Scorched Earth Brewing Company

Name

Scorched Earth Brewing Company

Legal name

Scorched Earth Brewing Company

Website

https://scorchedearthbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scorched Earth Brewing Company is a craft brewery and taproom in Algonquin, Illinois that produces 80+ beer styles using traditional techniques and local ingredients, selling directly to consumers, through regional distribution, and via an online store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Algonquin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Taproom Direct Sales: On-site beer sales at the taproom including pints, flights, and samples. Also offers private events hosting.
2. Packaged Beer Sales: Sales of canned and bottled beer for takeaway including 4-pack cans, growlers (64 oz), CROWLERs (32 oz)
3. Keg Sales: Sale of full barrels (15.5 gallons) and slim kegs (5.15 gallons) for off-site consumption
4. Distribution: Regional distribution through Chas. Herdrich & Sons distribution partners in McHenry County

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scorched Earth Brewing Company is a craft production brewery that brews and sells a diverse portfolio of craft beers spanning flagship, seasonal, and specialty barrel-aged styles. The brewery operates an on-site taproom in Algonquin, Illinois for direct consumer sales of pints, flights, and packaged beer (4-pack cans, 64-oz growlers, 32-oz CROWLERs), and also sells full and slim kegs with 48-hour notice. Scorched Earth also distributes its beer regionally through Chas. Herdrich & Sons in McHenry County and offers an online store for can releases.

Product overview

Scorched Earth Brewing Company is a craft brewery offering a diverse portfolio of beer styles centered around core flagship beers and rotating seasonal and specialty releases. The product lineup consists of flagship beers including Hickster (American Cream Ale), Exiled Angel (Belgian Golden Ale), Giant Killer (IPA), The Afterburn (Dry Irish Stout), and Rugged Coalminer (Robust Porter), complemented by rotating NEIPA series like Flipmode and North Side IPA, German-style lagers including GEM OF THE FOX Kolsch and Fest Bier, sour and Gose offerings such as Sweetie Pie and Fruit-Ternity House, nitro milk stouts including Agent Goldbrew and Agent Black, and an extensive Barrel Aged Beers series featuring sour ales aged in wine barrels with grape and fruit additions. The brewery also produces seasonal specialties, collaboration brews, and anniversary beers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hickster American Cream Ale brewed with cracked corn and malted barley, fermented in an open fermenter with biscuity malt sweetness and citrus notes. Flagship product of Scorched Earth Brewing Company.
• Exiled Angel Belgian Style Golden Ale with fruit, honey, bubblegum, peppercorn, and spice notes, fermented in an open fermenter. Flagship product.
• BLEUPRINT Blackberry Blueberry Wheat Ale using Exiled Angel yeast, punched up with blueberries and blackberries, built on a Belgian base with lactose.
• HEY CHICAGO WADDYA SAY?! German Style Helles brewed for baseball season with fresh baked bread, pepper, floral aromas and sweet malty flavors.
• Flipmode NEIPA Series New England IPA (NEIPA) series featuring different hop combinations with multiple variants including Do You Really Wanna Party With Me!, Don't Sweat The Technique, That Thing, and others.
• Sloppy Kisser Hazy IPA featuring Mosaic hops and Conan yeast strain with peach, guava, and papaya hop flavors.
• The Afterburn Dry Irish Stout brewed with imported Irish stout malt and roasted barley, featuring rich creamy head and chocolate notes.
• Giant Killer India Pale Ale described as a lupulin gladiator with bold hop juice and craft beer determination.
• Rugged Coalminer Robust Porter with rich chocolatey character, espresso pour, creamy caramel body and chocolate coffee-like notes.
• Asteroid Juice Peach Apricot Tangerine Double NEIPA with dank aromas, bright fruit flavors and soft mouthfeel.
• Agent Goldbrew Golden Nitro Milk Stout collaboration with Conscious Cup, brewed with pale malt, lactose and cocoa nibs, infused with Yeti's Revenge coffee.
• HEFE'N IT Bavarian Style Hefeweizen with distinctive wheat malt, banana aromas, clove spice and full bodied refreshing character.
• North Side IPA NEIPA featuring Citra, El Dorado, Mackinac, and Sabro Hops with citrus and tropical fruit flavors.
• Prairie Trail Blonde Ale Strawberry Blonde Ale with magnum and cascade hops and fresh strawberry puree, crisp and bold.
• Sonder Mexican Style Lager with sweet biscuity aromas, cracked corn notes and lightly floral tastes.
• Sweetie Pie Strawberry Rhubarb Gose with delicate strawberry aromas, tart rhubarb, lacto sourness and Pink Himalayan sea salt.
• GEM OF THE FOX German Style Kolsch with balance of crisp maltiness and subtle hop character, featuring wildflower honey notes.
• Double Killer Double Dry Hopped IPA taking the flagship Giant Killer IPA and increasing malt and hops.
• South Side IPA West Coast Style IPA featuring Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe hops with tropical fruit and pineapple aromas.
• Agent Black Dry Nitro Stout with mild roasted coffee notes and dark baker's chocolate finish, served exclusively on nitro.
• Fur Trader French Style Biere de Garde with toasted, toffee and caramelly malt flavors featuring wild rice from Red Lake Nation.
• Wet Willie Fresh Hop India Pale Ale featuring local Cascade hops from Fox Valley Winery, harvested and added within 24 hours.
• Fest Bier German Style Lager, modern take on Oktoberfest with bready-honey malt character and noble hop bitterness.
• Doppelbock German Style Doppelbock brewed using traditional German decoction process with malty toast, dried fruit and chocolate notes.
• Schwarzbier German dark lager with roasty malty notes balanced by hop bitterness featuring Munich, Pilsner, Chocolate and Roasted Barley malts.
• Agent Newt Ella Hazelnut Nitro Milk Stout with baker's dark chocolate, roasted coffee, caramel notes infused with hazelnut and Madagascar vanilla.
• Barrel Aged Beers Series Specialty barrel-aged sour beers aged in Pinot Noir wine barrels from J Vineyards & Winery, including Barrel #9, #10, #11, #15, #21, #22, #23, #25, #26, #27, #31, #32, #51, #71, #72, #77, #91, and #101 with various fruit and grape additions.
• Taproom Experience & Packaged Beer On-site taproom sales of pints, flights, and samples, plus packaged takeaway in 4-pack cans, 64-oz growlers, and 32-oz CROWLERs. Also hosts private events and offers brewery tours, shuffleboard, and a dog-friendly beer garden. Online store sells can releases for can and ship.
• Keg Sales Sale of full half-barrel kegs (15.5 gallons) and slim kegs (5.15 gallons) for off-site consumption, available with 48-hour notice for pickup.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• J's Vineyard & WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSource wine barrels from J Vineyards & Winery in California's Russian River Valley. Used for aging sour beers, Brett ales, and grape-beer hybrid creations including Barrel #9, #10, #11, #15, #21, #22, #23, #25, #26, #27, #71, #72, #77, #91, #101
• Fox Valley WinerycoreTechnology or IntegrationSource local Cascade hops from Fox Valley Winery's hop yard in Sheridan, Illinois for Wet Willie fresh hop IPA
• The Lucky Monk BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Anthony Carolllo (Head Brewer) and Kevin Chorzempa (GM) from The Lucky Monk Brewery in South Barrington to create Fielders Wit blueberry witbier
• The Roaring Table Brewing CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with The Roaring Table Brewing Co to create The Hazy Apostasy N.E. Style IPA, released at 2018 Scorched Earth Day Fest
• Chas. Herdrich & SonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMcHenry County distribution partners who distribute Scorched Earth beers throughout the region
• Conscious CupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoffee collaboration partner providing Conscious Cups Brothers Espresso blend and Yeti's Revenge coffee for stouts and porters including Agent Goldbrew and Imperial Hickster
• Country DonutsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Country Donuts in Crystal Lake featuring their donuts in beer creations like DAY-OLD DONUTS and Cinnamon Apple French Toast
• Ethereal ConfectionscoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of Ghana cocoa nibs used in chocolate and peanut butter stouts including SCRUMDILI-UMCIOUS BAR and DS1 Maple Vanilla Imperial Milk Stout
• Omega YeastcoreTechnology or IntegrationChicago-based yeast supplier providing specialty yeast strains including Norwegian Voss Kviek for How To Train Your Viking

