beer brewery business plan

Brewery Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

You’ve come to the right place to create your brewery business plan.

We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their breweries.

Below is a brewery business plan example to help you write your brewery business plan:

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Mountain Craft Beer is a startup brewery located in Boulder, Colorado. The company is founded by Richard and Susan Williams, long-time craft beer enthusiasts who are ready to venture out and start their own brewing business. Richard has worked as a Brewmaster in a local brewery for over ten years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Colorado. Susan has a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of New York. She has worked as a General Manager for a local restaurant and bar for the past five years. Now that the duo has obtained the experience and knowledge needed to run a craft beer business, Richard and Susan are ready to start a brewery of their own. Richard is confident in his ability to to manage the brewing process, while Susan is ready to take on the leadership role and manage all aspects of business operations. Richard and Susan will recruit a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day to day complexities of running a craft brewery – marketing and sales, accounting and budgeting, customer service, product management, and quality control.

Mountain Craft Beer will make unique craft beers that patrons can enjoy onsite or purchase through distributors. The Mountain Craft Beer brewery will provide a fun taproom tasting experience for guests to try out new brews. Mountain Craft Beer will be the ultimate choice in Boulder for its specialty craft beers made with premium locally sourced ingredients.

Product Offering

The following are the products and services that Mountain Craft Beer will provide:

• Craft beer tasting
• Barrel-aged beer
• Seasonal IPAs
• Seasonal Ales
• Branded merchandise and apparel

Customer Focus

Mountain Craft Beer will target all individuals over the age of 21 in Boulder, Colorado. They will target locals and tourists. They will also target all beer-drinkers from seasoned connoisseurs to individuals brand new to craft beer, and everyone in between. No matter the customer, Mountain Craft Beer will deliver the best customer service, unique product offerings, and craft beer tastings led by friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Management Team

Mountain Craft Beer will be owned and operated by Richard and Susan Williams, long-time craft beer enthusiasts who are ready to venture out and start their own brewing business. Richard has worked as a Brewmaster in a local brewery for over ten years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Colorado. Susan has a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of New York. She has worked as a General Manager for a local restaurant and bar for the past five years. Now that the duo has obtained the experience and knowledge needed to open their own business, Richard and Susan are ready to start a craft brewery of their own. Richard is confident in his ability to to manage the craft brewing process, while Susan is ready to take on the leadership role and manage all aspects of business operations.

Success Factors

Mountain Craft Beer will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of brewing professionals that will create unique flavors and blends, lead tasting experiences, and serve as informative guides providing the best customer service around.
• Unique product selection made with premium locally-sourced ingredients. New beers will be introduced each month and rotating seasonal selections will be renewed based on popularity.
• Mountain Craft Beer will be able to offer the best pricing in town because they will save on shipping costs by using local suppliers. The savings will be passed on to customers.

Financial Highlights

Mountain Craft Beer is seeking $500,000 in debt financing to launch its brewery business. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the facility and purchasing brewing equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs for the print ads and association memberships. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Build-out of the facility: $100,000
• Brewing equipment, supplies, and ingredients: $240,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $140,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Mountain Craft Beer.

Company Overview

Who is mountain craft beer.

Mountain Craft Beer is a newly established craft brewing company in Boulder, Colorado. Mountain Craft Beer will be the ultimate choice for craft beer enthusiasts in the area. Mountain Craft Beer will provide an exclusive selection of craft beers, with new editions being introduced monthly and rotating seasonal selections that will be renewed based on popularity. Their exclusive, customer-centric approach combined with their use of locally sourced ingredients will make them a unique alternative to the typical craft beer experience. Mountain Craft Beer will be able to cater to their customers with unique product offerings and informative beer tasting events led by a team of highly qualified brewers. Mountain Craft Beer’s mission is to provide a fun and welcoming experience for its customers while delivering highly sought after creations that can’t be found anywhere else.

Mountain Craft Beer History

Mountain Craft Beer is owned and operated by Richard and Susan Williams, long-time craft beer enthusiasts who are ready to venture out and start their own brewing business. Richard has worked as a Brewmaster in a local brewery for over ten years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science from the University of Colorado. Susan has a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of New York. She has worked as a General Manager for a local restaurant and bar for the past five years.

Since incorporation, Mountain Craft Beer has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Mountain Craft Beer, LLC to transact business in the state of Colorado.
• Has a contract in place to lease the brewing facility.
• Reached out to numerous contacts to include craft beer enthusiasts, former customers, and friends and family networks to create excitement for the new brewery.
• Began recruiting a staff of brewers, sales associates, and marketing professionals to work at Mountain Craft Beer.

Mountain Craft Beer Services

Industry analysis.

The global craft beer industry is valued at $95BM. Beer is known for being the oldest and most broadly consumed beverage in the alcoholic category worldwide. The craft beer segment of the retail beer market in the United States has been growing steadily over the past ten years. In 2012, craft beer accounted for approximately 10% of the market. By 2021, this number increased to 26.8% of the market.

The U.S. brewery industry first became popular in the 2000s and hasn’t stopped growing since then. In 2006, there were approximately 1,400 breweries across the country. As of 2020, this number has grown to over 9,000.

