# Nice Guys Brewery & Bar, Richmond (VIC)



## Black n Tan

Hi brewers. I have been busy of late and thought I would share my brew dream to open a brewpub, Nice Guys Brewery and Bar, in Richmond, Melbourne.

As background I am a scientist and most recently CEO of a private company working on Alzheimer's disease drug. I recently decided on a 'tree change' and will be opening a brew pub in Richmond (Melbourne) in mid 2019. The brewery will be called Nice Guys which is a little tongue in cheek. We have leased a premises in Victoria St Richmond and have received a planning permit and building permit for the change of use and fit-out. Work on the fit-out is underway. Tanks have arrived and are held in storage. We are doing this on our own so it is all a little scary and expensive, but I believe my brewing and company management experience should see us through. The venue will hold 150 persons and will house a 500L Braumiester, two 17HL and on e 9HL unitanks and about six 15HL and two 9HL serving bright tanks housed in a large cool room. We will serve food also and if things go well we can expand upstairs. We have engaged a builder (who also is an artist), town planning consultant, architect, branding company, acoustic engineers, traffic engineer, land surveyor and building surveyor, and that was just to submit out town planning application to council. I am very happy with the team of people and believe they are the right people to help me deliver my vision. The application took 12 months to go through council and then a further 4 months to get our building permit. Water under the bridge now but the delays have lost money and will affect our fit-out. Onwards and upwards. Anyway I will provide more details of our journey as this progress and happy to answer any questions you may have.


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## wide eyed and legless

Get down to Richmond a fair bit, usually call in at the Stomping Ground will have to call in to Nice Guys when you open.


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## Sidney Harbour-Bridge

Good luck realizing your dream B&T (are you a Pom?) I will drop in if I ever go to melbourne.


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## Black n Tan

No but my ancestor was a convict from Suffolk deported for 'sacrilege'. I'll make him proud I am sure.


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## Maheel

good luck with it mate, hope to hear your cranking out the brews before too long !!


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## Black n Tan

Layout and Build. The floor plan is below. The builder started in earnest 2 weeks ago and I will post photos along the way.


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## Black n Tan

Tee shirts are finished and look great.

Coasters are still to come but love the design.


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## DU99

nice Work


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## wide eyed and legless

Just some constructive criticism the Tee shirts have no name, could be anything. The logo needs a name to assimilate. Sorry.


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## Black n Tan

the name is on the other side


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## wide eyed and legless

Black n Tan said:


> the name is on the other side


Get it on the front, I don't look at a Tee shirt and turn around to see what's on the back, recognition is important.


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## Black n Tan

The name is on the front. I hear you but have full confidence in my branding team. They are a very experienced team and know what they are doing. It is just one element of the branding. The matter was discussed but I am not a branding expert so can't tell you the why's and wherefores. I have to trust my experts because in the end they know more than me and that's what I pay them for.


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## Mat

Rogue Brewery do the same thing with their merch, especially the dead guy ale stuff. I like it.


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## Black n Tan

Mat said:


> Rogue Brewery do the same thing with their merch, especially the dead guy ale stuff. I like it.


Yep I agree, there are plenty examples of this so I feel very comfortable.


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## Black n Tan

This week we poured the slabs in four stages and all plumbing and electrical is roughed in. This is a major milestone for the project, both physically and psychologically. The power upgrade to 120A 3 phase is complete and gas (for kitchen) has been connected to site., We used 300mpa concrete and lots of steel and had to pour in stages as the concrete included an accelerant to ensure we got an even and smooth sloping finish. The first pour was for the walk ways and kitchen cool room to provide a hard edge for the pours for the brewery areas. Then we poured the brewhouse floor, then the brewery serving tank cool room floor and then the fermentation floor. We used policrete pre-cast polymer concrete strip drains with stainless grates. The strip drains in the brewhouse and fermentation areas include a straining pit and connect through to a very deep pit in the backyard which is then pumped to a trade waste tank and released into the sewer once pH and temp is within acceptable parameters. The policrete is chemically resistant which it needs to be with the caustic and acid used in the brewery. The builder spent a lot of time setting out the strip drains to ensure the concreter would deliver the fall in the floor we required. it was complex because were trying to achieve a minimum 10mm in 1 metre fall and the exciting floor already had a 12mm fall from front of the brew areas to the rear. Anyway I think we got there and it is a huge relief.

