Milwaukee Brewing Company

What Milwaukee Brewing Company does

Milwaukee Brewing Company (MKE Brewing) is a craft brewery founded in October 1997 at the Milwaukee Ale House brewpub, now operating as part of the Eagle Park Brewing family of brands under founders Max Borgardt, Jackson Borgardt, and Jake Schinker, who took over ownership approximately 25 years after founding. The company produces a portfolio of craft beers including flagship amber ale Louie's Demise, MKE IPA, and specialty offerings such as O-Gii Imperial Wit (a Rishi Tea collaboration), Recombobulation barrel-aged stout blend, and 19th Tea hard tea/lemonade, brewed at its production facility in Muskego, WI.

The company operates two taproom locations in Milwaukee — the Bay View taproom at 2335 S Kinnickinnic Ave and a downtown Milwaukee taproom — plus off-premise packaged beer sales, wholesale distribution through the Beer Finder network to local bars, restaurants, and liquor stores, a three-tier membership program (Frequent Flyer, Drinking Buddies, Platinum lifetime), private event hosting for groups up to 100+ guests, brewery tours, and branded merchandise and gift cards. Its customers are primarily local Milwaukee-area craft beer enthusiasts, off-premise packaged beer buyers, and event hosts.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across six streams: on-premise taproom sales, to-go packaged beer, wholesale distribution, recurring membership subscriptions, private event bookings, and one-time gift card/merchandise sales. Go-to-market is community-driven, relying on weekly promotional events (e.g., $2 Off Beer Flights Tuesdays, $6 Old Fashioned Wednesdays), organic social media on Facebook and Instagram, an email/event calendar funnel, and referral channels (EventUp, Venues by Tripleseat). The operating geography is the U.S. Midwest, with all production and distribution domestic.

Name

Milwaukee Brewing Company

Legal name

Milwaukee Brewing Co.

Website

https://mkebrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Milwaukee Brewing Company is a craft brewery founded in 1997, now part of the Eagle Park Brewing family, producing flagship and specialty beers at its Muskego facility and serving Milwaukee-area customers through taprooms, packaged beer, distribution, memberships, and private events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA), Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Craft brewery operations
• Taproom services
• Beer distribution
• Brewery tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Taproom Beer Sales: On-premise sales of craft beers at the Bay View taproom location, including full pours, flights, and cocktails
2. Beer To-Go: Off-premise packaged beer sales for consumption outside the taproom
3. Beer Distribution: Distribution of packaged beers to bars, restaurants, and liquor stores through the Beer Finder network
4. Membership Programs: Annual and lifetime membership tiers offering discounts and exclusive access to beer releases
5. Private Events: Hosting private events including buyouts up to 100+ guests, rehearsal dinners, and corporate events
6. Gift Cards and Merchandise: Sale of gift cards and branded merchandise

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Milwaukee Brewing Company is a craft brewery that manufactures and sells a portfolio of craft beers including flagship brands Louie's Demise (amber ale) and MKE IPA, alongside seasonal and experimental releases. The company sells beer on-premise at its Bay View taproom in Milwaukee, offers packaged beer to-go, distributes to local bars, restaurants, and liquor stores, and runs membership programs and private events.

