Best Brewery Software for 2026 - Krowdbase

Brewery Software: Features, Benefits, Pricing, and How to Choose the Right Software

Brewery software is a category of business management software purpose built for breweries, meaderies, cideries, and other craft beverage producers. At its core, it is production and inventory software: it tracks raw materials such as malt, hops, yeast, and adjuncts, manages brew schedules and recipes, monitors fermentation and packaging, and keeps a real time record of finished goods, whether they are headed to a keg, a can line, or a bottling run.

Beyond production, most brewery software extends into sales order management, distributor and direct to consumer fulfillment, accounting integration, and regulatory reporting, since breweries are subject to federal excise tax rules enforced by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and often state level reporting as well. Some platforms are brewery specific from the ground up, while others are broader ERP or beverage manufacturing systems that have added brewery specific modules such as cask and keg tracking.

Why Businesses Need Brewery Software

A brewery runs on perishable inputs, tight fermentation windows, and government mandated paperwork, all at once, and that combination is difficult to manage manually once a brewery grows past its first year or two. Without a dedicated system, brewers tend to track batches in notebooks or spreadsheets, reconcile inventory by physical count, and build compliance reports by hand, a process that is slow, error prone, and difficult to audit.

Brewery software solves these problems by giving every department, production, sales, taproom, and accounting, a single source of truth. A brewer can see exactly how much of a given hop variety is on hand before scheduling a brew, a sales rep can check real time keg and case inventory before confirming a distributor order, and a compliance officer can generate a Brewer's Report of Operations directly from production data rather than reconstructing it after the fact. The result is fewer stockouts, less waste, faster invoicing, and a cleaner audit trail.

Key Features of Brewery Software

The best brewery software platforms share a common core of capabilities, though the depth and polish of each varies by vendor and price point. The following features are the ones buyers should expect to evaluate closely when comparing vendors.

Automation

Automation in brewery software reduces manual data entry across the production cycle, automatically deducting raw materials from inventory when a brew is logged, triggering reorder alerts when stock drops below a threshold, and scheduling recurring reports such as monthly TTB filings so nothing is missed during a busy production week.

Reporting and Analytics

Dashboards and reporting tools turn raw production and sales data into decisions, surfacing metrics like yield variance, cost per barrel, keg loss rate, and sales by channel so brewery owners and production managers can spot trends before they become expensive problems.

Integrations

Brewery software rarely operates alone. Integrations with accounting platforms such as QuickBooks or Xero, ecommerce and taproom point of sale systems, and distributor ordering portals keep financial and sales data synchronized without double entry.

Security

Because brewery software stores financial records, recipes, and regulatory filings, role based access controls, encrypted data storage, and reliable backups are essential, particularly for cloud hosted platforms that a brewery does not manage directly.

Cloud Accessibility

Most modern brewery software is delivered as a cloud based, browser accessible service, letting a head brewer check tank status from the production floor and an owner review sales figures from home, without installing anything or maintaining local servers.

Mobile Functionality

Mobile apps and mobile friendly web interfaces let brewery staff log brew day readings, scan keg barcodes, and update inventory counts directly from the production floor or the delivery truck, rather than carrying a clipboard back to a desktop later.

Workflow Management

Workflow tools coordinate the sequence of tasks that make up a batch, from mash in through fermentation, packaging, and quality checks, assigning responsibilities and flagging a batch that has fallen behind schedule.

Collaboration Tools

Shared notes, batch logs, and task assignments let brewing, sales, and taproom staff work from the same information, reducing the miscommunication that happens when production changes are not relayed to the people filling orders.

User Permissions

Granular user permissions let a brewery give a seasonal taproom employee access to point of sale functions only, while reserving recipe details, financial reports, and compliance filings for ownership and senior staff.

Customization

Custom fields, configurable recipe templates, and adjustable reporting layouts let a brewery adapt the software to its own batch sizes, packaging formats, and distribution footprint rather than forcing its operations to match a rigid template.

Batch and Recipe Management

Purpose built recipe and batch management tools track exact ingredient quantities, water chemistry, and process steps for every recipe, then scale those recipes automatically for different batch sizes while preserving a full version history of past brews.

Keg, Cask, and Compliance Tracking

Because kegs and casks are expensive, reusable assets that leave the brewery's control, dedicated tracking tools log each container's location and fill status, while built in TTB and state excise tax reporting tools reduce the manual work of staying compliant.

