooms and a strong NEIPA reputation. Competes for New England craft drinkers and wholesale accounts in overlapping Massachusetts territory.
Broad incumbents
- Harpoon Brewery: Long-established New England craft brewery with broad regional distribution across MA and beyond. Competes for off-premise shelf space in the same regional wholesalers' books.
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. National craft brewer with broad portfolio and deep distribution. Competes for tap handles and shelf space in CT/MA, and is a benchmark for how an award-winning craft brand scaled beyond its home region.
- Anheuser-Busch InBev: Dominant macro-brewer that also owns craft brands and invests heavily in hard seltzers and RTDs — the categories pulling consumers away from traditional craft beer and pressuring pricing across Back East's category.
Others
- Blue Hills Orchard: Supplier partner providing cider apples for Back East's Storm Along Blue Hills Cider line. Included as a direct ecosystem partner given the documented product collaboration.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Back East Brewery social profiles
Digital presenceBack East Brewery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Back East Brewery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Back East Brewery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Back East Brewery 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 Back East Brewery
What does Back East Brewery do?
Back East Brewing Company is a craft brewery and taproom that brews and sells a diverse lineup of craft beers (IPAs, sours, lagers, porters, pilsners, wheat ales, and a hard cider) directly to consumers through its Bloomfield, CT taproom, packaged beer to-go, and an on-site kitchen. Beyond beer production, the company operates The Kitchen @ Back East for food service, hosts live entertainment and private events, and sells branded merchandise and gift cards. Wholesale distribution through regional partners extends its beer across Connecticut and Western/Central Massachusetts.
Is Back East Brewery a public or private company?
Back East Brewery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Back East Brewery founded?
Back East Brewery was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Back East Brewery based?
Back East Brewery is headquartered in Bloomfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Back East Brewery make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Taproom Sales are the primary driver. The others are beer Distribution, brewer's Collective Membership, merchandise and private Events.
Who are Back East Brewery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Two Roads Brewing Company, Thomas Hooker Brewery, Stony Creek Brewery and New England Brewing Company. Emerging players are Tree House Brewing Company and Trillium Brewing Company. Broad incumbents are Harpoon Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Blue Hills Orchard is listed as an others.
Does Back East Brewery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Back East Brewery.
What industry is Back East Brewery in?
Back East Brewery's product category is Craft Beer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service), with a secondary code of CRADAIAA, Beer Brewing & Brands. Its NAICS code is 312120 and its SIC code is 2082.