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MicroBrewr 015: Randal Denver’s advice for a homebrewer who wants to become a professional brewer, with Yards Brewing Company.

MicroBrewr 015: Randal Denver’s advice for a homebrewer who wants to become a professional brewer

In this episode I talk with Randal Denver, brewer from Yards Brewing Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Randal started homebrewing several years ago and got hooked.

“It was kind of the first thing that I ever felt I was good at,” he said.

So he applied for a job with Yards Brewing Company and started working on their packaging line. Since then, he has moved up to brewer, and makes any beer in the Yards Brewing lineup.

Randal offers great advice for a homebrewer who wants to become a professional brewer.

Some advice he shares:

  • Clean and sanitize always
  • Immerse yourself in beer knowledge
  • Brew as often as you can, as many different types of beer as you can

Listener question:

From Josh Pierce: Do you think alcohol levels will start to come down anytime soon?

Book recommendation:

Check out the entire list of recommended books, click here.

Your Free Audio Book

An upcoming beer style:

Session IPA

Other resources:

You can reach Randal Denver and Yards Brewing Company at:

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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MicroBrewr014: Zachary Typinski's career in craft beer culminates in a craft brewery, with Neighborhood Brewing Co.

MicroBrewr 014: Zachary Typinski’s career in craft beer culminates in a neighborhood brewery

In this episode I talk with Zachary Typinski from the upcoming, Neighborhood Brewing Co. Urbanrest Brewing Co. in Ferndale, Michigan.

Zachary has years of experience throughout the beer industry. He has worked in merchandising and retail, distribution and sales. He’s also a draft certified technician, Certified Cicerone®, BJCP Novice Judge, and an award-winning homebrewer.

Currently Zachary is the Michigan sales manager for Oskar Blues Brewery, and he is in the process of opening his own brewery.

He shares creative ideas for “getting liquid to lips,” and what it takes to bring beer “from grain to glass.”

He shares his breadth of knowledge on a range of topics including:

  • Merchandising
  • Packaging
  • Keeping clean draft lines
  • What it’s like to see his award-winning homebrew go into production and be widely distributed

Listener question:

From Eric Simon: What beer do you want to brew, but aren’t going to because it’s too risky or won’t be popular enough?

Book recommendation:

Check out the entire list of recommended books, click here.

Your Free Audio Book

An upcoming beer style:

Patersbier

Other resources:

You can reach Zachary Typinski at:

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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Meet your new host: Nathan Pierce.

MicroBrewr 013: Meet your new host for MicroBrewr podcast

My name is Nathan Pierce, and I’m so happy to say I’ll be your new host for the podcast, taking over for Joe Shelerud. Thank you Joe, I’ll do my best to continue this great thing you started.

In this episode I talk about:

  • MicroBrewr podcast and the transition to a new host
  • A little about the format going forward
  • Update on my plans to start a brewery

Most of this is covered in a recent blog.

Transition to a new host

I was shocked when I heard Joe Shelerud say in session 012 that it would be the last episode. I know he made the right decision for himself, I support him in that.

Still, I felt bad that MicroBrewr was ending. I’ve loved listening to MicroBrewr since the first episode in February. It’s timely for me as I’m planning to start my own brewery. It’s a great resource and it’s building a great community.

Moving forward, I’m coming up with a list of questions that I’ll ask each guest. It’s designed to…

  • Go deep
  • Get inside the industry
  • Get inside the heads of people who work there

I’ll also have guests from other sectors of the industry, like distributors, retailers, and marketers.

I’m still playing with the format, so let me know if you have suggestions or if there’s a question you’d like to ask our guests. Leave of a comment below.

Update on my plans to start a brewery

In session 005, Joe interviewed me about my plans to start a brewery. Since then, I completed the draft business plan and I’m incorporating suggested changes from family and friends. A couple months ago, my partners left the project. I learned a lot from that experience. On my personal blog, you can read about, How to choose partners when starting a breweryStay tuned to this podcast for occasional updates.

Please answer one question

If you could ask just one question to every brewer or brewery owner, what would you ask?

Leave your comments below. Thank you so much!

Links and resources covered

Olympus Digital Voice Recorder WS-801 – They don’t make the WS-300M anymore, but this one looks similar. It’s easy to work, records good sound, and it’s small and lightweight. I’ve used it in all sorts of different situations, in several different countries. Perhaps the thing I like best is the built-in USB connector, I think the WS-801 has the same feature.

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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MicroBrewr 012: How To Start Up a Brewery for $125,000 w/ Wild Earth Brewing

MicroBrewr 012: How To Start Up a Brewery for $125,000 w/ Wild Earth Brewing

The Final Episode of the MicroBrewr Podcast

As a lot of you know, my wife and I are currently expecting our first child just about any day now. With him coming, I’ve taken a step back to analyze priorities since I feel like I don’t currently have enough free time to give to him with everything that I’m currently doing. While doing this podcast has been an absolutely amazing experience, after a lot of consideration I’ve come to the sad conclusion that I’m going to need to give it up to be able to focus on my family. I hope that you understand and I just really want to say thanks for all of the amazing support that I’ve had along the way. This will be the final MicroBrewr podcast and I have an awesome interview with David from Wild Earth Brewing to wrap up the MicroBrewr podcast series!

UPDATE: This is not the last episode!!! See episode 13 for more details.

Meet Dave From Wild Earth Brewing

Dave Kilgour was able to start up Wild Earth Brewing in 6 months, fully funded from friends and family and with a total cost of $125,000.  From moving in the fermenter from his garage with a couple guys from town to being the only employee of the brewery, David has planned to keep costs down while still producing awesome beer for the masses.

In this podcast, we discuss:brewerytaproomlogo

  • The dynamics of starting a brewery in a small town
  • How working in a brewery before starting your own is key to your success
  • Discussion on the financial aspect of nano-brewing and the lost costs to increase brewing size
  • Selecting the styles of beer to offer when opening your brewery
  • The process of scaling up your homebrew batches to the full brewery process
  • How to bottle your beer while keeping costs down
  • The benefits of being able to fully fund your brewery without outside investors

Support Dave and Wild Earth Brewing Co!

Check him out at the links below!

Wild Earth Brewery Website

Wild Earth Facebook Page

Wild Earth Twitter Page

UPDATE 6/27/2020: Wild Earth Brewing website is down. This is from their FB post Dec 5, 2014: …it has become clear to us that in order to meet the demand for our product we must evaluate our operation and explore new business models that will enable us to grow to meet the level of production our customers are demanding. To that end, we have decided to close our current operation in Roslyn at the end of December while we investigate our options.”

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Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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MicroBrewr 011: Starting a Brewery in Hawaii w/ Sean Garvey

MicroBrewr 011: Starting a Brewery in Hawaii w/ Sean Garvey

Welcome to MicroBrewr Podcast #11!

In this podcast, I got to talk with Sean Garvey who’s currently raising funds to start up a brewery in Hawaii. Since Sean is right in the middle of the money raising phase, we got to talk about his experiences when seeking out potential investors and asking them to invest. We also talk about starting a brewery in a location that experiences a lot of tourism and how to strike a balance between reaching out to locals while also getting the attention of tourists who will be on the island for a limited amount of time. Sit back, sip on your favorite local beer and enjoy!