Benefits of Using Brewery Software

The most immediate benefit of brewery software is time savings. Tasks that once took hours, reconciling inventory, building a compliance report, or compiling sales figures from multiple spreadsheets, can often be done in minutes once production and sales data live in one system.

Beyond time savings, breweries that adopt dedicated software typically see better cost control, since real time visibility into ingredient usage and keg loss makes it easier to catch waste early. Forecasting also improves, because historical sales and production data makes it possible to plan future brews around actual demand rather than guesswork, and compliance becomes less stressful because reports are generated from the same data used to run production, rather than reconstructed separately at filing time.

Industries That Use Brewery Software

While brewery software is built around beer and craft beverage production, the businesses and partners that rely on it extend well beyond the brewhouse floor. Manufacturing is the most direct fit, since brewing is itself a process manufacturing discipline, and many brewery platforms share underlying architecture with broader food and beverage manufacturing systems. Logistics providers and distributors depend on the same inventory and keg tracking data to plan deliveries, manage returns, and reduce lost containers across a route.

Retail is tied closely to brewery operations through taprooms, retail bottle shops, and grocery or liquor store partners that need accurate, real time inventory counts before placing reorders. Finance and accounting firms that serve craft beverage clients rely on exports and integrations from brewery software to prepare financial statements and manage the excise tax obligations unique to alcohol production. Professional services firms, including brewery consultants and compliance specialists, use the same reporting tools their brewery clients do when auditing operations or preparing for a regulatory review.

Technology companies increasingly intersect with the category as well, both as integration partners building point of sale and ecommerce connections and, in some cases, as operators of their own corporate taprooms and event spaces. Education shows up through university brewing science programs and hospitality management courses that train students on industry standard production software, and even healthcare and senior living organizations have begun operating on site taprooms and event venues as hospitality amenities, extending brewery software's reach into facilities that manage beverage service alongside clinical or residential operations.

Who Should Use Brewery Software?

Brewery software is relevant across the full range of business sizes in the craft beverage industry, though the right fit depends heavily on scale. Startups and brand new nanobreweries benefit from entry level platforms that replace spreadsheets from day one, establishing good inventory and compliance habits before volume grows large enough to make mistakes expensive.

Small businesses, typically single location breweries producing a few thousand barrels a year, are the core market for most dedicated brewery software, since these companies need production, taproom, and distribution features but rarely need the complexity of a full ERP system. Mid sized businesses, including regional breweries distributing across multiple states, usually need stronger integrations, multi location inventory, and more advanced distributor order management.

Enterprises, including large regional and national craft brands, often require ERP grade platforms that can handle complex multi facility production and detailed financial consolidation. Agencies and consultants that advise multiple brewery clients benefit from platforms with strong reporting exports they can reuse across accounts, while industry specific organizations, such as brewers' guilds, co-packing facilities, and contract brewing operations, often need software flexible enough to track production on behalf of multiple brand owners under one roof.

Cost and Pricing Considerations for Brewery Software

Brewery software pricing is shaped by a handful of recurring factors: annual production volume measured in barrels, the number of staff who need system access, the number of physical locations, and which modules, such as distribution management or accounting integration, are included in a given plan.

Most vendors price on a monthly or annual subscription basis, often with tiered plans that scale by barrel volume or user count, while a smaller number of enterprise grade platforms quote custom pricing based on a brewery's full operational footprint. Buyers should also budget for implementation time, data migration from existing spreadsheets or legacy systems, and any hardware needed for mobile scanning or point of sale integration.

How Much Does Brewery Software Cost?

Entry level brewery software aimed at small and growing breweries commonly starts in the range of 40 to 200 dollars per month, covering core production, inventory, and keg tracking features for a single location. Mid tier platforms that add distribution management, multi location support, and deeper reporting often run from a few hundred dollars per month into four figures, depending on barrel volume and user count.

At the top end, full ERP platforms built for large scale beverage manufacturing can run into the thousands of dollars per month once implementation, training, and custom integrations are included. Because pricing structures vary so widely between vendors, it is worth requesting a quote based on your brewery's actual barrel volume and user count rather than assuming a published starting price will apply at your scale.

