Going Commercial - What Do You Need To Know?

[Brewers Choice]

Due to strong feedback from brewers purchasing tickets to the Queensland Homebrewing Conference, we are going to run an afternoon session on "Going Commercial". We have arranged to have a Contract Brewer, a Brewery Consultant and at least two professsional brewers/owners from craft breweries to come and present a session for brewers interested in taking their brewing the next step.

To make sure we are heading in the right direction with this session, we would really like to know what aspects of commercial craft brewing brewers are interested in, and what questions they have about either getting their own beers on the market or even setting up their own microbrewery.

If you have any ideas on what areas we should cover during the session, please contribute here, and hopefully this will be a cracker of a session for anyone who has dreams of getting more serious about their brewing.

Cheers David
www.theqhc.com.au

 

[tallie]

I wouldn't mind hearing about the pros and cons of the various business model aspects, eg, brewpub, contract brewing, kegged only beer, bottled beer. And if the panel would be willing to divulge such information, it would be good to hear about hidden and/or unanticipated costs involved in setting up.

 

[Janelle Kerr]

Due to strong feedback from brewers purchasing tickets to the Queensland Homebrewing Conference, we are going to run an afternoon session on "Going Commercial". We have arranged to have a Contract Brewer, a Brewery Consultant and at least two professsional brewers/owners from craft breweries to come and present a session for brewers interested in taking their brewing the next step.

To make sure we are heading in the right direction with this session, we would really like to know what aspects of commercial craft brewing brewers are interested in, and what questions they have about either getting their own beers on the market or even setting up their own microbrewery.

If you have any ideas on what areas we should cover during the session, please contribute here, and hopefully this will be a cracker of a session for anyone who has dreams of getting more serious about their brewing.

Cheers David
www.theqhc.com.au

 

[Janelle Kerr]

:chug:

Due to strong feedback from brewers purchasing tickets to the Queensland Homebrewing Conference, we are going to run an afternoon session on "Going Commercial". We have arranged to have a Contract Brewer, a Brewery Consultant and at least two professsional brewers/owners from craft breweries to come and present a session for brewers interested in taking their brewing the next step.

To make sure we are heading in the right direction with this session, we would really like to know what aspects of commercial craft brewing brewers are interested in, and what questions they have about either getting their own beers on the market or even setting up their own microbrewery.

If you have any ideas on what areas we should cover during the session, please contribute here, and hopefully this will be a cracker of a session for anyone who has dreams of getting more serious about their brewing.

Cheers David
www.theqhc.com.au

 

[1975sandman]

Above.........WTF?........ :blink: .

 

[Janelle Kerr]

That will be very informative I think. I'll be interested in that for sure. Do you know which brewers you have yet?

 

[Janelle Kerr]

That was me I think, is amusing

 

[Janelle Kerr]

David, I am attending the micro brewery session at the conference. I take it this is in conjunction with that. That is going to be one busy day.

 

[Janelle Kerr]

It has always been the exise etc. As to why I have not looked too far into it before, so that would be good to find out.

 

[///]

I think the 2 most important topics are 'so yeah, you can make the stuff, but how the hell are you going to sell it!?' and 'do not think just because you build it they will come. The Taj Mahal has already been built, sorry .'

I'm wary of some of the consultants who are running 'setting up a brewery' courses as a vehicle of selling equipment they are agents for. Setting up a brewery is not about equipment, it is about selling what you make first, the brewery is second.

Scotty

 

[ledgenko]

For those of us not able to attend this conference due to geographical hinderences ... could we have a set of notes dropped on here ??? I am interested in knowing all I can about going commercial .... Not that I plan on doing it this week ... I need to get my beers how I want them first ...

Matt

 

[Jazzafish]

I think the 2 most important topics are 'so yeah, you can make the stuff, but how the hell are you going to sell it!?' and 'do not think just because you build it they will come. The Taj Mahal has already been built, sorry .'

I'm wary of some of the consultants who are running 'setting up a brewery' courses as a vehicle of selling equipment they are agents for. Setting up a brewery is not about equipment, it is about selling what you make first, the brewery is second.

Scotty

Are you going to present these topics Scotty??? Don't forget the 3rd most important... "Excise legislation and cashflow"

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Most important is going to be the things that homebrewers are unable to ask because they simply don't know that the question exists. So...

What jumped out of left field at you that you were never expecting?

I seriously doubt that most of the things that homebrewers would find "interesting" to talk about, are any of the things that they'll actually need to know. The vital stuff is going to be as boring as batshit.

As Scotty said - how to sell the stuff, market the stuff, not starve to death while sitting on a pile of kegs of your lovely beer.

For me it would be that, some of the business model stuff that Tallie asked about - specifically about relevant volumes required to make a business viable in the different scenarios.

How to write a business plan for a brewery?

The licensing and excise part could be touched on, but isn't that important I think. As long as you haven't been a bad boy in the past, you read the rules and you're willing to go through the painful process of jumping through all the hoops the powers that be set in front of you - that stuffs not a problem. A pain in the arse, but only that. City councils... now they are a problem.

Who can help me?? Advocates, Consultants, Business managers, Lawyers - which ones should i spend my cash on, when and which bits are straight forward enough to handle myself without losing my hair and strangling my business partner?

Setting up and running the business of being a brewery - thats the stuff thats important. Making beer is something that anyone with a bit of know how and a handfull of ex dairy equipment can manage.

 

[MHB]

Im going to second Scotty and TB comments.
If you are thinking of setting up a micro, buy a copy of the Hand Book of Brewing CRC press - chapter 21 deals with setting up a micro.
There are equations for bums on seats/litres of beer, offers some very hardnosed advice on recipes, marketing, management...
There are going to be so many questions that you dont know you need to know the answers to that the cost of the book will be repaid many times.

MHB

 

[Janelle Kerr]

Good points for consideration. I may have to purchase the book to increase my knowledge base before the conference.

 

[Janelle Kerr]

Good points for consideration. I may have to purchase the book to increase my knowledge base before the conference.

 

[Janelle Kerr]

There will be a summary of the conference on queenslandbrewers.com.au. I will be attending so that our association members can gain some information if they can't make it.

 

[///]

On contemplation I forgot a few other subjects such as;

* make beer that people want to drink; customers are not experiments
* your business model is not someone else's (aka the bar that always wants a speciality brew rather than your bread n' butter beer!)
* business partners - a 4 hour lecture on Ponzi schemes, personality disorders and the caravan of courage and conviction.

Please note, I mean no triviality with my comments or that of the conference. Over the last 10 years, 3 companies and 2 Directorships with brewing companies I have had some 'High Carumba' moments!

Making beer is the easiest part of the process, it can be done well in buckets, unfortunately! Excise, its a none issue, not worth wasting time on that one.

Scotty

 

[Janelle Kerr]

Well sounds like you have plenty of experience for advice. I have found even now with working on committees, and organizing competitions, really cuts into the brewing time as it is. The brewing starts to take a back seat for a few months of the year. At least now the state comps are over, so will be able to get some brewing done.
I could use a mini micro brewery just to keep beer on the shelf.

 

[stephenkentucky]

As some one in the process of setting up a micro the one subject which is a minefield for the un initiated is "EXCISE". as it has to be factored into every equation from design of brewery and subsequent bond areas, to budgeting margins and returns. The process of applying for an excise licence is often a long and arduous road, giving attendees an insight into this aspect of establishing a commercial brewery, will at least arm them for the battle ahead.