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Business Plan Resources for Breweries
Graham Rausch is Membership Engagement Coordinator at the Brewers Association & Moderator of the BA Forum. He works to provide assistance, resources, and support for the breweries in his region. Graham started out with the Member Services team in 2014, developing a well-rounded knowledge of BA resources during that time. This experience serves him well in helping members navigate the numerous benefits available to them. Graham hails from Milwaukee - he enjoys playing bass, wrestling with his German Shepherd pup, and collecting vinyl. Oh yeah, he loves beer.
Many of the discussions we have at the Brewers Association (BA) revolve around resources and ideas that are specific to the beer industry. We focus on technical brewing, acquiring the right ingredients, building a brand, marketing beers, passing OSHA inspections, and complying with the TTB, among other things. Yet, there is a foundation to breweries, brewpubs, and taprooms alike, that is the common thread of all businesses. That foundation is a well-constructed business plan.
Learn How to Create and Maintain Your Business Plan
I’m often asked what business planning resources the BA provides, and I point members to our production statistics , benchmarking surveys , insight & analysis articles , and a myriad of Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) presentations covering specific business-related topics. Additionally, Brewers Publications offers The Brewers Association’s Guide to Starting Your Own Brewery , which includes guidelines for business planning and a sample business plan. Despite all this information, though, I still hear questions about the root of the business plan – where to start and how to create one. So, I’ve compiled a handful of resources to help breweries create and maintain a business plan.
We all have preferences on how we digest educational materials. So, the information below comes in multiple formats from a variety of sources. These resources are helpful whether you are looking to create your first business plan or simply want to update your current one. A business plan is a living document that should be updated regularly, rather than a ‘one and done’ springboard for prospective businesses. This is by no means a comprehensive list of resources on this topic, as there are hundreds of them available. Rather, it’s a jumping off point for members who want to establish and expand their knowledge. These resources can help us establish and refresh business plans, in addition to highlighting components we wish to explore further.
Business Plan Resources:
- Writing Your Brewery Business Plan is a step-by-step review of the necessary elements within a business plan and why those things are important.
- Successfully Planning, Starting and Operating a Nano Brewery offers a broad overview of the planning process with highlights on fundamental considerations for both launching and growing a brewery.
- The Nuts & Bolts of Great Business Plans – An often cited (and very comprehensive) guide to the broader and finer points of creating your business plan. This 30-page PDF document is updated yearly and provides excellent details on the what and why of each section in the outline.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is a great general resource for businesses. They offer a step-by-step tool that explains each section of the business plan template, along with a place to input your specific business information along the way.
- SCORE , a nonprofit resource partner with the SBA, has a variety of resources geared toward creating business plans and starting small businesses. This includes a 60-minute webinar on One Page Business Plans , an on-demand Developing a Business Plan course , articles about business plans , and even mentorship opportunities .
- For those who prefer educational videos, BizPlanTemplate.com offers a free business plan template paired with a 10-minute tutorial explaining each section.
- If learning on the go is of interest, scribendi.com offers a very succinct podcast outlining How to Write a Business Plan . For those starting from scratch, this is a good primer for the deeper dive into more detailed templates.
Don’t Forget to Use Your Community
As a final note, I’d be remiss not to mention the Brewers Association Forum . This is an excellent place to ask questions and engage with fellow brewery owners as you create and revise your business plans. While each brewery (and therefore business plan) will be unique, there is much to be learned from those around us. I am constantly reminded of the community mindset amongst many breweries, and this a fantastic way to connect and share resources with one another.
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Brewery Business Plan Template
Written by Dave Lavinsky
Starting a brewery business plan? Let us help you get started with your business planning and tap into your potential for growing a successful business.
Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their breweries. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a brewery business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.
Download our Brewery Business Plan Template here >
What Is a Business Plan?
A business plan provides a snapshot of your brewery or microbrewery as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.
Why You Need a Business Plan
Source of Funding for Breweries
With regards to funding, the main sources of secure funding for a brewery are bank loans and angel investors.
Banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.
Angel Investors
The second most common form of secure funding for a brewery is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding or, like a bank, they will give you a loan. Venture capitalists will generally not fund a brewery. Private equity investors would consider a brewery or microbrewery business plan for funding if it has already reached a considerable scale.
Creative Funding Example
Liam Mulhall, CEO of Blowfly Beer, developed a customer base before a single drop of beverage had been brewed. He used the internet to include customers in the design process, allowing them to vote on everything from the label design to the ingredients. Throughout the process, he developed a loyal group of over 10,000 customers before he even began operating. In addition to selling Blowfly Beer, Mulhall also sold equity in his company to these customers-every time they bought a carton!
Blowfly’s innovative strategy had other benefits, as well. Because of the unique offering, they developed a sales base of very loyal customers, and their advertising expenses were essentially zero. Word of mouth allowed them to promote their registered customer base from an initial 140 people (friends of the founders) to more than 10,000. These customer-owners eventually began to receive dividends based on the sales of the beer. This created a further incentive to buy, drink, and recommend Blowfly to their friends.
How to Write a Brewery Business Plan
All business plans should include the following 10 sections:
Executive Summary
The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of brewing company you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a craft brewery that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of brewpubs.
Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the craft brewery industry. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy and plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.
Company Analysis
For example, you might operate one of the following 6 core types of breweries:
- Microbrewery: which is a brewery that produces less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year and sells 75% or more of its beer off-premises.
- Nano brewery: a brewery that produces less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year
- Brewpub: which is a restaurant-brewery combination that sells 25% or more of its beer on-site and offers food service
- Taproom Brewery: which sells 25% or more of its beer on-site, but does not offer food services
- Regional Brewery: a brewery that has annual beer production of between 15,000 and 6,000,000 barrels
- Contract Brewing Company: a business that contracts with another brewery to produce its beer
In addition to explaining the type of brewery you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.
Include answers to questions such as:
- When and why did you start the business?
- What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new store openings, etc.
- Your business structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.
Industry Analysis
While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.
First, researching the brewing industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.
Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards lighter beer consumption, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for plenty of lighter brew options.
The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.
The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your brewery business plan:
- How big is the brewery business (in dollars)?
- Is the market declining or increasing?
- Who are the key competitors in the market?
- Who are the key suppliers in the market?
- What trends are affecting the industry?
- What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
- What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your brewery. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local or regional population.
Customer Analysis
The following are examples of customer segments: college students, sports enthusiasts, soccer moms, techies, baby boomers, etc.
As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of brewery you operate. Clearly, baby boomers would want a different atmosphere, pricing, and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than college students.
Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most breweries primarily serve customers living in the same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.
Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.
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Competitive Analysis
With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other breweries with which you compete. Most likely, your competitors will be other breweries and brewpubs located in your region.
Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from you that aren’t in the same target market or industry but may offer similar products or services. This primarily includes restaurants (for brewpubs) and other products (spirits, wine) for microbreweries. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who drinks alcohol frequents a brewery.
For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:
- What types of customers do they serve?
- What products do they offer?
- What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
- What are they good at?
- What are their weaknesses?
With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective.
The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:
- Will you provide superior brewery products or services?
- Will you provide brewery products that your competitors don’t offer?
- Will you provide better customer service?
- Will you offer better pricing?
Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.
Marketing Plan
In the product section, you should reiterate the type of brewery that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, will you brew IPAs, pilsners, stouts, etc.?
Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections, you are presenting the menu items you offer and their prices.
Place refers to the location of your brewery. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your brewery located next to a heavily populated office building, or gym, etc.? Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers. Also, if you operate or plan to operate kiosks, detail the locations where the kiosks will be placed.
The final part of your brewery marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:
- Making your brewpub’s front store extra appealing to attract passing customers
- Establish a web presence
- Social media marketing
- Event marketing
- Advertising in local papers and magazines
- Reaching out to local bloggers and websites
- Local radio advertising
- Banner ads at local venues
Operations Plan
Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your brewery such as brewing beer, serving customers, procuring supplies, keeping the store clean, etc.
Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your X,000th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch in new markets.
Management Team
Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in the brewery business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.
If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in breweries and/or successfully running retail and small businesses.
Financial Plan
Income Statement
An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.
In developing your income statement, you need to create a sales forecast. For example, will you serve 100 customers per day or 200? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.
Balance Sheet
While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $100,000 on building out your brewery, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $100.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.
Cash Flow Statement
Your projected cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. For example, let’s say a company approached you with a $100,000 brewing contract, that would cost you $50,000 to fulfill. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $50,000 now for supplies, brewing equipment rentals, employee salaries, etc. But let’s say the company didn’t pay you for 180 days. During that 180 day period, you could run out of money.
In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key start-up costs:
- New location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
- Cost of brewing equipment
- Cost of ingredients and maintaining an adequate amount of supplies
- Payroll or salaries paid to staff
- Business insurance
- Taxes and permits
- Legal expenses
Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your store design blueprint or location lease.
Micro Brewery Business Plan Conclusion
Putting together a business plan for your brewing company is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the brewery and microbrewery business, your competition, your business operations, and your potential customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful brewery.
OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You
Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies that have gone on to achieve tremendous success.
Click here to see how Growthink’s business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.
Microbrewery Business Plan FAQs
What is the easiest way to complete my microbrewery business plan.
Growthink's Ultimate Brewery Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Brewery Business Plan.
Where Can I Download a Microbrewery Business Plan PDF?
You can download our microbrewery business plan PDF template here . This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.
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Want to set up a business in agriculture and tap into the brewery industry? We’ve created an example business plan to help you get the ball rolling!
Do you have harvest crops and produce goods from them? Are you interested in the agriculture or the brewery industries? If so, writing a business plan will help you bring these two ideas together into one united business.
To help you get started we’ve created an example business plan for the agricultural business. Our example focuses on a farm that grows hops in order to produce craft beer, but it will work as a framework no matter what you are growing or producing. Click the ‘Download Tool’ button to gain access to the word document.
You can also find the same example in the Business Plan Writer , our free online tool that guides you through the process of starting your business. Just select “agriculture/livestock” as your industry when you register.
Good luck and happy writing!
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How to Start a Brewery
Breweries are popular with a variety of customers, whether they're a casual beer drinker, a craft beer enthusiast, or just looking for a place to spend Friday night. As the demand and popularity of beer continues to rise, so does the interest in new breweries. If you’re considering opening a brewery of your own, we’ve compiled a list of steps and tips to help guide you through the process and successfully open your own business.
- Write a Brewery Business Plan
- Choose a Brewery Concept
- Determine the Cost of Starting a Brewery
- Secure Brewery Funding
- Apply for Permits and Licenses
- Choose a Brewery Location
- Buy Brewery Equipment
- Create a Draft List and Menu
- Advertise Your Brewery
- Host a Soft Opening
1. Write a Brewery Business Plan
A business plan is one of the most important steps for starting any business. Not only does it act as a roadmap that guides you through the process of opening your business, but it is essential for securing funding from investors. A good business plan includes detailed information on your concept, market, business structure, and financial situation.
For additional information on this topic, consider reading our piece on how to write a restaurant business plan .
2. Choose a Brewery Concept
Your concept is what defines your brewery. It influences everything from how customers will identify you as a company, to the messaging you target in advertisements, to the type of employees you’ll hire. To identify your brewery concept, you’ll have to choose a name, identify your brand, and determine what type of brewery you want to operate.
Naming Your Brewery
Choosing a name for your brewery can be a daunting task, not just because there are so many options to choose from, but because your choice will define your company for years to come. As you go through the process of choosing a name for your brewery, keep in mind that a good name will share the following traits:
- Original: The first and most obvious step in choosing a name for your brewery is making sure that it isn’t already taken. Additionally, be careful not to choose a name that is too similar to an existing name. Not only will this help you to protect yourself and secure a trademark , but it can help to avoid lawsuits from other brands who might think you’ve infringed on their intellectual property.
- Memorable: Choose a name that your customers will remember. A good starting point is to aim for a name that’s easy to spell and pronounce. Furthermore, choosing a name that rolls off the tongue and is fun to say can help to make your name memorable.
- Reflective: The name you choose should reflect your company. Try to create a list of what distinguishes your brand from others, or what defines you as a company. For example, if your brewery is located in Boston, you might choose something that reflects the culture of New England
- Broad: Your brewery’s name should be able to have broad appeal and lend itself to a variety of branding opportunities, themes, and products. Choosing a name that is too specific can limit the number of opportunities you have, and by extension prohibit growth.
Identify Your Brand
Identifying a brand is an essential part of establishing yourself as a brewery. Your brand can help you to connect with potential customers, identify target markets, hire employees, and strategize the direction of your business.
To identify your brand, start by determining your company values. Understanding what matters to your company and employees is a key part of your branding. Once you’ve done this, you can discover your target audience and the emotion behind your products.
It’s not enough just to identify a brand and move on. Once you’ve determined your values, key demographics, and emotional impact, you have to make an effort to create continuity. This means following through on your promises and acting in accordance with the values of your company. Doing so will allow you to truly establish yourself in the industry, within the community, and with your employees.
Choose a Type of Brewery
The increased demand for beer has lead to innovation in the industry, and by extension, a variety of brewery types. Though they differ in size, scale, and impact, each brewery serves a specific function and can be effective given your goals.
- Nano Brewery: As its name suggests, a nano brewery is the smallest type of brewery. There isn't a set amount of beer that a nano brewery is allowed to produce until they officially scale up to micro-sized.
- Microbrewery: A microbrewery is defined as a brewery that produces less than 15,000 barrels of beer annually. These types of breweries are typically independently owned, and sell the majority of their products onsite rather than through beer distributors.
- Brewpub: A brewpub is a hybrid between a restaurant and a brewery. Most of their beer is brewed for the purpose of being sold to customers at their bar.
- Taproom Brewery: Taproom breweries are professional breweries which sell beer onsite and through distributors, yet don't offer restaurant services to guests. Often times, the taproom will be attached to the brewery itself.
- Regional Brewery: A regional brewery is defined as a brewery that produces between 15,000 and 6,00,000 barrels of beer per year. Breweries which exceed this level of output are recognized worldwide.
- Contract Brewing Company: A contract brewing company hires other breweries to produce their beer. The hiring company retains the responsibility of marketing and distributing the beer while the company they've hired is responsible for production and packaging.
3. Determine the Cost of Starting a Brewery
Because there are so many different types of breweries, the cost of opening your own can vary quite a bit. Several factors including how much beer you plan on producing, the possibility of serving food and maintaining a dining room, and the size of the property you’ll be operating in can influence the price of your brewery. Below, we've listed the estimated costs of a brewery's various expenses.
- Brewery Equipment Cost: The amount you pay for brewing equipment ultimately depends on the size of your brewery and whether you buy it new or used. You can purchase brewing equipment with the smallest capacity for $100,000 or less if you buy it used, or pay up to $1 million or more for a brand-new, 30-barrel system.
- Furniture Cost: Depending on the style and level of quality you're looking for in your brewery, the price of. restaurant furniture in your restaurant can range from as low as $4,000 to as high as $15,000.
- Rent or Mortgage Payments: When you decide on retail space to operate your brewery out of, take into account how much space you’ll need. It’s essential to have enough space for your utilities and brewing equipment. Additionally, if you plan on operating a taproom, make sure there is enough space for guests to comfortably dine. Regardless, the cost of retail rent is determined by square foot and can range from anywhere from $10/square foot to as high as $30/square foot.
What Is the Average Cost of Starting a Brewery?
In total, the cost of opening a brewery can range from as low as $250,000 to upwards of $2 million. However, for a standard brewery, it's reasonable to expect that value to fall between the range of $500,000 and $1.5 million. The average cost of opening a brewery is dependant on a number of factors which vary based on your concept, location, needs, and preferences.
4. Secure Brewery Funding
A key step in opening your brewery is to secure funding. While you may have money saved up, chances are you’ll still have to seek additional funding. Consider the following options as ways to acquire extra capital and continue the process of opening your brewery:
- Self-Funding: As was mentioned above, it’s possible to fund your brewery, at least in part, with your own money. However, due to the high cost associated with acquiring equipment, permits, and other expenses, you'll likely have to look for additional funding from outside sources.
