The Dayton Beer Company

What The Dayton Beer Company does

The Dayton Beer Company is a privately held craft brewery and hospitality operator founded in 2010 by Peter Hilgeman, who serves as Owner and Brew Master. The company produces a portfolio of craft beers (IPAs, stouts, pilsners, lagers, blondes) alongside hard seltzers and vodka sodas at a 15-barrel production brewery in downtown Dayton, Ohio. Its core products include Roof Juice Hazy IPA, Java Man Coffee Stout, Oregon Alley Imperial IPA, Gem City Light Pilsner, and Broken Trolley Blonde Ale, all distributed in cans through local grocery stores and fine beer shops in the Ohio market.

The business operates a European-style beer hall taproom at 41 Madison St. featuring 36 Ohio craft taps, a 1,000 sq ft patio/biergarten, and a seasonal rooftop bar with 8 additional draft lines. Revenue is generated across five streams: direct taproom beer sales, wholesale canned distribution, on-site food service (pizzas and wings from The Kitchen at DBC), private event space rentals (The Overlook for 75-150 guests, The Madison Room for up to 75), and recurring weekly promotions. The Overlook, The Madison Room, and a Dayton Barrel Works craft cocktail bar and distillery at 318 E. 2nd St. (producing Rubicon Creek bourbon, Harper's Siren Gin, and Gypsy Queen Absinthe Blanche) extend the venue's commercial footprint. Customer segments include walk-in craft beer consumers, local retail buyers, and event hosts (weddings, corporate gatherings). Marketing relies on on-premise experience, weekly specials, live music, and Water Street District partnerships.

The company holds no external institutional investment, is structured as an Ohio LLC, and operates exclusively within the U.S. (Ohio). It has accumulated over 30 medals across competitions including the Alltech Commonwealth Cup, U.S. Open Championships, Ohio Craft Brewers Cup, and Best of Craft Beer Awards between 2014 and 2022. Dayton Barrel Works was separately recognized among the Top 5 Whiskey Distilleries in the U.S. in 2022. The business is a multi-revenue-stream hospitality and beverage operation rather than a pure production brewery, with on-premise sales likely a significant portion of revenue.

Name

The Dayton Beer Company

Legal name

The Dayton Beer Company LLC

Website

https://thedaytonbeerco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Dayton Beer Company is a craft brewery and taproom in downtown Dayton, Ohio, producing award-winning beers, seltzers, and vodka sodas, and operating a European-style beer hall, event venues, and an affiliated distillery (Dayton Barrel Works) for craft beer enthusiasts, event hosts, and local retail customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Taproom operations
• Craft distillery spirits
• Event venue rental
• Retail beer distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Taproom Beer Sales: Direct sales of brewed beers to consumers at the taproom and rooftop bar with 36 taps plus 8 DBC draft options at the seasonal rooftop.
2. Canned Beer Distribution: Sale of canned beers through local grocery stores and fine beer shops for retail consumption.
3. Food Service: Kitchen menu offerings including pizzas and wings served at the taproom.
4. Event Space Rental: Rental of private event spaces including The Overlook (up to 150 guests), The Madison Room (up to 75 guests), and Dayton Barrel Works cocktail bar.
5. Special Promotions: Weekly specials including Pint Night Tuesday, Pizza Pint Night, Taco Thursday, and happy hour promotions drive additional revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Dayton Beer Company is a craft brewery and taproom operating in downtown Dayton, Ohio. It brews and sells a portfolio of craft beers, hard seltzers, and vodka sodas through a 36-tap taproom, a seasonal rooftop bar, retail distribution to local grocery stores and fine beer shops, and three private event venues. The company also operates Dayton Barrel Works, an affiliated craft distillery next door producing bourbon, gin, and absinthe.

Product overview

The Dayton Beer Company is a craft brewery offering a portfolio of alcoholic beverages including core craft beers (Roof Juice Hazy IPA, Java Man Coffee Stout, Oregon Alley Imperial IPA, Gem City Light Pilsner, Broken Trolley Blonde Ale), Gem City Hard Seltzer, and Lake Life Vodka Soda. The company operates The Taproom as its main venue featuring 36 craft taps and a seasonal rooftop bar, along with The Overlook (75-150 capacity event space) and The Madison Room (up to 75 guests). The Dayton Barrel Works serves as an affiliated craft distillery producing bourbon, gin, and absinthe. Products are distributed in canned form through local retailers. The company also operates event venues for private gatherings, weddings, and corporate events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dayton Barrel Works: Craft cocktail bar and distillery producing bourbon (Rubicon Creek), gin (Harper's Siren Gin), and absinthe (Gypsy Queen Absinthe Blanche). Located at 318 E. 2nd St. in Downtown Dayton, next door to DBC.

