...you just have to make some compromises and work your tail off.
I am in NC and I have found the state permits website, where do i find the federal ones?
s1080 said:Hey Hey!
Been a while since I've been on the ole Home Brew Talk however during my time away I've been working on a nano brewery start up called the Frothy Beard Brewing Company in Charleston, SC. Just last week we got our federal papers in and are still waiting on state. Though I am by no means an expert there are a couple things I have learned that you should consider when choosing between a Nano Brewery and Brew Pub. First of all, brewpubs are incredibly expensive. The funny part is that it's not the brewery section that creates this expense but the restaurant part. Multiple employee's, health insurance, workman's comp, taxes, licensing, building costs, and food expenses mount up quickly. Here in Charleston, I wouldn't even think about starting a brew pub without $200,000.00 in the bank. (and that money should be used to secure a larger loan to even get into the ballpark) There are exceptions however; I have often thought of a brewcafe type thing that would require the menu to be heavily limited and cheap with little to no food prep experience to prepare but if you are here in SC you won't be able to distribute and sell beer out of the cafe/pub. You have to choose one or the other.
Getting back to your question, we are starting with a large amount of equipment that we already own and even then we are required to heavily modify it so that we can cut corners. (IE turning our boil kettle into an electric kettle to save money on fuel) We started this project about 3 years ago and I estimate that our total money spent right now is probably near the $20k region for everything. Keep in mind that this number also reflects the fact that we had to finance our kegs because if we were to buy them outright the kegs alone would cost $13,600.00 for 200 1/6's and I'm talking about the plastic sankes, none of that fancy schmancy aluminum people keep talking about. That goes for fermenters too. Don't even think about aluminum. You can't afford it. I would say as a general rule that if you require anything made out of aluminum you should immediately think can this piece of equipment be made out of plastic and still perform the same function? That thought alone will save you hundreds of dollars for your start-up. Also, glycol systems are out the window as well because you won't be able to afford the aluminum conicals, let alone the ones that are jacketed, so expect to keep a large enough space at fermentation temps.
Here in the wonderfully conservative state of South Carolina breweries aren't allowed to serve pints, only 4, 4oz tastings and growlers. Also, the three tier system still reigns supreme so distribution cost is a factor as well for us. It sounds like TohperM's fellow brewclub member lives in a much more suitable state with more flexibility. We chose to start in South Carolina because the laws are changing rapidly, the market isn't over saturated and Charleston itself has a vibrant local scene.
Hope this info helps!
Steve
He started with $20,000 in kickstarter funds and another $20,000 of his own $$$ for the equipment for a 1+BBL nono-brewery, not including whatever he pays in rent. He's been open since August.
That's about the minimum for a small, nice local nano brewery/taproom.
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