7 Nanobrewery Or Micro Brewery Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

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Updated: November 19th, 2023

Start A Nanobrewery Or Micro Brewery

A nano brewery is a brewpub that produces less than 15,000 barrels of beer annually and sells at least 75% of its beer off-site. Running a nano-brewery can be profitable if you understand how to brew high-quality beer.

To start a nano brewery, check your local laws and research if you have a good customer base. It would help if you also learned how to operate a brewery professionally because poorly brewed beer will ruin your business.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a nanobrewery or micro brewery :

1. Varionica ($672K/year)

Davor and Matija started brewing beer as a hobby in college and fell in love with creating unique styles that couldn't be found in Croatia. Encouraged by positive feedback from friends, family, and bar owners, they took the leap and opened Varionica, becoming craft brewing pioneers in Croatia. Despite facing challenges, they persevered, adapting their business model and expanding their reach through a webshop and partnerships with retail stores. They have since won industry recognition and expanded their exports to the UK and Germany, with plans to enter more markets.

How much they make: $672K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
Current team size: 8

How We Started A Six-Figure Craft Brewery [From Croatia]

Croatian craft brewery Varionica shares how they started with only 22 kegs and an old Opel Astra, grew to produce roughly 40,000 liters of beer per month, and expanded successfully during the pandemic through an online shop and retail store partnerships.

About

Matija started Varionica about 10 years ago

Revenue

Matija grew the business to $56K/month

Costs

It cost Matija $10000 to start the business

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Starting A Nanobrewery Or Micro Brewery : Everything You Need To Know

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So... can you actually make money with a nanobrewery or micro brewery ?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

4. BrewBids

The premier online marketplace to buy and sell new and used brewing equipment. Check out upcoming auctions, advertise your products, and buy and sell equipment.

Where they're located: New York, New York, USA

5. San Diego Beer News

San Diego Beer News is a one-stop resource for all things #SDBeer. News and events on the region’s 150+ breweries and what’s tapping around town.

Where they're located: Louisville, Kentucky, USA

So... can you actually make money with a nanobrewery or micro brewery ?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

7. Elysian Brewing Company

We opened our doors in 1996 when bold art and music defined Seattle. We carry that same spirit in the way we brew our beer. It’s about taking chances, learning from our missteps, and changing perceptions.

Where they're located: San Francisco, California, USA