The 5th Ingredient Review: Overview, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2025

Still using clipboards to track your batches?

If you’re evaluating software for a brewery or kombucha business, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed trying to find a platform that actually fits your production floor.

But here’s the real headache—wasting time chasing down lost data and fixing mistakes every single brew day adds up fast.

The 5th Ingredient delivers real-time process management that replaces paper logs with instant batch tracking, customized QC, and integrated inventory controls—plus full compliance reporting that actually works. I’ve dug deep into their partnership integrations and module-by-module workflows to help you decide if their approach makes sense for you.

In this review, I’ll break down what it’s like to finally trust your brewery data and how easy the platform is to adopt day to day.

You’ll discover in this The 5th Ingredient review everything from core features to actual pricing, the user experience, unique integrations, and real alternatives to consider for your decision-making.

You’ll leave knowing the features you need to streamline, optimize, and finally control your production.

Let’s get started.

The 5th Ingredient Overview

The 5th Ingredient has been around since 2017, based in San Diego, California. Their core mission is to help craft beverage producers ditch paper-based systems in favor of a real-time, data-driven platform that boosts consistency and efficiency.

What sets them apart is how they focus specifically on small to mid-market breweries and kombucha producers who need precise production data and quality control. This focus lets them tailor solutions that really speak to your needs in the beverage space.

They’ve made smart moves recently, like partnerships with yeast specialists White Labs and Fermentis, which enhance their platform’s scientific data integration—something you’ll notice in any thorough The 5th Ingredient review.

Unlike larger, more generic competitors, they emphasize production data accuracy and user-friendly workflows. It feels like the platform was designed by people who actually understand brewing—not just software developers.

They work with craft breweries and kombucha makers mostly in North America, many of whom manage tens to hundreds of barrels per batch, needing reliable, scalable production management.

Their current focus is deepening ecosystem integrations and improving real-time analytics, aligning well with market demands for data transparency and quality assurance you’ll appreciate as a buyer.

Now let’s examine their capabilities.

The 5th Ingredient Features

Tired of juggling disconnected brewery management tools?

The 5th Ingredient solutions offer an integrated suite tailored specifically for beverage producers. These are the five core The 5th Ingredient solutions that tackle production, quality, inventory, cost, and compliance challenges head-on.

1. Process Management & Real-Time Data Logging

Paper records slow down brewery operations.

Relying on clipboards or spreadsheets makes it easy to lose data or introduce errors during busy brew days, causing costly inconsistencies.

This solution replaces those outdated methods by guiding you through each brewing step on a mobile device, letting your team input real-time data. From my testing, the intuitive interface on tablets makes logging mash temps, boils, and fermentation seamless. This feature ensures you track every batch detail accurately.

So you can maintain consistency and reduce mistakes, improving overall production reliability.

2. Quality Control (QC/QA) Module

Inconsistent quality checks create batch headaches.

Without standardized QC procedures, it’s tough to spot where quality issues crop up or prevent flawed batches from leaving the brewery.

The QC/QA module sets custom parameters and schedules checks at each stage. From what I found, the automated alerts on out-of-spec readings help catch problems early. This solution stores data historically, making it easier to analyze trends or troubleshoot.

Your brews stay consistent, protecting brand reputation and customer satisfaction.

3. Sales & Inventory Management

Running out of key ingredients at critical moments?

Inventory gaps disrupt your brewing schedule and sales commitments, causing lost revenue and operational frustration.

This solution ties production activities directly to inventory updates. As you log batches and packaging, raw materials and finished goods adjust live. What I love about this feature is how it provides real-time inventory visibility, so you always know what’s in stock. This helps you plan purchases and allocate products without guesswork.

You get fewer stockouts and smoother coordination between brewing and sales teams.

4. Automated Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) & Analytics

Not sure which beers truly turn a profit?

Guessing costs means missed opportunities to optimize recipes or pricing for better margins.

