It's official starting my own brewing business!

[akthor]

I'm actually hoping to go down to Portland this weekend to pick up 10+ corny's from a brewpub my friend works at

if you need help setting up your place I work for beer

I live in SoPo

 

[theonetrueruss]

good luck.. I hope it works out. sounds fun. though I can't imagine fitting in running a business with everything else you have going on. If you manage this you are doing awesome. Hope it works!

 

[Ramitt]

Congrats! Check out these Brew Strong going pro episodes if you haven't already. http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/Brew-Strong One thing I just have to add...are you planning on brewing ~15 gallon batches? If so, you might want to reconsider. It's extremely difficult to make money on less than a 1 BBL system. Even then, 5 BBL is preferable. At least that's according to these guys. I am not trying to be a downer, just trying to help.

I think most of that pertains to a package brewery, his model is more brewpub.

 

[rexbanner]

I think most of that pertains to a package brewery, his model is more brewpub.

A 1 BBL package brewery? Stranger things have happened, I guess...

Remember, packaging is what you do after you have outgrown your local territory. There are few things that bring as much profit margin as a brew-pub/tasting room beer...legal, that is.

 

[thatjonguy]

There are few things that bring as much profit margin as a brew-pub/tasting room beer...legal, that is.

The truth. Rexbanner speaks it.

 

[bwomp313]

I'd definitely love to check your place out once it's up and running

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Cool to hear someone chasing their dreams, hope everything goes well for you and I look forward to seeing your progress.

 

[buckley28]

Hell F-ing ya man. That's my dream

 

[nvr2low]

subscribed, thinking of something similar in the future so i am curious to how this goes!

 

[BrewinJay]

Congrats man, you are living most of everyone's dreams here. I will be watching closely, as I would love to do this one day myself.

 

[Boar Beer]

good luck...

 

[PistolPete2]

If you build it, they will come.

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

If you build it, they will come.

by they he means us... watch out

 

[wrench]

Sounds like I need to get the guys together for a ride up to Maine this fall or next spring. Road trip! We'll be your first campground customers and just pitch a few tents in the back if you don't mind...

 

[akthor]

Anybody cool is always welcome up here anytime, even before I am open we will still be hanging out and drinking beer, playing foose, lighting fires, shooting guns, trying to find a used pool table to put in my new giant living room There's 35 acres with a road going to the top of the hill/mountain on the property (landlord rents the top to a cell phone company so there's a tower up there) so lots of places you could pitch a tent.

Heading down friday to start painting so I will take photos of everything. Been doing research on building a walk in cooler and priced out a new double bay utility sink and commercial pre-rinse sprayer to replace the old crappy laundry sink downstairs. Hope to order them this weekend. Should be a huge improvement cleaning and sanitizing kegs and stuff over doing it in my kitchen sink

Sounds like I need to get the guys together for a ride up to Maine this fall or next spring. Road trip! We'll be your first campground customers and just pitch a few tents in the back if you don't mind...

 

[natefrog255]

Congrats man, you are living most of everyone's dreams here. I will be watching closely, as I would love to do this one day myself.

+1 and good luck! I would love to get to this point some day in the GB area. Has the permits, tax, etc aka the legalities of selling been troublesome?

 

[Minjin]

Good Luck!

 

[QBBC]

I am in the process of doing everything my self Too here in Texas

 

[akthor]

Good news today! My buddy in Portland hooked me up with his employer who is selling me 12 ball lock corny's for $240! I am going down Sunday to get them. That will give me 20 so far. I will probably need more but it's a good start.

Also have an electric motor I got on Ebay on its way to me I hope to make a motorized grain mill with it.

 

[de3isit]

Livin' the dream! The world is jealous!

 

[bwomp313]

so I will take photos of everything.

definitely keep us updated with plenty of pics!!!

 

[ajwillys]

Very awesome! Congrats and good luck. I've been working on the same for awhile now. We are not that far along, but it has already been A TON of work.

 

[BeantownR6]

awsome good luck!

 

[Joe C]

Bad ass! Congrats on starting up and good luck! I'll be watching this one.

 

[Chuginator]

Don't want to be a pessimist party-pooper, but you have a long way to go. There is a huge gap between announcing something and making it happen.

I've subscribed, because I have high hopes that you can pull it off - and I'm rooting for you. If nothing else, it will be one hell of an adventure for you, hopefully creating [good] memories that you'll never forget.

Cheers!

 

[EarthBound]

Good news today! My buddy in Portland hooked me up with his employer who is selling me 12 ball lock corny's for $240! I am going down Sunday to get them. That will give me 20 so far. I will probably need more but it's a good start.

Also have an electric motor I got on Ebay on its way to me I hope to make a motorized grain mill with it.

Nice deal on the cornies.

A mill is certainly required! Are you gonna have grain shipped to your house, or do you plan on group buying?

Sounds like you will have lots of different beers, considering the size of your batches. How many taps do you plan to start with? Are you planning on selling bottled beer?

 

[Bilc16]

Subscribed. Good luck. I drive up to ME a couple times a year. I'll have to stop in when you get going.

 

[goingmad]

Subscribed!

I am your official European Fan # 1!

you rock! :rockin:

 

[RelentlessJ]

Me too

 

[akthor]

Was down there painting saturday and took a bunch of pictures I will post them tomorrow. I drove down to Portland today and picked up 15 pin lock corny kegs and 1 ten gallon ball lock keg for ...... $15 bux a keg

Also finished the final polish on keggle #1 and installed the fittings, valve, thermometer and sight glass.

