Poll: What Keeps You In Your Day Job ?

[Doc]

Come on we've all thought about it.
Making beer or being involved in the industry as a source of income. Doing something you really love.
So what stops you doing it ?
Some members are doing it. What made you change vocations? Would you make the same decision if you had the chance to again ?

All comments welcome.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Black Dog Brewery]

Hi Doc,

I voted other and here's my explanation. I guess firstly I know Im not good enough - that is I dont have the knowledge, experience and ability to produce something to the level of lets say LCPA. I guess if I did I would consider giving it a go. I even recently tried to source a defunct breweries goodies but they had already gone.

Cheers BDB

 

[sluggerdog]

Both Money and Knowledge.

I have the perfect day job to start a new business, I work from home, when I want without having to deal with clients so planning and starting a new business would be pretty simple for me while still working however I simply do not have the money or knowledge to do something like this...

Would be a dream come true for a lot of us though...

Who knows what the future holds B)

 

[roach]

i see it as a hobby but the thirst for knowledge and equipment(and beer of course!!)is eating into my day job

 

[Guest Lurker]

i see it as a hobby but the thirst for knowledge and equipment(and beer of course!!)is eating into my day job

Thats because you make the mistake of offering to find gear for everyone else. Eats in to a much smaller part of the work day if you are just day dreaming about equipment for yourself!

 

[big d]

i voted for the brewing beer is my day job.
reason is i work four on four off there for i can brew 4 days straight then go to the place that is called a real job earn some money to continue my brewing endevours.
it would be magic to brew for a living if you can make it but after reading the pitfalls of doing this on grumpys site well it would be a hard slog to get started.
think i will stick to the four days off caper which gives me heaps of brew days to do as i please.least ive got the real work side sorted out by working 4 on 4 off.


cheers
big d

 

[Linz]

From what I have found out so far It dont pay!. Some other guy usually owns the pub and wants you to work for as little as possible. All he sees is you spending HIS money on grain,yeast and shiney brew gear. He DONT see the money from your brews going into HIS pocket/till

Besides I go to my office and there is a 2 storey BOC Co2 tank out the back!!!

 

[Doc]

Besides I go to my office and there is a 2 storey BOC Co2 tank out the back!!!

My VT size CO2 tank is all but empty :angry:
Do you do refils on the sly ????

Doc

 

[nonicman]

Haven't worked out the finer legal/taxation details, yet. Would like to brew and suppliment the brewing inputs with a small turnover. I think most of us can manage this, except for the whole protectionist market that beer is controlled in. Might write a letter to my local member requesting the production for sale of anything less than 1000 litres be made excise exempt. With such a low turnover, would even miss the Government Stealing Technique. This would create a whole new market and over time improve the palates of the drinking public.

 

[Justin]

I've thought and thought about it, but at least at this time in my life it's a no go. I chose other on the poll. From what I've found out it seems pretty hard to establish yourself and make it for more than a few years and the profit margin is small. You need to produce and sell enough to make money over the licensing, excise, running costs, distributing costs etc. I simply don't have the finacial backing to be able to go out on a limb and have a got at it, if it went belly up-and it would no doubt eventually-I'd be screwed and probably for the majority of the rest of my financial life. Plus I'm a scientist, with not a business bone in my body, I wouldn't have a clue.

But it sure is nice to dream. I've recently been in discussion with another friend who is currently trying to establish a tasmanian microbrewery, luckily he didn't approach me to go parteners with him or I would have been very tempted (at least in priciple until I saw and needed the $$ involved). He's doing a Ballarat brewing course, has been brewing all grain for 3+ years and makes some fantastic beer. His initial plan was to brew for the food festivals initially down here, but you can't have a stall unless you are a business, then there is about 50 other obstacles as well. He's still trying to get setup and make it happen but there is a hell of a lot of time, work and outlay-which still may not pay off.

I think I'll stick with my current job/career and earn/save enough money to buy brew toys and eventually a 10-20 gallon B3 super system, conical fermenters and a designated brewing shed. If I get enough money I'll buy this:

 

[Justin]

Otherwise one of these:

 

[JasonY]

Money .... I am sure you can make a lot more money than I earn brewing but the risk is something I wouldn't take at this point in time. Gimme another 5 - 10yrs brewing

If I win lotto well that changes the equation a lot

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

Still a hobby but bordering on the obssesive

Would love to do it as a day job but finding backers to stump up the money is hard.
Reckon to make money from brewing you would need top quality restaurant incorporated with a micro-brewery. I think about IT a lot.

C&B
TDA

 

[jayse]

I voted other as to call brewing professionally simply a day job is a bit rough.
Maybe your assistant might call it a day job then go home and relax at the end of the day, but not me..... certainly the yeast don't have day jobs!
Some food for thought!

