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If you love an ice-cold pint of larger size at the end of a long day, or if your tipple tends more towards a craft ale, opening a brewery may be the perfect business venture. The good news is you can discover all the essentials for success in this field, in the post below. Read on to find out what they are.
Pick which type of brewery you will open
The first task you must address when opening a brewery is to choose which type. There are many options to consider here including a taproom brewery where you sell beer offsite, and on, but do not offer food to your customers.
Alternatively, you could go for a smaller operation such as a nano brewery or microbrewery. These options make a small amount of craft beer each year and are favored by independents and artisans.
Lastly, you may wish to consider a brewpub which is the perfect combination between a restaurant and a pub. Such a brewery offers you the chance to provide a more comprehensive experience for your patrons and allows you the chance to sell food as well as beer.
Sort your licenses and permits
Beer is an alcoholic substance, so you will need a liquor license to open one. You will need to apply to your local government to be granted this. You will need to pay for it too and in some states, it can be particularly expensive so it’s a good idea to investigate this before you decide on your location.
Additionally, If you wish to serve food alongside your beers you will also need to apply and secure a restaurant license as well.
Choose a suitable location
There are a range of things you need to consider when choosing where to site your brewery. The first is that you find a building with enough space to house your equipment. You’ll also want to look for space that can be used as a shop or bar.
Zoning laws are also incredibly important as you won’t be able to open a brewery in some locations.
Invest in the proper equipment
Running a brewery is a specialized business and that means you must have the right equipment and supplies to ensure it operates safely and successfully. There are many types of supplies and equipment that you’ll need.
First of all, you’ll need fermenters, and brew kettles, so you can brew up your beer on-site. You’ll also need bottles, and labels so you can bottle your product, as this lets customers buy it to take home too. If you choose to serve your product on-site, you’ll need proper keg taps, and refrigeration so it’s good and cold.
You’ll also need keys in which to keep the beer, hand trucks to move it safely and racks in which to store the kegs. Proper cleaning supplies like the ones offered by North Industrial Chemicals, which are designed for the food and drink industry to clean your equipment with are also vital. Lastly, you’ll need plenty of beer glasses so you can serve your product to customers to enjoy during their visit, either as a sample as they tour or as patrons at the bar.
Make a draft list
A draft list is a menu for the beers, ales and stouts you’ll serve in your brewery. It will help visitors not only realize what is on offer but guide them towards the products you offer that they are most likely to enjoy.
For example, most draft lists include categories such as light, tart or hoppy to describe the taste and texture of the drinks they are offering. If you have a food menu you can even offer suggestions on which drinks to eat with which dishes on your draft list, which can help you upsell!
Advertise and market your brewery
Finally, while you may have just opened the most perfect brewery in the world, you’re going to need to let people know about it so they visit. That is where advertising and marketing comes in.
Advertising differs from marketing mainly in the fact that you pay directly for the privilege of your brewery’s name out there. For example, running PPC ads online is advertising, while working on organic SEO is marketing. Essentially they both do the same thing and make sure your target market knows about your brewery business and the advantages of visiting.