The primary driver for growth in the United States craft beer market is the public’s increasing desire to find new and innovative drinks. The three most popular types of craft beers are pilsner, ale, and lager. Lager is the most popular of the three. Craft brewery industry operators can maintain a competitive advantage in the market by producing unique flavors and catering to their customers’ tastes.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

The precise demographics for Boulder, Colorado are:

Customer Segmentation

Mountain Craft Beer will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Residents 21 and over of Boulder, Colorado and surrounding areas
• Tourists 21 and over of Boulder, Colorado and surrounding areas
• Craft beer connoisseurs and enthusiasts (21 and over)
• Craft beer newbies (21 and over)

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Mountain Craft Beer will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Boulder Brewery

Boulder Brewery is a newly established craft beer brewery and gastropub located in Boulder, Colorado. Boulder Brewery is owned and operated by a team of professional brewmasters and chefs. The brewery offers onsite craft beer tastings and has a full restaurant open seven days per week. Boulder Brewery also sells its craft beer to distributors. The brewery promises to provide unique flavor blends and premium exotic ingredients.

BC Craft Beer Company

BC Craft Beer Company is a Colorado-based brewery that provides fresh craft beer blends. BC Craft Beer Company provides a comprehensive menu of ales, pilsners, lagers, and other beers on site and available to order online. The owners of BC Craft Beer Company are former brewmasters so they understand how to create fine craft beers from scratch. Customers can depend on their unique brewing process to achieve one-of-a-kind drinks. By choosing BC Craft Beer Company customers know they are getting the highest quality ingredients and specialty beverages they can brag about. BC Craft Beer Company uses holistic inspections and quality control measures to ensure each batch exceeds the most stringent quality standards.

Crafty Colorado Brews

Crafty Colorado Brews is a trusted Colorado brewery that provides superior service to patrons in Boulder, Colorado and the surrounding areas. The company makes small batches of seasonal drinks onsite. Products include pale ales, pilsners, and lagers. Crafty Colorado Brews hosts craft beer tasting events onsite and also distributes its products to local restaurants and liquor stores.

Competitive Advantage

Mountain Craft Beer will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified team of brewing professionals that is able to create high quality, unique flavors using locally sourced ingredients and cater to customers’ preferences.
• New flavors developed each month and rotating seasonal selections that are renewed based on popularity.
• Mountain Craft Beer offers the best pricing in town. Their pricing structure is the most cost effective compared to the competition.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Mountain Craft Beer will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Highly-qualified team of skilled employees that is able to lead fun tasting events and provide insightful information to craft beer enthusiasts and novices alike.
• Unbeatable pricing to its customers – Using local suppliers allows the company to save on shipping costs and pass these savings on to its customers.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Mountain Craft Beer is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Richard and Susan Williams have built up an extensive network of craft beer enthusiasts and industry professionals. They plan to leverage this network to help them promote the new brewery.

Professional Associations and Networking

Mountain Craft Beer will become a member of Colorado Brewers Guild, Brewers Association, and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. They will focus their networking efforts on expanding their customer network.

Print Advertising

Mountain Craft Beer will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events, magazines, direct mailers, and newspapers.

Website/SEO Marketing

Mountain Craft Beer will utilize an in-house marketing director to design the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all of Mountain Craft Beer’s current product offerings. The website will also list contact information and upcoming tasting events.

The marketing director will also manage Mountain Craft Beer’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that anytime someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Colorado craft beer” or “brewery near me”, Mountain Craft Beer will be listed at the top of the search results.

Social Media/Influencers

The marketing director will create a brand presence across multiple social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. These accounts will be updated regularly to maintain an active social media presence. The company will work with social media influencers who will help to promote its products.

The pricing of Mountain Craft Beer will be moderate and slightly lower than competitors so customers feel they receive value when purchasing craft beer from the company.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Mountain Craft Beer.

Operation Functions:

• Richard Williams – Co-owner and Brewmaster who will oversee all brewing staff and manage the product development process.
• Susan Williams – Co-Owner and Operations Manager who will oversee all staff (outside of brewers) including sales, marketing, accounting, and maintenance employees.
• Ben Smith – Staff Accountant will provide all client accounting, tax payments, and monthly financial reporting.
• Michelle Miller – Marketing Director who will provide all marketing promotions for Mountain Craft Beer.
• John Davis – Maintenance Director who will provide all maintenance for the facility.

Milestones:

Mountain Craft Beer will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

8/1/2022 – Finalize contract to lease facility

8/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts

9/1/2022 – Begin build-out of the brewery

9/15/2022 – Begin networking at industry events

9/22/2022 – Begin moving into the facility

10/1/2022 – Mountain Craft Beer opens its brewery for business

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Mountain Craft Beer are the fees charged to customers in exchange for the products and fees charged to enter exclusive tasting events.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff a brewery. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, craft beer ingredients, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and in order to pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of Beers Sold Per Month: 3,000
• Average Fees per Month: $15,000
• Office Lease per Year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, brewery business plan faqs, what is a brewery business plan.

