Cider Consulting

Expert cider consultant guiding you through every step of your new or expanding endeavor.

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Business

In-depth insight into the practical needs of cidery start-up and expansion.

  • Business Plan Development

  • Financial Forecasting with Customizable Pro Forma

  • Compliance & Tax Reporting

  • Brand Development & Positioning

  • Navigating Contract Production

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Facility

Building out your cider space the right way.

  • Facility Planning, Design, & Buildout

  • Resources for Architects and GCs

  • Equipment Plans and Sourcing

  • Glycol Piping, Custom Tank Design

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Fermentation

Education, troubleshooting, and expertise on creating quality cider.

  • Recipe Development & Ingredient Sourcing

  • Integrated Production Plans

  • Standard Operating Procedures

  • Fermentation Troubleshooting

  • Cidermaker Training

 

Awesome right? Let’s talk about how our cider consulting can set you up for success.

 

Who We Are

Brown Hat was created in 2019 by hard cider consultant Brent Miles-Wagner to provide an expert resource for the cider industry.

Brent was the founding Head Cidermaker at Seattle Cider Company, where he wrote the business plan, developed their lineup of innovative and award-winning ciders, managed their cider production from inception in 2013 to 20,000 barrels in 2016. 

In 2017 Brent became Head Cidermaker at Sly Clyde Ciderworks in Hampton, VA. He built their cidery from the ground up: developing and producing all ciders, planning production and tap room buildout, and directing the graphic designer on all brand development and packaging.

His ciders have won gold medals at multiple competitions, and he has been a lecturer at the Oregon State University Craft Cider Startup Workshop and a presenter at CiderCon. He co-taught a weeklong cider production course for the Swedish Juice and Cider Producers Association in 2024.

Brent received a Master’s in Entrepreneurship from Uppsala University in 2024, writing his thesis on the challenges facing Swedish craft cideries. He is currently living in Sweden and continuing to consult with clients worldwide.

Client Testimonials

“Over the past 6 years, Brent at Brown Hat Consulting has been invaluable to Offset Ciderworks at every stage of our journey. From fine-tuning our business model and identifying way to lower costs, to forecasting and projecting growth, Brent’s guidance has been instrumental. As a small company with limited resources, every decision is critical, and working with Brent gives me and the company the utmost confidence to make the right choices that have led—-and will continue to lead—-to our success. I wholeheartedly recommend Brown Hat Consulting to anyone starting a cider company. 10/10 would recommend!”
— Adam Pinkham (Owner), Offset Ciderworks
“Coronado Brewing Company has been brewing world class beers and malt beverages for over twenty-five years, but there had always been the hunger to produce the timeless and amazing beverage of cider. The art of cider making is very different from beer, and to truly be able to produce cider on the same level of quality as our beers, you need to have experts around you to educate, guide and collaborate in the process. Brent was pivotal in helping develop our cider program, and we could not have brought Coronado Hard Cider to life without his knowledge and expertise. Cider is now a large part of CBC’s future and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Brown Hat Consulting and would recommend to anybody else looking to pursue a new business in cider.”
— Clinton Smith (CCO), Coronado Brewing

Press

 
“Working with Brent at Brown Hat Consulting has been a game-changer for Crossmount Cider Company. As an established company embarking on an expansion project, Brent’s expertise has been invaluable. From planning our expansion and recommending equipment to designing floorplans and refining critical processes like COGS, forecasting, recipe development, fermentation management, and troubleshooting, his guidance has been exceptional, and he is very knowledgeable. Brent has also helped us implement SOPs and connected us with resources to elevate the quality of our product. His deep knowledge and dedication have made a significant impact, and we’re excited to continue collaborating with him as we grow. Highly recommended!”
— Liam McKercher (GM), Crossmount Cider Company
“Brown Hat Consulting has been instrumental in getting our cider business off the ground. He provides a comprehensive program to help with build out, inventory, sourcing materials and cider making. Would highly recommend to anyone who would like to start a cidery. ”
— Dustin Walker (Co-Owner), East Bower Cider Co.
 

Let’s Do Something Great Together

We’d love to hear from you.

Please fill out the form below, tell us as much information as you can about your goals and why you’re looking for cider consulting and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours.

Otherwise you can schedule a free intro call with me at the link below.