Beer is a popular drink among many drinkers all around the world. Beer also happens to be one of the oldest drinks known to man, and it continues to increase in popularity today. Beer has never gone out of style and continues to change over the years. Each beer is unique in its own way, from the flavor to the quality to the many components that make hundreds of various breweries.
Since there are so many different kinds of beer to choose from, people worldwide appreciate them. Along with their passion for beer, many people want to create their own brewery. If you don’t already own a brewery and want to establish one, here are some guidelines to help you get started:
Brewery Business Plan
First, you want to brainstorm your name, logo, layout, buy any necessary equipment, and the legal requirements for your brewery. It may be difficult when coming up with a name or logo for your company. Remember that the name and logo must be memorable and easy to remember. Make sure it’s fun and resembles your brand. For instance, a beer company, Victory, is famous for flavors such as the “Sour Monkey.”
Their logo is a monkey with a green tongue, indicating the tart flavor of the beer. You may have to decide what flavors you would like to put in your beer and the design that speaks to you the most. Ask yourself if there is something special about your beer, where you will locate your brewery, or if something out of the ordinary comes to your mind when you think about beer.
Remember that there are many names out there, and unfortunately, even if you do come up with a name, you may need to think of a plan b. There are thousands if not millions of beer names out there, so make sure you didn’t take one already taken.
Location and Space for Your Brewery
Next, you need to think about the layout and location of your brewery. You may need to research the best areas for your brewery if there is enough room for all your equipment to be stored there and bring in customers to your factory. The layout of your brewery can also affect the efficiency of how your brewery will run. Make sure ahead of time that you have enough room for all the equipment so that in the future if you do want to expand, you have the space to do so. When opening up a brewery, you want to keep the energy levels low. If your facility has too much room between barrels, this will require more energy usage, which will mean more pumping and refueling, which will mean extra costs that you do not want to be spending.
Equipment
Now that you have a set layout of your brewery, it is time to get the right equipment to make some beer! The first piece of equipment you will need is a malt mill. A malt mill crushes the grains, which is the first part of making beer. According to 2nd Kitchen.com, if you grind the grain too finely, the grain can stick to the mash tun and decrease efficiency during the brewing process. The second piece of equipment is called a mash tun. The mash tun is used to mash up the starches mixed up with water and heat to transform them into sugar. Next, you get filtration technology equipment. This process takes the live yeast extracted from the liquids and prepares the deer for distribution. There are two popular filtration systems on the market: candle filters and plate filters. After, you have to get a heat exchanger, beer fermenter, hydrometer, and brite tank to complete the process. Once you are done creating your beer, you need to store it in dispensing equipment such as beer faucets, draft beer towers, keg couplers, and so on. If you plan to offer your beer in pubs, make sure to have kegs for packaging.
Experience in Beer
An extensive background in beer and brewing is critical to your business’ success for you and your staff. For the best beer, you need the best brewmasters. Read up on trade publications and ratings of breweries and see how they operate. Ask other friends in the business for recommendations and scour the web for up-to-date news. Consider a business partner as well if you’re not as familiar with the business side of the industry. They can be a great help in setting budgets and marketing campaigns and don’t have to be beer experts necessarily.
Employees
Your brewery is up and ready to go, but you need just these final steps to make your brewery the best that it can be. Employees complete the look of your brewery. Business owners need friendly, outgoing, and enthusiastic beer-loving staff to operate a thriving brewery. Another crucial consideration when recruiting personnel is that they thoroughly understand the procedure, the flavors you provide and have an extensive beer background. Your employees should direct customers to types of beer that match their taste and introduce them to new possibilities. Due to the nature of the business, staff must be willing to work nights and weekends. Do some market research to determine the best shift times.
Marketing
There are countless ways to market a new brewery, as far as your imagination will take you. To start, pick your most unique selling points to market your facility as a unique and exciting establishment that stands above the competition. Are you the only small brewery in town or the region? Easily accessible? Advertise the number and different types of beer you offer, how they’re freshly brewed, and the most creative flavors to please all pallets.
Start a patron loyalty program in which customers can buy ten beers and get the next one free, or perhaps an official brewery drinking mug or beer stein. There are many small brewery fairs, and breweries can also attend town events and other programs where alcohol is allowed. Keep a sharp eye on towns’ event calendars and brewery fairs. Know when to register so you don’t miss out. Offer free samples at these events and embroidered keepsakes such as bottle openers and drinking glasses.
Follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to attracting customers. National Retail Solutions is here to help get your small brewery off the ground and quenching thirsts. As the leading provider of POS systems to small to mid-sized, independently owned alcohol establishments throughout the country, NRS employs many creative programs to help you generate revenue, maximize profits and save money.
Start with NRS today!
Don’t fall behind by missing out on all that modern POS systems can do for your small business. Contact NRS today at (833)-289-2767 or [email protected] to learn more about how modern ingenuity and resources can help you maximize profits.
