Home Distiller

I have been approached by an investor about a possible Microbrewery/Restaurant. The investor has all the know-how for the restaurant part. That's what he does. He knows nothing about the brewery part. He wants someone he can trust and knows to do it. That's where I fit in. I guess? Since I have some background in the making of alcohol. He has asked me to research a microbrewery start up and get him some numbers. My problem is I don't even like beer. But I think I would be a fool not to take the opportunity to get in on this. If for nothing it would be a great experience in the brewing industry. With a possible offshoot with a Microdistillery. So my learning of AG ferments has been pushed to the front of the line.

So I would like to get some input from y'all. If I could. Some simple questions to start with. To help me with my research.

What products do you think a microbrewery should start out with? And how many? 2 3 maybe 4 different beers? I know the wheat beers go over really well in this market. That's about all I know.

What would be the best equipment to do the small scale research and development with. And what size should I be looking at for this research and development? That would be easy to scale up later. But a good size for this hobby so its not a total waste of money and I end up with something I can use.

Books on AG brewing that are good? Which ones would you recommend?

Last one. Do you think its a stupid idea for me a non beer lover with minimal experience to even try this endeavor?

Oh yeah the restaurant would be a seasonal thing. Where it would be located. Waterfront in the Ozarks. So the brewery would have to carry it through the off months.

This would be a very good start and it's free:

http://www.howtobrew.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Here is how I would do it.
I would get your butt down to the closest home brew store and start making friends.
Buy a beer kit and start learning a little while you are researching simi-commercial size brewing equipment and costs.

.Business plan? Market research? How much you want to brew will determine what size and type of equipment needed. Your partner will want to know this if he is shelling out the bucks for it.

Putting together all the equipment, planning layout, functionality and feasibility of the brewery is much more important than knowing how to brew beer.

“Run the brewery” You can always hire a young enthusiastic “Brewmaster” I would bet there are tons of experienced beer makers that would die for the chance to show off their skills. You can learn on the job.

Hold a competition between home brewers for their recipes. They get a small cash prize, you get the recipe. Public tasting challenge would get publicity and understanding of which beers would sell best in your area.

MR

Do you think its a stupid idea for me a non beer lover with minimal experience to even try this endeavor?

Hell no.

you need access to a brewmaster or a very serious hobbyist. otherwise you will be making some crap beer. getting a recipe is half the battle in my opinion, the other half is skill of the craft. takes time to get there, to know what smells, tastes, equal what, to trouble shoot, properly setup a rig.

I think heading to the homebrew store is a good start, i have really good resources locally for that side of the house. the guy who is part owner of the store i go to is a brewmaster. they host brew days once a month, where is mixes up an all grain and a extract run.

Are you going to be the brew master or just the guy putting it together and heading it up? Big difference.

my sentiments as well. if you are just managing someone, you will most likely do fine. if you are planning on putting on your brewmasters cap, well....i would give this some serious thought. too bad you can't just open a distillery right?

A lot of factors to consider, and a few of our members have been down this road so you really want to listen to what they have to say. I have a similar proposal for a distillery but will not hop into it until I have checked everything out. Even if I have the knowledge to distill there are a lot of other angles to consider. Plus I would like more experience than what I have gleaned from this group and my own experience. If I go further with this plan I will get training in both distilling and the business end of the process because once you put a product on the market it needs to be a good one from the get-go and then there is no guarantees!

I will probably not be putting on the brewmaster hat. I would more then likely be overseeing the brewery side of things. But I don't want to go into it without knowing at least how to do it. With a little experience. It's not like its going to happen tomorrow. We are going into the off season down there. So market analysis won't happen till spring. Hell he mite not even do anything for a year. He has another commitment that will hold him here for a while. And neither of us lives at the location where he is talking about. He has a house down there on the lake.

All I'm really looking to do right now is.

1 learn how to do All grain ferments and or beer. (knowledge and experience of the process not a master) I can use this knowledge for this hobby anyway.
2 Equipment knowledge. If I'm going to be setting it up I need to know what I am setting up. Or at least want to know. I can use this equipment for this hobby to. That's why I'm looking for hobby sized suggestions. That would help with number one.

