Many people dream of brewing their own craft beer at home. They love the idea of experimenting with flavors and sharing something they made from scratch. But in reality, home brewing takes a lot of time, money, and space. You need bulky equipment, you need to carefully measure ingredients, boil wort, ferment, and sanitize; this scares away anyone without a garage or a few hours to spare.
The process feels complex and hard to control for beginners. So while the craft-beer trend is booming, most fans still buy from the store because home brewing sounds too complicated.
That’s where BEERMKR comes in. This product aims to make brewing easy and accessible. It’s a compact countertop system with pre-measured kits. You add water, drop in a flavor pod, press a button, and wait about a week for your beer. No heavy lifting, no giant kettles, no guesswork. The idea is to make brewing so simple that anyone can do it. It came from two Cornell MBA students who saw how high barriers stop most homebrewers.
They entered Shark Tank, asking for a big investment to bring their vision to life. They walked in asking for $500,000 for 2% of their company—a $25 million valuation. Let’s see what happened in the tank and where the brand stands today.
BeerMKR Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Aaron and Brett were looking for an investment of $500k in exchange for 2% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, they valued their company at $25 million. Aaron and Brett did not secure a deal with any of the Sharks. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of BEERMKR is around $6 million.
Shark(s) name
Offer & Demand
Counteroffer
Accepted?
Barbara Corcoran
Out
N/A
N/A
Lori Greiner
Out
N/A
N/A
Kevin O’Leary
$500,000 loan at 9% + 4% equity$500,000 loan at 9% + 3% equity
$500,000 loan at 9% + 2% equity
No
Alex Rodriguez
Out
N/A
N/A
Mark Cuban
Out
N/A
N/A
Aaron and Brett Backstory + Their Initial Pitch
Aaron had always been fascinated by beer. He brewed with passion in his basement, learning that flavor balance required skill and attention. Brett, meanwhile, loved tasting unique beers but found home brewing intimidating. Both understood that if brewing was as simple as pressing a button, more people would try it at home.
They tested prototypes through Cornell’s incubator, facing early hurdles. One challenge was temperature control. Beer needs exact temperatures during fermentation, so they had to build a reliable heating and cooling unit. Another problem was ensuring cleanliness. To prevent contamination, they needed sealed pods and a machine that self-sanitizes.
Sourcing pods that stayed fresh and flavorful on shelves was also difficult. They negotiated carefully with suppliers to lock in quality and price.
On stage, they showed a polished prototype and gave a live demonstration of the brewing cycle. They walked through the Kickstarter success—1,000 orders in days—and explained the subscription model. Their pitch emphasized startup growth: recurring revenue from ingredient kits, high margins, and a social app to connect brew-lovers.
Despite the smooth presentation, the Sharks sensed a valuation mismatch. $25 million for a concept that only shipped 24 units felt ambitious.
Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal
Each Shark had strong concerns and questions about the product:
Barbara Corcoran asked if they had real customers yet. Aaron said they had fulfilled only 24 units. She found that too early and pulled out. She told them kindly that without proof of demand, she could not invest.
Lori Greiner asked about safety and liability: what if a kit got contaminated and made someone sick? The founders explained they had strict lab testing for pods, but she remained worried without long-term data. She also felt the valuation was unrealistic, and she declined.
Mark Cuban asked about cost and pricing. The machine cost $375 to make and retailed for $499. Ingredient kits cost $9 to produce and are sold for $15 per 12-pack. Cuban asked about churn—if customers would keep subscribing after the first trial. He also said it seemed too early to recoup his investment, and he bowed out.
Alex Rodriguez asked whether the provided revenue and orders justified their valuation. Brett replied that Kickstarter had nearly $3 million in pre-sales. But the machine itself was still waiting for mass shipping. A‑Rod said the valuation was unrealistic and stepped away.
Kevin O’Leary was the most detailed. He complimented the brew concept but worried the valuation was too high. He offered a $500,000 loan at 9% interest with 4% equity. Aaron and Brett countered: they wanted to keep equity low, 2%. Kevin met them in the middle and said that 3% equity, along with the loan, would work. But Aaron and Brett hesitated. They did not want debt. After a pause, they declined the offer. That ended their time in the tank with no deal.