A brewery business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your brewery business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your brewery business plan using our Brewery Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Breweries?

There are a number of different kinds of breweries, some examples include: Microbrewery, Nano brewery, Brewpub, Taproom Brewery, Regional Brewery, and Contract Brewing Company.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Brewery Business Plan?

Breweries are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding. 

This is true for a brewery business plan, microbrewery business plan, or a craft brewery business plan

What are the Steps To Start a Brewery Business?

Starting a brewery business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Brewery Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed craft brewery business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your brewery business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your brewery business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Brewery Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your brewery business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your brewery business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Brewery Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your brewery business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your brewery business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful brewery business, brewery business planning and crafting a beer business plan :

• How to Start a Brewery Business
• How to Start a Brewery

Where Can I Get a Brewery Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free brewery business plan template PDF here . This is a sample brewery business plan template you can use in PDF format.

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Business Plan Resources for Breweries

I started with the Brewers Association in 2014. My goal is to engage with as many members as possible, help them maximize their membership benefits, and act as the resident resource-Sherpa to assist in navigating through the mountain of information.

In my free time I like to sip on IPAs and pilsners while playing bass loudly or petting my dogs. I openly welcome pup-pictures and all heavy/loud/noisy music suggestions.

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.

Resource Hub:

More like this.

The Human Resources Guide for Small Breweries

Zywave: Hiring and Onboarding

Resource hub, search brewersassociation.org.

• Brewers Association Search Form

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Explore the Brewers Association's most high-value resources and tools in one click. Need some additional guidance? Click here to setup a resource meeting with Graham, the BA's Engagement Coordinator.

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How to Write a Brewery Business Plan + Free Sample Plan

Makenna Crocker

8 min. read

Updated February 7, 2024

Free Download:  Sample Brewery Business Plan Template

Are you captivated by the craft of brewing beer? Enticed by the idea of making a living pouring your own beers for a crowd of enthusiasts? 

Sales of craft beer in the United States have continued to rise despite a slight downtown in overall beer sales, according to industry statistics. But to transition from craft beer aficionado to profitable brewery owner, you need more than just a robust ale — you need a solid business plan.

Need more guidance? Download our free sample brewery business plan .

Creating a detailed business plan is an indispensable step in your entrepreneurial journey.

In this article, we’ll tap into the process of writing a brewery business plan, helping you navigate from market research to financial forecasts and beyond.

• Why write a brewery business plan?

Starting a brewery without a business plan is like brewing without a recipe — risky and unpredictable. The plan is where you take stock of your market opportunity, assess the competition, document your day-to-day operating needs, and more.

But it’s more than a document to lay out your vision and objectives. You’ll need a clear, comprehensive business plan if your vision hangs on securing a bank loan or getting an outside investor to fund you .

They need evidence that you understand the market, have a sound financial strategy , and a plan to grow sustainably .

Without a business plan, you’re more likely to misjudge your inventory needs.

You might miss an opportunity to pivot based on changing tastes among customers or lose sight of tactics to set yourself apart from competitors in a crowded industry. 

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• 1. Research the market

The competition you’re likely to face from other brewers reinforces the importance of understanding your position in the market. Especially if you’re starting a new brewery business in a larger, urban area, you’ll need to devise a strategy for entering and growing within that market.

You can start simple. Visit some of those breweries in your geographic area. What sets the popular ones apart?

Be sure to talk to customers as well.

You can also gather insights from your competitors’ social media presence and gauge how customers are interacting with them online. You should also show that you understand broader trends in the craft beer industry, such as the seasonal popularity of different beer styles.

When writing your business plan , document the following information to show that you understand your market:

• The size of the 21-and-over population in the area you want to serve
• The number of licensed breweries in the area
• The number and types of other competitors (bars and restaurants, grocery stores that serve alcohol, etc.)
• Food offerings (some states legally require breweries to provide food)

Surround yourself with the community you plan to serve to really get an idea of what excites and draws in local beer enthusiasts. Notice the kind of beer they offer, how they market their products, and the type of people that tend to enjoy what they have to offer.

Looking at your competition isn’t about trying to copy them. It’s about understanding what is already offered and determining how you can ultimately stand out.

Define your target market

Now that you’ve compiled your market research, it’s time to zoom in on the demographics of your clientele.

Are the people frequenting breweries in your area mostly younger, like college students? Or maybe they tend to be workers looking for a fun afternoon out, or tourists stopping by after taking in the main attractions in your area?

Identifying your target market is not just about knowing who will be walking through your doors, but understanding their preferences and what causes them to choose you over your competitors. Doing this effectively requires considering the demographics of your potential customers:

• Occupations

And their psychographic characteristics:

Are your potential customers seasoned beer experts or casual drinkers? Do they value a broad selection, or would they prefer locally sourced and sustainable ingredients?

Defining these characteristics allows you to tailor your brand’s voice, marketing strategies, and even your beer selection to resonate with your desired audience.

• 2. Create an operational plan

The heart of your brewery business lies in its day-to-day operations. Begin with detailing the brewing schedules, capturing the intricacies of beer production, and then customer service operations.