The COGS solution calculates batch expenses by pulling ingredient, labor, and overhead data automatically. From my experience, the detailed per-pint cost visualization offers critical clarity. This feature’s dashboards highlight efficiency and profitability metrics, helping you make data-driven financial decisions.

This means you can adjust production to boost profitability confidently.

5. TTB & Compliance Reporting

Filing government reports drains valuable time.

Manual TTB submissions risk errors and create administrative backlogs that slow down operations.

This solution generates federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau reports using your production data with a few clicks. What I found impressive is the accuracy and audit-readiness of these reports, cutting out tedious paperwork. It removes a stressful task from your team’s plate and reduces compliance risks.

You gain time to focus on brewing while staying fully compliant.

What’s great is how all The 5th Ingredient solutions work together as a unified, production-focused software suite that keeps every part of your brewery connected. This integrated approach helps you cut errors, save time, and make smarter decisions every step of the way.

The 5th Ingredient Pricing

Confused about what The 5th Ingredient pricing actually costs?

The 5th Ingredient pricing is a custom, quote-based subscription model tailored to each brewery’s production volume and size. This approach means pricing adapts to your annual barrel output, making it less transparent but highly aligned with your specific business needs and growth plans.

1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors

Pricing tailored to your brewery.

The 5th Ingredient’s pricing model revolves around a monthly or annual subscription based on your brewery’s production volume, measured in barrels (BBLs). Their pricing approach is volume-scaled rather than tiered by feature, which means you pay for the scale of your operations while getting access to all core functionalities and unlimited users. From my cost analysis, this lets you connect costs directly to production output instead of arbitrary user or module counts.

This means your budget scales as your brewery grows, which helps avoid wasted spending.

2. Value Assessment & ROI

Pricing reflects critical brewery needs.

What makes their pricing different is the inclusion of key modules—process tracking, quality control, inventory, and compliance—in one price, so you don’t pay extra per feature. Users frequently report that this unified pricing provides excellent value because it helps avoid costly production errors and inefficient manual processes. From my research, you get ROI through saved time and improved batch consistency, which can easily offset subscription and onboarding fees.

Budget-wise, this means you get a predictable solution that improves your brewing quality and cost management.

3. Budget Planning & Implementation

Prepare for onboarding costs upfront.

Beyond the subscription, plan for an implementation fee covering system setup, data migration, and team training. This onboarding cost varies but is a one-time expense that smooths your transition from spreadsheets to software. Understanding this upfront cost is key when considering total cost of ownership. From my cost analysis, the absence of hidden per-user licenses or add-ons helps keep your ongoing costs predictable.

So for your brewery’s size, you can better plan your finances with clear initial investments and scalable monthly fees.

My Take: The 5th Ingredient pricing is designed for craft and mid-size breweries wanting a production-linked, all-inclusive platform. Its customized quotes make it ideal if you prefer paying according to your growth and need detailed onboarding support.

Overall, The 5th Ingredient pricing reflects customized value aligned with brewery production scale.

The 5th Ingredient Reviews

Are The 5th Ingredient reviews trustworthy?

From my review analysis, The 5th Ingredient reviews come from multiple reputable platforms such as G2 and Capterra. I’ve reviewed extensive user feedback to provide you with a balanced look at what actual customers experience and how this software performs in real brewery environments.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

Users are overwhelmingly positive overall.

What I found in user feedback is that The 5th Ingredient boasts an impressive average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. Across the board, users consistently praise the outstanding support and intuitive production tools, which reflects in the overwhelmingly positive reviews. Review-wise, this pattern suggests you can expect a highly satisfying experience, especially if your brewery values real-time data and quality management.

Key drivers include responsive customer service and ease of on-floor adoption by production staff.

2. Common Praise Points

Customer support receives top marks.

From my review analysis, users repeatedly highlight the “phenomenal” customer service and how the software’s design fits perfectly with brewing workflows. What stood out was how the floor-first mobile interface enhances daily operations significantly, as reflected clearly in many positive reviews. This makes data capture effortless right where the work happens, leading to more consistent batches and better insight.

