NanoBrewery build

Better late than never. Welcome to the insanity.

HBHoss - thanks for taking the leap, inspired me to try the same. I have a few questions if you don't mind:

1. Did you ever consider food (brewpub) setup in your tasting shop, to perhaps help with profits. If so, why didn't you do it?
2. What type of analysis for demographics, target markets, incomes etc did you do, or was it a " People said they liked it, I liked doing it, so I made more to sell. "
3. For the tasting room, what do you feel is the optimum amount of variants in beer styles, 3, 5 7, 9?
4. Are you making merchandise available for sale as well?
5. Did you manage to grow your account with the cafe from the 2 cases, and if so, what did you do?

Hope you get the time to answer, and good luck with the second build.

Snotpoodle said:

HBHoss - thanks for taking the leap, inspired me to try the same. I have a few questions if you don't mind:

1. Did you ever consider food (brewpub) setup in your tasting shop, to perhaps help with profits. If so, why didn't you do it?
2. What type of analysis for demographics, target markets, incomes etc did you do, or was it a " People said they liked it, I liked doing it, so I made more to sell. "
3. For the tasting room, what do you feel is the optimum amount of variants in beer styles, 3, 5 7, 9?
4. Are you making merchandise available for sale as well?
5. Did you manage to grow your account with the cafe from the 2 cases, and if so, what did you do?

Hope you get the time to answer, and good luck with the second build.

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In answer to your questions:

1 and 2. Never considered food because I got into this for simpler reasons, people liked it, I like making it and so I had the opportunity to sell it so I did.
In hind sight I still wouldn't have gone the food route because of the start up expense involved.
3. I don't think there is an optimum amount, it was what my keezer could handle and I felt 4 was a good variety without over saturating the customers palette.
4. No swag yet. My brother and the candy store that was with us both have t-shirts and stuff that never sells. I've seen 1 t-shirt sold in the last year. Perhaps in the future I'll have some novelty t-shirts made but I'm in no hurry. I give away a bottle opener with each six pack I sell.
5. The cafe was a bust. It never panned out for what ever reason. I think bottom line was they didn't want to spend the amount to carry my brews.

Good luck.

HBHoss - I just read through all 73 pages of this, mainly because I typed "nanobrewery" into search, and I'm glad I came across it.

I've been hombrewing since 2004, and people used to compliment my beers, but recently when I made a batch up on a whim, people started to rave about it, and I've got friends calling me asking me for more of it. That got me looking into a possible career change (Engineer to Brewer) but that would cut into my income, and since I'm starting a family, I'm going to need all the money I can get my hands on. I then came across the word nanobrewery when looking into upgrading my equipment to a 1bbl or greater setup (still for personal use), that’s what prompted my search and brought me to this, and the route you took looks like the way I want to go - I still want to be an Engineer, I went to school for it and enjoy it, but if I can sell my beer and come out in the black at the end of the year, or at least close to it, then why the heck not? I'm going to be making beer anyways. Of course I have to look into my local regulations, and there is the startup cost, but if I drop five thousand in before I start selling, that’s not all that bad, considering my current motorsport hobbies, which make me no money and cost me a lot.

So I guess, through that long winded explanation, what I'm trying to say is thanks! Thanks for taking your hobby to the next level, thanks for sharing your experiences, thanks for offering any and all information and especially updates to the community.

You're welcome and thanks for taking the time to read it all.
A 1bbl system can make you money while still keeping your full time job. You will need a building, separate from your house, to do the business brews in but I'm not sure of any of the other regs in your area and what the cost of a license is in your state. You'll also need to see if you can self distribute or not.
Good luck with it all.

WOW!!!!!!! Great to see a start up succeeding in today's economy, but I guess people need a drink! Congrats on your success!

Just finished reading the whole thread. Very inspiring!

One (minor) thing I noticed is that clicking on the facebook link in your signature took me to a "Not Found" page. I tracked down your FB page throughGgoogle and now officially "like" you , but I was nervously reading about 30 pages of this thread waiting to see what disaster befell you and the brewery to cause you to disappear. Glad it was just a pesky technology problem.

