Vocation Brewery
Vocation Brewery is an independent UK craft brewery founded in 2015 in Hebden Bridge, producing bold IPAs, pale ales, stouts, lagers, and barrel-aged beers, sold direct-to-consumer online, through B2B trade distribution, and across three owned Vocation & Co. taprooms in West and South Yorkshire.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersHebden Bridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Vocation Brewery does
Vocation Brewery is a UK-based independent craft brewery founded in 2015 by John Hickling in an old chicken shed at 1,000 feet elevation in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. The company produces a portfolio of bold, flavor-forward craft beers organized into three collections: a permanent Core Range (IPAs, pale ales, a lager, and a chocolate stout), limited Special Edition and seasonal releases, and a Barrel Aged program of more than 500 barrels using rare Cognac, Bourbon, Red Wine, and White Port casks. Most beers are certified Vegan by the Vegan Society, and the Heart & Soul Session IPA is certified gluten-free. The brewery has been recognized at the World Beer Awards and Great Taste Awards, including World's Best Pale Ale 2024 for Crush Hour.
The business operates a vertically integrated omnichannel model. Direct-to-consumer revenue comes from the vocationbrewery.com e-commerce store, which ships UK-wide with free delivery over £50 and offers mixed cases, build-your-own bundles, branded merchandise, and e-gift cards in £10-£100 denominations. Wholesale trade revenue is generated through the Sellar B2B ordering platform serving pubs, bars, bottle shops, and restaurants with local and nationwide delivery. On-premise revenue is generated through three owned taproom venues — Vocation & Co. Hebden Bridge, Halifax (a three-floor venue with roof terrace and Wonder Wheel Pizza Kitchen), and Sheffield — each functioning as both retail and brand experience assets.
Revenue mechanics are predominantly transactional (unit-priced beer, merchandise, and venue sales), with no subscription or licensing model disclosed. Customer segments split between craft beer enthusiasts purchasing direct or on-premise and a fragmented base of independent trade stockists. Headcount is reported at 51-100 employees, no funding rounds are disclosed, and the company appears to remain founder-owned and privately held with no parent company or institutional investor evidenced. Geographic operations are concentrated in England with no claimed global footprint.
Vocation Brewery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vocation Brewery
- Legal name
- Vocation Brewery
- Website
- https://vocationbrewery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Vocation Brewery is an independent UK craft brewery founded in 2015 in Hebden Bridge, producing bold IPAs, pale ales, stouts, lagers, and barrel-aged beers, sold direct-to-consumer online, through B2B trade distribution, and across three owned Vocation & Co. taprooms in West and South Yorkshire.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vocation Brewery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)
Keywords
Where Vocation Brewery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hebden Bridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Vocation Brewery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Beer Sales: E-commerce sales of canned and bottled craft beers through their website, with 12-pack cases as primary format. Direct-to-consumer model with free shipping over £50.
- Taproom & Bar Sales: Three owned taproom venues (Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Sheffield) serving beer alongside food, with on-site consumption and retail packaged beer sales.
- Trade Distribution: Wholesale distribution to pubs, bars, bottle shops, and restaurants through Sellar platform. Local and nationwide direct delivery to trade customers.
- Merchandise & Glassware: Branded clothing, glassware, accessories, and gift cards sold through e-commerce.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Core Range Beers - 12pk cans |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Special Edition Beers - 440ml singles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barrel Aged Beers - 330ml bottles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mixed Cases |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Vocation Brewery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vocation Brewery manufactures bold, flavor-forward craft beers from a hilltop brewery in West Yorkshire, including a permanent core range (IPAs, pale ales, lagers, stouts), special edition releases, and a barrel aged program of 500+ barrels. The company distributes through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, three owned Vocation & Co. taproom venues in Hebden Bridge, Halifax, and Sheffield, and B2B wholesale trade ordering for pubs, bars, bottle shops, and restaurants via the Sellar platform. Branded merchandise, glassware, and gift cards complement the beer portfolio.
