Brewery Canning Line Ownership
Brewery canning line ownership trades CapEx for control: Equipped only about $50,000, starts at $85,000, starts at $165,000; Masstechx Craft $25K-$95K. BeerCPA Full control of quality and schedule; In-House Cost (After CapEx): ~$0.10–$0.18 per 16oz can vs Mobile/Contract Canning Cost: ~$0.35–$0.50 per 16oz can; break-even ~267 BBL packaged per month. Mobile West CapEx avoided ($150,000 – $1,000,000 or more).
Last updated: September 7, 2026
Ownership CapEx, control, and alternatives
| Factor | Own the line | Mobile / host instead |
|---|---|---|
| CapEx | Equipped only about $50,000; starts at $85,000; starts at $165,000; starts at $30,000 (Equipped Brewer). Masstechx Craft $25K-$95K; $95K-$220K; $220K-$400K+ (Masstechx). Beer-can Tier 1 — Craft USD $25k – $95k (Masstechx beer-can). Untappd Even the least expensive ones cost over $20,000 for the machinery alone | Mobile West No need to lay out capital ($150,000 – $1,000,000 or more) for a canning line (Mobile West). Iron Heart Dedicated Canning Asset Installations eliminating the necessity for customers to invest in their own in-house canning systems (Iron Heart) |
| Per-can economics | BeerCPA In-House Cost (After CapEx): ~$0.10–$0.18 per 16oz can (BeerCPA); Masstechx In-House After CapEx | BeerCPA Mobile/Contract Canning Cost: ~$0.35–$0.50 per 16oz can; Freshie Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can (Freshie); Untappd Hiring a mobile canning company will cost between $3 and $5 a case; Equipped Using our service will range from 15 cents to 68 cents per can; Masstechx 0.35$-0.50$ per 16 oz can |
| Control | BeerCPA Full control of quality and schedule; Iron Heart Fully Refurbished Canning Lines; Seam Integrity is 100% guaranteed on mobile path | BeerCPA Scheduling conflicts, minimum batch sizes, less control over quality, costs can balloon as volume grows; Iron Heart Mobile Canning Services are a Turnkey Solution |
| Break-even / payback | BeerCPA ~833,000 cans (about 3,200 BBL) to breakeven; ~267 BBL packaged per month; Masstechx Break-even occurs near 267 BBL/month; Payback horizon: 30-40 months / 20-30 months / 18-24 months | Freshie typically 15-30 barrels per session; Equipped order quantities as low as 3,000 cans; Mobile West Realize profits day one |
Readiness signals
Ready for ownership when CapEx and volume align with BeerCPA ~267 BBL packaged per month / Masstechx Break-even occurs near 267 BBL/month and Equipped 60,000 to 100,000 cans per month utilization, with BeerCPA Full control of quality and schedule. Not ready when BeerCPA Scheduling conflicts, minimum batch sizes, less control over quality, costs can balloon as volume grows dominate, or Iron Heart Hidden Costs of Owning Your Own Line outweigh sticker CapEx — then prefer mobile or Dedicated Canning Asset Installations.
| Claim | URL | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| BeerCPA mobile/contract $/can | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | Mobile/Contract Canning Cost: ~$0.35–$0.50 per 16oz can |
| BeerCPA in-house after CapEx $/can | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | In-House Cost (After CapEx): ~$0.10–$0.18 per 16oz can |
| BeerCPA mobile canner example rate | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | If a mobile canner charges $0.45/can |
| BeerCPA breakeven cans | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | ~833,000 cans (about 3,200 BBL) to breakeven |
| BeerCPA breakeven monthly BBL | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | ~267 BBL packaged per month |
| BeerCPA mobile control downsides | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | Scheduling conflicts, minimum batch sizes, less control over quality, costs can balloon as volume grows |
| BeerCPA ownership control | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | Full control of quality and schedule |
| BeerCPA Section 179 | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | Section 179 expensing limits ($2.5 million cap, with a $4 million phase-out threshold) |
| BeerCPA example line CapEx | beercpa.com/canning-line-roi-breweries/ | A $250,000 canning line purchased in 2025 |
| Masstechx break-even | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | Break-even occurs near 267 BBL/month |
| Masstechx mobile lock-in | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | 0.35$-0.50$ per 16 oz can |
| Masstechx filler speed range | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | 2,000-20,000 BPH |
| Masstechx in-house after CapEx label | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | In-House After CapEx |
| Masstechx Craft CapEx range | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | Craft $25K-$95K |
| Masstechx Tier 1 CapEx range | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | $25K-$95K |
| Masstechx Tier 2 CapEx range | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | $95K-$220K |
| Masstechx Tier 3 CapEx range | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | $220K-$400K+ |
| Masstechx 833K cumulative | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | 833K cans cumulative |
| Masstechx Tier 1 payback | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | Payback horizon: 30-40 months |