These praised features mean your team can focus more on quality, less on paperwork.

3. Frequent Complaints

Some users struggle with initial setup.

What stands out in customer feedback are a few recurring frustrations: a learning curve during the initial onboarding, limited report customization, and desires for more integrations. User complaints focus most on the challenges of getting all staff fully comfortable and tailoring reports to unique business needs, as mentioned often in organic user reviews. Still, most consider these issues manageable rather than deal-breakers.

For new adopters, patience and training will smooth early hurdles.

Review-wise, The 5th Ingredient reviews display clear user enthusiasm tempered by manageable limitations.

Best The 5th Ingredient Alternatives

Too many brewery software choices to consider?

The best The 5th Ingredient alternatives include several strong competitors, each better suited to different brewery sizes, budgets, and operational priorities you might have. From my competitive analysis, it’s about matching your specific needs rather than just features.

1. Ekos

Need all-in-one inventory and sales control?

Ekos makes more sense if your brewery’s top priority is consolidating unified sales and inventory control alongside production management. What I found comparing options is that Ekos offers deeper sales and accounting integrations while still covering production tracking, making it a solid alternative for breweries wanting comprehensive business management.

Choose Ekos when you need unified sales and inventory control alongside production management.

2. OrchestratedBeer (OBeer)

Handling large-scale brewery operations?

OBeer is the alternative to pick if you run a large or regional brewery needing a full ERP system that integrates finance, HR, supply chain, and production. From my competitive analysis, OBeer provides unmatched ERP depth for complex operations but comes with higher cost and implementation effort than The 5th Ingredient.

Opt for OBeer when your brewery requires enterprise-grade all-in-one resource planning over lighter solutions.

3. Ollie

Want a simple, budget-friendly interface?

Ollie fits best if your priority is ease of use and getting up quickly with a straightforward system, without needing deep production data granularity. What I found comparing options is that Ollie delivers streamlined brewery management efficiently as an alternative for smaller breweries or tight budgets.

Select Ollie when simplicity and low cost outweigh advanced features or extensive customization.

4. Breww

Operating a UK-based brewery with local needs?

Breww is a strong alternative if you need UK-specific features like cask tracking and automated HMRC beer duty reporting. From my competitive analysis, Breww excels with localized compliance and distribution tools making it ideal for breweries focused on the UK market requirements.

Choose Breww when your brewery must handle UK regulations and distribution effortlessly.

Finding the best The 5th Ingredient alternatives means considering your brewery size, location, and operational priorities to choose what aligns most closely with your workflow and budget.

Setup & Implementation

Worried about navigating the implementation process?

The 5th Ingredient review shows that deployment is straightforward but requires thoughtful preparation and collaboration. I want to share realistic insights about what you’re signing up for with The 5th Ingredient implementation.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Setup isn’t a quick install.

The 5th Ingredient implementation generally takes several weeks given the detailed data migration of recipes, vessel info, and batch history. From my implementation analysis, the initial onboarding phase demands close coordination between your team and their onboarding manager to ensure accuracy and completeness.

You’ll want to prepare your internal data and assign stakeholders early to keep the timeline on track.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Cloud platform, stable connectivity required.

You’ll need reliable internet and tablet devices like iPads for floor use since The 5th Ingredient is accessed via browser. What I found about deployment is that network readiness and device provisioning are crucial lines to cross smoothly through implementation.

Make sure your IT team verifies Wi-Fi coverage and plan for integration touchpoints with your existing systems.

3. Training & Change Management

User buy-in is essential early on.

Training spans from owners to production staff and is supported by live sessions plus an intuitive, mobile-friendly UI. From my implementation analysis, investing in thorough, role-based training accelerates adoption and reduces resistance during implementation.

You should identify change champions and schedule training grouped by user roles for best results.

4. Support & Success Factors

Vendor support stands out clearly.

