People's Brewing Company

What People's Brewing Company does

People's Brewing Company is a craft brewery founded in 2009 and headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana, producing hand-crafted beers across classic American ales, German lagers, Belgian ales, and English ales. Its production core is a 20-barrel, three-vessel brewhouse (Mash/Lauter Tun combo, Kettle, Whirlpool) designed and built by AAA Metal Fabrications; capacity was expanded in 2011 (two 50-bbl fermentors, bottling) and again in 2013 (a 5,000 sq ft addition, four 80-bbl fermentors, one 80-bbl brite tank, canning). The flagship lineup includes People's IPA (rebranded from Moundbuilder IPA in 2022), Clean Waters Session IPA (4.7% ABV, 50 IBUs, with 3.5% of sales donated to watershed conservation), Farmer's Daughter Wheat Ale, People's Pilsner, Mr. Brown Imperial Ale, Ol' Tavern Beer, and seasonal/specialty offerings, packaged in 4-packs, cases, mix packs, and kegs.

The company operates a hybrid revenue model combining direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels. On the D2C side, it runs the People's Taproom & Kitchen at 2006 North 9th Street in Lafayette (open seven days with a full kitchen), sells merchandise and gift cards through its online store (free shipping over $50), fills growlers and retail kegs, and offers brewery tours ($60 for up to 5 guests). It also operates People's Live, a Tuesday-night ticketed music venue, and historically operated Krüg Corner Pub (a German-inspired restaurant now closed). Wholesale distribution covers 40+ Indiana counties through four regional partners — Mid-America Beverage, Zink Distributing, Calumet Breweries, and Aalco Distributing — plus self-distribution in Boone and Clinton counties, with product available into the Chicago market.

The business is independently owned and bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or public listing. Post-pandemic, the company has experienced material stress: Krüg Corner Pub is closed, the company has accumulated debt, and management is actively seeking outside investment to restore operational sustainability. Against that backdrop, it has continued to invest in product (Clean Waters IPA launch in 2020 and NE Indiana expansion in 2022, Mix Packs), partnerships (Generation NA for non-alcoholic options, conservation districts), and brand modernization (2022 People's IPA rebrand), positioning the business in a turnaround posture anchored in its Indiana distribution footprint and community-focused identity.

Name

People's Brewing Company

Legal name

People's Brewing Company

Website

https://peoplesbrew.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

People's Brewing Company is a craft brewery founded in 2009 in Lafayette, Indiana, producing hand-crafted American ales, German lagers, and Belgian/English ales distributed across Indiana and Chicago via four regional wholesalers and a taproom plus People's Live music venue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Hand-crafted ales lagers
• Brewery taproom service
• Keg wholesale distribution
• Local Indiana brewery

Headquarters

HQ city

Lafayette

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, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beer Sales (Packaged): Sales of canned and bottled beer including 4-packs and cases of beers such as Farmer's Daughter Wheat Ale, People's Pilsner, People's IPA, Mr. Brown Imperial Ale, and seasonal/specialty offerings.
2. Draft Beer Sales: Draft beer sold at the taproom and through distribution to bars and restaurants.
3. Keg Sales: Retail kegs sold from taproom including 1/6 barrel (~40 pints) and 1/2 barrel (~120 pints). Also fills Cornelius Kegs and customer owned kegs.
4. Taproom Food & Beverage Service: On-site food service at the taproom with kitchen open 30 minutes before close. Hours: Mon-Thu 2pm-9pm, Fri-Sat noon-10pm, Sun noon-8pm.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of merchandise including tap handles ($20), gift cards ($5-$100), t-shirts, hats, growlers, and bike jerseys through the online store.
6. Event Tickets (People's Live): Ticketed music events at the taproom every Tuesday, managed through Promotix ticketing system.
7. Brewery Tours: Guided brewery tours offered Monday-Friday 5-6pm for $60 (up to 5 people with free sample set included), additional attendees $12/person.
8. Clean Waters IPA Partnership: 3.5% of Clean Waters IPA sales donated to watershed conservation efforts in Indiana, with sales available across all distribution territories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

People's Brewing Company produces and sells hand-crafted beer in Lafayette, Indiana, including year-round, seasonal, and specialty offerings across classic American ales, German lagers, Belgian ales, and English ales. Products are sold on draft and packaged (4-packs, cases, cans, bottles) at the on-site taproom, via retail and wholesale keg sales, and through multiple Indiana distributors. The company also runs a taproom kitchen, People's Live music events, brewery tours, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

People's Brewing Company is a craft brewery producing hand-crafted beers in Lafayette, Indiana since 2009. The product portfolio centers on core beer offerings including People's IPA (formerly Moundbuilder IPA, rebranded 2022), Clean Waters IPA (a session IPA supporting waterway conservation), Farmer's Daughter Wheat Ale, People's Pilsner, Mr. Brown Imperial Ale, and Ol' Tavern Beer. The company operates a taproom and kitchen at the brewery for on-site consumption and merchandise sales, offers keg orders for retail and wholesale, and distributes packaged beer (cans, bottles, kegs) throughout Indiana via multiple distribution partners. The company also operates People's Live music events in the taproom and previously operated Krüg Corner Pub (currently closed). Merchandise includes tap handles, gift cards, and growlers. A Mix Pack product offers a variety of their core beers. The 20-barrel brewhouse produces classic American ales, German lagers, Belgian ales, and English ales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clean Waters IPA: Session IPA brewed to support local waterway conservation efforts. 4.7% ABV, 50 IBUs. 3.5% of sales donated to watershed protection projects.
• Krüg Corner Pub by People's