Your operations plan should extend beyond brewing. Include managing supply chains , maintaining brewing equipment, and ensuring a smooth workflow in areas like marketing, sales, and distribution. Address the staffing plan too, outlining roles, responsibilities, and the team structure necessary to keep the brewery running smoothly.

As you navigate through these operational aspects, it’s important to keep in mind the broader picture: stay updated with regulations and compliance standards , but more importantly, ensure these guidelines are seamlessly integrated into your daily operations.

Your operational plan should paint a comprehensive picture of how your brewery functions on a daily basis, highlighting the systems and processes that drive its success.

• 3. Market your brewery

Even if you have the most flavorful beer, without the right marketing, nobody will know it exists.

You need to craft a marketing strategy as carefully as you do your beer. Utilize both traditional methods, like:

• Hosting beer release parties
• Local partnerships
• Advertising
• Loyalty programs

And digital tactics, such as email marketing and engaging with your community on social media , to spread the word about your brewery.

Don’t forget to look at competitors’ presence online as well. How they engage with their followers on social media and what online reviews say will tell you a lot.

Consider these marketing tips:

Develop a strong brand.

Your brewery’s brand should encapsulate what you stand for and what you offer that no one else does. Having a consistent theme across all aspects of your business, from the design of your logo and labels , to the interior of your brewery and the tone of your communication , will help solidify your brand. 

Example: If your brewery focuses on organic ingredients, this should be clear in your branding, and your marketing materials should educate customers on the benefits of organic beer.

Engage through events 

Events are a practical way to bring people to your brewery and get them talking about your beer. Consider planning events like these that are aligned with your brand:

• Beer release parties
• Homebrew competitions
• Local music nights

If you have a brewery that prides itself on being family-friendly, consider hosting family-oriented events like game nights. Events like these can not only attract regular customers but also create opportunities for social media sharing and word-of-mouth marketing.

Build a digital presence

A well-designed website is crucial for a positive online presence , providing information on your beers, the story of your brewery, and details about visiting or touring. Make your website easy to navigate and update it with the latest news about your products and events.

Use social media platforms to connect with your audience by sharing news, responding to customer feedback, and promoting upcoming events.

Regular updates and active engagement on platforms like Instagram and Facebook can help maintain your customers’ interest and encourage them to visit your brewery or try your beers.

• 4. Financials and pricing

To run a sustainable brewery operation, you have to do much more than just craft the perfect beers — your business has to be financially viable. A strong financial plan lays out a roadmap for turning your dream into a financially successful reality.

Begin by estimating your startup costs , considering everything from brewing equipment to licensing fees.

Appropriate pricing of your beers is crucial for business profitability – it’s a balancing act that involves setting a price that covers production costs and generates profit while also being attractive enough to keep customers from choosing competitors.

When penciling out your financial plan, remember:

• Cost Analysis: Know the cost of your ingredients and production to price your beers profitably.
• Sales Projections : Use your market research to forecast your sales. Be realistic, but don’t forget to plan for growth.
• Regular Reviews: Keep an eye on your financial health by reviewing your costs and prices regularly , ensuring your brewery remains profitable.
• 5. Set milestones and goals

Establishing clear milestones and specific goals is important for your brewery’s success. Your short term, three-month goals might include:

• Finalizing your beer menu
• Selling your first batch
• Hosting a successful grand opening

These early goals focus on launching your operations and establishing your brand in the local market.

Looking further out, your three-year objectives could involve more ambitious goals like:

• Reaching a certain production milestone
• Expanding your distribution to multiple states
• Opening a second taproom

Long-term goals should also include financial benchmarks, like achieving a break-even point and possibly hitting specific revenue targets .

For example: By the end of the first quarter, you might hope to have a solid customer base and consistent foot traffic with regular events driving sales.

After three years, your goals could shift toward sustainability and growth, like implementing a barrel-aging program or securing a spot in regional beer festivals. Milestones like these not only chart a path for growth but also help in measuring the health of your business.

Download your free brewery business plan template

If you’re ready to start your own brewery business, you can download our free brewery business plan template from our library of over 550 sample business plans . Get started today, and discover why businesses that plan grow 30% faster than those that don’t.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Makenna Crocker is the Marketing Specialist at Richardson Sports. Her work focuses on market and social trends, crafting gripping and authentic content, and enhancing marketing strategy to foster stronger B2B and B2C relationships. With a master’s degree in Advertising and Brand Responsibility from the University of Oregon, she specializes in generating a strong and responsible brand presence through content that positively influences and inspires others.

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How to Write a Brewery Business Plan: Complete Guide

• January 3, 2023
• Food & Beverage

Whether you’re looking to raise funding from private investors or to get a loan from a bank (like a SBA loan) for your brewery, you will need to prepare a solid business plan.

In this article we go through, step-by-step, all the different sections you need in the business plan of your brewery. Use this template to create a complete, clear and solid business plan that get you funded.

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary of a business plan gives a sneak peek of the information about your business plan to lenders and/or investors.

If the information you provide here is not concise, informative, and scannable, potential lenders and investors will lose interest.