- Investors: One possible source of funding can come through investors. With a good business plan and a strong meeting in which you pitch your plan to an investor or group of investors, they may consider giving you money to fund your brewery. Keep in mind that once they’ve invested, they’ll have a vested interest in your business and will likely want to stay informed.
- Loans: A variety of loan opportunities exist for people interested in opening a business. Among them are traditional bank loans, small business loans, and equipment loans.
- Crowdfunding: Crowdfunding is a relatively new yet effective method of securing funding. Websites such as GoFundMe let supporters donate money towards your brewery, allowing you to set funding goals and provide updates on business development.
5. Apply for Permits and Licenses
To legally own and operate a brewery, or any business that produces or sells alcohol, you’ll have to apply for a liquor license . Depending on your production and serving needs, you have the option of applying for a limited license, which allows you to sell specific types or quantities of alcohol, or a full license.
Cost of Liquor Licenses
The cost and availability of liquor licenses can vary depending on what state you live in. In some instances, acquiring a license can cost you as low as $3,000, yet in others, it can cost upwards of $400,000. Additionally, many states require an application fee to be considered for a liquor license. In some states, such as Pennsylvania, there are only a set number of licenses in circulation, meaning that you may have to apply for a transfer or pay higher costs to acquire one.
Cost of Restaurant Licenses
Since many breweries choose to serve food as well as beer, you may want to investigate the cost of restaurant licenses and permits . A food service license certifies that your business meets all regulations and standards and has been deemed fit to serve food to customers. As with all fees, the amount you have to pay can vary depending on a number of factors. Nevertheless, it's safe to assume the cost will fall somewhere between the range of $100 and $1,000.
6. Choose a Brewery Location
Choosing a location for your brewery represents a significant investment. Therefore, you must consider a variety of factors to make the best decision for you and your brewery’s future. Consider the following details as you search for a location to start your brewery:
- Zoning: Your brewery location will be determined by local government zoning regulations. In most cases, breweries can only be located in zones designated for industry. Nevertheless, these regulations can vary depending on where you are, so check in with your local government before making a decision.
- Brewery Requirements: You won't be able to run a successful brewery if you choose a building that doesn't fit your needs. For example, if you plan on producing a large amount of beer, be sure to find a building where you’ll be able to efficiently carry out production.
- Building Space: Be sure to find a building that has enough space for you and your staff to comfortably work. Key factors to consider include storage space, space for equipment and machines, and possible dining areas for guests. Additionally, find a building that has adequate parking spots for your employees, guests, and yourself.
- Safety Precautions: As with any business, the most important thing to consider is safety. Make sure the building you choose will pass safety inspections and allow you to safely carry out day-to-day operations.
7. Buy Brewery Equipment
A key step in starting a new brewery is investing in the right equipment and supplies to start brewing beers and serving customers. While the quality and amount of equipment you need will vary depending on the size of your business, there are a few essential categories of equipment and supplies that you'll have to buy before you can get to work.
- Beer Brewing Equipment: You can't start brewing beer if you don't have the right equipment. Be sure to invest in fermenters, boiling equipment, and brew kettles to make sure you’re ready to start making your own brews!
- Beer Bottling and Packaging Supplies: Bottling and packaging supplies can help to simplify the packaging process and make sure that every customer is satisfied with their order. Commonly used bottling and packaging supplies can range from equipment such as growler fillers to simple packaging products such as labels and beverage shippers.
- Keg Tapping, Dispensing, and Serving Equipment: If you plan on serving beer on-site, make sure you invest in your own keg tapping, dispensing, and serving equipment . This can include beer dispensers, tap towers, nitro infuser boxes, and pump keg taps.
- Refrigeration Equipment: It’s essential to invest in refrigeration equipment to keep your brews cool and refreshing. Depending on the size of your brewery, your refrigeration equipment can range from countertop bottle coolers to walk-in refrigerators.
- Keg Storage: Keep your brewery organized by shopping for keg storage products. Consider investing resources into keg racks to improve your storage capacity and stay organized. Additionally, purchase hand trucks and drum handling equipment to safely and efficiently transport kegs throughout your brewery.
- Beer Making Accessories: While they may not be required for the brewing process, beer making accessories can make your brewing experience easier and help you to further customize your brews. Consider buying your own test strips and meters, stock pots, and portion scales to upgrade your brewing experience.
- Beer Glasses: Keep your brewery stocked with a variety of beer glasses to accommodate any new brews you might plan on introducing. Examples of the different types of beer glasses include Belgian beer glasses, pilsner beer glasses, and IPA beer glasses .
- Beer Ingredients and Flavorings: Stock your kitchen with a variety of beer ingredients and flavorings to make sure you have everything you need to customize your brews. This includes honey, cocktail bitters, wood chips and chunks, liquid malt extract, and a variety of other products.
8. Create a Draft List and Menu
Once you’ve acquired equipment and established what kind of brewery you want to open, you’ll have to create a draft list and menu. A balanced draft list allows your guests to choose from a variety of beers and helps you to showcase your products. Consider keeping at least one of each of these types of beer characteristics on tap:
- Light: The definition of a light beer varies depending on where you are in the world. In general, it’s described as a pale beer that features has a reduced alcohol content or amount of calories. Additionally, light beers typically feature a lower amount of carbohydrates.
- Malt: Malt beers often feature a rich combination of flavors, often with a hint of sweetness or nuttiness. Despite what their rich flavors may suggest, malt beers come in a variety of colors and alcohol percentages.
- Roast: Roasted brews are often dark in color, are made from highly roasted malt grains, and are distinguishable by their rich flavors and deep colors. Common flavors of roasted brews include coffee and cocoa.
- Tart: Tart brews, as their names suggest, feature a sour, almost acidic taste. While many tart beers are lighter in color, it's possible for them to have medium or even darker shades. Their earthy and sometimes fruity taste differentiate them from other brews.
- Hoppy: A hoppy beer is defined by it’s prominent sweetness, bitterness, flavor, and aroma. You're likely to get the most intense flavors in hoppy beers, with the most common being pine, herbal, and fruity.
- High IBU: IBU stands for International Bitterness Units scale, and exists to measure a beer’s bitterness. A beer with a high IBU will be more bitter than one with a lower IBU.
- High ABV: ABV stands for Alcohol by Volume, and is a standard measurement to assess the strength of a beer. A higher ABV means that your beer is more alcoholic.
Brewery Menu
When creating your menu, it’s important to choose foods that pair well with beer . Consider adding the following foods to your menu if you plan on serving food in your brewery:
- French Fries
- Onion Rings
- Mozzarella Sticks
- Chips and Dip
9. Advertise Your Brewery
Before you open your new brewery, it’s essential to start advertising your new business to increase public awareness and drum up excitement for your grand opening. The cost of marketing can vary depending on which forms you use, but in general, the average small business spends 1-2% of their annual revenue on advertising.
Consider using the following forms of advertising as you establish a marketing campaign for your new brewery:
- Print Advertising
- Billboards and Signage
- Radio Commercials
- Television Commercials
- Online Advertising
Additionally, depending on your location, you may have the opportunity to enter into a beer festival . Events like these allow a variety of breweries to showcase their brews for a large number of people, and often feature music, entertainment, and food.
10. Host a Soft Opening
Once everything is in place, it’s time to prepare for your grand opening. Before you officially open your doors to the public, consider hosting a soft opening . Not only does this allow you to continue generating excitement for your new brewery, but it allows you and your staff to prepare for what a normal work day will be like.
Though it may seem like an intimidating task, the process of developing and opening your own brewery is possible to complete as long as you have a strong plan, stay prepared, and are ready to work hard. Follow the steps and tips outlined above to guide yourself through the process and successfully open your new brewery!
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Have you been dreaming of opening your own bar but you’re not quite sure where to start? You’ve probably thought about your concept and your name, but maybe you’re unsure about some of the finer details, like how to obtain funding and permits. Running a successful bar can be lucrative and rewarding, as long as you perform some careful research and follow the correct steps. We outline the process of starting your own bar, from the initial concept to your grand opening, so you can fulfill your dream of becoming a bar owner. Shop All Bar Supplies How to Open a Bar Opening a bar requires some initial research and planning. You can make sure that you're covering all the bases by following our bar opening checklist below. Click on any of the step
How to Start a Donut Shop
Donut shops are a staple of many people’s morning routine and can be found in towns across the world. Whether you’re stopping in for a midday snack or grabbing your morning coffee, donut shops are a quick and convenient way to grab food and drinks on the go. Studies have shown that of all the treats we buy, donuts are the most popular baked good in the United States . Shop All Donut Shop Equipment Continue reading to learn all about the process of opening your donut shop. Click any of the tips below to read the section that interests you: Create a Business Plan Investigate Buying a Donut Shop Franchise Determine the Cost of Opening a Donut Shop Obtain Funding for Your Donut Shop Invest in Donut Making Equipment Create a Donut Shop Menu Star
How to Start a Bakery
Whether you dream of opening a donut shop or a boulangerie, starting a bakery allows you to serve niche markets and express culinary creativity without taking on the financial burden of opening a restaurant. You can even start your bakery business from home before investing in a commercial space. While bakeries are comparatively accessible foodservice businesses, they present unique challenges. From writing a bakery business plan to getting funding and filing for permits, we walk you through each step of opening a bakery. Shop All Bakery Supplies Jump to a specific step of opening a bakery: Choose Your Bakery Style Write a Bakery Business Plan Get Startup Loans Lease a Bakery Location Bakery Permits and Licenses Order Bakery Equipment Desig
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How to Create a Brewery Business Plan: Free Template for Breweries
By Debra Weinryb
The craft brewery industry is experiencing explosive growth, with sales accounting for 24% of the U.S. beer market which is worth over $114 billion . To truly achieve success as a brewery owner or manager in this competitive landscape, you’ll need a brewery business plan.
Whether you are considering opening a large industrial brewery company in a downtown core, or a small neighborhood pub with a beautiful outdoor patio, every brewery starts with great business planning. Your business plan acts as a roadmap that helps you think about tools and technology to grow your business, like a brewery POS system for example. And with the right structures in place from the beginning, you’ll have a greater chance of being successful, and mitigating financial and legal risks.
If you’ve never written a business plan for a brewery before, it can feel overwhelming to get started. To make it easier, we’ve put together a complete guide to writing a brewery business plan. In this guide, we’ll cover:
- How to write a business plan for your brewery business
- The 8 sections of every great brewery business plan
- A free business plan template for breweries
Create a professional business plan for a brewery with this customizable template.
How To Write A Brewery Business Plan
Below, we’ll cover the eight essential sections that go into a great brewery business plan.
Executive Summary for Your Business Plan
Your Executive Summary is arguably the most important section of your business plan. While it’s the first section that investors typically screen, it’s often written last because it summarizes all of the following sections. Here, you’ll explain the type of brewery you will be operating – whether that’s a taproom, brewpub, or another model.
It’s important to state your business model early on because your specific type of brewery will change the direction of your plan. For example, microbrewery business plans describe businesses that produce less than 15,000 barrels a year . Microbrewery business plans therefore focus on selling specialty drinks, instead of large quantities of beer that a craft brewery could offer.
In this section, you’ll also provide a high-level overview of your type of brewery, customers, competitors, sales, and marketing strategies. You can also write about your leadership team, their experience, and provide financial information.
Remember to write concisely and not longer than a page in length. This section should be inspiring and tell investors why they should choose you over your competition. To stand out, highlight what makes your brewery special. Here are a few examples:
- Your location: “Benji’s is a growing brewery in the center of New York City.”
- Your market: “Our market is lucrative and growing with low competition in the neighborhood.”
- Your unique menu: “We serve a curated selection of sours, ales, and IPAs.”
- Target market: “Our ideal customers are corporate workers who love a fresh cold brew at the end of a day’s work.”
Company Profile
The Business Overview section provides a brief snapshot of your business. You’ll want to include details that investors might want to know before they invest in your brewery, like the legal and trade name of your business, your service structure, your business address, and the date you founded your brewery.
You can also provide links where a potential investor can find more information, like your brewery website and social media pages – in addition to your contact information like email, phone number, and mailing address. Optionally, you may include banking details, including your branch and banker.
Company Description
Your Business Description section goes into more detail about your brewery, such as what your service will look like, where you will be located, your menu variety, and the vibe you will be creating. Overall, this section should highlight your overall brewery concept, vision, and goals for achieving business success.
This section gives an overview of your brewery’s mission statement , your business goals, and information about your menu offering. You should also describe your location and why it’s ideal, in addition to your brewery design and why you chose it. Lastly, make sure to mention your legal structure, whether you will be a partnership, sole proprietorship, or corporation.
Market Analysis
As more breweries open up and enter the landscape, it’s important to know how your business operates differently. Your Market Analysis section looks at where your competitors are doing well, and what gaps you can fill.
For example, you can look at competitor offerings, marketing strategies, business functions, and branding. What type of beer is being offered by other breweries? What does their menu look like? Do some brewers offer guided tours? What makes your brewery different?
There are many points that you can include in your Market Analysis to show how your brewery is unique. For example, you can write about your target customer and why they would choose to visit your brewery over others. You can also include research on the breweries you’re competing with, and identify opportunities where gaps exist that you can fill. Can you compete with better business hours, menu variety, or guest tour experiences? It’s also important to note any industry trends, like economic or social impacts, and challenges that you plan to overcome.
Let’s look at an example. If you were writing a microbrewery business plan, you could include data about several new tech companies setting up shop in the area. Then you might include aligned research that microbreweries are more likely to be visited by young professionals in their twenties to thirties. Now you have a case to argue why your location will attract more foot traffic over other breweries that target an older demographic.
Marketing Plan for Your Brewery Business
Having a steady flow of customers is key to the longevity of your brewery business. To achieve this, you’ll need to create a plan for marketing that keeps customers returning.
Positioning
Here, you’ll discuss how you will keep your brand top of mind for your consumers. Outline any key differentiators, like what customers can get from your brewery that they can’t get elsewhere. To figure out your differentiators, ask yourself a few questions:
- What type of beer do you brew?
- What makes your guest experience memorable?
- What makes your brewery unique?
Beer Pricing Strategy
In this subsection, describe how your pricing compares to competitors in your market. Here are a few questions you can answer in your pricing strategy:
- What are your costs? Including everything from materials to labor to packaging.
- What is the market price for similar beers that are selling?
- How does your business pricing measure up to the market price?
- What return on investment do you expect to see?
Remember that your pricing strategy needs to cover the costs of production and leave room for profitability!
Digital Promotion
Here are a few restaurant marketing ideas that can be incorporated into your brewery plan:
- Digital advertising: Many consumers can decide where they will buy a drink based on an ad, or Google search. Consider investing in paid advertising on platforms like Google or Facebook.
- Social media: Use your social platforms to improve your customer experience by engaging guests in real-time conversations. For example, you could ask if they prefer beer branding on bottles or cans.
- Your website: Use SEO tactics on your blog to show up in Google keyword searches. Make sure your brewery’s website is full of useful content, and your online menu is easy to find from your main homepage.
Business Operations
Here you’ll describe how you will put the plan you’ve described so far in place. This means outlining everything from your business team to suppliers, insurance, and licensing:
- Team structure: Identify the members of your business team. You can include their years of experience, qualifications, and responsibilities. Be sure to outline how each person will help you run the brewery efficiently.
- Supplies and inventory: List your supplies in this section, such as brewing equipment, ingredients, bottles, technology, and furniture. Consider using a dedicated brewery POS with an added integration like BevCheck to keep track of your inventory.
- Insurance plan: Ensure that you have insurance in place to prevent an unexpected financial loss. Without insurance, you’re risking the chance of having to close your brewery in the case of an injury or equipment failure.
