Willow Rock Brewing Company

What Willow Rock Brewing Company does

Willow Rock Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2015 by Rockney Roberts and Kevin Williams, operating two taproom locations in Central New York (Syracuse at 115 Game Road and Cicero at 6200 S Bay Road). The company brews on-site at both locations, running a rotating lineup of approximately 15 taps at Cicero and 30 taps at Syracuse across styles including American Light Lager, Blonde Ale, Oatmeal Coffee Stout, American Brown Ale, West Coast IPA, and Hazy IPA. Production features local ingredient sourcing from CNY farms and New York State hops, a bourbon barrel aging program launched in 2023, and a small number of named specialty collaborations (e.g., the BRUNCH stout using Cedarvale Maple Syrup and Recess Coffee).

Its business model is direct-to-consumer and transaction-based: beer is sold by the glass (5oz or 16oz) or by the pitcher at $2 to $22, complemented by made-to-order hand-stretched pizza and a full kitchen. Cicero additionally serves as a private-event venue accommodating up to 120 guests with custom food and beer menus and a dedicated event coordinator. Weekly programming (trivia nights, live music, BruBag leagues, community fundraisers) drives foot traffic and ticket sales, with ticketing handled through Roundpit and Square and food ordering via Toast Tab. There is no evidence of wholesale distribution; commercial operations are concentrated in Central New York with 1-10 employees, no external funding, and brand credentials including consecutive Best Brewery CNY awards (2021-2023), an NYCBA Gold medal (2019), an NYCBA Silver medal (2023), NYS Green Business Certification (2022), and a 4.8-star rating across 900+ Google and Yelp reviews.

Name

Willow Rock Brewing Company

Legal name

Willow Rock Brewing Company

Website

https://willowrockbrew.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Willow Rock Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2015 that operates two direct-to-consumer taprooms in Central New York (Syracuse and Cicero), serving on-site brewed rotating craft beer, made-to-order pizza, and private event hosting for local residents and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery Taproom Hospitality

NAICS

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

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Taproom operations
• Fresh pizza
• Private event hosting
• Craft brewery

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. On-site Beer Sales: Direct sales of craft beer brewed on-site at two taproom locations. Beer sold by the glass (5oz, 16oz) or pitcher. 15+ rotating taps featuring diverse styles including lagers, ales, stouts, and IPAs.
2. Food Sales: Fresh pizza made to order with hand-stretched dough, house sauce, and real ingredients. Full kitchen with permanent food truck. Food ordered online via Toast Tab or on-site.
3. Private Event Hosting: Private event space rental at both locations for birthdays, rehearsal dinners, company parties. Catering menu available with custom food and beer menus. Capacity up to 120 guests at Cicero location.
4. Special Events and Ticketed Events: Ticketed events including trivia nights, live music performances, BruBag leagues, and community fundraisers. Events drive additional revenue through tickets, food, and beverage sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Willow Rock Brewing Company operates two neighborhood taprooms in Central New York (Syracuse and Cicero) where it brews and serves a rotating selection of 15+ craft beers on tap, paired with made-to-order hand-stretched pizza. The company also hosts private events for up to 120 guests with custom food and beer menus, runs a weekly events calendar including trivia nights, live music, and BruBag leagues, and supports a barrel aging program launched in 2023.