Thanks for the input. I understand all that has been brought up. And I feel the same way. I was just trying to get input on the questions I asked. And tell the forum of what mite fall in my lap.

Thanks for the link Usge. Will start reading it a little later.

Ok how about this. As a beer drinker and you went to a Microbrewery/Restaurant. How many beers would you like to see available to you? That is made in house.

Ok how about this. As a beer drinker and you went to a Microbrewery/Restaurant. How many beers would you like to see available to you? That is made in house.

One thing I like about brew pubs is the seasonality of the selection - a changing menu, much like you see in restaurants. I love the experimentation, as a consumer.

You should check out other brew pubs' beer menus - here's one I just found, as an example.

http://www.banffavebrewingco.ca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Thanks BD I didn't even think of seasonal selections. Good one.

I am not a beer guy either. We have a lot of micro breweries here in the NW.

You might make a point of stopping in any micro breweries in your area for at least one beer and a quick chat about the weather.

You would probably get a good feel for how they are operating and what you would be getting into.

Another idea, the following link is to the largest Brewery and Bistro in our state.
http://www.bbaybrewery.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
They have figured out the marketing, they have a retail shop that sells their clothing and other accessories and they make a lot of money on it as well as their food and beer. There is not a place in our state that I have travelled and not seen someone in their clothes as they are very cleaver I'll even bet BD has seen it on his island. One of their shirt slogan say's "Boundary Bay save the Ales" which I had the money they made with that slogan!

Mister Piss,

Just some ideas here. Now I am not a brewer, but love my beers. Just a few miles down the road Brouwerij De Molen (Brewery The Mill) is located. Now I like there beers. Not like I think they are the best in the world ... but somehow the world seems to think they do. Really, no joke. As a small scale brewer & server of beers & food, they seem to score no 1 in the world. Just visit their site and you will find out ... And if you need an introduction, just ask and I will introduce you. I know the guy who owns/brews there.

On their approach, the following. What they do is make a lot of beers. Not 2 or 3, more like 20 or 30. The chef goes for a recipe (an English stout, a German Weissen, etc.), finds out all he can about it & makes a recipe & makes it. He then sends it to every beer competition for micro brewers in Europe and often wins prices. Gives him local publicity.

He also has the approach of brewing & eating. Not the other way around. So he serves good, peasant style food. The thing you want to eat on a cold winter evening if you get what I mean. Food supports the beers, not the other way around.

One of the great things he offers is a beer tasting experience. You can eat & try like 6 or 8 beers. Served in small 0.1 liter glasses in an adequate order.

Now if this helps and if getting you and Menno introduced, just let me know!

Odin.

Mister Piss -

http://www.standingstonebrewing.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

http://www.brouwerijdemolen.nl/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

And that's their website.

We have 5 brewpubs in the area we live in. So we are going to go check all of them out. Over the next few months. Se what its all about. We have one of the nations largest microbrewerys in the nation to. I don't even know if they can be called a micro anymore. Boulevard Brewing.

This all came about because everyone down at the lake knows he has a chain of restaurants. They have been telling him he needs to start a brewpub there. Because they all drive about 45 minutes to a brewpub in another city. And when your at the lake you would rather take the boat not a car. And yrs we are planning a trip to check that brewpub out. Got to figure out what is drawing them to it.

I was posting when you gents were.

Odin I don't know what an introduce would do for me at this point with the large pond between us. But I will keep it in mind. And Thanks for the other sugestions

BD will check it out.

Little update. The owner of the brewpub that all the people frequent. Wanted to move to the area we are looking at. But his wife wouldn't. Anyway my understanding is he is willing to come in and train along with his recipes. Then help with the startup. So we are going to set up a meeting and tour of his place. This could get interesting. So its time to hit the books hard.

All the signs seem to be trending in the right direction.

Holy crap I think my head is going to explode. AAUs IBUs HBUs Screw these Hops.

And now the wife and I a looking to go back to school.

My head hurts I need a sip.