My micro brewery dream

[Wilson Brewing Company]

Thanks chrisluki and Mardoo, I'd have to be stupid to not listen to guys who have worked in the beer retail sector. I appreciate your feedback and advice.

I've gone back to work with our designer and we've come up with an addition to the original design that looks awesome and places the beer name and style front and centre.

Once I get a reasonable draft I'll upload and see what you guys think.

Cheers lads!!
Matty.

 

[seehuusen]

Thanks for sharing your story and experiences with the wider AHB community
I'm sure a lot of us home brewers would like to take the same route, and I find a lot of inspiration in reading your travels down this path.

Good luck mate! :chug:

 

[real_beer]

How're things progressing lately Matty, will you be open for business soon?

I've just bought a Sony Action Cam with my credit card points rewards at JB HiFi, and am itching to use it on a bike ride down your way early in the new year.

 

[Tahoose]

Thanks for sharing also, looks like the end of this chapter is near and you can crack on with brewing some beers.

Best of luck.

 

[Killer Brew]

Hi guys, so finally got our trademarks back!! WOO HOO!!!

Here's a look at the logo and bottle designs. I was aiming for classic, contemporary, utilizing our family name and linking to the maritime history of the area. Let me know what you think!


Cheers
Matty.

wbc_final1.jpg

wbc-beer-types2.jpg

Congrats on pursuing your dream! Labels look great. Can I ask what kind of cost is involved in getting these designed and printed?

 

[The Judge]

How the hell have I missed this thread Matty?? Subscribed. Saw your last day at work on FB and had a massive pang of jealousy ;-)

Will probably head down to Albany in the new year with the family so will definitely have to come past for a tour!! So stoked for you and the family to have got this underway.

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

How're things progressing lately Matty, will you be open for business soon?

I've just bought a Sony Action Cam with my credit card points rewards at JB HiFi, and am itching to use it on a bike ride down your way early in the new year.

More than welcome to turn up any time for a coldy mate! Give me a yell when you're heading down and stop on in!! We arent open yet but still got plenty of 'homebrew'!

Cheers
Matty

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

Congrats on pursuing your dream! Labels look great. Can I ask what kind of cost is involved in getting these designed and printed?

Hi Killer Brew!

So I ran an online competition initially to do my logo design as I couldn't get a decent price within WA ( Graphic design quotes where anywhere from $5-10K!! ) and I couldn't justify that kind of money for start up. I love to support local but somethings you have to make a call on.

So I ran a 99designs.com competition. Pretty cool process and cost me $300. I got on really well with the designer who won. He actually lives in Beunos Aries. So through 99designs you can do 1-on-1 projects. I tell him what I want, he quotes, he uploads his progress and we go back and forth a few times to get it right then when I'm happy he invoices through 99designs and I get the images. It seems to be he charges about $100 US per project. A 'project' being bottle labels, carton labels, tap handle labels, etc. Its a really good price and he does a great job.

Printing is through a company in Perth, good pricing with minimum batches of 1000. You have to pay a stamp design fee if you use an irregular shape. Gets cheaper the more you buy. Took me a bit of hunting around to get the right price and quality. Most places will send you a free sample pack and you can check the finish. I whacked the sample stickers on bottles and ran them through ice, water, etc to make sure they'd be decent!

Hope that helps!

Cheers
Matty Wilson

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

How the hell have I missed this thread Matty?? Subscribed. Saw your last day at work on FB and had a massive pang of jealousy ;-)

Will probably head down to Albany in the new year with the family so will definitely have to come past for a tour!! So stoked for you and the family to have got this underway.

Yep I was pretty damn stoked to finish up the FIFO gig!! Never felt better getting off the plane knowing I don't have to go back. You always have some doubts come up about what you're doing but as long as you have good people around its heaps easier! Doing things like this AHB post helps as well, you just need re-assurance you're on the right track! Especially as this is something I have never done before (setting up a brewery) if something goes wrong you just go 'meh' and keep going!!

Look forward to your visit!

Cheers
Matty.

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

Hi guys!

Been a while since I checked in so here we go!

I have been flat out getting everything together, most of the last 4-6 weeks has been back and forward with my local council to finalize our planning approvals, WHICH IS NOW APPROVED!!!

So i'm approved by my local council to run a micro-brewery from our premises including cellar door sales and tastings. As long as i meet their conditions. Majority of which were pretty standard, drainage, H&S, refuse disposal.
The only one I wasn't expecting was main roads.

As our property is on a tourist highway in an 80km/h zone, main roads are worried about points of conflict. Recently they passed a policy for our stretch of rd stating that properties are only allowed to have one access crossover. We have two, one for the house block and one for the brewery block. So MRWA have said as a condition of my approval i need to widen my brewery access for double traffic access (its single at the moment) and get rid of the crossover to the house. So some screwing around but I have to meet it. Just means we have to put a private property access though our brewery carpark!

I also finished all of the structural modifications required by our engineer as the whole brewery building (750m2) was unapproved when built by the previous owner. Wasn't too bad. About 200 hours of labour and $5000

The building is now structurally approved as class 8 (warehouse) and class 6 (retail). Now I have this approval I can move on with the brewery mods, new concrete floor in the brewing area, disabled toilet, septic system for floor waste and a firewall. Then the smaller stuff, exit signs, fire extinguishers etc.

Also finally got the 32amp 3 phase run up to the shed and we've nearly finished wiring it all up. Our property was on overhead power previously but there is currently a subsidy for our locality to remove the over head and change to underground supply. With the subsidy the western power swap over was only $600 and then about $5000 for trenching cabling etc. My old man is a sparky so we saved a fair bit on the wiring side.

The 3 phase will supply our general usage, lighting, glass door fridges, cool room and reefer container. The brewing system is run from the 120kva generator which is a separate system to the mains supply.

Here's some pics. I've also added the new label design for the guys helping me out with moving the names, beer style etc to the front. Please let me know your thoughts lads.

Cheers,
Matty Wilson

 

[DU99]

Looking Good

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

 

[Bribie G]

Bugger about the road access issue.

I wish I had to drive into my place through a brewery carpark. h34r:

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

 

[wynnum1]

How about putting the beer in Aluminium cans with glass bottles how can you be 100% sure they are safe.

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

How about putting the beer in Aluminium cans with glass bottles how can you be 100% sure they are safe.

I'd love to can wynnum1 but a 2 head manual canner with CO2 is about $75 - $100k and you have to buy a fair few blanks with that as well. I haven't quite figured out how to build one yet but i'll get there!

http://www.cask.com/main/index.php?page_id=39

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

I just follow best practice for bottling. Ensure I hit a stable FG and being extremely sanitary to avoid any infection.
By following my own fermentation and bottling procedures I've never had a bottle explode or gushers since I started brewing.

Also I think the use of accurate / calibrated test equipment and constant monitoring play a big role.

Our bottling procedure will be as follows.

1. Ferment until stable FG is reached for 2 days.
2. Beer is cold crashed in fermentor.
3. Beer is transferred to bright tank.
4. Beer is carbonated.
5. Beer transferred to bottling line and counter pressure filled.
6. Beers are packed and conditioned in cold storage for two weeks.

Hope that answers your question.

Cheers
Matty Wilson

 

[Spohaw]

Is there a rough estimate when you think we can buy some beers Matty ?



Would be nice to see a Wilson brewing company beer in this instead of a lazy yak

 

[Wilson Brewing Company]

Is there a rough estimate when you think we can buy some beers Matty ?

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1448776755.448261.jpg

Would be nice to see a Wilson brewing company beer in this instead of a lazy yak

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.