What Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company does

Fiddlin' Fish Brewing Company is a family-owned independent craft brewery operating a single taproom and 15-barrel brewhouse at 772 N Trade St in Downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded by Stuart and Lindsay Barnhart with cousin David Ashe, the brewery draws its identity from the founders' childhood summers in the Blue Ridge Mountains and operates with an industrial tobacco-warehouse aesthetic, including reclaimed steel-frame windows from the Nissen Wagon Works factory and murals by local artist Hieronymus. The company produces approximately 15 beer styles spanning flagship New England IPAs, light lagers, pilsners, blonde ales, wheats, ambers, stouts, and wild sours, alongside house-brewed hard seltzers, a wine-by-the-glass program, and gluten-free options.

The business runs four revenue streams: taproom direct sales (pints, tasting flights, takeaway 4- and 6-packs), wholesale self-distribution to bars, restaurants, and bottle shops throughout North Carolina, online merchandise sales through a Shopify storefront, and paid group event hosting. All wholesale distribution within North Carolina is handled internally without third-party distributors. Customer acquisition is community-driven, anchored by weekly recurring programming (Trivia Tuesdays, Game Nights, Music Bingo, Run Like a Fish Run Club, Ride Like a Fish Group Ride) and charitable fundraisers, supported by Instagram, email newsletter, and Yelp presence. The company is privately held, founder-controlled, with 11-50 employees and no disclosed institutional funding.

Name

Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company

Legal name

Fiddlin' Fish Brewing Company

Website

https://fiddlinfish.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fiddlin' Fish Brewing Company is a family-owned independent craft brewery in Downtown Winston-Salem, NC, producing ~15 beer styles on a 15-barrel system and serving local adults through its taproom, NC-wide self-distribution, and weekly community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (31212)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Brewery taproom
• Craft beer distribution
• Wholesale beer sales
• Brewery merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Winston Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Taproom Beer Sales: Direct sales of draft and canned craft beer to consumers at the taproom, including pints and tasting flights. Core revenue stream for the family-owned craft brewery.
2. Wholesale Beer Distribution: Self-distribution of canned and packaged beer to retail accounts throughout North Carolina, selling wholesale to bars, restaurants, and bottle shops.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel and novelty items through the online Shopify store.
4. Event Venue Rental: Hosting private group events and parties at the taproom venue, accommodating event inquiries for gatherings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fiddlin' Fish Brewing Company brews and sells a diverse craft beer portfolio — including flagship That Fish Cray New England IPA, IPAs, lagers, wheat beers, ambers, stouts, wild sours, house-brewed hard seltzers, and seasonal/one-off releases — through its Downtown Winston-Salem taproom, self-distributed wholesale to NC retailers, and an online merchandise shop. The company supplements beer sales with wine by the glass, gluten-free beverage options, private group event hosting, and recurring community programming such as live music, trivia, run clubs, and bike rides.

