What Sun King Brewing does

Sun King Brewing is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2009 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company operates 8 taproom locations — 7 across Indiana (Downtown Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Kokomo, Mishawaka, Westfield, and Indianapolis International Airport) and 1 in Sarasota, Florida — that serve as its primary direct-to-consumer sales channel. Sun King produces a diverse beer portfolio spanning core year-round offerings (Premium Light Lager, Outfield Assist, Amber Has Two Moms), seasonal releases (Pickle Beer, Lemon Shandy, Crispy Five Hundred, Lions in Love), and the King's Reserve premium barrel-aged specialty line. Beyond beer, the company distills its own spirits (vodka, gin, agave, bourbon, white whiskey) in collaboration with West Fork Whiskey and operates the Sun King Hemp seltzer sub-brand. The main Indianapolis facility houses the primary brewing and barrel-aging operations, while the Kokomo location features an on-site small-batch brewery; the IND Airport and Kokomo locations operate as brand outposts under independent ownership/operation agreements (IND Airport with SSP America).

The business model combines on-premise taproom sales, off-premise packaged beer and growler refills, contract manufacturing for third-party brands (notably 9AM Club ready-to-drink cocktails), fee-based brewery tours ($15-$25/person), private event bookings, merchandise sales, and spirits/hemp revenue streams. Pricing is transactional: draft beer from $6, craft cocktails $8.50-$12.75, with growler refills promotional at $5 during anniversary events. Each taproom partners with a local food operator (La Margarita/Nacho, Clutch Kitchen, Stacked House, Biebs & Ash Smashburgers, King Dough/FoxGardin) to provide full-service food without in-house kitchen overhead.

The company has 51-100 employees, is founder/management-owned with no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds, and reports a 17-year operating history (celebrating its 17th anniversary in 2026). Community programming — including weekly trivia (Hambone's Trivia), live music, yoga, karaoke, paint-and-sip, art exhibitions, and brewery tours — is central to its go-to-market, with the King's Court Mug Club loyalty program supporting repeat visitation. The company faces a regulatory risk from Indiana Senate Bill 250, which proposes banning intoxicating hemp products and could directly impact the Sun King Hemp line.

Name

Sun King Brewing

Legal name

Sun King Brewery

Website

https://sunkingbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sun King Brewing is a privately held Indianapolis-based craft brewery operating 8 taprooms across Indiana and Florida, producing craft beer, distilled spirits, and hemp seltzers, with additional contract manufacturing for third-party beverage brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Bulk / Private Label Alcohol Production & Brands (CRADAIAJ), Cocktail Mixes & Alcoholic Beverage Bases (non-alcoholic mixers, RTD spirit bases) (AFAFAGAH), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Taproom hospitality
• Contract brewing services
• Distilled spirits
• Brewery experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. On-premise taproom sales: Direct sales of craft beer, spirits, cocktails, and food at company-owned and operated taproom locations across Indiana and Florida. Revenue generated from pints, flights, bottle/can sales, growler refills, and packaged beer.
2. Contract brewing / co-packing: Sun King serves as the production partner for third-party ready-to-drink beverage brands, using its brewing infrastructure to produce beverages for external companies (e.g., 9AM Club ready-to-drink cocktails).
3. Off-premise packaged beer sales: Canned and bottled beer sold for takeout and retail at taproom locations and potentially through grocery/big box retail channels.
4. Tours and experiences: Fee-based brewery tours at the Indianapolis main facility, including main facility tours ($15/person) and King's Reserve upgrade tours ($25/person). Also private event bookings across locations.
5. Merchandise sales: Sale of Sun King branded merchandise through the company's online merch storefront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sun King Brewing is an Indianapolis-based craft brewery founded in 2009 that produces and sells craft beer, distilled spirits, and hemp-based beverages. The company operates 8 taproom locations across Indiana and Florida, providing on-premise sales of beer, spirits, cocktails, and food from local partners. In addition to its own branded products, Sun King offers brewery tours, private event hosting, community programming, branded merchandise, and contract brewing services for third-party beverage brands.

