looking to get some feedback from this great community. I have this thought that I am sure many here have had. I would love to turn this hobby into at least a semi profession. I started brewing in February of this year and have about 13-14 brew days under my belt, not many I know but its something I am passionate about. I thought about brewing for a long time before I actually started, but I usually don't do things without a ton of advanced planning so I spent a year or so researching before my first brewday.
I have spent the last 25 years of my life behind a desk working in IT for the healthcare industry. My kids are about to head off to college, my daughter this year and my son next year. 2 years ago my wife and I went to Italy for our 20th anniversary, we went to a couple of places in Tuscany that just made me want to change my life and run a B&B or something. Since i have gotten into brewing that has shifted into wanting to start a small nano farm brewery. Just something that would be open maybe weekend afternoons.
I am not someone who would just drop my steady paycheck at my day job, especially with 2 kids about to enter college. But my state has just passed a Farm brewers license into law. I have visited a few other locations in the state where people run breweries out of detected garages on the weekend. This is something I would LOVE to do do!
My wife is on board with me. We are thinking of finding a property to convert an existing barn into a small brewery. Maybe start by selling beer at farmers markets (permittable under the new law) and then eventually if it went well, in a barn on our property. The way I see it is way less risk. We basically need to build a fancy barn or garage. Much cheaper and less risk then renting retail space. If it didnt work out we still have gained equity in our property with the barn.
I would look to brew 2-4 BBLs per week. Sell 12 oz 16 oz pours and crowlers to go. Before I seriously consider such a move I want to try and replicate the pro process and get 5-6 beers I can consistently brew that are good enough to pull people in. So I just put cash down to buy one of the new SSBtech Unitanks, temp control and then electric brew setup. I figure putting a couple grand down to see if I can brew good beer consistently makes sense before I take the plunge in a bigger venture. I may not get past this step. Does this makes sense to others? My goal is to build a 10 gallon pilot system, replicating a pro system, create some solid beers consistently and then move up to 2-4 barrel brewing if it goes well.
I think it could be a fun way to make a little (and yes it would be a little) extra cash. It would be a lot of work, but I like that kind of work. Its the opposite of desk job work.
I have spent the last 25 years of my life behind a desk working in IT for the healthcare industry. My kids are about to head off to college, my daughter this year and my son next year. 2 years ago my wife and I went to Italy for our 20th anniversary, we went to a couple of places in Tuscany that just made me want to change my life and run a B&B or something. Since i have gotten into brewing that has shifted into wanting to start a small nano farm brewery. Just something that would be open maybe weekend afternoons.
I am not someone who would just drop my steady paycheck at my day job, especially with 2 kids about to enter college. But my state has just passed a Farm brewers license into law. I have visited a few other locations in the state where people run breweries out of detected garages on the weekend. This is something I would LOVE to do do!
My wife is on board with me. We are thinking of finding a property to convert an existing barn into a small brewery. Maybe start by selling beer at farmers markets (permittable under the new law) and then eventually if it went well, in a barn on our property. The way I see it is way less risk. We basically need to build a fancy barn or garage. Much cheaper and less risk then renting retail space. If it didnt work out we still have gained equity in our property with the barn.
I would look to brew 2-4 BBLs per week. Sell 12 oz 16 oz pours and crowlers to go. Before I seriously consider such a move I want to try and replicate the pro process and get 5-6 beers I can consistently brew that are good enough to pull people in. So I just put cash down to buy one of the new SSBtech Unitanks, temp control and then electric brew setup. I figure putting a couple grand down to see if I can brew good beer consistently makes sense before I take the plunge in a bigger venture. I may not get past this step. Does this makes sense to others? My goal is to build a 10 gallon pilot system, replicating a pro system, create some solid beers consistently and then move up to 2-4 barrel brewing if it goes well.
I think it could be a fun way to make a little (and yes it would be a little) extra cash. It would be a lot of work, but I like that kind of work. Its the opposite of desk job work.