Waterline Brewing

What Waterline Brewing does

Waterline Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery and taproom operating from the renovated 1940s Jacobi Hardware Warehouse at 721 Surry Street in Wilmington, North Carolina, situated underneath the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. Founded in 2015 and owned by Rob and Eve, the company brews on a 20-barrel steam-fired brewing system and serves a portfolio of six flagship beers (Waterline Kolsch, Neil's IPA, Hefeweizen, Red IPA, Coffee & Cream Blonde Ale, Oatmeal Stout) alongside a rotating seasonal lineup that includes Mai Tai Gose, Kadala Pilsner, Coastal Mango, Hooley Irish Red, Summer 7s Session IPA, and an annual Oktoberfest Märzen Lager.

The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and wholesale model. Primary revenue is generated through taproom and outdoor beer garden sales of draft beer; secondary streams include packaged retail (32oz crowlers, growler fills, and 4- or 6-pack cans), public keg sales with a refundable $50 deposit, and draft distribution to bars and restaurants throughout Wilmington and surrounding areas. The taproom hosts recurring live music and an annual event portfolio (Freedom Fest, Oktoberfest, Mardi Gras, Hooley Under the Bridge, Circle the Wagens, Bourbon Bluegrass and Brews, Parrot Heads and Pints, World Down Syndrome Day) and rents its space — equipped with stage, projector, screen, speakers, and microphone — for private and corporate events. Food service is delivered through a resident food truck partnership with Smash N Dash, complemented by non-alcoholic beverages, wines, canned ciders, seltzers, and liquor drinks to broaden the on-site consumer base.

Distribution is primarily regional (Southeast US), supplemented by an online storefront via the Arryved commerce platform for packaged orders. Marketing is community-led, anchored on Facebook and Instagram presence, live music programming, food truck partnerships, and a coordinated event programming calendar managed by an internal team of approximately fifteen staff across brewing, taproom, sales and distribution, events, and marketing.

Name

Waterline Brewing

Legal name

Waterline Brewing Company

Website

https://waterlinebrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Waterline Brewing is a private craft brewery and taproom in Wilmington, NC, producing flagship and seasonal beers on a 20-barrel steam-fired system. It serves local craft beer enthusiasts, hospitality accounts, and event hosts through taproom sales, packaged retail, draft distribution, and venue rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

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

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA), Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA), Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Taproom beer garden
• Keg crowler sales
• Brewery venue rental
• Seasonal craft ales

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Taproom sales: Direct sales of beer consumed on-premises in the taproom and outdoor beer garden
2. Beer to-go: Retail sales of beer in 32oz crowlers, growler fills, and 4-pack/6-pack cans for off-premises consumption
3. Keg sales: Keg sales to the public in 1/6 barrel (5 gallons) or 1/2 barrel (15 gallons) sizes with a refundable $50 deposit
4. Draft distribution: Draft beer sold to bars and restaurants throughout Wilmington and surrounding areas
5. Venue rental: Event space rental for private and semi-private events including corporate meetings, parties, baby showers, weddings. Reservations for parties of 25+ people
6. Non-alcoholic beverages: Sales of wine, canned ciders, seltzers, liquor drinks, and non-alcoholic options including non-alcoholic beer, sodas, La Croix, Gatorade, and bottled water

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Waterline Brewing operates a craft brewery in a renovated 1940s Jacobi Hardware Warehouse under the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington, NC. The company brews a portfolio of flagship and rotating seasonal craft beers on a state-of-the-art steam-fired 20 barrel system, sells beer on-premises in its taproom and outdoor beer garden, distributes draft beer to local bars and restaurants, sells kegs, crowlers, and growlers to-go, and rents the venue for private and corporate events of 25 or more people.