Here’s a highlight of what we discuss in this interview with Sean:Hawaii-Beer

  • Developing your business plan in “off hours” when working full time
  • How to stay motivated and push forward to your end goal
  • Getting the word out to tourists while also pleasing your local fans
  • How to factor in extra costs when you brew in a remote area
  • The pros and cons of going with a distribution brewery instead of a brewpub
  • The art of raising money and the challenges along the way
  • How to find people willing to invest in your brewery
  • Realizing that most potential investors are probably not even going to read through your business plan
  • Building the team around you that have key strengths to propel your brewery

Links and Resources Covered

Hawaii Market Research

Garveyaz@yahoo.com

Your Free Audio Book

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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Ninkasi Logo

MicroBrewr 010: How Ninkasi Went From a 15-BBL System to the 30th Largest Craft Brewery in the Nation w/ Ninkasi Brewing

If you’re new to the podcast, we like to talk all things craft beer but tend to focus on starting up a brewery or ways to take your current brewery to the next level. This week I’m really excited to share the story of Ninkasi Brewing and the tremendous growth that they’ve seen since 2006. Ninkasi started as a 15-BBL system and after four expansions has become one of the top 30 craft breweries in the nation. Nikos Ridge is one of the founders of Ninkasi and talks through why he thinks that their brewery has really taken off and lessons that he has learned along the way. Nikos also talks through their community involvement and how operating a brewery is more than just about the beer, it’s about the people who work in the brewery and the surrounding community.

In this podcast, we’ll cover:Ninkasi Brewing

  • How Ninkasi got started and their journey along the way
  • The experience that they’ve gained after going through four major expansions of their brewery
  • Planning for that next expansion down the road
  • The importance of community and examples of different programs your brewery can get involved in
  • Finding the right staff that fits your brewery (and the troubles you can run into if you select poorly)
  • What Nikos believes has driven the tremendous growth that Ninkasi has experienced and what will continue to drive growth in the future
  • Advice for new breweries that are opening up in today’s market

Make Sure to Get a Ninkasi Brew Near You!

If you live or are visiting the West Coast, Ninkasi is distributed through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana, California and British Columbia (and coming soon in Nevada). Here are some other resources that we talked about during the podcast:

Ninkasi Web Page

Top 50 Craft Breweries List (2013)

Oregon State Northwest Beer and Cider Sessions – Great resource for those looking to start a brewery

61 Brewers Speak Out: What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting a Brewery

Your Free Audio Book

Come Say Hi

I love to connect with the MicroBrewr community so make sure to connect with me through Facebook, Twitter or Untappd.  You can also send me an email using our Contact Page.

Connect on Facebook

Connect on Twitter

Have a Beer With Me on Untappd

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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Canning-Versus-Bottling-Beer

MicroBrewr 009: Getting Distributors to Sell More Of Your Beer and the Benefits of Canning w/ Tyson Starling

Canning Versus Bottling Beer and Getting Your Distributors to Sell More of Your Beer

In this podcast, I had a ton of fun talking with Tyson Starling from Atlantic Brewing Company.  Tyson started as a credit analyst and after having to foreclose on somebody, decided that this was not the career path for him.  Tyson switched careers to work as a sales rep for a beer distributor in Maine and then was approached to work on the day-to-day operations for Atlantic Brewing Company.  In this episode, we go into detail about the pros and cons on canning versus bottling beer and why Tyson would be canning if he could do it all over again.  Tyson also has some cheap and easy tips on how to get your distributors to sell more of you beer and the importance of branding for your brewery.

Topics that we covered:

  • Why working in a brewery and a bank are more similar than you’d think
  • The importance of picking a distributor since you’re locked in once you make your choice
  • Unique and cheap ways to get your distributor to help increase your beer sales
  • The scary truth about how long your beer can sit in a warehouse before making it to your customer
  • The power of consistency in all of your labeling or branding
  • How to use MicroStar to sell kegs out of state and not having to worry about having your keg returned
  • The pros and cons of canning versus bottling your beer and why canning may be better for your microbrewery

Here Are All the Great Resources Discussed in the Podcast

Microbrewery Canning Versus Bottling

Craft Beer Business – How to get in contact with Tyson

Atlantic Brewing Company

“So You Want To Open A Microbrewery Podcast” w/ Collin McDonnell – Talks about the real life of being a craft brewer

“Branding and Transforming Your Beer into Art” w/ Harvey Shepard – Recommendations on branding and labeling your beer

MicroStar Kegs

Keg Credit

Cask Canning Equipment

“Developing Your Brewery Business Plan” w/ Aaron Brodniak – Goes into the cost of starting a brewery

Your Free Audio Book

I Need Your Help To Spread The Word

If you like this podcast on canning versus bottling beer and increasing your sales through distribution, I would really appreciate it if you would give me a rating in iTunes to help spread the word about the podcast.  All you need to do is search for MicroBrewr in the iTunes store or you can use link this link here (then just click “View in iTunes”).  If you’ve never given a rating in iTunes before, I put together these instructions to walk you through the 2 minute process.  Giving a rating in iTunes will continue to push the podcast up in the rankings which help get the podcast into the ears of more people.  Thanks in advance!

Give the MicroBrewr Podcast a Review on iTunes

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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MicroBrewr 007: So You Think You Want to Open a Microbrewery… w/ HenHouse Brewing

Have You Ever Thought that You’d Like to Open a Microbrewery?

Through connecting with the MicroBrewr community and doing the weekly podcast, I’ve been lucky to talk with so many amazing people who are looking to turn their dreams into a reality and open a microbrewery.  The thought of leaving the 9-5 and going on your own path is an adventure that sounds like a dream come true.  Being able to leave the office behind to brew and drink beer all day, what could be better?  Well, we don’t want to kill anybody’s dreams but there is a lot more work that comes when you open a microbrewery than just brewing and drinking beer.  In this podcast, we’ll go through the typical life of a brewer to try to give a good perspective on what to expect if you do take that next step to open a microbrewery.

Meet Collin From HenHouse Brewing Company

Collin McDonnell is one of the three founders of Henhouse Brewing Company.  HenHouse started selling beer two years ago and over that time have been raising money to quit their jobs to go at it full time.  One reason why I really wanted to talk to Collin is that he wrote a great article on the “real life” of working in the brewery where he was very transparent on the not so exciting parts of running the business day to day.  As we went through the podcast, you can tell that Collin’s focus on the details comes from a passion that HenHouse puts into their beer to make sure they are making a quality product that they can be proud of.

Here’s some of the topics that we’ll cover in the podcast:

  • The amount of data collection that is required to put out quality beer that tastes the same every time
  • How much cleaning is really required in the brewing process
  • The benefits of leasing space from another brewery (alternating proprietorship) instead of starting with your own equipment
  • The need to think about how your brewery will be different that others in the area
  • How to pick your partners to leverage their strengths when you open a microbrewery
  • Why maintaining great relationships with regulators needs to be a priority
  • The benefits of working at a brewery before you start your own
  • The power of a vision to keep you focused on the end goal

Here are the Links of Stuff We Talked About and Spots Where You Can Find Out More About HenHouse

HenHouse Brewing Company Facebook Page

Start-a-MicroBrewery

HenHouse Twitter Page

Collin’s Article “So You Think You Want to Open a Brewery”

Petaluma Hills Brewing Company

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)

61 Brewers Speak Out: What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting a Brewery

An Ode to Beer Drinkers by Collin McDonnell

Beer Talks 2014 w/ Collin

21st Amendment

Beach Chalet

Drake’s Brewing Company

Your Free Audio Book

Are You Enjoying the MicroBrewr Podcast?

