Welp, lay it on me....starting a Brewery

[brentt03]

This may be the wrong place to post if so, please move.

So i have this dream, this goal, this hope; starting a brewery. It all starting when i was introduced to real beers, and got away from the NASCAR beers. I learned to appreciate how a beer taste, then I became curious as to why it had that taste. When I realized I could learn and duplicate, i wanted to start brewing.

My friend and I were sitting at the bar, we said hey, would should brew our own beer and start a brewery, we came up with a name, and it clicked!! From that second on, we have been working to fulfill this dream!

Now, I dont want to become the next dogfish head (just yet) but I do want to form a company, start to sell locally, and take my fine (i hope) brews to beer festivals, taste test, and enter competitions.

I know it takes money to start up, and that is the part I will probably have the most trouble with as I dont have $500k in the bank or $50k for that matter.

We have already spent near $1k, and I know this isnt even a dent on how much it can cost.

Ok, I am rambling...basically, what do you all think it will take to get off the ground?? Currently we are brewing to taste our beer and see if some friends and family think it could sell, we are working on getting a place to operate, we have a tattoo shop working on our label, and we have a name. Now I guess comes the funds, getting a distributor, getting a license to operate (all the fun stuff)

So any tips, or stories of how you all started, let me know

Oh, and you can rain on my parade, but just don't make it flood!!!


Thanks guys!

 

[jigidyjim]

I think you have the same dream that 95% of the people on this board have

No real tips from me, I'm just a dreamer. When I first think about doing this though I focus more on business logistics, and I've read a few "how to write a business plan" type things. That usually scares me enough to go back to dreaming.

If you haven't read "Brewing Up A Business", give it a quick read. It won't give you any real help in starting up, but may give you some thoughts on which directions you want to head.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

[brentt03]

I think you have the same dream that 95% of the people on this board have

No real tips from me, I'm just a dreamer. When I first think about doing this though I focus more on business logistics, and I've read a few "how to write a business plan" type things. That usually scares me enough to go back to dreaming.

If you haven't read "Brewing Up A Business", give it a quick read. It won't give you any real help in starting up, but may give you some thoughts on which directions you want to head.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

Will definitely keep everyone posted. I figured I was in the same boat as a lot of fellow members on here...feels good to be surrounded by people who have the same dream as I do.

As far as a business plan and so forth goes, this is something I need to layout a bit better. My friend and I (along with a few others) started a different type of business (engineering) a year and a half or so ago, but the brewery is going to be a different path.

 

[donjonson]

definetly invovle a person with business experience or hire a consultant.

personally I always thought that starting a brewery/bar was the best way to get your beer to be locally popular. but there are so many out there these days that unless you are doing something spectacularly unique you couldn't hope to climb farther than a successful booming neighborhood bar. It will take the right atmosphere and really good beer and most importantly the right location. in fact the location matters more than the beer quality and atmosphere.

what sort if engineering business did you start?

 

[johndeere]

if we won the lottery, i'd love to start a brew pub. I'd hire a restaurant manager to take care of the food and daily operation, while I would be in the back making beer and stocking the bar. a brew pub with original beer in my area doesn't exist, and there's a town 20 minutes from my house that this would be hit in...

but alas, i'm just a dreamer until my wife and I fall ass backwards into money.

I think a brew pub is the way to get started. there's more overheard, but you can really build a loyal local base. As long as your food is decent, people will stop in to try your different brews. If you just start a brewery, you're at the bar managers mercy if they'll stock your brew or not.

I would imagine you'll need to get licensed or certified to sell food/beverages.

 

[brentt03]

definetly invovle a person with business experience or hire a consultant.

personally I always thought that starting a brewery/bar was the best way to get your beer to be locally popular. but there are so many out there these days that unless you are doing something spectacularly unique you couldn't hope to climb farther than a successful booming neighborhood bar. It will take the right atmosphere and really good beer and most importantly the right location. in fact the location matters more than the beer quality and atmosphere.

what sort if engineering business did you start?

