What Prison City Brewing does

Prison City Brewing is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2014 by Marc and Dawn Schulz in Auburn, New York, a city historically nicknamed "Prison City." The company operates four hospitality venues across New York State: the original State Street Brewpub (a full-service restaurant and bar with the underground Armory Speakeasy), the North Street Brewery & Taproom (a production brewery with barrel-aging room, urban farm, courtyard, and a 4,000 sq-ft dairy barn event space), the PC ADK Taproom in Lake Placid, and the Armory Speakeasy for private themed events. Its core product is a portfolio of approximately 20 packaged and draft beers spanning hazy and double IPAs (Mass Riot, Riot in Vermont, Riot in Maine, Riot Down Undah, Citra Oasis, Welcome to the Party Pal), lagers (Crispy Boys, Crispy Boys Blood Orange, Work. Play. Pils), Belgian-style and farmhouse ales (Tangerine Wit — a 2021 GABF Bronze Medal winner; Saison du Ete), a cream ale, a foeder-fermented doppelbock (Perpetrator), and a wild ale collaboration (Ship of Fools with Strangebird Brewing). Production incorporates coolship spontaneous fermentation, barrel aging in wine barrels and oak foeders, and integration with an on-site urban farm that supplies a 6-week CSA subscription program.

The business model is multi-channel and consumer-direct, with revenue from on-premise beer and food sales across three venues, DTC beer shipping within New York, wholesale distribution through four regional partners (Craft Beer Guild NY, TJ Sheehan, Tri-Valley, Union), private event hosting (20–500 guests), a 6-week Farmhouse CSA subscription ($240/cycle), branded merchandise and apparel, gift cards, canned craft cocktails, REV Theater pre-theater dinners, and Airbnb vacation rentals branded as Prison City Lofts. Marketing is event-driven, anchored by an annual Mass Riot Day festival, a German-inspired Holiday Market, a Summer Music Series, trivia nights, and community partnerships including REV Theater and the American Red Cross. Distribution and shipping are legally restricted to New York State, making the business structurally a regional operator with diversified revenue streams but concentrated geographic exposure to upstate NY.

Name

Prison City Brewing

Legal name

Prison City Brewing

Website

https://prisoncitybrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Prison City Brewing is a privately held Auburn, NY craft brewery operating four venues — State Street Brewpub, North Street Brewery & Taproom, Armory Speakeasy, and the PC ADK Taproom in Lake Placid — selling draft and packaged beer, food, merchandise, and event services to New York State consumers via on-premise, wholesale, and DTC shipping channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery

NAICS

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

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Brewpub operations
• Taproom hospitality
• Beer distribution
• Barrel aged ales

Headquarters

HQ city

Auburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. On-site Beer and Food Sales: Full-service restaurant and bar at State Street Brewpub serving Prison City beers, wines, and cocktails. Food service available at North Street taproom with seasonal food truck.
2. Beer Shipping: Direct-to-consumer beer sales shipped within New York State. Offers various pack sizes and mixed selections.
3. Merchandise and Apparel: Retail sales of branded merchandise including apparel, glassware, koozies, and other branded items through online shop.
4. CSA Program: 6-week rotating Community Supported Agriculture program combining farm produce with Prison City beer selections.
5. Private Events: Event space rentals and catering for private parties, corporate events, and special gatherings at North Street venue and Armory Speakeasy.
6. REV Theater Dinners: Pre-theater dinner reservations and themed dining experiences in partnership with REV Theater.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Prison City Brewing is a craft brewery that produces and sells its own beer through owned brewpub, taproom, and speakeasy venues in Auburn and Lake Placid, New York. The company complements beer sales with full food service, private event hosting, branded merchandise, an urban farm CSA program, and direct-to-consumer beer shipping within New York State. Revenue is generated from on-premise consumption, packaged beer (to-go and shipped), wholesale distribution, and ancillary hospitality offerings.

