Fairhope Brewing Company

What Fairhope Brewing Company does

Fairhope Brewing Company is a craft brewery founded in 2012 in Fairhope, Alabama, that operates as Lower Alabama's first production craft brewery since Prohibition. The company produces and sells a portfolio of six year-round staples (including Cheap Sunglasses Kolsh-Style Golden Ale, Take the Causeway American IPA, Fairhope 51 American Pale Ale, I Drink Therefore I Amber Amber Ale, Blue Steel blueberry-lemon sour, and Pink Delicious pink lemonade hard seltzer) plus seasonal and experimental brews, maintaining 14-15 taps at all times. Production is anchored by a 10-barrel, two-vessel Portland Kettleworks brewhouse with five fermenters at the flagship Fairhope taproom and a 30-barrel Premier Stainless production brewhouse with seven 60-barrel fermenters and a CODI 6-head canning line at the dedicated production facility. Distribution extends across Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, coastal Mississippi, and Louisiana through retail stores, restaurants, and on-premise draft accounts.

The company operates two owned taprooms in Fairhope (914 Nichols Ave) and Mobile (656 St. Louis St, opened as a Wingman Brewing pop-up in 2023 and converted to a permanent Fairhope Brewing Company, Mobile location in July 2025), generating revenue through on-premise draft and packaged beer sales (6-pack and 4-pack cans, plus 1/6-barrel kegs), merchandise (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, baby apparel), Square-based eGift cards, and private event hosting (Mobile backroom starting at $250). Go-to-market is primarily product-led and event-driven, leveraging the taprooms as community gathering spaces with weekend live music, food truck partnerships, and an SMS alert system (text FBCBEER to 51-660) for new release notifications; wholesale expansion relies on channel partners across the Gulf Coast. Customer segments are horizontally diversified across local residents and visitors, event hosts, and on-premise accounts, with no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, and founder-owned ownership structure across the five co-founders (Michele Kane, Brian Kane, Jim Foley, Dan Murphy, and Gabe Harris).

Name

Fairhope Brewing Company

Legal name

Fairhope Brewing Company

Website

https://fairhopebrewing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fairhope Brewing Company is a privately held craft brewery founded in 2012 in Fairhope, Alabama, producing six year-round beers plus seasonal rotations across two owned taprooms and wholesale distribution throughout the Gulf Coast region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Craft & Specialty Beverage Wholesale (Local/Artisanal) (AFAIAGAH), Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE), Beverage Services (Bar Catering, Mixology, Beverage Programs) (THAHAKAJ)

Keywords

• Craft beer production
• Brewery taproom services
• Craft beer distribution
• Private event hosting
• Branded merchandise sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairhope

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Taproom Draft Sales: On-premise consumption of craft beers and hard seltzer at two taproom locations (Fairhope and Mobile). Features 14-15 taps including year-round staples and seasonal rotations.
2. packaged Beer Sales (Cans/Kegs): To-go sales of canned beer in 6-packs and 4-packs, plus keg sales. Beer to-go limited to 864 fluid ounces per person per day per Alabama law. Kegs available as 1/6 barrel (5 gallons).
3. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, and baby apparel sold through print-on-demand model. Prices range from $18-$40 per item.
4. Gift Cards: Electronic gift cards sold through Square platform for taproom purchases.
5. Private Event Hosting: Rental of private event spaces at both taproom locations. Mobile backroom starts at $250, with options for custom glassware and private bartender services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fairhope Brewing Company is a craft brewery that produces and sells a portfolio of craft beers (six year-round staples plus seasonal and experimental brews) through two owned taprooms, packaged cans to-go, keg sales, and wholesale distribution across the Gulf Coast. The company also operates private event hosting at both taproom locations and sells branded merchandise through an online store.

