Here is what you need to know for your first year;
So, as you may or may not know (or care) I'm looking for my next position as a salesman for a beer company or brewery. I spent the last 12 months working for a start-up called Lune Brew Co, and this is what we achieved in our first year.
- Brewkit acquisition...Yeah, there are a lot of used kits out there. What you won't necessarily know is how much it'll cost to move it and set up in your new brewhouse. We chose a 20bbl kit from an established brewer on the south coast, it wasn't the latest or best looking thing, but it had several advantages and disadvantages. Traditional two vessel brewkits were the standard until not so very long ago, and it's not a bad place to start unless you want to brew Lager, but the main thing about this one that was both a major benefit and a major headache was that it was steam heated. Steam heating is the Gucci option, and allows for things like the ultra efficient biomass boilers, but its also SUPER expensive to set up. If you are thinking of getting something like this, make sure that the boiler you pay for is servicable and ready to move... (In hindsight, we really should have bought the complete brewhouse from the London brewer that we were offered at a super good price, keep an eye on Auction houses and always ask for a 'buy it now' price if you want most of the stuff).
- The Install. Make sure your brewery is tall enough for the fermenters... And plan for at least double the time and three times the price that you had planned for. Obviously you can take some shortcuts, but these are storing up expense for later as you'll end up doing it 'properly' at some point, and at a point when downtime is FAR more expensive, so its worth planning properly for several weeks to install the system, especially if you are using a lot of stainless pipework that needs welding up.
- The Branding. One of the things that I am really proud of from the pre-launch phase of Lune Brew's existence was the brand identity that we developed. We used a company called TBH* Branding, Heather and Josh were a pleasure to work with, and seemed to know instinctively what I meant from my rambling commentary on their work. We based everything on a local geographic feature, the Oxbow in the River Lune, and once H&J were done with it, it looked amazing. I'm proud of the ideas that I added, the LB Numbers and flavour Icons in particular, but it reminds me that professionals can work up stuff better than you in a fraction of the time.
- The Launch. The Launch was in 30 pubs around the Country, each pouring at least one beer from our launch trio, we had a lot of support from our opening Wholesalers and from Big Dan at Jolly Good Beer, and although everything didn't go right on the night, like The Stoneworks in Peterborough not getting the stock in time even though they had agreed to put us on alongside their Cloudwater tap takeover, it was a great weekend.
- Wholesaler supportWe launched with three, quickly got a fourth and will probably be in five now. There aren't any secrets about how to get and keep wholesalers, you have to understand how their business works, and offer support that makes their lives easier. Thanks to Jolly Good Beer, Inn Express and WDS Group in particular for your steadfast support.
- The tap room. Absolutely vital in this day and age, a solid revenue stream. A lot of people leave this for later, but it really is essential to have it in your mind from the start, no point having a cheap(er) location if it won't maintain a taproom for your products.
- Working Capital. Even more vital than an operating taproom is having the working capital to see you through the first 6-12 months. Imagine that you'll be working with absolutely no income, so try and have all of your costs covered for that opening period and you won't get into trouble. It's not easy, especially if your costs have over-run on the installation phase, but those early months you'll be building your turnover and paying suppliers up front, so its massively important, especially so if you want to have a good beer range available and not have gaps in production.
- Learning points. Firstly that it is entirely possible to get a 20bbl brewery out of the ground in less than 6 months on a relative shoestring. I've learned a lot about what to do, and what not to do, and how to manage the whole process, I know that ambition is good, and is completely achievable if you plan properly, and that beer does sell, even new brands, and even in this climate. It's difficult, but it's not impossible.
- I'm available for work, Consultancy via Big Dog Drinks, or as a permanent or contracted employee.
