Pico Brewery - Beaker Brewing
- Thread starter bendavanza
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Krypticklown
Member
I can't tell from the pictures but I wonder if the tanks are covered with wood or if he made them out of wood like a cask with a metal top and bottom, very cool though.
I'm guessing sanke kegs with wood paneling. I saw a very similar setup in a magazine or on a website a while back and that's how it was done.
I wonder what the legal requirements for a pico brewery are? Time to google.
I wonder what the legal requirements for a pico brewery are? Time to google.
If they want that to be more than a hobby(or profitable) it's just way too damn small. If their beer is any good at all, they will not be able to fill orders brewing 3 times a day 7 days a week. Or they will have to limit their orders.
Before anyone thinks they can do this, check into the real amount of money involved in this. The licenses/permits alone are so expensive their first half year of sales will go to pay those.
Before anyone thinks they can do this, check into the real amount of money involved in this. The licenses/permits alone are so expensive their first half year of sales will go to pay those.
Those are 55 gallon stainless drums that Chris has covered w/ wood. He ferments in a 55 gallon stainless drum as well. He uses 2 of the March pumps we use. Right now he uses dry yeast and said he is very happy with it. The HLT and the BK are direct fired and vented outside. He was able to do this in his home, if you can believe that.
Cheers
JJ
Cheers
JJ
There is an article in a recent BYO or Zymurgy detailing 3 different super small breweries. Not sure if these guys are making much money but a couple have been in business for more than a few years.
In my case, I'm just dreaming about my dream job, brewing. More and more I could see my self doing it as a career.
In my case, I'm just dreaming about my dream job, brewing. More and more I could see my self doing it as a career.
Don't we all, but in any case here ya go:
Brewing Schools
Yep, I'm ready to go. The only thing I'm missing is time and money. Anyone want to help with the money?
lol for me, in may... well I could go get a job like a real person... or I could go to school for something that pays even less than the field I started in lol.
Gordie
Well-Known Member
In California, the cost of applying for a license is about $400 including a fingerprint processing fee. After that its $166 a year. The federal permit is free but you have to post a $1,000 tax bond (which you get back when you cancel your permit). Local business licenses depend on your locality but aren't much. Assuming an generic cost of goods and wholesale price of 5g keg, annual license/permits would be paid for after selling only about 20-25 gallons of kegged beer.
Pico brewerys can be profitable. Because they're "pico" the profits are similarly limited due to volume limitations - but its still profit. It would be hard to quit your day job, but if someone is dedicated enough they could grind out a decent quantity of beer. The biggest problem is it takes about the same amount of time to do a 10g brew as it does a 10 bbl brew and if you're depending on brewery income you're (obviously) better off making a lot in as short a time as possible to be able to get out of the brewery and go sell beer. So long as the pico brewer doesn't get all starry eyed and try and be everything to everyone (ie. try and fill every order rather than just raise price...) it is certainly possible to have an ongoing "hobby" that pays for itself, covers the owner's consumption habits, funds brew rig improvements and donates a couple bucks to SWMBO to remind her that she should be happy you got obsessed about beer rather than refurbishing a rusting camaro that's sat unmoving in the front lawn for years.
OP
OP
bendavanza
Well-Known Member
Gordie
Good info and a great analogy.
Good info and a great analogy.
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