Black Hog Brewing

What Black Hog Brewing does

Black Hog Brewing is a privately-held craft brewery founded in 2014 and headquartered at 115 Hurley Road in Oxford, Connecticut. The company produces a year-round lineup of seven core beers — Granola Brown Ale, Coffee Milk Stout (served on nitrogen gas lines), Ginja Ninja Red IPA, Easy Rye'Da Session Rye IPA, Hog Lager Czech-style pilsner, Hog Water IPA, and Piglet double IPA — supplemented by seasonal and limited-release series including the locally-sourced Farmland Series (e.g., Strawberry Gose, Delicata Squash Saison, Autumn Nugget wet hop ale) and the experimental, barrel-aged Disco Pig series. Distribution is regional: direct sales at the Oxford taproom (Thursday-Sunday), wholesale draft and package distribution to bars and restaurants across Connecticut and Rhode Island through Star Distributors (West Haven) and Hartford Distributors (Manchester), and a modest e-commerce channel via Square for gift cards and merchandise with free Connecticut delivery on orders over $50.

The business model is a hybrid direct-to-consumer and wholesale operation. The primary revenue stream is tasting room sales (flights $8, individual pours $5, specialty pours up to $8), with wholesale distribution providing geographic reach beyond the taproom. The company's value proposition rests on a culinary-brewing expertise combination — Head Brewer Tyler Jones is a Portsmouth Brewery-trained master brewer, while co-founders Jason and Tom Sobocinski operate Caseus Fromagerie and Ordinary in New Haven — which informs a portfolio of food-friendly, balanced beers distinct from hop-forward brewers dominant in New England. A recurring element is the Black Hog Helps charity program (launched July 2018), which donates to veterans, animals, and children's causes and provides paid employee volunteer days; this is positioned as community engagement rather than a revenue stream.

Customer segments split between on-premise accounts (150+ Connecticut bars and restaurants such as Craft 260 Beer Bar/Bistro and Caseus Fromagerie), tasting room visitors (regional craft beer enthusiasts and food-conscious consumers), and a long tail of retail package buyers. The brewery is Brewers Association Independent Craft certified, has no disclosed outside capital, and ownership remains with the three founders plus design partner Max Toth. Marketing is concentrated in organic social (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter), earned media (NY Times, beer publications), and event-driven community engagement. To date the company has not expanded beyond Connecticut and Rhode Island, has not pursued M&A, and has not raised institutional capital.

Name

Black Hog Brewing

Legal name

Black Hog Brewing, LLC

Website

https://blackhogbrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Black Hog Brewing is a privately-held craft brewery in Oxford, Connecticut producing seven year-round beers plus seasonal and limited-release series. It sells through its on-site taproom, wholesale distributors across Connecticut and Rhode Island, and a small online gift card and merchandise channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Craft brewery operations
• Tasting room sales
• Barrel-aged beer
• Local ingredient sourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Tasting Room Sales: On-site sales at the Oxford, CT brewery tasting room including flights, individual pours, and growler/bottle sales. Primary revenue stream with tasting room open Thursday through Sunday.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Draft and package sales through Star Distributors (West Haven) and Hartford Distributors (Manchester) to bars and restaurants throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island.
3. Retail Bottle/Can Sales: 32 oz 'squealer' bottles and 12 oz cans sold at the brewery and through distribution to retailers. Gift cards also available via Square.
4. E-commerce: Online store via Square for gift cards and merchandise. Shipping available within Connecticut for orders over $50.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Black Hog Brewing is a craft brewery that brews and sells a portfolio of seven core year-round beers, complemented by seasonal and limited-release series such as the Farmland Series (locally-sourced ingredients) and the Disco Pig barrel-aged series. The company operates a tasting room in Oxford, CT for on-site flights, pours, and bottle/can sales, and distributes its beer through two Connecticut wholesalers to bars and restaurants throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Product overview

Black Hog Brewing is a craft brewery offering a portfolio of seven core beers available year-round (Granola Brown Ale, Coffee Milk Stout, Ginja Ninja, Easy Rye'Da, Hog Lager, Hog Water, and Piglet), complemented by seasonal and limited release series including the Farmland Series (featuring local ingredients) and Disco Pig Series (barrel-aged experimental beers). The company operates a tasting room for on-site sales and has launched Black Hog Helps, a charitable initiative supporting veterans, animals, and children. Beers are distributed throughout Connecticut via Star Distributors and Hartford Distributors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Hog Helps: Charitable wing of Black Hog Brewery focused on supporting veterans, animals, and children through donations, employee volunteer programs, and charitable events.

