Barleyman Insights

[vykuza]

I've been doing some minor analysis of Barleyman in the time it was running, and thought the community might find it interesting or helpful to have some data on how it happened.

In the 20 months it was running we processed:
2457 web orders at an average of $72.60
419 walk-in orders at an average of $129

We sold:
12,500kgs of malt in 51 varieties from 6 countries
~ 400kg of hops
1200 vials of liquid yeast (and threw out ~500 vials - ouch!)
2700 packets of US-05 - including one bloke who bought a box of 100 packs.
50kg calcium sulphate and 25kg calcium chloride
and a bunch of misc equipment.

In that time:
We had 16 parcels go missing via Aus Post
One go missing via Fastway Couriers
Only 3 product returns/refunds or make-goods for faulty equipment
Zero issues with insects or rodents (imagine pantry moths in a HBS!)
Four high end consumer level mills before we finally bought a commercial mill
We used $500/quarter in electricity running a refrigerated container, mills and misc
We gave away $2700 in prizes on AHB and home brew comps
Our largest order was $7200 and our smallest was 5c
People used to bring me heaps of beer - priceless!

Ultimately, it was lots of hard work and we didn't make much money - but we had loads of fun and spent time with some excellent people.

 

[Yob]

if ever there was a love job... this was it

 

[MHB]

If you don't really love it being a home brew retailer is a very hard way to make a fairly modest living.
There are some compensations, you meet some great people have a lot of interesting conversations. You get to taste some sensational beer - and some you wish you didn't have to taste.

Good luck with your future.
Mark

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Unfortunately,a business ruled by the heart and not the head.

 

[tiprya]

Cheers Nick, I thought your service was fantastic, and used it when I could.

Good luck with everything in the future, hope to see you at ISB meetings!

 

[vykuza]

For sure Mark! Sometimes those "can you tell me what's wrong with this" beers brought a tear to my eye. Other times when people brought in beers they were proud of, they were absolute crackers!

Also had a few interesting conversations packing orders where I just had to call the customer and ask what they were trying to make. 5kg of midnight wheat will not make a black hefeweizen.

I also found interesting how seasonal home brewing is. Winter is much quieter than spring and autumn and high summer is also pretty quiet outside of school holidays. Bad weather means less orders too. I guess it's to do with people being willing to be outside while they brew.

 

[vykuza]

We went it to it as a "side" business, the wife and I continued to hold full time jobs while it ran. I can't thank our mate Trevor enough for doing the hard yards during the week, and when he needed to leave, working full time then packing orders all night was too much.

I wouldn't give up the experience for the world though! I learned so much and really had a great time. We came out about even when it's all said and done.

 

[vykuza]

Here's another one:

You can only buy PoR hops in 20kg (?) boxes.

I still had 19kg left after 20 months.

 

[Yob]

Here's another one:

You can only buy PoR hops in 20kg (?) boxes.

I still had 19kg left after 20 months.

erm... really? Flowers or pellets?

I certainly never bought a 20kg box..

 

[vykuza]

Pellets, from ... will PM you.

Lucky you! I couldn't get rid of them.

 

[Dave70]

I know my game (rolled steel products) can be a race to the bottom price wise and a minefield of bad debtors, but theres generally still a decent drink in it.
But homebrewers (some, not all - ok - most) seem to have predisposition toward being tightarses thrifty like few other hobbyists I can think of. Myself included, and I cant really understand why. I'm not talking a DIY brew kettle here, its the whole, as discussed elsewhere, saving a couple of bucks on the correct food grade grease the HB guy sells by using sexual lubricant in its place. This, compounded with us all reusing yeasts a thousand times or making starters from Coopers dregs, using nappy wash and bleach instead of brand name sanatizers, growing our own hops etc, the HB guys streams of income are more diluted than an American lager.
The irony being we then log on to Beer Cartell and drop $70 on a bottle of Roachfort 8 without batting an eyelid..

 

[Roosterboy]

I know my game (rolled steel products) can be a race to the bottom price wise and a minefield of bad debtors, but theres generally still a decent drink in it.
But homebrewers (some, not all - ok - most) seem to have predisposition toward being tightarses thrifty like few other hobbyists I can think of. Myself included, and I cant really understand why. I'm not talking a DIY brew kettle here, its the whole, as discussed elsewhere, saving a couple of bucks on the correct food grade grease the HB guy sells by using sexual lubricant in its place. This, compounded with us all reusing yeasts a thousand times or making starters from Coopers dregs, using nappy wash and bleach instead of brand name sanatizers, growing our own hops etc, the HB guys streams of income are more diluted than an American lager.
The irony being we then log on to Beer Cartell and drop $70 on a bottle of Roachfort 8 without batting an eyelid..

I think you make some very good points Dave. Is it that we don't say this is a genuine hobby ? Or that we can justify drinking more beer to our other half because it's not costing much?
We don't recognise that this can be training for a new career ? Or that homebrewing has a mad image and if it"s not costing much , so what's the harm.
The do-gooders out there I noticed got that bit taken out of an ad where the guy is brewing in a grainfather , I think we need a marketing branch to grow the pie and change some
perceptions out there. Women are much better at justifying their purchases and making them into a status symbol that retailers make the most out of.
It's having a balance as you don't want that but a "race to the bottom " is stupid . There are some really good ideas out there , equipment wise, but without a market nothing will advance.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Thanks very much for the insight Nick. You are under no obligation to share such info that people would normally protect as dearly as who they voted for in the last election. Emotion and business, like vinegar and baking soda.

Or that we can justify drinking more beer to our other half because it's not costing much?

I suspect this is a large chunk of it for most .

 

[madpierre06]

I know my game (rolled steel products) can be a race to the bottom price wise and a minefield of bad debtors, but theres generally still a decent drink in it.
But homebrewers (some, not all - ok - most) seem to have predisposition toward being tightarses thrifty like few other hobbyists I can think of. Myself included, and I cant really understand why. I'm not talking a DIY brew kettle here, its the whole, as discussed elsewhere, saving a couple of bucks on the correct food grade grease the HB guy sells by using sexual lubricant in its place. This, compounded with us all reusing yeasts a thousand times or making starters from Coopers dregs, using nappy wash and bleach instead of brand name sanatizers, growing our own hops etc, the HB guys streams of income are more diluted than an American lager.
The irony being we then log on to Beer Cartell and drop $70 on a bottle of Roachfort 8 without batting an eyelid..

Guilty as charged, Your Honour. As others have done before my dealing with Barleyman, while just a handful, were without fault. Service par excellence.

 

[madpierre06]

Will also say though....have enciuntered dollops of generosity, retailers and brewers.