Owner Kristian Schank: ‘Every day, we’re making more than we’re spending. That’s a win.’
When Nebraska history teacher Kristian Schank and his wife, Crystal, began planning a brewery, they knew what they did not want.
They did not want another name built around Scottsbluff, the Oregon Trail or one of the region’s familiar landmarks. Schank jokingly said he wanted to be “scot-free” of the expected choices. The phrase stuck, and Scott Free Brewing Company was born.
“That led to a conversation about what scot-free means,” Schank said. “We said, ‘What if we named all the beers after criminals or, better stated, people with a questionable relationship with the law who have gotten away scot-free?’ That’s kind of where it all came from.”
Local history also makes its way onto the tap list, including a beer inspired by a 19th-century stagecoach robbery in which two stolen gold bars were never recovered.
“One of my absolute favorite parts of my job is researching this stuff,” he said. “We try to make some of our beers as local as possible.”
Scott Free opened in December 2024 with a taproom that accommodates 36 guests, 10 products on tap and a 3.5-barrel brewing system capable of producing about 109 gallons in a single turn. They went lean on purpose, giving the couple room to establish the business without taking on the heavy real estate and equipment costs that can weigh down a young brewery.
Scott Free has since grown steadily during a difficult period for the U.S. alcohol industry, expanding its production capacity while remaining focused on financial sustainability.
“Every day, we’re making more than we’re spending,” Schank said. “That’s a win. I can’t say that about every brewery I’ve talked to in the last year and a half.”
Scott Free is now taking another important step, using Beer30 Lite and preparing to implement GoTab as it builds a more connected operational foundation for continued growth.
Beer30 Lite Gives Scott Free a Right-Sized Alternative to Spreadsheets
As production increased, Kristian Schank needed a better way to follow what was happening inside the brewhouse.
Scott Free began with two fermenters and four serving tanks. Since then, the brewery has added another fermenter, two bright tanks and, most recently, a seven-barrel fermenter. The new capacity will allow Schank to double-batch some of Scott Free’s most popular beers.
“You want to make more, be able to do more and get more business,” Schank said.
As the brewery grew, managing production through spreadsheets became more difficult.
Schank had previously explored Beer30 from The 5th Ingredient, a brewery management platform that centralizes production, inventory and operational data. Beer30 was launched in January 2018 by Pulkit K. Agrawal, a Harvard graduate and former process engineer who saw a need for software that extended beyond inventory management to brewing processes and quality.
In September 2024, GoTab announced a strategic partnership with The 5th Ingredient to connect GoTab’s point-of-sale platform with Beer30.
The integration between GoTab and Beer30 connects front-of-house transactions with back-end inventory management. Sales and inventory data can be synchronized automatically, reducing manual reconciliation and the risk of costly errors.
Together, the platforms give breweries greater visibility across production and sales. Operators can access detailed reporting, compare revenue from wholesale and point-of-sale transactions, monitor inventory and make more informed production decisions.
Schank liked Beer30, but he said the full platform was just beyond the budget of a brewery his size. Beer30 Lite offers a streamlined, lower-cost entry point without requiring venues to pay for functionality they do not need.
“At $30 a month, it beats the pants off me trying to figure out spreadsheets,” Schank explained. “It does what I need it to, and that’s what matters.”
Scott Free began using Beer30 Lite earlier in the summer. The software now gives Schank a simpler way to manage inventory and follow tanks, transfers and production activity as the brewery adds equipment and increases output.
“I really like being able to track my stuff,” Schank said. “It’s much easier in Beer30 to track tanks and where tanks are going and when I’m moving stuff around.”
Beer30’s modular model also gives Scott Free a path to add more capabilities as the business becomes more complex.
All Beer30 and Beer30 Lite customers also receive free access to The Beer30 Marketplace, which offers discounts on grain, hops, fruit purees, equipment, small parts, software and other brewery essentials. Those savings can help operators lower costs on products they already need.
Scott Free Turns to GoTab for Greater Simplicity and Transparency
While Beer30 Lite had begun addressing Scott Free’s production needs, Schank was also looking for a better front-of-house experience. The brewery has selected GoTab as its new brewery point of sale platform.
“I’ve been happy with what the product looks like,” he explained.
His priorities for the transition are straightforward. He wants an easier interface for employees, simpler management when he is away from the brewery and greater transparency around payment processing costs.
“There are times when something comes up and I think, ‘This is needlessly complicated. This is too much for them to have to figure out.’ I want it to be easier on my side of things, too,” Schank added. “If I’m out of town and have to make a change on my phone, it gets almost unmanageable. An easier and more transparent charge structure is another thing I’m looking forward to.”
Managing a brewery while continuing to teach means Schank cannot always be inside the taproom when a change is needed. Once Scott Free goes live, GoTab will provide a flexible point-of-sale foundation designed to make routine management easier and support the brewery as it grows.
GoTab and Beer30 Help Scott Free Prepare for a Bigger Future
Scott Free’s growth strategy reflects the same discipline that guided its launch.
Schank resisted the temptation to begin with a large building and expensive equipment that could take years to pay off. Instead, he and Crystal chose an affordable taproom and invested incrementally as demand developed.
“I would have loved to have a 150-capacity taproom, but there was nothing available in the price range I wanted,” Schank said.
The current operation includes about 2,000 square feet of brewing space, giving Scott Free ample room to increase production. Schank plans to retain the current taproom and brewing footprint while eventually opening a separate, larger customer-facing location inspired by a traditional German beer garden.
He envisions a mostly outdoor gathering space with picnic tables, shade sails, lights, a small stage, room for children to play, cornhole and either a kitchen or space for food trucks. Scott Free’s German-focused beer program would remain at the center of the experience.
His five-year goal will require more production, more customers and greater operational complexity. Pairing GoTab and Beer30 gives the brewery a foundation that can grow with each of those demands.
“I think by sticking with the small thing we have now, we can achieve our goals down the road,” he said with a smile.
See how GoTab’s brewery point of sale helps breweries and taprooms connect ordering, payments and reporting, and how the GoTab and Beer30 integration links front-of-house sales with production and inventory data.
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