If you like this podcast on what it’s like to open a microbrewery, I would really appreciate it if you would give me a rating in iTunes to help spread the word about the podcast.  All you need to do is search for MicroBrewr in the iTunes store or you can use link this link here (then just click “View in iTunes”).  Giving a rating in iTunes will continue to push the podcast up in the rankings which help get the podcast into the ears of more people.  Thanks in advance!

Give the MicroBrewr Podcast a Review on iTunes

 You might also like:

MicroBrewr 022: Expanding to… India!, with Arbor Brewing Company Brewpub in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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Building a Brewery

MicroBrewr 005: The Start of the Journey of Building a Brewery w/ Nathan Pierce

Grab a Beer and Join Us in the Journey of Starting a Brewery

Welcome to the 5th edition of the MicroBrewr podcast!  Due to the success and support I’ve seen for the previous podcast, I’ve dialed up the frequency now to weekly.  If you’re new to the podcast, I’m a craft beer fanatic who loves to hear about the journeys of those in the craft beer industry.  With the experiences of some amazing people, hopefully I can give back to this community to help inspire brewers to start a brewery or provide tips on what’s working right now for the lucky people who already run their own brewery.  Even if you’re not in these two camps, these guys and gals have some amazing experiences to share that hopefully can provide some entertainment to your daily commute or work out.

Meet Nathan Pierce Who Will Give Us a First Hand Look at Starting a Brewery

I originally got in touch with Nathan Pierce after starting MicroBrewr who is currently in the process of starting up a brewery.  Nathan worked at the air pollution control district in California before quitting his job to follow his dream and start a brewery a couple of months ago.  Nathan has been gracious to share his journey along the way to help out others that are thinking of starting a brewery and we’ll be coming back in future podcasts to catch up on progress.  In this podcast, you’ll get to ride along for the initial steps of the journey where Nathan is working to turn his dream into a reality.

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In this podcast we’ll cover:

  • Setting goals and how to stay focused on the end result
  • Transitioning to less structure without the 9-5 job
  • Productivity tips and some great ways to stay motivated
  • Where to go for creating a business plan
  • Selectively choosing what information you need to know along the process
  • Dealing with friends or family who don’t support your vision or want you to succeed
  • Following through on your dreams and telling as many people as you can about those dreams to keep you accountable

Here are links that we talked about during the podcast:

Entrepreneur on Fire PodcastStarting Brewery

Storyline Productivity Schedule

Beyond the To Do List

Brewers Association

Connect with Nathan on Twitter

Your Free Audio Book

Join the MicroBrewr Community

Like what you’ve heard and want to get updates on upcoming articles and podcasts?  Click the button below to sign up for the email list.  As my thank you for joining the Microbrewr community, I’ll send you a free copy of our e-book “6 Free Social Media Tools To Get Your Beer in the Hands of More People.”

 

Sign me up!

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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Quality-Control-Bottling-Craft-Beer

MicroBrewr 004: Craft Beer Quality Control and Bottling w/ 3 Sheeps Brewery

 The MicroBrewr Podcast is Going Weekly!!

The success of this podcast within the first three episodes has been so awesome and the personal connections that I’ve already made have pushed me to take the next step with this podcast.  From now on, I’ll be releasing a new MicroBrewr podcast weekly for your listening enjoyment.  I’ve been going back and forth on this for a few weeks but I have to give a special thanks to my friend, Nathan Pierce for pushing me to commit to the weekly podcast.  In the next podcast, you’ll get to meet Nathan and hear about his project that he’s currently working on (more info to come).  If there’s any specific topics that you’d like to hear more about in future podcasts, let me know on Facebook or Twitter.  Finally, I just have to say it means so much to me for listening so if there’s anything that I can do to return the favor, let me know what I can do!

Meet Grant from 3 Sheeps Brewing Company

Grant Pauly started out in working in his family’s concrete business where he had a good, stable job but found that it wasn’t where his passions truly lied.  After homebrewing, Grant decided to switch paths and start a brewery in Sheboygan, WI.   After the first year and a half of brewing, 3 Sheeps has already gone through multiple expansions and won the award of “Best New Wisconsin Brewery” by RateBeer.  As a distribution brewery, Grant has some great pointers to share about craft beer quality control and the bottling process to make sure their great beer tastes the same, every time.  Grant also digs into his decision of taking a risk to start the brewery by chasing those “really cool waterslides” and not taking it for granted.

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In this podcast we’ll cover:

  • Where to start after deciding that you want to start a brewery
  • Deciding between a distribution brewery or a brew pub
  • A deep dive through brewing equipment and the bottling process.
  • Creating a theme or a “vision” for your brewery to guide the beers that you produce
  • The craft beer growth and how it blew apart Grant’s initial projections
  • How to make sure you beer tastes the same every time and monitoring throughout the process
  • What’s working for Grant right now

Brewery-QCHere are links that we talked about during the podcast.  Make sure to connect with 3 Sheeps and find their beer at your local liquor store or baaaaar (you’ll get this more once you listen to the podcast:)

3 Sheeps Website

Connect on Facebook

Connect on Twitter

Siebel Institute in Chicago – Brewing Sciences

Your Free Audio Book

Like This Podcast and Want to Give Baaaaack?

If you like this podcast and all of the free info that I’ve been working to get out to help the brewing community, I would really appreciate it if you would give me a rating in iTunes and share this podcast with your friends.  All you need to do is search for MicroBrewr in the iTunes store or you can use this link.  Giving a rating in iTunes will continue to push the podcast up in the rankings which help get the word out to more people.  Thanks in advance!

Share the MicroBrewr Podcast on Facebook

Share the MicroBrewr Podcast on Twitter

You might also like:

MicroBrewr 024: Real ale in the mountain bike capital of the Northwest, with Brewers Union Local 180 in Oakridge, Oregon.

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

Subscribe on iTunes             Listen to Stitcher

MicroBrewr 003: The Power of A Story w/ Adelbert’s Brewery

Welcome to Another MicroBrewr Podcast!

I’ve just got to say that I am having a blast doing this podcast and there are many more to come.  If you’re new to MicroBrewr, I’m here to help out if you’re looking at starting up a craft brewery or want to take your brewery to the next level.  For the podcast, I get the pleasure of talking with a number of people in the craft beer industry to spread the knowledge to the rest of the community.  If you’re thinking of starting a brewery, I’d also check out the 12 question guide you can use to help figure out the financials when in the planning stages.  Welcome and if you get a chance, I’d love to connect with you through Facebook or Twitter (you can always use my contact page too!).

Telling a Story Through Beer and a Brewery w/ Adelbert’s Breweryadelberts

The craft brewing industry is full of amazing people and Sarah Zomper Haney from Adelbert’s Brewery is no exception!  Adelbert’s Brewery is located in Austin, TX and focuses on Belgian-style brewing and bottle-conditions their beers.  Sarah and I will discuss topics from marketing, distribution, branding, social media and everything in between.

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In this episode we’ll talk about:

  • How to use a story to name your brewery and create a personal connection with your customers
  • Using social media and word-of-mouth to promote your brewery
  • The power of the brewery tour
  • Bringing in food trucks and incorporating beer into food
  • How to make use of spare brewing capacity
  • Expanding distribution into other markets and educating distributors
  • Making your beer stand out and the importance of labeling
  • Converting people into the craft beer movement
  • Sarah’s outlook on the craft beer market

Check out the Adelbert’s Brewery or Enjoy Their Bottle-Conditioned Goodness!

Show your support to Sarah and Adelbert’s Brewery for all of the great information that they shared by going on a brewery tour or buying some Adelbert’s beer.  It’s a beautiful thing when you can give back by drinking beer:)  Here’s some of the ways you can connect with Adelberts!

