My micro brewery dream

[real_beer]

Matty you've sure earned an deserve all the success coming your way mate, well done seeing it through I'm very impressed :beer:

 

[Doubleplugga]

I will definetely be stopping in for a visit next time I am down south mate. Bloody good effort, well done!

 

[The Judge]

Dan!!

We are still on track for end of February early March. As long as the plan holds together!!

Trust me....you'll know when we open!!

Cheers.
Matty.

Still on track for this date Matty? I'm heading down to Albany end of Feb.

 

[WitWonder]

Matty, great thread and thanks for sharing. How are you planning to promote the brewery (budget)? Also, are you just selling at the door or are you trying to get taps elsewhere and supply kegs - I'm thinking this is harder than it sounds? I assume you've worked out how much you need to sell / month and worked that back to number of customers avg dollar spend etc to break even etc. Many businesses go under (your wife sounds like she'd know) because they are undercapitlised. Make sure you can tap your investors on the shoulder for more working capital should you need it. Have you applied for any grants from local government/council (no idea if there's any available, just a thought for a tourist venture).

 

[TheWiggman]

As for the 'how can I be sure they are safe' comment. I think you mean in regards to exploding bottles?

I can help out with this. Just wait until the airlock stops bubbling.

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

Still on track for this date Matty? I'm heading down to Albany end of Feb.

Looking like mid - end of March at the moment. Still drop in for a beer and a look though!! Hit me up when you're heading down.

Matty.

 

[Blind Dog]

It's a little late, and I may or may not have had a few beers and be currently sipping on an 18 year old ardbeg (that's the Whisky not the Swedish babysitter), but it's one of the reasons I love ahb and all who sail in her. Over on the US sites you'd had a bunch of idiots, with sweet FA experience, telling you how you're bound to fail. Here you just have a bunch of guys and gals wanting you to succeed, wanting to visit, offering advice that may or may not be relevant but is offered in the hope it helps. Warms the cockles.

Back to the ardbeg (still the Whisky)

And best of luck. If I'm ever over that way I'm dropping in and expecting the ahb discount!

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

Matty, great thread and thanks for sharing. How are you planning to promote the brewery (budget)? Also, are you just selling at the door or are you trying to get taps elsewhere and supply kegs - I'm thinking this is harder than it sounds? I assume you've worked out how much you need to sell / month and worked that back to number of customers avg dollar spend etc to break even etc. Many businesses go under (your wife sounds like she'd know) because they are undercapitlised. Make sure you can tap your investors on the shoulder for more working capital should you need it. Have you applied for any grants from local government/council (no idea if there's any available, just a thought for a tourist venture).

Hi WitWonder!

I'd have to say that I'm pretty lucky being born and bred in Albany and then deciding to start the brewery. Albany being a small city (~33,000 people) its still like a large town. I know a lot of great people and we have had a lot of help from local business, friends and family. So far I have only promoted the brewery via social media and word of mouth. And jeez has it spread like wild fire. We haven't allowed a budget for advertising as it could be never ending. Our base level for the business plan is to supply fresh beer to the local market only. Anything above this is a bonus.

Our plan is to run as a micro production brewery, cartons and kegs, for local liquor retailers, pubs, bottle shops and restaurants etc. We are also operating a cellar door with a sampling bar (including consumption on the premises as the WA liquor laws have recently changed) including growler fills / sales. As part of your liquor licence application you need to show that you have outlets for your alcohol and obtain letters of support from local business to submit with the application. This makes you have to source places that will stock your beer before you even start producing, I'm lucky in my case that most of our prospective customers have approached me as we have SFA in the way of local beer options and Albany is renowned for local produce, so they've practically been beating my door down!!

I think a major component that has made it easier for me was having a comprehensive business plan right from the start. I developed that well before I even found a suitable property to build the brewery. Its not hard to do and has left me in good stead. At the time I took my current income from working FIFO Oil and Gas and set that as my projected gross profit income for the brewery then worked everything backwards from there. Then you work out all your associated costs (as best you can) by ringing a lot of suppliers etc to figure out prices. Then I set a carton price, keg price and beer / litre price and tied it all together. I included everything I could think of including estimating rough water / power usage from my residential bills. That's a pretty simple look at it but it gave me a rough idea of where to start and then I update the brewery spreadsheet nearly everyday now!

I absolutely agree about the under capitalization comment. I suppose I've been lucky to have a lot of good people help me in different areas and also worked hard to reduce any borrowing as much as possible to give us the best chance of success.

I haven't researched any grants / assistance yet but just yesterday, the guy who runs my local store was telling me about an advertising grant available from the local small business centre. I'm going to stir them up this week and i'll let you know how i go!!

Thanks for the feedback WW and hopefully catch you for a beer at some point.

Cheers
Matty Wilson

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

It's a little late, and I may or may not have had a few beers and be currently sipping on an 18 year old ardbeg (that's the Whisky not the Swedish babysitter), but it's one of the reasons I love ahb and all who sail in her. Over on the US sites you'd had a bunch of idiots, with sweet FA experience, telling you how you're bound to fail. Here you just have a bunch of guys and gals wanting you to succeed, wanting to visit, offering advice that may or may not be relevant but is offered in the hope it helps. Warms the cockles.

Back to the ardbeg (still the Whisky)

And best of luck. If I'm ever over that way I'm dropping in and expecting the ahb discount!

Totally agree BD!! You guys are awesome!!

See you for a beer soon,

;?)

Cheers,
Matty Wilson

 

[Tahoose]

Not sure on what the legislation was but there was a change in grants for small businesses last year. The long and short is that each purchase under 20k could be claimed individually and you could get a portion of that back.

Hope it helps.

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

Not sure on what the legislation was but there was a change in grants for small businesses last year. The long and short is that each purchase under 20k could be claimed individually and you could get a portion of that back.

Hope it helps.

Thanks Tahoose! You are correct. We managed to claim a heap of our equipment purchases for last year.

Cheers
Matty Wilson

 

[wynnum1]

Are you going to sell coffee along with the sampling bar drivers are limited drinking beer and today news reports about nitrogen infused coffee.

 

[Matplat]

Punctuate that **** bro... makes more sense!

 

[The Judge]

I'm not sure punctuation can save that sentence.

 

[dammag]

Surely that sort of post is allowable on a Friday afternoon!

 

[rizrah]

Inspirational stuff. What has clearly been hours (millions of hours by the sound of it) of hard work sounds like it's due to pay off shortly!
How has the gear been holding up? By now you've got a few brews thru her I'm guessing!
All the best Mat, not over that side of aus too often but would love to check her out someday soon.

 

[rizrah]

Inspirational stuff. What has clearly been hours (millions of hours by the sound of it) of hard work sounds like it's due to pay off shortly!
How has the gear been holding up? By now you've got a few brews thru her I'm guessing!
All the best Mat, not over that side of aus too often but would love to check her out someday soon.

 

[WitWonder]

Hey Matt nice write up in the paper today, good to see things are still motoring along! (I assume he won't mind me posting the link here);

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/regional/great-southern/a/32269665/new-brewery-on-tap-soon/#page1

 

[Devhay]

What an inspirational thread, great work!

Like I needed any more excuses to escape down to Albany!

 

[Feldon]

Bravo, Matty!