Pros and Cons of Brewery Software

Advantages

Brewery software consolidates production, inventory, sales, and compliance into a single system, which saves time, reduces data entry errors, and makes audits and regulatory filings far less stressful. Real time inventory visibility helps prevent costly stockouts of key ingredients and reduces keg and cask losses, while integrations with accounting and point of sale systems eliminate duplicate data entry between departments.

Potential Challenges

The learning curve for staff accustomed to paper logs or spreadsheets can slow adoption in the first few months, and migrating historical production and inventory data into a new system takes real effort. Subscription costs can also add up as a brewery grows into higher pricing tiers, and smaller vendors sometimes lack the depth of integration or customer support that a fast growing brewery eventually needs.

Cloud-Based vs On-Premise Brewery Software

Cloud based brewery software, delivered through a web browser or mobile app, has become the dominant model in the category, and for good reason: it requires no local server maintenance, updates roll out automatically, and staff can access the system from the production floor, the taproom, or the road without a VPN or remote desktop setup.

On premise systems, where software is installed and data is stored on a brewery's own servers, are now relatively rare in this category, though some larger breweries with existing ERP installations retain on premise or hybrid deployments for data control and integration with existing finance systems. For most breweries, especially those under a few thousand barrels of annual production, the lower upfront cost and easier maintenance of a cloud based platform outweighs the control that on premise deployment offers.

How to Choose the Best Brewery Software

Start by mapping your brewery's actual workflow, from raw material receiving through brewing, fermentation, packaging, taproom or distributor sales, and compliance filing, and identify where the biggest bottlenecks or error points currently are. A brewery struggling with keg losses needs strong keg tracking more than it needs advanced manufacturing scheduling, while a brewery expanding into multi state distribution needs robust order management and excise tax reporting above all else.

From there, shortlist vendors whose feature set and pricing tier match your current barrel volume and your growth plans over the next two to three years, since switching platforms later is disruptive. Request a live demo using your own sample data where possible, check that the platform integrates with your existing accounting and point of sale systems, and talk to current customers of a similar size if the vendor can provide references.

How to Compare Brewery Software Solutions

When comparing brewery software side by side, build a simple feature checklist covering production and recipe management, inventory and keg tracking, distribution and order management, accounting integration, and compliance reporting, then score each vendor against it rather than relying on marketing claims alone.

Pricing comparisons should normalize for your actual barrel volume and user count, since a low advertised starting price can climb quickly once you add the modules or seats your brewery actually needs. It is also worth comparing implementation timelines and the quality of onboarding support, since a platform that takes months to fully deploy delays the return on your investment regardless of how strong its feature list looks on paper.

Implementation Best Practices

Successful brewery software rollouts typically start with a clean data migration, auditing current inventory counts, recipes, and customer or distributor records before importing them, rather than carrying forward years of accumulated spreadsheet errors. Running the new system in parallel with existing processes for a short transition period, rather than switching over all at once, gives staff time to validate that the data and workflows match reality.

Training should be role specific, since a brewer logging batch data needs a different walkthrough than a taproom employee ringing up sales or an office manager filing a compliance report. Assigning an internal champion, often the person most frustrated with the old spreadsheet process, to own the rollout and answer day to day questions tends to produce faster, smoother adoption than relying solely on the vendor's support team.

Common Challenges and Solutions

One of the most common challenges breweries face after adopting new software is incomplete or inconsistent data entry, particularly from production staff who are used to recording readings on paper first and entering them later, if at all. Addressing this usually means building data entry into the brew day routine itself, often through mobile logging at the tank, rather than treating it as a separate administrative task.

Another frequent challenge is integration gaps between the brewery software and existing accounting or point of sale systems, which can recreate the duplicate entry problem the software was meant to solve. Vetting integration capabilities thoroughly before purchase, and involving your accountant or bookkeeper in the evaluation process, helps avoid this. Finally, staff resistance to a new system is common in any industry, and is best managed through early involvement in vendor selection and clear communication about how the software will reduce, not add to, day to day workload.

Return on Investment (ROI) of Brewery Software

Return on investment for brewery software usually comes from a combination of labor savings, waste reduction, and fewer compliance penalties. A brewery that eliminates several hours per week of manual spreadsheet reconciliation and report building effectively recovers staff time that can be redirected toward production or sales, and that time savings alone often justifies the subscription cost within the first year.

