Need your opinion on a brewpub idea.

[McNasty]

I think this bar idea sounds great. I'd take a trip out to see it. Embracing the movie's style, I think is a good idea. Who doesn't like old time gangster stuff? Other stuff from that era would give it a unique feel.
You should also put a Lake Louie beer on tap. I'd never leave.

 

[Gussymo]

I'll stop in when you open up. Lodi isn't too far. By the way, you may be able to get Rogue beer. I just saw 6 packs of it at Woodmans last week. There is a new pub in Madison called the Malt House. That place has an incredible selection. If you end up with something like that I will be a regular!

 

[cd2448]

Would I be selling out? or making a wise decision on THAT theme. I AM the #1 guy for that movie around here. I might have to blog about that today.

It works for Mystic Pizza even years after the movie. But the pizza is very good too.

I think 12 beers is a bit ambitious, I'd go for 3-4 guest beers at a time, and if you find one selling steadily, bring it on board as a regular!

 

[BigKahuna]

I don't know where this is going for real, but I do have some suggestions.
If you don't want honesty, don't read this....and I'm not snarking!
First...If we are just talking about what "Could" be..."Someday"...cool...never mind.
But if you are serious, please read some of Brew Pastors work on Pro Brewing. Also consider taking a few years of schooling...both business and brewing. You can usually partner with a business owner and not need to be Donald Trump Business savvy, but to think that 10 or 50...even 500 batches qualifies you as a pro brewer...very arrogant! I would venture to guess that the difference is roughly the same a 2A High school Football compared to the NFL. Even the best 2A player is going to have a VERY tough time in the bigs....not to say that it can't happen...but it's got to be the very best of the best!
I would suggest some basic classes as far as metallurgy, and math...both very important knowledge bases for a brewer. Also a good back ground in crop science would be useful...and chemistry. Everything from water to hop usage and yeast attenuation is a function on math and science.
I say this to point out that we home brewers can certainly do things like a decoction...and ask all the questions we need or want...if we screw up a batch, it's 5 gallons...and not a big deal. The woes of the home brewer are nothing compared to the big boys.
You'll need to be able to reproduce EXACT Duplicates...over and over of all of your beers. You will have to make HUGE calculations...what happens if your next shipment of hops is 1% lower AA than the last. To me...who cares...I'll correct a little...to the Pro Brewer...BIG DEAL!
One of the brewers I respect more than all others here....missed his mash temp by almost 8F not a huge deal...really jacked with his beer, but it's 5 gallons...no big deal! But he's one of the most knowledgeable brewers I know, and he missed a mash temp. What if that were you and you missed a mash temp with 930 gallons of water? THOUSANDS of dollars of grain...WASTED!

All of this to say...I'd go to school if It were me.

 

[Chriso]

Just to make sure we're still on the same page as the OP ... If I am reading right, the offer he is investigating is to manage a taphouse with microbrews .... not necessarily to sell his own beer there yet. It may be part of the future plan. But we're talking about the feasibility of opening/running the taphouse itself at the moment, not necessarily brewing his own.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[BigKahuna]

Just to make sure we're still on the same page as the OP ... If I am reading right, the offer he is investigating is to manage a taphouse with microbrews .... not necessarily to sell his own beer there yet. It may be part of the future plan. But we're talking about the feasibility of opening/running the taphouse itself at the moment, not necessarily brewing his own.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Ok. Totally.

Grinder..you ever managed a restaurant or bar? That is the simple question as to the feasibility of it.

 

[Grinder12000]

Grinder..you ever managed a restaurant or bar? That is the simple question as to the feasibility of it.

No - but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

Restaurant I would never ever attempt. I have worked at a restaurant and I know the manager was a complete moron. And I have been a leader of men in many many things but never a bar.

Plus - it's a small bar. Nothing huge and I'm not in it to make large money.

 

[BigKahuna]

No - but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

lol
Thanks....I'll be cleanig up coke off of my screen and keyboard as soon as the burning in my nostrils stops.

 

[Chriso]

Heh, had me LOLing too... reminded me instantly of the rapping commercial.
Holiday Inn Express: Rapper | Ads of the World: Creative Advertising Archive & Community

 

[jacksonbrown]

I think that sounds great. I was up in Columbus very briefly during the Public Enemy shoot (I work for news in Madison, and somehow, that's news). Anyway, I think a craft beer house is a great idea. A new one just opened up in Madison, The Malt House, and it seems to be going over very well. I think every community needs a place with a wide(r) range of brews beyond BMC. If you let us know when its open, I'll stop in for a brewski.

 

[coolbeerluke]

I think that it would be a great idea. The tourism would really help the place "boom" initially and then eventually stabilize when time goes on. Be prepared for a lot of work in the beginning though. Besides, whats a town, big or small, without a brewpub??

 

[Grinder12000]

Well - small change of direction. I don't want to clog up with YET ANOTHER thread but if anyone is actually interested PM me.

I had a larger meeting with the people in charge and while my duties are not as large as I thought (WHEW) it's actually better for me and my "hobby".

It seems the two investors (one is a restaurant/bar owner) want me to brew for one tap of their craft bar. It's a small 50 person MAX place. No pressure but they will purchase what I need for a 15 to 20 AG system. I DID tell them I have never brewed AG for lack of space and various reason.

However - they have read my daily blog and know me pretty well and think I can handle it. They also like my beer and dedication to learning.

OH MAN!! what have I gotten myself into.

Here is my plan and call for help!

If you want access to a members (home brew friends that understand brewing) only blog PM me. I just do not want the WORLD to know about the start up problems . . .yet.

I have this small following that read my blogs (I had 10,000 hits a day for a while and my main blog has over 300,000 hits since April) so I'm not REAL anxious to have "problems" broadcast to the world.

nuff said.

Rod

 

[alex_wilkosz]

Point, Sprecher......Water Street Brewery in Milwaukee...Wisconsin is full of beer

 

[balto charlie]

If you don't have a consistent tourist base and locals drink BMC then you have to keep the tourist. I've seen brewpubs in low density areas because they had tourist. Some beer drinking tourist also like mountain and road biking, skiing, climbing, white water rafting, antiquing etc. Analize you local outdoor recreational activities. S. Utah has some great bars(mnt. biking, climbing, hiking) and very small local population.
The other thing to keep in mind is seasons. Will your numbers drop during raining wet spring? COLD winters etc.
You might have good X country skiing and mnt biking. Check with the local bikers/skiers and see how good the area is. A big bowl of chili and microbrew after cranking all day outside is the best way to roll. Good luck.