Brewery Business Valuation
Brewery Business Valuation Calculator & Exit Planning Built for Brewery Owners
We built one platform that tracks your brewery business's value monthly, identifies exit gaps early, and ensures your personal finances align with your exit timeline.
1,000+ Businesses have joined YourExitValue.com
Most Brewery Owners Have No Idea What Their Business is Actually Worth
Current Brewery Valuation Multiples (2026)
Brewery values are strong due to increased buyer demand from craft beer consolidators, beverage companies, strategic buyers. Here's what companies sell for:
Every business is different. That's why you need to track your value.
Included in Your Exit Value is a complete Exit Planning Assessment where you track your progress quarterly against your results from the previous quarter.
Know your number and watch it grow
Most business owners guess at their value. You'll know it with precision.
Our platform uses six proven valuation methodologies to give you a complete picture of what your business is worth today—and tracks how that number changes month over month. No more waiting for annual appraisals or paying $15K+ for outdated reports.
See your trends. Spot opportunities. Make informed decisions
What Actually Drives Brewery Business Value
Revenue and earnings are the two most influential factors in your brewery business's valuation. But not all companies are valued equally. Here are the factors that move your number up—or down:
Distribution Reach
Regional Distro
Distribution accounts beyond the taproom create scalable revenue. Taproom-only breweries have a ceiling—distribution enables growth beyond four walls.
Taproom-only = limited scale
Taproom Revenue
30-50% Taproom
Production capacity utilization shows efficiency. Breweries at 70%+ utilization are efficient—underutilized capacity means you're not maximizing equipment investment.
Unbalanced mix = risk
Production Capacity
Room to Grow
Flagship brands with consistent demand are more valuable than endless new releases. Core brands create efficient production—breweries constantly chasing trends have unpredictable demand.
At capacity = capital needed
Brand Strength
Award-Winning
Equipment condition and recent investments impact near-term capital needs. Brewing equipment is expensive—recent upgrades reduce buyer's required investment.
No brand = commodity pricing
Equipment Condition
Modern System
Taproom revenue provides higher margins than distribution. Healthy mix of taproom and distribution balances margin and scale—pure distribution has thinner margins.
Old equipment = capital needs
Head Brewer
Non-Owner
Head brewer with documented recipes ensures production transfers. If recipes are in one person's head, the business has key-person risk—documented processes are essential.
Owner-brewer = transition risk
How to Value a Brewery
The U.S. craft brewing industry includes over 9,500 breweries generating approximately $29 billion in annual revenue. Brewery valuations are complex because they involve manufacturing operations, brand value, distribution relationships, and often significant real estate.
EBITDA is the most common valuation method for breweries, with smaller brewpubs sometimes using SDE. Breweries typically sell for 3.0x to 7.0x EBITDA, with well-known regional brands achieving the upper end. Small brewpubs operating primarily as restaurants with in-house beer tend toward 2.0x to 3.5x SDE.
Revenue multiples for breweries generally range from 0.50x to 1.5x annual revenue. A common industry-specific metric is price per barrel of annual production capacity, typically $100 to $400 per barrel depending on brand strength, taproom revenue, and distribution reach.
The unique valuation factor for breweries is the brand equity, distribution footprint, and taproom revenue mix. A brewery generating 60%+ of revenue from on-premise taproom sales captures full retail margins and has direct customer relationships — this is highly valuable. However, a brewery with strong off-premise distribution through retail chains and restaurants demonstrates scalability. The brewing equipment and facility are significant assets, but brand recognition, recipe portfolio, and distribution agreements ultimately drive the premium.
The craft beer market has matured, with some consolidation pressure but continued consumer demand for local and independent breweries. Breweries with diversified revenue, strong community engagement, and efficient operations are best positioned for premium exits. Use our free calculator above to get your instant estimate, then track your value monthly with YourExitValue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What multiple do brewery businesses sell for?
Most brewery businesses sell for 2.0x – 3.5x SDE or 0.5x – 1.0x annual revenue. However, the range is wide. Companies with strong distribution reach can command significantly higher multiples. YourExitValue tracks exactly where you fall on each value driver.
How does distribution reach affect my company's value?
Distribution Reach is one of the biggest value drivers for brewery businesses. Craft beer consolidators, beverage companies, strategic buyers specifically look for companies with strong performance here. Improving this metric can significantly increase your multiple.
How long before selling should I start tracking my brewery business value?
Ideally 1 to 5 years before your target exit. This gives you time to improve your distribution reach, reduce owner dependence, strengthen your team, and document growth trends buyers pay premium prices for.
Who buys brewery businesses?
Common buyers include craft beer consolidators, beverage companies, strategic buyers, as well as individual buyers looking to own a business and strategic acquirers. Each buyer type values different aspects. YourExitValue helps you understand what each looks for.
What valuation method is used for brewery businesses?
Most brewery businesses are valued using SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) multiples for smaller companies under $1M in earnings, and EBITDA multiples for larger companies. Revenue multiples (0.5x – 1.0x) are sometimes used as quick reference.
What's the fastest way to increase my brewery business value?
The fastest improvements typically come from: 1) Improving your distribution reach to hit the target, 2) Reducing owner dependence, 3) Documenting your systems and processes, and 4) Cleaning up financials. Most owners add 20-40% in 12-24 months.