First, the valuation was too high. Sharks agreed the machine and pods were clever, but a $25 million valuation with just 24 shipped units looked more like a dream than a reality. Sharks asked for more proof of concept.
Second, the low equity ask created suspicion. If they valued themselves highly but only offered 2%, the Sharks wondered why Aaron and Brett needed professional guidance. High valuation combined with minimal equity signals confidence, but also isolation.
Third, concerns about safety and subscription continuity arose. Prototypes worked, but manufacturing at scale and ensuring pod safety posed risks they had not fully answered.
Lastly, Shark confidence depends on traction. While the Kickstarter was impressive, shipping hundreds of machines is different than funding them. With only 24 units completed, Sharks did not feel the business had legs yet.
Product Availability
The BEERMKR brewing system is a sleek countertop box roughly the size of a toaster oven. It includes sterilized pods of malt extract, hops, yeast, and nutrients—all pre-measured. Users add about 2 liters of water, insert the pod, close the lid, and select beer style on the touchscreen. The machine controls temperature automatically.
In about one week, fermentation finishes. You connect your keg or bottle through a tube and pressurize the system with CO₂ or carbonation drops.
The company sells the machine for a suggested machine price of $499. Ingredient kits cost about $15 per 12-pack on subscription, or a $10 kit costs via one-off purchase on their website. The site also sells special flavors—like chocolate stout or citrus IPA—and a carbonating keg attachment. Machines are currently waitlisted since they are near full capacity.
Kits remain available for purchase, and auto-ship monthly options are offered. The website includes brewing guides, troubleshooting tips, and community recipes contributed by other users.
What Happened To The BeerMKR After Shark Tank?
After their episode aired in September 2023, Aaron Walls and Brett Vegas launched an equity crowdfunding campaign. They raised over $300,000 from individual investors, showing faith in their brewing concept. Meanwhile, the BEERMKR machine became harder to get, with a waitlist stretching several months into 2024. This suggests demand continues to grow.
By mid‑2024, estimated annual revenue reached $3 million from machine sales and kit subscriptions. Most revenue came from pre-orders and early customers. Core fans waited patiently despite slower-than-expected shipping.
In early 2025, BEERMKR began shipping more units from improved production lines in North America. They also partnered with craft breweries to create flavor kits featuring local brewers’ recipes. This has added brand credibility and access to new audiences.
Today, the machine remains not widely available in retail stores—it’s still direct-to-consumer via their website. Reviews have been positive: users love how easy it is and enjoy sharing recipes online. Critics note the machine price is high and pods are more expensive than home-brew supplies, but many say spinning up fresh beer at home is a fun and novel experience.
Conclusion
BEERMKR is a creative solution to simplify home brewing. Aaron and Brett presented a polished product and a real community promise. They sought $500,000 for just 2% equity, but their $25 million valuation and low equity offer turned away the Sharks. YET, they didn’t need Shark money to carry on.
They launched with a Kickstarter that funded machine production, followed by equity crowdfunding, and continued strong pre-orders. As of 2024, BEERMKR has achieved $3 million in revenue, solidified a fan base, and begun shipping units regularly.
They did not land a Shark deal, but they did not need one. Instead of a quick cash injection, they proved real demand. They traded inspiration, passion, and bootstrap funding for slow growth, but also retained control of their brand. Now, they are building a loyal community of home brewers and preparing for broader retail expansion someday.
BEERMKR shows how a dream valued by founders can still come true—even when the Sharks walk away.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib, an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Shark Tank has always been one of my favorite TV shows because it offers a unique glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship. The way entrepreneurs present innovative solutions to everyday problems aligns with my academic interests and fuels my curiosity about business strategies. Each pitch showcases creativity and strategic decision-making, which I find both insightful and inspiring. Watching the show has deepened my passion for business and motivated me to explore the world of entrepreneurship even further. Beyond business and writing, I love food, shopping, and spending time with my friends and family.