Product overview

Fairhope Brewing Company is a craft brewery offering a portfolio of beer products centered around six year-round staples plus seasonal and experimental brews, sours, and seltzers. The core beer lineup includes Cheap Sunglasses (Kolsh-Style Golden Ale), Take the Causeway (American IPA), Fairhope 51 (American Pale Ale), I Drink Therefore I Amber (Amber Ale), Blue Steel (Blueberry & Lemon Sour), and Pink Delicious (Pink Lemonade Hard Seltzer). The company operates two taproom locations (Fairhope and Mobile, AL), offers keg sales, private event hosting, and an online merchandise store. Beer distribution spans Alabama, Florida Panhandle, coastal Mississippi, and Louisiana. Originally founded in 2012 with just two beers (Everyday Ale and Section Street Wheat), the company has grown to keep 14 beers and a gluten-free option on tap at all times.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cheap Sunglasses Kolsh-Style Golden Ale fermented with Kolsch yeast for a smooth finish, light on hops, light and refreshing at 4.2% ABV; available in 6-pack cans and on draft for craft beer consumers.
• Take the Causeway American India Pale Ale brewed with copious amounts of Citra and Simcoe hops throughout the brewing process (first-wort to bittering, flavor, aroma, and dry hops) at 8.2% ABV; available in 4-pack cans and on draft.
• Fairhope 51 Classic American Pale Ale brewed with Falconer's Flight hops and German hops at 5.8% ABV; named for being the 51st recipe entry in the brewery's recipe book.
• I Drink Therefore I Amber Amber Ale with deep caramel color, well-balanced and easy-drinking at 5.4% ABV; not overly complex and pairs well with many foods; the brewery's best seller by total volume.
• Blue Steel Sour ale blended with lemon and blueberries; light in body with a light purple color, with sourness and lemon tartness balanced by the light sweetness and big aroma of blueberries.
• Pink Delicious Pink lemonade hard seltzer at 5% ABV; light and smooth, available on tap at all times for non-beer drinkers seeking a refreshing alternative.
• Section Street Wheat Original wheat beer style introduced at the brewery's public opening on January 6, 2013, alongside Everyday Ale.
• Everyday Ale Original beer style introduced at the brewery's public opening on January 6, 2013, alongside Section Street Wheat.
• Take the Railway IPA Special flagship IPA released on August 18, 2025 to coincide with new Amtrak service between Mobile and New Orleans; inspired by the top-selling Take the Causeway IPA and available at the Mobile location.
• Fairhope Taproom Original taproom location at 914 Nichols Ave, Fairhope, AL 36532 featuring the 10-barrel Portland Kettleworks brewhouse with five fermenters visible from the taproom, 15 taps, live music on weekends, and a dog- and kid-friendly atmosphere.
• Mobile Taproom Second taproom location at 656 St. Louis St, Mobile, AL 36602 featuring brewing equipment, private event spaces (backroom and side room), live music, and a BYOF policy with partnership to The Cheese Cottage next door.
• Keg Sales 1/6 barrel (5 gallon) keg sales available for pickup at the Fairhope taproom with a minimum 48-hour notice; kegs must be kept refrigerated and dispensing equipment is not supplied.
• Private Event Hosting Private event hosting at both Fairhope and Mobile taprooms; Mobile offers a fully private backroom (with projector, PA system, and stage) and a side room for groups up to 30, with add-ons for private bartender and custom glassware, and Mobile bookings start at $250.
• eGift Cards Electronic gift cards sold through Square for taproom purchases at Fairhope Brewing Company locations.
• Merchandise Store Online merchandise store selling branded apparel (t-shirts from $25, sweatshirts/hoodies $40, hats $25, baby apparel from $18) made to order through a print-on-demand partner; includes logo apparel, beer-themed designs, and specialty brews designs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Expanded from 2 initial beers to 6 year-round staples plus seasonal rotations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Cheese CottageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNext-door neighbor restaurant in Mobile that Fairhope Brewing recommends to customers for food. BYOF policy at Mobile taproom encourages customers to bring food or order from nearby partners.
• Food TrucksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular food truck partnerships at both taproom locations. Taproom calendar showcases upcoming food truck appearances for customers.
• AmtrakminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmtrak rail service between Mobile and New Orleans launching August 2024. Fairhope Brewing Mobile is creating special Take the Railway IPA to mark the occasion.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goat Island Brewing: Gulf Shores, Alabama craft brewery operating a taproom and distributing packaged and draft beer across the Alabama Gulf Coast, directly overlapping Fairhope's geography and customer segments.
• Yellowhammer Brewing: Huntsville, Alabama craft brewery operating a taproom and distributing cans and draft across the state, directly overlapping Fairhope's Alabama distribution territory and small-scale regional craft model.
• Back Forty Beer Company: Gadsden, Alabama craft brewery with taproom and packaged distribution across the Southeast, closely comparable in size, product mix, and Alabama craft market positioning.
• Grayton Beer Company: Florida Panhandle craft brewery on 30A with taproom, cans, and Gulf Coast wholesale footprint, directly comparable to Fairhope in geography, scale, and beach/tourism-driven customer base.
• Yazoo Brewing Company: Nashville, Tennessee craft brewery operating a taproom and distributing across the Southeast in cans and draft, comparable in scale, product mix, and taproom-led direct-to-consumer model.
• Good People Brewing Company: Alabama-based craft brewery founded in 2008 producing flagship IPAs, ambers, and seasonal beers with taproom sales and regional distribution, making it the closest in-state comparable to Fairhope Brewing's craft brewery-plus-taproom model.

Regional players

• Abita Brewing Company: Louisiana craft brewery (founded 1986) with strong distribution across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, including draft and packaged SKUs that overlap Fairhope's on-premise accounts across the four-state footprint.

Emerging players

• Braxton Brewing Company: Independent craft brewery in Covington, Kentucky with taproom, can distribution, and experimental product line, comparable to Fairhope in scale and taproom-plus-wholesale strategy, though not in shared geography.

Broad incumbents

• SweetWater Brewing Company: Larger Southeast craft brewery (Atlanta) with broad regional distribution and taproom experience that overlaps the same grocery, on-premise, and craft consumer space as Fairhope, but at meaningfully bigger scale.
• Lagunitas Brewing Company: Established national craft brewer with deep distribution into the Gulf Coast on-premise accounts, competing for tap handles and shelf space against Fairhope in the same craft category, though at substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FairhopeBrewing
• Facebookfacebook.com/FairhopeBrewing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fairhope-brewing-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Fairhope Brewing Company