opening a nano brewery

[amcclai7]

Has anybody read this book? http://www.amazon.com/Brewers-Guide-Opening-Nano-Brewery/dp/1470087960

As someone who is interested in starting a nano It seems like a reasonable purchase. However, I read the review and while the majority of them were positive, some were downright scathing.

It's only 10-15 bucks so I might just get it anyway, but can anyone here provide anymore info about this book?

 

[Renoun]

It's probably not economical/profitable to open a nano unless you've got a pretty specific set of circumstances. Here's what one equipment vendor has to say. I've seen some local breweries successfully contract brew until they are ready to capitalize and open a more reasonably sized brew-house.

 

[machfive55]

Yes, I've read the book. The advice is not particularly anything mind blowing, there are not a whole lot of specifics. You will get a couple interesting tidbits out of it, maybe some ideas you haven't thought of and I would say get it for that. It is by no means a guide.

 

[tootal]

I have not read the book but have friends that have successfully opened up breweries. I jokingly told them that they needed to figure out what the cost would be and then double it. By the time they were up and running they told me they were pretty close to doing just that!

The ultimate nano is in Worth county Iowa. It's in the very North central area. Peter owns Worth brewing and is brewing with a Sabco Brew Magic, which is 10 gallons at a time. He owns his building, lives upstairs and his wife handles the kitchen. He sells every drop he makes and is surviving well.

The secret to his success is lack of overhead and the fact that Iowa bases their brewing permit on population so it only cost him $200.00 a year to brew.

On the other side of the spectrum is a friend that left Anheuser Busch along with another ex employee and started a micro in an old tire shop. After 4 years they leased a huge building that housed a paper company and turned it into the biggest Brauhaus I've seen. An 80 foot long bar has the turn key computerized brewing system right behind it. You can throw your beer coaster at the brewer!

He is deep in debt as opposed to Peter so there's two different approches to doing it. As long as you're profitable in the end, that's all that matters.

 

[hunter_le five]

I jokingly told them that they needed to figure out what the cost would be and then double it.

There is some truth in that. Every time we open up a new restaurant, we budget double the projected cost. It ends up being close. It's amazing how many unexpected expenses crop up out of nowhere.

 

[amcclai7]

It's probably not economical/profitable to open a nano unless you've got a pretty specific set of circumstances. Here's what one equipment vendor has to say. I've seen some local breweries successfully contract brew until they are ready to capitalize and open a more reasonably sized brew-house.

Thanks for the link but I have to disagree. There is a brewery in Knoxville that has a 7 barrel system and last year their total sales were close to 6 million dollars. They have food too, but they've been making it work. I've also been to several nanos that run 2 - 3 barrel systems and do just fine. They're not making it rich by any means but they are living comfortably.

 

[hunter_le five]

Thanks for the link but I have to disagree. There is a brewery in Knoxville that has a 7 barrel system and last year their total sales were close the 6 million dollars. They have food too, but they've been making it work. I've also been to several nanos that run 2 - 3 barrel systems and do just fine. They're not making it rich by any means but they are living comfortably.

I guess the question is what are you planning on doing with it?

If you want the bulk of your revenue to come from packaging and distribution to bars/stores, a nano might not be the best way to go. Or at least it will be an uphill battle.

If you plan on being more of a brew-pub, nanos are perfectly viable. You probably won't get rich as you said, but you can make a successful business out of it. You have the added advantage of being able to supplement your revenue with food sales, "guest" beers, wine, liquor, etc, so having a relatively low volume of beer output won't necessarily break you.

The whole "nanos aren't viable" line comes up a lot, and it's BS. It all depends on your business model.

 

[Calichusetts]

That nano-link is like 5 years old, and a little outdated. We got a guy in my town doing 1.5 barrels out of his barn. Its not his "job" but he is brewing and making money from it.