The HGM unitanks and HLT and CLT arrived on site and I was shitting bricks as we unloaded from the truck and all went well. The Braumiester and bright beer serving tanks are being held in storage until the cool room is built within the next 2 weeks. Next week will plaster and paint the brewing areas, and start fitting off the plumbing. it is starting to get very real.

The first photo shows the fermentation floor on the left of the timber with a strip drain off-centre, the kitchen coolroom floor top right (poured concrete) and the enormous coolroom for the serving tanks on the right.
Second photo is the brewhouse floor, third is coolroom floor and last is fermentation/coolroom floors


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## Timbo

Loving it - construction and beer, two of my favourites! Can’t wait to see what’s next!

Good on you for taking the plunge few of us have the guts to, and of course, best of luck.

Will be sure to call in for a cold one when you’re open next time I’m town.


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## Black n Tan

Well it has been along time since I posted, but I am pleased to say that we are open and it is awesome.


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## Naboo

Looks unreal! Congratulations.


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## Klosey

Well done! Trust it works for you


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## wide eyed and legless

Black n Tan said:


> Well it has been along time since I posted, but I am pleased to say that we are open and it is awesome.
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Looking good, will be in now I know you are open. And looking forward to it.


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## BarryBeerLover

Congratulations! Can’t wait to check it out. What are your opening hours? Cheers


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## TheWiggman

What a time to sign back in. Glad to see it in fruition, if I ever head down to Melbourne this will be on the itinerary.


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## Black n Tan

BarryBeerLover said:


> Congratulations! Can’t wait to check it out. What are your opening hours? Cheers


Wed-Fri 3-11pm, Sat-Sun 12-11pm


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## Black n Tan

TheWiggman said:


> What a time to sign back in. Glad to see it in fruition, if I ever head down to Melbourne this will be on the itinerary.


well it has been a long long time. It was hard to think about brewing when I couldn't open the doors. Now we're open the brewing passion has returned in spades, or may be mash paddles!


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## Black n Tan

A few more photos to wet the appetite.


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## JDW81

Nice work BNT,

I look forward to checking it out.

Long may COVID stay under control in Australia so you can keep trading, brewing and stay profitable.

JD


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## BarryBeerLover

Congratulations Mate, you have so nailed it. I am sipping a gorgeous NEIPA chatting to your awesome staff member. This is my second outing - on crutches after a recent knee replacement and I can’t think of a better place to be. It is on my tram line and will become my new local for sure. I can see many work drinks here too. Cheers


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## Black n Tan

JDW81 said:


> Nice work BNT,
> 
> I look forward to checking it out.
> 
> Long may COVID stay under control in Australia so you can keep trading, brewing and stay profitable.
> 
> JD


Thanks JD, hope to see in some time soon.


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## Black n Tan

BarryBeerLover said:


> Congratulations Mate, you have so nailed it. I am sipping a gorgeous NEIPA chatting to your awesome staff member. This is my second outing - on crutches after a recent knee replacement and I can’t think of a better place to be. It is on my tram line and will become my new local for sure. I can see many work drinks here too. Cheers


Thanks Barry, when were you in? I drop remember speaking to a guy with crutches, possibly you? I am glad to you had a nice experience! Make sure you let me know who you are next time you pop in. Grant


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## danbeer

This is brilliant!
I'll try and call in next time I'm in Melbourne.


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## DU99

nice venue..next time i go ikea will pop in


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## Black n Tan




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## Black n Tan

Nice article on Nice Guys Brewery and Bar by the team at Concrete Playground. Nice Guys Is Victoria Street's New 70s-Inspired Microbrewery and Taproom


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## CJW

Black n Tan said:


> Nice article on Nice Guys Brewery and Bar by the team at Concrete Playground. Nice Guys Is Victoria Street's New 70s-Inspired Microbrewery and Taproom
> View attachment 120082


Looks fantastic, we will definitely see you some time soon.


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## Ballaratguy

Black n Tan said:


> A few more photos to wet the appetite.
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I’ve seen what looks to be similar venue a few years ago. Was this formally a tattoo parlour?