Though the executive summary is the first and the most important section, it should normally be the last section you write because it will have the summary of different sections included in the entire plan.

Why do you need a business plan for a brewery?

The purpose of a business plan is to secure funding through one of the following channels:

• Obtain bank financing or secure a loan from other lenders (such as a SBA loan )
• Obtain private investments from investment funds, angel investors, etc.
• Obtain a public or a private grant

How to write your brewery’s executive summary?

Provide a precise and high-level summary of every section that you have included in your business plan. The information and the data you include in this segment should grab the attention of potential investors and lenders immediately.

Also make sure that the executive summary doesn’t exceed 2 pages in total: it’s supposed to be a summary for investors and lenders who don’t have time to scroll through 40-50 pages, so keep it short and brief.

The executive summary usually consists of the five major sub-sections that include:

• Business overview : this segment will provide a high-level summary of your business and the products you will sell. For example, mention the type of brewery you want to open (such as microbrewery, brewpub, taproom brewery, regional brewery, contract brewing company, etc.). Also, briefly mention your products and services (if you offer a sit-in taproom for example) and pricing strategy
• Market analysis : summarise the market where you will operate and provide a brief about the target audience , market size , competitors, etc. No need to provide granular data here, save it for the Market Overview section later on (or the appendix). You must provide only scannable data points to keep potential investors and/or lenders hooked.
• People : introduce your brewery’s management and employee structure. Provide a brief (no more than a couple of sentences each) of the knowledge and experience of the team. Also, speak about your hiring plans.
• Financial plan : how much profit and revenue do you expect in the next 5 years? When will you reach the break-even point and start making profits? You can include here a chart depicting your key financials such as revenue, gross profits, and net profit
• Funding ask : what loan/investment/grant are you seeking? How much do you need? How long will this last?

Brewery Financial Model

Download an expert-built 5-year Excel financial model for your business plan

2. Brewery Business Overview

This is the section where you will provide details about your brewery and the chosen business model. You must address some important questions that lenders and/or investors generally ask. Here is a quick list of some of those questions you must address:

• What’s the brewery’s location and why did you select that location?
• Why did you select the type of brewery you want to open?
• What will be the beer products you will offer? Any other drinks or services?
• What will be your pricing strategy and why?
• Who is your target audience?
• How many customers can you serve at once (in case you are going for options like taproom brewery or brewpub)?
• What will be the legal structure of your company?

Let’s look at different subsections that you must include:

a) History of the Project

Any business must have two components:

• Passion & experience of the business owner
• Rationale behind starting this type of business today

Passion & experience

You may or may not have prior experience. If you have experience, speak about it and how it will help you to run your business. For instance, you may have been a brewmaster in a popular brewery for 12 years, and now you want to start your own brewery and use your knowledge to run it more efficiently.

However, if you don’t already have experience, that’s fine. You must demonstrate your passion and some industry knowledge that you have acquired through intensive research.

Is there a certain problem (or perhaps, a set of problems) that your brewery will try to solve when it comes into existence? For instance, there may not be any brewpub in the area, and you want to capitalize on the opportunity. 

However, you must understand that the market must be suitable for the business. For instance, if the target audience in the location prefers a taproom brewery, offering a brewpub instead may not be a wise decision.

b) Business Model

This sub-section of the Business Overview will explain your business model. Describe the following points briefly:

• Will you buy an existing brewery and do some remodeling, or will you start a new brewery and design it from scratch?
• The type of brewery you want to open and why
• Equipment, inventory, and storage facilities that are essential for the brewery to operate successfully

There are multiple types of breweries that you can consider:

• Nano brewery : This is the smallest type of brewery. There are no defined barrels per annum, but they produce a very limited amount of beer per year
• Microbrewery : This type of brewery will produce less than 15,000 barrels of beer a year. Most beer is sold onsite instead of using distributors. These breweries are typically independently owned
• Brewpub : A restaurant and brewery hybrid in which the beer produced is served to the bar customers
• Taproom brewery : These are professional breweries that sell beer onsite and even via distributors. However, there are no restaurant services available. Sometimes, such breweries will have attached taprooms
• Regional brewery : These are breweries that produce anywhere between 15,000 and 600,000 barrels of beer a year
• Contract brewing company : In this form, a company will hire other breweries for beer production and packaging. However, the marketing and distribution of the beer will be the responsibility of the hiring company

The type of brewery that you want to open will depend on its market size, target audience, your business expansion plans, etc. For instance, if you want to sell your products outside of your state, you may want to go for a regional brewery or perhaps, settle for a contract brewing company.

c) Products & Services

Since you want to start a brewery, you will obviously be selling beer. However, you may decide to make different flavors. Also, if you want to open a brewpub, you may also be running a full-scale restaurant and serving food to your customers.

Depending on the type of brewery you will open, you must list all the products and services that you will sell. For example, if you are selling packaged snacks (taproom brewery) or instead if you want to have a full-service kitchen (brewpub), mention the relevant products here.

d) Pricing Strategy

In this segment, you must explain your pricing strategy. The price of the beer will depend on the product itself and its manufacturing complexity. Even the raw materials and the scale of your business will also determine the pricing.

