Steel String Brewery

What Steel String Brewery does

Steel String Brewery is a privately held small production craft brewery founded in 2011 and headquartered in Carrboro, North Carolina. The company produces modern American-style beers inspired by the agricultural character of the North Carolina Piedmont and sells them under a portfolio of named SKUs (e.g., Big Mon, Cheetah, Stowing Away the Time, Dad Fuel) in cans, bottles, and on draft. Its stated core technology is brewing technique and recipe development adapted to locally sourced inputs, with vertical integration into agricultural production at Pluck Farm.

The business operates two physical venues. The downtown Carrboro taproom at 106A S. Greensboro St. functions as the primary retail and community location, with indoor and outdoor seating, dog-friendly access, and outside-food-welcome policy. Pluck Farm, a 57-acre property in Mebane (6901 NC-54 West), serves simultaneously as the production facility, a second taproom, and an agritourism destination featuring an 18-hole disc golf course, walking trails, native plant gardens, and seasonal blooms. Distribution is limited to local North Carolina accounts through cans, bottles, and kegs, supplemented by a WooCommerce-powered online webstore for direct-to-consumer packaged sales.

Revenue is generated across five streams: on-premise taproom and farm beverage sales, packaged (canned and bottled) retail sales, keg distribution, event hosting (small to full-farm rentals including corporate and university retreats), and ancillary food sales (charcuterie, snacks, and rotating on-site food trucks). The go-to-motion is direct-to-consumer, anchored by a community programming calendar (run clubs, trivia, open mic, movie nights) that drives repeat foot traffic. There is no disclosed pricing model, no B2B anchor accounts, no funding history, and no public financial filings; the entity operates as a small, founder-managed LLC.

Name

Steel String Brewery

Legal name

Steel String Brewery LLC

Website

https://steelstringbrewery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Steel String Brewery is a small, privately held craft brewery founded in 2011 in Carrboro, North Carolina, operating a downtown taproom and a 57-acre production farm (Pluck Farm) with disc golf, trails, and event spaces, selling locally distributed canned and draft beer to the Carrboro community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Brewery taproom
• Craft beer distribution
• Event venue hosting
• Farm brewery

Headquarters

HQ city

Carrboro

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. Taproom and Farm Beverage Sales: Direct sales of craft beer, cider, wine, kombucha, and non-alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption at the Carrboro taproom and Pluck Farm location.
2. Canned and Bottled Beer Sales: Retail sales of canned and bottled beer including products like Big Mon, Cheetah, Stowing Away the Time, and Dad Fuel in various pack sizes.
3. Keg Distribution: Wholesale and retail sales of kegs to local businesses and for private events.
4. Event Hosting and Private Bookings: Revenue from hosting private events including small gatherings, mid-size events, large field rentals, full farm rentals, and corporate/university retreats.
5. Food Sales: Sale of charcuterie, pimento cheeses, crackers, olives, snacks, and popcorn. Food trucks also operate on-site at both locations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Steel String Brewery is a small production craft brewery that brews and sells its own beer in cans, bottles, and kegs under modern American styles adapted to North Carolina Piedmont ingredients. It operates two on-premise locations—the downtown Carrboro taproom and Pluck Farm, a 57-acre production and agritourism site—and offers private event hosting, retail packaged beer, and online sales.

Product overview

Steel String Brewery is a small production brewery founded in 2011 in Carrboro, North Carolina, offering a unified experience across multiple channels. The core products include canned/packaged craft beer varieties (Big Mon, Cheetah, Stowing Away the Time, Dad Fuel) sold through their webstore and distributed locally, plus on-premise taproom experiences at two distinct locations: the downtown Carrboro Taproom and Pluck Farm (their 57-acre production facility and rural taproom). Additional services include event hosting at both locations, with options ranging from small group reservations to full farm rentals. The company also operates an online webstore powered by WooCommerce for direct consumer sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pluck Farm: Biodiverse farmland supporting beer and ecology; also home to Steel String Brewery's production space. Grows fruits, herbs, cut flowers on 57 acres. Features 22-hole disc golf course, walking trails, and public access to native plant gardens and seasonal blooms.

