Food & Beverage
Business Funding for Bars and Breweries
Bars and breweries face high startup costs between liquor licenses, brewing equipment, and build-out expenses. A liquor license alone can cost anywhere from $3,000 to over $300,000 depending on the state and type. Breweries carry the added burden of fermenters, brite tanks, canning lines, and raw ingredients that must be purchased well before the beer is sold.
Common Uses
What Bars and Breweries Use Funding For
- Acquire a liquor license or fund the transfer of an existing license
- Purchase brewing equipment including fermenters, brite tanks, and glycol chillers
- Build out a taproom with bar tops, draft systems, and seating areas
- Cover ingredient costs for seasonal brew runs and new recipe development
Funding Options
Best Funding Types for Bars and Breweries
Equipment Financing
Finance brewing systems, glycol chillers, canning lines, and keg inventories. Brewing equipment retains strong resale value in the craft beer secondary market, so lenders offer favorable collateral-based terms.
SBA 504 Loan
Ideal for purchasing real estate or making major capital improvements to a taproom or brewery facility. SBA 504 loans offer fixed rates and long terms that keep monthly costs low on large buildout projects.
Merchant Cash Advance
Bars process heavy credit card volume, making MCAs easy to qualify for. Use an MCA for short-term needs like seasonal inventory, equipment repairs, or event setup costs.
What Lenders Look For
Qualification Notes for Bars and Breweries
Related Industries
Related Food & Beverage Funding
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