| Masstechx Tier 2 payback | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | Payback horizon: 20-30 months |
| Masstechx Tier 3 payback | masstechx.com/can-filling-machine/ | Payback horizon: 18-24 months |
| Masstechx beer-can Tier 1 | masstechx.com/beer-filling-machine/beer-can-filling-machine/ | Tier 1 — Craft USD $25k – $95k |
| Masstechx beer-can Tier 2 | masstechx.com/beer-filling-machine/beer-can-filling-machine/ | Tier 2 — Mid Commercial USD $95k – $220k |
| Masstechx beer-can Tier 3 | masstechx.com/beer-filling-machine/beer-can-filling-machine/ | Tier 3 — Industrial USD $220k – $400k+ |
| Masstechx beer-can mobile spend | masstechx.com/beer-filling-machine/beer-can-filling-machine/ | spends $3,000 US/month on mobile canning |
| Masstechx beer-can CPH | masstechx.com/beer-filling-machine/beer-can-filling-machine/ | 2,000–20,000 CPH |
| Equipped mobile $/can | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | Using our service will range from 15 cents to 68 cents per can |
| Equipped entry CapEx | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | only about $50,000 |
| Equipped WGC 250 start | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | starts at $85,000 |
| Equipped WGC 600 start | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | starts at $165,000 |
| Equipped WGC 50 start | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | starts at $30,000 |
| Equipped WGC 250 model | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | WGC 250 |
| Equipped WGC 600 model | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | WGC 600 |
| Equipped WGC 50 model | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | WGC 50 |
| Equipped ~40 cpm | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | cans about 40 cans per minute |
| Equipped ~95 cpm | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | cans 95 cans per minute |
| Equipped utilization range | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | 60,000 to 100,000 cans per month |
| Equipped low order qty | equippedbrewer.longitudemedia.com/the-equipped-brewer/canning-craft-beer-and-hard-cider-to-go-mobile-or-purchase-a-system | order quantities as low as 3,000 cans |
| Mobile West CapEx avoided | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | No need to lay out capital ($150,000 – $1,000,000 or more) for a canning line |
| Mobile West throughput | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | 40 cans per minute |
| Mobile West automated throughput | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | automated canning line at 40 cans per minute |
| Mobile West floor space | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | No dedicated floor space for the canning line or packaging |
| Mobile West scheduling | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | Flexible scheduling |
| Mobile West day-one profits | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | Realize profits day one |
| Mobile West can sizes | www.mobilewestcanning.com/our-services/ | 8, 10, 12 and 16 oz cans |
| Iron Heart turnkey mobile | www.ironheartcanning.com/mobile-canning-services/ | Mobile Canning Services are a Turnkey Solution |
| Iron Heart hosted/resident installs | www.ironheartcanning.com/mobile-canning-services/ | Dedicated Canning Asset Installations |
| Iron Heart batch flexibility | www.ironheartcanning.com/mobile-canning-services/ | accommodate small batch runs as well as high capacity filling |
| Iron Heart CapEx avoided framing | www.ironheartcanning.com/mobile-canning-services/ | eliminating the necessity for customers to invest in their own in-house canning systems |
| Iron Heart buy-path | www.ironheartcanning.com/mobile-canning-services/ | Still thinking about buying your own canning line? |
| Iron Heart ownership cost warning | www.ironheartcanning.com/mobile-canning-services/ | Hidden Costs of Owning Your Own Line |
| Iron Heart seam guarantee | www.ironheartcanning.com/mobile-canning-services/ | Seam Integrity is 100% guaranteed |
| Iron Heart refurbished buy path | www.ironheartcanning.com/in-house-solutions/ | Fully Refurbished Canning Lines |
| Iron Heart warranty | www.ironheartcanning.com/in-house-solutions/ | 90 day or 250,000 seam warranty on all major functional components |
| Untappd mobile $/case | lounge.untappd.com/craft-beer-mobile-canning-everything-you-need-to-know/ | Hiring a mobile canning company will cost between $3 and $5 a case |
| Untappd machinery floor | lounge.untappd.com/craft-beer-mobile-canning-everything-you-need-to-know/ | Even the least expensive ones cost over $20,000 for the machinery alone |
| Freshie mobile $/can | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | Mobile line $0.20-0.40/can |
| Freshie mobile $/can detail | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | $0.20-0.40 per 16oz can packaged (varies by region and run size) |
| Freshie session size | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | typically 15-30 barrels per session |
| Freshie canning rate | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | canning rate: 30-60 cans per minute |
| Freshie truck-in definition | freshiebeer.com/brewing/pro/packaging-options/ | A mobile canning company brings a portable canning line to your brewery for a day |