Product overview

Fiddlin' Fish Brewing Company is a family-owned independent craft brewery offering a diverse portfolio of alcoholic beverages. The core product is their beer lineup featuring flagship That Fish Cray New England IPA, traditional styles (IPAs, ambers, lagers, wheats, stouts), wild sours, and seasonal/limited releases. They also offer house-brewed hard seltzers, wine by the glass, and gluten-free options. The company operates a taproom experience with entertainment facilities (TVs, projector screen, live music space), distributes products self-distributed in North Carolina, hosts group events, and sells branded merchandise through a Shopify store. The brewery features a 15-barrel brewhouse on Trade Street producing traditional styles along with rotating seasonals and one-offs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Craft Beer Portfolio A diverse craft beer portfolio including flagship That Fish Cray New England IPA (Amarillo, Citra, Vic Secret hops, 7.0% ABV); Cool as the Appalachians Light Lager (4.9% ABV); Zorba's Greek Lager (5.2% ABV); Buena Vista Blonde Ale (5.25% ABV); Mocha Blonde Ale (5.2% ABV); Maibock (6.2% ABV); High Lonesome Hefeweizen (5.5% ABV); Major Winston's Wheat (5.0% ABV); Rainbow Pale Ale (6.0% ABV); Camel City IPA (5.5% ABV); Ardmore Amber Ale (5.0% ABV); Big Winston Chocolate Stout (6.6% ABV); Key Lime Wild Sour (5.2% ABV); Raspberry Currants Wild Sour (6.2% ABV); plus rotating seasonal and one-off brews. Sold in 4-packs and 6-packs for takeaway.
• Taproom Experience The Fiddlin' Fish taproom is a family-friendly environment for enjoying locally-brewed craft beer on draft and canned for takeaway. Features include 8 60-inch TVs, a 150-inch projector screen for sports viewing, live music performances, an industrial feel with murals by local artist Hieronymus, reclaimed architectural elements from the Nissen Wagon Works factory, and a covered patio. Customers can order pints and tasting flights at the bar.
• Self-Distribution Services Fiddlin' Fish handles self-distribution of its canned and packaged beer products to licensed retail accounts — bars, restaurants, and bottle shops — throughout North Carolina through direct outreach, without relying on third-party distributors.
• Merchandise Shop Online store selling Fiddlin' Fish branded merchandise including apparel, Christmas tree ornaments, and novelty items, operated through the Shopify e-commerce platform.
• Group Event Hosting The brewery accepts group event inquiries for private gatherings at the taproom venue, accommodating parties and event bookings subject to peak-time capacity limitations. No dedicated private event room is available.
• Hard Seltzers House-brewed hard seltzers at 4.5% ABV, crisp and refreshing, with current Blackberry-Lemon flavor. Available in 6-packs for takeaway at the taproom and via wholesale distribution.
• Wine by the Glass Curated wine selection served by the glass at the taproom, including Proverb Sauvignon Blanc (California), Beviamo Grigio (Italy), Trim Chardonnay (California), Pescador Rose (Spain), Chateau Souverain Pinot Noir (California), Carnivor Cabernet Sauvignon (California), La Marca Prosecco (Italy), and On Holiday Sparkling Wine Spritzes and Mimosas.
• Specialty Workshop Events Specialty on-site workshop events held at the brewery, including a Beach Glass Frame-Making Class led by Artistic Edge Art Studio, priced at $60 per participant including materials and template options.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rhodes Ahead EntertainmentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRecurring entertainment partner providing trivia nights, game nights with classic video game consoles and board games, and Music Bingo events every Thursday. Two rounds of Music Bingo weekly with prizes, trivia runs 6 rounds weekly.
• BeersngearscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosts the Ride Like a Fish Social Group Ride every Monday evening, meeting at 6:15 PM in the parking lot across 8th Street from the brewery for 10-12 mile social rides ending back at the brewery.
• Artistic Edge Art StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for specialty events including beach glass frame-making workshops. Studio leads workshops at the brewery with various templates and materials provided.
• Forsyth Humane SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partner for the Dogs for Dogs Fundraiser event where proceeds from hot dog sales support the humane society.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Foothills Brewing: A Winston-Salem-based craft brewery operating a taproom and self-distributing beer throughout North Carolina. Most direct local competitor with comparable size, taproom model, and regional distribution footprint.
• Brown Truck Brewery: North Carolina craft brewery with a taproom and self-distribution model. Similar in scale, family-owned orientation, and emphasis on diverse styles — directly comparable on operating mechanics.
• Wise Man Brewing: Independent craft brewery in Winston-Salem with a comparable taproom-centric business model and diversified portfolio of traditional and seasonal beers. Direct local peer competing for the same community traffic.

Broad incumbents

• New Belgium Brewing: Nationally distributed craft brewery with a strong taproom and event-driven brand experience. Comparable in its integration of beer production, on-premise experience, and community identity.
• SweetWater Brewing Company: Mid-to-large craft brewer with taproom and event programming similar to Fiddlin' Fish's community-focused model. Useful as a regional comp for an evolved version of the same business strategy.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Large-scale craft brewer with extensive taproom, distribution, and event programming. Provides a reference point for what scaled craft operations look like and benchmarks Fiddlin' Fish's eventual growth ceiling.

Emerging players

• Bull City Ciderworks: Durham, NC-based craft producer (cider) that appears on Fiddlin' Fish's taproom menu as a guest pour. Comparable North Carolina craft producer serving overlapping local craft beverage customers.
• Ginger's Revenge: Asheville-based craft hard ginger beer producer featured on Fiddlin' Fish's gluten-free menu. Similar North Carolina craft producer operating in adjacent non-traditional craft beverage categories.

Others

• Rhodes Ahead Entertainment: Local entertainment partner providing trivia, game nights, and Music Bingo at the Fiddlin' Fish taproom. Ecosystem participant rather than a beer competitor, but materially shapes the venue experience and traffic patterns.
• Forsyth Humane Society: Charitable partner that co-hosts fundraisers at the brewery. Not a commercial peer, but a community stakeholder that reinforces Fiddlin' Fish's local brand affinity and event-driven traffic model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/fiddlinfishbrewing
• Xx.com/FiddlinFishBrew

Compliance1 record

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 Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company