Products and services

• Steel String Craft Beer (Canned and Packaged) Steel String's flagship craft beer offering, available in cans and multi-packs for retail purchase. Varieties include Big Mon, Cheetah, Stowing Away the Time, and Dad Fuel, distributed locally in North Carolina and sold through the online webstore. Targeted at individual craft beer consumers and local wholesale accounts.
• Carrboro Taproom Downtown Carrboro taproom at 106A S. Greensboro St. offering indoor and outdoor seating, dog-friendly environment, with outside food welcome. Open Monday-Thursday 2pm-11pm, Friday-Sunday 12pm-11pm. Provides on-site beer, cider, wine, kombucha, and non-alcoholic beverage sales, plus retail packaged beer, to local consumers.
• Pluck Farm A 57-acre biodiverse farm outside Carrboro serving as Steel String Brewery's production space and second taproom location. Features walking trails, a 22-hole disc golf course, native plant gardens, and seasonal blooms. Hosts rotating food trucks, on-site beer and beverage sales, and recreational visits from the public. Operates with seasonal hours.
• Private Event Hosting and Venue Rentals Private event booking services at both the Carrboro taproom and Pluck Farm. Offerings include small table reservations under pergolas, mid-size Lower Pergola rentals (around 50 seated), large field rentals with picnic tables or commercial tents, beer garden weekday rentals, and full farm rentals with pond view, 18-hole disc golf course, and trails. Suitable for birthdays, company picnics, family reunions, rehearsal dinners, and corporate or university retreats. Bookings coordinated via [email protected].
• Online Webstore WooCommerce-powered e-commerce store offering direct online sales of Steel String beer and merchandise to consumers, with a 30-day return policy and returns processed at the Carrboro headquarters address.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• StreetFoodFinderminorOthersStreetFoodFinder is used as the food truck scheduling platform for Pluck Farm. The partnership allows customers to view up-to-date food truck schedules and visiting vendors at the farm location.
• Blu Lotus ThaiminorOthersBlu Lotus Thai food truck was featured as the on-site food vendor for the Bring Your Own Pool Party event at Pluck Farm, serving Thai classics.
• AutostradaminorOthersAutostrada pizza provided free slices during the USA vs. Belgium soccer screening event at the taproom.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ponysaurus Brewing: Durham, NC craft brewery operating a taproom and distributing locally with a community-focused brand. Direct geographic and product overlap with Steel String.
• Fullsteam Brewery: Durham, NC craft brewery (~15 miles from Carrboro) with a production brewery, taproom, and packaged distribution. Comparable scale, similar local-distribution craft model.
• Bond Brothers Beer Company: Cary, NC craft brewery with on-site taproom and packaged distribution in the Triangle. Directly comparable in size, geography, and go-to-market.
• Burial Beer Co. Asheville, NC craft brewery known for strong branding, taproom experience, and distributed packaged beer. Similar independent craft model with comparable SKU and on-premise focus.
• Trophy Brewing Company: Raleigh, NC craft brewery with multiple taproom locations and event-driven programming, including pizza and food pairings. Comparable in scale, location count, and event-led growth.
• Mystery Brewing Company: Hillsborough, NC small craft brewery with taproom and local distribution. Closely comparable independent craft footprint in the same regional market.
• Lonerider Brewing Company: Raleigh, NC craft brewery producing packaged beer and operating taproom locations. Comparable NC craft competitor with overlapping distribution.
• Haw River Farmhouse Ales: Small NC craft brewery (Saxapahaw, ~20 miles from Carrboro) that operates on a rural farm property with an on-site taproom and food, mirroring Steel String's farm-to-brew positioning. Closest comparable in geography and concept.

Broad incumbents

• New Belgium Brewing Company: Major U.S. craft brewer (Asheville, NC facility) with taproom, tours, and event programming. Provides a benchmark for what a destination-brewery operation can scale to within the NC market.
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Large U.S. craft brewer with a Mills River, NC production brewery that includes a destination taproom, restaurant, and event space. Demonstrates the scaled version of the farm/destination-brewery model Steel String is pursuing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/steelstringbrewery

Compliance1 record

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 Steel String Brewery