- Licenses: You’ll need a brewery license that allows you to manufacture and sell beer in accordance with local regulations. This is different from a liquor license that restaurants use to serve alcohol. It’s best to contact your local government website to find out what local licenses or permits are required. For example, California has many licenses , including one just for beer manufacturers.
Business Plan Financials
The financial section of your business plan should demonstrate your potential for achieving revenue growth. This is especially important if you are trying to get financing from potential investors.
Include any documents that demonstrate your financial viability, like balance sheets, cash flow, and income statements. You can also show that you are financially responsible with loan and banking statements. All of these documents demonstrate that you are capable of handling cash and making timely payments – two characteristics that are highly valued by investors.
You can also include your financial goals, such as quarterly goals for your revenue growth. To demonstrate how you will achieve these, you can provide revenue projections for the next five to 10 years.
This section of your business plan should include your costs, such as labor and training, rent, supplies such as ingredients, marketing, and brewing equipment. Remember to always explain how your profit will outweigh your costs to demonstrate your potential for success.
To keep track of financial information more accurately, you can use accounting software like MarginEdge , Xero , Sage , QuickBooks , or Shogo .
If you’re looking for more information on how to break down your financial section, it’s good to reference a brewery business plan example .
Business Plan Summary
This section should highlight the strongest points of your business plan to tell your brewery’s story, and show your reader why your brewery is unique and worthy of investment. It should also describe how your business will grow and achieve financial profitability.
Make sure to include:
- What you require to succeed, such as loans or an advisor
- How your brewery is special compared to your competitors
- A few sentences to thank your readers for their time and interest
Now that you’ve completed the written component of your business plan, it’s time to polish up your presentation skills! You’ll need to memorize all of your key points, and get your business plan in front of the right people.
Once your plan is ready to go, send it to your investor contacts, and network with as many people as you can to get more leads and referrals. You can also send an email introduction to your target reader and let them know you have a plan you’d like to send.
If you’re meeting in person, or by Zoom, it is helpful to prepare a presentation that covers the main elements of your brewery business plan. Setting up one-to-one meetings will also create a personal connection, and allow time for questions. To prepare for your presentation, think of questions or objections your audience might ask, and have prepared answers.
Remember to be transparent and honest. By showing you care about answering questions to your fullest ability, you’ll show investors that you have the drive to potentially work together to achieve your brewery business goals.
If you’re opening a brewery, you should highly consider writing a business plan. While it may seem like a lot of work, the time and sweat that you put into your plan will most certainly pay off in the long term. A thorough business plan can help you ensure your business can launch successfully, thrive, and grow.
Looking for a brewery business plan example? You can find many ideas in TouchBistro’s brewery business plan template . Inside, you’ll find inspiration with industry-specific tips, such as ideas for how to write a microbrewery business plan, and more!
Debra is the Content Marketing Specialist at TouchBistro, where she writes about the latest food and restaurant industry trends. In her spare time, Debra enjoys baking and eating together with family and friends. Her favorite creations include chocolate cake with Italian meringue buttercream, mile-high lemon meringue pie, and fresh naan with tahini sauce.
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Don’t Forget This Crucial Part of a Hard Cidery Business Plan
There aren’t as many cidery startups as there are new breweries in the United States, but the number is growing. And in order to start one, it’s a best practice to have a cidery business plan. Cidery sales were up 11% in 2020, rolling in at $494.4 million. Want to be a part of that share? Gotta get organized first.
If you’re new to entrepreneurship, learning about everything that goes into it can be a tough pill to swallow. If you put some thought into it on the front end and run your business the right way, you can avoid major headaches down the line.
In this post, we’ll cover the four major areas of a cidery business plan (inventory, production, sales, and accounting) and considerations for each as well as a crucial aspect your hard cidery business plan might be missing and why you should include it.
Table of contents
How to choose the best cidery management software, how do you find software with all these features, additional helpful resources for hard cider entrepreneurs, the four major areas of any cidery business plan.
As a cidery, your inventory is the foundation of your business. You must have the right quantity of batch ingredients, packaging materials, and finished product on hand at all times to fulfill future needs and avoid spending too much money when there’s no demand. Get these processes set up in your cidery business plan before you hit the ground running:
- Keeping track of inventory. If you purchase an item or it is depleted in the production process, how will your team know about it? (Note: Most teams start with clipboards and spreadsheets, but quickly learn this is far from a foolproof or comprehensive method, especially as you grow.)
- Inventory reorder forecasting. How will you know when it’s time to order more of an ingredient or packaging item? How will you align those needs with upcoming batches and sales orders?
Once you have the inventory you need, you can focus on creating recipes and making your first batches. Here are some things to consider before you get started:
- Fruit sourcing. Is your cidery located on an apple orchard, or will you need to source apples from a local farm?
- Grinding/pressing equipment. If you’re sourcing apples from elsewhere, are you getting them raw/unpressed and pressing your own juice? Or are you buying fresh juice directly to make your life easier? If you decide to press your own juice, you’ll need to acquire grinding and pressing equipment.
- Fermentation tanks. How large a fermenter do you need (or can you afford) in the beginning? Stainless steel tanks are the most common and come in a variety of sizes, from 290 liters (77 gallons) to 530 liters (140 gallons) and beyond.
- Carbonation. Do you plan to capture natural CO2 with a gravity filler or add carbonation through a secondary fermentation process (assuming you’re carbonating them at all)? The answer determines what types of equipment you’ll need, in addition to how high your equipment costs will be. (Note: The production process won’t be cheap no matter what — it’s more about determining whether your highest costs will be equipment or labor. See this post from Cidernomics for more details.)
Like with all areas of your business, it’s ideal to have someone (or several people, eventually) on staff as a full-time salesperson. But realistically, in the beginning you’ll likely have a small group of people wearing many hats. That means you’ll have to work extra hard to create business partnerships and make those initial sales. It’s certainly not impossible.
When it comes to sales for your cidery business plan, you should think through these things:
- Distribution. Did you know that almost half of all cideries self-distribute while a whopping 82% use a third-party distributor? What’s your speed? Will you use a third-party beverage distributor or self-distribute your products? If the latter is the case, consider obtaining a dedicated van or truck for deliveries.
- Sales orders and invoices. How will you keep track of incoming sales orders and outgoing invoices? How will you keep records of whether a business has paid you? We’ve found that using technology to keep your sales team organized can help you sell more!
- Customer relationship management. Where will you store customer (or distributor) information so you know their order history, order preferences, and other important details? (Hint: Some sort of CRM system is ideal.) According to the 2022 report Building a Tech Stack: An Analysis of Breweries & Cideries , 53% of breweries and cideries are using their business management software to manage their customer information. Technology is becoming more and more prevalent in the alcohol sales space. We have also found that producers tracking all inventory and sales activities through a system like Ekos can identify 5-10% more product to sell that would otherwise be forgotten in a dark corner of the warehouse, slowly spoiling.
- DTC Sales. Picking a POS, ecommerce, or club system that’s right for your cidery can be a challenge. Looking for what’s most popular? Check this out to see what systems your peers are using. Our tech stack report found that 38% of breweries and cideries use Square as their POS system, 19% use Arryved , and 16% use Toast. No program is one-size-fits-all, so do your research here!
Remember everything from your Accounting 101 class in college? No? Never even took Accounting 101? You’re not the only one. Unfortunately you will need to know the basics in order to keep an eye on how your business is doing and make sure you’re reporting accurate information to tax authorities.
It’s smart to use some type of accounting software, like QuickBooks or Xero , to keep track of everything. We also recommend finding a business management software solution that integrates with these programs. That way, your inventory, production, and sales numbers can sync right into your accounting platform. You’ll thank us later when you’re relaxing at home instead of doing data entry (yuck!). It’s also important to have someone (whether it’s a part-time bookkeeper, a contracted CPA, or a full-time CFO) dedicated to managing your cidery’s finances. As the owner, you’ll have your hand in a little bit of everything. It can be tough to find time to crunch numbers (and ensure they are accurate). Plus, it’s always best to have someone who actually knows a thing or two about accounting in charge of, well, accounting.
Before you start producing and selling, make sure you know how to handle these items:
- Setting up your chart of accounts. Will you treat taproom sales separately from wholesale? What categories are important for you to track? Who will ultimately be responsible for ensuring your chart of accounts is organized responsibly?
- TTB reporting. If you’re totally new to the cider industry, it might surprise you to learn that the TTB (the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) regulates cider as a wine. Make sure you know what you’ll need to submit and how often (see Additional Resources at the end of this post).
The Crucial Piece Your Cidery Business Plan Is Missing
Everything mentioned above is a basic part of any inventory-based business, so you should be somewhat familiar with each of them before reading this post. But there is something many first-time cidery owners fail to consider. What tools will you use to manage all that information? How will you stay sane when there are ingredients to order, batches to make, invoices to check on, sales to fulfill, and tax reports to file?
First, take a deep breath. Then explore the world of craft beverage business management software . Designed to help you optimize every aspect of your business from inventory and production to sales and accounting. Cider software will help you keep track of ingredients and packaging items, create a batch schedule viewable by your entire team, manage sales orders and invoices, and sync (or import) your financial data into your chosen accounting software. Plus, the best systems also help you compile the data you need to stay compliant with tax authorities — easily one of the biggest headaches as a hard cidery owner.
While the options for cider software aren’t as vast as other related industries, there are still a handful of contenders in the market. It can be confusing for owners to sift through software websites and try to figure out what’s best for your cidery business plan.
To help you save time on the research process, here’s a list of things that your chosen cidery management software should be able to do (if it’s any good):
- Track your cider inventory with a visual floor plan or in reporting format, depending on your preference
- Help you save on inventory costs by tracking incoming sales orders and basing inventory purchases on that information
- Automatically calculate production costs and plan for future batches based on past ingredient and packaging costs
- Create custom cider recipes and save them for future use
- Easily record split and blended batches to reflect how your production process actually works
- Allow you to confidently fulfill orders with on-the-spot inventory checks
- Generate invoices and sync them to major accounting software tools like QuickBooks or Xero
- Create custom sales and production dashboards with all your key metrics and save custom reports
- Access information from any device so your team can use it from anywhere — from sales reps on the road to the team on the production floor
Additionally, the company that makes the cider software should allow your team to provide direct feedback to their product specialists that is then considered for new feature releases. That way, you know the company is constantly working to improve the software for their users.
That part is easy — choose Ekos . At Ekos, we are committed to helping craft cider makers in the U.S. and around the world make more cider with intuitive business management tools. Ekos’s cidery management software offers everything we mentioned above in one easy-to-use system that is tailored to the needs of cider makers. Each registered user on your team gets their own custom dashboard based on their specific role in your cidery, from management to sales, inventory, production, and beyond. We work with you directly to get your team set up and ensure you feel comfortable using Ekos as part of your daily routine. Plus, with personalized customer support and an expansive Knowledge Base filled with helpful instructional resources, we’re always here to help. Reach out to us today to schedule your free demo and see how Ekos gives you the power to organize and optimize your cidery’s operations.
Go to Cider Business School — for Free!
Not there yet? No worries. Get more business management tips by watching our CEO, Josh McKinney, present this year’s Cider Business School. Our yearly webinar shares industry challenges, opportunities for growth, and best practices for saving you time and resources day in and day out at the cidery.
Hard Cider Sales Slip and Then Rebound (Forbes) The Cost of That Fizz in Your Cider (Cidernomics) TTB Cider Resources TTB Application Process for Becoming a Member of the Wine Industry
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Brewery Business Plan
Are you thinking of starting a brewery business We have prepared a solid brewery business plan sample that guides you on every stage of your business plan writing
If you like to brew different flavors of drinks or have a microbrewery, you might have thought of starting a proper brewery business.
And the good news is that the brewery industry is now bigger than ever and continues to grow at a rapid pace.
If you are planning to start a new Brewery business, the first thing you will need is a business plan. Use our sample Kingfisher – Brewery Business Plan created using upmetrics business plan software to start writing your business plan in no time.
Before you start writing your business plan for your new brewery business, spend as much time as you can reading through some examples of Farm & Food Production-related Business Plans .
Industry Overview
The global beer market stood at a value of 623.2 billion dollars in 2020 and is expected to grow at a rapid rate thereafter too.
The main reason behind the rise is cultural changes and the growing acceptance of alcohol across the globe.
Moreover, the brewery business is growing due to differences in preferences of alcohol-free to low alcohol beers and the ones with different flavors.
Today’s consumers aim towards maintaining a better lifestyle along with socializing. Hence, demand for low alcohol beers is on the rise and a brewery can serve that and more.
Things to Consider Before Writing a Brewery Business Plan
Now you might want to get started as soon as possible. But before you start working on your business plan keep the following things in mind:
Decide on a menu and acquire resources
Though a lot depends on individual demands, having a certain set of items and proportions that work is important for a brewery business.
Moreover, it is also important to know what works best for the majority of your customers so you can have a handy set of ingredients.
Stay up to date with your consumer’s preferences
The main purpose of a brewery is to provide a quality customer experience. What sets a brewery apart from a usual bar is the experience that comes with selecting your ideal flavors and proportions.
Know your competitors
Knowing what your competitors are doing is essential to do better than them. The brewery business is huge but it is also very competitive at the same time.
Chalking out Your Business Plan
Reading sample business plans will give you a good idea of what you’re aiming for. It will also show you the different sections that entrepreneurs include and the language they use to write about themselves and their business plans.
We have created this Kingfisher – Brewery Business Plan template for you to get a good idea about how perfect a brewery business plan should look and what details you will need to include in your stunning business plan.
Then again it’s no surprise because the demand for unique and different things is growing irrespective of the business. And a brewery can offer just that for beers.
Brewery Business Plan Outline
This is the standard brewery business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.
- Mission Statement
- Vision Statement
- Products and Services
- Customer Focus
- Management Team
- Keys to Success
- 3 Year profit forecast
- Startup cost
- Industry Analysis
- Market Trends
- Market Needs
- Target Market
- SWOT Analysis
- Marketing Strategy
- Ongoing Customer Communications
- Pre-Opening Events
- Online Marketing
- Pricing Strategy
- Operation Functions
- Administrative Functions
- Important Assumptions
- Brake-even Analysis
- Profit Yearly
- Gross Margin Yearly
- Projected Cash Flow
- Projected Balance Sheet
- Business Ratios
After getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this sample brewery business plan template into your business plan and modify the required information and download your brewery business plan pdf or doc file.
It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan.
Business Planning Resources
We have plenty of free business planning resources available to help you with your planning. You can download our resources to learn all about business planning.
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Your Farm's Business Plan
A good farm business plan is your roadmap to start-up, profitability, and growth, and provides the foundation for your conversation with USDA about how our programs can complement your operation. Your business plan will be a living document that you can change as your vision and circumstances shift.
On This Page
Key resources for planning your business, farm service agency (fsa).
Staff at your local service center, as well as your State Beginning Farmer Coordinator can connect you to local resources in your community to help you establish a successful business plan. If you are applying for a loan your loan officer will review your business plan and assist you in translating your plan and farm vision to your application.
This FSA business plan template is part of the application and shows you the type of information you should gather when preparing your plan and application materials.
The Score Mentorship Program partners with USDA to provide:
- Free, local support and resources, including business planning help, financial guidance, growth strategies
- Mentorship through one-on-one business coaching -- in-person, online, and by phone
- Training from subject matter experts with agribusiness experience
- Online resources and step-by-step outlines for business strategies
Learn more about the program through the Score FAQ .
Other Farm Business Resources
- Extension.org is an online community for the Cooperative Extension program where you can find publications and ask experts for advice.
- The Small Business Administration offers information about starting, managing, and transitioning a business.
- FarmAnswers.org , from the University of Minnesota, includes business planning guides like this Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses and several key tax guides .
- Publication 225 - The Farmer's Tax Guide from IRS.gov.
- USA.gov provides Small Business Tax Information and state-specific business resources .