Beyond labor, reducing keg losses, ingredient waste from inaccurate inventory counts, and the risk of late or inaccurate regulatory filings all have direct financial value. Breweries that track their numbers before and after implementation typically find that improved forecasting accuracy, fewer rush ingredient orders at premium prices, and better distributor order accuracy produce measurable savings that compound over multiple years of use.

Top Brewery Software Companies

The brewery software market includes everything from lean, brewery specific platforms built by former brewers to full scale ERP systems built for complex, multi facility beverage manufacturing. The companies below represent a cross section of the category, spanning production management, keg tracking, distribution, accounts receivable automation, and point of sale, and are listed in no particular ranking order.

1. Ekos

Ekos is business management software built for craft beverage producers, covering beer, spirits, cider, seltzers, wine, and kombucha from one centralized system. Its Krowdbase listing describes it as an industry leading platform that typically replaces the mix of spreadsheets many producers start with, handling inventory, production, sales, accounting integration, reporting, and compliance in a single place. The feature set listed on its profile is broad, spanning billing and invoicing, cask and cellar management, distribution management, multi location support, order management, production tracking and scheduling, quality control, recipe management, and detailed reporting and statistics. Ekos is categorized on Krowdbase under Brewery Software, Winery Software, and Capacity Planning Software, reflecting its reach across multiple craft beverage segments rather than breweries alone. No public pricing is listed on its profile, and the listing notes that Ekos does not offer a free trial, so prospective buyers should contact the vendor directly through Krowdbase's enquiry option or the company's own website for a quote tailored to their production volume.

2. Breww

Breww is cloud based management software built specifically to help breweries run day to day operations from any computer, tablet, or phone. Its Krowdbase profile states that Breww is trusted by more than 500 breweries, and lists starting pricing at 29.99 British pounds per month, among the more affordable entry points in the category. The feature set on its profile includes billing and invoicing, cask management, distribution management, inventory management, multi location support, order management, production tracking, quality control, and recipe management, covering the core workflow from raw ingredients through finished goods sales. Breww is categorized on Krowdbase under Brewery Software. The listing is currently unclaimed by the vendor and shows no customer reviews yet, and while the pricing panel notes a free trial is available, the page's own FAQ states that no free trial is offered, so it is worth confirming current trial availability directly with Breww before committing.

3. Ollie

Ollie is brewery management software that its Krowdbase profile describes as being built by brewers for brewers, covering production, inventory, sales, customer management, accounting, and order fulfillment in one platform. The listing shows starting pricing of 199 dollars per month and links to the official site at nextglass.co. On Krowdbase, Ollie carries both Brewery Software and CRM Software category tags, reflecting its emphasis on managing customer and distributor relationships alongside production data, and its listed features include billing and invoicing, cask management, distribution management, inventory management, multi location support, production tracking, quality control, recipe management, contact management, and lead management. As with several other listings in the category, Ollie's Krowdbase page is not yet claimed by the vendor and shows no reviews, and it contains a minor inconsistency on free trial availability between its pricing panel and its FAQ, so buyers should verify current terms directly with the company.

4. Encompass Production Cloud

Encompass Production Cloud is an ERP system built for beverage producers, combining planning, purchasing, production, quality control, inventory, sales, accounting, and finance in one platform. Its Krowdbase profile describes it as part of a broader Encompass family of supply chain solutions and states that it is uniquely designed for beverage producers rather than adapted from a generic manufacturing system. The product traces back to Orchestra Software, a long standing name in brewery ERP that rebranded under the Encompass name as part of a broader platform expansion. On Krowdbase, it is categorized under Brewery Software, with listed features including billing and invoicing, cask management, distribution management, inventory management, multi location support, order management, production tracking, quality control, and recipe management. No pricing is published on the listing, and the FAQ indicates there is no free trial, so interested breweries should expect a sales conversation and a custom quote based on production volume and facility count.

5. Arryved

Arryved is described on its Krowdbase profile as an all in one mobile point of sale and hospitality management system built specifically for dynamic bars, taprooms, and restaurants, making it a common choice for brewery taprooms that need strong front of house tools alongside production software. The listing highlights seven day a week customer support and a feature set covering inventory management, order management, electronic payments, employee management, reporting and sales trend analysis, accounting integration, online ordering, loyalty programs, and real time sales reporting. On Krowdbase, Arryved is tagged under several categories, including Brewery Software, Bar POS Software, Point of Sale Software, and Restaurant POS Software, reflecting how widely it is used across hospitality venues beyond breweries alone. The profile lists a starting price of 1 dollar per month, which is unusually low for the category, so brewery taproom operators should confirm current plan structure and pricing directly with Arryved rather than relying on that figure alone.

