Bare Hands Brewery

What Bare Hands Brewery does

Bare Hands Brewery is a small-batch craft brewery founded in December 2011 by South Bend native Chris Gerard, operating a brewpub and production facility at 12804 Sandy Court in Granger, Indiana. All brewing is conducted on-site, with a portfolio spanning year-round flagships (Westy IPA, Thai.P.A.), seasonal releases (Cream Ale, Hefeweizen, Brown Ale, Oat Stout, Sleeping Lion Imperial Porter), rotational limited beers, and specialty sub-series including the single-hop A Ton Load hazy DIPAs, the fruit-forward That's My Jam imperial wheats, and a Tribute Series honoring contributors. The brewery maintains 10 rotating tap handles in its taproom and distributes a limited subset of its portfolio (e.g., Mail Order Bride Russian Imperial Stout at 10.2% ABV, Sleeping Lion Imperial Porter at 9% ABV) in 16oz 4-pack cans within Indiana, north of Bloomington/Columbus.

The business operates a multi-stream revenue model: on-site taproom pours, packaged beer wholesale to Indiana restaurants and liquor stores, modest food service (paninis at $7.50, pretzels at $2), apparel and gift cards (sold via the Square platform), and ticketed events including weekly Beer & Yoga sessions at $18/person and the annual Double Thai Day festival. Pricing is uniformly unit-based with pay-as-you-go billing, supported by weekly taproom discount specials (e.g., $1 off draft on Wednesdays, growler fills $5 off on Sundays) and a Beer Clip Recycle Program that converts returned packaging into gift card credit.

The customer base consists of local craft beer enthusiasts and general 21+ adults drawn to the neighborhood taproom atmosphere, supplemented by Indiana-based wholesale accounts; no enterprise or subscription contracts are in evidence. The company is privately held and founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional capital, no parent company, and 1-10 employees. A second taproom in South Bend, Indiana was announced with a target opening date of September 1, 2023, representing the most material operational expansion to date. Marketing is community-driven, anchored by Instagram, signature events, collaboration brews with peer craft producers, and hospitality partnerships with nearby Hyatt Place and KOA lodging operators.

Name

Bare Hands Brewery

Legal name

Bare Hands Brewery

Website

https://barehandsbrewery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bare Hands Brewery is a privately held, founder-owned craft brewery in Granger, Indiana, founded in 2011 by Chris Gerard, handcrafting small-batch ales served on 10 rotating taps at its brewpub and distributed in limited cans across Indiana, with an additional South Bend taproom announced for 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

Keywords

• Craft brewery operations
• Small batch brewing
• Taproom beer service
• Craft beer distribution
• Brewpub dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Granger

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. On-site taproom beer sales: Beer sold on 10 rotating taps in the brewpub; primary revenue driver for direct consumer sales
2. Canned and packaged beer distribution: Limited distribution in Indiana in 16oz 4-pack cans and draft; includes year-round, seasonal, and rotational beer styles
3. Food service: Food sold at the taproom including panini sandwiches, pub pretzels, and snacks
4. Merchandise and gift cards: Apparel and gift cards sold through the taproom and online store; apparel featured in weekly taproom specials
5. Events and experiences: Beer and Yoga events priced at $18 including yoga session and beer of choice; special events like Double Thai Day with ticketed admission

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bare Hands Brewery is a small-batch craft brewery and brewpub operating 10 rotating taps of handcrafted ales in Granger, Indiana. The company brews and sells its own beer on-premise through the taproom, distributes a limited selection of canned and packaged beer to select Indiana retailers, and operates a food service kitchen alongside live music, trivia, and special events.

Product overview

Bare Hands Brewery is a single-location craft brewery in Granger, Indiana (South Bend suburb) offering a portfolio of hand-crafted beers across multiple series. The core offerings include year-round beers (Westy IPA, Thai.P.A.), seasonal releases (Cream Ale, Hefeweizen, Brown Ale, Oat Stout, Sleeping Lion Imperial Porter), and rotational limited beers (Citronic Pale Ale, 574 series, Honey Badger Double IPA, Spirit Breaker Triple IPA). Specialty series include the A Ton Load Series (single-hop hazy DIPAs with honey), That's My Jam Series (fruit-infused imperial wheat), and Tribute Series honoring supporters. The brewery operates a taproom with 10 rotating taps, panini sandwiches, and snacks, plus distributes limited beer in Indiana. Annual events include Double Thai Day and Beer and Yoga sessions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rotating Small-Batch Handcrafted Ales Brewed on-site small-batch handcrafted ales served from 10 rotating taps in the brewpub; intended for adult craft beer consumers visiting the Granger taproom.
• Thai.P.A. Signature IPA variant noted as a flagship offering with a local cult following; served on tap and likely available in packaged form.
• Canned and Packaged Beer Selected small-batch ales packaged in cans and other formats for limited off-premise distribution to Indiana retailers and restaurants.
• Crowlers and Beer To-Go Fresh beer filled into crowlers and other to-go formats at the brewpub for off-premise consumption by adult consumers.
• Brewpub Food Service