Adelbert’s Website

Facebook – Connect with Adelbert’s Brewery

Twitter – Follow Adelbert’s

Find Adelbert’s Beer

Like This Podcast and Want to Give Back?

If you like this podcast and all of the free info that I’ve been working to get out to help the brewing community, I would really appreciate it if you would give me a rating in iTunes and share this podcast with your friends.  All you need to do is search for MicroBrewr in the iTunes store or you can use link this link here.  Giving a rating in iTunes will continue to push the podcast up in the rankings which help get the word out to more people.  The support I’ve had with three podcasts in has been so awesome and if there’s anything that I can do for your help promoting the podcast, let me know!

Share the MicroBrewr Podcast on Facebook

Share the MicroBrewr Podcast on Twitter

You might also like:

MicroBrewr 028: Repaving the way for women in craft beer, with Scarlet Lane Brewing Company in McCordsville, Indiana.

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

Subscribe on iTunes             Listen to Stitcher

MicroBrewr 002: Using a Flagship Beer To Build a Brand w/ Alamo Beer

We Made It To Podcast #2 (I’m going to have a beer to celebrate)!

First off, I have to say thanks for the amazing support and feedback that we’ve got for the MicroBrewr site and the podcast.  In just the first week of having the site up, MicroBrewr has already had over 25,000 visitors.  I’ve been able to talk to so many people who are thinking of taking the plunge into starting their own brewery (or who already have) and it’s no lie that the craft beer community is awesome!  If you want to subscribe to the MicroBrewr podcast instead of listening to it on the site, the podcast is now up on both iTunes and Stitcher which you can find by just searching for MicroBrewr in either program.

Using a Flagship Beer to Build a Brand with Alamo Beer CompanyEugene From Alamo Beer Company

In the second podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with Eugene Simor from Alamo Beer Company.  One of the reasons that I wanted to talk with Eugene is that he’s taken a different approach to getting into the craft beer industry by using his flagship beer, Alamo Golden Ale to build his brand.  Up to this point, Eugene has used contract brewing (“kind-of”) to brew Alamo Golden Ale and is currently in the process of planning his own brewery.  With his 10+ years already selling his beer, Eugene has proven his brand (which helped him get a $5 million SBA approved loan for his brewery) and has a ton of great information to share.

In this episode we’ll talk about:

  • How to get your start in the industry through contract brewing to prove that your brand works
  • Picking a distributor to sell your beer and leveraging them to increase sales
  • How to promote and grow your brand
  • The importance of focusing on your local market and creating a personal connection
  • What events are working for Alamo to promote their beer
  • Planning a brewery that will be ready for future growth
  • How to raise money to start your brewery and selectively choose investors

Go Find Alamo Golden Ale

Alamo Beer Co

Make sure to pick up some Alamo Golden Ale to give back to Eugene for sharing all of the knowledge that he has gained starting up Alamo Beer Company! Here’s some of the links to find out more about Eugene and Alamo.

Links Mentioned in the Podcast:

Alamo Beer Website

Alamo Facebook Fan Page

Spec’s Liquor to Order Alamo Golden Ale

Your Free Audio Book

Like The Podcast?

If you want to get updates on future podcasts and join the amazing MicroBrewr community, you can click the button below.  To try to give back and to show my thanks for joining, I’ll send you a free copy of our “6 Social Media Tools to Get People Talking About Your Beer” e-book.  You rock! Let me know if there’s anything else that I can do for you!

 

Sign me up!

You might also like:

MicroBrewr 019: Marketing a flagship beer with Roswell aliens, with Sierra Blanca Brewing Company in Moriarty, New Mexico.

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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MicroBrewr 001: Setting Your Brewery Apart and the Beauty of Jorts w/ Mayday Brewery

Welcome to the First Ever MicroBrewr Podcast!!

Since this is the first podcast, I thought I’d take a second to explain what the typical game plan is for all of our podcasts.  I’m so excited to get this going since there are so many amazing people in craft brewing!  Through interviews with current brewery owners, we can dig in to see what’s working and what mistakes to avoid when planning to start or running your craft brewery.  We’ll cover craft beer trends, distribution, designing a brewing space, getting the most out of your current equipment, planning for expansions, marketing and branding, social media, raising money, permitting, festivals, getting your beer in more people’s hands and everything else in between.  This podcast is also about supporting the craft beer industry and all of the awesome people who make it up.  If you have any suggestions or a great story you think we should share, send me a message and let’s talk!  Sit back, grab your favorite craft beer and let’s have some fun!    

Setting Yourself Apart with Mayday Brewery

In our first podcast, I had a blast talking with Ozzy Nelson from Mayday Brewery.  One of first things that really made me want to talk to Ozzy is stumbling across a couple of videos that they had done to promote the opening of their brewery and a Chicken and Jorts event (if you don’t know what jorts are we’ll explain in the podcast).  You can tell that they are really having fun at the brewery and sets the tone for anyone visiting Mayday.

In this episode we’ll talk about:

  • How to raise money for your brewery
  • Picking a location and a unique way to get funding
  • Using social media to promote your brewery
  • How to get food for your customers without having a kitchen on site
  • How to book and attract bands on a limited budget
  • Putting yourself out there and building a personal relationship with your fans

Check Out Mayday Brewery

We’re all in this craft beer movement together so if you’re in the Tennessee area, make sure to check out and support a great small business in your community!  Here’s some of the links to find out more about Mayday Brewery.  Don’t forget to check out a couple of videos from Mayday which are great.

Links Mentioned in the Podcast:

Mayday Brewery Facebook Page

Mayday Twitter Page

Mayday Website

Pilot Videos for Mayday

Chicken and Jorts Promotion

DME Brewing Equipment

Your Free Audio Book

Like The Podcast?

If you want to get updates on future podcasts and join the amazing MicroBrewr community, you can click the button below. To try to give back and to show my thanks for joining, I’ll send you a free copy of our “6 Social Media Tools to Get People Talking About Your Beer” e-book.  You rock! Let me know if there’s anything else that I can do for you!

 

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And Finally… A Couple of Videos For Your Enjoyment

Mayday Brewery Promo Video by Storyville USA from Ozzy Nelson on Vimeo.

 

HC&JS promo #3 from Mayday Brewery on Vimeo.

Support MicroBrewr

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61 Brewers Speak Out: What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting a Brewery

So remember that first time when you said, “I think I want to start a brewery”!  After all of those experiences of getting the brewery up and running, if you could travel back in time and tell yourself some advice, what would it be?  At MicroBrewer, we wanted to know and thought that you might too so we asked craft brewery owners the following question:

What do you wish you had known before starting your brewery?

The responses were awesome and really reflected how amazing the craft brewery community is!  After reading through all of the responses, we started to see some major trends so we’ve put the responses into major categories.  At MicroBrewr, we’ll be focusing more on each of the topics below in future blog posts and podcasts so if you haven’t yet, make sure to sign up for our mailing list in the box below!

 

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Plan For Expansions From the Start

What’s one of the most common responses that we got?  People loving their beer too much!  Planning for expansions from the start is key… especially with how quickly the craft beer industry is growing!

