{
  "slug": "taproom-pour-cost-glass",
  "title": "Taproom Pour Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Taproom Beer Pour Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/taproom-pour-cost-glass",
  "summary": "Cost per glass poured from a keg and the price to hit your target pour cost.",
  "description": "Taproom pour cost works differently than bar liquor pour cost because you're comparing self-produced beer cost per barrel against a glass size, not a bottle purchase price against a shot. This calculator takes your production cost per barrel, converts it to cost per ounce, and applies it to your actual glass sizes (pints, tasters, flights) after accounting for foam and spillage loss, which commonly runs 4-8% on draft systems even with well-calibrated lines. It then backs into the price needed to hit a target pour cost percentage. Taprooms usually run a lower target pour cost than bars pouring purchased beer (18-25% vs 20-28%) since there's no wholesale markup baked into the input cost, but many taproom operators still price off what neighboring bars charge instead of their own cost structure.",
  "formula": "Cost per oz = cost per barrel ÷ 3968 oz. Cost per pour = cost per oz × glass oz × (1 + spillage%). Target price = cost per pour ÷ target pour cost%.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=taproom-pour-cost-glass",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "costPerBbl",
      "label": "Production cost per barrel",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 105,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "glassOz",
      "label": "Glass size",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 16,
      "unit": "oz",
      "min": 2,
      "max": 32
    },
    {
      "id": "spillagePct",
      "label": "Foam & spillage loss",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 25
    },
    {
      "id": "targetPourCost",
      "label": "Target pour cost",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 22,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 5,
      "max": 60
    },
    {
      "id": "currentPrice",
      "label": "Current menu price for this pour",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 7,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "targetPrice",
      "label": "Price to hit target pour cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "costPerPour",
      "label": "Cost per pour (incl. spillage)",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "actualPourCostPct",
      "label": "Actual pour cost at current price",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "pourGap",
      "label": "Underpriced by (vs target)",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "costPerOz",
      "label": "Raw cost per ounce",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Production cost per barrel: 105 $",
      "Glass size: 16 oz",
      "Foam & spillage loss: 6 %",
      "Target pour cost: 22 %",
      "Current menu price for this pour: 7 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Price to hit target pour cost: $2.04",
      "Cost per pour (incl. spillage): $0.449",
      "Actual pour cost at current price: 6.4%",
      "Underpriced by (vs target): -$4.96",
      "Raw cost per ounce: $0.0265"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter production cost per barrel ($).",
      "Enter glass size (oz).",
      "Enter foam & spillage loss (%).",
      "Enter target pour cost (%).",
      "Enter current menu price for this pour ($).",
      "Read your price to hit target pour cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "costPerBbl": 65,
        "glassOz": 10,
        "spillagePct": 4,
        "targetPourCost": 13,
        "currentPrice": 4.2
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "costPerBbl": 105,
        "glassOz": 16,
        "spillagePct": 6,
        "targetPourCost": 22,
        "currentPrice": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "costPerBbl": 170,
        "glassOz": 26,
        "spillagePct": 10,
        "targetPourCost": 35,
        "currentPrice": 11.200000000000001
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How much beer is actually in a barrel for pour math?",
      "a": "A US beer barrel is 31 gallons, which is 3,968 fluid ounces. That's the number to divide your per-barrel production cost by to get a raw cost per ounce before accounting for foam and spillage loss on the pour itself."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why is taproom pour cost target lower than a bar's?",
      "a": "A bar buying kegs from a distributor already has a wholesale markup baked into its keg cost, so its pour cost percentage against a purchased keg price is naturally structured differently. A taproom's 'cost' is closer to true production cost with no distributor markup, so hitting the same dollar profit per pour requires a lower percentage target, typically 18-25% versus 20-28% for a bar."
    },
    {
      "q": "What causes high spillage percentages?",
      "a": "Poorly balanced draft lines (wrong resistance for the run length), warm beer temperature causing excess foam, inconsistent glassware angle during pour, and heavy carbonation styles like Belgians or ciders all increase foam loss. Recalibrating line balance is usually the single biggest lever, often cutting spillage from 10%+ down to 4-5%."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/brewery-batch-cost-barrel",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/keg-vs-can-margin"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Taproom Pour Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/taproom-pour-cost-glass)"
}