6. Tripleseat

Tripleseat is an event and sales management platform that its Krowdbase listing describes as an easy to use tool for small hospitality teams, with particular relevance to breweries that host private events, beer dinners, or taproom rentals alongside regular taproom service. The profile notes that Tripleseat's calendar tools are designed to help prevent double bookings, and that recent updates to the platform have added three dimensional floor plans and ticketing capabilities. On Krowdbase, Tripleseat appears under Brewery Software alongside Event Booking Software, Floor Plan Software, and Hotel Channel Management Software categories, underscoring that it serves restaurants, hotels, and venues broadly rather than breweries exclusively. No pricing is published on its listing, and the page directs interested buyers to an enquiry form rather than a self service signup, which is typical for event management software sold primarily to hospitality operators of varying sizes.

7. BrewPlanner

BrewPlanner is a production planning platform built for craft beverage producers, with its Krowdbase profile describing it as a SaaS tool covering brew scheduling, inventory and raw material management, multi user access, reporting, and quality control. The listing shows starting pricing of 45 dollars per month and links to the vendor's own site at brewplanner.com. On Krowdbase, BrewPlanner is categorized under Brewery Software, with listed features including inventory management, order management, production tracking, quality control, and recipe management, a feature set weighted toward the scheduling and planning side of brewery operations rather than full back office accounting. The listing is unclaimed and currently shows no customer reviews, and like several peers in the category, it has a minor discrepancy between its pricing panel, which notes a free trial is available, and its FAQ, which states no free trial is offered, so it is worth confirming directly with the vendor before signing up.

8. Kegshoe

Kegshoe is cloud based keg tracking software built for breweries, cideries, wineries, and other beverage producers that need to manage reusable containers in the field. Its Krowdbase profile explains that staff scan barcode or QR code labels using iOS or Android apps to update each keg's status and location, while a web dashboard provides reporting on turnover, losses, and overdue kegs still out with customers or distributors. The listing shows starting pricing of 40 dollars per month with a free trial available, positioning it as an affordable, focused add on rather than a full production management platform. Kegshoe is categorized on Krowdbase under Brewery Software, with listed features including cask management, distribution management, inventory management, multi location support, production tracking, and quality control. The profile notes that Kegshoe can integrate with existing brewery management and accounting software, which fits its role as a specialized tool many breweries pair with a broader platform rather than use standalone.

9. Craftable

Craftable is beverage and inventory management software widely used across bars, restaurants, and hospitality groups to manage purchasing, recipe costing, and beverage program profitability, and it is relevant to breweries that operate taprooms or multi concept hospitality venues alongside their production business. The platform is also listed as an app on the Google Workspace Marketplace, which reflects its focus on integrating with everyday back office tools rather than existing purely as a standalone system. Craftable's core strength lies in tracking the cost of every pour or package against supplier invoices, helping operators spot pricing changes, margin erosion, and over pouring before they erode profitability. No verified Krowdbase profile for Craftable was found at the time of this guide's research, so pricing and feature details here are drawn from the company's general market positioning rather than a Krowdbase listing, and breweries considering it for taproom or multi venue beverage management should confirm current pricing and features directly with the vendor.

10. VicinityBrew

VicinityBrew is brewery management software from Vicinity Manufacturing, built to combine production operations with financial and accounting management for craft breweries. Industry press coverage shows the platform has been adopted by well known craft breweries, including Beltway Brewing Company, which used VicinityBrew to meld operations and accounting into one system, and Victory Brewing Company, which selected the platform for its own operations. VicinityBrew has also hosted industry events, including a Brewbound sponsored technology conference aimed at bringing craft brewers together around production technology topics. Because the platform has historically targeted established regional breweries integrating production with enterprise accounting systems, it tends to suit mid sized and larger operations more than brand new nanobreweries. No verified Krowdbase profile for VicinityBrew was found at the time of this guide's research, so the details above are drawn from publicly reported brewery adoption rather than a Krowdbase listing, and breweries interested in VicinityBrew should contact the vendor directly for current pricing, features, and a product demonstration.

