Earth Rider Brewery

What Earth Rider Brewery does

Earth Rider Brewery is a privately held craft brewery founded in September 2017 by Tim Nelson in Superior, Wisconsin. The company brews a portfolio of beers using Lake Superior water as a signature ingredient, with a flagship lineup that includes Superior Pale Ale (ABV 5.5%), Tap Shack Caribbean-Style Lager, Cloud Top Hazy IPA, Caribou Lake IPA, and a Royal Bohemian Pilsner, plus seasonal, limited, and specialty releases including a Mixed Fermentation Series of sour and wild ales. Its North Tower Stout won a gold medal at the 2025 World Beer Cup, validating brewing quality at an international level. The company is led by a small team of four named executives (Tim Nelson as Founder/CEO, Brad Nelson as Brand Director, Frank Kaszuba as Director of Brewing Ops, and Allyson Rolph as Head of Brewing and Innovation) and operates with 11-50 employees.

Name

Earth Rider Brewery

Legal name

Earth Rider Brewery

Website

https://earthrider.beer

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Taproom services
• Craft beer distribution
• Brewery merchandise
• Beer festival events

Headquarters

HQ city

Superior

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Taproom Sales: Direct beer sales at Cedar Lounge Taproom including pints, flights, and growler fills; also serves as the primary location for to-go package sales (6-packs, 12-packs)
2. Retail Package Sales: Distribution of canned and bottled beer to local retailers in 6-pack and 12-pack formats across Twin Ports and Wisconsin
3. Draft Sales: Draft beer sales to bars and restaurants across Wisconsin through distributor relationships
4. Cedar House VRBO Rental: Short-term rental of the historic innkeeper's apartment above the Cedar Lounge Taproom through VRBO
5. Merchandise: Sale of Earth Rider branded merchandise including apparel and accessories through the brewery's shop
6. Event Revenue: Ticketed concerts and festivals including annual Earth Rider Fest and music events at Fest Grounds and Cedar Lounge

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Earth Rider Brewery is a craft brewery in Superior, Wisconsin that manufactures and sells a portfolio of beers including flagship, seasonal, limited-edition, and Mixed Fermentation (sour and wild ale) releases brewed with Lake Superior water. The brewery distributes its beer through the Cedar Lounge Taproom, retail package sales (6-packs and 12-packs), and draft accounts across Wisconsin, while also generating revenue from branded merchandise, the annual Earth Rider Fest, music events at the Fest Grounds, and the Cedar House VRBO rental located above the taproom.

Product overview

Earth Rider Brewery is a craft brewery in Superior, Wisconsin, offering a portfolio of beers centered around its flagship Superior Pale Ale and Tap Shack Caribbean-Style Lager. The product line includes year-round core beers (Superior Pale Ale, Tap Shack, Cloud Top Hazy IPA, Caribou Lake IPA), seasonal releases (Royal Bohemian Pilsner, Blueberry Honey Cream Ale, Hefeweizen), specialty offerings (Mixed Fermentation Series, North Tower Stout award-winning stout), and limited releases (Stoney Point IPA, special Fest releases). The Cedar Lounge Taproom serves as the primary retail venue, complemented by the Earth Rider mobile app for rewards and loyalty, the Cedar House VRBO rental above the taproom, and the annual Earth Rider Fest event at the Fest Grounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tap Shack Caribbean Lager: A Caribbean-style lager described as crisp, light, refreshing with island vibes.
• Cedar Lounge
• Cedar House
• Earth Rider Fest
• Mixed Fermentation Series