Derek from 192 Brewing

I am still amazed at how fast we are growing, so I think that if I had seriously known how fast the growth was going to take place, I might have spent a little more time researching “next steps” in the growth process. I assumed I would be able to grow at a slow comfortable pace, but there is too much demand to let pass by, so the hours are much longer than expected to try our best to keep up with the next immediate needs of the business, and that tends to be the only focus for about 6 months out of the year. It can be a constant rat race to get the projects done just in time for them to be already behind production needs upon completion. This also causes a lot of stress on the team, even for those that also see the potential for the constant growth. A larger brewing system is a next step that looms over our heads at the moment, and will require a change of location for that operation.

Lynn from Great Storm Brewing

I wish we’d known how much our wonderful customers would love our beer; we should have started with a bigger system!  We’re small, we only have a one barrel now and are working on getting a 10 barrel system in the next year or two.

Hear Great Storm Brewing on MicroBrewr Podcast 054.

Myles from Borderlands Brewing

People are thirsty!  We started with a 3 barrel brewhouse, and that barely made enough beer to keep our tap room stocked.  And the tap room was only open two days a week.  We recently upgraded to a 20 barrel system, and we’re already planning the next expansion!

Hear Borderlands Brewing on MicroBrewr Podcast 030.

Brett from Dust Bowl Brewing Company

I would have built a larger infrastructure at the outset. We’ve expanded the operation and reached capacity production three times since we started brewing in 2009.  We’ve now maximized what we can fit in the footprint of our current building. We are in the process of relocating to a new location. Our new site will, of course, have room to grow, so at least we’ve learned!

Hear Dust Bowl Brewing Company on MicroBrewr Podcast 027.

Mark from Missouri Breaks Brewing

I think the single biggest thing was that I thought too small. Our kettles are 220 gallons so we do 5 barrels at a time…but we started with a 40 gallon kettle.   Yes, 40 gallons, then went to 55 and then to 220….

We actually drank out of beer opening day and had to close for 2 weeks!  A lot of this is that we just threw “a few bucks” together and started brewing.  I am the local doc in town so I have another job!  I taught my daughter how to brew and she is great at it.  I guess I should have thought if I am going to do this, just make the investment and do it.  We are still growing and have the next step soon.

Barry from Pug Ryan’s

When we began the brewery addition to our steakhouse in 1997, we never imagined that our 15 bbl brew house with four 15 bbl  fermentors and four 15 bbl brite tanks could possibly ever max out. I wish I had known more about the culture surrounding the Craft Beer industry and how much Craft Beer was about to explode. I also wish I had more insight into the physical plant size needed to manage growth opportunities. This perhaps would have helped dictate the size of our brewery from the beginning and aided in the  timing and scope of the expansion we completed two years ago.

Peter from Miami Brewing Co

I wish I had planned better for the size of it all. You think you plan it right and have enough space and capacity for all that you’re going to need, but once you start you realize you need more.

The Owners from Birdsong Brewing Company

We wish we knew about the small stuff before starting a brewery! Things we didn’t realize we should know, like how to pour concrete, would have been so helpful during the initial construction process and as we’ve continued to expand. One big element we didn’t really foresee throughout the years has been how successful our tap room is since we’ve opened. Charlotte’s beer scene has grown dramatically over the last few years, so we probably would have made our tap room more spacious. Our consideration of our growing customer base was underestimated; people like us a lot more than we ever realized!

Hear Birdsong Brewing Company on MicroBrewr Podcast 017.

Patty from Pecan Street Brewing

We underestimated the capacity of the brewing system we would need and also underestimated the amount of cooling space and space in general for the brewing area.   So, I guess you can say that we wish we had planned and built a larger brewing capacity and more cold storage.

Hear Pecan Street Brewing on MicroBrewr Podcast 023.

Tom from Yards Brewing Company

I wish I had had a better sense of what the craft beer industry would become when I first started. Back then, I don’t think anyone expected it to be what it is today. Now Yards has the ability to grow and adapt with the industry as it continues to progress, but at the time I may have made some different decisions, had I had a better picture of the potential for innovation and success down the line.

Hear Yards Brewing Company on MicroBrewr Podcast 015.

Brian from BAD Brewing Company

I guess the main thing that I wish I knew getting into the brewing industry would have been the demand.  When we started over a year ago, we were operating a very small 1/2 bbl system and actually ran out of beer after just a month. Since then we have upgraded to a bigger system to meet the demand, which is still tough due to the growing popularity in craft beer.  So it would have been nice to know in advance that we would be selling as much beer as we do.  Not a bad problem, but problematic.

Eugene from Alamo Beer Co

This is a good question… however I changed it and asked folks at the 30 breweries I toured before starting on my own:  “If you had it to do over again, what would you have done differently?” Wow… the things you can learn from others who have been there and done that.  Our brewery is fully planned on paper to reach our goal of 40,000BBL/Yr production.  Each tank location, warehousing, cooler, etc is all down on paper and pre-planned.  There are a lot of dashed lines on our plan that represents the future.

Hear Alamo Beer Co on MicroBrewr Podcast 002.

Costs to Running a Brewery and Time Required Will Be More Than You Plan On

You know that budget you planned on and the amount of time that you think you’ll have to put into the brewery?  Well, you might want to increase those numbers a bit… maybe a lot!

Devin from 7venth Sun Brewing

Before we got started we did a lot of research on what to anticipate from seasoned veterans in the industry.  All of them said that we should plan for everything to take twice as long and cost three times as much.  We approached our plan with this in mind and they were certainly right.  We planned for it to take twice as long and cost three times as much and it still took twice as long as that. We ended up completing our buildout and our small expansion just in the nick of time and we consider ourselves very lucky to be where we are.

Hear 7venth Sun Brewing on MicroBrewr Podcast 021.

Scott from Adelbert’s Brewery

Overall, I have been fairly lucky because I did a lot research and worked with a brewery consultant before opening, which helped prepare me for a lot. The things that I wish I knew about ahead are construction costs and time commitments. They are always a lot more than what you expect. Take your worst case estimate of them and double it then you might be close.

Hear Adelbert’s Brewery on MicroBrewr Podcast 003.

Adrian from Eastern Shore Brewing

I wish I would have known…..man so many things.  My biggest pieces of advice are:  1) Take you budget and double it. Contractors will always find things that you and they missed in the plans and walk throughs.  2) Take your time line and triple it. Govt shutdowns, licensing, regulations, zoning….these are all done on other peoples schedules.

Mark from Atwater Brewery

I wish that I would have known the complexity of the 3 tier distribution system better prior to deciding what beers to launch, along with a better understanding of the chain network.  We purchased an existing brewery so we would have liked to have known the amount of additional money it was going to take to get the equipment into top shape.  Like any business it is the unknowns that are most difficult in the beginning and that is why sufficient working capital is essential.

Carolyn from Flossmoor Station Brewing Company

Our desire in opening a brewpub was to provide a warm and friendly community pub environment that brewed exceptional beer.  Having no prior brewery experience we had no idea the set up would be so complicated or that the financial commitment so big!

Ted from Brewers Union Local 180

I wish I had known more about the particular property that I was going to install the pub and brewery in. A better and more careful inspection would have given me a better idea of the cost of the build-out.

Hear Brewers Union Local 180 on MicroBrewer Podcast 024.

Tony from Pagosa Brewery

EVERYTHING!  More specifically… How quickly labor costs can rise. To achieve our proper level of service, high-quality food & award-winning beer, labor has become more expensive than anticipated.

Ken from Nexus Brewery

First thing I thought about was “I wish I would have been aware of all the challenges we were up against in redoing an old warehouse. Our architect and contractor continuously ran into obstacles that delayed construction an increased costs”.

