Biggest Obstacle Stopping You from Going Pro?

[xandersaml]

I'm sure there are a lot more answers than this poll offers but here we go:

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Definitely a toss up between cost and regulations.

Excise tax is a killer in Australia - it works out to be about $1 per litre for kegs, and $1.50 per litre for bottles. And it has to be paid when the beer leaves the brewery - so small brewers wear the cost until they are paid by buyers.

 

[MaxStout]

I have a day job that I like and want to keep homebrewing as a hobby.

 

[xandersaml]

Definitely a toss up between cost and regulations.

Excise tax is a killer in Australia - it works out to be about $1 per litre for kegs, and $1.50 per litre for bottles. And it has to be paid when the beer leaves the brewery - so small brewers wear the cost until they are paid by buyers.

D@mn, That is ridiculous.

 

[LLBeanJ]

It's a hobby. If I went pro, assuming I had the financial resources to do it, it would cease being a hobby and become a job. I already have a job, which probably pays better anyway.

 

[ghohn]

I'm of the ilk that thinks if you attach a time card to pretty much anything, it'll start to suck.

 

[jwalkermed]

Aggree with others. I'd like to keep it a hobby and my day job pays ok too.

 

[OleBrewing]

It would be perfect timing in my city for a brew pub. I don't have the funds or larger scale fermentation knowledge.
If I had the cash I would give it a go. I love homebrewing being a hobby but I also love seeing something I create and enjoyed by everyone around me. If I could expand the audience with a pub it would be self gratifying.

 

[GrainToGlass]

I'm studying and willing to go pro. Hoping to land a position later this year!

 

[beergolf]

Turning a hobby takes all of the fun out of it....

I did it once and ruined another hobby.. Not going to even try it with brewing.

 

[EcuPirate07]

I'm studying and willing to go pro. Hoping to land a position later this year!

With Oscar blues and Sierra Nevada now in town and wicked weed expanding and New Belgian coming soon. I would say you have a good chance.

 

[Cider123]

The biggest thing would be that I wouldn't know what the hell I was doing.

 

[GrainToGlass]

With Oscar blues and Sierra Nevada now in town and wicked weed expanding and New Belgian coming soon. I would say you have a good chance.

My thoughts exactly. I would love to work for Wicked Weed or someone of similar size and innovation.

 

[Murphys_Law]

I love to brew 5 gallon batches in my backyard with friends and family over. When I figure out a way to sell a bottle of beer for $1600 each I may consider it.

 

[Subdivisions]

I choose all of the above

 

[orangehero]

A pro brewer is just a glorified janitor.

Wouldn't mind owning a brewery, though.

 

[TimmyWit]

I want to brew what I want to brew; not what other people want me to brew.

 

[elkshadow]

I want to brew what I want to brew; not what other people want me to brew.

This. Professional brewing is less about the "coolness" of brewing and more about the selling of beer which means brewing what people will buy.

I love Belgians and that's pretty much all I brew. It would be damn hard for me to open a Belgians-only brewery. Ommegang and Unibroue would be pretty stiff competition.

I was never interested in going pro. I worked a few shifts casually at a place called called Bird Creek Brewery in Alaska in my youth and I saw that there is really nothing glorious about brewing. It's hot stinky dirty hard work on the commercial scale and involves a lot more selling than beer loving.

 

[worlddivides]

I much, much, much prefer my day job to brewing. To some people, that might sound like I'm saying "I hate brewing," but not everyone hates their job. I honestly don't think I would be happier brewing full time than I would be doing what I do now. Plus, I would make way way way way way less money brewing (even assuming I could stay in business and turn a profit) than what I do now.

So file me under "not interested in doing it for a living."

Besides, there are an insane number of microbreweries, craft breweries, and so on in California anyway.

 

[Bosh]

Oh hell no. I love cooking but working at a restaurant was the worst job I`ve ever had, I think I`d hate brewing commercially at least as much.

 

[madscientist451]

Would rather keep my job, which pays OK, , than go brew for someone else. I'd like to open a Nano and see where it goes, but I've started my own business before and know the challenges involved, so for now I'm homebrewing.

 

[podz]

I would not "go pro" because I am not a blue-collar worker (except when I'm at home).

 

[mb82]

A couple of things. This is my hobby, I am friends with a few pro brewers and their hobby is my job( I am in the fly fishing industry) and we laugh about wanting to trade jobs.