Well the one thing that may help (or hurt) is that in alabama there are only about 5 breweries as you have to get approval and a license to operate. The beer world in alabama is not the most favorable

The engineering business we have is we offer CAD services, consulting, etc for any business. Our goal was to be involved with nasa and the gov (as we all worked there) but obama kinda screwed us on that one. But we are still kicking

And for our ages, im 26 and my partner is 34. We are definitely in the beginning stages, but everybody starts somewhere

 

[NWMOBrewer]

contact the liquor licence board in your area, find out how much the licence is. and get that saved while you develop 6-10 beers you think you would want to sell. These have got to be your own otherwise you are selling other peoples property, but it should not be hard to get a recipe, and change it to make it better for your group of friends. I suggest having 4 or 5 year round, and 4 seasonal. Contact your local health department and find out their requirements and start slowly but surely getting industrial brewing equipment. http://morebeerpro.com/ has some, but look elseware you might be able to find some cheaper. Check auctions within 300 miles for restaurant/bar auctions. Enter your beer in competitions because that will give you input on your brews. Devise a 5 year plan and start meeting, or beating your goals. Then have all your information and start calling/meeting with banks for loans. They'd give you a small business loan. Do as much as possible before you get the loan and remember, nothing will be successful without your beer so get that perfected. Good luck, and send me a bottle when you open it up

 

[Righlander]

I think you have the same dream that 95% of the people on this board have

+1 to that

 

[Wayne1]

Spend some money to join the Brewers Association

Buy the book Guide to starting your own brewery

Plan to attend the Craft brewers Conference in SF in March where you can meet many vendors of brewing gear, malt and hop suppliers, packaging equipment purveyors and just about everything else you might need. Lots of networking and lectures about the joys and problems in making and selling beer for a living.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Additionally, the folks on probrewer.com should be some help on that journey. Have you tried contacting any of the local breweries to see if they can offer some help along that path? Obviously they have experience and generally craft brewers are helpful to one another.

Otherwise, I can say it is an expensive and time consuming affair. You are not going to be able to brew on the weekends like you do now and have it turn into a successful business. You will have to be prepared to commit a lot of time and money. You definitely need to look into your finances and see if you have the cash or ability to raise the funds to get yourself there. From what little I have seen on probrewer.com $100-500k is typically needed in start up funds.

 

[iron_city_ap]

This might sound basic, but 1 of you needs to get a job in a brewpub or small brewery. See and learn 1st hand how to go about using the big equipment you'll need. I seriously doubt you'll be doing it with 10 gallon batches, and I'm sure the equipment has its little nuances. PLUS, you'll get to check out things like drainage, H2O, Venting, Grain storage/disposal, cleaning techniques, etc....
see what works and what doesn't. Find out what you like and what you don't.

If neither of you has it, someone should take some business/accounting classes. Sure, you'll probably eventually hire someone to do those jobs for you, but I think its a good idea to have a clue as to what they are doing so you can keep an eye on them and at least understand those jobs as best you can.

I guess, basically, 1 of you specialize in the brewing side, and the other on the business side (finances, marketing, advertising, etc...). Doesn't mean you each can't weigh in on the other's duties, but its probaboly a good idea to have different 'jobs'. Too many cheifs, not enough indians, etc...

Best of luck to you.

 

[jigidyjim]

develop 6-10 beers you think you would want to sell. These have got to be your own otherwise you are selling other peoples property, but it should not be hard to get a recipe, and change it to make it better for your group of friends.

Is that an actual legal requirement, or a recommendation?

 

[brentt03]

I have already contacted the 3 local breweries and have begun to sit in on the processes at one of them. Trying to learn as much as I can. Also joining the local home brew club.

 

[NWMOBrewer]

Is that an actual legal requirement, or a recommendation?

recommendation. you don't want to sell beer with only one beer on tap do you? most brewpubs have 6-10 basic ones, plus one or a few specials they may have

 

[AlphaKing11]

start saving your money because no one is going to float it all for you. And no one will take you serious if you don't have decent amount to invest yourself. you will spend thousands just trying to get a some good brews that you want to make the beers you "could" be known for.