Products and services

• People's IPA Flagship India Pale Ale brewed at People's Brewing Company, featuring classic American ale brewing with hops and malts. Originally launched as Moundbuilder IPA and rebranded to People's IPA in 2022 to remove Indigenous American imagery.
• Clean Waters IPA Session IPA brewed with Pilsner malt, caramalts, melanoidin, mild malts, and oats, dominated by Simcoe and Amarillo hops. 4.7% ABV, 50 IBUs. 3.5% of sales donated to local waterway conservation efforts including Big Pine Creek Watershed and Northeast Indiana Water Trails.
• Farmer's Daughter Wheat Ale Year-round wheat ale brewed at People's Brewing Company and one of the original bottled offerings since 2011.
• People's Pilsner Year-round pilsner from People's Brewing Company, one of the original bottled offerings since 2011.
• Mr. Brown Imperial Ale Imperial ale from People's Brewing Company, one of the original bottled offerings since 2011.
• Ol' Tavern Beer

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 115,000 tons of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment/topsoil runoff prevented from Big Pine Creek Watershed
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Northeast Indiana Water Trails InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to protect and promote waterways in Northeast Indiana including the Pigeon River and Fawn River. 3.5% of Clean Waters IPA sales in qualifying counties support these efforts.
• Geswein Farm & LandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner in Clean Waters IPA project; contributed to the concept of using beer sales to support local waterways and communities.
• Trading Post OutfittersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner on Pigeon River and Fawn River conservation efforts. Located in Mongo, IN on the Pigeon River.
• Benton County Soil and Water Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2020Partnership to raise awareness for the Big Pine Creek Watershed Project. 3.5% of Clean Waters IPA sales donated to support conservation efforts.
• Mid-America BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary distribution partner for Tippecanoe, White, Carroll, Howard, Grant, Tipton, Pulaski, Fulton, Miami, Marshall, Wabash, Hamilton, and Benton counties. Responsible for distributing People's beer to retail and on-premise accounts in these Indiana markets.
• Zink Distributing CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Marion, Montgomery, Vermillion, Parke, Putnam, Hendricks, Vigo, Clay, Sullivan, Greene, Morgan, and Johnson counties in Indiana.
• Calumet BreweriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for Lake, Potter, LaPorte, Newton, and Jasper counties in Indiana.
• Aalco Distributing CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for LaGrange, Steuben, Kosciusko, Noble, DeKalb, Whitley, Allen, Huntington, Wells, and Adams counties in Indiana.
• Generation NAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide People's Functional Beverage Menu at the taproom, offering non-alcoholic options for guests who don't drink beer.
• Mom & Pop ProductionsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner for music event ticketing and promotion in the Lafayette area. Additional venue for ticket sales.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sun King Brewing Company: Largest Indiana-based craft brewery, headquartered in Indianapolis with multiple taprooms and broad Indiana distribution. Most directly comparable Indiana craft peer — similar regional taproom-plus-distribution model and target customer base in Indiana craft consumers.
• Upland Brewing Company: Indiana craft brewery founded in Bloomington with statewide distribution and multiple taproom locations. Comparable classic-style craft portfolio with broad Indiana wholesale presence; similar geographic concentration and customer demographic.
• Triton Brewing Company: Indianapolis-based craft brewery with taproom and regional distribution. Similar size class to People's, with comparable brewery-taproom hybrid model and Indiana-focused customer base.
• Bier Brewery & Taproom: Small Indiana craft brewery operating a brewpub with on-site food service. Closest comparable in scale and hybrid brewery/taproom model within Indiana, particularly on the food-and-beer integration side.
• Three Floyds Brewing: Indiana craft brewery (Munster, IN) with strong brand identity and cult-following IPAs. Comparable as an Indiana craft peer, though significantly larger and more brand-dominant; useful benchmark for branding and packaging execution within Indiana.
• Fountain Square Brewing Co. Indianapolis craft brewery with taproom and Indiana distribution. Comparable small-to-mid craft peer serving similar local-craft consumer base in Indiana.

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Large established craft brewery with multiple facilities, national distribution, and an emphasis on classic ale styles (IPA, pale ale, seasonal). Comparable brewing-and-classic-styles heritage and demonstrates the scale and operational model People's could aspire to.
• New Belgium Brewing Company: Fort Collins, CO craft brewery (now part of Lion) with national distribution and purpose-driven brand initiatives (e.g., sustainability programs). Comparable on the purpose-driven marketing and broad craft distribution side, providing a benchmark for scaling beyond a single state.
• Founders Brewing Co. Grand Rapids, MI craft brewery with national distribution and classic-style ale portfolio (similar style focus to People's American/German/English/Belgian range). Comparable craft positioning and broad-availability ambitions at significantly larger scale.
• Bell's Brewery: Established Midwestern craft brewery (originally Comstock, MI) now part of New Belgium-Lion family, with multi-state distribution and broad craft portfolio. Comparable craft-brewing operations and Midwest consumer base at much greater scale; benchmark for distribution depth and brand expansion.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PeoplesBrew

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 People's Brewing Company