Wellington Brewery
Wellington Brewery is an independently owned craft brewery in Guelph, Ontario, producing award-winning year-round, small-batch, and non-alcoholic hop water beers distributed through LCBO, Beer Store, online, and its own taproom to Ontario craft beer consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersGuelph, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Wellington Brewery does
Wellington Brewery is an independently owned craft brewery headquartered at 950 Woodlawn Road West in Guelph, Ontario, operating from a single brewing site since 1985 (with another source citing 1987 as the founding year tied to the first brew of Special Pale Ale). The company produces and sells a portfolio of award-winning craft beer across three tiers: a year-round core lineup including Upside IPA (New England-style hazy IPA), Helles Lager, Special Pale Ale, Wellington Imperial Stout, County Brown Ale, Arkell Best Bitter, and Boot Lite Lager; a rotating set of small-batch seasonals such as Yuzu Yokai Rice Lager, House Money Passionfruit Mango Sour, Overgrowth Double West Coast IPA, and Helles Spaghett beer cocktail; and a non-alcoholic Sparkling Hop Water line using locally-grown Ontario hops that ships Canada-wide. Underlying brewing technology includes Vermont-style yeast strains for hazy IPAs, a 2016-installed water treatment system that enables precise mineral profiling (notably for the 4-week-lagered Helles Lager), and a proprietary hop-boil process for its zero-calorie, zero-carb Sparkling Hop Water.
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model. Wholesale distribution flows through LCBO (Ontario government liquor stores) and the Beer Store (Ontario retail chain) for core year-round and select seasonal beers, while direct-to-consumer revenue runs through the Wellington Brewery online store with free local delivery within ~30km of Guelph (orders over $75), Ontario-wide shipping ($15 flat over $50, free over $100), and Canada-wide shipping for non-alcoholic products (~$20 per 24-case). A retail store and taproom open 11am-7pm seven days a week provide on-premise sales and event hosting, with up to 16 taps, a 65-person capacity for private events, and $135/hour rentals. Revenue is supplemented by catering (e.g., Brewer's Board, Pretzel Platter), partnerships with local restaurants for food pairing content, and recurring charitable product collaborations (Pupside IPA, Sweet Caroline, Celebrating Sisters Saison, Queen of Craft APA). Customers are predominantly individual craft beer enthusiasts aged 19+, food and home-cooking enthusiasts, event hosts, and health-conscious consumers seeking non-alcoholic alternatives, with no disclosed enterprise or concentrated revenue customers.
Wellington Brewery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wellington Brewery
- Legal name
- Wellington Brewery
- Website
- https://wellingtonbrewery.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Wellington Brewery is an independently owned craft brewery in Guelph, Ontario, producing award-winning year-round, small-batch, and non-alcoholic hop water beers distributed through LCBO, Beer Store, online, and its own taproom to Ontario craft beer consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wellington Brewery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (42481)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)
Keywords
Where Wellington Brewery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Guelph
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wellington Brewery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Beer Sales - Direct to Consumer: Direct sales through the Wellington Brewery online store for home delivery (local ~30km, Ontario-wide, Canada-wide for non-alcoholic products) and brewery pickup at the retail store at 950 Woodlawn Rd, Guelph
- Beer Sales - Retail Distribution: Wholesale distribution to LCBO (Ontario government liquor stores) and Beer Store (Ontario retail chain) for core year-round beers including Helles Lager, Upside IPA, Wellington Imperial Stout
- Taproom and Event Venue Rental: Private event bookings at the Wellington Brewery Taproom with capacity for 65 people, rental fees, food and beverage sales, catering menu options including Brewer's Board, Pretzel Platter, and various dip platters
- Small-Batch and Seasonal Releases: Limited-release beers distributed through LCBO and online store including specialty styles like Yuzu Yokai Rice Lager, House Money Sour, Overgrowth Double IPA
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Core Beer 30-Pack Deals - Best Value |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Beer Cans |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Taproom Event Rental |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Catering and Grazing Menu |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Online Delivery Pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Wellington Brewery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wellington Brewery is an independently owned craft brewery in Guelph, Ontario, producing and selling a year-round core lineup of award-winning craft beers (Upside IPA, Helles Lager, Special Pale Ale, Wellington Imperial Stout, County Brown Ale, Arkell Best Bitter, Boot Lite Lager), small-batch and seasonal releases, and non-alcoholic Sparkling Hop Water. Products are sold through a direct-to-consumer online store (with Ontario-wide and select Canada-wide shipping), on-site taproom/retail store at 950 Woodlawn Rd W, wholesale distribution via LCBO and Beer Store, keg/draft sales to licensees, and private taproom event bookings (up to 65 people at $135/hour).