If you are creating a premium line of products with a higher price tag, make sure that there is a proper justification for that. 

It is a good practice to include a pricing chart for all possible products if you have a small menu. However, if you are offering many products, provide a sample menu with the pricing range.

3. Brewery Market Overview

A complete understanding of the market where you want to operate is important for the success of your business.

For example, if you want to open your brewery in an affluent area where people don’t mind spending extra in exchange for a unique craft beer, a specialty taproom brewery may be a successful business.

Therefore, you must cover here 3 important areas:

• Brewery Industry Status Quo : how big is the brewery industry in your area? What is its growth rate (or decline rate) and what are the factors contributing to its growth or decline?
• Competition overview : how many competitors are there? How do they compare vs. your business? How can you differentiate yourself from them?
• Customer analysis : who is your target audience? What type of breweries do they prefer? How regularly do they visit breweries? Do they prefer to sit and eat in a brewery, and if so, do they prefer brewpubs or do they prefer taproom breweries? How much do they spend on average?

a) Brewery Industry Status Quo

How big is the brewery industry in the us.

According to Brewers Association , the overall beer market in the US is $100 billion, while craft beer accounted for 27% market share ($26.8 billion).

After a decline of 9% in 2020, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the beer industry bounced back by 8% in 2021.

However, what’s interesting is that the overall number of breweries in the U.S. increased in 2021 and reached an all-time high of 9,247 breweries (+2.5% vs. 2021) of which the breakdown (in terms of production volume) is shown below:

How big is the brewery industry in your area?

Once you provide the overall picture of the US, divert your attention to the area where you want to operate. It might not be possible to find region or area-specific studies, and hence, you must estimate the size of your market yourself. For more information on how to do so, read our article on how to estimate TAM, SAM and SOM for your startup.

For example, there were 9,247 craft breweries in the US accounting for $26.8 billion in sales. Hence, the average annual revenue for each craft brewery stood at about $3,000,000.

Therefore, if there are 18 craft breweries in your area (city or region), the overall brewery market size is approximately $54 million.

How fast is the brewery industry growing in the area?

After market size, you must look into the growth rate of the brewery industry in your area. This information may not be available via online research papers. However, assessing the growth rate of the brewery industry can be assessed using the number of competitors in the area.

For instance, if there were 13 breweries in 2018 and 18 breweries in 2022, the average annual growth rate of the brewery market in your area is 8.3%.

What are the current brewery market trends in your area?

It is vital to understand the trends of the brewery industry in your area. Understanding trends will allow you to devise marketing strategies.

Understanding trends won’t be easy. You must conduct research and talk with your target audience. Additionally, you must also study your competitors to understand their target audience, the products they sell, etc.

Some common questions you may ask the target audience include:

• What type of breweries do they prefer?
• At what time of the day do they prefer to visit a brewery (evening, afternoon, late night)?
• How frequently do they visit breweries?
• What type of foods do they usually order along with beer (if they are going for taprooms having a partnership with food trucks or they are opting for brewpubs)?

You can ask as many questions as you need to understand the evolving trends.

b) Competition Overview

Studying your competitors’ business models is vital. You need to understand what makes them successful or why they fail. A clear understanding of their brew offerings, marketing strategies, etc., will allow you to provide a better service.

If your competitors are offering nearly the same products & services, then what is their market share and how do they market their products & services to attract new customers?

It is always a good idea to do some research (if necessary, physically visit your competitors without revealing your business intentions) and create a comparative table summarizing their product & service offerings, marketing strategies, target audience, etc.

Here is a sample table that you can use:

The table you will create will depend on what information you need and want to include based on your proposed business model.

Brewery SWOT Analysis

It’s always good practice to provide a SWOT analysis as part of the business plan for your brewery. It must be crisp and highly focused. SWOT stands for Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats.

Here is a sample that you can use as a reference:

• Strengths : 8 years of brewmaster experience in a reputed large (non-craft) brewery
• Weaknesses : Startup cost, zero reputation
• Opportunities : An affluent neighborhood with rising demand for a brewpub, no brewpub in a 2-mile radius
• Threats : Increasing cost of raw materials, mass-production beer manufacturers are flooding the market

A clear understanding of your strengths and weakness along with opportunities and threats in the real market can help you to design your marketing strategy. It also helps potential investors to assess the risk and reward profile of your business and is often a must have in your brewery business plan.

c) Customer Analysis

This is the sub-section where you will provide a detailed analysis of your target audience. You will expand the data points your provided earlier in the Business Overview segment.

Some important points that you must include in your customer analysis include:

• Age and gender distribution (you can get local demographic data from census.gov )
• Per capita expenditure on beer
• Frequency of brewery visits
• Average monthly income and disposable income
• Average bill size per visit
• Average yearly or monthly spending on breweries
• Type of breweries preferred
• The expected price range for brews
• Inclination towards loyalty programs
• Things they dislike about existing breweries and what they expect to be improved

You can add as many data points as required to validate your business decision. The idea here is to display your deep understanding of the target audience and their needs, preferences, and expectations. This knowledge can help you to tailor your products & services to attract new customers.