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## Black n Tan

Ballaratguy said:


> I’ve seen what looks to be similar venue a few years ago. Was this formally a tattoo parlour?


No it wasn't. There is a tattoo parlour a few doors down. The venue was a crusty warehouse devoid of character. I think they sold blankets but nothing had been done for about 40 years. We did the full fit out including the arches, everything! If I had known what it would take at the start I would never have embarked on it. That said though, most things worthwhile in life are hard.


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## yankinoz

The pics look great, the beer descriptions on the website inviting. No food menu? That often works in the US, but seems rarer here. One quite good brewery near us has rebranded itself with emphasis on being a restaurant.


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## Black n Tan

yankinoz said:


> The pics look great, the beer descriptions on the website inviting. No food menu? That often works in the US, but seems rarer here. One quite good brewery near us has rebranded itself with emphasis on being a restaurant.


I agree that food is important. The kitchen will open in the coming months. We will do a range of bao buns.


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## ramu_gupta

Awesome - congrats.
Will drop in late tonight.


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## elmoMakesBeer

@Black n Tan it's very selfish of you to open your brewery bar on the opposite side of town from me.
Looks great - I'll be sure to drop in for a drink or three if I'm in the area.

Regarding food - I have no doubt that setting up, stocking, and staffing a kitchen takes a lot of time, effort and dollars. But often it is nice to eat something with a drink, and many of us are likely to stay longer and enjoy more of your beer if we can at least have a snack if not a meal. Do you sell chips/nuts/pretzels/whatever at the bar? Also worth seeing if the nearby restaurants will deliver to your customers table (or at least out the front). you could have their takeaway menus on hand or at the tables.


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## Black n Tan

elmoMakesBeer said:


> @Black n Tan it's very selfish of you to open your brewery bar on the opposite side of town from me.
> Looks great - I'll be sure to drop in for a drink or three if I'm in the area.
> 
> Regarding food - I have no doubt that setting up, stocking, and staffing a kitchen takes a lot of time, effort and dollars. But often it is nice to eat something with a drink, and many of us are likely to stay longer and enjoy more of your beer if we can at least have a snack if not a meal. Do you sell chips/nuts/pretzels/whatever at the bar? Also worth seeing if the nearby restaurants will deliver to your customers table (or at least out the front). you could have their takeaway menus on hand or at the tables.


yes we offer nibbles and are exploring ordering from a local restaurant. in the meantime we allow customers to order in. lot's on the todo list.


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## yankinoz

For what it's worth, the pull of beer vs food has a long history in the English-speaking world. An English law of 1653 mandated that alehouses exist to "provide victual to bonafide travellers." In the postwar years there was a long struggle between most publicans, the ones outside city centres and tourist routes, who got by the law with crisps and maybe a display of pies, versus the licensing magistrates who wanted menus and meals. The latter largely won, and many pubs boast of roast wild boar and other allegedly traditional pub grub that had actually been nonexistent. In the interest of safer driving, Scotland repealed a blue law that pubs could only serve patrons from other towns.


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## yankinoz

Black n Tan said:


> yes we offer nibbles and are exploring ordering from a local restaurant. in the meantime we allow customers to order in. lot's on the todo list.


Ordering from nearby restaurants is a common strategy in the US and Canada. I recall one pub tried it it Albury-Wodonga. Maybe someone from there can comment.


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## Nullnvoid

Heaps of places do it here in Vic. Foragers Drop have menus and allow you to order. Most of the local restaurants deliver straight to the table.

Places like Project Brewing also encourage the likes of Ubereats and Menulog and deliveries from local restaurants too


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## CJW

Nullnvoid said:


> Heaps of places do it here in Vic.


Yeah, I think post Covid (or at least on the exit) this is more important than ever. As a community we are all the better where businesses can help each other.

Pre Covid I had visited a number of places that didn't do food but allowed external food to come in. In fact, one place I am thinking of would do Friday pizzas, they'd take orders and payment and then go and pick up from a local pizza joint. Pretty convenient and was a win/win for each.


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## Black n Tan

All our beer is served from Brite serving tanks housed in a cool room to keep them fresh. We just released a new beer, a West Coast IPA.


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## Black n Tan

It is so pleasing when your venue is full, or more accurately COVID-full. Starts to make it all worthwhile!


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