Finance question
Can I get finance to buy a brewery?
Sometimes, but this is one of the harder business purchases to fund. After at least 80 brewery closures in three years, some lenders decline and others want a large share from you. The brewhouse can be financed against what it would resell for, and a property-backed loan can carry the rest, subject to lender assessment.
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The short answer
Lenders know the sector has been through a bad run
The Independent Brewers Association counts 619 independent breweries in July 2026 and cites at least 80 closures over the past three years. Lenders have read the same numbers, along with two administrations at Black Hops on the Gold Coast. The result is a cautious market: some lenders pass on breweries altogether, and those that lend want evidence the business stands up.
The evidence they look for is specific. Our brewery business guide notes that the excise remission, which gives 100% automatic remission of excise up to $400,000 per financial year from 1 July 2026 (up from $350,000), can move profit more than most buyers expect, so lenders want to see the buyer qualifies for it. They also want wholesale accounts and tap contracts in writing with the term left on each, and a lease at least as long as the loan if you do not own the site.
The guide surveys seven listings. A Northern Beaches taproom brewery asks $570,000 plus about $30,000 of stock, and a Thornbury brewery with its freehold asks $3,000,000. We have not found a published standard loan-to-value for brewery purchases, so we do not quote one. Ventas is a broker across 40+ lenders and there is no upfront fee to you. We find the lenders still active in the sector and structure the deal around what they will fund.
Do you qualify?
What a lender looks at on a brewery purchase.
A sellable brewhouse
Tanks and a packaging line with age and condition documented.
Three streams of sales
Taproom, wholesale and packaged shown separately, reconciled to BAS and excise returns.
Tap contracts and lease
Written terms with time remaining on each.
Security
Cash or equity in property, since goodwill alone will not carry it.
What helps a brewery deal get funded
Freehold helps
Land and buildings are steadier security than tanks.
Equipment is financeable
The brewhouse and canning line can fund against resale value.
Property can carry it
A lender can rely on your property instead of the brewery.
A worked example
Take the Northern Beaches listing at $570,000 plus $30,000 of stock, $600,000 in all, on owner earnings of over $210,000. A lender might fund a share against the brewhouse and canning line, with $350,000 secured on your home and $250,000 from savings covering the rest, including fit-out and costs. The guide computes the asking price at about 2.7 times earnings. Illustrative only.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Will a bank lend to buy a craft brewery?
Some will, but expect some lenders to decline and others to ask for a large deposit. Property you own is often what makes the difference.
Can I finance the brewing equipment separately?
Yes. Brewhouses, fermenters and canning lines can be financed as equipment, sized on what used brewing gear would resell for, which can be less than the vendor allocates.
Does the excise remission matter to a lender?
Yes. Lenders want evidence the brewery qualifies now and will under your ownership, because the remission affects profit and cash flow. Ask your accountant how it applies to the business you are buying.
Is a leasehold brewery harder to finance than a freehold one?
Usually. A lender wants a lease at least as long as the loan, and a freehold gives them property security that tanks and goodwill do not.