What We Are Beer does

We Are Beer Limited is a UK-based private event and media company that operates a portfolio of sampling-led craft beer festivals — the flagship London Craft Beer Festival (founded 2013), Bristol Craft Beer Festival, and the more recently added Manchester Craft Beer Festival — together attracting 35,000 attendees across three cities in 2024. The festivals serve three primary customer segments: craft beer enthusiasts seeking curated discovery of 100–150 breweries per event with all beer included in the ticket; breweries and beverage brands (across beer, cider, wine, spirits, no/low, snacks, and adjacent categories) seeking face-to-face activation with the craft consumer and trade buyers; and trade/industry professionals who use trade accreditation and the We Are Beer Industry membership to source products and access the annual Industry Expo & Conference.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lean and composed entirely of off-the-shelf SaaS: WooCommerce powers direct-to-consumer ticket and merchandise sales via the We Are Beer website; MailChimp handles email newsletter marketing; Google Analytics tracks web traffic; YouTube hosts video content; and Teemill provides print-on-demand merchandise fulfillment using certified organic cotton and a circular-economy take-back/remake model. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities, no developer-facing API, and no mobile app are present in the disclosed footprint.

The business model layers four revenue streams: festival ticket sales (transaction-fee style, all-inclusive of tastings) at flagship events; festival partnerships and sponsorships sold to breweries, global beverage brands, and B2B/B2C partners for activations, welcome drinks, and trade sessions; the We Are Beer Industry membership (subscription, launched October 2024) which bundles insights reports and event access; and merchandise sales (t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, totes priced £13–£45, print-on-demand). The company is privately held, self-funded with no disclosed external investment, headquartered in London, and operates with a headcount of 1–10 employees.

Name

We Are Beer

Legal name

We Are Beer Limited

Website

https://wearebeer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

We Are Beer Limited operates a portfolio of UK craft beer festivals (London, Bristol, Manchester) and the We Are Beer Industry membership and Top 50 UK Beers Awards, serving craft beer enthusiasts, breweries, beverage brand partners, and trade buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Events & Festivals

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Alcoholic Beverage Tours & On-site Experiences (Brewery/Winery/Distillery) (THAFALAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE)

Keywords

• Craft beer festivals
• Beer industry events
• Festival sponsorship activations
• Craft beer awards
• Beer industry membership

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Festival Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to craft beer festivals in London, Manchester, and Bristol. Ticket purchases include all beer tastings. Tickets available via direct online sales through the website.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and totes through the We Are Beer online store. Products are printed to order using organic cotton via Teemill. Prices range from £13 (mugs) to £45 (hoodies).
3. Festival Partnerships and Sponsorships: Brands pay to partner with festivals through experiential activations, branding, welcome drinks sponsorship, and trade sessions. Partners include breweries, cider, cocktails, spirits, wine, snacks, no/low alcohol, and B2B/B2C brands.
4. Industry Membership and Expo: We Are Beer Industry membership provides exclusive Insights reports, access to all events, and year-round networking. Membership leads up to the Industry Expo & Conference — the UK's largest beer industry event. Also includes subscription to the Good Beer Drinker Audience Insight Report.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

We Are Beer Limited creates, operates, and markets large-scale sampling-led craft beer festivals in London, Bristol, and Manchester, featuring 100-150 breweries per event and attracting tens of thousands of attendees. The company sells festival tickets, branded print-on-demand merchandise, and Industry membership subscriptions, while also monetizing the festivals through B2B partnerships, sponsorships, brand activations, and trade sessions with breweries and beverage brands. The Top 50 UK Beers Awards and Industry Expo & Conference extend the offering into year-round industry recognition, insights, and networking.