Keep up the good work!

I've fixed the Facebook page link, thanks for the heads up on that.

Fantastic, enlightening, and inspirational read!
Half way done I was so hooked I subscribed to the site. I hope my partners and I are half as successful as you have been and continue to be.
Continued success to you Hoss!

I just read through the whole thing too. Great story and I wish you all the luck. I hope you become big enough to start selling in Rhode Island...all the way on teh other side of the world lol

It sucks the Cafe owner didn't want to put the money into your product. Some people don't get that you may need to spend more to get more. If I wanted your beer, I could have gone to the Cafe to get it which would then put me in their shop to buy other things they sell. Even if they make $1 per beer they sell, it is a good possibility that I would buy something else too.

I have been thinking about starting something like this and glad I read through this thread to see that it is very possible. I think Rhode Island has very strict laws on alcohol but I need to research it more. I know RI is one of a few states that don't allow alcohol to be shipped to your house. Luckily, Massachusetts is 15 minutes away and seem to be a lot more relaxed.

Keep us updated on how things work out. I also "liked" Chappell Brewery on FB.

Most likely the Cafe owner thinks his customers would rather have cheap domestic beer than craft beer. I still haven't made it up to Mariposa yet, my March trip was canceled due to a sick toddler. I'd like to get up there soon, already have a plan for mid-August for sure - but hopefully sooner than that.

Thanks for all the info and inspiration. I am at some point going to be taking a similar route with my hobby/obsession. I am wanting to do a brew house/pub/distillery so I will have many obstacles to overcome but it is nice to see that you have done/are doing what you want. My dream is still a ways into the futureas it will be my retirement job. But thanks for the inspiration and good luck.

Ok so I just finished page 74 starting from 1. took me about 2 weeks off and on at work but finished! I'd like to thank everywhere for their comments and I dug down to find the strength to stick with it and read the thread. I'd like to think my parents for sending me to school to learn to read and also...

totally kidding. best thread on homebrewtalk hands down IMO.

few questions if you don't mind sir...

this was posted back in jan by you

HBHoss said:

I hear Texas is really hard on getting self distributor type licenses.

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can you elaborate any? I'm sure it was just passing conversation so you didn't pay too much attention but just wondering

2- since you've been so busy getting a bigger brewery and bigger equipment. Just assuming that means that you're getting more business correct? Not asking for a dollar figure or anything but you picking up any commercial accounts besides the fancy restaurant (not the cafe. I know that didn't work out) you mentioned last?

3- what seems to be the biggest difference if any in going from the 10 gallon batches to the 31 gallon?...

Obligatory congrats by the way. but sincerely this thread and your story has meant enough for me to keep a running post it note with page #s written on it as a book mark on my desk to come back and read a little bit when I had the time.

Thank you for sticking it out and getting through the thread.
As far as Texas is concerned that comment was based on conversations with HB'ers in Texas that had commented that the beer distribution was sort of like a union type situation where it's possible but very difficult. Not saying it is a union but like that.
I don't have other accounts locked in yet but there's interest from the local grocery store and a hotel and another restaurant. Once I get the larger batches going (haven't even started construction yet loan process took much longer than expected) I'll be able to start cold calling other places I think would be willing to carry a local brew.
Other than the amount I'll lose if I screw it up, I don't see there will be much difference between brewing the 10 gallon batches versus the 31 gallon but I haven't done it yet.
Thanks again for reading my story and stay tuned to the continuing saga as I grow.

I am pretty sure in TX that you can self distribute to a certain volume, probably large enough to be fine for a nano brewery.

Hoss, First off congratulations on making it this far, I will be visiting my Family in Fresno in about a month and I would love to make a trip up to see all that you have done. I look forward to sampling your beers and hopefully taking some home with me!!

just read this thread through and i cant believe all the hoops you guys have to jump through to make a living making beer

i run a micro with a few partners in liverpool ,(in the ukhttp://www.liverpoolorganicbrewery.com )and if wed have to put up with what youve put up with, i think id have gone nuts!

good luck with the future and i look forward to seeing how your venture progresses

Ibrewaletx said:

I am pretty sure in TX that you can self distribute to a certain volume, probably large enough to be fine for a nano brewery.