Products and services

• Roof Juice Hazy India Pale Ale brewed at 5.5% alcohol by volume; part of DBC's core craft collection sold on tap, in cans at local grocery stores and beer shops, and at the taproom.
• Java Man American Style Stout brewed with coffee at 7.0% alcohol by volume; part of DBC's core craft collection sold on tap and in cans. Has won multiple medals including Gold at Best of Craft Beer Awards (2015) and Silver/Bronze at Alltech Commonwealth Cup.
• Oregon Alley IPA Imperial India Pale Ale brewed at 8.0% alcohol by volume; part of DBC's core craft collection sold on tap and in cans. Gold medal winner at Alltech Commonwealth Cup (2016).
• Gem City Light European Style Light Pilsner brewed at 3.8% alcohol by volume; part of DBC's core craft collection. Has won Gold (2022) and Silver (2022) medals at Ohio Craft Brewers Cup and U.S. Open Championships.
• Broken Trolley Blonde Ale brewed with blood orange at 5.3% alcohol by volume; part of DBC's core craft collection sold on tap and in cans. Silver medal winner at Alltech Commonwealth Cup (2017).
• Gem City Hard Seltzer Hard seltzer distributed in cans, available in Tangerine Dream, Strawberry Lemonade Crush, and Raspberry Key Lime Squeeze flavors.
• Lake Life Vodka Soda Vodka soda made with real fruit juices, available in Cranberry, Orange Peach, Ginger & Lime, and Espresso Martini flavors.
• Dayton Barrel Works Spirits Craft distillery and cocktail bar located at 318 E. 2nd St. in Downtown Dayton, producing Rubicon Creek bourbon, Harper's Siren Gin, and Gypsy Queen Absinthe Blanche. Voted Top 5 Whiskey Distilleries in the U.S. in 2022.
• The Overlook Event Space Second floor event space at the brewery with open floorplan, private restrooms, catering prep space, exposed 12-foot ceilings, and a garage door. Seats 75 to 150 guests. Used for wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, company events, organizational gatherings, awards ceremonies, business networking, and private dinners.
• The Madison Room Event Space Industrial-aesthetic beer hall event space featuring 12-foot-long reclaimed 100-year-old cedar tables and a 22-foot-long American Shuffleboard table. Capacity up to 75 guests.
• The Taproom European Style Beer Hall and Production Brewery in Downtown Dayton featuring 36 Ohio craft taps, seasonal Rooftop Bar with 8 DBC draft options and 4 cocktails, 1,000 square foot patio, Bier Garden, and German bier hall style seating at 41 Madison St.
• The Kitchen at DBC On-site kitchen providing food menu including pizzas and wings for taproom guests and events. Includes bundle offerings such as Pizza Pint Night (1 Pizza + 2 Pints for $20) and Taco Thursday (3 Tacos + 1 Pint for $13).

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals won at prestigious beer competitions

Named customers3 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

One partnership is on record.

• Water Street DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Dayton Beer Company is part of the Water Street District in downtown Dayton. The company is promoted through the district's calendar and resources, and collaborates with Dayton Barrel Works which is located in the same district. The Water Street District connects DBC with other local businesses and events in the area.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Stone Brewing: Established West Coast craft brewery with brewpub/taproom venues and broad multi-state distribution. Comparable as a long-tenured award-winning craft operator, though operating at meaningfully larger scale and broader geography.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Established national craft brewery operating taprooms and a broad distribution network. Comparable in craft-beer category and award-winning positioning, but operates at much larger production and geographic scale than DBC.
• Bell's Brewery: Michigan-based established craft brewery with brewpub (Eccentric Café), broad multi-state distribution, and a deep award-winning portfolio. Comparable in product category (award-winning craft beer with on-premise brewpub), though materially larger in scale and distribution.
• New Belgium Brewing: National craft brewery (now part of Kirin) with broad U.S. distribution and on-premise taproom experiences (Liquid Center). Comparable in category but a much larger incumbent with national wholesale and packaged-beer scale beyond DBC's footprint.

Direct peers

• Great Lakes Brewing Company: Cleveland craft brewery and brewpub with broad Ohio distribution and a long-tenured brewpub model. Comparable as an Ohio craft pioneer with a taproom/brewpub and packaged retail presence — meaningfully larger but the same category.
• Rhinegeist Brewery: Cincinnati-based craft brewery operating a large taproom with on-site beer service and regional wholesale distribution in Ohio. Highly comparable in business model (production brewery + taproom-led direct-to-consumer), geography (Ohio), and scale bracket.
• Fat Head's Brewery: Cleveland-area craft brewery with brewpub, multiple locations, and packaged distribution. Comparable as a Midwest craft operator combining production brewing with on-site taproom/beer-hall service, with similar event and food programming.
• Columbus Brewing Company: Columbus-based craft brewery distributing through Ohio retail and on-premise accounts. Comparable as a regional craft producer of similar vintage (founded late 1990s/early 2000s) competing for the same Ohio shelf and tap traffic.
• MadTree Brewing: Cincinnati craft brewery with taproom, outdoor beer garden, and packaged distribution across Ohio. Comparable as an Ohio-based independent craft producer with a destination taproom and multistream revenue similar to DBC.
• BrewDog USA: Operates large-format craft brewery taprooms in the U.S. (including a Columbus, Ohio location) with a brewpub/beer-hall model, on-site food, and event spaces. Comparable venue economics and GTM, though meaningfully larger and better capitalized.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thedaytonbeerco
• Facebookfacebook.com/daytonbeerco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-dayton-beer-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 The Dayton Beer Company