Product overview

Sun King Brewing is an Indiana-based craft brewery operating as a multi-location taproom network. The core product portfolio includes year-round core beers (Premium Light Lager, Outfield Assist, Amber Has Two Moms), seasonal releases (Pickle Beer, Lemon Shandy, Crispy Five Hundred, Lions in Love), specialty King's Reserve barrel-aged beers, and a Hop Variety Pack and Lager Box variety pack. The company also distills its own spirits (Vodka, Gin, Agave, Bourbon, White Whiskey) and offers Sun King Hemp beverages. Taprooms across Indiana (Downtown Indianapolis, Carmel, Fishers, Kokomo, Mishawaka, Westfield, IND Airport) and Sarasota, FL provide direct-to-consumer sales, food partnerships, private event hosting, and brewery tours. The company also serves as a contract brewer for other beverage brands like 9AM Club ready-to-drink cocktails.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sun King Hemp: Hemp-based beverage line including seltzers

Products and services

• Pickle Beer Annual anniversary Golden Ale with Pickle Brine at 4.5% ABV, brewed each year to celebrate Sun King's founding anniversary.
• Hop Variety Pack IPA Variety Pack with twelve 12oz cans featuring GFJ IPA (West Coast-Style), Lupulin Astronaut IPA (Mosaic-focused), and Keller Haze IPA (slightly hazy keller-style).
• Lager Box Lager Variety Pack featuring four styles — Festa (Italian Style Pilsner), Pachanga (Mexican Style Lager), Canuckle (Canadian Style Lager), and Kanpai (Japanese Style Lager) — in twelve 12oz cans.
• Premium Light Lager Core light, sessionable lager at 4.1% ABV with only 96 calories and 4g carbs per 12oz serving, brewed for balance, refreshment, and everyday enjoyment.
• Crispy Five Hundred Summertime lager at 4.2% ABV and 10 IBU, easy-drinking and brewed in celebration of Indianapolis raceday tradition.
• Lemon Shandy
• Outfield Assist
• Jungle Bird (King's Reserve) Rum Barrel-Aged Belgian-Style Tripel with Pineapple, Orange and Lime at 12.2% ABV. Limited King's Reserve release with tropical cocktail-like brightness, soft fruit esters, and rum barrel character.
• Lions in Love
• Amber Has Two Moms
• Old Fashion Extraction (King's Reserve) Bourbon Barrel-Aged Belgian-Style Quadruple Ale with Orange Peel and Cherries at 13.1% ABV; limited King's Reserve release mimicking Old Fashioned Cocktail flavors.
• Sun King Spirits
• Sun King Taproom Locations
• Brewery Tours
• Private Events
• Sun King Hemp
• Sun King Merchandise
• Contract Brewing & Co-Packing

