Cinderlands Beer Co

What Cinderlands Beer Co does

Cinderlands Beer Company is an independent craft brewery founded in 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by two married couples — Jamie and Joanna Warden and Paul and Emily Schneider — now operating three brick-and-mortar venues in the Pittsburgh metro: Cinderlands Warehouse (a 17,500-square-foot flagship production brewery and restaurant in the Strip District with a 15 bbl brewhouse, 30 bbl lagering tanks, a canning line, a 3,000 sq ft scratch kitchen led by Executive Chef and partner Joe Kiefer, 16 draft lines, and event spaces up to 350 guests), Cinderlands Wexford Taproom (a north-suburban outpost in Pine Township with 12 rotating draft lines and packaged beer to-go), and Long Story Short (the original 2017 garage-brewery location in Lawrenceville, now a neighborhood bar and sandwich shop). The company brews a diverse portfolio across sub-brands — Squish (hazy IPAs and pale ales), Easy Course (Gold wheat, Amber lager, and IPA), Lil' Cinder (light lager and flavored variants), Cindi's Hard Mountain Tea (a 6.5% ABV flavored malt beverage), Hop Run (0.0% ABV hop water), and a Foederhouse program producing Brett-forward saisons, bier de coupage, and blended sours that have earned GABF and World Beer Cup gold medals (2021–2025).

The company's business model combines on-premise revenue across the three venues (food, draft beer, private events covering weddings, corporate functions, and birthdays), packaged retail via multi-format cans (4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs, 19.2oz singles, and variety packs), and wholesale distribution that mixes self-distribution in Allegheny County with a regional network of third-party distributors covering the remainder of Pennsylvania (Galli Beer Distributing, Lamb Beverage, Erie Beer Company), all of West Virginia (Mountain State Beverage), and North Carolina (Proof Wine and Spirits). GTM is omnichannel: direct-to-consumer through venues plus online ordering on Toast, Uber Eats, DoorDash, and GrubHub; channel partnerships through distributors and a notable stadium account at PNC Park with the Pittsburgh Pirates including a dedicated Cinderlands Corner Bar and stadium-wide beer and Cindi's availability; and event-driven engagement through recurring weekly programming (trivia, wing nights, brunch, vinyl nights, board games) plus private event hosting. Customer segmentation spans craft beer enthusiasts, Western Pennsylvania mainstream beer drinkers (targeted via the Easy Course line and Course Forward Fund $1/case charitable initiative), event hosts planning weddings and corporate events, and a single named enterprise sports customer (Pittsburgh Pirates). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by format, SKU, and venue.

Name

Cinderlands Beer Co

Legal name

Cinderlands Beer Company

Website

https://cinderlands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cinderlands Beer Company is an independent Pittsburgh craft brewery operating three brick-and-mortar venues and producing a diverse beer and beverage portfolio — Squish IPAs, Easy Course classics, Lil' Cinder lagers, Cindi's Hard Mountain Tea, and award-winning barrel-aged sours — serving Pittsburgh-area consumers, regional wholesale accounts across PA, WV, and NC, and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (42481), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA), Pubs & Gastropubs (CRANACAB)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Craft brewery operations
• Taproom restaurant services
• Barrel-aged beer production
• Beer wholesale distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. On-site food and beverage sales: Cinderlands generates the majority of revenue through its three physical locations. The Warehouse (Strip District) is the largest venue, offering lunch, dinner, brunch on Sundays, a full bar, and 16 draft lines. Wexford Taproom serves draft beer, food, and packaged beer to go. Long Story Short (Lawrenceville) operates as a neighborhood bar and sandwich shop with on-site consumption and takeout.
2. Packaged beer retail: Canned and bottled beer sold at all three locations for off-site consumption. Formats include 4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs, 19.2oz singles, and variety packs (Squish Pack, Lil' Cinder Variety Pack). Beer Finder tool directs consumers to retail locations across PA, WV, and NC.
3. Wholesale distribution: Cinderlands self-distributes in Allegheny County and uses third-party regional distributors (Galli Beer Distributing Co., Lamb Beverage, Erie Beer Company in PA; Mountain State Beverage in WV; Proof Wine and Spirits in NC) to reach retail accounts including grocery, convenience, and bottle shops.
4. Private event hosting: Revenue from hosting private events (weddings, corporate events, birthdays) at all three locations. The Warehouse offers the largest capacity (up to 350 guests with full buyout) including its Upper Level, Lounge, patio, and First Floor. Catering menus are customized per event.
5. Third-party delivery and pickup: Online food ordering through Toast Tab and third-party platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub) for delivery across all locations. Beer and merchandise pickup available via Toast.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cinderlands Beer Company brews and sells a diverse portfolio of craft beers (year-round core, seasonal, and limited barrel-aged releases), alternative beverages (Cindi's Hard Mountain Tea, Hop Run hop water), and operates three Pittsburgh-area hospitality venues with a scratch-kitchen food program. The brewery self-distributes beer in Allegheny County and reaches retail accounts across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and North Carolina via regional distributors.

