It's official starting my own brewing business!

[aubiecat]

akthor, glad I ran across this thread. Hope this turns out great for you man. I love craft beer but when you mentioned BBQ you won me over!
I lift a homebrew up to a small guy living a dream.
Now get to work!

 

[OG2620]

I wasn't aware that a bar would/could tap a corny keg.

 

[brewingmeister]

I wasn't aware that a bar would/could tap a corny keg.

This is a brew pub and they can serve out of anything...sankey, corney, or a cask. They will be taxed out of a holding (taxation) tank.

(edit) forgot that a brewpubs can serve directly out of the larger taxation tanks as well. The equipment to clean and fill sankeys is likely cost prohibitive for a small venture like this, making corneys (at a basement price) the way to go.

 

[jfrizzell]

I wasn't aware that a bar would/could tap a corny keg.

What difference does it make what they serve from?

 

[udt89]

Good luck. I just hope you hash out your rental agreement so your landlord doesn't renew your lease and takes over the newly renovated, hopefully popular, new brewpub. Or puts it up for sale.

Seen it happen in the bar business all the time. Never "rent" a bar bc it's cheaper. Buy the bar and pay the land owner rent.

In this case it scares me because you're renting a residential dwelling and at any time she can evict you.

 

[beersurgeon]

Knock yourself out, man.

The secret to happiness in life is, "Do what you love and love what you do."

Keep us in the loop!

 

[akthor]

I'm about 20 miles away from Bangor

 

[OG2620]

This is a brew pub and they can serve out of anything...sankey, corney, or a cask. They will be taxed out of a holding (taxation) tank.

I forgot that this was a brewpub model. Still curious to see how it all pans out.

 

[akthor]

I won't be a bar, no liquor, no beer or soda except for what I make. Though I may stock coke or pepsi if I decide I need a big double door cooler since they give you those to use for free if you carry their soda But I would prefer not to.

The brewpub I scored my pinlocks from frequently puts cornies on their "guest tap" they called it, a lot of the smaller micro breweries I guess down southern maine are selling in cornies. The pinlocks I got all used to belong to Carrabassett Brewery.

I wasn't aware that a bar would/could tap a corny keg.

 

[OG2620]

Are you pursuing a small brewery license or does your particular situation require additional licensing?

 

[akthor]

Trust me no worries there she is a close friend and I would never sink my own money into something if I thought that could happen.

And just in case I end up not making enough $$$ to stay afloat with it and I want to move I want to build as many things as possible as removable. Like the bar and the walk in cooler.

My current bar that will go upstairs as my own bar I built to be removable and the marble tile top comes off. So I have a little experience with that.

Thinking I will build the cooler like a box with walls, floor and ceiling panels that bolt all together but can be disassembled to be moved to another location.

Good luck. I just hope you hash out your rental agreement so your landlord doesn't renew your lease and takes over the newly renovated, hopefully popular, new brewpub. Or puts it up for sale.

Seen it happen in the bar business all the time. Never "rent" a bar bc it's cheaper. Buy the bar and pay the land owner rent.

In this case it scares me because you're renting a residential dwelling and at any time she can evict you.

 

[akthor]

I believe I will fall under the small brewery one and I will probably need a victualars license (sp?) for the food. There's other assorted permits if I remember from when we got the cafe licensed, eat in/take out one, a tax one of some sort too.

Are you pursuing a small brewery license or does your particular situation require additional licensing?

 

[Jaybird]

Killer man! Hit it hard and never look back!

Keep us posted on the progress.....

Cheers
Jay

 

[akthor]

I am using a Jaybird FB in my rig

 

[Coffee_Creek]

Way to go!!!!
Let the negitive remarks run offlike water on a ducks back. Do it your way and don't look back.
Best of luck!!!

 

[BrewinJay]

I know what zoning laws are. I also know for a fact I can get where I am at zoned for whatever I need to. Except things like porn shops, strip clubs, a dump things like that. I have talked to people, there are businesses all around me. The art gallery accross the street is excited about the fact there could be increased traffic and more exposure for his place. Maine is perhaps different than other states. Especially up above southern Maine. People havong businesses in what you may think of as residential areas on their properties or in their houses is very common. Garages, body shops, marine repair, kennels, galleries, antique shops, hair dressers are super common up here. I know for a fact that the Oak Pond Brewery down near Skowhegan is in a residential area with a house on the property. They have neighbors living within a hundred yards or less of their brewery building.