Product overview
Vocation Brewery is a UK craft brewery producing bold, flavor-forward beers from their hilltop location in West Yorkshire. The core product portfolio consists of three main beer collections: the permanent Core Beer Range featuring flagship IPAs, pale ales, lagers, and stouts; Special Edition one-off and seasonal releases with experimental styles; and Barrel Aged beers aged in rare spirits barrels. Beyond packaged beer, Vocation offers mixed beer cases, branded merchandise including glassware and clothing, gift cards, and build-your-own bundles. The company operates three taproom venues (Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Sheffield) providing on-premise beer service alongside food, with a B2B trade ordering platform for retail and hospitality stockists.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Core Beer Range Permanent, award-winning flagship beers including Life & Death IPA, Love & Hate NEIPA, Heart & Soul Gluten Free Session IPA, Crush Hour Pale Ale, Hop Skip & Juice Hazy Pale Ale, Bread & Butter Dry Hopped Pale Ale, Hilltop Lager, and Naughty & Nice Chocolate Stout. Available in 330ml and 440ml cans for direct-to-consumer and trade customers.
- Special Edition Beer One-off brews, seasonal releases, and creative collaborations sold as 440ml singles. Includes styles such as DIPAs, pastry DIPAs, triple IPAs, stouts, sours, wheat beers, brut IPAs, and experimental flavours with small-batch, limited availability.
- Barrel Aged Beer Limited edition aged beers (330ml bottles) matured in rare, hand-selected barrels including Cognac, Bourbon, Red Wine, and White Port casks. Includes imperial stouts, strong ales, and complex sour ales; the barrel aging programme holds over 500 barrels.
- Mixed Beer Cases Curated mixed beer cases including Mixed IPA Packs, Mixed Pale Ale Packs, Core Range Mixed Cases, Fridge Fillers, and Big Hitters IPA Icons packs in 24-pack and 48-pack 330ml and 440ml formats.
- Beer Glasses Branded glassware including pint glasses (20oz), stemmed glasses (15.5oz), and specialty glasses featuring Vocation branding for various beer styles.
- Clothing & Apparel Branded clothing items including hoodies, t-shirts, half zips, sweatshirts, socks, beanies, and tote bags featuring Vocation Brewery branding and beer-themed designs.
- Gift Sets & Bundles Pre-curated gift combinations including beer and glass sets, beer and sock bundles, beer and beanie packages, and build-your-own bundle options with tiered discounts (5% off 6 cans, 10% off 12 cans).
- e-Gift Card Digital gift cards available in denominations of £10, £25, £50, and £100, delivered via email with redemption instructions for online purchases.
- Vocation & Co. Hebden Bridge Taproom First taproom location overlooking Hebden Bridge marina with 20+ taps, outdoor seating, and food service. Open Sun-Mon 10:00-22:00, Tue-Sat 10:00-23:00. Kitchen open daily 10:00-21:00.
- Vocation & Co. Halifax Taproom Three-floor venue in Halifax town centre featuring 8 Cask and 18 Keg lines, roof terrace, cocktail lounge, and New York-style pizza from Wonder Wheel Pizza Kitchen. Open Monday 12:00-22:00, Tuesday-Sunday 12:00-Late.
- Vocation & Co. Sheffield Taproom Sheffield city centre venue with 20+ taps, Vocation Bars Kitchen food service, quiz nights, and open mic events, located near universities at 113-117 Devonshire Street.
- Trade Ordering (B2B Wholesale) B2B ordering platform for pubs, bars, bottle shops, and restaurants to stock Vocation beers. Accessed via Sellar platform with full product availability, local and nationwide delivery, and various payment options.
- Hilltop Lager A crisp and refreshing 4.3% ABV premium lager added to Vocation's Core Range in 2025, inspired by the brewery's hilltop West Yorkshire location and available in 12x440ml cans.