Product overview

Prison City Brewing is a craft brewery established in 2014 in Auburn, New York, operating as a multi-location brewing and hospitality company. The core product portfolio centers on their beer offerings, which include flagship IPAs like Mass Riot and the Riot series (Riot in Vermont, Riot in Maine, Riot Down Undah), accessible lagers like Crispy Boys and Crispy Boys Blood Orange, traditional styles like Work. Play. Pils, PC Cream Ale, and Tangerine Wit, and specialty releases including Saison du Ete, Perpetrator doppelbock, and Ship of Fools wild ale collaboration. Beyond beer, the company operates four distinct hospitality venues: the original State Street Brewpub (full-service restaurant), North Street Brewery & Taproom (production facility with event spaces including a dairy barn), the PC ADK Taproom in Lake Placid, and The Armory Speakeasy. Supporting offerings include beer shipping within NY, canned craft cocktails, branded merchandise (apparel and glassware), gift cards, Farmhouse CSA produce boxes, vacation rentals (Prison City Lofts), private event hosting, and seasonal events like Mass Riot Day festival and Holiday Market. The brewery has received recognition including a 2021 GABF Bronze medal for Tangerine Wit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mass Riot IPA Flagship hazy IPA featuring Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic hops, 6.8% ABV, packaged in 16oz cans. Sold on draft at all Prison City venues and shipped within New York State.
• Crispy Boys Light Lager Crisp, refreshing American Light Lager packaged in 12oz cans for crushability. Available on draft at all venues and in 6-pack format for shipping.
• Crispy Boys Blood Orange Light Lager with a hint of blood orange, 4.3% ABV, packaged in 12oz cans. Available on draft and via beer shipping.
• Work. Play. Pils Czech-style Pilsner featuring Czech Saaz and Tettnanger hops, 5.2% ABV, described as dry, clean, and crisp. Available on draft and in packaged format.
• Riot in Vermont NE/Hazy IPA at 7.2% ABV loaded with Citra and Mosaic hops, fermented with Vermont ale yeast. Available on draft and in 16oz cans.
• Riot Down Undah Double NE IPA at 8% ABV hopped exclusively with Southern Hemisphere hops (Galaxy, Nelson, Wakatu, Wai-iti). Full-bodied with pineapple and tropical notes. Available in 16oz cans.
• Riot in Maine Double IPA at 8.0% ABV with Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops. Available in 16oz cans and on draft.
• Citra Oasis NE/Hazy Double IPA at 8% ABV, oat-heavy with exclusive Citra hop additions in both boil and dry hop. Available in 16oz cans.
• Linus Loves Juicy Hazy IPA hopped with Mosaic and El Dorado hops, packaged in 16oz cans. Available on draft at brewery venues.
• Tangerine Wit Fruited Belgian Wit Bier with tangerine additions. Won 2021 Great American Beer Festival Bronze medal. Available on draft and for shipping.
• Saison du Ete Farmhouse Saison at 5% ABV made with Belgian Saison yeast, Czech Saaz hops, and orange blossom honey. Released in 2024.
• Perpetrator Doppelbock at 6.9% ABV, fermented in foeder for rounder mouthfeel and richer flavor with caramel and toffee notes. Packaged in bottles.
• Ship of Fools American Wild Ale at 5.8% ABV, a collaboration with Strangebird Brewing. Spontaneous ale aged 15 months in neutral wine barrels and oak foeder.
• Welcome To The Party Pal NE/Hazy IPA at 6.5% ABV featuring Citra and Azaaca hops, with notes of watermelon candy, stone fruit, and bubble gum. Available in 16oz cans.
• 4 Piece Pale Ale w/ Citra Single-hop NE pale ale with citrus and tropical notes from Citra hops. Available in 16oz cans.
• PC Cream Ale Classic Cream Ale at 5% ABV, crisp and easy to drink with light German hops. Available in 16oz cans.
• Here We Go Craft beer available in 4-pack format. Limited description available in source.
• Canned Craft Cocktails Ready-to-drink canned cocktails available at State Street Brewpub and North Street Brewery.
• State Street Brewpub Full-service restaurant and bar at 28 State Street, Auburn, NY, serving Prison City beers, wines, and cocktails. Houses the Armory Speakeasy basement venue. Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30-9pm, Sun 11-8pm.
• North Street Brewery & Taproom Production brewery and urban farm at 251 North Street, Auburn, NY, featuring a fully operating brewery, taproom with bar service, outdoor courtyard, 4000 sq-ft dairy barn event space, barrel-aging room, and urban farm. Hours: Tues-Sat 12-8pm, Sun 12-6pm.
• PC ADK Taproom Taproom at 2577 Main St., Lake Placid, NY, offering counter-service food and drinks with rotating Prison City beer on tap and to-go, NY wine and cider, PCB merchandise, and snacks. Open 7 days a week 12-8pm.
• Prison City Lofts Vacation rentals in Auburn, NY, including two lofts one block from the brewpub (Loft 1 sleeps 2, Loft 3 sleeps 2-8) and a 3-bedroom house four blocks away (Tuxill Square, sleeps 2-6). Booked through Airbnb.
• Farmhouse CSA Boxes 6-week rotating CSA program combining farm and brewery products. Includes fresh seasonal produce (strawberries, herbs, flowers, cheeses, charcuterie, bread, honey, spreads, spent grain creations) plus Prison City beer. Pickup available weekly on Thursdays 12-8pm at North Street. $240 for 6 weeks ($40/week).
• Beer Shipping Direct-to-consumer beer shipping within New York State. Beer can only be shipped to NY addresses with valid 21+ ID to order. Available pack sizes and mixed selections.
• Private Events Private event hosting at North Street Brewery (barrel room, taproom, courtyard, or combination) accommodating 20-500 people, and at Armory Speakeasy for gatherings of 20-50 people. Includes event space rentals and catering.
• Apparel Branded clothing including T-Shirts (from $20), Flannel Shirts ($60), Hoodies ($60), Baseball Caps ($30), Beanies ($30), and Can Koozies ($7).
• Glassware & Merchandise Branded merchandise including Camp Mugs ($8), Can Koozies ($7), Nutcracker Glass ($8), Lager Glasses ($8), Pint Glasses ($7-$8), Belgian Beer Glasses ($8), Oktoberfest Steins ($20), and Vinyl Stickers ($2).
• Gift Cards Physical gift cards available in $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations. Can be used at State Street, North Street, and Lake Placid locations.
• REV Theater Pre-Theater Dinners Pre-theater dining experience at the Armory Speakeasy for REV Theater showgoers. $45 per person includes specialty themed food and drink menus, show-inspired decor, easy check splitting, and guaranteed departure by 6:45pm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bronze Medal - 2021 Great American Beer Festival for Tangerine Wit Belgian-style wit bier