Special Considerations
- Organic Farming has unique considerations. See USDA’s Is Organic an Option for Me? , NRCS’s Organic Website , and the National Organic Program.
- Value Added Products – Check out Agricultural Marketing Resource Center ( AgMRC ) resources.
- Starting a Cooperative? Check out How to Start a Cooperative from USDA’s Rural Development Agency (RD). Cooperative Development Centers , partially funded by RD, can also provide guidance.
- Urban Farming has special opportunities and restrictions. Learn how USDA can help at farmers.gov/urban .
- Getting Involved Locally – Check your local community for agricultural events, conferences or meetings to attend as well as any farmers markets or food hubs.
Conservation and Risk Management
Another key tool is a conservation plan, which determines how you want to improve the health of your land. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service can help you develop a conservation plan for your land, based on your goals, at your local USDA Service Center .
A conservation plan can help you layout your plan to address resource needs, costs and schedules. Learn more about conservation in agriculture .
Crop insurance, whole farm revenue protection and other resources can help you prepare for unforeseen challenges. Learn more about disaster recovery .
Prepare for Your Visit to a USDA Service Center
Once you've written out a business plan for your operation, prepare for your visit to a USDA service center. During your visit, we can help you with the necessary steps to register your business and get access to key USDA programs.
Learn more about how to work with your USDA Service Center
Setting Up and Financing Your Business
Tips to consider when setting up your business.
Use the New Farmers Checklist to understand the steps you might need to take before setting up your operation.
- Determine the legal structure of your business whether it may be a sole proprietorship, partnership, Limited Liability Company (LLC), corporation, S corporation, nonprofit, or cooperative.
- Register your business with your state government.
- Obtain a Tax Identification Number from the IRS and your state revenue agency .
- Register for state and local taxes to obtain a Tax Identification Number, workers' compensation and unemployment and disability insurance.
- Obtain the necessary business licenses and permits .
- Understand the legal steps you'll need to take to hire employees.
Learn more about how you can get funding for your operation on our Land and Capital page .
Learn more about opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers .
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Brewery Business Plan Template
NOV.11, 2016
Brewery business plan for starting your own business
Do you know that the global alcohol consumption has increased by as much as 10% from 1990 to 2017. Experts of the industry are predicting an ever faster increase. It is being forecasted that this number will go up another 10% by the end of this decade.
Add to that the fact that the global average consumption for all people over the age of 15 currently stands at 6.5 liters of pure alcohol a year or around 55 1-liter bottles of standard 12% alcohol content wine.
We will be giving you a business plan for brewery that you can use to start a brewery business. Before we tell you how to open a brewery, you need to know that we will be using tried and tested marketing strategies restaurants .
Executive Summary
2.1 the business.
Joe’s Liquor will be a registered and insured alcohol producer based in Dougherty, Texas. It will be owned by Joe Colombo. The business will make beer, whiskey, and non-alcoholic malted beverages. The products will be supplied all over the state of Texas in the start and the business will expand to other states in the years to come.
2.2 Management of Brewery Business
In order to start a brewery, the first thing you need to do is to have a strong management plan for the business. Joe will hire 5 managers and will himself act as the chief executive of the business.
The managers will be responsible for marketing, procurement, research, sales, and operations. Every one of the managers will be responsible for the people working in his department and will report all important matters to Joe as and when they show up.
All brewery business plans need to allow for innovation. The research manager will be given enough budget to fuel research and come up with new products.
2.3 Customers of Brewery Business
After taking the advice of various business consultants , Joe has decided to provide the following products to the following customers from his brewery business.
- Bars and pubs.
- Hotels and casinos.
- Liquor stores.
- Grocery stores that sell liquor.
2.4 Business Target
If you want to know how to start a brewery, you need to know the goals and targets.
The target of Joe’s Liquor is to:
- Establish themselves as a trustworthy brand.
- Be the largest supplier of liquor in Texas 5 years after starting.
- Innovating and making drinks specific to them.
Company Summary
3.1 company owner.
Joe Colombo will be the owner of the company. He is not only the sole financer of this venture but also has a vast experience in the field too. His father owned and operated the largest brewery in the US after prohibition. Joe knows the business inside out.
3.2 Why the Brewery Business is being started?
Joe has a passion for making the best liquor. This brewery business plan example also focuses on the fact that Joe is starting this business because it is a lucrative one. A single barrel of fine beer can bring as much as $150 in revenue and costs under $50 to make.
This means that if Joe’s Liquor manages to make even 100 barrels a week, they can turn in more than $10,000 in profits, every week. This lucrative scope of profit is one of the key reasons Joe is starting a brewery. This plan is easily more profitable than any business plan online store .
3.3 How the Brewery Business will be started?
Step1: Planning Phase
Planning is the first step in starting a craft brewery. In this phase, everything from the location of the plant to the sales and marketing will be tentatively planned. This brewery business plan sample will cover all the aspects of planning needed to start a brewery.
Step2: Establishing a Brand
Unlike an online dating business plan , a brewery needs to make a brand. People only buy booze that is branded. We’ll focus our marketing effort at establishing a strong brand.
Step3: Establish Sales Office
The moment the brewery starts churning out beer and wine, you’ll have to have a sales office where you can orchestrate the sales form.
Step4: Establish a Web Presence
You need to be present on the internet to make sure that people know of your existence and what your brand is about. Just like a video games business plan , web presence is a must.
Step5: Promote and Market
You will need to market the business good enough for people to know that you mean business, serious business.
Services of Brewery Business
The next thing we need to cover in this brewery business plan template are the services that will be provided by the business. Because, before you can even get to start your own brewery, it is important for you to know the services. .
As a brewery is more of a products business than a services one, making it much like a business plan for an internet startup , the services will be more like products.
Here’s a list of services that Joe’s Liquor will be providing.
- Beer and Wine Supply to Bars – Bars will be one of the largest consumers of our products. We will supply beer and wine of the highest quality and will make sure that we never delay the delivery. Bars will be our long-term and permanent customers as they have customers who demand the same beer once they start liking it.
- Liquor Supply to Hotels – The next service we’ll be providing will be supplying beer, alcohol, and other drinks to hotels. These will not be in a large number but each one of them will buy quite a bit of our product. This will make them one of our major streams of revenue.
- Medical Alcohol Supply – As doctors need a lot of alcohol for different purposes, we will be producing medical grade denatured alcohol to supply to the hospitals. This will establish Joe’s Liquor as a company with concern for the society.
- Alcohol Supply to End Consumer – We will open factory outlets in different cities to sell our product on a discounted price. This will be done to increase brand awareness and attract more customers.
Marketing Analysis of Brewery Business
Immigration business plan.
Having an in-depth knowledge of the market you are going to enter is of paramount importance. This brewery business plan model will cover all the aspects of starting a brewery business plan including the marketing analysis.
If we look at the trends on the consumption of alcohol over the last couple of decades, we can notice a steady increase in the consumption of this stuff. However, there are also hundreds of small and large breweries in the US making beer and wine. It makes this industry not so easy to penetrate. If you want to make serious profits, your business plan brewpub needs to focus a lot on innovation and bringing novelty to the game. Running a successful brewery without that is just not possible.
One of the most important steps to opening a brewery include an in-depth study of the following. If you want to know how to start brewery business, you need to focus on these.
5.1 Market Trends
The liquor industry is a mind boggling $1.47trillion dollar market that is going to see a whopping 10% increase in consumption within this decade. If we have a look at the landscape of the industry in the US, it can be noted that people are preferring locally made beer and wine over the exotics. This is a promising fact for anyone trying to enter the liquor market in the USA.
5.2 Marketing Segmentation
The marketing segmentation of Joe’s Liquor will look something like this:
5.2.1 Bars and Pubs
Some of the most important and permanent customers of the products of Joe’s Liquor will be the bars and pubs all over the state of Texas. These institutions will buy the product in bulk and will most probably make a long-term business relationship with the manufacturer. We will offer them a discounted rate on bulk purchase.
5.2.2 Hotels and Casinos
This segment of the market will also be bulk customer, but they will not buy very much at the start. People going to these places generally prefer established brands. We will make a brand in time but we’ll hopefully not get a lot of business from this market segment in the starting years.
5.2.3 Individual Customers
To cater the needs of drinkers we’ll open factory outlets in the major towns where people can buy the stuff. These sales will also be little in the start but will soon grow once we prove the quality.
5.2.4 Medical Facilities
This market segment will be an atypical one. We hope to make a name in this area because there is not much of a competition in this market segment.
5.3 Business Target
- To be one of the leading beer and wine producers in the US.
- Opening three new manufacturing units by the end of the first year.
- Establishing a brand and making a brand image that will drive sales and earn us loyal customers.
5.4 Product Pricing
We will price the products as per the trends of the industry. However, discounts will be provided in the start and to bulk buyers. The discounts for bars, hotel, pubs, casinos, and liquor stores will be negotiated and decided on a case-to-case basis.
Marketing Strategy of Brewery Business
The next thing to include in a brewery business plan marketing strategy is the marketing strategy that we will be adopting. This is because you need to have a solid marketing plan for <staring>starting your own brewery business plan to be successful.
We will aim our marketing efforts at highlighting what we provide that others do not. This is the only way to enter this market. Unlike a business plan for a video game company , this marketing plan needs to rely on strategic marketing owing to the competition.
6.1 Competitive Analysis
- Joe’s Liquor will provide the best beer in the whole idea and will offer new flavors that competitors do not offer.
- We will keep the prices low in the start to make sure we get customers.
- We will focus on delivering consistently good quality throughout the years of us being in the business.
- We will specifically focus on the medical market as that is still a relatively untapped segment of the alcohol market.
6.2 Sales Strategy
- We’ll be using all the digital marketing channels to market the brand.
- We will offer discounts and promotions for all of the market segments in the start.
- Our focus in the first year will be to build up sales as best we can even at the least profit margin.
6.3 Sales Monthly
6.4 Sales Yearly
6.5 Sales Forecast
Personnel plan
If you need to know how to start a brewery business plan, a personnel plan is one of the most important aspects of it. Unlike starting a virtual assistant business , this business requires a lot of skilled staff to be fully functional.
7.1 Company Staff
- Joe Colombo will be the CEO.
- 5 Managers for Operations, Procurement, Liaison, Operations, and sales.
- 1 Engineer to help with running the plant.
- 4 Operators to run the plant.
- 2 Truck drivers.
- 3 Car drivers.
- 3 Security guards.
7.2 Average Salary of Employees
Financial plan.
The last and probably the most important thing needed to make this business plan is to have an estimate of start a brewery cost. Although the actual costs can only be known once the business starts, here are some that you need to keep in mind.
- The cost of leasing/buying the land to set up the brewery.
- The cost of machinery needed to make the plant operational.
- The salaries of the staff for the first year.
- The cost of marketing and promotion.
- The cost of buying/leasing vehicles for delivery.
- The cost of equity if the business is being started on loaned money.
8.1 Important Assumptions
8.2 break-even analysis.
8.3 Projected Profit and Loss
8.3.1 profit monthly.
8.3.2 Profit Yearly
8.3.3 Gross Margin Monthly
8.3.4 Gross Margin Yearly
8.4 Projected Cash Flow
8.5 Projected Balance Sheet
8.6 business ratios.
Download Brewery Business Plan Sample in PDF
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- Steps for Starting a Limited Brewery (Farm Brewery)
Thank you for considering what it takes to open a limited brewery in Loudoun County! This area has become a beer lover’s destination thanks to talented brewers and entrepreneurs like you.
This page is designed to give you an overview of important considerations before establishing a limited brewery, frequently called a farm brewery, but your specific situation may have different requirements. The Revised 1993 Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance is the ruling document.
Working with Loudoun County and Virginia Commonwealth staff will help verify that those requirements are met. Our combined goal is to ensure that your operation is safe for customers so that your business can be successful.
Before establishing a farm brewery, it is important to understand what is permitted with that use. A farm brewery is subject to Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) regulations and applicable federal laws. A farm brewery is a farm first and brewery second, which means that your business can:
- Grow, produce and harvest grains, hops, fruit and other agricultural products;
- Produce and manufacture beer;
- Offer for sale, taste and consumption of beer premises during regular business hours;
- Directly sell and ship beer;
- Store and warehouse beer;
- Sell beer-related items that are incidental to the sale of beer;
- Host educational activities and events.
Limited breweries are not commercial/full-service kitchens, restaurants, or catering operation, however, you may choose to apply for a separate restaurant use if allowed in the zoning district.
Events associated with on-site beer production are regulated by ABC. Special events open to the public or private parties not open to the public and are by invitation only, such as weddings or wedding receptions, are regulated by Loudoun County (see Zoning Ordinance Section 5-500(C) , Special Events).
While this page focuses on limited breweries, think about what additional uses (if any) you might consider later. Communicating these additional uses to Loudoun County and Virginia Commonwealth staff up front can help avoid surprises later in the process. If you have questions at any point, please contact Loudoun Economic Development at 1-800-LOUDOUN.
Detailed contact information for County and Commonwealth regulatory departments can be found at the bottom of this page.
Considerations Before You Buy:
Before you make any investment in the property, make sure that the parcel is zoned for your intended limited brewery. Ask yourself these questions:
Is your parcel zoned for a farm brewery? Contact the Department of Planning and Zoning to verify.
The Zoning Ordinance provides specific development and use requirements, and your business needs a clear determination about what is allowed. Farm breweries can only be on parcels zoned AR-1, AR-2, A-3 or A-10 with a minimum of 10 acres, either owned or leased. Planning and Zoning can also tell you if there are development regulations for your business, such as restrictions on structure size and location, signage, road width and access. They can also determine the required parking and landscaping. The parcel must also meet requirements of Section 5-667 , which may be modified by Minor Special Exception.
Does the parcel have adequate well and septic to support the use? Contact the Health Department to verify.
Farm breweries are located on parcels typically serviced by wells and septic systems. The Health Department will make the determination if your parcel’s systems can support a farm brewery. If the systems are inadequate, Health can help get your public well and septic paperwork started with the Virginia Department of Health.
Do you plan to serve food on premises? Contact Department of Planning and Zoning and the Health Department with questions.
Whether it’s a snack bar, mobile food truck or commercial kitchen (restaurant), Planning and Zoning can answer any question as to the type of food service allowed and the Health Department can answer any questions on food service regulations or direct you to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for limited food service approval.
Are you in an “environmentally sensitive” area? Contact Department of Building and Development to verify.
Whether you plan to construct buildings, parking, or just move some earth, there may be restrictions in a Floodplain Overlay District (Zoning Ordinance Section 4-1500 ), Mountainside Overlay District ( Section 4-1600 ), Limestone Overlay District ( Section 4-1900 ), or Steep Slopes ( Section 5-1508 ).
Have you factored in location setbacks? Contact Department of Planning and Zoning to confirm.
A minimum amount of space is needed between your construction site and property boundaries or roads, whether for parking or structures. Setbacks vary, depending on your zoning district, type of business and the type of road that your parcel fronts. See Zoning Ordinance Section 5-600 and 5-900 for definitions.
Do you need to submit site plans? Contact Department of Building and Development to confirm.
Depending on your projects, you might have to submit a site plan, rural economy site plan or sketch plan to the engineering team in Building and Development.
Considerations Before You Break Ground:
Once you have property, a business plan and a blueprint, there are steps to reach construction approval. Ask yourself these questions:
Do you need a grading permit? Contact Department of Building and Development to confirm.
If you’re planning to disturb more than 5,000 square feet of land, which includes applying gravel or other materials, or move dirt in any “environmentally sensitive” area, you will need a grading permit.
Do you need a building permit? Contact Department of Building and Development to confirm.
Whether you’re building new or altering the use of an existing structure, you will need a building permit from Building and Development, unless it is exempt under Virginia law ( Click to apply for exemption ). Safety is an important consideration for farm breweries, so we encourage all rural businesses to utilize minimum fire and life safety standards. Going through the permitting process ensures that details of your plan aren’t overlooked. This reduces surprises later and could help in getting your space insured.
