Crooked Stave

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.

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

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

• Craft brewery
• Wild ales
• Barrel-aged beers
• Sour beer
• Brewery taproom

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise through their Shopify storefront including apparel and other branded items
3. Custom-Labeled Beer: Custom-labeled cans for events including weddings, company gatherings, fundraisers, and special occasions - one-time purchases for specific occasions
4. Draft List Sales: Serving beer on draft at the taproom with varying sizes including pints, 20oz mug pours, and happy hour pricing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core 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

Named customers1 record

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Primitive BeerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025In 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)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaniel 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 PurposeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-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 BarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBonsai 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 BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/crookedstave
• Facebookfacebook.com/CrookedStave

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Crooked Stave