Hello from Roseville

Hello, all. My name is Sean and I first started homebrewing in 1995 and have been making all-grain batches since about mid-1996. Liked it so much that I decided to open a homebrew shop. Ran it for almost 3 yrs. (1996-1998), great learning experience but never ran in the black, so it didn't pan out. After switching careers to becoming a paralegal for a large law firm, I took a hiatus from home brewing around 2002. After 10 years, my long time friend Rob and I just started up again in early 2012. I am currently in law school (final year) so I occasionally have a spare weekend to brew. This year I have made a Pale Ale, Stout, Altbier and IPA. Planning to brew a Blond Ale next. Or maybe a Vienna. Currently busy finishing my 10 gallon all-grain two-tier rolling brew rig with recirculating pump. Also recently converted a kegerator for service as a triple tap for two 5-gallon cornys and one 3-gallon corny. For brewing, I am using my old Coors keg as a brew kettle, a rectangular igloo cooler as a mash tun, and an old 15 gal. plastic extract drum from my LHBS as a HLT. I am having fun!

Welcome back to brewing!

i was thinking of opening a brew store so it is interesting to read of your experience i think i will just brew and try to learn as much as possible for now then maybe when i retire i will give it a second look.

Yeah, opening a brew store is definitely a labor of love. I wouldn't do it as a money-making proposition. At least that was my experience. The upside is that brewing ingredients and equipment for yourself are at wholesale prices, if you so choose.

If I were to do it over again, I would have (i) been more capitalized, (ii) picked a more industrial space with room to demonstrate brewing, (iii) had classes on site and promoted a club, (iv) developed a line of high-quality brewing tools or kettle/mash tun conversion parts and (v) had a better internet store/sales presence.

I had a club that met periodically, published a newsletter to my mailing list, and I made my own wort chillers and bazooka tubes, but otherwise failed to expand my customer base. I think also picking a retail space in crowded downtown Davis was a bad choice. Ce'st la vie. I was young(er) and naive.

Rosevillle, MI? Welcome.

neovox said:

Rosevillle, MI? Welcome.

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exactly what i was wondering... im in fraser, grew up in roseville.

Sorry, should have specified my home state. Roseville, CA.

If he were looking at opening a shop in Roseville, Mich, he probably would have been out of luck, I think we're pretty tightly packed with homebrewshops in the area.

I'm in fraser too duff.

i only know of cap n cork... do tell... but, i like them so, i will most likely stick to them.

i wonder if a brew store / cigar shop would do any good... hmmm... it's got the wheels turning.

Hey Mick...welcome. I'm here in Sacramento. There's a new homebrew club that meets at Brewmeister near you in Roseville. I belong to a club that meets in Davis (Greenbelt Brewers Assoc.) that well established with a lot of great brewers. I've got a sub-group of guys that brews together about once a month...usually have 3-5 guys brewing on the driveway at a time. Shoot me a PM with your contact info and I'll invite you to the next big Brewday --- it'll be some time early January.

Hello...This Is Shereen..M new here...