According to the Brewers Association, there were 9,578 operating craft breweries in the US in 2025. That’s no surprise, as the major beer brands are among the most recognized on the market and there are lots of craft beer enthusiasts who wish to taste new beers. Restaurants can improve customer experience by offering craft beer and food pairings in their normal or seasonal menu. Behind all this is the wholesale beer industry. In this article, we’ll see how businesses can buy wholesale beer as well as how you can become a beer wholesaler.
Where to Buy and Sell Wholesale Beer
Find Beer Distributors
You can search online for beer distributors. Another alternative is to look for recommendations from colleagues. Beer distributors act as middlemen between breweries and other businesses. They can offer products from local and national breweries. The main reason why companies use the services of intermediaries like distributors is the fact that they work with many breweries and can offer a wide range of different types of craft beer.
Contact Breweries Directly
If you wish to skip any intermediaries, you can contact breweries directly. Many of them work directly with customers and can offer various options for wholesale beer. One of the cons of this approach is that you’ll have to contact a lot of companies in order to stock different types of beer in your bar inventory.
Keep in mind that in most states, bars and restaurants must buy beer through a licensed distributor. Buying straight from a brewery is only possible where state law allows breweries to self-distribute — check your state’s rules first.
Online Wholesale Marketplaces
Many beer distributors now offer online ordering, and platforms like BlueCart let bars and restaurants order from several suppliers in one place and keep track of everything they need for their restaurant’s inventory.
Attend Exhibitions
Trade shows are an excellent way for businesses to find new clients. That’s why wholesale beer suppliers attend food and beverage industry expos. An additional benefit of attending exhibitions is that you can check the latest restaurant industry trends.
Find Local Beer Associations
Local craft beer guilds can give you contacts of reliable breweries, beer wholesalers, and other businesses in the field of beer.
Key takeaway: Selling wholesale beer can be a profitable business. Many companies prefer to buy beer and other beverages from wholesalers as they get better prices and can choose between different brands.
Thinking About Becoming a Wholesale Beer Distributor?
Starting a beer distribution business takes brewery partners, warehouse and delivery capacity, and the right licenses — a federal basic permit from the TTB plus state wholesale licenses. Most states also have franchise laws that make brand agreements long-term commitments, and the three-tier system shapes who you can buy from and sell to. Our guide to craft beer distributors walks through how the business works and the steps to get started.
What Businesses Buy Wholesale Beer
A variety of small and large companies can benefit from ordering bulk quantities of beer from wholesalers. Here are some of the main types of businesses that use this business practice:
- Restaurants, pubs, and bars;
- Hotels, country clubs, resorts, and other businesses in the hotel industry;
- Retail stores;
- Online businesses and retailers;
- Entertainment venues, catering companies, and other businesses in the event industry;
- Cruise ships and airlines.
Kegs, Cans, or Bottles: What to Buy Wholesale
Most bars and restaurants buy a mix of draft and packaged beer, and each format has trade-offs.
- Kegs. The most common size is the half-barrel (15.5 gallons, about 124 16-ounce pints before waste). Quarter barrels (7.75 gallons) and sixth barrels or “sixtels” (about 5.2 gallons) suit slower-moving or rotating taps. Draft usually earns the best margin per pint, but it needs a draft system, regular line cleaning, and enough volume to finish each keg while it’s fresh.
- Cans and bottles. Usually sold in cases of 24 twelve-ounce units. They’re easier to store, last longer, and let you offer a wider range without dedicating a tap.
- Freshness. Draft craft beer is best within weeks, not months — especially hop-forward styles. Check code dates on delivery and size kegs to what you’ll pour in that window.
How Wholesale Beer Pricing Works
Wholesale beer is priced per case or per keg, plus a refundable deposit on kegs. Unlike most food products, beer pricing is often regulated: some states require distributors to post their prices and charge every retailer the same price, which limits discounts and negotiation. Volume discounts and promotions are allowed in some states and banned in others.
To see whether a beer is worth carrying, calculate its pour cost:
- Divide the keg cost by the number of pints it yields to get your cost per pint.
- Divide the cost per pint by the menu price.
For example, if a half-barrel costs $180 and yields about 124 pints, each pint costs about $1.45. At a $7 menu price, that’s a pour cost of roughly 21%. Real-world yield is lower because of foam and line waste, so tracking actual pours against sales matters.
Pros and Cons of Buying Beer Wholesale
Advantages of Buying Wholesale Beer
- Better pricing. That’s one of the biggest advantages of buying in large quantities in general.
- Availability. Wholesalers work with a lot of breweries and producers. This means they can offer you a constant supply and different options of craft beers.