The 5th Ingredient’s support team provides fast, helpful responses and personalized assistance during implementation. From my analysis, responsive support is a key differentiator that helps navigate any hiccups during rollout smoothly.

To maximize success, maintain open communication channels and leverage their expertise proactively.

Overall, The 5th Ingredient implementation requires dedicated collaboration and realistic timelines. With proper preparation, you can expect a smooth transition supported by expert onboarding and ongoing help.

Who’s The 5th Ingredient For

Is The 5th Ingredient right for your beverage production?

In this The 5th Ingredient review, I break down who benefits most from the software by examining practical user profiles, team sizes, and real-world use cases to help you decide if it fits your brewery or kombucha operation.

1. Ideal User Profile

Brewery professionals focused on quality control.

From my user analysis, The 5th Ingredient serves head brewers, cellar managers, and quality control teams dedicated to improving consistency and production accuracy. If your operation struggles with batch-to-batch variation or lost production data, this software was designed specifically to give you a data-driven edge. These target users succeed by leveraging production transparency to reduce errors and confidently manage brewing processes.

2. Business Size & Scale

Small and mid-sized beverage producers thrive here.

The 5th Ingredient fits best for craft breweries and kombucha producers ranging from nano-breweries to regional businesses producing up to 15,000+ BBL annually. What I found about target users is that small to midsize operations needing digital production tracking gain the most benefits, especially when moving away from pen-and-paper or spreadsheet systems. You’ll know you’re a good fit if your team is ready to adopt a single central data tool for production.

3. Use Case Scenarios

Streamlining production and consistency tracking.

Your situation works best if you require a reliable way to digitize operational workflows, analyze true cost of goods sold (COGS), and tighten quality control across batches. From my evaluation, The 5th Ingredient excels at eliminating lost data and improving batch consistency, which results in better product quality and more confident pricing decisions. You should consider this software if your day-to-day work revolves around brewday optimization and quality assurance.

4. Who Should Look Elsewhere

Not suited for large-scale or heavily automated operations.

If your brewery is enterprise-level with highly automated production lines or requires advanced integrations beyond primary accounting software, The 5th Ingredient may fall short. User-wise, operations needing extensive ERP integration and high-volume automation should explore more comprehensive manufacturing platforms. Alternative solutions with broader enterprise features and deeper customization will better match those complex requirements.

From this The 5th Ingredient review, I can say the best fit is craft breweries needing quality control through practical data use and accessible digital tracking.

Bottom Line

Is The 5th Ingredient right for your brewery?

This The 5th Ingredient review provides a clear verdict based on its strong production-focused features, customer support excellence, and targeted market fit that justify recommending it for many beverage producers.

1. Overall Strengths

Exceptional production data management capabilities

The 5th Ingredient stands out by delivering a floor-first, mobile-friendly interface tailored for brewers, coupled with deep integrations into fermentation ecosystems and outstanding customer support praised across multiple user platforms. The software’s data-driven approach transforms operations from guesswork to consistent quality control and efficiency gains.

These strengths enable small to mid-market breweries to make smarter decisions and improve product consistency, which directly drives profitability and operational confidence.

2. Key Limitations

Some onboarding and integration challenges exist

Despite its intuitive design for production staff, The 5th Ingredient demands a learning period to fully embrace the digital workflow, and certain users note a need for more advanced customizable reports and broader accounting integrations. Initial adoption can be a hurdle for teams accustomed to analog methods.

These limitations are not deal-breakers but require management attention to ensure smooth onboarding and clear expectations during early use phases.

3. Final Recommendation

Strongly recommend for craft breweries focused on quality

You should choose The 5th Ingredient if you prioritize real-time production insights and quality control within a user-friendly system designed by industry insiders. This software best suits small to mid-sized beverage makers ready to invest in digital transformation and value responsive customer support and accurate data over generic ERP alternatives.

Your next step should be to engage with their demo or trial to confirm fit and prepare for a learning curve with confidence.

This The 5th Ingredient review concludes with high confidence in its core value for brewers willing to adopt data-driven production management.