Quantifiable outcome
- World's Best Pale Ale 2024 (Crush Hour)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Vocation Brewery
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Vocation Brewery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature3 records
Vocation Brewery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Wonder Wheel Pizza KitchenminorFood service partner at Vocation & Co Halifax location. Provides New York-style pizzas including full 18-inch pies and individual slices alongside the taproom's 8 cask and 18 keg beer lines.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vocation Brewery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Thornbridge Brewery: Derbyshire-based craft brewery with broad style range including barrel-aged and special editions, plus on-site taproom. Comparable on craft brewing scale, barrel aging premium tier, and UK trade/DTC distribution model.
- Northern Monk: Leeds-based craft brewery operating a similar Yorkshire-anchored strategy with taproom venues (e.g., Northern Monk Refectory) and DTC e-commerce. Directly comparable in regional base, bold IPA portfolio, and growing multi-venue model.
- BrewDog: Scotland-based craft brewery with comparable multi-channel strategy including DTC e-commerce, owned bar network, and global trade distribution. BrewDog operates at materially larger scale but shares Vocation's bold-flavor positioning, IPA-led portfolio, and own-brand taproom model.
- Innis & Gunn: Edinburgh-based craft brewery specializing in barrel-aged and oak-matured beers with national UK distribution. Directly comparable in the barrel-aged premium product tier that Vocation has built around its 500+ barrel program.
- Camden Town Brewery: London craft brewery with a multi-venue strategy (Camden Brewery Market, multiple bars) and packaged beer distribution. Comparable in combining brewing with owned taproom venues and direct consumer sales, though now AB InBev-owned.
- Magic Rock Brewing: Yorkshire craft brewery (Huddersfield) known for bold IPAs and modern craft styles, now part of Lion. Highly comparable on geographic base, flavor-forward product philosophy, and craft beer consumer target.
- Beavertown Brewery: London-based craft brewery with an IPA-led portfolio and strong brand identity (Gamma Ray, Neck Oil). Comparable in bold-flavor positioning, UK trade distribution, and craft bar/taproom presence, though now owned by Heineken.
- Cloudwater Brew Co: Manchester-based craft brewery known for modern, flavor-forward beers and seasonal/special edition releases. Comparable in bold-flavor philosophy, special edition focus, and trade/DTC distribution to UK craft consumers.
- Five Points Brewing: East London craft brewery with own taproom, DTC e-commerce, and UK trade distribution. Comparable in combining modern craft brewing with a venue-led brand experience and packaged beer sales.
Emerging players
- Wiper and True: Bristol-based craft brewery with a smaller, emerging taproom and direct sales operation. Comparable in craft beer style portfolio and DTC trade-off premise model, though at smaller scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vocation Brewery social profiles
Digital presenceVocation Brewery compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Vocation Brewery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vocation Brewery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Vocation Brewery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vocation 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 Vocation Brewery
What does Vocation Brewery do?
Vocation Brewery manufactures bold, flavor-forward craft beers from a hilltop brewery in West Yorkshire, including a permanent core range (IPAs, pale ales, lagers, stouts), special edition releases, and a barrel aged program of 500+ barrels. The company distributes through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, three owned Vocation & Co. taproom venues in Hebden Bridge, Halifax, and Sheffield, and B2B wholesale trade ordering for pubs, bars, bottle shops, and restaurants via the Sellar platform. Branded merchandise, glassware, and gift cards complement the beer portfolio.
Is Vocation Brewery a public or private company?
Vocation Brewery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vocation Brewery founded?
Vocation Brewery was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Vocation Brewery based?
Vocation Brewery is headquartered in Hebden Bridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Vocation Brewery make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct Beer Sales are the primary driver. The others are taproom & Bar Sales, trade Distribution and merchandise & Glassware.
Who are Vocation Brewery's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Thornbridge Brewery, Northern Monk, BrewDog, Innis & Gunn, Camden Town Brewery, Magic Rock Brewing, Beavertown Brewery, Cloudwater Brew Co and Five Points Brewing. Wiper and True is listed as an emerging player.
Does Vocation Brewery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vocation Brewery.
What industry is Vocation Brewery in?
Vocation Brewery's product category is Craft Beer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAD, Regional & National Breweries, with a secondary code of THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service). Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.