- Variety of products. Wholesale suppliers strive to increase the number of producers they work with. Additionally, they aim to work only with top-notch breweries. Ergo, you can count on them to offer products not just of local brewers, but also of beer producers from other parts of the country and the world.
- Convenience. Yes, eliminating the middleman can result in an even lower price. However, it’s convenient for businesses to partner with wholesalers as they can offer a variety of products, not just beer or beverages.
Disadvantages of Buying Wholesale Beer
- Large minimum orders. Wholesale suppliers usually have minimum order requirements. The more established the distributor is, the higher their minimum order requirements are likely to be. This can be challenging for small venues and companies with limited storage.
- Impact on cash flow. Even though ordering large quantities comes cheaper, paying upfront for them can be problematic for some businesses. Many states also limit how much credit beer distributors can extend, so payment terms are usually short.
- Shelf life. Buying wholesale quantities of beer means you should carefully consider the risk of beer going stale. Use inventory software to track beverage stock and code dates.
Building a Beer List for Your Bar or Restaurant
A good beer list balances what sells with what sets you apart. Most successful lists include a few reliable core beers (a light lager, a popular IPA), several local or craft options, at least one non-alcoholic beer, and a rotating seasonal handle. Match the number of taps to how fast you sell: a tap that takes a month to finish a keg is losing freshness and money. Ask your distributors for depletion data on what’s selling in your area, and review your own sales monthly to decide what to rotate out. See beverage industry trends for what’s growing.
Managing Wholesale Beer Inventory
Buying beer in bulk only pays off if it sells before it goes stale. Most bars and restaurants manage beer inventory with a few habits:
- Count weekly, by distributor. Since each brand comes from a specific distributor, counting by supplier makes reordering and invoice checks faster.
- Set par levels by season. Lighter styles move faster in summer, darker ones in winter.
- Rotate by date. Check code dates on cans and bottles, and sell older stock first.
- Track kegs and deposits. Know how many full and empty kegs you have, and make sure deposits are credited.
- Watch draft yield. Compare how much beer you pour with how much you sell to catch foam waste, overpouring, and line problems.
See BlueCart’s food and beverage inventory software.
Other Products Sold by Wholesale Beer Distributors
Although beer wholesale suppliers mainly trade with draft and bottled beer brands, they often have other product categories in their catalogs. Let’s dive a little deeper into the main types of other products sold by wholesale beer distributors.
- Malternatives. Although beer is the most popular one, it’s not the only beverage made with malt. Other drinks are often referred to as malternatives. A good example of such a beverage is kvass. It’s popular in Central and Eastern Europe. Smirnoff Ice and other flavored drinks are a popular malternative as well. They often contain even less alcohol than a regular pale ale.
- Other beverages. Businesses find it convenient to partner with wholesale beer distributors that can also supply other beverages like spirits or soda drinks. Therefore some suppliers aim to expand their assortment.
- Beer accessories. This category can include products such as glassware or beer openers. Beer brands are among the companies with the highest marketing and advertising budgets in the world. That’s why they will often give suppliers various marketing materials or merchandise like coasters. Federal and state tied-house rules limit what distributors can give retailers, so what’s available varies by state.
- Draft beer bar equipment. PVC tubes, tap handles, and faucets are all necessary items to pour a cold glass of draft beer. Beer suppliers will often provide services related to the maintenance of the draft beer system or delivery of parts that need replacing.
- Homebrew supplies. The number of enthusiasts who make their own beer as a hobby has increased significantly in recent years. That’s why some wholesale beer distributors also sell beer brewing supplies and equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wholesale Beer
Ready to start your wholesale beer business? The questions and answers below will help you in that regard.
Can Restaurants Buy Beer From a Liquor Store or Warehouse Club?
In most states, no. Bars and restaurants with an on-premise license generally have to buy beer from a licensed wholesaler, not from a retail store. Check your state’s alcohol beverage control rules.
How Many Beers Are in a Keg?
A half-barrel keg holds 15.5 gallons — about 124 sixteen-ounce pints or 165 twelve-ounce servings before waste. A quarter barrel holds about half that, and a sixth barrel about 41 pints.
How Big Is the Beer Industry?
Beer is the most-consumed alcoholic beverage in the US, sold through thousands of distributors to bars, restaurants, and retailers across the country.
What Are the Most Popular Beer Types in the US?
Among the most popular types of beer in the US are lager, pale ale, wheat beer, and stout. The pale ale category is very big and includes a variety of subcategories of beers in its family. Some of the most popular ones are India pale ale (IPA), American pale ale (APA), and amber ale.