Jayse

 

[Doc]

Great answers guys.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one day dreaming.

I'd love to hear the story of the member who voted

The bank didn't like my business plan (explain)

Doc

 

[GMK]

OK... I voted Other.

I probably have enough assets to start a small microbrewery, but the reasons not to are:
- i have three school aged kids - the brewery would be 7 Day weeks with long hours- miss out on seeing them grow up.
- wife would not like the long hours.
- i have a cushy , well paid 5 day a week job right now - with great flexible working conditions
- GMKenterprises takes up alot of spare time.

Now, going partners with someone is allways an option....

I have 12 years until the littlest one finishes school - i will be 50 by then - could retire into a microbrewery......

Justin - how much were the 2 setups...

 

[Justin]

The more beer one is $2500US+freight (basic model), so is actually quite a doable thing if you had the spare money (eg. guessing AUD$5000ish delivered, if you have a project/hobby car, etc. you could sell out and buy a big brewing rig) and you wanted to do it. One possibility I considered for future upgrades was getting a number of mates (say 3-5) to go in on a system like this, then have organised (or rostered) brew/bbq days where you made a batch of beer then split it between the members. This wouldn't be a bad option if you were settled. I'm a bit too fluid at the moment, travel is looming at the end of my PhD.

However, I have been considering more realistic systems for 10gallon batches that I would be more into (20's a bit much ). I'd love to one day buy (or build) say a B3 1550 ($2100US+freight) with all the bells and whistles-using their kettles. I'm actually in the current train of thought of upgrading my converted k$* system to more legal stainless vessels. I have a policeman living next door to me now , and am fast growing tired of covert operations.

The morebeer kettles are about $250 delivered, so $750 all up for a 3 kettle system.

As for the magnificent copper beauty, well that's about $65000US+freight. For that I'd drive around in an Nissan Skyline R34 GTR and drink mega swill for the rest of my life .

Have a look here for similar things and secondhand brewing systems:

http://www.nabrewing.com/

Dream, dream, dream......

 

[Asher]

I often dream about finding a niche market to begin a commercial venture. But I doubt there would be any money in it....
Firstly though I'm spacially challenged.. So I'm on the lookout for a bigger house c/w studio or workshop.... Somewhere for the littler brauhaus....

I've got a couple of ideas rolling round my head... Don't want to let the cat out yet though...

But for now I just enjoy making beer as a hobby. Whenever I go near a micro I always try and hunt down the brewer & introduce myself. "Hi my name's Asher I do a bit of brewing from home..." they usually seem disinterested and mutter "Ah a homebrewer". Then I mention the fact that I mash & all of a sudden there more than keen to chat... I've had some good chats to some local brewers here in WA. Even taken home samples of yeast and other ingredients... (In fact I used a yeast donated to me from one in my mash paddle beer last year).
I also try and attend WA brewery get togethers, like the "WA beer week" another great place to meet & chat to pro brewers.
I'd also like to become a professional beer taster. Its a very hard position to crack, & usually done by workers @ the brewery as a side job (multi tasking!)

For fun. I also apply to all the job adds for master brewers.... I usually try and make them a light hearted whilst trying to get across my keenness for the craft. I'm sure the HR department @ Little Creatures knows me by now ..... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Asher for now

 

[ant]

That first setup Justin showed has just been installed down at Colonial Brewing Co in Margaret River, albeit with slightly larger tanks.

Was there on the weekend, and I wept. New stainless and copper. It is a beautiful thing. The conicals are also something else.

Will see if I can remember camera and post some photos soon.

 

[Justin]

I need a $19million superdraw tattslotto win! Dear Lord! Is that too much to ask!

A pommy bloke prays to god and asks "Dear Lord, If it aint too much trouble, would you mind elpin me out a little bit. Ya see the mortage is getting me down, me wifes sick in hospital and I got me free kids to feed. If you could be so kind to give me a million win in the lotto it'd really elp me out?"

So the man goes away and a week later, still nothing from god. So he prays to god again thinking he may be asking for too much. "Dear lord, I don't mean to hastle but it's just that I really need this money, my wife is sick, I got me free kids to feed and the mortage is weighin me down. Would it be too much to ask for a half mill win on the lotto, it'd really elp me out?"

So he goes away again. A week later, still no reply from God, so he goes back to pray thinking he may have been a bit greedy. "Dear Lord. Me wife is sick, me kids don't got no food and I can't pay me mortage. Would ya mind elpin me out a bit with a undred grand win on the lotto. It'd really help me out."

Just then God's booming voice shouts out "For Christs sake mate will ya meet me half way on this. Buy a ******* lotto ticket".

Sorry, **** joke.

Cheers, JD