Product overview

We Are Beer is an event and media company operating a portfolio of craft beer festivals (London Craft Beer Festival, Bristol Craft Beer Festival, Manchester Craft Beer Festival) alongside industry initiatives and a merchandise store. The flagship London Craft Beer Festival, founded in 2013, is the largest craft beer festival in the UK. The company runs the Top 50 UK Beers Awards, an annual ranking of the UK's best beers decided by industry experts, trade buyers, and consumers. In October 2024, the company launched We Are Beer Industry, a membership program offering exclusive Insights reports and access to the Industry Expo & Conference (the UK's largest beer industry event). Trade Accreditation provides discounted professional access to festivals. The merchandise store (powered by Teemill) sells print-on-demand apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and tote bags made from certified organic cotton.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• London Craft Beer Festival: Flagship beer festival held annually at Southwark Park, London. Founded in 2013, it is the largest craft beer festival of its kind in the UK.
• Bristol Craft Beer Festival
• Manchester Craft Beer Festival
• Top 50 UK Beer Awards
• We Are Beer Industry

Products and services

• London Craft Beer Festival Flagship annual craft beer festival in London (Southwark Park, 17-18 July 2026), bringing together 100-150 breweries for consumers and trade buyers. Tickets include all beer tastings, with headline music, food, and brand activations.
• Bristol Craft Beer Festival
• Manchester Craft Beer Festival Annual craft beer festival in Manchester, part of the We Are Beer festival portfolio, attracting craft beer enthusiasts, breweries, and brand partners.
• Top 50 UK Beers Awards Annual ranking and award of the UK's best beers, decided by industry experts, trade buyers, and consumer voting, including a Star Award for innovative beers pointing to future category directions.
• We Are Beer Industry Membership Year-round subscription membership for beer industry professionals providing exclusive Insights reports with data-driven sales, marketing, and product development strategies, plus full access to all industry events and the Industry Expo & Conference.
• Trade Accreditation Discounted trade tickets and dedicated access to We Are Beer festivals for industry professionals, including trade sessions with networking opportunities and buyer meetings.
• We Are Beer Merchandise Store Direct-to-consumer print-on-demand merchandise store selling t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and tote bags made from certified organic cotton and produced by Teemill using a circular economy model.
• Festival Partnership Activations B2B festival sponsorship and activation product for breweries, cider, cocktails, spirits, wine, no/low alcohol, snack, tobacco-nicotine, soft drink, and B2B/B2C brands. Includes experiential activations, welcome drinks sponsorship, trade sessions, and sampling opportunities at London, Bristol, and Manchester festivals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35,000 attendees across London, Manchester, and Bristol festivals in 2024
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KegstarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKegstar has been a partner of We Are Beer festivals for over 10 years. They offer keg services to all breweries at festivals, including use of Kegstar kegs and removal of empty kegs after each festival. Kegstar sponsors the 'Welcome Drinks' hosted the evening before festivals, enabling networking between Kegstar and breweries in a less formal environment.
• GopuffcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIn 2022, Gopuff launched in the UK with We Are Beer's help, connecting them with 50 breweries to add to their UK app. Gopuff attended all festivals with a live activation and online presence. They are now the UK's second largest easy delivery app and the largest for craft beer sales. The partnership enabled Gopuff to tap into the craft beer market and gain valuable face-to-face interactions with the craft beer community.
• Duvel / La ChouffecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDuvel's La Chouffe brand has used We Are Beer festivals to reach the UK craft market. At festivals they have experiential activations with immersive settings and giveaways. The iconic red gnome hat worn by attendees created significant marketing awareness at festivals and on social media.
• Tiny RebelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTiny Rebel has been a partner at We Are Beer festivals for the last couple of years, achieving significant off-sales and merchandising success — enough to offset the cost of attending the festivals. Their presence has further cemented their brand within the craft community and created awareness for festival goers.
• The Newt in SomersetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Newt, a luxury country estate with cider orchards, came to all 2023 We Are Beer festivals seeking to break into the cider market. Trade sessions led to two of their ciders being listed in a national supermarket and listings at a pub co. The partnership confirmed that fine cider and craft beer overlap in the drinking community.
• PimentaeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPimentae, a cocktail brand that began kegging cocktails for taprooms, used We Are Beer festivals to reach craft beer drinkers. Their involvement proved a success, with them picking up listings with multiple taprooms across the UK and finding national distribution. This type of brand integration highlights the versatility of the craft beer drinker.
• Mash GangminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMash Gang (no/low alcohol beer brand, approximately 3 years old) came to We Are Beer festivals to meet new breweries and connect with the craft beer consumer. Their core drinker is the craft beer drinker, and the intersection of craft beer festivals with no/low alcohol options has been mutually beneficial.
• Mad ButcherminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMad Butcher, a snack brand developed for the UK craft beer scene, attended all 2023 We Are Beer festivals with a consumer-facing activation. They were able to pick up a major supermarket listing and taproom listings. They proved that craft beer drinkers want quality snacks to accompany their drinks.
• Kyro DistillerycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKyro Distillery, from Finland, came to all 2022 and 2023 festivals. They collaborated with Brew by Numbers to create a barrel aged stout and cask aged whiskey. Through their festival presence, they gained a national supermarket listing and connected with their targeted UK audience.
• Blu (Tobacco/Nicotine)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlu attended all 2023 festivals with a playful interactive station. They found a higher proportion of smokers/vapers at We Are Beer festivals than any other festival they attended, and their sample percentage and ROI were higher than other activations they had.
• 19 CrimescoreGTM or Marketing Partner19 Crimes had their UK launch at the London Craft Beer Festival in 2017, using the East London location to test the market. They saw massive sales increases after the launch, especially around East London. They have been one of We Are Beer's major wine partners for 7 years. The partnership positioned 19 Crimes as a wine for the craft beer drinker.
• TeemillcoreTechnology or IntegrationTeemill powers the We Are Beer merchandise store, handling all print-to-order production, fulfillment, and shipping. Teemill's circular economy model uses certified organic cotton, renewable energy, and a system to remake worn-out products into new ones. Teemill won the Queen's Award for Innovation for this sustainability model.
• NFU MutualminorOthersListed as a B2B partner for insurance services at We Are Beer festivals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• BrewLDN: London-based craft beer festival and event brand. A more recent entrant in the UK craft beer festival space with a comparable sampling-led format, representing emerging competitive pressure in We Are Beer's home market.
• Beer52: UK craft beer subscription and discovery platform with a strong consumer brand in the same craft beer drinker audience. A non-direct competitor but a comparable business monetizing the same enthusiast segment via a different (subscription delivery) channel.

