How to Choose the Best Brewery POS System for Modern Taprooms and Brewpubs

Finding the best brewery POS system is no longer just about ringing up beers at the bar. Today’s breweries operate as dynamic hospitality businesses—balancing taproom service, food programs, events, merchandise, patios, and sometimes multiple locations. As expectations rise and margins tighten, the POS system at the center of your operation must do far more than process transactions.

The right brewery POS should help you move faster, serve guests better, adapt to changing service models, and make smarter operational decisions—without forcing you into rigid workflows or expensive hardware lock-ins.

So how do you choose the best brewery POS system for your business? Here’s what to look for, based on real-world brewery use cases and proven operational outcomes.

Why Brewery POS Decisions Matter More Than Ever

Breweries don’t operate like traditional restaurants. Guests may order at the bar, from a server, from their phone, or all three in a single visit. Tap lists rotate constantly. Peak demand can swing wildly depending on weather, events, or game days. And staffing challenges continue to put pressure on teams to do more with less.

A modern brewery POS system must support this reality by enabling:

• Flexible / hybrid service styles (bar service, tableside, mobile ordering)
• Real-time inventory visibility across taps and menus
• Faster throughput during rushes
• Better data for forecasting and staffing decisions

This is why more operators are re-evaluating legacy restaurant POS systems—and why choosing the best brewery POS system is now a strategic decision, not just a technical one.

1. The Best Brewery POS Systems Support Hybrid Service Models

One of the biggest shifts in brewery operations is the move toward hybrid service—combining staff-led hospitality with guest-driven ordering and payment. Rigid POS systems struggle here. They’re often designed for either full-service restaurants or quick-service counters, not the fluid, social environments breweries thrive in.

GoTab was built specifically to support hybrid hospitality. Whether guests order at the bar, from their table, or directly from their phone, everything flows through a single, unified system. Breweries using GoTab can:

• Open and manage tabs anywhere
• Let guests order and pay on their own terms
• Reduce lines without sacrificing hospitality
• Scale service up or down without reworking workflows

If your brewery is experimenting with new service styles—or wants the flexibility to do so—the best brewery POS system is one that doesn’t force you into a single model.

2. Flexibility Beats “All-In-One” Lock-In

Many breweries start with a POS system that seems simple at first, only to find it limiting as the business grows. Proprietary hardware, closed ecosystems, and inflexible integrations can make it difficult to adapt. The best brewery POS system should be flexible by design:

• Compatible with multiple device types
• Able to evolve as your operation changes
• Open to best-in-class integrations

This flexibility is a key reason why Bear Cave Brewing made a major change. In Bear Cave Brewing’s Big Pivot: Why a Minnesota Brewpub Left Toast Behind for GoTab, the team shares how switching POS platforms gave them greater control over service flow, data, and guest experience—without being boxed in by a system that wasn’t built for breweries.

3. Built by and for the Brewery Community

When evaluating the best brewery POS system, it’s worth asking a simple question: Was this technology actually built with breweries in mind? GoTab wasn’t just designed for breweries—it was started in a brewery. From day one, the platform was shaped by the realities of taproom service, rotating menus, peak rushes, and guest-driven experiences. That operator-first mindset continues today.

GoTab is an active member of the Brewers Association (Craft Brewers Association) and Craft Beer Professionals, and we’re proud to support the brewery industry beyond software alone. We’re also members of several of the most active state brewery associations across the U.S., working closely with local guilds and independent operators who are shaping the future of craft beer. That ongoing involvement ensures GoTab continues to evolve alongside the industry—responding to real operational challenges, regulatory changes, and emerging service models breweries face every day.

4. Inventory Visibility Is Non-Negotiable

For breweries, inventory isn’t just food—it’s beer. Rotating taps, limited releases, and seasonal offerings make real-time visibility critical. The best brewery POS system should:

• Sync inventory automatically across all ordering channels
• Update availability the moment a keg kicks
• Reduce manual tracking and staff guesswork
• Provide actionable reporting on product performance
  
  

Without this, breweries risk overselling, disappointing guests, and losing insight into what’s actually driving revenue. GoTab’s unified platform ensures that whether an order comes from the bar, a server, or a guest’s phone, inventory stays accurate and up to date—helping operators make smarter decisions without extra admin work.

5. Proven Performance in High-Volume Brewery Environments

When evaluating the best brewery POS system, it’s worth looking beyond small taprooms to see how platforms perform under pressure.

In Mighty Squirrel’s Winning Season in Fenway Park, GoTab supported high-volume service inside one of the most iconic—and demanding—venues in the country. That same performance translates directly to busy brewery weekends, festivals, and large-scale events.

Similarly, A Craft Brewery Revolution in Dallas, Texas highlights how flexible technology enabled a complex, experience-driven brewery concept to thrive without sacrificing operational control.

Choosing the Best Brewery POS System Starts with the Right Foundation

At its core, the best brewery POS system is one that:

• Supports hybrid service and guest choice
• Adapts to your space, staff, and service style
• Provides real-time visibility into inventory and performance
• Scales as your brewery grows
• Is built by a company deeply committed to the brewery industry

If you’re evaluating POS options—or reconsidering your current setup—the most important question isn’t “What works for restaurants?” It’s “What works for breweries?”

To explore a deeper breakdown of brewery-specific POS requirements, features, and real-world use cases, visit GoTab’s Brewery POS System and see how modern breweries are building more flexible, profitable operations with technology designed specifically for them.