Brewpub

[jknapp12105]

Well I have an investor to build a brewpub in a great location in Texas! We are looking to have it up and running in 2-3 years. I am nervous because I am a newby to homebrew but I have three solid recipes that I created that people love. Any tips on good places to read for equipment, business plan templates specifies for brewpubs, and anything else that would be beneficial to this quest!?

 

[emjay]

First thing I'd do is be less of a newb. Going into this business is risky enough for even the most seasoned vets. Brew your ass off...

And reading couldn't hurt either.

If you've already read How to Brew, Brewing Classic Styles, and Yeast (easily the three most essential books for the modern homebrewer), hook yourself up with Designing Great Beers, New Brewing Lager Beer (if intending to brew lagers), Brewing With Wheat (self-explanatory I hope), and Brewing Better Beer. The last one, by Gordon Strong, is definitely my new favorite. And after that, you might want to start getting into some of the textbooks.

Sorry I don't have any advice about the business side - which, don't get me wrong, is usually far more important than the brewing side - but a self-described "newb" going pro is a terrifying thought. I think it's awesome, and feel a bit jealous even, but it's a very risky business, and most people don't get a second shot if the first attempt doesn't work out, so make damn sure you make it count!

 

[masterosouffle]

I don't even know where to start!
Actually do you think you could send me your investors details, it's just I'm looking for someone to invest in my space exploration project, I don't have any experience in this field, but I do have some drawings of rockets that I did as a kid that people said were really good. Sounds right up their street.

Seriously though, do you have experience in running a pub? A massive undertaking in itself.
If this isn't a joke, can you give us some more details on the project. Ie what your responsible for...

 

[Mongrel]

Brew twice a day, 5 days a week, for the next two months. You'll know if you still want to brew after that.

 

[jknapp12105]

I have three businesses that are successful and have family members that have 30 + yrs in the food industry/ bar scene. I am not really worried about that, I am just curious on equipment ( how to convert my homebrew recipes into a Massive scale) The area of interest where the pub will be built has a high volume of foot traffic because it is a college town. Like i said this project is projected to start in a couple of years and a lot of research will be conducted before we even break ground obviously. I am just looking for any advice to someone who has experience in the daily operations or a place where I can read about equipment

 

[thatjonguy]

Brewing is a very small portion of running a brewpub or brewery. Head over to probrewer.com and look around the site and forums for a while. That should give you a clear idea of what is involved. And there is no magic number or plan that you can copy. You have to make it yourself.

First thing you need to do is read all federal, state and local laws regarding brewing. Your dream site might not be zoned correctly or be too close to a school, church, another bar, etc.

The legal aspect of pro brewing is the most important thing to learn right away if you are going to be the owner and/or general manager.

 

[MisterTipsy]

Head over to probrewer.com

:rockin:

 

[TheMan]

There are a few guys on this forum that opened up businesses, I would try to contact them. I know forrest from Austin homebrew recently opened up his own pub or brewery, you could start there.

I think talking to them and checking probrewer would be good. But i would do a bit more of your own reading so that you have a decent idea of some specific questions to ask them. They can't help you too much if you just tell them "I'm opening a brewpub, what do I do?"

"Brewing up a business" by Sam calagione is supposed to be geared toward what you are doing, give that a read.

 

[Piratwolf]

Check amazon.com for a book put out by the Brewer's Association called "How To Start Your Own Brewery" or something very similar. It is a compilation of articles and/or papers written by some of the most successful brewing businesspeople out there. It covers philosophy, equipment, licensing, etc. It's by no means exhaustive but will give you a starting point. It costs around $60 but that doesn't sound like an issue for you.

Good luck!

 

[Vagrant]

+1 on probrewer.com .

In addition, if you have the time and the cash, I highly recommend Siebel. It's a 12 week program in the US and Germany/Europe that will give you the knowledge you're looking for. It covers pretty much everything you need to know from wort production and the science of fermentation to equipment, and the last 2 weeks is traveling around Europe on a bus visiting breweries and brewing equipment manufacturers. I'd do it every year if I could. It's a serious program and something like 1/3 of the class I was in didn't pass the written exam in Germany. I've heard good things about the American Brewers Guild as well. Wouldn't hurt to check 'em out.

 

[jknapp12105]

+1 on probrewer.com .

In addition, if you have the time and the cash, I highly recommend Siebel. It's a 12 week program in the US and Germany/Europe that will give you the knowledge you're looking for. It covers pretty much everything you need to know from wort production and the science of fermentation to equipment, and the last 2 weeks is traveling around Europe on a bus visiting breweries and brewing equipment manufacturers. I'd do it every year if I could. It's a serious program and something like 1/3 of the class I was in didn't pass the written exam in Germany. I've heard good things about the American Brewers Guild as well. Wouldn't hurt to check 'em out.

That's the kind of info I was looking for thanks a lot!

 

[evrose]

I have three solid recipes

Three whole entire solid recipes! Wow.

That's like saying, "I want to publish a novel. I've got three solid paragraphs written."

Or, "I want to build a new Space Shuttle. I have three solid paper airplanes!"

Or, "I want to be a rock star. I'm solid on three guitar chords!" (actually, that might be enough. nevermind.)

As others have said, your best chance of success will derive from becoming way less of a newbie, learning the legal and licensing element, and not blowing off the business element just because you have "some family members" who have some experience. The legal and business elements are precisely the things you should be worried about. The brewing itself is only a small part of this type of operation, and is unlikely to be the determining factor in its success or failure.

Not long ago, I read an interview by the owner of Pizza Port in Encinitas, CA. He was talking about these two guys who used to come in to the place and talk to him about brewing and beer. He found them interesting because they didn't seem to worry too much about the beer recipes and beer making process. Rather they focused their questions on the business element, legal issues, marketing, costs, income, regulations, etc. Sure, the beer was important, but not the thing they focused on. Several years later, they founded a brewery in Escondido, CA. Maybe you've heard of it. It's called Stone Brewing Co.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

No more bickering and name calling. Next offender gets a 3 day ban plus thread closure.

 

[tally350z]

Def. check out probrewer.com. I have been reading on that forum just about as much as I have been reading on here. There are alot of helpful distributors who are more than willing to send quotes and books on all there products.
As far as the business plan. There are a few examples that people have on the probrewer forum. Some of the basics will work for all plans and some won't. For a brewpub I would start looking into both a brewery and a restaurant business plan and scale it back to where you want to be.

 

[hitecgmblr]

Where in Texas is this going to be located?

 

[fargo234]

Ok.

1. Texas. Welcome to an uphill battle. I assume you are in College Station. I hope. While there are plenty of college towns in Texas, not many with the clientele of age you are looking for. The rest are cities that have colleges.

2. In Texas, a brewpub is a regular restaurant that happens to make beer. Unfortunately, most of them don't even make beer. St. Arnold has been contracted to brew for B.J.'s for years.

3. There's a reason you can't buy a sample pack at any craft brewery in Texas. Special laws preventing brewers from selling where they make it. They HAVE to go through a distributor. It's in the constitution. Seriously.

4. You need to find a contract lawyer specializing in TABC law. Again, you are not actually running a brewpub. It's a restaurant selling craft beer. You may need to sell an " independently brewed beer" distributed to your restaurant exclusively. Even if it's made on site.

This I've heard from several folks who have entertained these notions over the years. I briefly looked into it about ten years ago. I believe it is why nobody is opening actual "brewpubs" but rather craft breweries.