What Backwoods Brewing Company does

Backwoods Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2012 by brothers in Carson, Washington, in the Columbia River Gorge. The company operates three brewpub locations — Backwoods in the Gorge (Carson, WA, the original site with weekend breakfast and house-smoked meats), Backwoods in the Pearl (Portland, OR, Pearl District, opened 2018), and Backwoods in Hillsboro (opened 2025, featuring a rooftop bar and event space inside a converted bank vault) — plus a 40-barrel brewing facility in Stevenson, WA. Core technology is conventional craft brewing augmented by centrifuge filtration to produce clear finished beer. Its product portfolio spans roughly sixteen beers across IPAs (Original Lumberjack IPA, Logyard IPA, Party Acres Juicy IPA), lagers (Pilot Lager, Campsite Crisp, Hinterwalder Pilsner), stouts and porters (S'mores Golden Stout, Ridge Run Stout, Pecan Pie Porter), specialty ales (Copperline Amber, Dreamsicle, Portland Diamond Project Pale, Comfy Womfy Winter Ale), plus a non-alcoholic Backwoods Root Beer. Co-branded SKUs (She Flies Hazy, Pilot Lager, Portland Diamond Project Pale) extend reach through institutional partnerships.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model combining on-site food and beverage sales at the three brewpubs (transaction-fee F&B plus retail merchandise), wholesale distribution of draft and packaged beer through Columbia and Crown Distributing in Oregon and Washington and Hayden Beverage in Idaho, and an emerging retail grocery channel anchored at chains such as Winco and Rosauers. Primary customer segments are local residents and Pacific Northwest visitors to the brewpub locations, regional craft beer consumers purchasing packaged beer through distributors and grocery, and event/private-party groups. Marketing relies on a VIP email list, organic social media, earned press coverage (The Oregonian, Willamette Week, Eater Portland, Brewbound, Thrillist), and community events such as the annual Battle in the Backwoods Golf Tournament and the Backwoods Foundation raffle tied to the company's anniversary. The company is owned by the founding family, led by co-founder and CEO Steve Waters, with no disclosed external investment.

Backwoods Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2012 by brothers in Carson, Washington, operating three brewpub locations (Carson WA, Portland OR Pearl District, and Hillsboro OR) plus a 40-barrel brewing facility in Stevenson, WA. The company produces roughly sixteen craft beer SKUs plus a non-alcoholic root beer, using centrifuge filtration, and generates revenue through on-site food and beverage sales, three-state wholesale distribution (OR/WA via Columbia and Crown Distributing, ID via Hayden Beverage), and an emerging grocery retail channel. It serves local residents, Pacific Northwest visitors, regional craft beer consumers, and event groups across the Pacific Northwest.

Name

Backwoods Brewing Company

Legal name

Backwoods Brewing Company

Website

https://backwoodsbrewingcompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Privately held Pacific Northwest craft brewery founded in 2012, operating three brewpubs (Carson WA, Portland OR, Hillsboro OR) and a 40-barrel brewery, distributing ~16 beer SKUs across OR/WA/ID and into regional grocery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA), Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Brewpub restaurant
• Craft brewery operations
• Beer wholesale distribution
• Packaged beer sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Carson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. On-site Food & Beverage Sales: Revenue from three brewpub locations serving craft beers, cocktails, pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and house-smoked meats for on-site consumption
2. Packaged Beer Sales: Draft and packaged beer sales in 6-packs, 4-packs, and individual pours. Available at own locations, through distributors to retail stores, and some grocery stores
3. Merchandise and Shop: Sale of branded merchandise including custom soaps and other products

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Backwoods Brewing Company is a craft brewery operating three brewpub locations in the Pacific Northwest (Carson WA, Portland OR Pearl District, Hillsboro OR), producing a portfolio of handcrafted beers including IPAs, lagers, stouts, porters, and specialty ales, alongside a food menu of handcrafted pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and house-smoked meats. The company distributes draft and packaged beer through wholesale partners and grocery retail across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

