Hey Robb,
I grew up in Michigan (Farmington Hills), and I probably skate with some of the guys you played hockey with in Sun Prairie. Small world!
I never got the brewpub going, and it was a simple matter of not being able to raise enough money. With two small kids, a Monday-Friday daytime job, and being able to check "work as a head brewer" off my list a few years ago, I'm at peace with it not working out.
I think there's still a market for new brewpubs in under-served areas, so you're already following what would be my biggest piece of advice: don't open a distributing brewery! After almost 13 years in the industry, the craft beer hype machine makes less sense to me than it ever has - and I wouldn't roll the dice on a new brewery catching fire in a crowded market unless my concept was both approachable and unquestionably unique.
Joe
I grew up in Michigan (Farmington Hills), and I probably skate with some of the guys you played hockey with in Sun Prairie. Small world!
I never got the brewpub going, and it was a simple matter of not being able to raise enough money. With two small kids, a Monday-Friday daytime job, and being able to check "work as a head brewer" off my list a few years ago, I'm at peace with it not working out.
I think there's still a market for new brewpubs in under-served areas, so you're already following what would be my biggest piece of advice: don't open a distributing brewery! After almost 13 years in the industry, the craft beer hype machine makes less sense to me than it ever has - and I wouldn't roll the dice on a new brewery catching fire in a crowded market unless my concept was both approachable and unquestionably unique.
Joe
Comment