Do you need to modify access to roads? Contact the Virginia Department of Transportation to verify and Department of Planning and Zoning with questions.
If your parcel is accessible by state roads, access points may need to be improved to accommodate customer traffic. If so, you will need permit approval from VDOT. Department of Planning and Zoning can answer any question as to whether on-site driveways may need to be improved.
Do you need a zoning permit? Contact Department of Building and Development to verify.
A zoning permit is required for new construction or the expansion of existing structures, to start a new use or to change use (turning another rural business into a limited brewery) or business expansions that add new uses.
Considerations Before Opening for Business:
Once you have completed the construction process, there are a few more considerations before opening to the public. Ask yourself these questions:
Do you have a license to serve or sell alcohol? Contact Virginia ABC for information.
Whether you plan to serve, sell or retail alcohol on premises, you will need a Virginia Limited Brewery license from Virginia ABC.
Do you plan to use exterior signage? Contact Department of Building and Development for information.
Signs are an important factor in marketing your business and attracting customers. Contact Building and Development for the permitted size and type of signs, then apply for a sign permit.
Have you had a fire inspection? Contact the Loudoun Fire Marshal to schedule an appointment.
The Fire Marshal must inspect to determine that your property and structures are safe for the public to use, and accessible for emergency personnel. You will also need an approved fire safety and evacuation plan, as required by the Loudoun County Fire Prevention Code.
Do you have enough parking? Contact the Department of Planning and Zoning for information.
There is no required minimum number of parking spaces at a limited brewery. However, for the sake of your customers, you might want to consider what will be enough to serve the best interests of your business.
There is a lot to consider as you imagine or expand your rural business. Loudoun County has resources to assist in planning, permitting and growing your rural business.
LOUDOUN COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Commonwealth of virginia.
- Rural Business Uses in Loudoun County
- Starting an Agritainment Business
- Steps for Starting a Banquet/Event Facility
- Steps for Starting a Bed & Breakfast Homestay
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Home » Business ideas » Food Processing Industry » Microbrewery Business
How to Start a Microbrewery Business in 15 Steps
Are you interested in starting a microbrewery / Nano brewery business? If YES, here is a complete guide to starting a microbrewery at home with no money and no experience; plus a sample microbrewery business plan template and microbrewery marketing plan. Starting a brewery plant is sure expensive. Also, at the same time it is a profitable business venture.
The mere fact that entrepreneurs who intend investing in the brewery industry have the option of starting on a small scale – microbrewery makes the industry open to both big – time investors and small investors. As a matter of fact, most entrepreneurs who may have plans to launch theirs might not have the start – up capital to build a standard brewery, which is why it is easier to find microbreweries scattered all around the united states.
Beers are one of the drinks that are generally consumed in most parts of the world except for few countries (mostly Arab countries where sharia law is practiced). As a result, there is a large market for beer no matter the quantity you produce per time- which is why starting a brewery business is considered to be a profitable venture.
No doubt, if you have the skills to brew beers of various flavors, then you need not waste time because you can turn your knowledge and experience into money spinning venture by starting your own microbrewery in any city in the United States of America.
A standard brewery is a plant where beer is brewed in large quantity – this is usually well above 15,000 barrels of beer annually by fermentation. On the other hand, a microbrewery or craft brewery as it is called in some quarters, is a brewery (plant) that produces a small amount of beer per time (at most 15,000 barrels of beer annually). It is indeed a small scale brewery that can’t be compared to the conventional brewery plants and it is usually owned independently.
In order words, any entrepreneur who has some cash and brewing technique can comfortably start his or her own microbrewery business in the United States. Generally, the selling point for microbrewery is characterized by their emphasis on their unique flavor, the quality of their beer and their brewing technique.
What Does It Take to Start a Microbrewery Successfully?
It is important to state that before you can successfully launch your brewery plant in the United States of America, you are expected to meet certain laid down rules and regulations. First and foremost, you are expected to apply and get approval (license) from the Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau (TTB), state wholesale license and any other license that is required by the local authority where you intend operating from.
It is TTB that has the authority to approve your beer label and the facility that you intend brewing your beer from. As a matter of fact, official from TTB would have to conduct site inspection of your brewery plant before you can be given the go ahead to start brewing beer for public consumption and this process usually takes between 6 months to one year to complete.
15 Steps to Starting a Microbrewery Business
1. understand the industry.
According to statistics made available by the Brewers Association of America, the overall sale of beer in the United States grew by 0.5 percent, the volume sale of craft beer grew by 17.6 percent, and the sale of import beer grew by 6.8 percent, while the export of craft beer from the U.S. to other countries grew by 39 percent.
The overall beer market in the United States is worth $101.5 Billion in 2014 and the overall craft beer market is worth $19.6 Billion (experiencing about 22 percent sales growth).
Interesting Statistics About the Industry
Statistics has it that The United States of America is the second leading country in global beer production with an amount of about 224 million hectoliters of beer. For instance, in 2011, the United States of America was ranked 15 th in the world in per capita beer consumption. The total numbers of registered breweries in the United States is 3,464.
A standard brewery plant is expected to brew well over 15,000 barrels of beer annually and should have at least a region presence. In other words, any brewery that has the capacity to produce less than 15,000 barrels of beer annual is considered a microbrewery in the United States of America and in most parts of the world.
This is why most people who venture into the beer production business start microbreweries because it requires very minimal startup costs than when compared to a standard brewery.
Records have it that loads of entrepreneurs started making money from microbrewery business as far back as 1970s. It started in the united kingdom before spreading to other parts of the world. Owners of microbreweries became more creative and they were able to brewery their own unique beer and sell them in their own pub or restaurant. With that, they were able to increase their productions and maximize profits.
Ever since the introduction of microbrewery in the United States in 1982, there has been a tremendous growth in the industry so much so that the Brewers Association of America reported that in 2012 there were 2,075 regional craft breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs in the U.S. and they are indeed contributing their own quarter in the growth of the U.S. economy.
Despite the fact that there are well over 3,000 registered breweries in the United States the industry can’t be said to be saturated, as there are rooms for entrepreneurs and investors who are interested in the industry to still start their own breweries in the United States. Although starting a new brewery in the United States may require aggressive marketing, because there are well established breweries you will be contending with for the available market.
Some of the factors that motivates and encourage entrepreneurs to venture into brewery business is the fact that there is a vast market for beers and of course the business is profitable especially if you are able to penetrate the existing market within the region you intend launching your brewery plant.
2. Conduct Market Research and Feasibility Studies
- Demographics and Psychographics
When it comes to selling beers, there is indeed a wide range of available customers. In essence, the demographics and psychographics can’t be restricted to just a group of people, but all those who love beers and those who would want to try it out.
One thing is certain, if you are going to sell beer in the United States, it must be sold to people who are above 18 years not to under age. If you are looking towards starting a brewery, then you can be prepared to sell your beers to the following group of people;
- Corporate Executives
- Business People
- People in the entertainment industry
- Sports Men and Women
- Government Officials
- College Students who are above 18 years
3. Decide What Niche to Concentrate On
There are two basic niche ideas within the brewery industry that an entrepreneur who is looking towards starting a brewery business can choose from. They are;
- Standard Brewery Plant
- Micro–Brewery OR Craft Brewery
Aside from the sizes of breweries, breweries can choose to specialize in the brewing of different types / flavor of beers such as Pale Beers, Amber Beers, Dark Beers, Hebrew Beers, Gluten Free, Organic Brews, and Cider
The Level of Competition in the Industry
The fact that beers are consumed globally encourages entrepreneurs to come into the industry hence the level of competition in the industry.
There are different levels of competition in the brewery industry and it exists between companies that own larger breweries and also between companies that own microbreweries. It is normal for standard breweries whose beers are distributed regionally or nationally to compete with one another while microbreweries that operates within same location competes for the available market share.
It is also worth mentioning the breweries in the United State also compete with breweries from other countries simply because beers are imported from other countries into the United States.
The truth is that, despite the high level of competition in the brewery industry, entrepreneurs who run the business are still making their profits and some of them generate as high as 50 percent turnover rate especially those microbreweries / craft breweries that are well positioned and over time have been able to secure loads of loyal customers.
4. Know the Major Competitors in the Industry
- Anheuser-Busch Inc. – St. Louis, MO
- MillerCoors – Chicago, IL 0
- Pabst Brewing – Los Angeles, CA
- G. Yuengling and Son – Pottsville, PA
- Boston Beer, Co – Boston, MA
- North American Breweries – Rochester, NY
- Sierra Nevada Brewing – Chico, CA
- New Belgium Brewing – Fort, Collins, CO
- Craft Brew Alliance – Portland, OR
- Gambrinus – San Antonio, TX
- Lagunitas Brewing – Petaluma, CA
- Deschutes Brewery – Bend, OR
- Bell’s Brewery, Inc. – Galesburg, MI
- DuvelMoortgat USA – Kansas City & Cooperstown MO/NY
- Minhas Craft Brewery – Monroe, WI
- Brooklyn Brewery – Brooklyn, NY
- Stone Brewing – Escondido, CA
- Matt Brewing – Utica, NY
- Harpoon Brewery – Boston, MA
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery – Milton, DE
Economic Analysis
Launching a brewery plant is just like starting any other business and it requires that you conduct your feasibility studies and market survey. This is so as to get your economic analysis right. As a matter of fact, you just have to get your economic analysis right if your intention of building the business is to generate profits, grow the business and perhaps distribute your beers beyond a region to other regions within the United States and other cities in the world.
When conducting economic analysis for your brewery business, you have to critically examine these key factors; place, product, pricing, and promotion. As a matter of fact, you would have to continue to review these key factors at regular interval while operating your brewery business.
It is important for entrepreneurs who are interested in starting a brewery to be aware that running a microbrewery / craft brewery is different from running or operating a standard brewery plant. Running a standard brewery plant attracts additional responsibility like comprehensive distribution network, bureaucracies, growth strategy, and operational guidelines et al.
5. Decide Whether to Buy a Franchise or Start from Scratch
When it comes to choosing how you intend starting a business, you should be guided by your business vision and mission statement. In other words, if your aim of starting a brewery business is just to earn money and make a living without much stress, then you can afford to look for a successfully brewery company and buy their franchise.
But if your aim of starting a brewery business is to build a business brand that will grow from just distributing beers in one region to different cities all around the world, then starting from the scratch is your best bet.
Although starting a business from the very scratch might not be easy, but one thing is certain, if you are diligent and you apply the right business strategies per time, it wouldn’t be too long before your business brand becomes recognized not only in your city or state, but throughout the United States of America and the rest part of the world.
6. Know the Possible Threats and Challenges You Will Face
The threats and challenges that is likely going to confront a start – up brewery plant is the fact that they competing with already established brewery plants / microbreweries whose beers are generally accepted in the United States and also other brewery plants / microbreweries that are likely going to be opened within the same location.
You would have to go all out to compete for the available market in the region you intend distributing your beers. Other threats and challenges that you are likely going to face when you start your brewery business are economic downturns which usually affect purchasing powers and also unfavorable government policies.
7. Write a Business Plan
No matter the type of business or size of business you intend starting, it is a wise decision to first write a good business plan before taking any action. The truth is that, in order to successfully run a brewery business, you would need to have a good business plan in place.
A Business plan is the blue print that is needed to successfully run a business; with a workable business plan in place, you will reduce the trial and error approach of doing business. You will be able to manage your business with purpose and perhaps precisions; you will know what to do per time and how to handle challenges, growth and expansion.
So, if you want to start your own brewery business, you are required to write a detailed business plan that can pass reality test when subjected to it; you should work with the facts, figures and other indices in the industry as it applies to the location you intend establishing your brewery plant or microbrewery.
The whole idea of writing a business plan is not just for the sake of having a business document in place; but a detailed guide on how to effectively run your business from the scratch. Your business plan should outline and cover strategies on how you intend to manage your brewery business.
The rule of thumb in writing a business plan is to try as much as possible to be realistic and never to over project when putting figures on income and profits et al. As a matter of fact, it is safer to underestimate when writing a business plan so that you won’t be so disappointed when reality sets in. These are the key areas that should be covered in your business plan;
Executive summary and Company’s descriptions
You are expected to write about the concept of your business, descriptions of your company, your company’s vision statement, mission statement and where your company will be located and also if you intend selling out franchise or opening outlets in different cities in the United States of America and in other parts of the world.
Other key components that should not be missing in your brewery business plan are product offering, SWOT analysis, competitive analysis, marketing and sales analysis / strategies, target market, market goals, pricing, costing and financial projection, publicity and advertising strategy, expansion and growth strategies, budget and start – up capital generation et al.
8. Choose a Suitable Location for your Business
The fact that there different sizes of brewery plant / microbreweries scattered across the United States of America does not mean that brewery business can thrive in every location. Before choosing a location for your brewery business, ensure that you conduct a thorough feasibility studies and market survey.
There are possibilities of you coming across a brewery business that just closed shop in the location you want to open your brewery business can’t be ruled out. This is why it is very important to gather as much facts and figures before choosing a location to set – up your coffee shop business.
These are some of the factors that you should consider before choosing a location for your brewery business;
- The demography of the location
- The purchasing power of the residence of the location
- Accessibility of the location (for distributors)
- The numbers of brewery plants / microbreweries in the location
- The local laws and regulations in the community / state
- Traffic, parking and security et al (for microbreweries)
Over and above, the location you choose for your brewery should be a location that is easily accessible. If it is a microbrewery / craft brewery it should be centrally located in a residential area where people can easily visit to get their locally brewed beer without stress. So also if you operate a standard brewery, then you should choose a location that will be easier for wholesale distributors to transport beers from your plant to retailers.
9. Hire Employees for your Technical and Manpower Needs
When it comes to starting a brewery business, it is important to ensure that you acquire brand new equipment. As a matter of fact, brewery utensils and equipment are affordable. You would need the following equipment to successfully launch your brewery company;
- Steam Generators – electric
- Steam Generators – gas
- Malt mills / grinders
- Screw conveyors for malt grist
- Self-cooled fermentation & maturation tanks
- Maturation (lager) tank
- Serving (bright beer) tanks
- Cylindrical-conical fermentation tanks
- Open fermentation vats
- Yeast storage tanks
- Machines for washing a filling of kegs
- Plate Filters for filtering of beer and cider
- Candle diatomaceous earth filters for filtering of beer
- Candle diatomaceous earth micro filters for micro filtering of beer
- Stainless steel vessels (pressure tanks, jacketed refrigerated containers vessels with agitators, containers for yeast growing)
As regard employees, there are certain roles that must be occupied before you can effectively and successfully run a brewery business. For example, if you intend operating a microbrewery, then you would need to employ a:
- Plant Manager
- Micro Biologist / Chemist
- Bar Manager
- Bartender / Baristas
- Accountants / Cashiers
- Greeters / Customer Service Agent / Table Attendant
- Security Officers, and Cleaners
On the average, you would need a minimum of 10 – 15 employees.
The Service Delivery Process of the Business
There are basic steps in the brewing process and the steps include malting, milling, mashing, lautering, boiling, fermenting, conditioning, filtering, and packaging (bottling, canning et al). So also, there are three main fermentation methods that are employed in brewing. They are; warm, cool and spontaneous.
Fermentation might take place in an open or closed fermenting vessel; a secondary fermentation could also occur in the cask or bottle. There are also a number of additional brewing methods, such as barrel aging, and double dropping et al.
When it comes to brewing beer, the first step a brewer needs to take before getting to work is to ensure that their brewing grain is available and well prepared. If you are not going to be malting your own barley, it means you will either choose to mill or out rightly crush the grains. This significantly important step can help define the success of the brewing process.
In essence you just have to crush the grains enough so much so that it exposes the starchy center of the barley seed without causing any damage to the grain hulls that enclose them. For example, if the grain – crush is too course, not enough of the starch will be converted to fermentable sugars and also if the grain – crush is too fine, the husks, which act as a filter bed for the brew will be destroyed, and the brew will become sticky and unusable.
