The News
Brown Hat Consulting has launched Cidery Manager, a production management tool tailored specifically for cider companies. The app is designed to handle the unique workflows of cider-making and offers both free and paid tiers. It was developed by Brent Miles-Wagner, who has 13 years of experience in the industry as a head cidermaker and consultant. The Pro version allows cideries to manage production and sales from start to finish.
The Takeaway
Cider-Specific Focus: Cidery Manager was built by someone with 13 years in the industry, which means it's not just another generic ERP system—it’s tailored for cider production. Unlike standard brewery-focused software, this app addresses the unique needs of cideries that often don’t fit into traditional brewing systems.
Cost-Efficient Solution: The Free tier allows small cider companies to track basic production without the high costs of enterprise software. For those who need more, the Pro version offers full management from start to finish—something many smaller cideries can't afford with existing solutions like spreadsheets or overpriced ERP systems.
Industry Expertise: Brent Miles-Wagner, the founder, brings real-world experience as both a cidermaker and consultant. That means Cidery Manager isn’t just software—it’s informed by actual production methods used across different types of cideries, from continuous year-round fermenters to seasonal fall presses that release product the following year.
Original Press Release
Uppsala, Sweden (3/16/26) – Brown Hat Consulting announces the beta release of Cidery Manager, a cider-focused production management web application.
Cidery Manager is production enterprise resource management software built specifically for cider companies and their particular workflows. The Free tier allows single-user cideries to track basic production, and the Pro tier equips cideries to manage their production and sales from start to finish. Pro functionality is available free for 30 days during the beta at ciderymanager.com.
“This is something I have wanted to build for a long time,” says Brent Miles-Wagner, Founder of Brown Hat Consulting. “Existing ERP software is often built for breweries and is thus unable to fully capture cider-specific production requirements, and tends to be overbuilt and too expensive for most small to medium cider companies to comfortably switch from spreadsheets.”
Cidery Manager is built and managed by Miles-Wagner specifically for cider companies, informed by his 13 years in the industry as both a Head Cidermaker and Cider Consultant. It accommodates the full spectrum of cider production methods, from continuous production cideries fermenting juice year-round to traditional cideries pressing apples in the fall and releasing product the following year.
The app’s features include:
FreeTrack batches from start to finish, from press logs and juice receipt through fermentation additions and interventions, finishing with packaging or bottle fermentation.
Track batches from start to finish, from press logs and juice receipt through fermentation additions and interventions, finishing with packaging or bottle fermentation.
Track batches from start to finish, from press logs and juice receipt through fermentation additions and interventions, finishing with packaging or bottle fermentation.
Pro ($99/mo)Everything in FreeDetailed cost tracking and reportsInventory management, from raw and packaging materials to finished goodsSales and distribution functionality, allowing for QuickBooks integration, invoice creation, sales route planning, and customer relationship managementSimplified mobile views for both cellar workers and sales repsExcise tax readinessTTB-ready tax reports (for cider, not for beer)Washington State excise report (future state reports to come)Excise tax categories for the U.S., Canada, and Sweden
Pro ($99/mo)
Everything in Free
Everything in Free
Detailed cost tracking and reports
Detailed cost tracking and reports
Inventory management, from raw and packaging materials to finished goods
Inventory management, from raw and packaging materials to finished goods
Sales and distribution functionality, allowing for QuickBooks integration, invoice creation, sales route planning, and customer relationship management
Sales and distribution functionality, allowing for QuickBooks integration, invoice creation, sales route planning, and customer relationship management
Simplified mobile views for both cellar workers and sales reps
Simplified mobile views for both cellar workers and sales reps
Excise tax readinessTTB-ready tax reports (for cider, not for beer)Washington State excise report (future state reports to come)Excise tax categories for the U.S., Canada, and Sweden
Excise tax readiness
TTB-ready tax reports (for cider, not for beer)
TTB-ready tax reports (for cider, not for beer)
Washington State excise report (future state reports to come)
Washington State excise report (future state reports to come)
Excise tax categories for the U.S., Canada, and Sweden
Excise tax categories for the U.S., Canada, and Sweden
During the beta, a limited number of early users can gain free onboarding and data migration by emailing support at ciderymanager.com with BETA ONBOARDING in the subject line.
More information can be found at ciderymanager.com and brownhatconsulting.com.
Source: BevNET