11. BrewMan

BrewMan is a web based management system from Premier Systems, built specifically for breweries and other drinks businesses. Its Krowdbase profile describes it as designed and written specifically for breweries and drinks businesses, covering production, cask tracking, invoicing, customer relationship management, distribution planning, and excise duty calculation in one system. The listing shows starting pricing of 60 British pounds per month. BrewMan is categorized on Krowdbase under both Brewery Software and Inventory Management Software, and its listed features include billing and invoicing, cask management, distribution management, inventory management, multi location support, order management, production tracking, quality control, recipe management, and purchase order management, a broad set that leans toward operational and financial control. The profile shows some inconsistency between its pricing panel, which lists a free trial as available, and its FAQ, which states BrewMan does not offer one, so UK based breweries evaluating the platform should confirm trial terms directly with Premier Systems.

12. BeerRun

BeerRun is brewery management software historically marketed through SWK Technologies and designed for craft and microbreweries producing roughly 1,000 to 50,000 barrels a year. Rather than replacing a brewery's accounting system, BeerRun has been positioned as a way to centralize inventory and production information that would otherwise live across spreadsheets and a standalone accounting package. Its publicly described features include batch scheduling with an automatically updating fermentation Gantt chart, the ability to adjust batch start and finish dates to match actual fermentation progress, purchasing forecasts that compare planned brews against ingredients on hand, production staggering to avoid overproducing one beer style while running short on another, and built in federal excise and Brewer's Report of Operations filing tools alongside state reporting. No verified Krowdbase profile for BeerRun was found at the time of this guide's research, so breweries interested in the platform should reach out directly for current pricing and a demonstration.

13. Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform

Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform, from Plex Systems, is a broad manufacturing execution and ERP platform that appears on Krowdbase under Brewery Software alongside Advanced Planning and Scheduling Software, Bill of Materials Software, and Capacity Planning Software, reflecting its use across food, beverage, and industrial manufacturing rather than breweries alone. Its Krowdbase profile describes it as helping manufacturers connect, automate, track, and analyze every aspect of their business, with industrial internet of things support for plant floor production and asset tracking. The listing shows a starting price of 3,000 dollars per month, by far the highest listed starting price among the platforms in this guide, reflecting its positioning toward larger scale, multi facility beverage and food manufacturers rather than single location craft breweries. The pricing panel lists a free trial as available, though the FAQ on the same listing states that Plex does not offer one, so enterprise buyers should clarify evaluation options directly with Plex Systems.

14. Notch

Notch is accounts receivable automation software positioned specifically for breweries, with a Krowdbase listing tagline stating that brewers are best at making beer while Notch is best at making sure they get paid faster. The platform's listed features include scheduled pull payments, automated invoice follow ups, a customer portal where distributors and accounts can manage their own payment information, and integrations with accounting and ERP systems that breweries already use. Its Krowdbase profile shows a starting price of 65 dollars with usage based pricing beyond that base, and the listing carries category tags for Brewery Software, Accounts Payable Software, Accounts Receivable Software, and Billing and Invoicing Software. Rather than competing directly with full production management platforms, Notch is best understood as a specialized add on that breweries pair with their existing production and accounting systems to speed up distributor and wholesale collections, which tend to be slower than direct to consumer taproom sales.

15. Brewers Dashboard

Brewers Dashboard is software focused on automating and controlling brewery processes, including billing automation and brewhouse temperature control and monitoring, according to its Krowdbase profile. The listing links to the official website at infiniteautomation.com, tying the product to broader building and process automation technology rather than a pure business management platform. Brewers Dashboard is categorized on Krowdbase under Brewery Software, with Production Tracking listed as its primary feature tag, and its positioning is narrower and more technical than most of the platforms in this guide, oriented toward process control on the brewhouse floor rather than sales, distribution, or compliance reporting. No pricing is published on the listing, and the FAQ states that the product does not offer a free trial, so breweries interested in brewhouse automation and monitoring rather than full back office management should contact the vendor directly to discuss their specific equipment and control needs.

