What Old Nation Brewing Company does

Old Nation Brewing Company is a Michigan-owned craft brewery and brewpub founded in 2015 in Williamston, Michigan by Travis Fritts and Rick Ghersi. The company operates a single production facility supplemented by a contract brewing partnership with Brew Detroit, producing a portfolio centered on the flagship M-43 New England IPA plus a range of IPA variants, hazy double IPAs, West Coast IPAs, lagers, and seasonal/limited releases. Its core technology combines German brewing school principles with modern craft techniques, including proprietary water chemistry manipulation that allows replication of beer profiles across different water sources, yeast strain selection to produce elevated glycerol for NEIPA mouthfeel, and natural flavor extraction for fruit and dessert variants. M-43 is trademarked and recognized as a top-15 national beer on Untappd.

The company generates revenue through three primary streams: brewpub restaurant and taproom sales at the Williamston location, packaged 4-pack beer sales to-go and through a wholesale distributor network covering approximately 20 U.S. states plus limited European shipments, and branded merchandise. Pricing spans $3-$4 brewpub draft specials, $10.99-$18.99 for packaged 4-packs, and full-service restaurant menu pricing. Distribution is executed through named regional partners including Imperial Beverage (MI), Heidelberg (OH), Cavalier (IN), Heartland Beverage (IL), Beechwood Sales (WI), Wolf Distributing (IL), and Sarene Craft (CT/NJ/NY/PA/RI), with additional coverage in NC, ME, VT, TN, AR, CO, GA, MA, and VA. The Tavour online vendor channel supports direct consumer shipping.

The customer base consists of Midwest craft beer enthusiasts (primary segment), local Mid-Michigan dine-in customers, and retail/restaurant distributors sourcing differentiated craft brands. The company distributes to 3,000+ bars, restaurants, grocery stores, and party stores across Michigan alone. Customer touchpoints include a brewpub, an owned e-commerce/retailer-finder website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube), a quarterly email newsletter, and earned media coverage in publications such as Brewer Magazine, USA Today, Men's Journal, and Detroit Free Press. Old Nation holds Brewers Association Certified Independent Craft status and operates with no external institutional ownership, having grown organically through product success and capacity expansion.

Name

Old Nation Brewing Company

Legal name

Old Nation Brewing Co.

Website

https://oldnationbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Old Nation Brewing Company is a Michigan-owned craft brewery and brewpub founded in 2015 in Williamston, MI, producing the flagship M-43 New England IPA and a portfolio of IPA variants and lagers. It sells via brewpub, a ~20-state wholesale distributor network, and online channels serving craft beer enthusiasts and on-premise retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA), Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Hazy IPA production
• Brewpub restaurant
• Craft beer distribution
• German-style brewing

Headquarters

HQ city

Williamston

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, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Brewpub Restaurant Sales: Full-service restaurant and taproom at 1500 Grand River Ave, Williamston MI. Serves food and all Old Nation beers on tap, including exclusive releases.
2. Packaged Beer Sales: 4-pack cans sold for takeaway at brewpub and through distributor network across multiple states. Flagship M-43 priced at $14.99 for 4-pack.
3. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including apparel sold through brewpub and online catalog. Orders placed by phone or in-person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Old Nation Brewing Company brews and packages a portfolio of craft beers anchored by its flagship M-43 New England IPA, with additional hazy and West Coast IPAs, Brut IPAs, flavored variants, triple and double IPAs, and German/Mexican-style lagers. It operates a full-service brewpub restaurant at 1500 Grand River Ave in Williamston, Michigan, serving scratch-made food alongside draft and packaged beer, including brewpub-exclusive releases. Packaged beer is distributed through a multi-state network of regional wholesalers across roughly 20 U.S. states plus limited shipments to Europe, with online vendor Tavour for direct-to-consumer shipping.

