How to Open a Brewpub or Microbrewery


You have brewed beer at home, and all your friends have enjoyed its flavor. Turn it into a business by opening your own brewpub. Although many people think starting a brewpub proves difficult and time consuming, in reality you’ll find the process fairly simple. Educate yourself about the business and start serving your own great-tasting beer to more than just your friends.

  • Decide whether you want to open a brewpub or a microbrewery. Brewpubs are bars where you brew and serve your own beer at the site, while microbreweries involve the brewing and distribution of the beer.
  • Learn the laws. Consult with a local lawyer to know what permits and licenses you will need. Check with your state’s Alcohol Control Board regarding the rules and regulations when opening a brewpub and microbrewery.
  • Find a good location for your brewpub. Hire a private club consulting professional to help you find a location with good, high visibility and descent drive-by traffic. Check in with your local ordinances and zoning authorities to make sure a brewpub can open and function in that location.

  • Once you have found the location, study the local demographics for the area. Determining the kind of population will help you run the brewpub successfully. Serve the kind of food and other beverages that cater to that age group. You will also base your product pricing and sales projections on these local demographics.
  • Research your competitors in the area and try to offer something new and unique. Put your creative talent to work. Purchase the right brewery boilers and other equipment and interior elements needed to make your brewpub feel welcoming. Remember that brewpubs have distinct personalities. Remodel the location and offer a well-designed atmosphere for your pub.
  • Package the beer. Since you want to offer your own mix of beer, you must know how you will bottle and market it. Having a distinctive name and bottle shapes or colorful labels can catch a person’s attention.
  • Study up on the brewpub business. If you have the passion for brewery, have a business plan that details how to turn that into income. Determine how you can market the business and strategies to attract people. Meet with people already in the business and read applicable books and websites about starting a brewpub.
  • Before opening your brewpub, start offering your beer for people to taste early on. Offer your brew to parties and outdoor events. Set up booths at local parks and markets, and offer free taste tests. The best way to market your new beer? Putting it in people’s mouths.
  • Promote your brewpub. Plan new marketing strategies to attract your new business to people based on your demographics research. Send out flyers, and place ads in your local newspapers and on TV stations about your business. Visit the best breweries from the San Francisco area and learn from their success.

Filed Under: General How To's

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About the Author: Bruno Silva is an entrepreneur from Portugal with over 15 years of experience in Online Marketing. He is also a blogger and writes on variety of topics from online marketing to designs, cars to loans, etc.

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