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Any advice on starting a brewery/brewpub?

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  • Any advice on starting a brewery/brewpub?

    A friend and I are looking at the idea of opening a brew pub. My potential partner is a professional brewer that has worked in both a large microbrewery and a brewpub. I worked in restaurants for a long time before my current career and have a college education in business administration. We live in a large city that is known for being a beer town (many microbrews) and have extensive business contacts in the brewing and beer retail industry. Going forward with a plan for a business seems like the inevitable thing for us to do.

    I'm nearing the point where I will start on a business plan. My thoughts are that in doing my research, who better to ask but people who have gone through this already. Knowing what equipment to buy for brewing, product to make,etc, won't be an issue. Some of the questions I have however are:

    1. What specific federal permits and paperwork must be done to sell beer
    2. How do we best go about identifying a location
    3. Are we best off starting as a smaller microbrewery? Is there a huge difference in capital expenditures?
    4. What are the capital costs for a smaller sized brew pub?
    5. Would starting a small scale craft brewery using a pilot system be a good way to building a name and business as a start in the industry?

    Any advice not listed in the questions asked would be appreciated also. Thanks!

  • #2
    Spend some time browsing old threads here, lots of answers to your questions (as you aren't the first guy to ask them, by a long shot!).

    Here are a few answers:

    1. What specific federal permits and paperwork must be done to sell beer
    Contact the BATF, they'll be glad to fill you in!

    2. How do we best go about identifying a location
    Decide where you want to be, and start looking at places available.

    3. Are we best off starting as a smaller microbrewery? Is there a huge difference in capital expenditures?
    You'll need to spend whatever it takes to open a restaurant/bar if you build a brewpub, so the startup is considerably higher. However, if you manage to open and draw business, your profit on the beer will be higher. On the other hand, opening a small production brewery opens up a lot of much less expensive real estate in manufacturing areas, etc.

    4. What are the capital costs for a smaller sized brew pub?
    See above.

    5. Would starting a small scale craft brewery using a pilot system be a good way to building a name and business as a start in the industry?
    Yep, as long as you make great beer. Just remember, the bigger the batch size, the cheaper the payroll per barrel.

    Cheers, Tim

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    • #3
      Send me an email if interested.

      Saaz,

      I to live here in Seattle. I currently have a 4 barrel system that I am looking to install in a brewpub. Send me an email if you would like to talk about your project.


      TJF

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      • #4
        I sent along a private message. Anyone else have any info?

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        • #5
          We're 25 miles north of Seattle in Mukilteo, WA. Drop me a direct E-mail and we can get together, have a few brews, and discuss your project.

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