Money.

Also like I said I am friends with a couple of pro brewers. I have enough breweries in my area and very well known and liked ones so breaking into that game wouldn't be worth it to me since I am horrible at marketing.

Also to destroy a quote on the back of my Breckenridge Brewery shirt "I brew the beer the way I do because I drink most of it"

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I much, much, much prefer my day job to brewing. To some people, that might sound like I'm saying "I hate brewing," but not everyone hates their job. I honestly don't think I would be happier brewing full time than I would be doing what I do now. Plus, I would make way way way way way less money brewing (even assuming I could stay in business and turn a profit) than what I do now.

So file me under "not interested in doing it for a living."

Besides, there are an insane number of microbreweries, craft breweries, and so on in California anyway.

This, 1000%. I actually like my job. It's intellectually challenging every day. And brewing would be a massive pay cut.

Besides, at 36, I'm not sure I want to clean out mash tuns for a living.

(If I won the lotto, though, I would open a brewery and hire a head brewer... I'm too young to retire.)

 

[jtp137]

Three kids and the cost of health insurance. Realizing that I would need to quit my job to start a business

 

[BigDog007]

I would consider going pro as a retirement gig or if I won the lottery. Until then I will practice lots and lots...

 

[Firewalker11]

Having owned my own restaurant, being a property manager, raising six kids etc. opening a micro brewery would be EZPZ all day long compared to the constant schnidt I have to put up with daily!

We have an 18 month course locally for the introduction to being a brew master and a brand new micro brewery comng in to town this summer, looks like this is a little more than a dream but a distinct possibility.

 

[b-boy]

I think the markets are getting pretty saturated. Right now there are 7 breweries in Buffalo, and I think there are another 4 in the works.

I don't think there is a lot of room for new breweries anymore. I think there will be a shakeout within the next 3-5 years.

 

[brew_ny]

I have a day job that pays better and is far less work

home brewing is a hobby for fun, but I do work from home two days a week and they pay me to brew

 

[Transamguy77]

Too many variables in brewing as it is and if something goes wrong in my garage and I have to dump it I only lost a little bit of time and money but if something goes wrong on a commercial level and have to dump it it will cost much much more.

That and there are so many micro breweries opening right now that if your beer is not super ultra awesome consistently you won't make it.

And I like my day job.

 

[jekeane]

I would rather own a homebrew store that had a classroom brewery setup.

 

[Michigan_Wolfman]

Apart from lack of funding being a factor, I would have competition from several already fantastic brewpubs in the Jackson Michigan area. Grand River Brewery, Bifferhaus Brewery, and 127 Brewery.

 

[andvari7]

In my case, both a lack of talent and a heavily saturated beer market keep me from going pro.

 

[skw]

Owning and running a brewery involves a lot more than just brewing. I love brewing, but I'd hate all the rest. Doing my own personal taxes is bad enough, dealing with all the necessary paperwork and red tape serve or sell even a single glass of beer sounds just like a nightmare to me.

 

[Hello]

If I could brew on the side and keep my day job, I would do that in a heartbeat. I don't think I'd ever be a head brewer anywhere as a main job though unless I lost my day job. In that case, a lot would change drastically. I've very aware of the brewery process and with automation, it's really a lot of maintenance and not as much brewing.

 

[joe_four_strings]

My dream would be a LHBS with a nano brewing system for. I'm sure I would enjoy it more than my day job...
Someday...

 

[Yooper]

I'm too lazy to work that hard.

Brewing professionally is a lot of work- heavy lifting, industrial cleaning, long days, etc. I love brewing, but even at home it can be a lot of lifting and hard work and I definitely don't want to be forced to do it. Working at your passion can take all the fun out of for sure.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, at this point in life, I gotta agree with ya. But money is also a consideration. I've often thought about opening a pit bbq-brewpub, since we have nothing of the sort within about an hour of here. I'd definitely need help...

 

[j1n]

Day job is too easy and i get paid well.

Brewing is fun but doing it everyday would take all the fun out of it.

 

[MI_Dogman]

I am a Merchant Mariner (NOT to be confused with Marine , google it) and my dream would be to own a brew pub someday in my hometown right now. It would be my way of semi-retiring from the offshore business and be able to be home more. Currently I am gone 6 months out of the year, but I love what I do!