Product overview

Cinderlands Beer Co is a Pittsburgh-based independent craft brewery with three brick-and-mortar locations: Cinderlands Warehouse (flagship production brewery and restaurant in the Strip District), Cinderlands Wexford Taproom (suburban outpost), and Long Story Short (Lawrenceville neighborhood bar and sandwich shop). The company offers a diverse portfolio of craft beers ranging from classic interpretations to innovative creations, including year-round core brands (Squish family of IPAs, Easy Course line, Lil' Cinder lagers) and seasonal/limited releases (Cinderfest, holiday beers, barrel-aged saisons). The portfolio also includes alternative beverages such as Cindi's Hard Mountain Tea (flavored malt beverage) and Hop Run (non-alcoholic hop water). The Easy Course line is tied to the Course Forward Fund, a charitable initiative investing $1 per case sold into Western Pennsylvania nonprofits. The company distributes beer across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and North Carolina through various distribution partners and self-distribution in Allegheny County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Squish Family: Family of hazy pale ales and IPAs including Squish (Hazy Pale Ale), Full Squish (Hazy IPA), West Coast Squish (West Coast Style IPA), and Super Squish (Imperial Hazy IPA). Squish is Paul Schneider's slang for mountain bike suspension.
• Easy Course
• Cindi's Hard Mountain Tea
• Hop Run

