Crooked Stave
Crooked Stave Brewing Co. is a Denver-based craft brewery founded in 2010, producing 6,500–7,000 barrels annually of wild, barrel-aged, and mixed-culture beers for direct-to-consumer sale at its Sunnyside taproom. The brewery also offers custom-labeled event beer, branded merchandise, and experiential taproom programming for craft beer enthusiasts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Crooked Stave does
Crooked Stave Brewing Co. is a craft brewery headquartered at 1441 W. 46th Ave in Denver's Sunnyside neighborhood, founded in 2010 by Chad Yakobson as the Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project. The brewery operates a 25hL brewhouse alongside a 30hL coolship, producing 6,500–7,000 barrels annually across a wide portfolio that spans crisp lagers (e.g., NZ Pils, Italian Pilsner, Festbier), hop-forward IPAs (Juicy East, Juicy West), Irish Red and amber ales, barrel-aged stouts (Gift of Time Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout), and wild/sour beers developed through spontaneous fermentation, house-mixed cultures, and barrel aging in bourbon, whiskey, and French oak. The company's signature lies in Méthode Traditionnelle techniques and a proprietary house-mixed culture used across its Brettanomyces saisons and sour ales.
The business is primarily direct-to-consumer, anchored by a seven-day-a-week taproom and complemented by a Shopify merchandise storefront, a custom-labeled private-label beer service for weddings and corporate events, and rotating limited releases including collaborations with other breweries such as Primitive Beer and Alma Mader Brewing. Pricing is unit-based with recurring promotional cadences (weekday happy hour, Monday Mug Day, Sour Sunday). The brewery is currently majority woman-owned and operated by Yetta Vorobik, with founder Chad Yakobson remaining as a guiding visionary; the company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent company.
Beyond beer, Crooked Stave has built out experiential programming at the taproom — pottery workshops via Pottery with a Purpose, bonsai classes via Bonsai Bar, and a resident artist program (currently featuring illustrator Daniel Adams) — to drive foot traffic, community engagement, and dwell time. Distribution is concentrated in Colorado with no multi-state wholesale footprint disclosed, and the company does not report financials, headcount, or production trend data publicly.
Crooked Stave firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Crooked Stave
- Legal name
- Crooked Stave Brewing Co.
- Website
- https://crookedstave.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Crooked Stave Brewing Co. is a Denver-based craft brewery founded in 2010, producing 6,500–7,000 barrels annually of wild, barrel-aged, and mixed-culture beers for direct-to-consumer sale at its Sunnyside taproom. The brewery also offers custom-labeled event beer, branded merchandise, and experiential taproom programming for craft beer enthusiasts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Crooked Stave industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)
Keywords
Where Crooked Stave is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Crooked Stave business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- On-site Beer Sales: Direct sales of draft and canned beer to consumers at the taproom location, including daily happy hour specials and mug day promotions
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise through their Shopify storefront including apparel and other branded items
- Custom-Labeled Beer: Custom-labeled cans for events including weddings, company gatherings, fundraisers, and special occasions - one-time purchases for specific occasions
- Draft List Sales: Serving beer on draft at the taproom with varying sizes including pints, 20oz mug pours, and happy hour pricing
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour Pints |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Monday Mug Day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brewer's Selection |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Saturday Sour Special |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sunday Sour Special |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Crooked Stave product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Crooked Stave Brewing Co. is a craft brewery that produces wild and barrel-aged beers using spontaneous fermentation and a proprietary house-mixed culture, operating a Denver taproom that sells draft beer, canned beer, and branded merchandise directly to consumers. The brewery also offers custom-labeled beer for private events and collaborates with other breweries on limited-edition releases.
Product overview
Crooked Stave Brewing Co. is a craft brewery operating as a single unified product offering centered on artisanal beer production. The portfolio spans a wide spectrum from crisp lagers and hop-forward IPAs to decadent stouts, experimental small-batch releases, and the expressive barrel-aged sour beers that first established the brewery's reputation. The Core Series provides year-round flagship beers (NZ Pils, Juicy West IPA, Juicy East IPA, Road Tripper, Sour Rosé, Funk It Up, Nightmare on Brett), complemented by Seasonal & Limited Releases for special occasions (Pale Blue Dot, Upbeat Peach, Purple Rain, Vintage Vinyl). The full Draft Beer tap list extends to additional rotating offerings including barrel-aged stouts (Gift of Time), Brett saisons (St. Breta, Earl Grey), and diverse sour ales. Additional offerings include Custom-Labeled Beer for private occasions, Collaboration Beers with partner breweries like Primitive Beer, Taproom Events featuring pottery and bonsai workshops, and Daniel Adams Art exhibitions. Founded in 2010 by Chad Yakobson as the Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, the brewery is now majority woman-owned and operated by Yetta Vorobik, located in Denver's Sunnyside neighborhood.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Core Series Beers Year-round flagship beer lineup offered by the brewery, spanning pilsners, IPAs, amber ales, and sour/wild ales, available on draft and in cans at the Denver taproom.
- Draft Beer Tap List Complete tap list of currently available beers served at the Denver taproom, ranging from crisp lagers and hop-forward IPAs to barrel-aged stouts and sour/wild ales, including experimental small-batch releases.
- Seasonal & Limited Releases Rotating special-edition beers released for specific occasions or seasons, including themed pale ales, fruit sours, and collaboration beers.
- Barrel-Aged & Sour Beers Signature portfolio of wild and barrel-aged sour beers that first established the brewery's reputation, aged in oak, bourbon, whiskey, and single malt whiskey barrels, often featuring fruit additions like peaches, blueberries, and raspberries.
