If you were opening a brewery...

If I ever get the nerve and money its going to be for me and my beer, if we make it great, If not oh well. I will have tried, of course I believe in the guest taps thing big time. 10 for mine to start and 20 or more. Never happen I am just too old to start a new biz that REQUIRES that much work. now if I win the lotto and all that jazz I can hire folks, lol. pipe dream.....

 

Obviously you are in the real world since you are not on BA like me

 

I am going to answer your question by doing what my mom would consider "being rude" and answering your question with a series of questions:

1.) What are your best beer(s)?
I think it is no brainer that you put your best foot forward and put your best beer out there. Now if your "best" beer
is something polarizing (rauch bier) you might want to reconsider this.
2.) What would you like to be known for?
This may refer back to question number 1. But if you want to be known as a brewery that brews _______, it makes
sense that you should have ___________ on tap when you open.
3.) What is your target?
You need to have beer on tap that your target audience will want.

Finally, after answering those questions, you will need to send me samples so I can help you choose what to put on tap.

 

I'm sorry but anyone who chose a stout to start a brewery with, good luck getting any turnover for a profit on that. Even starting with a lager would be idiotic. If you've ever brewed you know the time that goes into this, especially trying to perfect it. Start off simple, a solid IPA, maybe a Saison, and throw in a Berliner Weisse to mix up the market.

 

Coming from an advertising/PR background, I would never start a business without doing solid market research first. Ask around with other local breweries, bars, bottle shops, etc to find out what styles are selling. if possible, also figure out if there are any niches that are under-represented in the area. Then ideally, brew small batches of your top 5-6 options and hold a pre-opening tasting event. Have the attendees provide feedback on each brew, and use that info to make your final choices. This also serves to get your name out there and create some buzz.

On day 1, I would also have my next 2-3 options lined up, so you can give customers an idea of what's coming up. This gives people an incentive to come back, and gives the impression that you are organized and have a long term plan.

 

I didn't choose anything because I probably wouldn't get to sell anything. I'd go broke tasting and sharing my product with friends.

 

Cool. Well I am sure I don't have to tell you that you are opening a brewery in the most educated beer city in America. I also love the beers you love - It sounds a bit like Upright/Block 15, which is awesome. I'm not sure what "Small Batch Artisinal ales" means because it seems that most breweries in the city are "small batch, artisinal ales." That is not really a defining characteristic.

I'm glad you are doing something different than the standard American styles. I know you know this, but the best breweries in Oregon are not usually IPA factories. So you are potentially entering into good company.
My advice - if you love fruited Berliners, start with a standard Berliner or even 2. Those don't need barrel time and it will foreshadow the vision of your brewery.

Last comment, and I know this is a bit of a downer (and I'm sorry), But if you are trying to start out with dank, juicy IPAs, be sure you are actually making a dank IPA. Unless it is in the same vein and up to the caliber of Boneyard/Barley Browns/Laurelwood/BLock 15 - it probably wont get noticed. I don't need to tell you that Portland is the stiffest of competition. If you do things a bit different, have a great brand, and make delicious unique beer - you will flourish. Don't listen to the idiots that say that an IPA is necessary for survival. They don't live in Portland. An IPA has a greater potential of hindering you rather than helping in this city.

 

Hoppy IPA
Stout
Lager/Pilsner.

This i believe would hit the lagest target market. Lager/Pilsner for the newcomers of beer. Thats what they have been drinking since high school so it would be an easy seller. Then Hoppy IPA because well... who doesnt like a hoppy IPA lol. And then the stouts for the people that love the darker beer.

-xICooRsYIx

 

I went with Belgian, wheat and Pilsner.
Pilsner, like Schell's Pilsner, for the BMC crowd, wheat, a la Allagash White, for the Blue Moon poseurs and a rotation of strong Belgians for the cogniscenti, starting with a strong, dark ale or quadrupel.

One of the nice things about the Twin Cities is that almost no matter what you're looking for, somebody local is making a pretty good one.

 

If I were opening a brewery... I would first learn to brew at last five different (but common) beer styles... really well... on commercial equipment... then I would sit and WAIT for the current [READ: absurd] market saturation to work itself out. Then, I might still open a brewery

 

I agree with your sentiments, but let's be clear that the breweries you cite are successful because their beers taste really good, not because they work outside the scope of traditional styles. Far too many brewing noobs are trying that angle and falling flat because they have no experience or skill with lacto/pedio/brett, barrels, blending, etc.

 

Totally agree. Just like you don't need an IPA to have successful brewery, you still need to know what the eff you are doing.

 

Of course, if I wanted to fill niches, I could go with a Sahti, a Kvass and a Happoshu. There are fairly large Finnish and Eastern European communities here in the Twin Cities. I'd have to be in the Mall of America down in Bloomington, though, to get the Japanese tourists for the last one.

 

If I were opening a brewery I would need to find somebody who knows more about brewing than I do

 

IPA - cause they sell and taste good.
Pale Ale - because I already make a really damn good one.
Stout - Because you need some contrast

I like to keep it accessible. If I were to open a brewery, that's how I'd start it. I'd branch out eventually, but I'd much rather start with a core group that appeals to a wide audience.

 

I went with the 7.5% ABV IPA, Wheat Beer, and Pilsner.

My objective reasoning behind those choices is that those three styles of beer have the highest volume of consumers, therefore a broader base of customers and more money to branch out as the brewery becomes established. I also believe those three beers are three of the "easier" (once again, objectively speaking) beers to brew so production costs would be lower. In addition I believe a brewery doesn't need 100 different beers to be a great brewery. I believe they should have a handful of beers that they have perfected and the product reflects that.

 

9% stout
Belg/FRA
5% Pale Ale.

only because these would be my three choices. I was thinking lager for casual drinkers but if I'm starting a brewery and have to have 3 starters I'd rather play to the beer enthusiasts first.


This poll proves my theory that the beer market is flooded with hoppy/overhopped IPA's.

 

Hoppy IPA (For the IPA Junkies)
Stout
Wheat Beer (For the less craft-inclined crowd)

 

Don't know if I could work with just 3. I'd definitely have something sessionable for the people, an IPA that I love and then have fun with a bunch of other styles.

 

IPA, DIPA, and a nice strong ale or red ale.