The success of a brewing process cannot be said to be complete if the packaging is not attractive; so ensure that you brand your packaging container to help you attract customers and also to promote your beer brand.
10. Write a Marketing Plan Packed with ideas & Strategies
Marketing your beers is perhaps a major part of your brewery plant business and as such you must employ an aggressive approach. This is so because there are well established breweries that have over tine been able to corner a good chunk of the available market and for you to get your own fair share; you must work hard and smart
These are some of the marketing ideas and strategies that you can adopt for your coffee shop business;
- Leverage on Direct Marketing
- Sponsor TV and Radio Programs
- Erect your Billboards in Strategic locations around the city
- Making use of sales Agents and sales reps
- Leverage on Online Marketing (via your official website, social media platforms and blog et al)
- Leverage on Referral Marketing
- Revenue Sharing Business Partners (Event Planners and Contractors)
- Public relations during exhibitions and corporate events
11. Work Out a Reasonable Pricing for your Services & Products
It is a fact that any fluctuation in cost of raw materials that are used in brewing beers directly impacts margins. One of the ways to get the right pricing and still make reasonable profit from the brewery business is to ensure that you buy your raw materials directly from a wholesale distributor or a farm market. This will help you to mitigate cost fluctuations.
You can as well employ only key employees and outsource some roles that are not essential. With that, you will be able to cut cost of running the business and that will in turn help you get the right pricing that will enable you sell at a lower price and in turn attract loads of customers.
12. Develop Iron-clad Competitive Strategies to Help You Win
When it comes to competing favorable in the brewery industry, then you must always come up with strategies that will give you leverage over your competitors. Your strategies should not be restricted to only marketing and promotion, you should also ensure that you come up with unique beer flavors.
The truth is that, it is natural for customers to try out new stuffs especially if the new product is well promoted and advertised. If they find out that the product meets their need, they are likely going to make up their mind to start buying the product going forward.
13. Brainstorm Possible Ways to Retain Clients & Customers
When it comes to retaining your customers in any business, you must work hard to continue to meet and even surpass their expectations whenever they buy your goods and services. The success of any business is directly proportional to the numbers of repeated business they are able to generate.
If a company is able to achieve over 60 percent retention the company will sure experience huge turn over. You should be able to perfect plans on how to improve your customer experience from time to time whenever they patronize your beers / locally brewed beers.
These are the ways you can make use of when it comes to improving your customer experience so that you can create a good impression and generate repeated sales from them:
- Ensures that your beer / locally brewed beers taste good at all times
- Ensure you get feedbacks from your customers at all times
- Give your customers the flexibility to choose from a wide range of assorted locally brewed beer.
- Give your customers to order for your locally brewed beers and get them delivered in any location of their choice within the area that we cover
- Make use of effective customer relationship management (CRM) software to effectively manage your clientele base.
- Ensures that you carry your clients along when making decisions that directly affect them.
14. Develop Strategies to Boost Brand Awareness and Create a Corporate Identity
Your business brand has to do with the way people perceive your business to be which is why you should be deliberate when it comes to communicating and promoting your brand.
In promoting your brand and corporate identity, you endeavor to leverage on both print and electronic media. As a matter of fact, it is cost effective to use social media platforms to promote your brands, besides it is pretty much effective. Here are the ways you can adopt to create brand identity of our brewery / microbrewery company
- Designed a unique corporate logo
- Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms
- Ensures that our workers wear our branded shirts at all times during working hours and also we will make sure we brand our vans, trucks and cars et al.
- Place our flexi banners with our company’s logo and contacts in strategic positions
- Sponsor relevant TV programs, Radio programs and community based programs
- Maximize our company’s website to promote our business
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook ,Twitter, LinkedIn, Badoo, Snap Chat, Google+ and other platforms to promote our corporate brand
- Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in targeted areas from time to time
15. Tips for Running a Microbrewery Business Successfully
The truth is that, irrespective of the kind of business you run, your ability to get all the members of your team on same page at all times is one of the keys you need to successfully run the organization. As the chief executive officer or plant manager of a brewery company, it is you responsibility to give direction to the business.
Part of what you need to do is to ensure that you create time for office meetings; a time where challenges, feedbacks, projections and relevant issues are discussed. The meetings could be daily, once in a week, twice a week or once in a month. The bottom line is that there should be consistent meetings in your organization.
Carrying out appraisals on a regular basis and training your employees will help you run your organization effectively. Encourage your employees to pursue certifications in their various areas of specialization; it will help your organization’s profile and of course it will help the individuals. You can choose to fully or partially sponsor some of the certifications.
Lastly, you should keep your doors open for suggestions from members of your team and your clients. It is very important to reward excellent performance in your organization; it will go a long way to encourage healthy competition in your organization.
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Craft Brewing Business
Professional Insight, Unfiltered
Craft a brewing business plan: Tips from a brewery in planning
May 14, 2013 Chris Crowell
How do you turn a brewing passion into a brewing business? Craft brewers across the country mull that question over each day, with each brewer needing to address regional challenges and seek new strategies for seizing opportunities. What sets you apart? Will your production/revenue equation justify your company’s existence?
Take Spencer O’Bryan and Brennan Mann, for example. The two had homebrewed and studied brewing as a hobby for much of the last decade, but then became interested in bringing this beer passion to a wider audience in their local area. Their local area also happens to be Denver, one of the more competitive areas for craft brewing in the country. Launching a new craft brewing brand here would require some serious strategic planning, which led them to the fall 2012 NxLeveL for Start-Ups course at the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which was a crash course in business plan writing.
“Right from the beginning, we knew we would need help in writing the business plan,” O’Bryan told Craft Brewing Business . “Not because we were incapable of piecing together the details or even formatting the plan properly, instead our goal was to use the classes to form a well thought-out plan in the quickest manner possible. We hoped that the classes would give us a good foundation for writing the business plan as well as expose details in the plan writing process that we otherwise would have overlooked. In addition, we used the class as a catalyst to get the business plan completed.”
In working through the business details in the class in order to construct the business plan, O’Bryan and Mann understood the goals and focus of their brewing venture on a whole different level.
“It forced us to consider what we really wanted to accomplish by opening a brewery,” O’Bryan said. “We learned that at our core we are about quality, community and transparency.”
“The plan also helped us as a team,” Mann said. “More often than not, we brought ideas to the table individually and came away with more comprehensive, better-formed ideas in the end.”
After the class, the business plans were submitted into a competition, and the team’s plan finished second out of 29 entries in the Denver Metro Regional Business Plan Competition. From there, the business plan was submitted to the 2012 Leading Edge Statewide Business Plan Competition. Their plan finished second again, this time out of the statewide pool consisting of 35 business plans.
According to the judges, the plan was ranked second because of the amount of detail included in the plan. It showed a clear understanding of the elements that needed to be addressed, including their executive summary, product description, market and marketing strategy, management and operations. Their assumptions were realistic and reasonable. The financial piece was presented in good form and followed generally accepted accounting principles that were consistent with the rest of the plan. Overall, the plan was clear and concise.
“The plan serves two purposes at this point,” O’Bryan said. “The first being to help define our business moving forward and provide a reference for operations. We realize that plans have to be a living thing, as constant change and adaptation are critical to success. Secondly, the plan helps relay the base plan for the business and operations to investors and lenders.”
The plan behind the plan
Our concern is making great beer that we love, not making a buck. But in reality, unless you have an extremely detailed way to track and predict finances, you won’t be able to make great beer for very long. — Spencer O’Bryan As the judges noted, the business plan stood out because of the detail, details that also helped better form the conception of the brewery, specifically with the marketing and financing pieces.
The marketing portion of the plan, for example, focused not only on how the team plans to bring its new beers to the market and become established as a part of the community, it also gave detailed statistics on which neighborhoods would be ready for a craft brewery. The financial portion went to a similar level of detail. It included detailed cash flow projections, even down to the projected sales of individual beer styles based on current market trends.
“It also forced us to consider cycle time for fermenters and brewhouse time,” O’Bryan said. “This is most definitely a portion of the plan that will change the moment we start to brew and sell beer, but it gives us a great baseline from which to work. Our concern is making great beer that we love, not making a buck. But in reality, unless you have an extremely detailed way to track and predict finances, you won’t be able to make great beer for very long.”
Other details that the two mapped out in the plan included the look and feel of the taproom, examples of labels and tap handles and exactly what they’d plan to do to fulfill the “community involvement” aspect of their company creed.
“We had so many great ideas during our plan writing process, the plan became a way to catalog everything,” Mann said.
Brewers, brewers everywhere
Many aspiring businesses come to market in order to fill a perceived void or market inefficiency. The United States is a big place, and craft brewers are now dotting the landscape in an effort to be that area’s local brewer and potentially more. But what about a place like Denver, Colo., which is where Mann and O’Bryan plan to set up shop? To some it might seem oversaturated, but geography was another important focus of the business plan, as the two used research to prove their concept.
“Craft brewing in Colorado is most definitely a land of competition, but competition breeds excellence,” O’Bryan said. We realize the number of breweries that are out there already in Denver and the number of breweries in planning as well. Therefore, choosing a location, we feel, is critical to success. The plan also included a detailed spatial analysis of locations which included market analysis, population and proximity to other breweries. There are plenty of breweries that devote their efforts to a stylistic or regional niche. We prefer to remain agnostic when it comes to style and regional preference.
“We plan on providing a community-centric brewery that provides not only a stable menu of style selections but also a rotating tap selection that provides some extremely creative beer styles. Regardless of whether a beer is one of our staples, a seasonal ale, a session-able lager or a small batch experiment, it will be huge in flavor, big in body and emboldened to push the palette of true craft beer drinkers.”
The ethos of the company is to create world-class beer and not creating obscure beer for a novelty’s sake, according to O’Bryan.
“At the same time we are not interested in creating beer that appeals to the masses,” he continued. “We are interested in creating beer that makes us excited as craft beer drinkers and constantly reminds us of why we started brewing beer in the first place. Second only to the beer is our dedication to run a brewery that focuses on serving our community, striving to source the highest quality Colorado ingredients and with every passing year become a more sustainable operation.”
Top four business plan tips
O’Bryan and Mann recommended these four tips for other aspiring craft brewers out there as they try to tackle their own detailed business plan.
- Read, read, read. Read books, studies, surveys, articles and anything else you can get your hands on. And just because you finish the plan, don’t stop reading.
- Be prepared to be as detailed as possible with your plan . It helps to define hidden costs, expose holes in your ideas and force all parts of the plan to work in concert.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions of brewers and breweries. You’d be surprised at what information and tips you can get.
- Research trademarks heavily if the name of your brewery is a critical component of your plan. We learned that lesson early on, thankfully.
The best laid plans…
Mann and O’Bryan are still searching for the right location for their brewery and actually are in the process of redeveloping the name because even the best laid plans will run into complications. Mann told us that they ran into a bit of trademark trouble with their original name, Halcyon Brewing.
“We were deeply disappointed when we learned from the trademark office that our application was rejected due to a likelihood of customer confusion with another brewery’s specific beer,” Mann said. “Due to this, we basically had to abandon everything we had worked on for the past year with respect to marketing. This really put us in a tailspin as to what we could do, as it seemed to us that literally every name we could think of was already swallowed up by a pre-existing brewery or winery.”
But as you’ve read, Mann and O’Bryan have done plenty of planning and research and did not get so far down the road in a hurry to launch that a brand rename would be a game-ender. Soon, the brewery formerly known as Halcyon will officially announce its new name and continue on its detailed path to opening a community craft brewery.
“Once we got our heads around this, it became apparent that we would need to develop something essentially bulletproof in effort to avoid the trademark issues so many breweries seem to be facing lately,” he continued. “With this in mind, we created a name that merged two words that describe our brewery: FERMÆNTRA. The moral of our story is, again, seriously research the hypothetical company name before you spend money on things like marketing materials and applications.”
This year, FERMÆNTRA hopes to open up with a 7-bbl system and produce about 300 bbls during its first year.
Reader Interactions
dannyogolo says
November 14, 2015 at 5:47 am
Im looking for someone to consult. we plan to open a craft brewery in Africa
May 16, 2013 at 3:45 pm
Craft a brewing business plan: Tips from a brewery in planning – Craft Brewing Business http://t.co/h8deujtv97
May 14, 2013 at 1:30 pm
RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Thanks to @Fermaentra for sharing its story for this feature on business plans and their role in starting a brewery. h…
May 14, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Thanks to @Fermaentra for sharing its story for this feature on business plans and their role in starting a brewery. http://t.co/tJFG7ASSC1
May 14, 2013 at 1:19 pm
RT @Fermaentra: Check out our interview with @CraftBrewingBiz We can’t thank them enough for giving us the chance to share our story http:…
May 14, 2013 at 1:05 pm
May 14, 2013 at 1:03 pm
May 14, 2013 at 1:01 pm
RT @CraftBrewingBiz: Craft a brewing business plan: Tips from a brewery in planning. #craftbeer http://t.co/cIvDnbQ98t
May 14, 2013 at 12:58 pm
May 14, 2013 at 12:57 pm
May 14, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Check out our interview with @CraftBrewingBiz We can’t thank them enough for giving us the chance to share our story http://t.co/hQOL8JymMr
May 14, 2013 at 12:50 pm
Check out our interview with @CraftBrewingBiz We can’t thank them enough for giving us the chance to share our story http://t.co/DxFSTi1QtD
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Presently under development, Hopstart.beer is a craft crowdfunding platform based used to help breweries-in-planning cover initial costs. Hopstart’s Craft Brewery Crowdfunding, not only offers brewers a key piece of the puzzle they may have been missing, but also generates public excitement and participation, can help anticipate initial supply and demand, offers brewery owner’s a means of financing their operation without long term, expensive liabilities, and many other benefits!
BreweryBusinessPlan.com (BBP) has arguably helped start more craft breweries than any other company in both the US and abroad. Averaging better than one new brewery every 4 weeks, our company is driven by our vision and defined by our attitude. Mark Twain put it best when he said, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Here at BreweryBusinessPlan.com, we seek to enable the entrepreneurial spirit, bind that spirit with a passion for producing great beer, and help our clients achieve their dreams of opening a brewery. Our strategies, advice, and techniques have been utilized and tested by dozens of breweries around the world presently in operation. When you partner with BreweryBusinessPlan.com, you're partnering with one of the most passionate, proven, and experienced consultancies in the craft brewing industry.
Our products and services have played a significant role in starting dozens of breweries. We invite to visit some of our past clients and learn about their Brewery Success Stories !
Our business plan will allow you to reach market 6-8 weeks sooner: 80% - 85% faster than starting from square one. That amounts to thousands in saved revenues!
Our consulting style is shaped by our industry experience: quixotic, yet grounded in solid business principles; high-spirited, yet with a focused austerity; and innovative, yet refined.
Market tested and battle hardened, our proprietary methods paint a Rembrandt of everything from up-to-the-day consumer activity trends , competitor growth analysis, and complete review of economic and demographic data - all at the local level.
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The Groundhog
Mar 31, 2021
Plan A Leads to Plan Bee Brewery
Plan Bee Farm Brewery reopened for business this past weekend on March 26th. During the past year, the local brewery was implementing take-out for locals to pick up their locally crafted beers. However, now they offer customers the option to relax in breweries’ tasting room and on the spacious 25-acre farm, which is perfect for social distancing during a weekend get-away.
The couple-run brewery and farm have a unique background story, which plays into this family-owned business’s culture and energy. The brewery is both owned and run by Emily and Evan Watson, who moved to Fishkill, NY in 2013 after Evan Watson decided to leave behind his music career and fully indulge in the beer brewing industry.
Emily Watson shared, “My husband and I are originally from the Midwest, but we moved to New York City together in 2007. At that time, my husband had a record contract, so he was playing music, making records, and touring.”