16. BEER30

BEER30 is a brewery management system that its Krowdbase profile describes as covering production scheduling, brew logs, fermentation tracking, inventory forecasting, sales, and distribution, with the ability to use the system from mobile devices on the production floor. The listing links to the vendor's website at the5thingredient.com and carries a Brewery Software category tag on Krowdbase. No pricing is published on the profile, and its FAQ states that BEER30 does not offer a free trial, so interested breweries should expect to request a quote directly rather than finding published tiers online. The listing itself remains relatively thin compared with some of the other profiles in this guide, with no customer reviews yet and limited feature tagging, so brewery owners evaluating BEER30 against better documented competitors should ask the vendor for a detailed feature walkthrough and references from current customers of a similar size before committing.

17. BrewOptix

BrewOptix is an online order management and demand planning platform built for small and mid sized breweries and their wholesale distributors, founded by a former craft brewery executive to address the specific problem of distributor ordering accuracy and out of code beer sitting on shelves. Coverage of the company's launch describes it as giving breweries better visibility into distributor inventory and order patterns so they can plan production and allocate limited inventory more precisely across accounts, particularly as a growing share of their volume moves through third party distributors rather than a single taproom. No verified Krowdbase profile for BrewOptix was found at the time of this guide's research, so the details above are drawn from industry press coverage of the company rather than a Krowdbase listing, and breweries interested in tightening distributor order management and reducing out of code product in the market should contact BrewOptix directly for current pricing and a platform walkthrough.

Related Software Categories

Bar POS Software

Breweries with taprooms often need point of sale software that goes beyond a basic cash register, and Bar POS Software is the Krowdbase category built specifically for bars and taprooms, covering tab management, tap handle tracking, and fast order entry during busy service. Several brewery focused platforms, including Arryved, appear in both the Brewery Software and Bar POS Software categories, reflecting how closely the two overlap for any brewery that pours beer on site.

Point of Sale Software

For breweries that also operate a retail bottle shop, merchandise counter, or broader restaurant style menu, Point of Sale Software covers the wider category of checkout and payment systems used across retail and hospitality, beyond the bar specific tools built for taprooms alone.

ERP Software

Larger breweries that have outgrown brewery specific platforms often move toward general ERP Software, which handles planning, procurement, manufacturing, and financials across an entire organization rather than production alone, a step several companies profiled in this guide, including Encompass Production Cloud and Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform, have taken as their customers scale.

Accounts Receivable Software

Because distributor and wholesale invoices often take longer to collect than taproom sales, many breweries pair their production system with dedicated Accounts Receivable Software to automate invoice follow up and payment collection, the same niche that Notch occupies specifically for the brewery market.

Accounting Software

Every brewery needs general Accounting Software to manage its books, payroll, and tax filings, and most brewery management platforms are built to integrate with established accounting systems rather than replace them outright.

CRM Software

Breweries managing a growing book of distributor and retail accounts sometimes add dedicated CRM Software to track sales relationships, follow up tasks, and account history more thoroughly than a brewery platform's built in contact tools allow on their own.

Winery Software

Winery Software serves a closely related craft beverage segment, covering harvest tracking, fermentation, and cellar management for wineries in much the same way brewery software covers brewing, and a number of vendors, including Ekos, serve both categories from the same underlying platform.

Restaurant POS Software

Breweries that operate a full kitchen alongside their taproom often need Restaurant POS Software to handle table service, menu management, and kitchen ticketing, functionality that goes beyond what a bar focused point of sale system typically offers.

Distribution Software

As a brewery's distributor network grows, Distribution Software focused on route planning, delivery scheduling, and warehouse management can complement a brewery platform's own order management tools, particularly for breweries self distributing into a crowded retail market.

Inventory Management Software

General Inventory Management Software is a broader category that some smaller breweries use instead of a dedicated brewery platform in their earliest days, before production volume and compliance needs justify moving to purpose built brewery software.

Latest Trends in Brewery Software

Several trends are shaping brewery software heading into the next few years. AI Powered Demand Forecasting is helping breweries predict distributor and taproom demand more accurately, reducing both stockouts and excess inventory. Mobile First Production Logging continues to replace clipboard based brew day record keeping, letting brewers capture readings directly from the tank. Direct to Consumer Expansion is pushing more brewery platforms to add ecommerce and shipping compliance features as breweries sell more cans and merchandise online. Sustainability and Water Usage Tracking is becoming a more common feature as breweries face pressure to report on water and energy consumption per barrel. Deeper Distributor Integration is reducing the friction between a brewery's internal order management and the systems distributors use to place and track orders. Finally, Consolidation Among Brewery Specific Vendors is reshaping the competitive landscape, as seen in platforms like Encompass Production Cloud absorbing earlier standalone products, a pattern likely to continue as the craft beverage software market matures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is brewery software used for?