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Yeah for a shipping brewery, you can self distribute up to 75,000bbl. And, of course, brew pubs can self distribute 0bbl.

Epic, Epic, Epic!!!!! Subscribed.

Great job! Subscribed!

awesome job man!!! good to see someone is living the dream

I made it to the end and I didn't see you mention SWMBO.

Are you married Hoss?

If so, what does SWMBO think about your endeavors?

I know my wife would support me but also give me heck along the way!

I am glad I spent 3 working days going through this and can't wait to see pictures of the new brew house.

My 10 year plan is to start a side project like this. That will give me time to get 3 kids on the right track and finish my career change. I have 2 years left on my 2nd degree and then pursuing the CPA track which hopefully will help me manage money for a project like this.

Many people have said it already but WAY TO GO!!! Keep the dream alive.

and Happy Birthday too!

Hoss, great work, hope you get overwhelmed with success. I plan on opening a micro in the next year and a half (currently doing an apprenticeship at a 700/bbl/year brewery, I'm young and my state payed for college and can afford to work an $8/hour job). Anyways for anyone who wants to know, if you have mechanical knowledge and a good business background you should be able to open a successful nano (if your beer is good). However, pro experience will save you a lot of money (at least I think mine will), on avoiding stupid mistakes and learning from expirence. My parents run a small manufacturing business and brewing comercially is manufacturing, knowing how to troubleshoot mechanical/plumbing/electical/carpentry issues is a huge asset and will save large sums of money. Having a good nose for business is very important also when you are a 1/1.5 man operation.

Props to you Hoss and cheers to living the dream aspiring Pros!!!

Thanks for sharing your story! I'm interested in how you came up with your recipes and are you still tweaking them according to feedback you receive? (Do you get feedback?) Also have you entered any of your beers into contests?

Thanks for checking this thread out everyone.

No SWMBO in my life. I'm a single parent of 2 teenage boys. Once I expand the brewery I'll enlist their help in some of the brewing jobs.

As for recipe creation it's just my desires more than it is input from customers. All though I do listen to the comments they make and have made some recipe changes based on that, but for the most part it's just tweaking what I like.
I have not entered any contests yet. Probably next year I will.

I just read this whole thing while taking breaks from racking a beer to secondary and yeast washing. What a great story! I couldn't stop reading. I can hardly find the motivation to fix up my basement for a better brewing setup. Kudos to your determination. I look forward to your updates and future success.

747 posts read in one sitting. Fantastic! Good luck. Subscribed.

Awesome! Easily one of the most informative and inspiring threads on HBT. The best of luck to you in the coming years!

Subscribed as well.

Congrats Hoss. This is a great thread, I've really enjoyed reading it.

Are you still as passionate about beer/brewing as you were back on post #1?

I wish you the best of luck, this has been very inspirational and educational.

I've worked my way through every word of this thread. Truly inspiring, I love the idea of spitting in all the nay sayers faces. I'm working up a business plan at the moment.
Thinking I'm gonna buy a 1 or 2 BBL system from http://conical-fermenter.com/
to be installed in a brewpub of course

Hey man, if you do, please create a thread on your adventure and post the thread link here!

Read thru this entire thread and I have to say that I am inspired... Love to see hard working people like yourself make it and so what you LOVE to do. Keep us all updated and here is some JuJu to make things go smooth with the big upcoming build.

Just wondering if you have any updates. hope you had a successful summer!!

Thank you for asking. Just got plan approval so have started construction. Photos to follow.
This summer was slower than last year. Lots of people, just not a lot of spending going on.

Phunhog said:

Just wondering if you have any updates. hope you had a successful summer!!

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Subscribed. Awesome story.

And so it begins...

Woohoo!!!

Just spent an hour with this thread. Subscribed.

Amazed and subbed the thread! Living the dream!