The couple met in college, which is where their love for home brewing beer began. Emily stated, “Beer was always a part of our lives, for sure. Every time he went on tour, we visited breweries in all of the states that we went to. We mapped out our driving schedule so we could hit as many breweries as possible.”
After Evan Watson spent around five years pursuing his music and gaining success, the couple was looking for a different style of living.
Emily stated, “We were having a hard time living on the road, so I asked my husband what his plans were long-term, and he said, “Well, someday when I’m rich and famous, I want to have my own farm and start my own brewery.” I had said, at that time, “Well, you don’t have to be rich and famous to start a small business.”
The two decided to switch gears, relocate to Fishkill, NY and embark on their next adventure. They began the brewery journey by renting a one-acre plot of land, which had an eight-by-ten shed. The two then converted it into a one-barrel brewhouse.
Emily described this experience as their “petri dish phase,” where they were producing small batches of beer with only New York state ingredients. She continued, “We tried to grow everything on one acre and produce enough ingredients for a one-barrel brewhouse.”
In 2015, the Watson’s moved the brewery to a 25-acre plot of land located in Poughkeepsie, NY. They were interested in using a kneaded yeast culture to produce their beers. Emily stated, “We had beehives on sight, and we had this idea that maybe we could culture the yeast from the raw honey.” Successfully, the two were able to create a multitude of beers with this method.
“The name was born for two reasons: One, Plan A was music, so this was our backup plan to start a brewery. Two: the bees are the ones that forge for the yeast that ferments all our beer, so without the bees, we would just have sugary liquid and no alcohol”.
The passion project between Evan and Emily has expanded over the past eight years. In 2018, they opened the brewery’s tasting room. Emily shared that within the upcoming year, they will be opening a farm store on the property. “We’ll be carrying all local Hudson Valley products like eggs, milk, cheese, and butter; All sorts of farm-to-table groceries.”
Plan Bee Farm Brewery offers a wide variety of activities for families, students, and visitors. The farm life crossover with locally distilled beers and lots of outdoor space allows for a perfect weekend activity.
A variety of food trucks, ranging from oysters to woodfired pizzas, will resume on May 1st. Hiking trails, farm animals, live music, and of course, beer all make Plan Bee Farm Brewery an excellent location for a safe and socially distanced experience.
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How to Craft Your First Brewery Business Plan
Starting a brewery
According to the Brewers Association , there were 6,372 breweries in the U.S in 2017, with microbreweries making up 3,812 (approximately 60%) of this total. A standard brewery produces beer in large quantities, normally more than 15,000 barrels per year. A microbrewery, which is also known as a craft brewery is a smaller operation, which produces less than 15,000 barrels per year. Microbreweries are generally owned by individuals because of the small scale. Owners of microbreweries produce beer in distinctive flavors and use a different technique than conventional breweries.
Although microbreweries are smaller in size than traditional breweries, they still require a significant amount of planning and money to get started. Entering the brewery industry requires a lot of investment because the beer industry is heavily taxed. However, there has been a new tax code that provides two years of tax relief for American brewers . Creating your first brewery business plan is essential to increase the likelihood of success of your brewery or microbrewery. Your first brewery business plan is a useful tool to help you to secure funding and to efficiently operate your brewery or microbrewery.
Download a Brewery Business Plan sample below to get started:
You should take the following first steps before crafting your first brewery business plan:
Research the brewery industry by reading all the information that you can find. Case studies, books, and articles all provide useful tips about what it takes to operate a brewery business.
Connect with other brewers who operate successful breweries and ask as many questions as possible. There is nothing like getting first-hand information about the pitfalls to avoid when starting your brewery business.
Brainstorm names for your beers and research whether the names have been trademarked. This step is important to prevent you from wasting money on marketing and promotional materials only to find out that you are not permitted to use the name.
Most brewers have a passion for making beer, however, this passion may not sustain a thriving business if they fail to plan for every eventuality in starting and operating a brewery or microbrewery. The questions below will help you to clarify your vision if you are planning to start a brewery, microbrewery, or craft brewery:
- Have you made a commitment to find out every federal and state law in the very heavily regulated brewery industry?
- Will you choose a production brewery or a brewpub ?
- How will you differentiate your brewery from all the others?
- What types of drinks will you brew? Are you going to focus on just ales or will you include other drinks, for example, lagers?
- Are you thinking of opening more than one location?
- What will your distribution network and channels look like?
- Are you going to concentrate on selling your drinks in your own bar ?
Crafting your first brewery business plan
You can start your brewery or microbrewery business plan from scratch or you can download this sample below: Brewery Business Plan Sample Downloadable Link
The following sections should be included in your business plan irrespective of whether you are starting a traditional brewery, a microbrewery, or planning to sell craft beer:
An executive summary – The executive summary of your first brewery business plan is an overview, which provides an outline of the key points mentioned in the rest of the document.
Goals and objectives – The goal section informs the reader about where you plan to take your brewery business and your objectives specify how you will achieve your goals.
Company summary – You should provide details of your brewery company in this part of your brewery business plan. The company summary should include your history and what makes you unique. It should also highlight any accomplishments and awards that your beers have received.
Company ownership – It is useful for investors to know as much as possible about the person or people behind the brewery business. Use this section to describe your experience and qualifications for operating a brewery. Ensure that you focus on the strengths of each joint owner and how they will use their expertise to ensure the brewery is a success.
Market analysis – In this section of your brewery business plan, provide the reader with an overview of the brewery industry. You should state facts and figures about the growth and popularity of beers on a national and local level. Additionally, you will need to provide information about the demographics of the area where you will be selling your beer. Lastly, you must explain the reasons for the growth in beer sales and provide evidence to suggest that this trend will continue in the future.
Strategy and implementation – Use this section to explain how you will grow your brewery business. Provide advice about your sales strategy by giving details about the number of salespeople you will employ and the commission that will be paid. This section should also include information about whether you intend to provide discounts for wholesale customers. Sales forecasts – You should provide details about your sales forecast for a minimum period of three years. Investors need to have an idea of how they will recoup their money and this section will give them details about how you believe your brewery will perform.
Management – This part of your brewery business plan will give details about the personnel that will be required to operate your brewery. You should list all the members of the management and non-management team, including the salary you intend to pay. At the end of this section, you should provide the total that you expect to spend on payroll .
Financials – The financial aspect of your brewery business plan goes into detail about the important numbers that investors will review to make a decision about whether to fund your brewery. The financial section of your brewery business plan should include a break-even analysis, profit and loss forecast , and projected cash flow.
Appendix – Use the appendix of your brewery business plan for supplementary information that could not be expanded on in the body of the document. For example, you could include a full breakdown of your personal plan and the general assumptions that you have made in relation to certain financial forecasts.
How to start a brewery
After you have researched and spent time creating your business plan for your brewery or microbrewery and you have received the relevant funding, take the steps below to start your business:
- Find a location
- Select your equipment
- Obtain funding
- Renovate your premises
- Get insurance
Choosing a location for your brewery or microbrewery is one of the most important decisions you will need to make. The ideal scenario is to start your brewery or microbrewery business in the area that you would like to serve. You need to consider whether the area of your choice has premises with enough space, the appropriate zoning, access for raw materials, and customer access.
The type of equipment you use can make or break your brewery or microbrewery. You could decide to go with a new customizable system to make your craft beer. However, this could take a considerable amount of time and might delay the opening of your brewery. Alternatively, you could buy a used system but you may face issues if the system breaks down and the seller does not provide support. The following are some necessary equipment when operating a brewery or microbrewery:
- A mash system – If producing at least 1000 liters of beer per batch, you will need a mash system that includes an electric steam generator, mash tank, lauter tun , malt mill machine, heat exchanger, and a wort pump.
- Fermentation systems – You will need a fermentation tank, cooling pump and equipment for adding yeast as part of the fermentation process.
- Filter systems – To get rid of sediments, you will require a filter pump and a diamite tank, which also improves the quality of your beer.
- A cooling system – A refrigeration machine and a large liquid tank are necessary to get your beer cool and to avoid bacteria growth.
- Controls – Controls are required for your refrigerator and you will also need a master controlling board for your pumps and all electronics to ensure the safety of your microbrewery.
- Cleaning and sanitation – An alkali liquor tank, a washing pump and a large tank are necessary for your sterilizing solution. This equipment should be used to sterilize your microbrewery’s equipment.
- A bottling/kegging tap – You must have a pump to keg your beer and a bottling plant if you intend to bottle your beer.
You should have already projected your brewery’s or microbrewery’s startup costs during the business planning process. You can choose several different routes to fund your brewery or microbrewery, including a conventional bank loan, private investors, or a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan. According to profitableventure.com your brewery’s or microbrewery’s startup costs should include the following:
- Business registration fee – $750.
- Legal expenses for securing licenses and permits – $1,300.
- Marketing and promotion expenses for the grand opening – $3,580.
- Business consultancy – $2,500.
- Permits, insurance and licenses – $5,000.
- Building or renovating your microbrewery – $200,000.
- Equipment for the brewery – $150,000.
- Office equipment – $15,000.
- Website – $700.
- Miscellaneous – $5,000.
The start-up costs for a medium-sized brewery is about $750,000. This figure includes staff pay for the first three months of your business. The start-up costs for a microbrewery ranges from $250,000 to $500,000. A large brewery will require start-up capital of around $2.5 million. Due to the significant investment required for starting breweries and microbreweries, it is critical that you understand your financials to have a realistic projection of when you will break-even and start generating a profit.
It is necessary to hire expert contractors to renovate your premises in order to operate an efficient brewery or microbrewery. Whether you have bought or leased a property, you will need people with the appropriate experience and skills to ensure that your brewery or microbrewery has:
- The suitable ventilation to cope with a large amount of steam that will be produced during the process of making your beer.
- Proper drainage to effectively deal with thousands of gallons of beer.
- Quality flooring to withstand the wear and tear and that can hold up under the high acid content of spilled beer.
Like any other business, your brewery or microbrewery will need to be covered by different types of insurance. The various types of insurance you will need to protect your brewery or microbrewery includes:
- Equipment breakdown coverage.
- Product recall coverage.
- Crime coverage.
- Market valuation coverage.
- Workers Compensation.
Time to start brewin’!
Crafting your first brewery business plan will take a significant time investment, however, this process is necessary for you to decide whether you want to turn your passion into a business selling beer that people love.
Once your business is up and running, why not give Deputy a try to take care of all your scheduling, tasking, timesheet, and internal communication needs. To learn more about employee management software and how it can benefit your business, click on the button below to begin your free trial:
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5 Reasons to Write a Brewery Business Plan
Kate joined the Live Oak team in 2011 and is now a Loan Officer specializing in the Wine and Craft Beverage industry. She is responsible for analyzing, evaluating, and structuring new loan applications. Kate joined the bank as a Loan Closing Specialist, closing over $97,000,000 in SBA loans. She graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with an International Business and Spanish degree. She enjoys traveling, cooking, and reading.
Whether you are planning to start or expand your craft brewery, your first step is to develop a sound business plan. Indeed, any business project that requires a considerable financial investment and is expected to return a profit should generate a business plan before a single dime is spent. Why? Because the business plan is your blueprint for creating profitability and success. Without a detailed blueprint, how do you know what you are building?
Here are five important ways a business plan can help you succeed with your craft brewery start up or expansion.
Establishes the viability of your project.
A well-constructed business plan requires you to think through and document a range of logistical requirements for your project in order to establish its viability and ascertain its likelihood of success. The plan should answer certain market-related questions such as:
- Where is your business located and what are the demographics of the area?
- What competition do you face in your local community and how do you plan to market your business?
- How will you measure success?
- Who’s your management team?
- How much capital do you need to complete your start up or expansion project?
- What are the projected monthly income and expenditures for your business upon completion of your project?
By carefully researching and documenting the answers to these questions in your business plan, you gain an understanding of the true potential of your company and can initiate your project with greater confidence.
Provides a basis for negotiating with lenders.
Most likely you will need to borrow a significant amount of capital in order to start or expand your brewery. The business plan forms the basis for negotiations with potential lenders or investors. It details your business objectives, market research, and plans for staffing, marketing, and cash flow management. If thoroughly researched, it provides a foundation for determining the potential value of your business, and conversely, the level of risk your lender would be undertaking in funding your project.
When choosing your lender, look for a lending institution that is familiar with the brewing industry as they are more likely to understand your specific situation and financial needs. Additionally, lenders who specialize in the brewery category may be able to help spot potential flaws in your rationale or project calculations, possibly saving you valuable time and money in initiating your brewery build out.
Creates a guideline for cash flow management.
The business plan is a living document that should be updated periodically to reflect changes in the company vision and cash flow projections. As a living document, it also serves as a guideline for cash flow management, identifying funding resources and projected outflows for the business over a period of several years. Understanding the cash flow of your business allows you to respond more quickly and appropriately to market trends and opportunities. You are also better positioned to plan your next stages of growth.
As with any major business initiative, you will undoubtedly run into surprises along the way like maxing out capacity. Your business plan provides spending parameters and accounts for contingencies to ensure adequate funds are preserved for critical investments that will support your brewery’s ultimate success.
Functions as a business communications tool.
Many small business owners find there are times when they need to effectively communicate the mission and expectations of their company to customers, suppliers, attorneys, distributors, and other third parties. The business plan, partially or in whole, provides a thorough overview of your company’s vision for its future. It can therefore be a valuable tool for giving employees a broad view of the company, educating key partners and suppliers about the scope of the business, and informing financial supporters of your specific plans for future success. Again, the business plan can be considered the blueprint for that success, describing in detail what it will look like and how it will be built.
Empowers you to determine your future.
Whether your objective is to run a small, profitable local brewery, or become a leading industry competitor, the only way to ultimately control the outcome of your business undertaking is to plan for it. In the end, this may be the greatest value offered by your business plan. By documenting your ideas and strategies – what you want to see happen and how you plan to get there – you are taking control of your future and placing the power to direct the final outcome in your own hands.
These are just a few of the most important reasons for creating a business plan. You might also consider the benefits your business plan can provide in outlining specific objectives for managers, key investment decisions such as whether to rent additional space or distribute, valuing your business for estate planning and tax purposes, or defining your personal exit strategy.
Developing a thoughtful business plan can help you focus your vision for the future and positively impact your level of success. If you haven’t already done so, get started on your craft brewery business plan today. For instructions on how to write your business plan, see the second article in this series called Crafting an Effective Business Plan for Your Brewery.
Learn how to create a brewery business plan (download)
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- Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer
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Launched in the fall of 2013 in response to the city's burgeoning craft beer industry, San Diego State University's Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer program reflects the explosive growth of the craft beer industry in San Diego — which ranks in the top 10 in the U.S. The program provides hands-on training for those looking to enter or already working in the brewing industry on the business side, rather than the brewing side of operations. This includes creating passionately knowledgeable management and staff in the hospitality industry to give customers a first-class experience.
SDSU Global Campus is committed to keeping our community safe. Click here to view the latest COVID-19 guidelines.
Whether you’re new to the industry or you’re a seasoned pro interested in taking your career to the next level, earning a Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer can help you increase your business skills and your craft beer literacy.
About the Program
Craft beer is a community. The industry consists of craft beer professionals who are innovative, knowledgeable, and above all, passionate about giving their customers a first-class experience. If you’re interested in joining your local craft beer community, earning a Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer from SDSU Global Campus can help you jumpstart your career in craft beer.
Level I: $2,406 Level II: $3,453
Estimated Cost Textbooks not included
Level I: 6 Months Level II: 1 Year
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Launched in the fall of 2013 in response to the city's burgeoning craft beer industry, our craft beer certificate program reflects the explosive growth of the craft beer industry in San Diego — home to one of the top-10 craft beer markets in the United States. This program provides hands-on training for those looking to enter or who are already working in the brewing industry on the business side, rather than the brewing side of operations.
