Should You Use QuickBooks For Your Brewery?
Let’s be real: most brewery owners didn’t get into the business because they love accounting software.
You got into this to make great beer, build a loyal customer base, and maybe grow into something you can be proud of. But somewhere along the way, managing inventory, running payroll, and trying to make sense of your numbers became part of your day-to-day. And like a lot of business owners, you probably started with QuickBooks Online because it was familiar, or your accountant said it was “industry standard.”
We get it. But here’s the problem: QuickBooks wasn’t built for breweries.
And the longer you keep using it, the more time you’re spending fighting your accounting system instead of using it to make smart decisions.
Let’s talk about how QuickBooks for breweries works and why we think Xero is a better fit for your brewery.
Your Brewery Isn’t a Generic Small Business
Most accounting software assumes your business has a single model you sell a product or service, track expenses, and check profits at month’s end. QuickBooks For Breweries is tailored to handle the unique needs of breweries, including production, distribution, and complex inventory tracking..
But your brewery is more complicated than that.
You’re a manufacturer. You’re a distributor. You might also run a taproom or a restaurant, or have retail sales in your tasting room. That means your accounting system needs to handle:
- Multiple sales channels
- Production costs
- Prime costs (like food, beer, labor)
- Multiple margins (gross margin on beer, margins on food, etc.)
- Separate reporting for each part of the business
QuickBooks Online just isn’t built for brewery complexity. While you can use workarounds, it’s clunky and prone to errors. With QuickBooks For Breweries, setups are designed for production, inventory, and sales tracking, ensuring your reports stay accurate and useful.
Xero, on the other hand, lets you build your system around the way your brewery actually operates. It’s more flexible, more intuitive, and way better suited for the day-to-day reality of running a brewery.
The 13-Period Calendar: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Most business owners don’t think about their financial calendar… until it starts getting in the way.
Here’s the deal: a traditional calendar year (January–December) doesn’t divide neatly into four-week periods. Some months are longer, and holidays shift each year, making comparisons tricky. QuickBooks For Breweries can help standardize reporting periods so you get accurate, consistent insights every month.
That’s why a lot of breweries (and restaurants) use a 13-period calendar—13 four-week periods that give you clean, consistent reporting. Every “month” is the same length. You can compare Period 1 to Period 2 and actually see what changed.
QuickBooks can’t do this.
You can’t define custom periods. You can’t run meaningful period-over-period reports unless you export data and Frankenstein it together in Excel.
Xero can. You can define whatever periods you want: four-week cycles, fiscal years that start in April, weeks that end on a Tuesday. Whatever makes the most sense for your business, Xero can report on it.
If you’ve ever felt like your reports didn’t “line up” or didn’t give a clear picture of your brewery’s finances, that’s a common issue. QuickBooks For Breweries is designed to fix this, providing accurate, easy-to-read financial insights tailored for brewing operations.
Better Reporting, No Hacking Required
Let’s say you want to know:
- How much profit you’re making in the taproom vs distribution
- What your margin is on food vs beer
- Your taproom labor as a % of taproom sales
- Your brewery labor vs distribution sales
QuickBooks can show you taproom vs distribution profit, but it can’t show you anything else in the above list..
Xero makes it easier. It was built with customization in mind. You can tag transactions, segment data, and build reports that actually reflect how your business works. No hacks. No Excel gymnastics.
Oh, and BTW, it is more simple and affordable than QuickBooks, too.
Designed for Owners (Not Just Accountants)
One of the things we love most about Xero is that it was built for business owners, not just accountants.
QuickBooks feels like a platform designed by accountants for accountants. That’s not a bad thing, but it often leaves business owners feeling lost. The menus are cluttered. You have to click through five layers just to find the report you’re looking for. It’s hard to see the big picture unless you know exactly where to look.
Xero is different. It’s simple, clean, and organized around the things you care about: operations, performance, and cash. You can pull up what you need quickly. You can navigate without a PhD in accounting.
If you’re working with a team, QuickBooks for Breweries lets you set up multiple users with custom permissions, so you’re not stuck sharing logins or paying extra whenever someone new needs access. For breweries looking for creative growth strategies, learning how Dogfish Head turned “Quitter’s Day” into a craft beer win can provide inspiration for innovative marketing and operational approaches.
What About the Cost?
Xero starts at around $30/month.
That’s it.
If you’ve looked into other options, like inventory software or accounting platforms “built for breweries”, you’ve probably seen price tags in the thousands. And those platforms often don’t replace your accounting software anyway… they just sit on top of it.
With Xero, you’re getting the core system that actually works for how your business runs. And you’re not paying extra for every additional user or custom report.
So… Should You Use QuickBooks In Your Brewery?
If you’re running a simple business with no complexity, QuickBooks Online might still be fine.
But your brewery isn’t simple.
You’ve got multiple revenue streams. Complicated cost structures. Seasonal trends. Staff. Vendors. Events. Regulations.
You need a system that supports all that, not one that you’re constantly working around.
That’s why we recommend Xero. Every time!
Want Help Making the Switch?
At U-Nique Accounting, we specialize in helping breweries get out of QuickBooks and into a system that actually works for them.
We don’t just “set up” Xero and walk away. We help you build out the right reports, structure your chart of accounts, and get clarity on your numbers.
If you’re ready to stop wrestling with your accounting software and actually start using your financials to grow your brewery, let’s talk.
Use the calendar down below to book your free introductory call.
Until next time!
By MATT CIANCIARULO