Product overview
Wellington Brewery is an independently owned craft brewery in Guelph, Ontario, offering a diverse portfolio of beer products across year-round core brands, small-batch seasonals, and limited releases. The core product lineup includes flagship beers such as Upside IPA (New England style hazy IPA), Helles Lager (award-winning German-style lager), Special Pale Ale (English-style pale ale), Wellington Imperial Stout, County Brown Ale, Arkell Best Bitter, and Boot Lite Lager. The company also produces non-alcoholic Sparkling Hop Water products featuring locally-grown Ontario hops. Small-batch and seasonal releases rotate frequently and include styles such as sours, IPAs, lagers, and beer cocktails. Services include retail store, online ordering with local/Ontario-wide shipping, and taproom event bookings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Upside IPA New England style hazy IPA, bursting with juicy grapefruit, peach, and tropical hop flavors from Vermont yeast and dry-hopping with Citra, Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo. ABV 6.8%, IBU 58. Silver medal winner at the 2023 Ontario Brewing Awards. Sold year-round via online store, LCBO, Beer Store, and taproom.
- Helles Lager Classic German-inspired light lager, light gold with balanced malt sweetness and crisp noble hop finish. Brewed using Wellington Brewery's proprietary water treatment for precise mineral profiling and lagered for 4 weeks. Multiple awards including Gold at the 2018 Ontario Brewing Awards and Silver at the 2019 Canadian Brewing Awards.
- Special Pale Ale (SPA) English-style pale ale with deep copper color, toasty malt profile, sweet fruity aromas, hints of nuttiness, and biscuit malt notes. One of Wellington Brewery's most popular year-round beers since it was first brewed in 1987.
- Wellington Imperial Stout Bold imperial stout inspired by 18th-century British imperial stouts. Jet black with a deep tan head, dark chocolate and coffee aroma, and rich cocoa, coffee, and licorice notes. ABV 8%. Multiple awards including Gold at the 2020 Ontario Brewing Awards, Bronze at the 2025 Canada Beer Cup, and Silver at the 2021 U.S. Open Beer Championship.
- County Brown Ale Award-winning year-round brown ale available in 355ml and 473ml cans, with discounted 30-pack pricing via the Wellington Brewery online store.
- Arkell Best Bitter Year-round best bitter available in 355ml and 473ml cans, offered with discounted 30-pack pricing through the Wellington Brewery online store.
- Boot Lite Lager Year-round low-ABV lite lager available in 355ml and 473ml cans, part of the 30-pack deals on the Wellington Brewery online store.
- Wellington Brewery Sparkling Hop Water Non-alcoholic sparkling water brewed with hops - zero calories, zero carbs, zero alcohol - made via a unique process that adds hops directly to the boil with a touch of brewer's yeast to bring out fresh citrus character without astringent bitterness. Features locally-grown Ontario hops including Cascade, Citra, and Chinook. Available with Canada-wide shipping through the Wellington Brewery online store.
- Overgrowth - Double West Coast IPA Bold Double West Coast IPA brewed with Centennial, Summit, Columbus, and Simcoe hops and amplified with HyperBoost and DynaBoost hop oil extracts, showcasing citrus peel, resinous pine, and dank hop character. ABV 8.0%. Released as part of Wellington Brewery's 2025 small-batch seasonal lineup.
- Yuzu Yokai - Rice Lager w/ Yuzu Japanese-inspired rice lager brewed with Sorachi Ace hops and yuzu, lagered for eight weeks for a light body and crisp, clean finish with subtle citrus notes. ABV 4.2%. Released as part of the 2025 small-batch seasonal lineup.
- House Money Passionfruit Mango Sour Dry-hopped sour ale brewed with passionfruit and mango. ABV 5.2%. Released as part of the 2025 small-batch seasonal lineup and distributed via LCBO and online store.
- Helles Spaghett - Beer Cocktail Ready-to-serve beer cocktail inspired by the 'Spaghett' cocktail tradition, made with Helles Lager, lemon, and an Italian-style bitter apéritif. ABV 4.5%. Released as part of Wellington Brewery's 2025 small-batch lineup.
- Crispy Forever - Dry-Hopped Helles Lager Seasonal limited release: award-winning Helles Lager dry-hopped with Wellington Brewery's signature hop blend to add fresh citrus aroma on top of the base lager's clean, crisp character.
