MicroBrewr 057: Create new revenue streams for your brewpub
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Jamie Baertsch did an internship with Wisconsin Dells Brewing Co., in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, and she stuck around until they started paying her. Today she’s the brewmaster, winning awards for her beer, and planning the expansion to a production facility.
Wisconsin Dells Brewing Co. is the brewing part of Moosejaw Pizza brewpub, which experiences 50% of their sales just in the summer months. During that time the brewing capacity is maxed out, but in the rest of the year it’s much slower. To keep busy and to make up for lost revenues in the slow times of the year, Wisconsin Dells Brewing how found creative ways to find income.
Besides a variety of beers, Wisconsin Dells also makes a line of hand-crafted soda beverages. Additionally, they put their beer into cans and bottles for off-site distribution.
Brewery specs:
Kettle size: 15 BBL.
Size and quantity of fermentation tanks: 4, 15-BBL fermenters; 1, 30-BBL fermenter.
Size and quantity of bright tanks: 2, 30-BBL bright tanks for beer; 9, 15-BBL bright tanks for beer; 4, 16-BBL bright tanks for soda; 2, 2-BBL bright tanks for soda.
Annual brewing capacity/last year’s production: 1,405.70 BBL.
Square footage: 200 sq. ft. brewhouse, 2 walk-in coolers, 3 large warehouses, 2 forklifts, one truck, 2 pallet jacks.
Years in operation: 13 years (opened May 2002).
“I spent 12 years learning how to brew. And now packaging is a whole new thing.” [Tweet This]
Listener question:
From 76Johnyb: Where do you get inspiration for your unique brews?
Book recommendation:
- Phone book.
Check out the entire list of recommended books, click here.
An upcoming beer style:
Red IPA
Other resources:
- Tsavorite Gemstone, Gemopedia, JTV.
- What are “Recall Plan Templates”, Food Decision Software.
- Total (Craft Beer) Recall, Beall Brewery Insurance, March 19, 2014.
- Food safety in the brewery (with notes), Anthony McCollum, Food Safety Coordinator at City Brewing Company, SlideShare, August 28, 2014.
- Beer recall: 10 Barrel Brewing cites enzyme for overcarbonation problem, Chris Crowell, Craft Brewing Business, August 7, 2014.
- Stupid Stuff; Things that all brewers should know but often don’t, Jamie Martin, ProBrewer.com.
- MicroBrewr 044: What every brewery should know about trademarks, MicroBrewr, January 6, 2015.
You can reach Jamie Baertsch and Wisconsin Dells Brewing Co. at:
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Nathan,
You truly found a diamond in the rough with Jamie. She has got to be, far and away, the most complete, intelligent and insightful brewer that you’ve interviewed to date. Talk about real world – Jamie brings it. The icing on the cake was her answer to your book recommendation question. This is when many brewers may name drop a famous brew-author’s book, one which may not have actually helped, but sounded good. Jamie, with a common-sense tone states: “The phone book.” Classic! In other words: There’s no single resource, or silver bullet; Just dig in and get dirty with whatever resources it takes. Clearly my favorite podcast of your very cool series.
Kudos!
Ran Man
Thanks Ran! Yes, Jamie kept blowing my mind, too. Cleary she has worked hard and learned many lessons along the way. I’m thankful that she shared some of what she’s learned with us.