Not quite contract brewing, not quite alternating proprietorship but so much more than a co-op...the world's first (I think) incubator brewery needs your feedback.
For the last few years I've been running something called a kitchen incubator (see kitchenincubator.com) and also been steadily getting more into brewing. I built out a really awesome bakery space for people that wanted to start baking businesses for hourly rent. Somewhere in the past year I discovered that:
a) I hate bakers. They are a pain in the ass and have screwed me six ways from sideways.
b) I love brewing and kind of want to do it professionally (note, kind of)
I've been toying around with the idea for a while but the epiphany hit me at a beer festival last week - convert the bakery into a brewery! I've started into the TTB process already. I have some awesome equipment already contributed by our Master Brewer in exchange for using the facility (SABCO, some great fermentors, many many kegs, etc) and I have the water filtration systems and gas hook-ups. I also have a kick ass kitchen so brewpub seems the correct route.
So what I'd like to do is extend this new brewery to locals who want to take that next step. I'm in Houston and know many people locally who are interested. But as far as how the concept will attract people from other locals I have no idea.
My question is this: how much would you pay (annually) for the ability to go into a professional brewing set-up with access to temperature controlled fermentation room and an open to the public tap room, to brew and sell your beer?
I'm currently thinking of an annual membership fee, due monthly, that provides access to 'brew sessions' which allow you to book the brew session for an additional fee, with access to all of the equipment and space in the fermentation and kegging rooms but you'll have to provide your own fermenters and kegs. Membership will be exclusive meaning that founding members will apply and be allowed in based on the quality of their beer and from there on out will get to vote on whether or not a new member can be admitted. Beer will be sampled and sold in the tap room. You get all of the proceeds from your beer sales minus a 30% commission for us having to hire staff to market and serve it.
Knowing 100% that this will be an act of love and not a money driven venture, we are looking to establish as a non-profit organization, which means 100% of membership dues will be invested back in the brewery. I'm running a lot of numbers here (I have a background in finance) but ultimately I really want the project to be community driven. Your feedback is so deeply appreciated I am willing to mail black ale caramelized bacon cookies to the providers of thoughtful responses!
Thoughts? Please? and feel free to post comments and show support at facebook.com/projectbrew!
For the last few years I've been running something called a kitchen incubator (see kitchenincubator.com) and also been steadily getting more into brewing. I built out a really awesome bakery space for people that wanted to start baking businesses for hourly rent. Somewhere in the past year I discovered that:
a) I hate bakers. They are a pain in the ass and have screwed me six ways from sideways.
b) I love brewing and kind of want to do it professionally (note, kind of)
I've been toying around with the idea for a while but the epiphany hit me at a beer festival last week - convert the bakery into a brewery! I've started into the TTB process already. I have some awesome equipment already contributed by our Master Brewer in exchange for using the facility (SABCO, some great fermentors, many many kegs, etc) and I have the water filtration systems and gas hook-ups. I also have a kick ass kitchen so brewpub seems the correct route.
So what I'd like to do is extend this new brewery to locals who want to take that next step. I'm in Houston and know many people locally who are interested. But as far as how the concept will attract people from other locals I have no idea.
My question is this: how much would you pay (annually) for the ability to go into a professional brewing set-up with access to temperature controlled fermentation room and an open to the public tap room, to brew and sell your beer?
I'm currently thinking of an annual membership fee, due monthly, that provides access to 'brew sessions' which allow you to book the brew session for an additional fee, with access to all of the equipment and space in the fermentation and kegging rooms but you'll have to provide your own fermenters and kegs. Membership will be exclusive meaning that founding members will apply and be allowed in based on the quality of their beer and from there on out will get to vote on whether or not a new member can be admitted. Beer will be sampled and sold in the tap room. You get all of the proceeds from your beer sales minus a 30% commission for us having to hire staff to market and serve it.
Knowing 100% that this will be an act of love and not a money driven venture, we are looking to establish as a non-profit organization, which means 100% of membership dues will be invested back in the brewery. I'm running a lot of numbers here (I have a background in finance) but ultimately I really want the project to be community driven. Your feedback is so deeply appreciated I am willing to mail black ale caramelized bacon cookies to the providers of thoughtful responses!
Thoughts? Please? and feel free to post comments and show support at facebook.com/projectbrew!
