Half Hitch Brewing Company

What Half Hitch Brewing Company does

Half Hitch Brewing Company is a family-owned craft brewery and full-service restaurant headquartered in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 2016 by the Kyle, Chris, and Britt family (with planning dating to 2011), the company operates a single taproom and restaurant at 10 Griffin Industrial Point and serves the local Cochrane community plus surrounding Alberta consumers. Core products include a six-SKU beer lineup spanning Prairie Ale, Pale Ale, Red Ale, Brown Ale, and IPA, plus a co-developed triple-berry cider (Prairie Berry Cider, made with Calgary-based SunnyCider using BC apples). ABVs range from 4.5% to 6.4% and the lineup includes an award-winning flagship (Papa Bear Prairie Ale, 2018 Alberta Brewing Awards gold medal).

The business operates a vertically integrated, direct-to-consumer model with no external funding or parent company. Revenue is generated through on-premise beer sales (pints, 32oz steins, 60oz pitchers, buckets), full restaurant service (shareables, burgers, sandwiches, entrees, kids menu), growler fills and keg off-sales (with a dedicated beer sales contact), and online food ordering via an order-online.ai storefront. Pricing uses a pay-as-you-go unit-pricing scheme with aggressive daypart and weekday promotions (Happy Hour Mon-Thurs 2-5pm with $6 core pints, half-price kids menu on Mondays, breakfast beer specials weekends) to drive weekday and off-peak traffic. Distribution is exclusively domestic and single-country (Cochrane, Alberta), with no wholesale or third-party retail channels disclosed.

The Mash, a wholly-owned subsidiary concept opened in 2020, extends the model into pizza using upcycled spent grain from the brewing process in its dough, and has won multiple menu awards. A second Canmore restaurant location was opened in 2018 but closed in 2019 to refocus on core operations. Marketing is concentrated on the company website, Instagram (@theloftcochrane), and online ordering. Customer base is consumer-only across three target segments (Local Community & Families, Beer Enthusiasts, Food Lovers) served on a horizontal segmentation basis. The company reports 11-50 employees and has no disclosed AI, integrations, APIs, patents, certifications, external funding, M&A activity, or named leadership team beyond the founding family.

Name

Half Hitch Brewing Company

Legal name

Half Hitch Brewing Company

Website

https://halfhitchbrewing.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Half Hitch Brewing Company is a family-owned craft brewery and full-service restaurant in Cochrane, Alberta, brewing handcrafted ales and serving a local community of families, beer enthusiasts, and food lovers via on-premise taproom sales, food service, growler fills, and keg off-sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Brewery taproom
• Casual restaurant dining
• Local craft brewery
• Craft beer retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Cochrane

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. On-site Beer Sales: Direct sales of brewed craft beer including core lineup and rotational seasonal beers through taproom. Serves pints, steins (32oz), pitchers (60oz), and buckets. Also offers growler fills for off-site consumption.
2. Restaurant Food Service: Full-service restaurant offering shareables, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. Online ordering available. Kids menu offered.
3. Keg Sales: Keg sales to public with pricing based on keg size. Customers can purchase kegs directly from on-site bartenders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Half Hitch Brewing Company is a family-owned craft brewery and restaurant that brews and serves handcrafted ales—including a flagship award-winning Prairie Ale, plus Pale Ale, Red Ale, Brown Ale, IPA, and a collaborative Prairie Berry Cider—directly to consumers through its on-site Cochrane, Alberta taproom and full-service kitchen. The company also offers keg sales, growler fills, and online food ordering for off-premise consumption.