Plus I actually grew up in this town 25yrs ago. It's a bit surreal actually growing up I couldn't wait to get outta this town now 25 yrs later I am moving back.

I am renting. I know the landlord really well which is why I can modify the place so much and I can stay for as long as I want. She is excited by the business as well since she is a beer lover and a homebrewer as well.

This is the last time I will address zoning or licensing issues. I have an MBA. I have a business plan. In my former career I managed one business and started another from scratch with grants I had to apply for which entailed doing an actual real business plan that was used to secure the funding. It was a Cafe' so I have some knowledge of what is involved with laws and licensing.

I thought would be fun to post about what I was doing and to share the progress as I went along. Since I am doing it differently than the way most folks go about it. I thought people would want to know about it and maybe be inspired to do it themselves.

I didn't do it to have to come in here to continually defend myself and my decisions. I appriciate constructive feedback and people's opinions but please enough of "can you do that there?" Yes I can I wouldn't be here otherwise.

First allow me to apologize, I had no intention of offending you. Secondly I do hope you do this as I will follow this build so that I may get ideas for my own brewpub one day. My posting was not one to discourage, but one to try and help make sure you had all bases covered.

 

[cmmartin]

Subscribed. Looking forward to seeing your progress man!

 

[akthor]

Well after 9hrs of polishing my brew kettle is done. I knew my brew rig would be a focal point of wherever I went so I wanted a SS stand. In that same vein I wanted my keggles to look shiny and professional. Like restaurants where you can see the chef cooking your meal I thought it important for people to see where the beer is coming from.

It's not very fun polishing these but it's rewarding to see the end result. My HLT keggle is coming soon from Texas with my custom coiled (by member Texan) 50' 1/2" SS HERMS coil inside it. I have my MLT keg too (just have to polish it, waiting for some warmer weather) and all the fittings for everything only thing left to buy to finish the rig is the silicone hose. And I am leaning towards getting a trub filter from Brewers Hardware.

Grrr can't attach a pic it seems with my tablet. Will get on the laptop to post the picture.

 

[akthor]

Also I need to fill it to check for leaks and to mark the spots for the sight glass numbers (excuse the smudges and greasy cutting oil fingerprints):

 

[smithnick0]

NIce

 

[l3asturd]

Way to go man! I used to live in Lewiston for awhile. Wish I could drive up and see your work! It's kind of a far drive now..

 

[Chuginator]

Beautiful!

 

[anteup]

AKThor - I read the post about your business background and the background of your friends. Having my BS in structural engineering and working in that field for 10yrs. Then owning/operating construction business for 15yrs, I have one observation and comment. Business people make terrible engineers and engineers make terrible business people. Good luck in your venture and post location I'd like to stop by on one of my many yearly trips to the north country.

 

[NineMilBill]

Good luck and keep us updated! You're living the dream! :rockin:

 

[LMGK]

What's the name of this place gonna be?

 

[akthor]

Ten Gallon Alehouse and Oil Tank Meatery. (or smoke tank?)

Since I will only be selling pork I figure the first T-Shirt will be:

"I got Porked at the Ten Gallon Alehouse"

 

[AdamCanFly]

I've never been to Maine, but this makes me want to go. It would be cool to camp there.

 

[Gduck]

Ten Gallon Alehouse and Oil Tank Meatery. (or smoke tank?)

Since I will only be selling pork I figure the first T-Shirt will be:

"I got Porked at the Ten Gallon Alehouse"

Once you're up and running I'm going to have to drive up to Maine just for one of those T-shirts. I'm sure the beer and pork will be worth it too!

 

[Swilldog]

Hey Akthor,

You need to check out BREW Magazine, December 2008, vol 14, No. 8. Page 54. It's the one with Stone Brewery on the cover.

There's an article titled "Professional Homebrewers Brewing Commerically at a Homebrew Scale" by Glen BurnSilver. This article covers three different brewers at three different levels 10 gallon, 15.5 gallon and 4 barrel systems. A lot of people think you can't money with a small brewery of this size, this article will prove them wrong. It's an enlightening article. Wish you the best of luck.

Cheers.

 

[Sheldon]

I am so jealous. Good luck, need a northern road trip this fall