Products and services

• Granola Brown Ale Brown ale brewed with a granola mix of oatmeal, grains, hops, and roasted malts at 5.7% ABV. Won a gold medal at the 2016 World Beer Cup and was ranked #4 in the New York Times American Brown Ale tasting.
• Coffee Milk Stout Stout poured on nitrogen gas lines for a smooth, creamy mouthfeel; part of the year-round core lineup.
• Ginja Ninja Red IPA brewed with 5 lbs. of fresh ginger per batch, balanced with Centennial, Cascade, and Apollo hops; a year-round core beer.
• Easy Rye'Da Easy-drinking session Rye IPA brewed with experimental 05256, Nugget, and Summit hops at 4.3% ABV; a year-round core beer.
• Hog Lager Traditional Czech-style pilsner; part of the year-round core lineup.
• Hog Water Light and bright IPA; part of the year-round core lineup.
• Piglet Hop-forward double IPA; part of the year-round core lineup.
• S.W.A.G. Summer Wheat Ale brewed with organic grapefruit peel and brewery-grown fresh sage.
• Farmland Series Limited release beer series featuring locally grown Connecticut ingredients. A percentage of proceeds is donated to the Working Lands Alliance to support Connecticut farmland preservation.
• Strawberry Gose German-style wheat gose made with fresh organic strawberries from Massaro Farm, pink Himalayan salt, and coriander.
• Delicata Squash Saison Lightly spiced farmhouse ale brewed with Connecticut-grown delicata squash using an 18th century brewing technique.
• Autumn Nugget
• Barktoberfest Traditional fest-style German lager with biscuity notes from Munich malt, released in partnership with Companion Pet Rescue.
• Disco Pig Series Barrel-aged and experimental beer series featuring unjacketed, wild, funky beers aged in barrels or brewed with nontraditional ingredients.
• Tasting Room On-site taproom at 115 Hurley Road, Building 9A, Oxford, CT, offering flights, individual pours, bottles, cans, and merchandise, with arcade games, cornhole, and food trucks. Open Thursday through Sunday.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named #4 in NY Times tasting of American brown ales for Granola Brown Ale
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Connecticut Children's Medical Center / Vie for the KidsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2018Annual beneficiary of charitable events including donations of beer for golf events and Family Fun Day fundraisers. Vie for the Kids has raised over $1,000,000 for cancer research and family support.
• Working Lands AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2014Black Hog Brewing donates a portion of proceeds from their Farmland Series limited release beers to the Working Lands Alliance, an organization dedicated to preserving Connecticut farmland. This partnership aligns with their commitment to local ingredients and community support.
• Massaro FarmminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2014Local Connecticut farm supplier providing fresh organic strawberries for the Strawberry Gose Farmland Series beer.
• Star Distributors, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 July 2014Distribution partner handling wholesale distribution of Black Hog beers to bars and restaurants throughout Connecticut, based in West Haven.
• Hartford Distributors, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 July 2014Distribution partner handling wholesale distribution of Black Hog beers to bars and restaurants throughout Connecticut, based in Manchester.
• New England Cider CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for Barrel Aged Cyser Soze, a bourbon barrel-aged Brettanomyces fermented amber ale with freshly pressed Macoun and Pink Lady apple ciders, using all Connecticut apples.
• Companion Pet Rescue (CPR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDog rescue organization partnered for Pints for Pups and Barktoberfest events at the brewery. CPR's mission is to rescue and rehome abandoned dogs.
• Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New HavenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeneficiary of Team Craft Beer fundraiser through Black Hog Helps. Staff participated in Closer to Free ride to raise funds for the hospital.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Two Roads Brewing Company: Stratford, CT craft brewery with a tasting room, regional distribution across the Northeast, and a comparable portfolio of flagship IPAs, lagers, and seasonal releases. Operates at similar scale and pursues a similarly diversified direct-to-consumer plus wholesale model.
• New England Brewing Company: Woodbridge, CT craft brewery in close proximity to Black Hog's Oxford facility, distributing flagship IPAs and seasonal beers primarily through CT on-premise accounts. Closely comparable regional craft peer.
• Stony Creek Brewery: Branford, CT craft brewery with a large taproom, year-round flagship beers, seasonal series, and CT/regional wholesale distribution — a directly comparable peer in size, geography, and channel mix.
• City Steam Brewery Cafe: Hartford, CT brewery-restaurant hybrid with a tasting room and CT distribution. Comparable CT-based craft competitor with similar flagship/seasonal portfolio and on-premise focus.
• Kent Falls Brewing Company: Kent, CT farm-based craft brewery known for local-ingredient saisons and farm-to-glass branding, with tasting room and limited regional distribution. Directly comparable on local sourcing and limited-release positioning.
• Willimantic Brewing Company: Willimantic, CT craft brewery-restaurant with tasting room, flagship and seasonal beers, and CT-focused distribution. Comparable regional craft competitor with similar on-premise-anchored model.
• Thomas Hooker Brewing Company: Bloomfield, CT craft brewery producing a comparable mix of hop-forward flagships and seasonal/limited releases, distributed across CT on-premise accounts. Same regional craft competitive set.
• Counter Weight Brewing Company: Hamden, CT craft brewery with a tasting room, CT distribution, and comparable flagship-plus-seasonal portfolio in the same local competitive set as Black Hog.

Broad incumbents

• Allagash Brewing Company: Portland, ME craft brewery of meaningfully larger scale with broad New England distribution, taproom, and a reputation for Belgian-style and locally-sourced beers. A relevant broader regional benchmark for distribution depth and local-ingredient positioning.
• Harpoon Brewery: Boston, MA craft brewery with multi-state New England distribution, large taprooms, and seasonal/limited release series. Useful comparable for understanding the upper bound of what a New England craft brand can scale to via taproom-plus-wholesale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blackhogbeer
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackHogBrewing
• Instagraminstagram.com/blackhogbeer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-hog-brewing-co

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Black Hog Brewing