Products and services

• Easy Course Gold American wheat beer at 5.0% ABV with a gentle orange-forward finish brewed with a small dose of Eclipse hops. Part of the Easy Course approachable-classic line.
• Easy Course IPA Classic American IPA at 5.8% ABV with pine and grapefruit-forward hop character and a no-frills approach. Part of the Easy Course approachable-classic line.
• Easy Course Amber American amber lager at 5.0% ABV, crisp with toasty notes and supporting American hop character from Chinook and Willamette. Part of the Easy Course approachable-classic line.
• Squish Hazy pale ale at 5.5% ABV featuring ultra lush and juicy hand-selected Citra hops; the founding Squish-family beer.
• Full Squish Hazy IPA at 6.5% ABV showcasing Simcoe hops with pineapple and grapefruit notes; Cinderlands' most popular IPA in the Squish family.
• West Coast Squish West coast style IPA at 7.0% ABV leading with Mosaic hops' lemony, blueberry, and dank profile.
• Super Squish Imperial hazy IPA at 9.0% ABV; a tropical citrus hop bomb featuring Citra, Nelson Sauvin, and Mosaic hops.
• Lil' Cinder Light lager at 4.2% ABV; classic American lager brewed with six-row and flaked maize, positioned as having domestic drinkability with craft integrity.
• Cindi's Hard Mountain Tea Hard Mountain Tea at 6.5% ABV; premium malt beverage with steam-brewed tea and citrus notes, no artificial sweeteners or colors. Available in original, raspberry, and mango flavors.
• Hop Run Non-alcoholic sparkling hop water at 0.0% ABV; highlights bright fruity flavors of Citra and Mosaic hops; zero alcohol, zero calories, zero carbs.
• Lil' Cinder Lime Light lager at 4.2% ABV with real lime for summery brightness.
• Lil' Cinder Apple Light lager at 4.2% ABV fermented with real apple juice for a classic crisp Apple variant.
• Lil' Cinder Cranberry Light lager at 4.2% ABV fermented with real cranberry juice as a holiday seasonal.
• Tracks Again German-style pilsner at 5.2% ABV brewed with Weyermann extra pale pilsner malt and Spalter Select, Hallertau Mittelfruh, and Tettnang hops.
• Cinderfest Festbier at 5.9% ABV, deep gold crystal-clear Bavarian-style lager brewed for Oktoberfest, decoction mashed and lagered until mature.
• She's A Beaut Holiday hazy IPA at 6.5% ABV combining hazy IPA popularity with spiced Christmas beer tradition, layered with sweet orange peel and spruce tips.
• One More Sleep Milk stout at 8.0% ABV; a big holiday milk stout with gingerbread cookie flavor brewed with chocolate malt, cinnamon, ginger, and Madagascar vanilla bean.
• Gregg Bier de Coupage at 5.5% ABV; a blend of young and mature Brett-forward saison partially aged in foeders and dry-hopped before extended re-fermentation in bottles.
• Four Threads Blended saison at 5.5% ABV consisting of stainless saison and Brett-forward foeder-aged saison from both Cinderlands Foederhouse and Trace Brewing.
• Hill & Hollow: Cayuga Saison at 5.9% ABV; an experimental wine-beer hybrid blending mature foeder-fermented Brett saison with fresh-crushed Cayuga grapes from Galen Glen Winery.
• Cinderlands Warehouse (flagship brewpub and production brewery) Flagship production brewery and brewpub at 2601 Smallman Street in Pittsburgh's historic Strip District; 17,500 sq ft with a 15 bbl brewhouse, 3,000 sq ft scratch kitchen, two 40 ft bars with 16 draft lines, bocce court, shuffleboard, dome hockey, and a covered/heated second-floor patio. Offers lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, full bar, and private events up to 350 guests.
• Cinderlands Wexford Taproom Suburban taproom at 171 Wexford Bayne Rd Ste 101, Pine Township (northern Pittsburgh); 12 rotating draft lines, packaged beer to-go, personal pizzas and sandwiches, outdoor fire pit, picnic tables, pinball games.
• Long Story Short Neighborhood bar and sandwich shop at 3705 Butler Street, Lawrenceville; pool table, vintage jukebox, electronic darts, cocktails, and sandwiches. The original Cinderlands location where brewing first began in 2017.
• Private Event Hosting Private event hosting service at all three Cinderlands venues for weddings, corporate events, birthdays, rehearsal dinners, and baby showers. The Warehouse supports full buyouts up to 350 guests with access to the Upper Level, Lounge, patio, and First Floor; catering menus are customized per event with dietary accommodations.

Quantifiable outcome

• GABF Gold Medal – Brett Beer category (2021) for Gregg
• +8 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

