The best and easiest way to earn money in Empire of Sin is by creating a successful speakeasy, which during the Prohibition era was an illegal establishment that served alcohol. It is not as simple as throwing up the bar and waiting for customers to show up, as you need to know how to maximize your profits. You are responsible for not only serving the alcohol but for making it as well.

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It can be difficult to manage this as well as everything else this game has to offer, but it is one of the most important aspects you should understand. A successful collection of speakeasies will turn you into a thriving mob boss in Empire of Sin, which is why increasing their revenue is such an important skill to learn.

What Is A Speakeasy?

Speakeasy in Empire of Sin

A speakeasy is a bar where customers go for alcohol, but during the Prohibition era, this was an illegal establishment in this historically accurate video game. You can create a speakeasy by obtaining a building, whether you buy it, take it from another mob boss, or win the fight in a derelict building.

You will be given the option to choose this establishment for your racket, but more has to be done once it is acquired. Upgrades must be made to increase its draw for your customers, and there is something called synergy that can make it even more profitable.

Upgrades

Speakeasy upgrades in Empire of Sin

You can perform several different upgrades to your speakeasy with the goal of preventing raids, adding protection, and increasing your customer count. You should adjust these based on the statistics of the racket and you should focus on the customer numbers the most, as the more full it is, the greater your income. The upgrades will take time, but you can always rush them by paying a little extra money to speed it along.

Here are all of the upgrades that can be given to your speakeasy and each one has five levels:

  • Security: It increases the number of interior and exterior guards to protect the establishment, and gives them better weapons and armor.
  • Deflect: This decreases the amount of suspicion that a racket raises and helps prevent it from being raided.
  • Ambience: It brings in more customers by increasing the draw the establishment has on the community, and the first upgrade adds a band.
  • Word of Mouth: This further increases your draw and takes customers away from other establishments in the community, but it can increase the chance of raids and negative effects.

Synergy

Synergy in Empire of Sin

A synergy is activated when there are multiple types of the same racket in a neighborhood, which is why it pays to be consistent. You can look at the neighborhood overview to see if you have activated any of these and there are several types to unlock. Keep in mind that a single building can only count toward one type of synergy.

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The synergies available to you are as follows: 

  • Two Pair: have two pairs of two different types of rackets (+2.5%)
  • Three of a Kind: own three rackets of the same type (+5%)
  • Full House: own three rackets of a single type and two rackets of a different one (+7.5%)
  • Straight: own at least one racket of each type (+10%)
  • Five of a Kind: own five rackets of the same type (+12.5%)

Understanding Breweries

brewery in Empire of Sin

A speakeasy will not be able to run without at least one brewery to supply it with alcohol. Breweries can be upgraded just like speakeasies, but they differ as they are a producer rather than a supplier who has to bring in customers.

They can be manually closed if necessary in the Alcohol Tab, but you will still be charged the maintenance fee to keep them open.

Upgrades

Brewery upgrades in Empire of Sin

There are several upgrades that you can give to your brewery as you work to increase its capabilities and keep it safe from the wrong hands in this turn-based game. Just like the speakeasy, an upgrade will take some time, but it can be rushed for the right price.

All of the upgrades that can be done to a brewery are as follows:

  • Security: Provides exterior and interior guards to protect it in case another gang attacks or the police raid it, and upgrades provide more guards with better weapons and armor.
  • Deflect: This decreases the chance that the racket will be raided.
  • Production: It increases the amount of booze your brewery will make in a given time.
  • Alcohol Quality: This allows you to produce better quality booze for your customers.
  • Storage: It raises the number of barrels that can be stored at this location at a given time.

Providing The Right Alcohol

Alcohol type in Empire of Sin

The best way to run a successful speakeasy is to provide it with the right alcohol. You not only have to change the type of alcohol that a speakeasy serves, but you have to change what the brewery is making as well.

You can go check your customers' consumption in the Alcohol Tab of your radial menu and clicking on the alcohol type will change what is currently being served. There is even a section where you can prioritize which rackets get the most alcohol, just in case your production numbers are lagging behind.

Many choose to base it off their prosperity as prioritizing a speakeasy that isn't selling much doesn't make sense when across town your business is booming.

Storage And Production

Brewery info in Empire of Sin

The breweries do have storage in case the customers at a speakeasy decide to change the type of alcohol they like to drink. You can save a few different types of alcohol so your consumers are never waiting on the drink that they prefer, simply by changing what a brewery produces.

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This can be done in the Alcohol Tab of your radial menu, and you can even see how much of each type of drink is stored at each location. You can always check on your production stats as well to see how much they are making in comparison to what is being stored.

Poison

Poison in Empire of Sin

You can produce Poison at your breweries, but this should never be served to your customers in this strategy RPG. This can be traded to opposing mob bosses in place of actual booze and you can even poison their stills as long as you are not in a fight with them.

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