Monthly bookkeeping
Reconciled books in QuickBooks Online or Xero, with inventory and production activity reflected in the close.
BREWERIES
CFO advisory for independent craft breweries
A fractional CFO for breweries is for owners who are running production, inventory, a taproom, and wholesale at the same time. Brewery CFO services and a brewery financial consultant, in LedgerFox's work, mean a craft brewery CFO relationship: current books, and a clear view of which beers, channels, and decisions are funding the business.
We are based in Bozeman, Montana, and we work with independent breweries beyond Montana. An outsourced CFO for a brewery is financial leadership without a full-time hire. Brewery financial advisor, in this context, means the business — not personal investments.
THE PROBLEM
A brewery is four businesses sharing one set of tanks.
Production, inventory, wholesale, and the taproom do not earn money on the same clock. Generic small-business reports miss cost per batch, the cash tied up in tanks and packaged beer, and the margin difference between a pint poured on site and a keg sold through distribution.
Owners feel that as "we are busy and still tight," or as a capacity decision — another tank, more distribution, a bigger taproom — made before anyone can say which channel is paying for it.
WHAT WE DO
Books that know a brewery, and advice on the next capacity decision.
LedgerFox works with independent craft breweries. We keep the monthly books current and help the owner see product cost, channel margin, and cash. Craft beverage producers with the same shape — production, a place people drink, and wholesale — can use the same relationship. We do not open a separate beverage URL, and we screen for businesses that actually operate this way. Bookkeeping is included when the engagement needs it. We do not arrange equipment financing, and we do not prepare taxes. Your CPA still owns the return. Expansion and "can we afford the next tank" live in the cash and forecast work, linked to budgeting when the decision is large enough to model.
SERVICES
Where brewery finances get specific
BREWERY FINANCE
What the engagement covers
Beer costing
Cost of goods and a path to cost per barrel, so pricing is not a guess averaged across every brand.
Channel margin
Taproom and wholesale kept separate enough to see which one is carrying labor, packaging, and cash.
Working capital
Ingredients, packaging, and kegs that leave before the invoice is paid.
Capacity decisions
A new tank, a packaging step, or more distribution, checked against cash and margin. We do not broker equipment loans.
A standing conversation
Time with the owner or general manager each month, not only a report.
HOW THE WORK MOVES
From the brewhouse to the decision
Production and sales recorded
Cost by beer
Taproom vs wholesale
Cash in inventory
Next capacity decision
DELIVERABLES
What you receive
A current close
Books that include production, inventory, and both sales channels.
A brewery scorecard
Margin, channel mix, and cash the owner can read monthly.
A capacity check
Whether the next tank, hire, or distribution push fits the cash and the margin.
PROOF
Built for breweries that have outgrown a generic close
This fits an independent craft brewery with production and at least one path to the customer — a taproom, wholesale, or both. We do not publish client names or performance claims. If you are still homebrewing, looking for equipment, or booking a tour, this is not that page.
FAQ
Common questions
What does a fractional CFO do for a brewery?
Keeps the financial picture current and uses it for operating decisions: what beer costs, which channel earns, whether cash can support the next tank or hire. People also call this brewery CFO services, a craft brewery CFO, or an outsourced CFO for a brewery. It is not a full-time executive on payroll.
Are you a lender or an equipment broker?
No. We will help you see whether a capacity or equipment decision fits the brewery's cash and margin. We do not arrange brewery loans, equipment financing, or debt restructuring.
Do you prepare brewery tax returns?
No. We organize the books and coordinate with your CPA. Excise tax, income tax, and filing stay with your tax preparer.
Do you only work with breweries, or with other beverage companies?
The pages are written for independent craft breweries. A craft beverage producer with production, a tasting room, and wholesale can inquire if the economics match. We do not run a separate beverage-manufacturing site.
Do you work with breweries outside Montana?
Yes. LedgerFox is based in Bozeman and works with breweries nationwide.
Is bookkeeping included?
When the books are not current enough to support costing and cash decisions, bookkeeping is part of the engagement. Advisory on top of someone else's unreliable close does not hold.
Talk through the brewery, not a generic small-business close.
Tell us how you sell — taproom, wholesale, or both — and which decision is in front of you. We will say whether bookkeeping, costing, or ongoing advisory is the right scope.