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Violet Sky ChocolateminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on 'KaKow' beer released in 2019 with Violet Sky Chocolate.
• Indiana City BreweryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Featured guest brewery at DoubleThaiDay 2019, bringing their newly released 'Undersea DMV Double Dry Hopped IPA' to the event. Indiana City is located in Downtown Indianapolis.
• Evil CzechminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on 'You See Them' dry-hopped saisons, available at the taproom.
• Elm Street BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Collaboration on 'Dream Demon' beer released in 2018 as part of the brewery's Collabs series.
• 18th StreetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Collaboration on 'Fragile Ego' beer released in 2018 as part of the brewery's Collabs series.
• La Margarita IndyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Collaboration on 'Wizard Mode: Nelson' beer released in 2018. La Margarita also served as food vendor (tacos, Thaiquitos) at the DoubleThaiDay event.
• peace.love.yoga.michianaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYoga instructor partner for Beer and Yoga events held at the brewery. Hosted Sunday yoga sessions followed by social time and brews.
• Hyatt Place South Bend/MishawakaminorOthersPreferred lodging partner located 6 miles from the brewery, near University of Notre Dame. Recommended for brewery visitors attending games or events.
• KOA (Kampground of America)minorOthersNearby campground located 0.25 miles from the brewery, within walking distance. Offers rustic setting near restaurants and stores.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• New Holland Brewing Company: Michigan-based craft brewery with taproom, distribution, and barrel-aged specialty program. Direct overlap in craft portfolio (including barrel-aged and specialty ales) and small-batch positioning, though at larger scale.
• Three Floyds Brewing: Iconic Northwest Indiana craft brewery (Munster) with broad national recognition in the IPA/heavy-beer space. Comparable craft focus and Indiana geography, but at substantially larger scale and brand reach.
• Sun King Brewing Company: Indiana's largest craft brewery, based in Indianapolis. Direct overlap in product (craft beer), market (Indiana), and channel (taproom + wholesale), but at significantly larger scale and broader distribution. Provides a benchmark for what scaling the Indiana craft model looks like.

Direct peers

• Burn 'Em Brewing: Michigan City, Indiana craft brewery operating a taproom with rotating small-batch beers. Comparable Northern Indiana craft model serving a similar regional consumer base.
• 18th Street Brewery: Indiana craft brewery (Hammond/Indianapolis) with a taproom and Indiana-wide distribution. Collaboration partner on Bare Hands' 'Fragile Ego' release. Directly comparable small-batch craft model with strong Hazy/IPA focus.
• Evil Czech Brewery & Public House: Small craft brewery in Mishawaka, Indiana — the same regional market as Bare Hands (Granger/South Bend). Direct collaboration partner on 'You See Them' dry-hopped saisons. Closest geographic peer with overlapping taproom and small-batch model.
• Triton Brewing Company: Indianapolis-based craft brewery with taproom and Indiana-wide distribution. Comparable small-batch craft model with similar distribution footprint and customer base.
• Indiana City Brewery: Indianapolis-based craft brewery featured at Bare Hands' Double Thai Day 2019. Comparable craft brewery with on-site taproom, collaborations, and Indiana distribution — a very close matching business model.
• Elm Street Brewing: Indiana craft brewery and Bare Hands' collaboration partner on 'Dream Demon.' Comparable small-batch craft brewery with on-site taproom and limited distribution. Directly comparable business model and scale.

Regional players

• Shoreline Brewery: Michigan City, Indiana craft brewery with brewpub model serving a regional audience near the Indiana-Michigan border. Comparable small-batch craft + food service model but slightly different geographic pull.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/barehandsbrew

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 Bare Hands Brewery