The Workshop Brewing Company

What The Workshop Brewing Company does

The Workshop Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2013 and based in Traverse City, Michigan, operating a single direct-to-consumer taproom that sells handcrafted beers, spirits, ciders, and a food menu with a Polynesian twist alongside live entertainment six nights a week. Its core product line is anchored on three signature SKUs — the Motueka SMASH Session Ale (3.8% ABV, pale ale malt and Motueka hops), the Swagger Black Lager (5.1% ABV, schwarzbier-style), and the Awl Cherry Sour Ale (5.2% ABV, fermented with Montmorency tart cherries) — produced on-site using traditional brewing methods with contemporary techniques and offered through a rotating tap selection that includes seasonal and limited releases. The business is purely direct-to-consumer: revenue is generated through on-premise beverage and food sales via transaction-fee pricing, with no wholesale, distribution, or e-commerce channels identified. The company positions itself around the brand pillars "Nature. Community. Craft." and uses events programming (e.g., Jazz Jam with Ron Getz), social media, and email newsletters as its principal customer acquisition channels, targeting local community members seeking a craft beverage and live entertainment venue. Workshop Brewing maintains a sister-brewer relationship with Kingsley Local Brewing, enabling cross-promotion between the two taprooms.

Name

The Workshop Brewing Company

Legal name

Workshop Brewing Company

Website

https://traversecityworkshop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Workshop Brewing Company operates a single craft brewery and taproom in Traverse City, Michigan, selling handcrafted beers, spirits, ciders, Polynesian-inspired food, and live entertainment directly to local community members six nights a week.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG), Taprooms & Brewpubs (CRANACAF)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Taproom beverages
• Brewpub food service
• Craft cider spirits
• Live entertainment venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Traverse City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Beverage Sales: Direct sale of handcrafted beers, spirits, ciders, and other drinks to customers at the taproom. Revenue generated through on-site consumption at the bar.
2. Food Sales: Sale of food items from a menu featuring snacks with a Polynesian twist. Revenue generated through on-site dining at the taproom.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Workshop Brewing Company is a craft brewery producing and serving handcrafted beers, spirits, and ciders at its taproom in Traverse City, Michigan. The company brews on-site signature offerings such as Motueka SMASH Session Ale, SwaggeBlack Lager, and AwlCherry Sour Ale, complements the beverages with a food menu featuring snacks with a Polynesian twist, and hosts live entertainment programming (including Jazz Jam sessions) six nights a week.

Product overview

The Workshop Brewing Company is a craft brewery offering a selection of handcrafted alcoholic beverages including beers, spirits, and ciders. The product portfolio centers on core beer offerings such as the Motueka SMASH Session Ale (3.8% citrusy session beer), Swagger Black Lager (5.1% schwarzbier-style lager), and Awl Cherry Sour Ale (5.2% fruit-infused sour). The company also serves food with a polynesian twist and hosts events, operating alongside sister brewery Kingsley Local Brewing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Motueka SMASH Session Ale Single malt and single hop session ale brewed with pale ale malt and Motueka hops at 3.8% ABV. Light and refreshing with a mellow, citrusy aroma and a crisp finish.
• SwaggeBlack Lager Schwarzbier-style lager at 5.1% ABV with mellow roasted malts, restrained bitterness, and a silky-smooth finish.
• AwlCherry Sour Ale Sour amber ale at 5.2% ABV fermented with Montmorency Tart Cherries, yielding fresh fruit, caramelized crust, and a lingering tart finish.
• Polynesian-Inspired Food Menu Menu of snacks with a Polynesian twist served to taproom guests alongside the brewery's craft beverages.
• Live Entertainment Programming Regular live music performances and community events (e.g., Jazz Jam with Ron Getz) hosted at the taproom to complement the beverage and food offerings.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kingsley Local BrewingminorOthersKingsley Local Brewing is identified as a sister brewery of Workshop Brewing Company. The website features a logo and link to 'Visit Our Sister Brewery!' indicating a familial/corporate relationship between the two brewing entities. This appears to be a related company under common ownership rather than a formal partnership agreement.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Founders Brewing Co. Large Michigan-based craft brewery with taproom and national distribution. Comparable craft brewing identity and Michigan roots, but operates at significantly larger scale with extensive wholesale.
• Bell's Brewery: Iconic Michigan craft brewery with broad distribution and an established Kalamazoo taproom. Comparable craft portfolio but at a national-incumbent scale well beyond Workshop.
• Stone Brewing: Large U.S. craft brewery with multiple taprooms and broad distribution. Comparable craft beer and on-premise experience, but operates at a regional/national scale.
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: Established craft brewery with experimental recipes and a brewpub/taproom model. Comparable in recipe experimentation and craft identity, though at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Short's Brewing Company: Bellaire, Michigan craft brewery known for eclectic beer styles and a brewpub/pub location. Directly comparable as a Michigan craft brewery with taproom presence and broad recipe experimentation.
• Kingsley Local Brewing: Sister brewery under common ownership with Workshop Brewing, operating a similar Michigan-based craft beer and taproom model. Directly comparable in product mix, distribution approach, and target customer.
• Hop Lot Brewing Co. Suttons Bay-area Michigan craft brewery with taproom and food service, comparable geographic catchment and on-premise model to Workshop Brewing.
• The Filling Station Microbrewery: Michigan craft microbrewery with food and on-premise service in a similar small-scale brewpub format. Directly comparable in size, business model, and customer experience.
• Right Brain Brewery: Traverse City-based craft brewery and taproom operating in the same local market. Directly competes for Traverse City craft beer consumers and tourist traffic.

Regional players

• New Holland Brewing: Michigan craft brewery with taproom, spirits, and broader distribution. Comparable in spirit offerings and craft identity, but with materially larger wholesale footprint and brand reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/workshopbrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-workshop---inventors-of-play

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Workshop Brewing Company