What keeps you from going pro?

The fact that other local breweries exist in your area shouldn't be an impediment to you. This is a common objection, but it is not true in practice. Every place has multiple restaurants, doctors, deli's, supermarkets, car dealerships, etc. Just because more than one of each type exists doesn't mean that any of them are any less successful.

boredatwork said:

The fact that other local breweries exist in your area shouldn't be an impediment to you. This is a common objection, but it is not true in practice. Every place has multiple restaurants, doctors, deli's, supermarkets, car dealerships, etc. Just because more than one of each type exists doesn't mean that any of them are any less successful.

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True, but this largely depends on the size of your town and the proliferation of any local breweries. As stated above, my town (of 50k) has only 2 main watering holes, and the local brewery owns both of them. These are very successful establishments and I simply don't see a niche for a second brewery.

Every town is different though...

I'm broke. I've only brewed two batches. But I'm a dreamer. And I often dream running a brew pub would be really amazing. Pairing really good beer with really good food. It would make a killing here in Oslo, but I think that there is probably many, many laws prohibiting such things because I don't believe such a place exists here. There is one brew pub in this city, that's it, and it doesn't serve any food besides beernuts and popcorn.

When i was younger i was a asst. in a computer shop. It got to the point where i would come in to "help" and "learn" and would be there for 6 hours working. Got a little pay...Nothing big. My teacher at the time moved from one computer store to anouther and I became a "tech" in training. Basicly doing the work for little pay...but getting the experince...Worked out great.... Problem is the area allready had 3 computer stores and the demand was busy one day, slow the next 3 days.
I started my own little computer buisness, And did allright by it. Made a little profit out of it, But in the long run i couldnt quit my day job to be a full time tech. Basicly if i wanted it to be my life...Apply at Microsoft. YAY work in a cubical " not that there is anything wrong with that" But not my cup of tea.
What i am getting at here, Is it depends on your area...If there isnt a Local micro brewery in your area, or maybe even 1 close by, you might have a chance of going pro and doing really well.
But i think it really depends on your area and location.
As for food, I know there is some brewery's that have just a "tasteing room" and all they serve is peanuts in the shell or popcorn, or basicly just "snack food from a bag. No health codes from peanuts or popcorn.

I have volunteer'ed at a brewery, And i can tell you it is fun...But its ALLOT differnt that homebrewing. With homebrewing i can do whatever i want with a recipe...If you have a buisness, You have a style of beer and if it goes over really well, Changing it isnt going to go over very well, Even if it is a small hop changes to see if it is better. So making the same exact beer over and over and over again can loose its apeal really quick.

And i dont know about you, But taking a hobby and making a job out of it, Takes allot of the fun out of it. I brew when i want, and enjoy that. I cant see myself going o.k today i have to make beer and dreading it. It would take all the fun out of it and make it no differnt than the job i currently have. It sucks...but i owe i owe off to work i go... with razor blades and hand gernades HI Ho Hi Ho
Yes...I do tell myself that when i am driving to work...and yes i do work with razor blades all day long. And no i am not a drug dealer :cross:

Just something to think about before taking a hobby and making it a job...It could be fun at first but fun can become dread real fast.

The fact that I dont know 1/2 of what 3/4 of you guys know!

Unbelievably stupid government laws designed to assist large entrenched brewers and kill their competition appear to be the real barriers to entry.

So much for the land of the free, eh?

jmo88 said:

Not sure if this has been posted already, but there is an interesting sounding book that just came out on the subject. Steve Hindy and Tom Potter published their book "Beer School: Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery". It looks pretty good as they discuss the influence of their trials with homebrew.

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Beat you by 3 posts with that book. I've read it, it's a good airplane book.