Product overview

Willow Rock Brewing Company operates as a craft brewery with two taproom locations in Central New York (Syracuse and Cicero). The company produces a rotating selection of 15+ beers on tap including lagers, ales, stouts, and IPAs, paired with a fresh pizza menu. The product portfolio centers on craft beer production (Congress, Breakout Blonde, BRUNCH Oatmeal Coffee Stout, Jim, Half in the Bag West Coast IPA, Mister Zero Hazy IPA) sold directly through two taprooms, supported by food service (fresh made-to-order pizza) and event hosting services (private events, brewery tours, monthly Brewer's Hour).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Congress American Light Lager An American Light Lager with 4.8% ABV, light-bodied and approachable, sold at both Syracuse and Cicero taprooms (5oz $2, 16oz $6, pitcher $20). Targeted at craft beer drinkers seeking an accessible, easy-drinking lager style.
• Breakout Blonde Ale A Blonde Ale with 5.5% ABV brewed with pilsner malt and noble hops for a smooth, easy-drinking profile; sold at Willow Rock taprooms (5oz $2, 16oz $6, pitcher $20).
• BRUNCH Oatmeal Coffee Stout An Oatmeal Coffee Stout with 6.5% ABV brewed with Cedarvale Maple Syrup and Recess Coffee; sold at Willow Rock taprooms (5oz $3, 16oz $7, pitcher $22) and featured in customer reviews as a house favorite.
• Jim American Brown Ale An American Brown Ale with 5.2% ABV featuring smooth hops with chocolate and caramel malts; sold at Willow Rock taprooms (5oz $2, 16oz $6, pitcher $20).
• Half in the Bag West Coast IPA A West Coast IPA with 6.8% ABV brewed with Cascade, Centennial, and Columbus hops; sold at Willow Rock taprooms (5oz $3, 16oz $7, pitcher $22). Won the NYCBA Silver Medal in 2023.
• Mister Zero Hazy IPA A Hazy IPA with 6.2% ABV brewed with Citra Cryo and Apollo hops on Irish malt grown specifically for IPAs; available in cans for $8.
• Barrel Aging Program A bourbon barrel aging program launched in 2023 using 12 barrels to produce limited specialty beer releases; first release sold out in 4 hours, demonstrating strong demand for barrel-aged craft beer from the brewery.
• Fresh Pizza Hand-stretched dough, house sauce, and real ingredients made fresh to order; available at both Willow Rock taproom locations with online ordering via Toast Tab for the Cicero location.
• Willow Rock Syracuse Taproom Taproom at 115 Game Road, Syracuse, NY 13210 featuring 30 taps of craft beer plus seltzers, ciders, and wine, with indoor and outdoor seating. Open Wed-Sun hours with additional availability for private events.
• Willow Rock Cicero Taproom Taproom at 6200 S Bay Road, Cicero, NY 13039 with 15 taps of craft beer, fresh made-to-order pizza, outdoor seating, and signature pours. Open seven days a week with food service available.
• Private Event Hosting Private event booking service at both Syracuse and Cicero taprooms, accommodating up to 120 guests at the Cicero location for birthdays, rehearsal dinners, and company parties. Includes custom food and beer menus, dedicated bar staff, and an event coordinator.
• Brewer's Hour Monthly educational event hosted by Willow Rock brewery staff to share brewing knowledge and help attendees learn more about craft beer; offered to the public.
• Brewer Tours Free brewery tours offered by Willow Rock to the public, providing visibility into the on-site brewing operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.8-star average rating with 900+ combined Google and Yelp reviews
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CNY Farms (Malt Suppliers)coreOthersLocal malt sourcing from CNY farms for beer production. Supports local agriculture and enables local ingredient positioning in marketing.
• New York State Hops GrowerscoreOthersPreference for New York State hops wherever possible in beer production. Supports regional agriculture and local sourcing commitments.
• Cicero Plank Road ChamberminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal chamber of commerce partnership. Hosts member appreciation events and community networking activities at the Cicero location.
• Cedarvale Maple SyrupminorOthersLocal maple syrup supplier used in Brunch oatmeal coffee stout beer. Supports local ingredient sourcing for specialty beers.
• Recess CoffeeminorOthersCoffee supplier used in Brunch oatmeal coffee stout beer. Local coffee roaster partnership for specialty beer ingredients.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Brewery: Much larger New York craft brewery with a flagship taproom and broad distribution. Useful benchmark for what scaled NY craft looks like and the upper bound of category positioning within the state.

Direct peers

• Middle Ages Brewing Company: Syracuse, NY-based craft brewery operating a taproom with rotating draft beer and on-site food service. Closest direct geographic and operating-model peer to Willow Rock within the same CNY market.
• Equitable Brewing: Syracuse craft brewery with a taproom serving house-brewed beer and food. Competes for the same local CNY on-premise craft beer customer.
• 1886 Malt House: Syracuse-area craft brewery and taproom producing house beer for on-premise consumption. Direct competitor for Willow Rock's local neighborhood and event-driven traffic.
• Copper Turret Brewing: Morrisville, NY craft brewery with taproom and food. Comparable small-scale CNY brewpub model targeting community and event-driven traffic.
• Galaxy Brewing Company: Syracuse/CNY craft brewery serving house-brewed beer through its taproom. Direct competitor for share of throat and event bookings in the same region.
• War Horse Brewing Company: Rome, NY (CNY) craft brewery with on-site taproom. Comparable regional brewpub competing for Central New York craft beer consumers and private event business.
• Local 315 Brewing Company: CNY craft brewery with taproom sales and on-site food. Comparable small-scale brewpub model targeting similar Syracuse-area residential and event customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/willowrockbrew
• Facebookfacebook.com/willowrockbrew
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/willow-rock-brewing-company

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Willow Rock Brewing Company