Back East Brewery

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.

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

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

• Craft beer production
• Brewery taproom
• Craft brewing
• Beer distribution
• On-site kitchen

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Beer Distribution: Distribution of packaged beer through regional distributors across Connecticut and Massachusetts.
3. 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.
4. Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including hats, stickers, t-shirts, and other apparel through online store and taproom.
5. Private Events: Hosting of private events in the taproom's semi-private area with catering options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core 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

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hartford Distributors (HDI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary distribution partner for Back East beer in Hartford, Tolland, Windham, Middlesex, New London, and Litchfield counties in Connecticut.
• G&G Beverage DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Back East beer in New Haven and Fairfield counties in Connecticut.
• Quality BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Back East beer in Hampshire, Worcester, Middlesex, and Hampden counties in Massachusetts.
• Blue Hills OrchardminorOthersProvides cider apples for Storm Along Blue Hills Cider, an unfiltered hard cider reminiscent of farmstand cider press.
• BarRated TriviaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides weekly trivia entertainment on Wednesdays with DJ Super K.
• Good ThomasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides weekly Music Bingo entertainment on Thursdays.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/backeastbrewing
• Instagraminstagram.com/backeastbrewing
• Xx.com/BackEastBrewery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/back-east-brewing-company-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Back East Brewery