I also wish that I would have known exactly how consumers would react to being the new kid in town on the beer scene. The beer geeks were nice and rolled through at the beginning. The interesting thing was there was a big demand for the menu which we did not know would take off like it did. We transformed from a brewery tap room with some good food to a full blown restaurant. Not complaining but my business plan was blown out of the water within 12 months.

Nick from Opposition Brewing Company

As a nano operation, it is critical for us to keep costs and overhead as low as possible while pouring every bit of revenue back into the business. To do any less would result in a lack in ability to grow the business and lead to ultimate failure. That said, while I fully acknowledged this fact prior to opening, I didn’t have a true realization as to what this would mean for me and my partners. We have been working 12 hour days, 7 days a week, for little to no pay for the past year and a half. Don’t get me wrong, it’s paying off and we’re on track to expand into a 7bbl system in the next 12 months, and the work has been vastly rewarding – we love coming to work every day – but it’s been a hard road. But you know what they say… nothing worth doing is ever easy!!

Hear Opposition Brewing Company on MicroBrewr Podcast 016.

Mike from Revolution Brewing

I wish I’d known the high cost of licenses, taxes, fees, bonds, insurance… nothing to do with brewing and everything to do with brewing business.  Also, the reality of the cleaning chemicals… The awesome reality of cleaning chemicals…

Cathy from Philipsburg Brewing Company

We wish some one would of told us how many hours it takes to get a brewery up and running and how complex the whole business is.

Hear Philipsburg Brewing Company on MicroBrewr Podcast 020.

Brian from Bard’s Tale Beer Company

Bard’s Tale Beer Company is a gluten-free brewer that chose to utilize a contract brewer rather than build our own brewery.  Our objective was nationwide distribution of a specialty beer.   As such our capacity needs would increase rapidly over a relatively short period of time as we added distribution.  There is excess brewing capacity so we felt we could partner with a premier brewer to produce our beer and devote our human resources and capital to sales and marketing instead of a brewery.

Looking back, we could have raised more capital.  We don’t control the brewery so our flexibility is somewhat limited in terms of pilot brews, etc.  And finally, the brewing business is very competitive for wholesale distribution and retail shelf space.  You cannot rest.

Mark from Aviator Brewing Company

Get plenty of credit cards, prepare for no sleep, drink more beer than you thought humanly possible.

Hear Aviator Brewing Company on MicroBrewr Podcast 075.

Permitting and Other Legal Issues Are Complicated And Take Time

One of the unfortunate realities with our beautiful industry is that it is highly regulated which can cause multiple road blocks through the process.

Seth from Bull City Burger and Brewery

Even with two other operating breweries in my city prior to my opening, many of the city inspectors, officials, etc. had no idea or understanding of what a brewery was or how it operated and that created some resistance and hurdles requiring explanation on my part to teach our inspectors how we operate. Some people assumed the worst or had preconceived notions.

Finding local professionals to assist with installation.  It’s not like most of the local HVAC/Plumbers/Electricians have done tons of these and it’s a cinch. Again, I had to educate myself in some areas in order to tell them what they had to do to meet code or to make something functional in a brewery.

Hear Bull City Burger & Brewery on MicroBrewr Podcast 076.

3 Stars Brewery

I would say that before opening the brewery, it would have been beneficial to have a better understanding of the lengthy drawn out process of permitting for construction and a more accurate understanding on the timeline for build out would have been useful. These were two items that having further clarity on would have helped ease the process a bit.

Ozzy from Mayday Brewery

How to handle effluent. I knew that effluent would be a big deal, but I didn’t know (and still don’t know) all that I need to know about treating waste water before we send it to the sewer. Another huge thing would be determining yeast health after harvesting and before repitching.

Hear Mayday Brewery on MicroBrewr Podcast 001.

Rich from Bridge and Tunnel Brewery

In terms of other brick walls that I’ve hit, I wish I had known how convoluted the zoning regulations in New York City are when it comes to breweries. I’m not saying that it would have halted my efforts to get up and running, but it’s been the cause of a fair amount of wheel spinning in trying to get out of the 150 square foot space that I currently am brewing in. On a physical basis – I wish that I had better welding skills. If I was able to weld stainless, I’d probably be half way to a bigger system by now.

Ryan from Gunpowder Falls Brewing

Before starting the brewery, it would have been great to know everything that is regulated by the many state and federal government entities. A couple of million dollars would have been nice too!

Jennifer from No Label Brewing Company

We wish we would have known at the beginning that starting a brewery is a waiting game. You’re waiting on permits, etc. that’s out of your control. It’s hard to let go and just wait.  We all have learned how to be patient so maybe it wasn’t all that bad. Starting a brewery takes TIME if you want to do things right. We are now in our 3rd year of brewing and have come to understand how everything works.

We also wish we knew how much money it really takes to start a brewery. Things break, a batch doesn’t turn out right, etc. These extra costs need to be planned as much as possible going into starting a brewery. There will always be surprises when running a brewery. It’s important to roll with the punches.

Douglas from Societe Brewing

The one thing I wish I had known before was “how truly difficult the licensing process is”.

Stephen from Arkose Brewery

We wish we had known how long the approval process took for getting a brewery permit.  We would have started the paperwork process much earlier.

Robert from Reads Landing Brewing Company

I wish I had known how difficult it would be to deal with the federal and state governments regarding regulation of brewers permit application process.  It wasn’t so much the paperwork, it is dealing with representatives from both.  The fed and state both lost my applications and paperwork, pushing my approvals back at least 4 months.  My state permits were also held up during the great state government shutdown of 2012.

Opening A Brewery is More than Just Brewing Beer… Get Ready For Administrative Work!

Think that opening a brewery means that you can just brew all day?  There’s a lot of administrative work that goes into running a brewery!

Landon from Bitter Esters Brewhouse

I wish I would have known how to properly interview employees and know how many employees I would need to keep our facility in operation.  I am getting really good at it now but after tons of turnover we have a great staff.  We are a mostly seasonal town in Custer and I have to hire many people every single year and its really quite hard to do.

Todd from Boulder Dam Brewing Co. 

If I had known how much administrative work I would be doing, I would have built a bigger office inside the brewpub!

Hear Boulder Dam Brewing Co. on MicroBrewr Podcast 034.

Josh From Huske Hardware Brewing Company

I wish I knew how to brew beer!  LOL.  I am a recently retired Veteran and have been around the world more than a few times.  I consider myself a True Beer Geek/Connoisseur……but it would also be nice to actually brew what we make.  I enjoy the hands on aspect of our business in working with people, but I lack the technical skills so I have simply hired folks smarter than me in their respective trades.  This has worked well – Jack of many trades – master of none…

Michael from Iron Springs Pub and Brewery

Honestly, I had so many years of experience behind me I really knew exactly what I was getting myself into.  I think the biggest thing I wish I knew, was how well my back was going to hold up-which is not great.  Soon after we opened the pub I went through a series of back surgeries which forced me to focus my energies else where in the business, and less on the physical part, which is the brewing part.  So I had to sort of re-invent my roll at the pub.  At the end of the day, it all worked out for the best.  Also, because we came from out of state I guess I would have to say, I wish we had known more of a network base out here.  We had a little, but it took awhile to establish ourselves with all our contractors, purveyors, and employees.

Heather from Selin’s Grove Brewing

I wish we knew more about personnel & restaurant management. Also I wish we put in better quality flooring & drain materials in the brewery from the start.

Nigel from Horsefly Brewing

I wish I knew how much taxes take away from the ability to re-invest in my business. All the government regulations and paperwork are a hindrance as well.