Meet Our Alumni
- Kevin Lewis, Head Brewer/Operations, Thr3e Punk Ales
All courses in the craft beer certificate program were developed with input from our extensive roster of craft beer instructors and advisory board members — a who's who of local craft-beer industry superstars. As a member of the program, you’ll have exclusive access to a network of instructors, alumni, and other local craft beer professionals who are involved in the program. And with over a dozen courses and two unique certificate tracks to choose from, you’ll be able to craft an academic experience that will match your unique career goals.
Apply for the Craft Beer Diversity Award
Created in partnership with Coronado Brewing Company, our new Craft Beer Diversity Award is designed to promote growth and diversity in San Diego’s craft beer workforce.
Sign Up for the AIWF Scholarship Award
SDSU Global Campus is excited to partner with the American Institute of Wine & Food to offer the AIWF Scholarship Award! This award applies to several of our craft beer sensory courses for the 2023 academic year. Applications are due Oct. 1, so don't wait - submit yours today!
Is This Program Right for Me?
Sdsu alumni lifetime member discount.
Are you an SDSU Alumni Lifetime Member? Click here to learn more about how you can receive 20% off registration for this program.
Program Alumni Discount
If you’ve already completed your Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer, you’re eligible to enroll in additional courses at a 10% discount. Please email registration at [email protected] or call to apply a program alumni discount for 10% off the registration fee.
Discounts are not retroactive and cannot be combined. Only one discount can be applied.
Earning a Professional Certificate in the Business Craft Beer is ideal for those who wish to build careers outside of brewing. The coursework will prepare you for employment in both Front of House and Back of House operations. Graduates have used the program to succeed in high-level positions with some of the top names in craft beer. Some have even started their own local craft beer businesses.
Possible Job Titles:
- Business Owner
- Bartender or Server
- Food and Beverage Manager
- Beverage Distributor
- Hospitality Specialist
SDSU is a State-approved provider for the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). If you’re unemployed or underemployed, you may be eligible to receive full or partial tuition assistance on this program. Equal Opportunity is the Law. Equal opportunity employer/program auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Click here to learn more .
What Can I Learn?
SDSU’s Craft Beer Certificate program combines sensory and non-sensory courses, giving you a well-rounded education in craft beer. The sensory courses involve tasting beer that accompanies lecture, readings, and select off-site sessions at local breweries for practical hands-on learning. Non-sensory courses focus on the business side of the craft beer industry, such as finances, marketing, distribution, sales, and customer relations.
- Steve Garcia, Sales & Development, Thr3e Punk Ales
You’ll also have the opportunity to take the Cicerone® Certified Beer Server Exam at a discounted rate of $49 when you complete CB 0002 — Beer Styles I.
Craft Beer Program Highlights
- Provides skills necessary to enter the budding craft beer industry
- Provides an interactive, hands-on learning experience with tastings and more
- Brings top leaders and industry experts together in the classroom
- Uncovers an overall appreciation of craft beer outside of brewing
- Explores craft beer’s past and present history, and current trends
- Promotes craft beer literacy for consumers and employees
- Educates future craft beer ambassadors
- Offers industry connections and networking opportunities within the San Diego craft beer community
- Provides professional development and increases craft beer knowledge for current hospitality industry employees
You’ll also have your choice of two different Craft Beer Certificate tracks:
- Level I (Essential Certificate) – This foundational certificate program is designed to be completed in six months. You’ll need to successfully complete six courses. Exploring Craft Beer is recommended as the first course in the series and is required for the certificate.
- Level II (Expanded Certificate) – This advanced certificate program is designed to be completed in one year. You’ll need to successfully complete nine classes (Level I + three courses).
You’ll have up to two years from starting the Craft Beer Certificate program to complete either certificate.
You must be at least 21 years of age to register for courses in the craft beer certificate program.
- Michael Long, Head Owner, Black Gold Brewing Co.
Career Outcomes
Labor analysis brewing industry — nationwide.
$9.3 Billion Total Statewide Economic Impact Of Beer Jobs
Source: Burning Glass/Emsi, CA EDD 2022
Why Should You Choose Us?
Your instructors are local craft beer experts who work with some of San Diego’s most popular breweries and craft beer businesses, including Societe Brewing Co., The Homebrewer, Wild Barrel Brewing Co., Green Flash Brewing, and Coronado Brewing. Whether you’re interested in working as a server or a business owner, or somewhere in between, the connections you’ll make with your instructors will help you succeed in the craft beer industry.
Versatility
Your Craft Beer Business Certificate will help you launch or enhance your career in a variety of positions within and outside of the craft beer industry. Some graduates acquire FOH positions as servers, tour guides, beertenders, and customer experience managers. Others find a home in operations, holding positions in marketing, distribution, brand management, and sales. Whatever your career goals are, earning your Craft Beer Certificate from SDSU can help you succeed.
You’re not just earning a certificate. You’re joining a close-knit academic community of passionate learners. You’ll have access to a robust network of expert instructors and fellow classmates who are just as passionate about craft beer as you are.
- Ravi Singh, Owner, Aquarian Bev
The course requirements vary, depending on which Craft Beer Certificate you choose to pursue:
- Level I (Essential Certificate) – You’ll need to successfully complete six courses. Exploring Craft Beer is recommended as the first course in the series and is required for the certificate.
- Level II (Expanded Certificate) – You’ll need to successfully complete nine classes (Level I + three courses).
Click the course names below to read the course description, view course dates, and register for available courses.
Course List
*Dates and fees subject to change.
Finished all the required courses? Click the button below to receive your certificate.
Request Your Certificate
Registration Instructions
To register for courses in the craft beer program, please complete the following steps:
- Choose your courses in the "Courses" tab.
- Click on the red course links to register.
- Check the dates and times to ensure that you can attend all sessions of the course.
- Click “Add to Cart.”
- Add more courses to your cart or click “Checkout.”
- Log into your SDSU Global Campus Account, if you haven’t already done so.
- Pay for your course(s).
Enroll in the program at any time, even before registering for a course. It’s free, and offers many benefits:
- Secure your curriculum (should the requirements change in the future).
- See upcoming courses when you log into your student account.
- Track your progress.
Enrolling in a program doesn’t mean you’re registered for courses. You’ll still need to register and pay for each course you wish to take.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students in the craft beer certificate program can check their progress by logging into their SDSU Global Campus student account . If you need assistance with your account, contact our Registration staff at 619-594-5152 or [email protected]
These courses do not receive academic credit and will not show up on an SDSU transcript.
However, students who complete courses in our professional certificate programs (other than those that are graded as Pass/No Pass) will receive a final letter score that mimics the grading rubric SDSU uses for credit-bearing courses. Students will also receive a Letter of Completion from our registration team for each course they complete, which will include their final score.
Our craft beer certificate program consists of two levels. Level I is the Essential Certificate, which begins with “Exploring Craft Beer” as the recommended first course and continues with five more courses that must be successfully completed. Level II is the Expanded Certificate, which requires the successful completion of three more classes upon completion of the Level I certificate. Students have up to two years from starting to complete both certificates.
Courses in our craft beer program are offered in a partial in-person instruction format with plans for faculty supervision, approved lab space, social distancing, and meeting COVID-19 safety requirements .
As a student in our craft beer program, you have options when it comes to paying for your courses. This program is eligible for the following discounts and support programs:
- Craft Beer Diversity Award ( with Coronado Brewing Company )
Students who complete Level I of our craft beer program are also eligible for a program alumni discount on all subsequent courses.
Once you’ve completed all the program requirements, fill out a certificate request form . SDSU Global Campus will verify that you’ve completed all the required courses and assignments. Once you’ve been verified, you’ll receive a digital copy of your certificate.
Ready to take the next step? Connect with SDSU Global Campus by submitting the contact form at the bottom of this page.
The Business of Craft Beer program is a proud member of:
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Keeping Our Community Safe
Please ensure that you’re in compliance with all current COVID-19 guidelines when you take courses with SDSU Global Campus.
- My course is online
- My course is in-person
Parking Guidelines
Beginning in fall 2021, SDSU Global Campus students will need to purchase parking in order to park on campus.
Parking Rates for SDSU Global Campus Students Daily: $5 Weekly: $12 Monthly: $30
Please visit our parking instructions webpage to learn how to purchase your permit.
Related Links
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Want to Learn More?
Submit this web form and we’ll be in touch to answer all your questions and explain the next steps in the process. Or, you can reach a program recruiter by emailing [email protected] or by calling (619) 594-7700 .
Core Courses
Exploring Craft Beer will take you on a journey through the world of craft beer and help you build a solid foundation for your future in the program. This six-week introductory course offers a 30,000-foot view of the industry while also covering 10,000 years of craft beer history. You’ll learn about beer terminology, beer styles, beer and food pairings, the recent craft beer revolution, and much more.
Whether you have been in the industry for decades or are a brand new beer enthusiast, Exploring Craft Beer will help you succeed in every other class in the program, from sensory courses to business classes. It’ll also open the door to an incredible networking experience, in which you’ll be able to connect with local craft beer professionals at all levels of the industry.
Elective Courses
This eight-week course is designed to give students a comprehensive overview of the key characteristics of beer based on style. Students will strengthen their perceptive and descriptive abilities for assessing and communicating the specific attributes of each beer. We will walk through several flights of beer through each class as we discuss the history, brewing process, and key attributes for each style. Our end goal is to become more effective at sharing our passion for craft beer with our customers, friends, family, and colleagues.
Prerequisite: Exploring Craft Beer
Bill Sysak is widely considered one of the foremost experts in the world on craft beer and food pairing. Join him on a six-week journey through the art of pairing beer and food. He will guide you through basic flavor principles and give you the tools needed to pair a broad spectrum of regional cuisines. Sysak's "master pairing" concepts allow even the most experienced palates to enhance their level of expertise, and still provide the novice with building blocks to begin their journey. The cost includes a five-course advanced beer and food pairing dinner at a local brewery.
This course will expand on the introduction to brewing that is covered in Exploring Craft Beer. Students will gain a deeper understanding of brewing terminology as well as how the manipulation of raw ingredients and brewing practices result in the wide variety of beer styles. Each week will focus on a separate stage in the brewing process. The class will brew a beer together during the final.
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Writing Your Brewery Business Plan is a step-by-step review of the necessary elements within a business plan and why those things are important. Successfully Planning, Starting and Operating a Nano Brewery offers a broad overview of the planning process with highlights on fundamental considerations for both launching and growing a brewery.
A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your brewery in order to improve your chances of success. Your brewery business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your brewing company grows and changes. Source of Funding for Breweries
To help you get started we've created an example business plan for the agricultural business. Our example focuses on a farm that grows hops in order to produce craft beer, but it will work as a framework no matter what you are growing or producing. Click the 'Download Tool' button to gain access to the word document.
Write a Brewery Business Plan A business plan is one of the most important steps for starting any business. Not only does it act as a roadmap that guides you through the process of opening your business, but it is essential for securing funding from investors.
A customizable brewery business plan template that can be opened with Word or Pages. Step-by-step instructions to guide you through the creation of a winning business plan. Tips and examples to help you fill in each section - whether you're writing a plan for a brewpub, microbrewery, or craft brewery. Download Now.
Your business plan acts as a roadmap that helps you think about tools and technology to grow your business, like a brewery POS system for example. And with the right structures in place from the beginning, you'll have a greater chance of being successful, and mitigating financial and legal risks.
According to the 2022 report Building a Tech Stack: An Analysis of Breweries & Cideries, 53% of breweries and cideries are using their business management software to manage their customer information. Technology is becoming more and more prevalent in the alcohol sales space.
This is the standard brewery business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan. Executive Summary Mission Statement Vision Statement Products and Services Customer Focus Management Team Keys to Success Financial Summary 3 Year profit forecast Company Summary History Products and Services
Your Farm's Business Plan. A good farm business plan is your roadmap to start-up, profitability, and growth, and provides the foundation for your conversation with USDA about how our programs can complement your operation. Your business plan will be a living document that you can change as your vision and circumstances shift.
In order to start a brewery, the first thing you need to do is to have a strong management plan for the business. Joe will hire 5 managers and will himself act as the chief executive of the business. The managers will be responsible for marketing, procurement, research, sales, and operations.
Contact the Department of Planning and Zoning to verify. The Zoning Ordinance provides specific development and use requirements, and your business needs a clear determination about what is allowed. Farm breweries can only be on parcels zoned AR-1, AR-2, A-3 or A-10 with a minimum of 10 acres, either owned or leased.
Operations How to Start a Brewery: Starting a Brewery Business Checklist Industry News How Black Brewers are Decolonizing the Craft Beer Industry Menu + Food A Guide to Different Types of Beer subscribe Restaurant news, advice, and stories — right in your inbox. Join the fun. We promise not to spam you, swear.
Your business plan should outline and cover strategies on how you intend to manage your brewery business. The rule of thumb in writing a business plan is to try as much as possible to be realistic and never to over project when putting figures on income and profits et al.
Recommendation from interviews: Open Farm Brewery 6 A brewpub will be more profitable than a tasting room -margins on the beer will be significantly higher The passion necessary to enter this business has been clearly demonstrated by the Montpelier team Four of the five experts recommended a 7-barrel brewpub based on Montpelier's
It helps to define hidden costs, expose holes in your ideas and force all parts of the plan to work in concert. Don't be afraid to ask questions of brewers and breweries. You'd be surprised at what information and tips you can get. Research trademarks heavily if the name of your brewery is a critical component of your plan.
Brewery Business Plan. The most comprehensive and innovative brewery business plan available on the web today features a long and proven track record of success. Dozens of active nanobreweries, microbreweries, production breweries, and brew pubs have leveraged the brewery business plan's knowledge, experience, and strategies to quickly and ...
Plan Bee Farm Brewery reopened for business this past weekend on March 26th. During the past year, the local brewery was implementing take-out for locals to pick up their locally crafted beers.
How to Start a Brewery: Starting a Brewery Business Checklist (2023 Guide) - On the Line | Toast POS Products Pricing Learn Company Get a Demo Login Subscribe Sections How-to Guides Industry Stories Articles Topics Podcasts Adapting to COVID-19 New Going Digital New Subscribe to On The Line
Equipment for the brewery - $150,000. Office equipment - $15,000. Website - $700. Miscellaneous - $5,000. The start-up costs for a medium-sized brewery is about $750,000. This figure includes staff pay for the first three months of your business. The start-up costs for a microbrewery ranges from $250,000 to $500,000.
Provides a basis for negotiating with lenders. Most likely you will need to borrow a significant amount of capital in order to start or expand your brewery. The business plan forms the basis for negotiations with potential lenders or investors. It details your business objectives, market research, and plans for staffing, marketing, and cash ...
And, remember - business plans aren't set in stone (you should be prepared for it to evolve). But they serve as a necessary starting point to help you get your business off the ground. Ensure that your business plan assesses your total addressable market to help you understand the opportunity better. Step 2.
Launched in the fall of 2013 in response to the city's burgeoning craft beer industry, San Diego State University's Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer program reflects the explosive growth of the craft beer industry in San Diego — which ranks in the top 10 in the U.S. The program provides hands-on training for those looking to enter or already working in the brewing ...
4. Pure Project - North Park. "Pure Project is one of my top 3 favorite breweries in SD. The grounds look very chic, modern, and..." more. 5. Societe Brewing Company. "If you're planning to visit this brewery with a group of people, make sure you call and book in..." more. 6. McIlhenney Brewing.
1. Hopnonymous Brewing Company. "I feel obligated having visited almost every brewery in the county of San Diego to state that this..." more. 2. TapRoom Beer Co. "Their pretzel puts Stone Brewery's to shame! I hope Taproom gets recognition for its total package..." more. 3. Eppig Brewing - La Jolla Bierhaus.
CA ABC License Costs: New Application Fee: $905. Type 9 - $74. Type 17 - $410. Type 23 Original - $200. Type 23 Duplicate - $87. Livescan (per each individual listed not in the ABC database) - $63. *Government fees can include Zoning Affidavit costs, depends on location and are subject to change. **Clients who have used The Craft Beer ...