4. Sales & Marketing Strategy

This is the segment where you outline the customer acquisition strategy of your brewery. Try to answer the following questions:

• What is your USP ?
• What are the different marketing strategies you will use?
• How do you intend to track the success of your marketing strategy?
• What is your CAC or customer acquisition cost?
• What is your marketing budget?
• What introductory promos and offers do you intend to provide for attracting new customers?

Let’s expand a bit on a few questions below:

What marketing channels do breweries use?

Marketing channels are ways of communication businesses use to attract customers. Logically, not all breweries use the same marketing channels. For example, a taproom that sells craft beer will most likely rely more on social media and signage vs. a regional brewery that only sells to resellers, restaurants, bars and other business customers (they will likely use a sales team instead, along with some paid media, print ads in specialized magazines, etc.).

See below a few examples of marketing channels that breweries typically use:

• Sales representatives (only breweries selling to businesses)
• PPC ads, Facebook ads, etc.
• Customer interaction through social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, etc.
• Email marketing
• Loyalty programs
• Word of mouth, recommendations

Of course, it’s not mandatory to use all channels. Instead, you can start by focusing on a few of them, and add others as you scale up later on.

Also, you must have a fair and nearly accurate estimate of your marketing budget. Failure to display a well-planned and adequate cash flow for advertising and marketing can lead to investors losing confidence. That’s because investors are fully aware that if adequate funds are not allocated for marketing, the business will be derailed before becoming a success.

What is your unique selling proposition?

In other words, how do you differentiate yourself vs. competitors? This is very important as you might need to win customers from competitors. A few examples of USPs are:

• Quality of beer products : your craft beer(s) may be of higher quality (raw materials r transformation) vs. your competitors’
• Location : your brewery may be located closer to your customers, reducing transport costs for your customers
• Partnerships : you may have partnered with famous brands, bars, restaurant chains or franchises your customers are fond of
• Price : your beer products (and/or food if you have a brewpub) may be cheaper vs. competitors
• Extra products / services : you may be the only brewpub in the area offering food to your customers, whilst all other competitors only offer taprooms

Your USP will depend on your business model, competitor analysis , target audience, and product. The idea is to speak to customers’ emotions and needs. Whatever your USP be, it should appeal to your potential customers and attract them. Plus, The USP you offer should be convincing enough for investors and lenders.

5. Management & People

You must address two things here:

• The management team and their experience/track record
• The organizational structure: different team members and who reports to whom?

a) Management

Small businesses often fail because of managerial weaknesses. Thus, having a strong management team is vital. Highlight the experience and education of senior managers that you intend to hire to oversee your brewery business.

Describe their duties, responsibilities, and roles. Also, highlight their previous experience and explain how they succeeded in their previous roles.

It is also important that you explain how their experiences and qualifications help you in implementing the brewery you are proposing. If they have specialized training, and experience (such as a certificate in brewing technology covering concepts like wort production, fermentation, etc.; brewmaster experience, etc.), add that information.

b) Organization Structure

Even if you haven’t already hired a brewer, head brewer (or brewmaster), tasting staff, tasting room manager, marketing personnel, quality control personnel, and other relevant staff members, you must provide a chart of the organizational structure defining the hierarchy of reporting.

6. Financial Plan

The financial plan is perhaps, with the executive summary, the most important section of any business plan for a brewery.

Indeed, a solid financial plan tells lenders that your business is viable and can repay the loan you need from them. If you’re looking to raise equity from private investors, a solid financial plan will prove them your brewery is an attractive investment.

There should be 2 sections to your financial plan section:

• The startup costs of your project (if you plan to start a new brewery, purchase new equipment, renovate your brewery, add a taproom to your brewery, etc.)
• The 5-year financial projections

a) Startup Costs

Before we expand on 5-year financial projections in the following section, it’s always best practice to start with listing the startup costs of your project. For a brewery, startup costs are all the expenses you incur before you open your brewery and start making sales . These expenses typically are:

• The brewing systems and other equipment
• The leasing deposit for the space (if you rent) or to buy the real estate (if you buy)

Logically, brewery startup costs vary significantly based on factors like the size of your brewery, its capacity (in barrels), its location, the quality of equipment, etc.

On average, it costs $158,000 to $340,000 to start a 2,000 barrel craft brewery.

Note that these costs are for illustrative purposes and may not be fully relevant for your business. For more information on how much it costs to open and run a brewery, read our article here .

b) Financial Projections

In addition to startup costs, you will now need to build a solid 5-year financial model for your brewery.

Your financial projections should be built using a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel or Google Sheets) and presented in the form of tables and charts in the business plan of your brewery.

As usual, keep it concise here and save details (for example detailed financial statements, financial metrics, key assumptions used for the projections) for the appendix instead.

Your financial projections should answer at least the following questions:

• How much revenue do you expect to generate over the next 5 years?
• When do you expect to break even?
• How much cash will you burn until you get there?
• What’s the impact of a change in pricing (say 15%) on your margins?
• What is your average customer acquisition cost?