| Brewbound insource vs outsource | www.brewbound.com/sponsored/mobile-canning-vs-in-house-canning-lines-a-classic-example-of-an-insource-versus-outsource-decision/ | Mobile Canning vs In-house Canning Lines: A Classic Example of an Insource versus Outsource Decision |
| PSA canning speeds | www.craftbrewingbusiness.com/news/thinking-of-investing-in-a-canning-line-here-are-some-tips-from-psa/ | run at speeds of 15 to 100 CPM |
| PSA investing headline | www.craftbrewingbusiness.com/news/thinking-of-investing-in-a-canning-line-here-are-some-tips-from-psa/ | Thinking of investing in a canning line? Here are some tips from PSA. |
| Wild Goose entry speed | wildgoosefilling.com/ | 18 cans per minute |
| Wild Goose dual-lane expand | wildgoosefilling.com/products/dual-lane-evolution-series | EXPAND UP TO 100 CANS PER MINUTE |
| Wild Goose dual-lane heads | wildgoosefilling.com/products/dual-lane-evolution-series | Eight to ten heads for maximum capacity |
| Lendus UK finance range | lendus.co.uk/ | Compare £10k–£1M Business Finance from 200+ UK Lenders |
| Lendus asset finance framing | lendus.co.uk/asset-finance/ | Spread the cost of equipment, vehicles, and machinery |
| BoiseDev equipment purchase | boisedev.com/news/2024/11/22/canning-equipment-brc-bb/ | purchased a line of canning equipment |
| BoiseDev expensive equipment | boisedev.com/news/2024/11/22/canning-equipment-brc-bb/ | equipment was expensive |
| BoiseDev lease structure | boisedev.com/news/2024/11/22/canning-equipment-brc-bb/ | leasing to the company |
| BoiseDev savings framing | boisedev.com/news/2024/11/22/canning-equipment-brc-bb/ | saving the company money |
| BoiseDev owner purchase attribution | boisedev.com/news/2024/11/22/canning-equipment-brc-bb/ | Company Owner and Investor Regina Hays purchased Boise River Canning’s equipment |
| NHBR A-B mega-corp CapEx | www.nhbr.com/anheuser-busch-invests-6-million-in-new-portsmouth-canning-line/ | invested $6 million in a new canning line |
| NHBR A-B state-of-the-art phrasing | www.nhbr.com/anheuser-busch-invests-6-million-in-new-portsmouth-canning-line/ | invested $6 million in a new state-of-the-art canning line |
| NHBR A-B production doubling | www.nhbr.com/anheuser-busch-invests-6-million-in-new-portsmouth-canning-line/ | Beer production expected to more than double by 2024 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does brewery canning line ownership mean for CapEx and control?
Ownership means CapEx (Equipped only about $50,000; starts at $85,000; starts at $165,000; Masstechx Craft $25K-$95K; Tier 1 — Craft USD $25k – $95k) for BeerCPA Full control of quality and schedule, with In-House Cost (After CapEx): ~$0.10–$0.18 per 16oz can versus Mobile/Contract Canning Cost: ~$0.35–$0.50 per 16oz can. Iron Heart flags Hidden Costs of Owning Your Own Line; Mobile West CapEx avoided: No need to lay out capital ($150,000 – $1,000,000 or more) for a canning line.
What operational capabilities do breweries need before owning a canning line?
Ownership needs schedule and quality control BeerCPA lists as Full control of quality and schedule, plus room and utilities mobile avoids (Mobile West No dedicated floor space for the canning line or packaging). Throughput ranges include Equipped cans about 40 cans per minute / cans 95 cans per minute, PSA run at speeds of 15 to 100 CPM, and Wild Goose 18 cans per minute up to EXPAND UP TO 100 CANS PER MINUTE. Iron Heart Fully Refurbished Canning Lines and 90 day or 250,000 seam warranty on all major functional components cover buy-path gear.
What readiness factors show a brewery is not yet ready to own a canning line?
Not-ready signals include BeerCPA Scheduling conflicts, minimum batch sizes, less control over quality, costs can balloon as volume grows on mobile, volume below ~267 BBL packaged per month / Masstechx Break-even occurs near 267 BBL/month, and Iron Heart Still thinking about buying your own canning line? with Hidden Costs of Owning Your Own Line. Until CapEx readiness, Mobile West Realize profits day one and Flexible scheduling, or Iron Heart Dedicated Canning Asset Installations eliminating the necessity for customers to invest in their own in-house canning systems.
What true costs beyond equipment purchase does ownership require?
Beyond sticker CapEx, Iron Heart lists Hidden Costs of Owning Your Own Line; Untappd Even the least expensive ones cost over $20,000 for the machinery alone; BeerCPA says A $250,000 canning line purchased in 2025 and Section 179 expensing limits ($2.5 million cap, with a $4 million phase-out threshold). UK asset finance (Lendus Compare £10k–£1M Business Finance from 200+ UK Lenders; Spread the cost of equipment, vehicles, and machinery) is GBP-labeled, not a USD CapEx range. BoiseDev says equipment was expensive with leasing to the company.
When do published break-even figures favor owning over mobile?
BeerCPA lists Mobile/Contract Canning Cost: ~$0.35–$0.50 per 16oz can versus In-House Cost (After CapEx): ~$0.10–$0.18 per 16oz can, ~833,000 cans (about 3,200 BBL) to breakeven, and ~267 BBL packaged per month. Masstechx Break-even occurs near 267 BBL/month with Payback horizon: 30-40 months / 20-30 months / 18-24 months. Equipped cites 60,000 to 100,000 cans per month utilization against Using our service will range from 15 cents to 68 cents per can.