Product overview

Old Nation Brewing Company is a Michigan-owned craft brewery and brewpub founded in 2015, operating a single-location brewery and restaurant in Williamston, MI. The product portfolio centers on the M-43 New England IPA as the flagship brand, complemented by a range of IPA variants (Double Dry Hopped, Tart Strawberry, Orange Cream, Piña Colada Cream, B-43 Brut IPA, Grapefruit B-43), full-strength IPAs (Boss Tweed Double NEIPA, Easy Tiger West Coast IPA, Fence Hop Hazy Double IPA, Single Double El Dorado Cryo, MI MI MI Triple NEIPA), lagers (Tranquilas Mexican-Style Lager, Boreal Dry Hopped Lager, Detroit Dwarf Altbier, Sunstead German-Style Maibock), session beers (Low Orbit Session NEIPA), and limited/seasonal releases (Flat Brain Red IPA). The company also operates a full-service brewpub restaurant with food service and beer to-go sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• M-43 New England IPA Flagship New England IPA brewed with Calypso, Simcoe, Citra, and Amarillo hops, featuring citrus and tropical notes of pineapple, mango, and grapefruit with a soft, pillowy mouthfeel; haze produced via interaction of malted-oat lipids and dry-hop oils and acids. Sold in 4-packs at the brewpub and through distributors in multiple states.
• Boss Tweed 9.3% ABV hazy double New England IPA bursting with citrusy hops and tropical peach, mango, and tangerine aromas; one of the Midwest's highest-rated hazy double IPAs for over 7 years. Priced at $17.99 per 4-pack.
• Easy Tiger Bold, hop-forward West Coast IPA with firm, clean bitterness combining classic and modern hops for a balance of piney and tropical aromas with sharp bitterness meeting a clean finish. Priced at $11.99 per 4-pack.
• Tranquilas Mexican-style lager infused with premium natural lime flavor for a crisp, golden, citrusy refreshment. Priced at $10.99 per 4-pack.
• Orange Cream M-43
• Tart Strawberry M-43
• Double Dry Hopped M-43
• Piña Colada Cream M-43
• B-43 Crisp, dry Brut IPA using the same hop recipe as M-43; low-carb option with 3g carbohydrates per pint, no residual sugar, and 7% ABV.
• Grapefruit B-43 Citrus-infused version of B-43 with zesty grapefruit flavor complementing the crisp, dry IPA profile with 7% ABV.
• Boreal Dry-hopped lager balancing bitterness and aromatic hop notes of pine, orange, and tropical fruit with a crisp, clean lager base.
• Detroit Dwarf
• MI, MI, MI
• Fence Hop
• Single Double El Dorado Cryo
• Low Orbit
• Sunstead
• Flat Brain Red IPA released for Old Nation's 10-year anniversary; rich malt body delivers caramel and toffee with bright Citra hops bursting mango, grapefruit, and lychee.
• The Brewpub (restaurant & taproom) Full-service restaurant and taproom at 1500 Grand River Ave, Williamston, MI, serving scratch-made comfort food, char-grilled burgers with locally sourced beef, and exclusive pub-only beer releases. Includes kids menu, daily specials, and happy-hour promotions.
• Beer To Go

Quantifiable outcome

• 120% capacity increase achieved through expansion and contract brewing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 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

One partnership is on record.

• Brew DetroitcoreTechnology or Integration · 3 January 2019Contract brewing facility partnership in Detroit, MI. Travis Fritts worked with Brewmaster Joe Thorner to replicate M-43 recipe using Detroit water chemistry. Added 85bbl capacity from Detroit facility to complement Williamston's ~440bbl output.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bell's Brewery: Michigan craft brewery with national distribution and a flagship hop-forward IPA (Two Hearted) — closely comparable to Old Nation in geography, channel mix (brewpub + wholesale), and flagship-IPA-led brand strategy.
• Trillium Brewing Company: Boston-area craft brewery recognized as a leading New England IPA producer — directly comparable to Old Nation's M-43-led hazy IPA focus and rotating limited-release variant strategy.
• The Alchemist: Vermont craft brewery famous for Heady Topper; a pioneer of the New England IPA style that competes for the same hazy-IPA consumer and uses brewery-as-destination retail.
• Tree House Brewing Company: Massachusetts craft brewery with a cult following around hazy, hop-forward IPAs and limited can releases — directly comparable to Old Nation's craft-hazy positioning and enthusiast-driven demand model.
• Founders Brewing Company: Grand Rapids-based Michigan craft brewery with multi-state distribution and a flagship IPA (All Day IPA, Centennial IPA) — comparable scale and wholesale-led growth trajectory.
• Short's Brewing Company: Northern Michigan craft brewery with a brewpub, broad style portfolio, and Eastern/Midwest distribution — comparable to Old Nation's single-brewpub + packaged distribution hybrid model.
• Three Floyds Brewing: Indiana-based Midwest craft brewery with strong hop-forward and hazy offerings and cult brand status — comparable craft positioning and Midwest consumer appeal to Old Nation.

Emerging players

• Tired Hands Brewing Company: Pennsylvania craft brewery recognized for hazy IPAs and experimental smaller-batch releases — comparable hazy-IPA focus and limited variant release cadence to Old Nation's M-43 family.

Broad incumbents

• Great Lakes Brewing Company: Ohio's largest craft brewery with broad style portfolio and multi-state Midwest distribution — a regional incumbent serving overlapping on-premise and packaged channels.
• Lagunitas Brewing Company: Large-scale craft brewery with national distribution and an IPA-led lineup (Lagunitas IPA, Hop Stoopid) — a broader incumbent in the same IPA-led craft distribution category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oldnationbrew
• YouTubeyoutube.com/UCty-kvlnURbx0u_Kws3FY0Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/OldNationBrewPub
• Instagraminstagram.com/oldnationbrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/old-nation-brewing-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Old Nation Brewing Company