Hear Horsefly Brewing on MicroBrewr Podcast 018.

Running Brewpub is Opening a Restaurant that Sells Beer That Was Brewed There

Thinking of opening a brewpub?  Realize that you’re really opening a restaurant that also brews its own beer on site so doing a lot of research on restaurant management is key.

John from Adirondack Brewery

I wish I paid mote attention when I was in High School! I was more concerned with how cute my lab partner was.  Also opening a Brew Pub at the same time made me wish I knew more about the workings of a busy restaurant. I thought I was opening a Brew Pub, when I was really opening a Restaurant that sold beer that was brewed there.

Jim from Island Hoppin Brewery

I wish I had known just how much more was involved in running a microbrewery than simply making beer.  Writing about it is very nostalgic because I don’t write a journal and it is forcing me to look back on a timespan that has been one of the best times of my life.   The brewery has been a massive step for me in learning how to be a better business owner and person in general. Because, I guess, another answer to your question would be that ” I could never foresee that the brewery would become my whole life”

Jack from Fort George Brewery

Okay, I guess getting advice and listening to advice are two different things. I was told by many folks that being a brewer and running a brewpub are two entirely different occupations. It took me a couple of years to realize that I couldn’t brew, cook, wash dishes, wait tables and open/close the pub while I was running the pub. It is good to stay involved and know what is going on and do the work that nobody else likes to do, but you have to make time to meet and greet customers, schmooze city officials and keep the books in order as well.

Kevin from Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery

I own a brewpub and we are basically restaurants.  What I wish I had know before starting would be how to manage a restaurant better!

 

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Talk To Other Brewers in Your Area and Do Your Research

Like no other industry, members of the craft brewing community are so generous to share their advice on how to success (like in this post!).  Talk to everyone you can and be ready to take notes!

Greg from Sleeping Lady Brewing Co

The biggest thing to understand in any brewery is that something is always about to go wrong. However, I know that when I began brewing, I didn’t truly understand how gracious the brewing industry can be. Many brewers are in direct competition with each other yet we tend to drink (and appreciate) the beers that our friends are making. Brewers tend to help each other out with things like advice, ingredients, and man power. It’s like no other industry I’ve ever seen. I feel fortunate to be where I am and I love our industry.

Grant from 3 Sheeps Brewing

Brewing as a manufacturing process is relatively easy.  Then comes bottling.  You now have multiple machines with multiple moving parts, some pretty tech-heavy computers (depending on how quickly you are trying to bottle and how low you want your oxygen levels), heavy demands on air, CO2, and electricity, and a good chance that things are going to break or wear out.  To consistently run a bottling line takes skill, and unless a person has this experience, there will be a learning curve involved.  It took us longer to get our bottling line running than I anticipated.  We have learned a lot since that first run.  I believe we now are very capable of making sure that our bottling line continues to run and puts out very high quality product.  If I could have picked up some of these skills before though, it may have been a much easier journey to get to this point.

Hear 3 Sheeps Brewing on MicroBrewr Podcast 004.

Nate From Justice Brewing

The one thing I wish I had known more than anything else was utilizing more efficient means of water heating and putting in much larger electrical capacity. We’re only a small scale nano right now, but we could’ve saved a lot of space and time by going with tankless water heaters over a gas fired hot liquor tank. Didn’t know about them until it was too late.  Second, I wish I had known how volatile some suppliers are and that prices fluctuate a ton. We’ve gone through 3 different bottle suppliers due to skyrocketing prices through some, we finally found a good consistent supply at a decent price. It’s really hard for us small guys that only use about a pallet of bottles a month.

Ken from Rust Belt Brewing

Simple answer, how distribution works and ways to motivate your distributor to move your product.

Scott from Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co

I had been running 8 restaurants before I opened my brewery, so I was expecting most of the “issues” that maybe a 1st time owner wouldn’t expect.  I’m not a brewer, I hired one, so I even knew what to expect out of that relationship.

I’d say the most important thing would be to know the equipment manufacturer that you buy from – make sure you trust them and that they do good work.  We bought equipment for our brewery in Indiana from a vendor in California.  There were problems with installation and follow up on issues when equipment broke down that someone a little closer may have helped more.   It is just good to do a lot of research and not try to “save money” on the expense that is driving your business success.

Ben from Atlas Brewing Company

One thing that would have done me a lot of good if I had known it before I started brewing at Atlas is that most new breweries take some time to dial in their recipes. I experienced a lot of stress worrying about minor imperfections in our procedures early on. Since then, I’ve observed many newer breweries start up, and it seems pretty much universal that brewers take a few batches to figure out the ins and outs of any new brewing system.

Chris from Holy City Brewing

I had a few years to plan and think about how I wanted to open HCB. I went to school, got a job with a brewery, and tried to prepare myself for what I wanted to do. There are things that I have learned along the way, but the advice I normally give to people when they say they are trying to open a brewery is either get a job somewhere or hire a brewer. While its a fun job, it’s also a business and jumping from a hobby to something professional takes some planning and time.

A better understanding of our market would have been nice. We underestimated the amount of kegs off the bat, and had to come up with a lot more money quickly to keep up with demand.  Other than that, I feel like working in a brewery prepared me for what to expect when it comes to the amount of time and manual labor that is involved.

Jeremy from Shmaltz Brewing Company

When I started Shmaltz Brewing 17 years ago, I asked as many people as I could find a ton of questions – over and over! And I still didn’t do nearly enough research about the beer business. Even as a contract brewer for so many years, just wrapping my brain around the distribution and sales and marketing side of the biz took many years – and I’m still learning! I tell all the new brewery folks to take a long deep breath and ask even more questions and take even more time than you’d ever think necessary so you’ll be as prepared as possible for the wild ride ahead. And then go sell beer – every day – over and over. And have a ball – Welcome to the show!

Tom from Ambacht Brewing

One of my favorite quotes (I have quite a few favorites, one for every occasion!): Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.  I came into the brewery business by the back door: I was looking for work and not having much success, so I volunteered to help the brewer at a microbrewery down the street. A few months later, the owner sold the building, land, & business (this was the height of the real estate boom). The new owners did not want the equipment, being a synagog and all. So I bought the equipment from them and then spent a year looking for a location. Then started making some beer, dumping some beer. Eventually figured out what was wrong (can you say sanitation?).  Now we make super-clean beer that we bottle condition with honey and has a 2-year shelf life!  So here I am five years later, hoping to pay myself something this year.

 

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The Journey Is Half of The Reward of Starting the Brewery

And now, some inspiration!  You’ll never know everything and after awhile you’ve just got to take the plunge.  After all, what would be better than telling your friends you brew beer for a living.  Go for it!

Tim from Arcadia Brewing Company

I wish I knew just how much fun and rewarding becoming a Craft Brewer would be, and I would’ve left that perfectly good paying job about 5 years earlier.

Jeff from Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery

I believe that if you’re truly into your idea and work relentlessly at it, you’ll get what you need to know when you need to know it.

Hear Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery on MicroBrewr Podcast 047.

David from Abita Brewing Co

Well that is a dangerous game to play.  If you changed anything, would we be where we are today?  I will take what we have now and know I have learned valuable lessons on this path.

Andy from Blackrocks Brewery

Can’t think of anything of the top of our heads.  The stuff you don’t know becomes part of the journey.  It’s better to roll with it, realize you don’t know everything, learn, and enjoy the ride.

Mike from Founders Brewing Co

Don’t build you brewery around market trends.  Instead, listen to your inner passion.