Brewery software is used to manage the full brewing lifecycle, including recipe formulation, batch scheduling, raw material and finished goods inventory, taproom and distributor sales, and the regulatory reporting breweries must file with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and state agencies.

How much does brewery software cost?

Pricing varies widely by vendor and brewery size, with entry level platforms often starting between 40 and 200 dollars per month and enterprise ERP systems running into the thousands of dollars per month once implementation and training are included.

Is brewery software only for large breweries?

No. Many platforms, including several profiled in this guide, are priced and designed specifically for small and growing breweries, with features that scale up as production volume increases.

Can brewery software handle compliance reporting?

Most dedicated brewery platforms include tools to help compile or directly file the federal Brewer's Report of Operations and excise tax filings, though the depth of built in compliance support varies by vendor and should be confirmed before purchase.

Does brewery software integrate with accounting systems like QuickBooks?

Many brewery platforms offer integrations with popular accounting software such as QuickBooks or Xero, syncing sales and purchasing data to avoid duplicate entry between the production system and the general ledger.

What is the difference between brewery software and a general ERP system?

Brewery specific software is built around the brewing process from the start, with recipe, batch, and keg tracking tools out of the box, while a general ERP system is a broader platform that can be configured for brewing but often requires more customization to match brewery specific workflows.

Can brewery software track kegs and casks?

Yes, keg and cask tracking is one of the most common features in the category, often using barcode or QR code scanning to log a container's location, fill status, and history as it moves between the brewery, distributors, and retail accounts.

Is cloud based brewery software secure?

Reputable cloud based brewery software vendors use encrypted data storage, role based access controls, and regular backups, though buyers should review a vendor's specific security practices and data ownership terms before committing, since standards vary between providers.

How long does it take to implement brewery software?

Implementation timelines vary from a few weeks for a simple, single location setup to several months for a multi facility brewery migrating extensive historical data and integrating several existing systems.

Do brewery software vendors offer free trials?

Some do, though this guide found inconsistencies on several vendor listings between advertised free trials and FAQ statements, so it is worth confirming current trial availability directly with a vendor before assuming one is offered.

What features should a small brewery prioritize first?

Small breweries just getting started typically benefit most from solid inventory and batch tracking first, since those features eliminate the most error prone manual processes, and can add distribution, accounts receivable, or point of sale modules as the business grows.

Can brewery software help with distributor relationships?

Yes, many platforms include order management and reporting tools that give breweries visibility into distributor inventory levels and ordering patterns, and some platforms focus specifically on improving distributor order accuracy.

Is brewery software worth it for a brewery that only sells through its own taproom?

Even taproom only breweries benefit from better inventory forecasting, batch tracking, and point of sale integration, though they may not need the distribution heavy features built for breweries shipping to wholesale accounts.

How do I switch brewery software vendors without losing data?

A careful migration typically involves exporting historical inventory, recipe, and sales data from the old system, auditing it for accuracy, and running the new system in parallel for a short period before fully retiring the old one.

Where can I compare brewery software vendors side by side?

Directories such as Krowdbase let buyers compare brewery software vendors by category, feature set, and listed pricing in one place, which is a useful starting point before requesting demos from a shortlist of vendors.

Conclusion

Brewery software has moved from a nice to have to a near necessity for any craft beverage producer serious about scaling past its first few years, bringing production, inventory, sales, and compliance together in a single system rather than a patchwork of spreadsheets and paper logs.

The right platform depends heavily on a brewery's current size, growth plans, and existing tech stack, with options ranging from affordable, brewery specific tools built by former brewers to full scale ERP systems designed for complex, multi facility manufacturing. Taking the time to map your actual workflow, shortlist vendors against a clear feature checklist, and talk to similarly sized customers before committing pays off many times over compared with rushing the decision.

Whether you are a new nanobrewery replacing your first spreadsheet or a regional producer evaluating a move to enterprise grade software, the companies and categories covered in this guide are a solid starting point for your research, and comparing them side by side on a resource like Krowdbase can help narrow a long vendor list down to a shortlist worth a real demo.