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Off Color Brewing: Independent Chicago craft brewery with experimental and unusual style focus. Comparable as a similarly sized experimental-leaning craft brewery serving overlapping Chicagoland craft consumers.
• Hop Butcher for the World: Small Chicago-area craft brewery focused heavily on hazy IPAs and limited can releases. Comparable as a similarly small independent craft player competing for the same Chicagoland craft enthusiast audience with limited-release cans.

Broad incumbents

• Revolution Brewing: One of the largest independent craft breweries in Illinois with deep Chicago distribution and a flagship brewpub. Comparable as a broader Chicagoland craft incumbent against which Scorched Earth competes for taproom visits and shelf space.
• 3 Floyds Brewing: Well-known Midwest craft brewery based in Indiana with strong national brand recognition and award history. Comparable as a larger regional craft incumbent in the Midwest whose branding and award strategy Scorched Earth emulates at a smaller scale.

Direct peers

• Black Horizon Brewing Company: Craft brewery operating in McHenry, IL, within McHenry County alongside Scorched Earth. Comparable in scale, distribution footprint, and taproom-led GTM, and competes head-to-head for local craft drinkers.
• Half Acre Beer Company: Independent Chicago craft brewery with a wide rotating portfolio and on-site taproom. Comparable production-and-taproom craft model with similar emphasis on diverse, experimental styles.
• Pipeworks Brewing Company: Chicago craft brewery known for a large rotating can and bottle portfolio with high art-driven branding. Comparable as a similarly positioned craft brewery leveraging can art, limited releases, and enthusiast community.
• Maplewood Brewing Company: Chicago-based craft production brewery with taproom and broad distribution. Comparable as an independent Chicagoland craft brewery with a rotating experimental portfolio and similar size to Scorched Earth.
• Werk Force Brewing: Plainfield, IL craft production brewery with taproom and broad rotating portfolio. Comparable as a similarly scaled Illinois craft brewery operating both taproom and packaged/distribution sales in the greater Chicagoland market.
• Crystal Lake Brewing: Small craft production brewery and taproom located in Crystal Lake, IL — immediately adjacent to Algonquin in McHenry County. Directly comparable as a similarly sized suburban Chicago-area craft brewery competing for the same local consumer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ScorchedEarthBr
• Facebookfacebook.com/scorchedearthbrewing
• Instagraminstagram.com/ScorchedEarthBrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scorched-earth-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 Scorched Earth Brewing Company