Product overview

Waterline Brewing operates a craft brewery and taproom in a renovated 1940's Jacobi Hardware Warehouse beneath the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge in Wilmington, NC. The company offers a portfolio of flagship and rotating seasonal craft beers (Waterline Kolsch, Neil's IPA, Hefeweizen, Coffee & Cream Blonde Ale, Oatmeal Stout, plus seasonal varieties like Coastal Mango, Hooley Irish Red, Kadala Pilsner, Mai Tai Gose, and Summer 7s Session IPA) brewed on a 20-barrel steam-fired system. Beyond on-site taproom sales, the business provides venue rental services for events, sells kegs and crowlers/growlers for off-premise consumption, and stocks non-alcoholic beverages, wines, ciders, seltzers, and liquor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waterline Kolsch A smooth and crisp, delicately balanced German-style beer originating from Cologne, featuring subdued maltiness and a citrusy tang finish. A flagship offering brewed on the brewery's 20-barrel system.
• Neil's IPA A crisp IPA with a light body and bright tropical fruit and citrus aroma. Named after the brewery's Head Brewer. A flagship offering.
• Hefeweizen A traditional German wheat beer, highly effervescent with moderate sweetness, round body, and light to moderate notes of banana and clove. A flagship offering.
• Coffee & Cream Blonde Ale A light-bodied blonde ale with creamy coffee notes and sweet smooth finish, reminiscent of an iced latte. A flagship offering.
• Oatmeal Stout A dry English stout brewed with flaked oats, featuring dark, smooth, balanced flavor with coffee aroma and hints of dark chocolate. A flagship offering.
• Coastal Mango An American wheat beer with light body, fruity mango aroma, and smooth finish. Part of the rotating seasonal lineup.
• Hooley Irish Red A vibrant red ale brewed with Irish ale yeast, light-bodied with mild sweetness, low bitterness, and aromas of honey and caramel. Part of the rotating seasonal lineup.
• Kadala Pilsner A light-bodied, crisp, refreshing Czech-style pilsner that was lagered for 6 weeks. Part of the rotating seasonal lineup.
• Mai Tai Gose A light, refreshing gose with pineapple, lime, and orange blossom, offering a sweet and sour flavor combination. Part of the rotating seasonal lineup.
• Summer 7s Session IPA A light session IPA brewed using Citra, Vic Secret, and Amarillo hops, featuring citrus-forward hop aroma with notes of pineapple, orange, sweet fruit, and pine. Part of the rotating seasonal lineup.
• Venue Rental Services Event venue rental for semi-private or private events accommodating corporate meetings, retirement parties, baby showers, receptions, birthday parties, and small weddings for parties of 25 or more people. Includes stage, projector, screen, speakers, and microphone. Reservations must be made at least 5 days prior; events can be booked 7 days a week between 9am and midnight.
• Keg Sales Public keg sales of craft beer, typically offering Kolsch in 1/6 barrel (5 gallons) or 1/2 barrel (15 gallons) sizes with a refundable $50 keg deposit. Limited supply of party pumps available for rent. No reservations or delivery; purchases made in-store during taproom hours.
• Crowler and Growler Fill Service 32oz prefilled can crowlers and growler fills available for carryout, with various beers offered in 4-packs and 6-packs for off-premises consumption by individuals and home users.
• Non-Alcoholic and Alternative Beverages Rotating selection of non-alcoholic canned beers, sodas (Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Ginger Ale), La Croix, Gatorade, and bottled water, plus a variety of wines, canned ciders, seltzers, and liquor drinks available to complement the craft beer offering for diverse customer preferences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multi-year track record hosting annual events with up to 11 years of tradition

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• Smash N DashcoreOthersResident food truck partner that provides food service at the taproom on most days, offering burgers and other items. Weekend events often feature multiple food trucks.
• Fresh Start Reptile RescueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization featured at annual Freedom Fest event for reptile petting zoo activities
• Coastal BudsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit partner for World Down Syndrome Day event, hosting crafts, games, and community activities with $1 per pint donated to support the cause
• NourishNCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable beneficiary of Circle the Wagens Volkswagen Car Show, receiving 100% of event proceeds

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Good Hops Brewing: Wilmington-area craft brewery offering taproom service, packaged beer, and local distribution. Competes head-to-head with Waterline for craft beer customers and bar placements in Wilmington and surrounding areas.
• Wilmington Brewing Company: Craft brewery based in Wilmington, NC operating a taproom and distributing draft and packaged beer locally. Same geographic market and similar business model focused on on-premise taproom sales plus wholesale.
• Front Street Brewery: Long-running craft brewery and taproom located in downtown Wilmington, NC. Directly competes for the same local craft beer enthusiasts, downtown taproom traffic, and on-premise beer service market as Waterline Brewing.
• Flytrap Brewing: Wilmington, NC craft brewery with taproom, operating a comparable model of on-site consumption, packaged beer, and local draft distribution. Direct competitor within the same city and customer base.
• Edward Teach Brewing: Wilmington, NC craft brewery and taproom producing flagship and seasonal beers with on-premise sales and local distribution. Directly comparable craft brewery-taproom hybrid in the same Wilmington market.

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Iconic US craft brewery with taprooms, event programming, and national distribution. Provides a broader incumbent benchmark for craft brewery economics, brand-building through events, and taproom-driven retail.
• New Belgium Brewing: Large US craft brewer with taprooms and national distribution. Represents the broader craft beer category and competitive context that Waterline operates within, though at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.

Regional players

• Hi-Wire Brewing: Asheville, NC craft brewery with multiple taproom locations and regional distribution. Comparable craft brewery-plus-taproom model and NC craft beer industry positioning, though operating at larger scale in western NC.
• NoDa Brewing Company: Charlotte, NC-based craft brewery with taproom and statewide distribution. Comparable craft brewing business model and Southeast US craft beer positioning, though operating in a different NC metro market.
• Burial Beer Co. Asheville, NC craft brewery with taproom, events programming, and strong seasonal/flagship portfolio. Comparable craft brewery model with deep event and community programming, but located in a different NC region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/waterlinebrewingco
• Instagraminstagram.com/waterlinebeers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterline-brewing-co.-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Waterline Brewing