Products and services

• Superior Pale Ale Year-round flagship pale ale brewed with hand-selected hops lending citrus notes; crisp and clean profile, ABV 5.5%, SRM 3.3, IBU 40; sold in 6-pack and 12-pack cans at the Cedar Lounge Taproom, local retailers, and through draft accounts.
• Tap Shack Caribbean-Style Lager Seasonal summer lager described as crisp, light, and refreshing with island vibes and a hint of citrus; sold in 6-pack and 12-pack cans.
• Cloud Top Hazy IPA
• Caribou Lake IPA
• Royal Bohemian Pilsner
• Blueberry Honey Cream Ale
• North Tower Stout Award-winning smooth, rich stout available in pints and 6-packs at the Cedar Lounge Taproom and at retailers; won a gold medal at the 2025 World Beer Cup.
• Stoney Point IPA
• Hefeweizen
• Precious Material Helles Lager (Vinyl Tap Helles Lager)
• Mixed Fermentation Series
• Cedar Lounge Taproom Official on-premise taproom of Earth Rider Brewery located at 1715 N 3rd St, Superior, WI on Superior's working harbor; serves pints, flights, and packaged beer to-go across the full Earth Rider portfolio, offers food, and hosts live music and community events. Built originally in 1912 as a tavern.
• Cedar House VRBO Rental
• Earth Rider Fest and Fest Grounds Concerts Annual music and beer festival plus recurring ticketed concerts held at the Earth Rider Fest Grounds at the base of the Blatnick Bridge in Superior's North End neighborhood; features live music, special beer releases, food trucks, and family activities.
• Earth Rider Branded Merchandise
• Earth Rider Mug Club Membership
• Beer Finder Locator Tool

Quantifiable outcome

• Gold medal at 2025 World Beer Cup for North Tower Stout

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American BirkebeinercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Earth Rider Brewery is the official beer of the American Birkebeiner, North America's largest cross-country ski race. The partnership reflects shared values of endurance, craft, and community.
• Superior City FCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Earth Rider beer is served at all local home matches for Superior City FC men's and women's soccer teams during the season.
• Hopsteiner Co.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration brewing an Italian-style Pilsner specifically to serve to brewers participating in hop selection in Yakima, WA.
• Erik Koskinen BandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Featured performer at Earth Rider Fest 2025, part of the brewery's annual music festival celebration.
• Rotary Club of SuperiorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Earth Rider is proud to be the Official Beer of the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival for the 8th consecutive year. The festival is organized by the Rotary Club of Superior and has raised over $1.3 million for charitable organizations in the Twin Ports since 2002.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Founders Brewing Co. Grand Rapids, MI craft brewery with national distribution and taproom experience. Comparable Midwest craft identity and event-driven brand building, but with substantially larger production and distribution footprint.
• Bell's Brewery: Comstock, MI craft brewery (now part of AB InBev's craft portfolio) with broad Midwest and national distribution, Eccentric Café taproom, and large seasonal lineup. Comparable craft brewing and taproom heritage but operates at substantially greater scale.

Direct peers

• Karben4 Brewing: Madison, WI craft brewery with taproom and regional distribution across Wisconsin. Similar size and scale to Earth Rider with comparable product portfolio (IPAs, lagers, pilsners) and on-premise taproom model.
• Fitger's Brewhouse: Duluth, MN brewpub and the predecessor venture founded by Earth Rider's founder Tim Nelson in 1995. Operates an on-site brewhouse, restaurant, and taproom in the historic Fitger's complex, making it the closest analog for Earth Rider's Cedar Lounge + brewery model in the same Twin Ports market.
• Central Waters Brewing Company: Amherst, WI craft brewery producing year-round and seasonal beers with regional Wisconsin distribution. Comparable Midwest craft producer with taproom and packaged retail channels, competing for similar shelf space and tap handles in Wisconsin.
• Indeed Brewing Company: Minneapolis, MN craft brewery with taproom and regional Midwest packaged distribution. Comparable product mix of year-round flagships and seasonal releases, with similar operational scale and community-engagement focus.
• Bent Paddle Brewing Co. Duluth, MN craft brewery located in the Twin Ports market, producing year-round and seasonal beers with regional distribution. Direct local competitor sharing the same Twin Ports consumer base, outdoor lifestyle positioning, and taproom-plus-wholesale model.
• Surly Brewing Co. Minneapolis, MN craft brewery with destination taproom, beer hall, and broad regional Midwest distribution. Closely comparable business model combining production brewing with a flagship taproom experience and event-driven hospitality.
• New Glarus Brewing Company: Wisconsin's largest independently owned craft brewery, distributing exclusively within Wisconsin. Closely comparable in business model focus on a single-state regional footprint, year-round and seasonal lineup, and strong local brand identity — a scaled-up version of Earth Rider's regional strategy.
• Viking Brewing Company: Barron, WI craft brewery with taproom and regional Wisconsin distribution. Comparable small-scale Wisconsin craft producer with year-round flagships, seasonal releases, and event-driven taproom business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EarthRiderBeer
• Instagraminstagram.com/earthriderbeer
• Xx.com/EarthRiderBeer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Earth Rider Brewery