It's official starting my own brewing business!

[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!

 

[user 98891]

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.

 

[moboy]

Subscribed

 

[Jaybird]

I am using a Jaybird FB in my rig

Already planing for success!

Cheers
Jay

 

[KurtB]

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.

Assuming when it comes to things like building codes can end up costing a lot of extra money when the work has to be re-done. Also residential & commercial building codes can vary, at least they do in my neck of the woods. I don't know how it is in ME, or how similar the building codes are between an appartment and a bar/restaurant.


Akthor - Good luck with this project. If I am ever up your way, I hope to stop in for a beer. Hopefully anything that you have not thought of (and like any project of this size there will be some), doesn't come back to bite you too hard in the wallet.

 

[goingmad]

Nice proceedings!

Man, if you need something from Italy just drop me a pm! A sign or something else wishing you a huge good luck, will be my pleasure to ship you there!

 

[akthor]

Ones that I have made that I always get lots of compliments on are a Nut Brown, Irish Stout, Red Ale, Pale Ale, Graff, a blue moon type clone I call Full Moon, a lot of my friends are Corona drinkers (ewww) so I make a corona clone I call Ma ma ma my Sharona, I will also have Apfelwein and Skeeter Pee available. Obviously being in Maine I will work on a Blueberry Ale and I would like to make a Belgian and a Cream Ale right off, two styles I have always wanted to make.

Pricing wise I want to shoot for $3 pints, no more than $3.50 and I will have experimental beers that will allow me to play around with recipes that will be $1, if I get enough positive feedback I would add them to the normal stocked ones.

The reason is I find it ridiculous to pay $4+ for bud light draft and stuff like Sam Adams and the like are $6+ sometimes there is a place in Bangor that has $8 - $12 drafts which is just crazy. Greed is bad like I said I don't wan't to make a lot of $$$ from a few people I want to make a little $$$ from a lot of people.

What are you planning for house beers???

Wishing you the best.

 

[akthor]

In doing research I guess I need to call the propane company that provides the propane and have them hook it up. I guess that is probably for the best just to be safe.

I will have some plumbing questions for sure though. I need to replace the current utility sink wit a dual sink and hook up a commercial pre-rinse sprayer. Then eventually put in a toilet and a sink on the first floor.

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:

 

[akthor]

No break and shear just a welder.

Hmmm when I was searching for a stand the local metal fabrication place's prices for non SS was pretty reasonable. I also got the grating for my smoker from them. I will swing by today and see how it would be for them to fab a hood for me or cut it and make the bends and I assemble it. I don't mind screws I am going to paint the thing to make it look ok. I would like a SS hood but I think at this point that is cost prohibitive the money could be better spent on other things. I will haunt ebay though in case something pops up.

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.

 

[akthor]

I am always on the hunt for beer and advertising related signage and shwag so anything would be great!

I have a ton of this stuff including lots of neon signs I have been going back and forth on how to decorate the tap room? Would it be wrong or illegal to decorate using signage and neon of other beer company's??? See I find the stuff cool looking and art even if its a neon sign for Corona but I am not sure if it would send the wrong messages to customers?

My logo is an antique visible gas pump so I am thinking I could decorate using an automotive theme for signs and neon? ( I love neon )

We have actually talking of getting some rusted out old junkers and gutting the insides out and making some sort of seating inside for people to sit in outside and eat and drink.

I attached a picture of my current living space so you get and idea of what I mean ( I have added more since that pic was taken)

Nice proceedings!

Man, if you need something from Italy just drop me a pm! A sign or something else wishing you a huge good luck, will be my pleasure to ship you there!

 

[akthor]

Sorry that was such a bad cell pic above

So painted on Fri and Sat got what will be my HT completely done, one coat on the bedroom and one coat on the living/dining/kitchen. Hope to go down tomorrow before work and get the bedroom and maybe the rest of the big room finished. Then next weekend I will tackle the bathroom and painting the kitchen cabinets. Then I will be ready to start moving crap in and cleaning up in preparation for the big move.

My buddy stopped by with his fancy shmancy camera and took some pics so I will get him to email me and I will post them. In the meantime I have a pic of my keg score so beware keg porn!

P.S. Any of you guys who live close to Bangor I am always looking for new cool people to make new friends with so if you like to drink beer, play poker and Rock Band skills are a plus PM me and the next time we all get together I will shoot you an invite.

Same goes for anyone who is making a trip up here, folks are more than welcome to camp out for free ( my new place is about 35 miles from Acadia National Park ) and once I get to know you and I am sure you are not a crazy or a serial killer you can crash in the house.

Friends and family make life worth living. Best part about friends is that you get to choose them

 

[cobrawolverine]

Best of luck to you sir.

This is what America is about. As a small business owner myself, I appreciate it when people put some skin on the line to make it work for them. America was built on small businesses and will survive on small businesses.

Good luck and will keep track of your progress, want to see you live out your dreams.

 

[fujieagle]

Good luck to you sir. If I ever back home, I will have to swing by and supprt your business.

 

[android]

stellar! way to make it happen. looking forward to updates.

 

[Rehlgood]

Nice! Best of luck in the pursuit of your dream. I think we would all love to see you succeed because it gives us hope.

My wife vacations in Standish ME every summer/fall with her best friend and they have been trying to get the guys to join them. If you are close it may give me a good reason to tag along. Slante.

 

[OG2620]

I'm down here in Monmouth and just spent the week in Elsworth. I'll have to stop by and check out your setup.

 

[cehlo]

Best of Luck. Will be great to see how things develop for you.

My buddy and I keep talking about doing something similar on the brewpub model. I've even checked out a few places that were zoned commerical with restaurant storefronts downstairs and apartments upstairs. I think we have some work to do before we definitely head down that path but I'm confident we'll get there in the near future.

 

[akthor]

Standish is a couple hours away from me.

Nice! Best of luck in the pursuit of your dream. I think we would all love to see you succeed because it gives us hope.

My wife vacations in Standish ME every summer/fall with her best friend and they have been trying to get the guys to join them. If you are close it may give me a good reason to tag along. Slante.

 

[akthor]

Like I said always up for meeting new cool peeps

I'm down here in Monmouth and just spent the week in Elsworth. I'll have to stop by and check out your setup.

 

[akthor]

Not much happening during the week since I work and sleep mostly. Be heading back down to paint more in preparation to the big move on the weekend of the 31st.

My 3rd keggle for my system and my custom coiled 1/2" SS HERMS coil are on there way here from San Antonio TX, thanks to retrevino and Texan

Now I just gotta finish off the PBR in my other keg but boy it's going down hard

My friend took a bunch of pictures during last weeks painting adventure most are useless but here are a couple of my son and I mugging for the camera

 

[Chuginator]

LOL!!! Sweet pictures, dude! I actually laughed out loud at the second one!

I see the Canadian Club to the right of your son on the first pic - have you ever had the one with a blue label? Been years since I tried any CC, but I do remember that it was noticeably better.

Keep the pictures coming!

 

[ScoRas]

Keep living the dream man! I'll be sure to stop by when you are open. Im in Maine a few times a year.