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Craft Beer Guild NYcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional craft beer distributor serving New York State. Contact: 845-419-5157. Enables Prison City beer distribution to retail accounts across the region.
• TJ SheehancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional craft beer distributor serving New York State. Contact: 315-451-7250. Provides distribution channel for Prison City products to retailers.
• Tri-ValleycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional beverage distributor. Contact: 315-853-3955. Supports wholesale distribution of Prison City Brewing products.
• Union Beer DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBeer distributor with operations in New York. Contact: 718-497-2407. Distributes Prison City products to retail accounts.
• Strangebird BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Ship of Fools wild ale - a multi-dimensional wild ale blending house fermentation cultures from both breweries.
• REV TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing pre-theater dinner experiences at Armory Speakeasy. REV Theater-goers receive exclusive themed dining before shows, creating unique 'Broadway in the Finger Lakes' experience.
• American Red CrossminorOthersBlood drive partnership hosting Red Cross blood drives at North Street Farm location for community benefit.
• WeWowminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTraining partner for team development and community training initiatives, providing resources for team members on being better community members.
• The Armory SpeakeasycoreOthersHistoric speakeasy venue located beneath State Street pub. Features jail doors entry and stairs to clandestine basement bar. Available for private events and themed experiences.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Brewery Ommegang: Cooperstown, NY-based craft brewery specializing in Belgian-style ales with an on-site brewery, tasting room, and event spaces. Comparable to Prison City as a New York craft brewery with both a production facility and visitor/event experience component.
• SingleCut Beersmiths: Long Island City, NY craft brewery and taproom producing IPAs and lagers with an on-site venue hosting live music and events. Comparable to Prison City as a NY craft brewery combining a taproom with event programming and direct-to-consumer sales.
• Captain Lawrence Brewing Company: Elmsford, NY craft brewery with a taproom and a second location in Croton-on-Hudson, producing IPAs, wild ales, and barrel-aged sours. Comparable to Prison City as a New York craft brewery operating multiple taproom venues with a wild/sour program.
• Tree House Brewing Company: Massachusetts craft brewery famous for hazy IPAs and a destination taproom experience. Comparable to Prison City as a craft brewery that built a destination taproom business around hazy IPAs and limited specialty releases.
• Trillium Brewing Company: Massachusetts craft brewery operating multiple taproom locations with a focus on hazy IPAs and wild/sour farmhouse ales. Comparable to Prison City in multi-venue taproom model and farmhouse/wild ale program (coolship-style fermentation).
• Grimm Artisanal Ales: Brooklyn, NY craft brewery specializing in hazy IPAs, wild ales, and barrel-aged sours with taproom operations. Highly comparable to Prison City in core product focus (hazy IPAs, barrel-aged wild ales) and small-scale NY craft taproom model.
• Other Half Brewing: New York-based craft brewery known for hazy IPAs and barrel-aged wild ales, operating a flagship taproom and additional locations. Highly comparable to Prison City in product portfolio (hazy IPAs, wild/sours, specialty releases) and taproom-driven business model.

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Brewery: One of the largest and most established New York craft breweries, offering a broad portfolio across retail and on-premise. Comparable to Prison City as a NY craft brewery but operates at substantially larger scale and broader distribution.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Large established craft brewery with a flagship taproom and restaurant in Chico, CA, plus regional operations. Comparable to Prison City as a craft brewery that combines a production facility with a destination brewpub/taproom experience.

Regional players

• Switchback Brewing: Burlington, VT craft brewery with an on-site taproom producing a focused portfolio of ales. Comparable to Prison City as a small Northeast craft brewery combining production brewing with a taproom visitor experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Prisoncitybeer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Prison City Brewing