- Collaboration Beers Limited-edition beers created through partnerships with other breweries, including collaborations with Primitive Beer (e.g., 'Blending Beers Is Fun' and 'Naming Beers Is Hard' spontaneous ales with honey) and Alma Mader Brewing (e.g., 'Vintage Vinyl').
- Custom-Labeled Beer (Private Label) Custom-labeled canned beer service allowing customers to personalize beer labels for gifts, weddings, company gatherings, fundraisers, launch parties, and other special occasions.
- Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise including apparel and other Crooked Stave-branded items sold through the company's Shopify online storefront.
- Taproom Events & Workshops Community events hosted at the Denver taproom, including pottery workshops (Pottery with a Purpose), bonsai workshops (Bonsai Bar), and other creative programming combining craft beer with hands-on experiences.
Quantifiable outcome
- Produces 6,500-7,000 barrels annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Crooked Stave
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Crooked Stave technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Crooked Stave partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Primitive BeerminorIn June 2025, the Boldt family of Primitive Beer joined Crooked Stave to blend spontaneous ales from both programs. Primitive is a small, family-run nomadic blendery. The collaboration produced two beers released in April 2026: 'Blending Beers Is Fun' (dry-hopped spontaneous ale with honey) and 'Naming Beers Is Hard' (spontaneous ale with honey).
- Daniel Adams (Resident Artist)minorDaniel Adams is a Connecticut-born illustrator, woodworker, and printmaker based in Austin, Texas. His work blends rebellious energy with fine craftsmanship in woodcut, linocut, and silkscreen. A solo show is currently hung inside the Crooked Stave Brewing Co. taproom. He creates visual art for the brewery environment.
- Pottery With A PurposeminorThird-party pottery workshop provider that hosts events at the Crooked Stave taproom. They provide hands-on instruction, all supplies, and donate $1 from every ticket to mental health initiatives.
- Bonsai BarminorBonsai workshop provider that conducts beginner workshops at the taproom. Participants learn bonsai care and styling, and take home their own tree in a ceramic pot.
- Alma Mader BrewingminorCollaboration partner for 'Vintage Vinyl' beer. Alma Mader Brewing is a local Denver brewery that collaborated with Crooked Stave and friend Nick, one of Crooked Stave's first employees.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Crooked Stave competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Bruery: Orange County craft brewery specializing in barrel-aged, wild, and experimental ales with a strong membership/allocation model. Directly comparable to Crooked Stave's wild/barrel-aged portfolio and limited-release enthusiast marketing approach.
- Russian River Brewing Company: California craft brewery widely regarded as a pioneer of American sour and wild ales, with Pliny the Elder and a deep barrel-aging program. Closely comparable to Crooked Stave on wild/sour specialty positioning, small-batch experimentation, and taproom-centric distribution.
- Hill Farmstead Brewery: Vermont craft brewery widely rated among the top American craft producers, with a portfolio emphasizing hop-forward, farmhouse, and barrel-aged saisons. Comparable to Crooked Stave on small-batch craft excellence and taproom-driven, allocation-style demand.
- Trillium Brewing Company: Massachusetts craft brewery known for hop-forward IPAs and a taproom-centric DTC model with rotating small-batch releases. Comparable to Crooked Stave on craft specialty positioning and taproom-driven direct-to-consumer revenue.
- Allagash Brewing Company: Maine craft brewery renowned for Belgian-inspired wild and spontaneous fermentation beers, including its coolship program. Closely aligned with Crooked Stave on spontaneous/wild fermentation methodology and craft specialization.
- Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales: Michigan-based craft brewery built around mixed-fermentation, oak-aged sour and wild ales with a farmstead-inspired identity. Highly comparable to Crooked Stave on mixed-culture fermentation and barrel-aged sour portfolio.
Regional players
- New Belgium Brewing Company: Fort Collins, Colorado craft brewery and one of the state's largest independent craft producers. Relevant as a Colorado-based peer that shares the same regional market, though it operates at significantly broader scale than Crooked Stave.
- Avery Brewing Company: Boulder, Colorado craft brewery with a broad portfolio spanning IPAs, sours, and barrel-aged stouts. Comparable to Crooked Stave as a Colorado craft peer with overlapping styles and taproom-driven sales.
- Great Divide Brewing Company: Denver-based craft brewery with a strong Colorado taproom and distribution presence. Comparable as a Denver craft peer competing for the same local taproom and on-premise consumer.
Broad incumbents
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Company: Large-scale U.S. craft brewery with a national footprint and broad portfolio including wild/barrel-aged specialties. Comparable as a broader craft industry incumbent, though operating at materially larger scale and distribution breadth than Crooked Stave.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Crooked Stave social profiles
Digital presenceCrooked Stave financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Crooked Stave leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Crooked Stave funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Crooked Stave 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 Crooked Stave
What does Crooked Stave do?
Crooked Stave Brewing Co. is a craft brewery that produces wild and barrel-aged beers using spontaneous fermentation and a proprietary house-mixed culture, operating a Denver taproom that sells draft beer, canned beer, and branded merchandise directly to consumers. The brewery also offers custom-labeled beer for private events and collaborates with other breweries on limited-edition releases.
Is Crooked Stave a public or private company?
Crooked Stave is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Crooked Stave founded?
Crooked Stave was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Crooked Stave based?
Crooked Stave is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Crooked Stave make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. On-site Beer Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, custom-Labeled Beer and draft List Sales.
Who are Crooked Stave's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Bruery, Russian River Brewing Company, Hill Farmstead Brewery, Trillium Brewing Company, Allagash Brewing Company and Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. Regional players are New Belgium Brewing Company, Avery Brewing Company and Great Divide Brewing Company. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Crooked Stave have an API?
No public API is recorded for Crooked Stave.
What industry is Crooked Stave in?
Crooked Stave's product category is Craft Beer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAA, Beer Brewing & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service). Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.