As breweries across the country face evolving consumer preferences and increased competition, one strategy is gaining traction: coffee. Not just as an ingredient in seasonal stouts, but as a full-fledged, all-day beverage offering.
For many forward-thinking breweries, coffee isn’t just a trend—it’s a smart business move.
Why Coffee?
The reasons for adding coffee to the brewery lineup vary, but a few common themes emerge: passion, diversification, and smart use of space and equipment.
“We just kept asking ourselves: why not?” said Mel from Other Lands Beer in Greenville, South Carolina. “We’re already here all day. The space is here. The equipment is here. Why not be a coffee shop in the morning and a brewery in the afternoon?”
Mel’s team saw early on that offering coffee allowed them to tap into a new customer base, without drastically increasing operational complexity. “Coffee is a lot easier to make than beer,” she added. “We even use our Deutsche tanks to cold steep.”
At Red Horn Coffee House & Brewing Co. in Cedar Park, Texas, the fusion of coffee and beer started with a vacation dream—and quickly turned into a powerhouse business. “We open at 7AM like a regular cafe,” said Phil, a member of Red Horn’s team. “People come in with their laptops, work all day, and then transition to beer in the evening. It keeps traffic steady all day long.”
The Cold Brew Connection
One of the fastest-growing categories in specialty coffee is cold brew—and breweries are uniquely positioned to produce it well. With tanks, chillers, filtration systems, and brewing know-how already in place, the leap into cold brew can be surprisingly simple.
“Precision is key,” said Brad from Sycamore Brewing in Charlotte, NC. “Instead of steeping beans directly in beer, we make a cold brew and inject it. That way, we control flavor balance and consistency much better.” Sycamore’s passion for coffee began with personal interest but turned into a business driver. “We knew we needed commercial coffee brewing equipment that could meet the high quality we were after. Working with Deutsche made it easy— they provided a brewing system specifically engineered for coffee.” Sycamore first learned about Deutsche’s coffee brewhouses through fellow customers who were using a Deutsche system to make their coffee.
From Taproom Perks to Full-On Cafes
Foothills Brewing in Winston-Salem, NC began roasting coffee at home. By 2018, they expanded their footprint with a new café and cold brew program. “Cold brew is now a core offering,” said Sarah from Foothills. “We nitrogenate it, can it, use it in cocktails—and even infuse it into our THC beverage line.”
As Sarah pointed out, the landscape for craft breweries has changed. “We were the 17th brewery in North Carolina. Now there are over 400. People are drinking less, and competition is tougher. So we became a beverage company—not just a brewery.”
Making the Most of Equipment You Already Have
One key advantage breweries have when launching a coffee program? Equipment.
Many cold brew operations can run on existing brewing infrastructure—or with minimal add-ons like a dedicated steeping tank, filtration system, or chillers. Some breweries, like Sycamore and Red Horn, use specialized coffee systems from Deutsche Beverage + Process, which are engineered for high-quality cold brew production.
More Than a Beverage—It’s a Brand Builder
Beyond the obvious revenue stream, coffee helps breweries tell a bigger story.
“People come in for a cup of coffee,” said Brad from Sycamore, “and they learn we’re more than just beer. It builds a broader respect for the brand.”
At Red Horn, where in-house roasting is part of the brand DNA, the coffee program stands on its own merit. “We’re not just brewing beer. We’re crafting beverages—whether it’s espresso, cold brew, or IPA.”
Not Just for Brewers: Supporting Specialty Coffee at Scale
While many breweries are tapping into coffee to expand their offerings, Deutsche Beverage + Process also works directly with specialty coffee producers looking to scale with precision and consistency. A standout example is Good Citizen Coffee Co. in Nashville—an industry leader in ethical sourcing, regenerative agriculture, and high-quality RTD (ready-to-drink) coffees.
To meet growing demand, Good Citizen partnered with Deutsche to build a turnkey, hot extraction and flash-chill system capable of producing up to 3,000 gallons per week. The system features 1,000-gallon hot and cold water tanks, a steeping vessel with a 200-micron false bottom, multi-stage filtration, and a glycol-driven flash chiller that rapidly cools the extracted coffee from 160°F to 40°F—all automated via Siemens controls for total process visibility and efficiency.
“The goal was to replicate the quality of a fresh café brew at scale,” said Co-Founder Sean Stewart, “and Deutsche helped us do exactly that.”
Ready to Brew Up Something New?
If your brewery is looking for a new way to grow, coffee might be the perfect blend of opportunity and accessibility. Whether you want to start small with a batch of cold brew or launch a full café program, Deutsche Beverage + Process can help with turnkey equipment solutions, including complete coffee brewhouses, coffee steeping systems, fermentation and conditioning tanks, filtration, and even deaeration skids.
To learn more about how Deutsche can help you take your brewing system further, visit our coffee and tea equipment page.