Danny from CAUTION: Brewing Company

I honestly wouldn’t have changed a thing. I think being a brewery that have thrown caution to the wind, we’ve done many things that we did successfully because we didn’t know any better. The only things we knew going in was the existence of an amazing community brewers, killer beers, and support from our local communities. I believe that was all that we needed to get going and keep us going.

Erich from Studio Brew

When the excitement becomes a desire which turns into passion; brewing a craft beer for the first time is pure nirvana.  Hold your glass up and look into it. If you see the future then you will understand the opportunity you just created.  No one told me this, I experienced it myself.  I have had so many people express their thoughts along the way.

Many told me what I needed to do only one told me what NOT to do which was the best insight.  “Never believe you can build a brewery with just a good beer.”  For what it is worth, I have people come up and talk with me about their dream of starting a brewery.  Sadly I rarely hear them use the words “business and/or profit”.

Hear Studio Brew on MicroBrewr Podcast 025.

Samantha from Steven’s Point Brewery

We wish we’d known A LOT of things before starting our brewery, but everything that has happened over the last 157 years has ultimately led us to where we are today.

We wish we would have known: How many houses would build up around our original Brewery. We should have bought the whole block!!!  That prohibition was coming!!  That IPAs would become SO POPULAR!  About Hard Cider!  How many craft breweries would eventually exist.   How devastating the upcoming wars would be.  How well our brewery would stand the test of time.  That Point Special would be our #1 seller for 157 years.

So What Do You Think?

So was there any advice that really stuck with you?  Did I miss anything?  I’d love to hear what your comment on the question: What do you wish you had known before starting your brewery?  If you’re thinking of starting a brewery, what’s the main questions that are on your mind?

These comments will help shape the future posts and podcasts that I’ll be putting on MicroBrewr in the future.  After all, I love to give back to this amazing community as much as I can!  So go grab a local brew and lets keep pushing the craft beer movement forward!

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MicroBrewr 000: Welcome to MicroBrewr Podcast.

MicroBrewr 000: Welcome to MicroBrewr Podcast

TRANSCRIPT:

Welcome to MicroBrewr podcast. We talk about everything craft beer related, with a focus for people looking at starting their own microbrewery or wanting to take their existing brewery to the next level.

  • Do you love craft beer?
  • Are you fascinated by the variety of flavors in beer and the diversity of breweries?
  • Have you ever wondered what it’s like behind the scenes of a working craft brewery?
  • Do you dream of leaving your job and starting a brewery of your own?

Then you are in the right place!

About the host of MicroBrewr Podcast

I also answer these questions with a “yes.”

I’m Nathan Pierce, the host of MicroBrewr Podcast.

I just want to give you this heads up. I didn’t start MicroBrewr. MicroBrewr was started by Joe Shelerud. He got all of this off the ground. He did the first 12 episodes of MicroBrewr Podcast. Then I took it over from there.

So if you listen to the first few episodes and you’re not really digging it, bump ahead to episode 14 or so, and see whether it resonates with you.

Anyways, a little about me.

I was working a full-time job. It was in my field of study, I was getting paid well, and I was doing work that I cared a lot about. It was really important to me, and the benefits were great.

Then we had a change in management. Stress levels for me and my co-workers were just blowing up. My doctor wasn’t stoked. So I had to get out of there.

They say a job isn’t worth your health, so I had to put that theory to the test.

Just about a month later, I was in my friend’s wedding. A couple of the guys from Ninkasi Brewing were also in the wedding. So we got to talking. I asked them about it. They shared their beer—which wasn’t yet distributed in California, so that was cool to get to try it before anyone else—and it all sounded so great!

When I had some time to relax and assess my next move, I knew it would be to open a brewery.

I had already been thinking for a while of starting a business, but didn’t really know exactly what it was going to be. But after talking with those guys, that was it. So I set out on that plan to start a brewery. There have been some bumps in the road—I’m not really qualified. But this is my dream!

So MicroBrewr is a way for me to learn how to do this. How to start a brewery. How to build a brewery that makes great beer that’s never been made, and how to get it to others so they can enjoy it too.

If you want to learn all this, too, then MicroBrewr is the right place for you.

About the podcast episodes

MicroBrewr Podcast is a weekly podcast inspiring people who are planning to start a brewery, or wanting to take their existing brewery to the next level. We go deep to get inside the industry and inside the heads of people who work there.

There are interviews with craft brewers and craft brewery owners, answering all of your questions about starting your own craft brewery. We don’t talk a whole lot about beer—we talk more about the business of beer.

Guests share their tips on starting and operating a successful brewery. They share their inspiration with us, who are entering the craft beer industry or trying to get our own brewery off the ground.

Each of the breweries have a special story to tell, and we showcase that on MicroBrewr Podcast. We talk with every sector of the industry from nanobreweries and local microbreweries and brewpubs, to larger regional craft breweries, learning how to start a brewery.

Past guests include:

  • Ninkasi Brewing
  • 21st Amendment Brewery
  • Gordon Biersch
  • Anchor Brewing

So here’s the flow, here are some are the questions that we ask the guests:

  1. What’s the biggest mistake you ever made for the brewery?
  2. What’s the best idea you ever had for your business?
  3. Has there been a moment when you realized you finally succeeded?
  4. What is the most important thing for someone starting a brewery?
  5. A surprise question from our listeners…

We also have other guests—experts from other sectors of the craft beer industry—such as a distributor in an international market, an operator of local craft beer store, an accountant and operations consultant, and an expert of wastewater management for breweries.

There is so much more to starting and operating a successful brewery besides just making great beer. So we need to know about all of that.

And every episode ends with Happy Hour: A few fun questions to lighten the mood, get to know our guest, and get inside the industry.

The stories are really interesting, it’s usually pretty fun and always super educational and informative. Episodes are about 30 minutes to an hour long.

Try a few different episodes to get a feel for what it’s about

We have listeners in more than 35 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Our audience is made up of entrepreneurs, wantrepreneurs, and people who want to make an impact in the world, just like you!

So feel free to listen wherever you are.

You can access MicroBrewr Podcast here on the website.

But the best place to listen is in iTunes or on Stitcher Radio because you can subscribe to the show and it’ll let you know when there’s a new episode.

So please subscribe, rate, and review the show in iTunes or Stitcher. Please give me your honest feedback by leaving a rating and review. That helps me know what works for you. How you want to see MicroBrewr Podcast improve. And, honestly, it also helps boost the show in search results, so other people like you can find the show.

The website has more information

Lastly, if you like what you hear, you might want to go to the website, microbrewr.com. The website has a blog, and other great resources. Plus, there are show notes for every episode of the podcast.

If you ever miss anything or want to dig deeper into the discussion, there are notes for every episode, which has a brief overview of the show with links and other great resources about the other things we talked about in the episode.

There’s an easy link to go to the show notes for each episode. You just go to microbrewr dot com slash session and then the number for the episode.

Help spread the word

You know, one of the things I like most about craft beer is the community that surrounds it. People are so friendly and helpful.

It’s really cool that all the brewers, brewery owners, and other guest on this show just want to help others start a brewery by sharing their time and expertise by being on the show.

I would really appreciate your help in spreading the word about MicroBrewr Podcast and building the community by telling someone else about it.

Share MicroBrewr with your social networks at:

Let me know if you need anything. Let me know if there’s any way I can help you in your pursuit to start a your own brewery. You can email me on the contact form.

Support MicroBrewr

Help keep MicroBrewr on the air. CLICK HERE for ways you can help.

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