In an industry where rapid expansion, flashy trends, and taproom empires can dominate a growth mindset, Dave Worthington of Metazoa Brewing in Indianapolis looks to write a slightly different playbook — one built on patience toward calculated growth and sticking to his experienced principles.
Worthington’s path to founding Metazoa in 2016 came with the thoughts of a homebrewer and his friends, but it was back from decades of experience in transportation logistics and entrepreneurship. A homebrewer himself, Worthington — who launched the brewery at the age of 59 — recognized that the brewery needed to be paired with expertise and humility.
“If I’m going to go commercial, I’m going to get somebody that knows how to brew commercially,” Worthington said. “Let’s not fool ourselves.”
So, Worthington leaned into his business acumen. Logistics experience helped him understand production timelines, distribution intricacies, and growth pacing. But more importantly, age and prior business ownership gave him perspective.
“I think a lot of younger brewery owners get starry-eyed,” he said. “They build a shrine to themselves and end up in real estate trouble, cash trouble, or bringing on partners or private equity too soon.”
After starting with one brewer who honed his chops in the Oregon area, Worthington enlisted the skills of John J. Hall from Goose Island in 2017 to help build the brewery’s reputation, which led to being the 2021 Brewery of the Year at the World Beer Cup.
At the heart of Worthington’s strategy has been a clear mantra: control the real estate, control the future. From day one, Metazoa avoided the pitfalls of leased taproom spaces and landlord-driven uncertainty.
“I wanted to have control of the destiny and how things get to where they’re going to get,” Worthington said. “I’ve seen what happens when you’re at the mercy of a five-year lease that escalates, and suddenly the price is rigged across town.
Owning our property meant we could keep costs manageable, reinvest carefully, and not get trapped.”
It’s a long-game strategy that may have seemed conservative to some — especially as other breweries rapidly opened second and third locations. While peers sprinted, Worthington stayed deliberate. Trend-driven beers, like hazy IPAs and milkshake styles, arrived at Metazoa after careful consideration and were not rushed, he said. Yet, the quality has spoken for itself; their Wicked Possum IPA earned a GABF Bronze in 2020 despite arriving late to the “Haze Craze.”
Metazoa’s measured approach has recently taken a seemingly counterintuitive turn: expanding distribution, even as many breweries double down on taproom models for a better margin turnaround.
“People thought we were nuts,” Worthington said. “I originally wanted to put two or three taprooms around the city. But between skyrocketing construction costs, zoning challenges, and not wanting to lease more property, distribution became the logical path.”
Without the burden of producing beer for multiple taprooms, Metazoa can scale production efficiently for distribution — recently switching to a contract brewing with Sleeping Giant Brewing in Colorado for distro products to a total of five states — to reach more customers without overstretching operations. It’s not just about cash flow either; Worthington views distribution as both a revenue stream and a brand-building tool, helping introduce Metazoa’s mission-driven beers to a broader market.
“Direct-to-consumer sales always carry higher margins, but distribution allows for sustainable reach and diversification. It’s about being calculated and careful,” he said.
Beyond wanting to stay smart in real estate and finding ways to increase production, Metazoa has always stood out for its deep philanthropic commitment. From inception, Worthington wanted the brewery to pledge 5% of profits to animal charities, with a particular emphasis on organizations supporting retired performance animals.
That commitment has evolved alongside the business. Even in years when profits were slim, Worthington honored the spirit of the pledge by giving based on gross revenues or other benchmarks. To date, Metazoa has donated over $350,000 to animal-focused organizations, with a goal of surpassing $75,000 in 2025.
“Our customers don’t care about our margins or business challenges — they just want to know their pint is making a difference,” Worthington said.
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Metazoa’s connection to animals isn’t just in its donations or branding — it’s in what the experience can be. The brewery’s downtown Indianapolis taproom features a popular outdoor dog park, making it a unique gathering space where community and canines can coexist.
Originally, Worthington had ambitious plans to replicate and even expand that concept — eyeing new facilities in neighboring Fishers, complete with indoor and outdoor dog parks and segmented spaces for large and small dogs. However, rising construction costs, zoning hurdles, and infrastructure delays shelved that plan.
Still, the original dog-friendly focus remains central to Metazoa’s identity.
“People asked for it, so we created a space where both big and small dogs could be comfortable. That’s part of what makes us unique,” Worthington said.
As the industry continues to mature, and with some quick-hitting companies starting to see trouble brewing, Worthington has looked to be cautious and purpose-driven.
“I’m not the brightest guy in the world,” Worthington said with a smile, noting he is already grooming new COO Lauren Frederick to be the company’s next president soon, “but sometimes moves you make because you’re conservative just seem to work out.”
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