Product overview

Half Hitch Brewing Company operates as a family-owned craft brewery and restaurant in Cochrane, Alberta. The product portfolio centers on craft beer production with six core offerings (Papa Bear Prairie Ale, Farmer's Daughter Pale Ale, Fire N' Fury Red Ale, Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale, Cascade Harvest IPA, and Prairie Berry Cider), complemented by a full-service restaurant serving shareables, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and entrees. The company has expanded into related ventures including The Mash (a beer and pizza restaurant featuring spent grain upcycled into pizza dough) and offers direct-to-consumer services such as online ordering, growler fills, and keg sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Papa Bear Prairie Ale A malt-forward, crushable prairie ale at 5% ABV and 19 IBU brewed with locally sourced barley, wheat, rye and oats, hopped with Azacca and Summit, offering a bready flavour and creamy mouthfeel; targeting craft beer drinkers who enjoy pairing beer with food. Gold medal winner at the 2018 Alberta Brewing Awards.
• Farmer's Daughter Pale Ale A citrusy pale ale at 4.5% ABV and 27 IBU brewed with Crystal and Honey malts and Cascade (with Summit and Centennial also referenced) hops, balancing tart and sweet notes with enough bitterness; positioned as a light, refreshing summer beer paired with lighter foods like grilled chicken salad and fish and chips.
• Fire N' Fury Red Ale A red ale at 5% ABV and 30 IBU brewed with Caramel and Munich malts and Cascade hops, delivering rich caramel flavors with hints of coffee and fruits and pairing with bold foods such as grilled and smoked meats.
• Shotgun Wedding Brown Ale A chocolatey and nutty brown ale at 5.5% ABV brewed with British chocolate, crystal and caramel malts and hopped with Summit, Simcoe, Amarillo and Azacca, finishing slightly fruity; targeting craft beer drinkers who enjoy fuller-flavored traditional styles.
• Cascade Harvest IPA A hop-forward India Pale Ale exclusively using single-sourced Cascade hops at 6.4% ABV and 68 IBU, providing a crisp, juicy flavor profile aimed at hop-forward craft beer drinkers seeking a higher-bitterness option in the lineup.
• Prairie Berry Cider A triple berry cider produced in collaboration with SunnyCider in Calgary, featuring BC-grown apples blended with blackberries, raspberries and blueberries for a balanced, crisp and semi-dry taste; aimed at non-beer drinkers and cider enthusiasts who want a locally available cider option.
• Craft Kitchen / Restaurant A full-service restaurant offering shareables (chicken wings, nachos, lettuce wraps, crab dip, poutine, perogies), burgers and sandwiches (Hitch Burger, Black & Blue Burger, Cowboy Burger, Brisket Sandwich), soups, salads, entrees (Fish & Chips, Coffee Adoco Braised Beef Short Rib, Steak Sandwich), desserts, and a kids menu with daily Happy Hour and weekday specials for local families and diners in Cochrane.
• The Mash Beer & Pizza Restaurant A wholly owned sub-brand of Half Hitch Brewing Company that opened in 2020, featuring a pizza-focused menu built on pizza dough made with upcycled spent grain from the brewing process; targeted at diners seeking a sustainable, locally rooted beer-and-pizza pairing concept and recognized with multiple awards.
• Keg Sales Keg sales of Half Hitch Brewing craft beer to the public with size-based pricing, fulfilled on-site through taproom bartenders; intended for off-premise consumption at private events and gatherings.
• Growler Fills & Off-Sales Take-home draft beer service offering growler fills and off-sales at the Cochrane taproom, allowing customers to enjoy Half Hitch Brewing craft beer off-premises; promoted with a 20% growler fill discount on select days.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gold Medal at Alberta Brewing Awards 2018 for Papa Bear Prairie Ale

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.

• SunnyCidercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with SunnyCider in Calgary, Alberta to produce Prairie Berry Cider. Made with BC-grown apples, the triple berry cider offers a perfectly balanced, crisp, and semi-dry profile with notes of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Prairie Berry Cider is sold at Half Hitch Brewing taproom.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Born Brewing Company: Calgary-area craft brewery offering a taproom and core lineup, similar in scale and model to Half Hitch but operating in the Calgary metro rather than Cochrane.

Broad incumbents

• Big Rock Brewery: One of Alberta's largest and longest-standing craft breweries, operating a large-scale production brewery plus multiple pub/retail locations. Comparable to Half Hitch on Alberta craft-beer origin and beer-plus-food venue model, but materially larger in scale and distribution.

Others

• SunnyCider: Calgary craft cidery that collaborates with Half Hitch to produce Prairie Berry Cider, sold at the Half Hitch taproom. Adjacent producer/partner rather than direct competitor, but relevant for understanding Half Hitch's cider extension strategy.

Direct peers

• Last Best Brewing & Distilling: Calgary brewhouse combining craft beer, distilled spirits, and a full restaurant menu in a single venue. Comparable to Half Hitch on the beer-plus-full-kitchen taproom model and Alberta regional craft positioning.
• Cold Garden Beverage Company: Calgary craft brewery and taproom known for quirky branding and a broad core/seasonal lineup. Closely comparable to Half Hitch in size, family-friendly taproom positioning, and direct-to-consumer Alberta craft-beer competition.
• Village Brewery: Calgary-based independent craft brewer with on-site taproom and rotating seasonal lineup, sharing Half Hitch's Alberta craft-brewery/taproom hybrid model. Direct competitor for Calgary-region beer enthusiasts and on-premise craft occasions.
• Tool Shed Brewing Company: Calgary-based craft brewery operating a taproom with rotating taps and food service. Comparable peer to Half Hitch in Alberta microbrewery-and-taproom category, competing for the same local craft-beer drinker.
• Cabin Brewing Company: Calgary-area craft brewery with taproom and restaurant, similar Alberta microbrewery/brewpub structure and direct-to-consumer focus.
• The Establishment Brewing Company: Calgary craft brewery with a taproom experience and full core/seasonal lineup. Direct comparative microbrewery peer to Half Hitch within the Alberta regional market.
• Sunnyside Brew Pub (Town Brewing Co.): Cochrane-area brewpub combining craft beer with a family-friendly restaurant menu, the closest geographic and operational competitor to Half Hitch's taproom-plus-restaurant concept.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/theloftcochrane
• Xx.com/halfhitchbeer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 Half Hitch Brewing Company