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

 

[beninan]

PM me if you want help with anything.

 

[buckley28]

Just to put this to bed so that people can focus on the build which is where I am going to need help.

I am not a 21yr old kid. I am 43 I was a business manager for 20 yrs. I have started a business from the ground up before (not with my money tho) In my close circle of friends I have 2 cpas, a human resources director, a disaster preparedness director, an economic developer for a city, a marketing director for a city, 2 high school teachers, an elemntary school teacher, a pre-school teacher, 2 IT directors. These are my close friensds that I see and speak to (and drink beer with) all the time. 4 have MBA's, 2 own or and have owned small businesses of their own, 3 are landlords with multiple rentals, one is starting his own hot sauce business.

I have access not to just their knowledge and experience but the knowledge and experience of EVERYONE they know. Plus all their contacts with state and local government and their agencies. The points that have been brought up about zoning and legality have been brought up before. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't know for sure I could put this small brewpub/BBQ place here. It's also not why I started this thread.

It is not hubris when I say I can make it work legally.

Look at it this way:

No matter what you will see a brewing system and room built. A walk in cooler. A fermentation room, a tap room all being built. A grain mill, some sort of grain storage system. That was why I put this thread in DIY, not to have socio-economic discusions about what I can legally do and not do.

Well said. There's always the negative, glass half empty...aka jealous people out there. Piss on all that crap...let's get rolling w/ pics and updates of the build man. Those of us in your corner are stoked for you. :rockin:

 

[akthor]

Thanks for the support guys!

Those of you who live near me I will for sure be taking up your offers of help If you have carpentry, electrical or plumbing skills especially.

Some advice now would be helpful, the furnace runs off propane so I want to run a line off it to my brewstand. That way I wouldn't need to keep filling up bbq tanks. So if anyone could explain the fittings I would need to do this that would be great.

I also have to figure out a hood anb exhaust system for over the rig. I have a friend who has a welder I am thinking welding a frame up out of angle iron the skinning it with sheet metal might be the most cost effective way to have a hood?

Had my first set back, nothing terrible, the electric motor I bought to make my grain mill that had a reduction gearbox and control box came yesterday. I bought it on ebay before really doing my research seemed like a great deal. Well the reduction gear on it is reducing it too much. Like 20 rpm. So I gotta pull off the reduction box and figure out either another reduction gear or a pulley/belt system to get the 1725 rpm motor down in the 200 - 300rpm range

Heading down today to paint and try to move some of the crap around in preparation for the big move the last week of this month.

 

[mccabedoug]

What are you planning for house beers???

Wishing you the best.

 

[Reuben1012]

Thanks for the support guys!


Some advice now would be helpful, the furnace runs off propane so I want to run a line off it to my brewstand. That way I wouldn't need to keep filling up bbq tanks. So if anyone could explain the fittings I would need to do this that would be great.

Hi, I was a plumbing contractor for 10 years and would be happy to help. You need to be extremely careful with gas and pressure test all your piping before you hook it up. Also you need to count up your BTU demand and make sure you will have enough gas to supply the furnace and your brewing rig at that point in the system.:rockin:

 

[RipeforYelp22]

Wow, sounds like a kickass idea! Definitely eager to see your renovations and progress along the way. Make sure to post lots of pictures! You seem to be very determined and knowledgable, I don't see why you should have any major difficulty achieving your dream. I do wanna say that, though it may seem like certain individuals on this thread are "hating on" the feasibility of this project, I think they are just trying to bring attention to aspects that you may not have considered. But it seems like you've got all the angles covered. Nobody wants you to fail! Just my two cents. Good luck, man!

 

[DonMagee]

I can't wait to hear more. I think everyone has dreams of owning their own brewery one day.

Good luck!

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

I also have to figure out a hood anb exhaust system for over the rig. I have a friend who has a welder I am thinking welding a frame up out of angle iron the skinning it with sheet metal might be the most cost effective way to have a hood?

If you have access to a welder, sheet metal, a break and shear you could skip the angle iron and just bend the corners over and tack or spot weld them together the hood doesn't have to be air tight just not wide open gaps and it will draw from the path of least resistance (the lower opening)

edit: for that matter you could screw it together with sheet metal screws but thats not as finished looking.

 

[beninan]

...So if anyone could explain the fittings I would need to do this that would be great...

I don't know building codes when it comes to using propane, but my apartment's propane system is all copper tubing, compression fittings, brass elbows, and brass tees. I'm assuming if my apartment is using it, it probably complies with code.

 

[moboy]

Great thread.