The Brewing Lair

What The Brewing Lair does

The Brewing Lair is a craft brewery founded in 2011 by Susan and Rich on 15 acres of forested land in Blairsden, California, in the Northern Sierra Nevada. It operates a 15-barrel brewing system producing a portfolio of ales led by Ambush IPA and the Belgian-style BLT Tripel, with rotating seasonal offerings such as the Solo Series single-hop ales, Acclimation Sour Ale, and Uncle Elliott's IPA. Beyond beer production, the property functions as a destination taproom supported by the on-site Ricochet Food Truck, a 9-hole disc golf course, picnic and BBQ facilities, a self-guided Trail of Tastes tour, and the annual Music in the Meadow concert series.

The company makes money primarily through direct-to-consumer taproom sales (beer by the glass and growler fills) and ancillary food truck revenue, supplemented by wholesale beer distribution. Self-distribution covers local Plumas County on-premise accounts including BoxCar Pub, Choo Choo's, Headwaters Bistro, Grizzly Grill, Leon & Roy's Pizzaria, and Pangaea Cafe & Pub, while third-party distributors handle placements in the Lake Tahoe region (1882 Bar & Grill, Paco's Bike Shop in Truckee) and in the Reno and Sacramento markets. Marketing is organic and community-driven through the website, email newsletter, Facebook and Instagram, and event-based programming.

The business is privately held and founder-operated, with no evidence of external investment, parent company, or institutional ownership. It operates seasonally, with full daily hours May 1 through October 31 and reduced Friday-through-Sunday hours November through April, reflecting the rural mountain location and tourism-driven demand.

Name

The Brewing Lair

Legal name

The Brewing Lair

Website

https://thebrewinglair.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Brewing Lair is a privately held, founder-operated 15-barrel craft brewery in Blairsden, California, producing ales like Ambush IPA and BLT Tripel and operating a destination taproom with on-site food truck, disc golf, and live music for craft beer enthusiasts, families, and outdoor visitors to the Lost Sierra.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery

NAICS

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

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE)

Keywords

• Craft brewery production
• Craft beer sales
• Taproom operations
• Craft beer distribution
• Brewery taproom experience

Headquarters

HQ city

Blairsden

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Taproom Beer Sales: Direct sales of craft beers to visitors at the brewery taproom. Customers purchase drinks by the glass or growler fills. The brewery rotates seasonal ales and maintains year-round offerings including Ambush IPA.
2. Food Truck Sales: The on-site Ricochet Food Truck sells tacos, salads, fries, and other food items. Food truck operates Friday through Tuesday 12:30-8pm and Wednesdays for dinner 4-8pm during summer season.
3. Self-Distribution to Local Establishments: The brewery self-distributes beer to local bars and restaurants in Plumas County (BoxCar Pub, Choo Choo's, Headwaters Bistro, Grizzly Grill, Leon & Roy's Pizzaria, Pangaea Cafe & Pub). In Reno and Sacramento areas, distributors sell to changing locations.
4. Distribution to Lake Tahoe Region: Beer distributed to Lake Tahoe area through distributors, including 1882 Bar & Grill and Paco's Bike Shop in Truckee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Brewing Lair is a 15-barrel craft brewery that produces and sells small-batch ales from its taproom in Blairsden, California. Its core revenue comes from direct beer sales (by the glass and growler fills), an on-site food truck (Ricochet Food Truck), and wholesale distribution of its beers to bars and restaurants in Plumas County, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and Sacramento. The brewery anchors its offering with a destination experience on 15 forested acres featuring a 9-hole disc golf course, BBQ facilities, live music events, and family/dog-friendly amenities.

Product overview

The Brewing Lair is a 15-barrel craft brewery in Blairsden, California, producing a rotating selection of high-quality ales. Their core beer portfolio includes Ambush IPA (their most popular), Belgian-style ales (BLT Tripel), and rotating styles such as Red, Pale Ale, and Brown. Seasonal offerings vary by season: fall/winter feature the BLT Tripel and Dope is King Pale Ale, while spring/summer bring Blair Belgian Blonde, Solo Series single-hop ales, Uncle Elliott's IPA, and Acclimation Sour Ale. Beyond beer, the brewery offers a food truck (Ricochet Food Truck), a self-guided Trail of Tastes beer tasting experience, a 9-hole disc golf course, BBQ facilities, and seasonal live music events (Music in the Meadow). The brewery operates on 15 acres of forested land in the Northern Sierra Nevada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ambush IPA

Quantifiable outcome

• Most popular beer Ambush IPA maintains strong demand
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• California Craft BeerminorOthersMember of California Craft Beer association, providing industry visibility and networking within the California craft beer community.
• Craft BeerminorOthersMember of Craft Beer association for national industry recognition and visibility.
• Pink Boots SocietyminorOthersMember of Pink Boots Society, a professional organization supporting women in the beer industry.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Iconic craft brewery headquartered in Chico, CA in the same Northern Sierra Nevada region. Overlaps geographically and in style portfolio but operates at vastly larger scale with national distribution; serves as a regional incumbent shaping the local craft market.
• Lagunitas Brewing Company: Major California craft brewery founded in Petaluma with national distribution and taproom presence. Comparable as a California craft incumbent shaping the regional competitive landscape, though operating at much greater scale.

Direct peers

• Bear Republic Brewing Co. Northern California craft brewery (Healdsburg/Sonoma County) with rotating taproom, brewpub experience, and regional distribution. Comparable as a craft peer combining destination hospitality with multi-channel wholesale.
• Mountain Tap Brewery: Mountain-town craft brewery and taproom in Grand Junction, CO combining beer with a full food menu and outdoor/community experience. Highly comparable business model — small-scale brewing paired with a destination hospitality venue — though in a different region.
• Knee Deep Brewing Co. Craft brewery in Auburn, CA producing hop-forward ales with regional distribution and a taproom experience. Comparable as a Northern California craft peer targeting similar on-premise and wholesale accounts.
• Russian River Brewing Company: Destination brewpub in Santa Rosa, CA known for Pliny the Elder and an experiential on-site model combining food and beer. Directly comparable as a Northern California craft brewery where the on-premise experience and limited distribution are core to the business.
• FiftyFifty Brewing Co. Small craft brewery and restaurant in Truckee, CA in the Sierra Nevada with a destination food-and-beer model. Highly comparable given geographic proximity (same general region), similar scale, and combined brewpub/distribution strategy.
• Alibi Ale Works: Small craft brewery in Incline Village, NV on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Comparable as a nearby Sierra/Tahoe craft competitor with on-site taproom and limited regional wholesale distribution.
• Bonanza Brewing Company: Craft brewery in Truckee, CA serving the Sierra Nevada/Lake Tahoe market with on-site taproom and regional distribution. Comparable as a small-scale craft brewery operating in the same feeder geography with a similar self-distribution plus third-party distribution mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thebrewinglair
• Instagraminstagram.com/brewinglair
• Xx.com/thebrewinglair

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 The Brewing Lair