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Galli Beer Distributing Co.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor covering Washington, Greene, Butler, Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland, Indiana, Armstrong, Beaver, Lawrence, and Cambria counties in Pennsylvania. Located at 800 Anderson St., New Kensington, PA 15068.
• Lamb BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor covering 13 counties across Pennsylvania including Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lancaster, Philadelphia, and York. Located at 35 N 9th Ave, Coatesville, PA 19320.
• Erie Beer CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor covering Erie, Crawford, Warren, Forest, McKean, Elk, Jefferson, Cameron, Potter, Venango, Clarion, and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania.
• Mountain State BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distributor covering the entire state of West Virginia (all counties). Located at 300 Greenbrier Rd, Summersville, WV 26651.
• Proof Wine and SpiritscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor covering North Carolina (limited distribution). Located at 331 W Main Street, Suite 605, Durham, NC 27701.
• Trace BrewingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner for Four Threads blended saison. One thread of stainless saison and one thread of Brett-forward foeder-aged saison from both Cinderlands Foederhouse and Trace Brewing. Four Threads won GABF Gold 2023 in the Experimental Beer category.
• Galen Glen WineryflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of Cayuga grapes from Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley for Hill & Hollow: Cayuga, an experimental wine-beer hybrid combining foeder-fermented Brett saison with fresh-crushed Cayuga grapes. Won World Beer Cup Gold 2024 in the Experimental Beer category.
• Pittsburgh PiratesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerStadium-wide beer and Cindi's Hard Mountain Tea sales at PNC Park (since 2022). Features the Cinderlands Corner Bar under the left field rotunda. Special Pirates-branded 19.2oz cans produced for the baseball season. Ongoing annual partnership.
• Hop CultureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosted Juicy Brews beer festival at the Cinderlands Warehouse before the venue's doors officially opened in November 2019. The event was a significant early brand-building moment.
• Mountain Watershed AssociationminorOthersCourse Forward Fund partner. Nonprofit focused on protecting, preserving, and restoring the Youghiogheny River Watershed. Receives $1 per case of Easy Course sold through the Course Forward Fund.
• Greater Pittsburgh Community Food BankminorOthersCourse Forward Fund partner. Goal of increasing access to nutritious food and fostering long-term stability for neighbors who struggle. Receives $1 per case of Easy Course sold through the Course Forward Fund.
• 412 Food RescueminorOthersCharitable beneficiary of a collaborative beer release with DiAnoia's Eatery. Brewbound coverage from March 2022 documented the partnership.
• Life's Work of Western PAminorOthersSocial enterprise partner that hand-packs the Squish Pack (12-pack variety packs) released in April 2024. Provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
• Pittsburgh Zoo & AquariumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured in Table Magazine (May 2026) for a Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium x Cinderlands collaboration event.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tröegs Independent Brewing: Pennsylvania craft brewery based in Hershey with a similar independent ownership model, multi-format venue strategy (brewpub + tasting room), award-winning portfolio, and distribution across the Mid-Atlantic. Comparable in scale, regional orientation, and on-premise retail focus.
• Trillium Brewing Company: Massachusetts craft brewery with multiple taproom locations, a nationally recognized hazy IPA program, and self-distribution plus regional wholesale. Comparable in multi-venue direct-to-consumer model, hop-forward brand identity, and award-winning brewing pedigree.
• Allagash Brewing Company: Maine craft brewery with a similarly award-winning portfolio (multiple GABF medals), tasting room, broad East Coast distribution, and a focus on quality and experimentation. Comparable in award-driven brand positioning and craft-only distribution philosophy.
• Victory Brewing Company: Pennsylvania craft brewery with locations in Downingtown and Parkesburg plus a brewpub, broad draft and packaged distribution across the Mid-Atlantic, and a portfolio that spans IPAs, lagers, and experimental brews. Directly comparable in geography, scale, and multi-venue model.
• Yards Brewing Company: Philadelphia-based craft brewery with an attached brewpub and taproom, broad distribution across PA and the Mid-Atlantic, and a portfolio spanning classic and innovative styles. Comparable regional craft brewery with on-premise and wholesale operations.
• Voodoo Brewing Company: Pennsylvania craft brewery headquartered in Meadville with multiple taproom locations, self-distribution model, hop-forward IPA portfolio, and festival/event-driven brand building. Similar in size, distribution philosophy, and community-engagement orientation.
• Tree House Brewing Company: Massachusetts craft brewery known for hazy IPAs with multiple taproom locations and limited distribution. Comparable in taproom-centric business model, hop-forward brand identity, and craft-focused positioning, though larger in demand and brand recognition.

Emerging players

• Tired Hands Brewing Company: Pennsylvania craft brewery with multiple small-format taproom locations in the Philadelphia suburbs, known for hop-forward and experimental saisons. Comparable in multi-location neighborhood taproom model and experimental brewing focus, though smaller in scale.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Beer Company: Large publicly traded craft-adjacent brewer (Samuel Adams, Twisted Tea, Truly, Angry Orchard) with national distribution. Comparable as a portfolio operator across craft beer, FMBs, and adjacent categories like Cindi's Hard Mountain Tea, though vastly larger and more diversified.
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: Established East Coast craft brewery (now part of Boston Beer Co.) with a similar award-winning experimental brewing reputation, multi-venue brewery/tasting room, and broad distribution. Comparable in craft heritage, East Coast positioning, and experimental brewing DNA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cinderlandsbeer
• Facebookfacebook.com/CinderlandsBeer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cinderlands-beer-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/cinderlandsbeer

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 Cinderlands Beer Co