Product overview

Backwoods Brewing Company operates a portfolio of brewpub locations across the Pacific Northwest (Carson WA, Portland OR Pearl District, and Hillsboro OR) alongside a craft beer product line. The company produces core beer offerings including IPAs (Original Lumberjack IPA, Logyard IPA, Party Acres Juicy IPA, She Flies Hazy), lagers (Pilot Lager, Campsite Crisp, Hinterwalder Pilsner), stouts (Ridge Run Stout, S'mores Golden Stout), porters (Pecan Pie Porter), and specialty ales (Copperline Amber Ale, Dreamsicle Golden Ale, Portland Diamond Project Pale, Comfy Womfy Winter Ale), plus non-alcoholic Backwoods Root Beer. Food offerings include handcrafted pizzas, fresh salads, toasted sandwiches, house-smoked meats, and weekend breakfast at the Carson location. The Hillsboro location features a rooftop bar and event space within a converted bank vault. Beers are distributed through Columbia and Crown Distributing in Oregon and WA, and Hayden Beverage in Idaho, with sell sheets available for on-trade and retail accounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Backwoods in the Gorge (Carson, WA) Original brewpub location in Carson, Washington featuring handcrafted pizzas, fresh salads, toasted sandwiches, house-smoked meats, and weekend breakfast menu, paired with Backwoods craft beers.
• Backwoods in the Pearl (Portland, OR) Second brewpub location in Portland's Pearl District serving house-made appetizers, salads, burgers, and craft cocktails paired with locally brewed Backwoods beers.
• Backwoods in Hillsboro Third brewpub location in Hillsboro, Oregon at Main Street Commons featuring a rooftop bar and event space built within an old bank vault, with a full menu and 21 craft beers on tap.
• Original Lumberjack IPA

Named customers13 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbia and Crown DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary wholesale distribution partners for Backwoods Brewing beer in Oregon and Washington states. They distribute draft and packaged beer to retailers, taprooms, and restaurants throughout the region.
• Hayden BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Backwoods Brewing beer in Idaho, enabling market expansion into the Idaho market for draft and packaged beer sales.
• Sport Oregon Foundation - She Flies InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the She Flies Hazy beer, brewed in support of the Sport Oregon Foundation's She Flies Initiative promoting women's participation in sports. Features hops from Simcoe, Amarillo, and Mosaic.
• University of PortlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Portland for the Pilot Lager, a refreshing lager with light body and mild malt flavor. Uses Cascade hops.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Deschutes Brewery: One of the largest independent craft breweries in the Pacific Northwest, headquartered in Bend, OR. Directly comparable as a multi-state craft brewer and brewpub operator with broad distribution, similar core/seasonal lineup, and overlap in OR/WA on-premise accounts.
• pFriem Family Brewers: Hood River, OR craft brewery and brewpub located in the same Columbia River Gorge corridor as Backwoods' original location. Closely comparable on-premise brewpub model, PNW distribution footprint, and craft beer portfolio positioning.
• Double Mountain Brewery: Hood River, OR craft brewery and taproom operating in the same Gorge geography. Comparable brewpub/taproom format, similar core/seasonal IPA-and-lager mix, and overlapping OR/WA wholesale accounts.
• Breakside Brewery: Portland-based craft brewery with multiple brewpub locations across the Portland metro. Highly comparable multi-location brewpub strategy, distributed packaged beer line, and competitive overlap in OR/WA tap and retail channels.
• Rogue Ales: Oregon-based independent craft brewer with brewpubs, a distillery, and national distribution. Comparable as an Oregon craft brand competing for the same PNW tap, grocery, and on-premise placements.
• Walking Man Brewing: Stevenson, WA craft brewery and pub, immediately adjacent to Backwoods' Stevenson production facility. Comparable Gorge-based brewpub and packaged craft beer operation competing for the same local market.
• Hopworks Urban Brewery: Portland-based craft brewery with brewpub locations and packaged distribution. Comparable brewpub-plus-distribution model, similar core/seasonal lineup, and direct overlap in Portland on-premise accounts.
• Fort George Brewery: Astoria, OR craft brewery with a brewpub and regional distribution. Comparable multi-channel PNW craft brewer competing for OR/WA tap, grocery, and bottle shop placements.

Broad incumbents

• Full Sail Brewing: Larger, established Hood River, OR craft brewer with a much broader national distribution footprint. Comparable PNW craft portfolio and Gorge origin, but operates at significantly greater scale and distribution reach.
• Widmer Brothers Brewing: Portland, OR-based craft brewer (part of Craft Alliance) with a broad flagship lineup and deep OR/WA distribution. Comparable Oregon craft heritage and OR/WA tap and retail overlap, but at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/backwoodsbrewco
• Facebookfacebook.com/backwoodsbrewingcompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/backwoods-brewing-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Backwoods Brewing Company