Now is the ideal moment to take advantage of the booming craft beer market and open your own brewery. It’s worthwhile to invest time and effort into starting your own business if you’re a prospective entrepreneur with a vision for how to put your twist on the market.
However, navigating the tricky realities of the beer industry can still be challenging without some assistance, even in a thriving industry. Continue reading to learn more about the logistics of opening your own craft brewery below.
Pick an Ideal Location
The concept that most craft beers are made by people who put their local spin on them is one of their biggest draws. Therefore, you should stay as close as possible to a region that you are familiar with and where you already have ties.
Locate property or a facility with the appropriate zoning, size, amenities, and accessibility for importing raw ingredients, drawing consumers, or sending out brewed beer for distribution. When choosing a site, bear in mind local and state rules and regulations that may impact your business in numerous ways.
Buy the Right Equipment
The cost of brewing equipment is affected by the size of your brewery and whether you purchase new or used equipment. Your first system will most likely consist of 7 to 15 barrels, although you’ll need to figure out what capacity you can actually support.
A good rule of thumb is to calculate how much you’ll need in production at any given moment to be profitable and competitive. Several of the items you’ll need include:
- Kettles
- Kegs
- Boilers
- Bottling and canning lines
- Conveyors
- Cooling systems
- Storage tanks
- Fermentation tanks
- Refrigeration equipment
Know Your Product Inside and Out
The craft beer market is fiercely competitive, so you’ll want to be sure you know everything there is to know about your product and how to sell it to customers. In addition, you should be able to store and transport your beer safely so that it preserves as much of its taste as possible. Finally, you should educate yourself on general beer knowledge and familiarize yourself with competitors’ products, even when it comes to styles you don’t plan on selling yourself.
Pay Attention to Detail
Getting the more minor details right can be as crucial as getting the overall picture right. This is especially true for convincing other companies to sell your beer in stores, marketing your product, and renting out facilities. Mathematical calculations, formulas, multitasking, proofreading communications, inventory tracking, and withdrawing sour beer are all examples of the jobs you need to be able to do well.
Having a good understanding of the logistics of opening your own craft brewery is the key to success. It’s better to plan as far ahead and in as much detail as possible before you start investing your own money. Once reality kicks in and you’ve got your business well underway, it will be harder to pivot your plans when unexpected obstacles occur.