- Wellington Brewery Taproom Events & Private Bookings Private event hosting service at the Wellington Brewery Taproom in Guelph for birthdays, fundraisers, staff events, weddings, and corporate functions. Features up to 16 taps of award-winning beer plus craft cider, wine, and spirits. Capacity: 65 people standing (45 seated). Rental includes AV equipment, WiFi, and patio access; hourly $135 rate plus catering add-ons (Brewer's Board $80, Pretzel Platter $50, dip platters $30, all sized for 8-10 people).
- Wellington Brewery Direct Delivery & Shipping Direct-to-consumer delivery and shipping service for the Wellington Brewery online store, supporting local delivery within ~30km of Guelph, Ontario-wide alcohol shipping, and Canada-wide shipping restricted to non-alcoholic Sparkling Hop Water cases. Free-shipping thresholds and flat-rate fees are published on the store.
- Kegs and Party Packs Keg and draft beer service for bars, restaurants, and event hosts. Draft kegs are available for brewery pickup only (cannot be shipped), with party packs offered for events that do not require draft equipment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $2,200 Grand Prize Value in Summer Smoker Giveaway partnership
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Wellington Brewery
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wellington Brewery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Wellington Brewery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Elora DistillingcoreElora Distilling provides curated spirits for the Wellington Brewery Taproom, offering craft spirits alongside beer, cider, wine, and non-alcoholic options at events and bar service. Partnership enables Wellington to offer full bar service at private events.
- Tango's Lead Canine RescueminorPupside IPA special edition featuring limited 'Pupside' label with 50¢ from every can and pint donated directly to rescue. Raised $3,000 in 2023. Tango's Lead focuses on rehabilitating and rehoming dogs with medical or behavioural challenges.
- Pitmasters Choice PelletsminorSummer Smoker Giveaway partnership featuring Wellington Brewery beer and Pitmasters Choice Pellets for BBQ. Included pop-up shop at brewery retail store with pellet discounts and contest prizes valued at over $2,200.
- Hayhoe HopscoreLocal Ontario hop grower supplying hops for Wellington's Sparkling Hop Waters and some core beer offerings. Partnership supports local agriculture and sustainability goals while providing high-quality, fresh hops.
- Cox Creek CellarsminorOntario winery supplying house wine for Wellington Brewery Taproom bar service, providing wine options alongside craft beer, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Other Half Brewing CominorWellington Brewery participated in the All Together IPA worldwide beer collaboration initiated by Other Half Brewing Co, which has been brewed by over 800 breweries from 50+ countries to support hospitality workers during uncertain times.
- Bartenders Benevolent Fundminor$1 from each can of All Together IPA sold donated to the Bartenders Benevolent Fund, which offers weekly assistance to bartenders, servers, and FOH support staff facing financial challenges.
- Guelph-Wellington Women In CrisisminorPortion of proceeds from Queen of Craft APA and Nacho Average IPA sales donated to support women and children in situations of domestic violence. Fifty cents per can from Nacho Average IPA specifically designated.
- Now I Lay Me Down To Sleepminor$0.50 from sale of each can of Sweet Caroline sour beer donated to this volunteer organization that provides remembrance photography for families who have lost infants.
- Thunder Woman Healing Lodge SocietyminorFifty cents from each can of Celebrating Sisters Saison with Sour Cherries donated to Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society in Toronto, supporting Indigenous women and families.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Wellington Brewery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wellington Brewery social profiles
Digital presenceWellington Brewery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wellington Brewery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Wellington Brewery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wellington Brewery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wellington Brewery
What does Wellington Brewery do?
Wellington Brewery is an independently owned craft brewery in Guelph, Ontario, producing and selling a year-round core lineup of award-winning craft beers (Upside IPA, Helles Lager, Special Pale Ale, Wellington Imperial Stout, County Brown Ale, Arkell Best Bitter, Boot Lite Lager), small-batch and seasonal releases, and non-alcoholic Sparkling Hop Water. Products are sold through a direct-to-consumer online store (with Ontario-wide and select Canada-wide shipping), on-site taproom/retail store at 950 Woodlawn Rd W, wholesale distribution via LCBO and Beer Store, keg/draft sales to licensees, and private taproom event bookings (up to 65 people at $135/hour).
Is Wellington Brewery a public or private company?
Wellington Brewery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Wellington Brewery founded?
Wellington Brewery was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Wellington Brewery based?
Wellington Brewery is headquartered in Guelph, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Wellington Brewery make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Beer Sales - Direct to Consumer is the primary driver. The others are beer Sales - Retail Distribution, taproom and Event Venue Rental and small-Batch and Seasonal Releases.
Does Wellington Brewery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wellington Brewery.
What industry is Wellington Brewery in?
Wellington Brewery's product category is Craft Beer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAD, Regional & National Breweries, with a secondary code of THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service). Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.