Product overview

Milwaukee Brewing Company is a craft brewery operating as part of the Eagle Park Brewing family of brands. The company offers a portfolio of craft beers including flagship brands like Louie's Demise (amber ale), MKE IPA, and specialty beers such as O-Gii Imperial Wit and Recombobulation. The company operates taprooms in Bay View and downtown Milwaukee for on-site consumption, along with packaged beer for takeaway. Additional offerings include beer finder services, brewery tours, membership programs (Frequent Flyer, Drinking Buddies, and Platinum lifetime memberships), private event hosting, and gift cards. The brewery also maintains sibling brands including Soul Boxer under the Eagle Park Brewing umbrella.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Louie's Demise Milwaukee Brewing Company's flagship brand; a medium-bodied amber ale with a rich malt flourish balanced by a smooth hop finish, sold on tap and in packaged form.
• MKE IPA An India Pale Ale brewed with a soft but vibrant body that lets the hops shine through; part of the core craft beer portfolio.
• 19th Tea A refreshing blend of hard tea and lemonade, positioned as a casual craft beverage for relaxed settings.
• MKE MVP A Hazy IPA created in celebration of Wisconsin's three recent MVP athletes.
• O-Gii Imperial Wit A collaboration with Milwaukee's Rishi Tea, infusing Asian character into a wheat beer using Rishi's tea blends.
• Outboard Cream Ale A light-bodied cream ale brewed with malted barley and corn grits, resulting in a golden straw color.
• Recombobulation A blend of barrel-aged imperial stout and oat wine ranging in age from 4 to 22 months; a specialty limited release.
• Weekend at Louie's A variant of Louie's Demise enhanced with Rishi's Organic Blueberry Rooibos and Hibiscus Tea blends added during secondary fermentation.
• Bay View Taproom The company's taproom at 2335 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, offering on-site beer service, packaged beer to-go, events, and private event bookings.
• Brewery Tours Guided tours of the brewery facility at the Muskego production location, allowing visitors to view brewing operations.
• Frequent Flyer Membership Single-person annual membership at $100/year offering $1 off full pours, flights, and cocktails, 15% off to-go beer, spirits, and merch, plus member-exclusive beer releases and early access to highly allocated beers.
• Drinking Buddies Membership Two-person annual membership at $150/year offering discounts on pours, flights, cocktails, and merchandise for two members.
• Platinum Membership Lifetime membership at $1,250 offering 50% off full pours of beer, flights, house cocktails, and merch; 15% off all to-go beer and spirits (limited availability).
• Private Events Event hosting services at the Bay View taproom including building buyouts for groups up to 100+, the Fireplace Room for smaller gatherings, suitable for happy hours, rehearsal dinners, welcome parties, and corporate events.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase to give the gift of MKE beer and taproom experiences.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eagle Park BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEagle Park Brewing, founded by Max & Jackson Borgardt and Jake Schinker, acquired and now operates Milwaukee Brewing Company. They maintain MKE as a locally-owned and operated brand under the Eagle Park Brewing family which includes multiple brewery brands.
• Rishi TeaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for O-Gii Imperial Wit beer, infusing Asian character to this monster wheat beer using Rishi Tea's tea blends.
• Fruity StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative partner for events including matchbox painting workshops hosted at the MKE taproom.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lakefront Brewery: Iconic Milwaukee craft brewery founded in 1987, operating a River West taproom with brewery tours and food service. Directly competes with MKE for Milwaukee taproom occasions, on-premise accounts, and local brand affinity.
• Great Lakes Brewing Company: Midwest craft brewery (Cleveland, OH) operating a brewpub with tours and a broad packaged portfolio. Comparable regional craft scale, taproom-driven go-to-market, and Midwest distribution footprint.
• Third Space Brewing: Milwaukee-based craft brewery with a Menomonee Valley taproom and rotating release slate. Competes with MKE on taproom visits, distribution in local bars/restaurants, and Milwaukee craft brand positioning.
• New Glarus Brewing Company: Wisconsin craft brewery (New Glarus, WI) distributing primarily within Wisconsin. Comparable as a heritage Wisconsin craft brand with taproom experience and a flagship-focused portfolio competing for the same regional consumer occasions.
• Revolution Brewing: Chicago craft brewery with brewpub and production brewery, broad portfolio of flagship and seasonal beers. Comparable Midwest craft scale, multi-location taproom strategy, and regional wholesale distribution.
• Soul Boxer: Sibling brand under the Eagle Park Brewing family, also focused on craft beverages in the Milwaukee market. Closely comparable in operating model and shared back-office infrastructure with MKE.
• Eagle Park Brewing: Parent company and sibling brand under common ownership (Max Borgardt, Jackson Borgardt, Jake Schinker). Operates a craft brewery with taprooms in Muskego and Milwaukee metro; the most directly comparable entity since they share operators, production capacity, and distribution infrastructure.
• Two Brothers Brewing Company: Chicago-area craft brewery with taproom and event space, family-owned with diversified portfolio including seltzers. Comparable in scale, ownership profile, and Midwest taproom + wholesale model.
• MobCraft Beer: Milwaukee craft brewery known for crowdsourced beers and a Walker’s Point taproom. Overlaps with MKE in core craft beer portfolio, taproom experience, and local Milwaukee distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Bell's Brewery: Established Midwest craft brewery (Comstock, MI) with a broad flagship portfolio (Two Hearted, Oberon) and Eccentric Café taproom. Comparable as a larger, heritage Midwest craft player with taproom and broad distribution, though at meaningfully greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/milwaukeebrewing
• Instagraminstagram.com/mkebrewco
• Xx.com/mkebrewco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/milwaukee-brewing-company

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 Milwaukee Brewing Company