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 9AM ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner9AM Club is a ready-to-drink cocktail brand co-produced at Sun King's Indianapolis facility. Founded by two Indiana University graduates Luke Naas and Lucas Lemme, the brand launched in 2025 and is expanding its product portfolio (blood orange, cranberry, strawberry flavors in 8-pack format) with Sun King as its exclusive production partner.
• Biebs & Ash SmashburgersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBiebs & Ash Smashburgers is the food partner at Sun King Mishawaka (returned in early 2025). Provides food service for the taproom and Ball-Band Biergarten concession operations.
• Clutch Kitchen (Chef Kelsey Murphy)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChef Kelsey Murphy's Clutch Kitchen is the restaurant partner at Sun King Fishers. Provides full food service for the tasting room and restaurant.
• Stacked HouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStacked House is a casual, high-energy restaurant concept from restaurateur Ali Awad at Sun King Westfield's first floor (family-friendly). Offers craveable comfort food including smash burgers, handhelds, shakes, and shareable favorites.
• King Dough, La Margarita, The Den by FoxGardinminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSun King Carmel offers food from three partners: King Dough (pizza), La Margarita (Mexican), and The Den by FoxGardin. The all-ages space serves food from all three partners alongside Sun King beer and spirits.
• Nacho by La MargaritaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNacho by La Margarita is the food partner at Sun King Downtown Indianapolis. Provides Mexican food for the taproom location.
• Maple Leaf FarmsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMaple Leaf Farms (Indiana-based duck producer) featured Sun King Brewery in its Indiana-Made social media campaign (June-August) celebrating Hoosier culinary delights and the 50th anniversary of its fully cooked roast half duck product.
• Fair Oaks FarmsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFair Oaks Farms was featured alongside Sun King Brewery in Maple Leaf Farms' Indiana-Made social media campaign celebrating Indiana food and beverage producers.
• Bend YogaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBend Yoga partners with Sun King Mishawaka to host outdoor yoga sessions at the Ball-Band Biergarten. $25 tickets include a Sun King gift card. Sessions are suitable for all levels.
• Thunderstruck BonsaiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThunderstruck Bonsai partners with Sun King Sarasota to host Bonsai & Brews workshops — 2-hour workshop events where participants create their own bonsai tree while enjoying Sun King beer. Tickets sold through Thunderstruck Bonsai's website.
• Arrow McLarenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSun King Carmel hosted the Arrow McLaren Month of May Kickoff event (May 4, 2026) featuring Arrow McLaren drivers with themed drinks. Aligns with Indianapolis motorsports racing tradition.
• Indy FuelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSun King Fishers is designated as the Indy Fuel headquarters for hockey game viewing (home and away games). Patrons can watch games at the taproom and park and walk to the arena.
• Biebs & Ash SmashburgersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood partner at Sun King Mishawaka, providing smash burgers and sandwiches to taproom customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bell's Brewery: Established Midwest craft brewer (Comstock, MI) with a strong specialty/upper-tier beer program and Eccentric Café taproom concept. Directly comparable operating format and Midwest distribution overlap.
• New Belgium Brewing: National craft brewery (Fort Collins, CO; Asheville, NC) with extensive packaged distribution, tasting rooms, and a broader portfolio. Larger incumbent operating in the same craft category with overlapping packaged SKUs in Indiana retail.
• BrewDog: International craft brewery that has scaled a multi-location taproom/brewpub network alongside packaged beer and a franchised brand-outpost template — a structural analog to Sun King's taproom + outpost strategy at much larger scale.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Large national craft brewery with multiple taproom locations, a robust barrel-aged specialty series, and national wholesale presence. Broad incumbent with overlapping specialty-beer and taproom-tourism propositions.
• Boston Beer Company: Public craft CPG parent of Samuel Adams and other beer/spirits/RTD brands (e.g., Twisted Tea, Truly). Demonstrates the integration of craft brewing with spirits and RTD that Sun King is pursuing at a much smaller scale.

Direct peers

• Revolution Brewing: Chicago-area craft brewery with a flagship brewpub and additional taprooms, a barrel-aging program, spirits collaborations, and a packaged distribution model — a near-twin of Sun King's taproom-centric operating model in an adjacent Midwest market.
• Three Floyds Brewing: Indiana craft brewery (Munster/IN) recognized for IPAs and limited specialty releases; operates a brewpub destination and is sold across the same Indiana retail footprint as Sun King. Closest direct head-to-head regional competitor in Indiana craft.
• Flat12 Bierwerks: Indianapolis-based craft brewery with its own taproom and adjacent food partner in the same local market as Sun King's downtown Indianapolis Mothership. Direct local competitor for on-premise and packaged craft share.
• Upland Brewing Company: Indiana's largest craft brewery (Bloomington HQ) operating a multi-location taproom network across the same Indiana geography with a comparable rotation of core, seasonal, and specialty beers. Highly comparable regional craft operator with overlapping Indianapolis-area wholesale presence.

Regional players

• Cardinal Spirits: Indiana-based craft distillery (Bloomington) producing vodka, gin, liqueurs and other craft spirits. Comparable regional craft producer in the same state with overlapping distribution into Sun King taprooms, and a model partner reference for Sun King's spirits program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61576556570138

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Sun King Brewing