Pics tomorrow.

 

[Conan]

That sounds like a place I'd frequent, constantly! Didn't read the whole thread, but from your first post and a few here and there! Mmmmm, BBQ and beer-- can't wait for the pics! Good luck! Kyle

 

[Stankonia]

Was down there painting saturday and took a bunch of pictures I will post them tomorrow. I drove down to Portland today and picked up 15 pin lock corny kegs and 1 ten gallon ball lock keg for ...... $15 bux a keg

Also finished the final polish on keggle #1 and installed the fittings, valve, thermometer and sight glass.

Pics tomorrow.

So you're just going to use a .5bbl setup??

Looking forward to the pics!

 

[oconnor1981]

Congratulations guy...I love the business plan...unless your leasing the land you can't really fail in this venture. No business is a guarantee but worse case scenario is you have more beer to drink with your friends, a bar to drink it in, and a a sweet 10 gallon system. I really like the 2-3 days a week idea. I've never heard of it but it makes sense, and I think it is awesome you are taking the affordable and conservative approach of doing as much (if not all of it) yourself. Its a dream of mine to open up a brewpub eventually. I'm looking at about 12 years down the road before that happens. In the meantime I'm taking notes, perfecting recipes (food and beer), and figuring out what I want it to be.

It's too bad there are people that have to try and tell you you are "a long ways away" from making this happen. Yeah it's not tomorrow but you really got nothing but your pride on the line right now, and a lot of people these days have had to give up a lot more than that. Good luck and I will definitely monitor this thread.

 

[Chuginator]

Congratulations guy...I love the business plan...unless your leasing the land you can't really fail in this venture.

That's actually a very cool way to look at it. I like your attitude! More than mine!

It's too bad there are people that have to try and tell you you are "a long ways away" from making this happen.

No offense.

 

[jd3]

So you're going to work 7 days a week for how long? And when are you going to brew? Cause if you are open and serving by yourself(and cooking, it seems) you won't be brewing during those times. Seems you might be stretching yourself thinner than you think....

 

[TheCatman]

If I lived near you, I'd be camping there every weekend during the summer. Sounds like a great time!

 

[SuperNintendoChalmers]

This is fantastic. I might use it as an excuse to vacation in Maine this summer. I'd love to set up a small system and sell only on-site without the hassles of distributing - sounds idyllic. There's even a vacant little corner storefront two blocks from my house I've been eyeing as a future brewery. Still, I'm having enough trouble with my 5 gallon brews and don't see upgrading to 3bbl or whatever anytime soon. Maybe if I could get kal's electric setup going...

 

[akthor]

Well the fact that I have spent about 3K on equipment and that I am moving out of my lakeside house (beautiful with awesome fishing btw) to this property means it will be happening. Otherwise I would have not spent the money and stayed put

Don't want to be a pessimist party-pooper, but you have a long way to go. There is a huge gap between announcing something and making it happen.

I've subscribed, because I have high hopes that you can pull it off - and I'm rooting for you. If nothing else, it will be one hell of an adventure for you, hopefully creating [good] memories that you'll never forget.

Cheers!

 

[akthor]

As many as I end up needing. As you will see in the pics since I will be putting the taps from the walk in I build thru the wall into the taproom there really isn't a limit I could fit 8 or 20. Probably around 8 tho at least at first.

There are two homebrew stores in town (not the town I will be in but the major city in my area, not really a city but you get my drift) I know they will order grain for you with their own orders, not sure of pricing, I hope eventuall to be able to be brewing enough to have grain shipped directly to me. Maybe work with local homebrewers to do a group buy deal like I read about on here.

Nice deal on the cornies.

A mill is certainly required! Are you gonna have grain shipped to your house, or do you plan on group buying?

Sounds like you will have lots of different beers, considering the size of your batches. How many taps do you plan to start with? Are you planning on selling bottled beer?

 

[akthor]

I work overnights 4 nights a week. I could easily brew 3 batches on a brew day before work. I am only going to be open fri, sat, and sun during the nfl. When not the NFL season I would be closed Sunday so that would be my day off. So I could make 120 gallons of beer a week pretty easily and I am sure more if I had to. If I am selling that much being open 2 or 3 days I will be stoked!

Cooking wise all I plan on serving is Smoked Pork, what they call a picnic pork or pork shoulder, served in a trencher (a trencher is a hollowed out loaf of bread similiar to a bread bowl which = no dishes) w/ a side of coleslaw (gotta have veggies) and pulled pork nachos, that's it.

I will fill the smoker up thursday night before I go to work. Check everything when I get home at 7am Friday morning. Go to bed. Wake up at 2 or 3pm open for business at 4pm. Reload the smoker when I sell whats in it or after closing and open at Noon on Saturday. Same deal if I am opening on Sunday. The plan is to load the smoker up and if I sell out that's it for that day.

Trying to keep things simple and not try doing too much.

As far as working 7 days a week ( working? I thought it wasn't like work when you do what you love? )honestly my job is very easy, more a matter of staying awake if anything. So I have lots of spare energy not taken up by my FT job. Once I am open for a while I can have scheduled days off and vacations. I also have a son and some really good friends that will be willing to help me out for beer and bbq

So you're going to work 7 days a week for how long? And when are you going to brew? Cause if you are open and serving by yourself(and cooking, it seems) you won't be brewing during those times. Seems you might be stretching yourself thinner than you think....