Direct peers

• London Wine Fair: UK's leading wine trade event with consumer tasting elements and brand activations. Comparable in business model to We Are Beer's festival/Industry model within an adjacent beverage category, with overlapping trade professional audiences.
• Craft Beer Rising: UK-based craft beer festival and trade show held in London, directly competing with We Are Beer's London Craft Beer Festival. Both target craft beer enthusiasts and brand activations, with overlapping brewery and beverage brand partner pools.
• The Whisky Show (The Whisky Exchange): UK spirits tasting event and exhibition with sampling-led format and brand activations. Operates as a category-specific event business with similar mechanics to We Are Beer's festivals, demonstrating both an adjacent category model and a potential expansion template.
• SIBA BeerX UK: Society of Independent Brewers' annual UK conference and trade show focused on independent brewing. A direct peer on the B2B/trade side of the craft beer event space, competing for brewery partner mindshare and trade buyer attendance.
• Indy Man Beer Con: Manchester-based craft beer festival featuring UK and international breweries. A direct regional competitor in one of We Are Beer's three cities, with a similar sampling-led format and brewery partnership model.
• Imbibe Live: UK on-trade drinks industry exhibition covering beer, wine, and spirits, with a strong B2B/trade buyer focus. Closely comparable to We Are Beer's Industry Expo, with overlapping trade professional attendees and brand partner pools.

Broad incumbents

• BBC Good Food Shows: Large-scale UK food and drink consumer events with brand activation opportunities. A broader incumbent in experiential food/beverage events, demonstrating the larger competitive set for sponsorship budgets in the UK event space.
• Great British Beer Festival (CAMRA): The UK's largest and longest-running beer festival, run by the CAMRA consumer organization. A broader incumbent in the same space, with significantly larger scale and decades of brand equity, but oriented more toward cask ale enthusiasts than the craft/sampling format We Are Beer pioneered.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/we-are-beer

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 We Are Beer