BOP cost of sales

[Rambling1]

Hello,

Are there any BOPer's out there who could give a rough estimate for cost of goods for a partial mash set up? I've come up with 50%, but I'd like to get others input.

Planned operation would be:
1. Extract (steeped grains only)
2. reuse yeast as much as possible
3. one cold room for ales, one for lagers
4. bottles and labels for sale
5. six jacketed kettles heated by electric steam boiler

Thank you,
John

[MikeRoy]

I worked in a BOP for almost 5 years,here's a few pieces of advice.

1. As far as cost of raw materials...there's a big economy of scale here, for instance malt extract can be obtained in 55 gallon drums and being able to bulk order them ( 4 to a pallet ) will help you cut cost of freight as well. Obviously you need business volume to do this.

2. DO NOT REUSE YEAST. For the cost of a packet of Nottingham or Fermentis it makes no sense to try collect yeast from a 15-20 gallon bucket. Offer the recipe with a standard dry yeast with the option to upgrade to pitchable liquids from Whitelabs or Wyeast..or simply offer liquid as the standard option.

3. Use of cold rooms...if you're going to need a third cold room to crash and condition both lagers and ales in after primary fermentation is complete. This room is also where you'll store finished beer as well as refrigerated storage for things like bulk hops. Your beer will be 10 times easier to filter or much brighter if its unfiltered.

4. Include a 24 bottle station bottle washer to speed up the process of sanitizing bottles prior to filling. Customers can greatly slow down the operation if they are sanitizing bottles one at a time.

5. Think about wine...its a bigger revenue stream than you could ever imagine.

[Luch15]

I currently run a BOP here in Jacksonville Beach. One suggestion I would make is that you consider another revenue stream such as a tap room and restaurant. It is very difficult to make your money off just BOP, the volume just isn't there and you will work yourself to death. I know that Ohio requires a brewery license anyways to run a BOP so you might as well look into this option. Just my two cents...