Where Is BEERMKR From Shark Tank Today?

Enjoying an ice-cold beer at the end of a long day can be incredibly cathartic. That feeling is even better when you're responsible for creating the craft pint in question. Humans have been brewing their own beer for thousands of years.  In 2016, scientists uncovered a 5,000-year-old beer recipe in China. However, at some point in the history of cracking cold ones, most of us stopped fermenting our oat sodas, instead opting to toss a six-pack of one cookie-cutter light domestic brew or another into our shopping carts.

Fortunately, local brewing is one the rise — craft beer retail sales skyrocketed an astonishing 21% in 2021, totaling just under $27 billion, according to the Brewers Association. The 50 best craft breweries in America are scattered across the country, signifying how ubiquitous local lagers have become. 

Hoping to capitalize on the newly revitalized craft beer market, BEERMKR brought their futuristic fermentation tool on "Shark Tank" and introduced the world to the wonders of a simplified home brew.

It's easy to understand why a person would want to brew their own beer. You can add whatever flavors you desire and design a completely unique sipping experience. The problem lies in the brewing process itself, which can be incredibly fickle. That's where BeerMKR comes in. 

Company founders Aaron Walls and Brett Vegas created a line of equipment that radically simplifies the home-brewing process. Consumers buy one of their proprietary BEERMKR machines, as well as a BEERMKR ingredient kit, and transform the lengthy home-brew to a process that the company's founders compare to brewing a cup of Keurig coffee. 

Walls and Vegas went big on "Shark Tank" Season 12, Episode 23 and asked the sharks for an investment of $500,000 that would come with a meager 2% share of the company. When the duo revealed their paltry sales numbers, which they explained were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of the sharks decided not to invest. Kevin O'Leary offered a $500,000 loan with several stipulations. But the co-founders declined and walked away without an investment.

BEERMKR was in a relatively early phase of its development at the time founders Aaron Walls and Brett Vegas pitched their beer business on "Shark Tank." Though the pair ultimately opted against Kevin O'Leary's conditional offer, their time on "Shark Tank" proved to be absolutely invaluable.

Just one year after appearing on the show, BEERMKR was already proving that the sharks' reluctance to invest may have been a misstep. BEERMKR has sold thousands of its proprietary brewing machines, and 10 times as many brewing kits. The company's technology has been adopted by some truly talented brewmasters. At the prestigious 2021 National Homebrew Competition, Christian Chandler brought home gold with BEERMKR-born American Porter. Additionally, the company has gone international, which means that simplified solo brewing with a BEERKR machine is poised to become a global phenomenon.

Thanks to Walls and Vegas of BEERMKR, and others like them, brewing craft beer has become easier than ever — we've come a long way from making beer in a closet.