You should include here your 3 financial statements (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement). This means you must forecast:

• The number of barrels you produce over time ;
• The number of beers (or barrels) you sell ;
• Your expected revenue ;
• Operating costs to run the business ;
• Any other cash flow items (e.g. capex, debt repayment, etc.).

When projecting your revenue, make sure to sensitize pricing, cost of raw materials (malt, hops, packaging, etc.) and your sales volume. Indeed, a small change in these assumptions may have a significant impact on your revenues and profits.

7. Funding Ask

This is the last section of the business plan of your brewery. Now that we have explained what your brewery business model is, what types of beer you sell and to whom (individuals vs. businesses), what’s your marketing strategy, etc., this section must now answer the following questions:

• How much funding do you need?
• What financial instrument(s) do you need: is this equity or debt, or even a free-money public grant?
• How long will this funding last?
• Where else does the money come from? If you apply for a SBA loan for example, where does the other part of the investment come from (your own capital, private investors?)

If you raise debt:

• What percentage of the total funding the loan represents?
• What is the corresponding Debt Service Coverage Ratio ?

If you raise equity

• What percentage ownership are you selling as part of this funding round?
• What is the corresponding valuation of your business?

Use of Funds

Any brewery business plan should include a clear use of funds section. This is where you explain how the money will be spent.

Will you spend most of the loan / investment in paying your employees’ salaries? Or will it cover mostly the cost for the lease deposit and the renovation?

Those are very important questions you should be able to answer in the blink of an eye. Don’t worry, this should come straight from your financial projections. If you’ve built solid projections like in our Brewery financial model template , you won’t have any issues answering these questions.

For the use of funds, we also recommend using a pie chart like the one we have in our financial model template where we outline the main expenses categories as shown below.

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Brewery Business Plan

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.

Above all, you need to maintain a combination of quality and cost-effectiveness while acquiring ingredients for your brewery.

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.

Hence, knowing what your customers want, things that influence their tastes, and what motivates them to change is essential for your business to succeed.

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.

Hence, it is essential to stay a step ahead of your competitors for your business to thrive.

Write 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 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.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Download a sample brewery business plan

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go;  download our free brewery business plan pdf  to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your brewery business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

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Brewery Business Plan Guide + Example

July 6, 2023

Adam Hoeksema

In this guide, we will navigate the process of creating a brewery business plan that reflects your  vision and entices potential stakeholders. Rather than viewing it as a chore that your lender may have tasked you with, embrace the opportunity to lay a solid foundation for your brewery's future growth.

Together, we will cover the essential components that make up a comprehensive brewery business plan, empowering you to showcase your brewery, analyze the market landscape, strategize marketing and sales efforts, and develop realistic financial projections. Your potential lenders will want to make sure your brewery plans are realistic and within industry averages as well!

This guide includes the following:

What Should be Included in a Brewery Business Plan?

• Conducting Market Research for Your Brewery Business Plan
• Creating Financial Projections for Your Brewery Business Plan

Example Brewery Business Plan

Brewery business plan faqs.

With that in mind as the path forward, let’s dive in. 

A brewery business plan should compellingly convey to investors and lenders why beer enthusiasts and other customers would prefer your brewery over competitors, why you or your team are the optimum choice to manage the brewery, and how the financial projections are tailored to secure a favorable monetary return on their investment. Below is a detailed blueprint of our complimentary brewery business plan template .

Brewery Business Plan Outline

I. Executive Summary

II. Company Description

III. Market Analysis

IV. Marketing and Sales Strategy

V. Operations and Management

VI. Financial Plan

• Startup Costs and Use of Funds
• Annual Sales, Gross Profit and Net Profit
• Key Financial Ratios
• Financial Summary
• Income Statement Annual Summary
• Cash Flow Statement Annual Summary
• Balance Sheet Annual Summary

VII. Appendix

VII. Conclusion

How to do Market Research for a Brewery Business Plan

Market research forms the backbone of any brewery business plan. Understanding your position within the market and establishing that there is adequate demand for your brewery's unique concept, location, and price range is key. Learn more about our approach to brewery market research here. Essentially, your goal is to grasp your competition, gauge potential customer footfall, identify an optimal location, and anticipate any seasonal fluctuations that could affect your business. You can learn more about our Brewery market research approach here, and below are some useful tools and methods for conducting market research for your prospective brewery.

What Will be the Cost to Advertise my Brewery?

We recommend Google Keyword Planner to aid you in identifying the ideal keywords to promote and attract customers to your brewery's website. This tool also offers an estimate of the cost per click when advertising using different keywords, as shown below:

What Keywords are Customers Using in Their Searches?

We rely on both Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs to discern which keywords are directing traffic to your competitors' websites. You can run a report on a competitor's website to uncover the keywords they are ranking for and the volume of organic traffic each keyword generates. This information can be pivotal in streamlining your SEO strategy.

How Seasonal are Brewery?

We utilize Google Trends to examine the seasonality of your brewery concept. For instance, it can highlight that "Craft Beer Breweries" might not have stark seasonal patterns, whereas a brewery with a specialty in summer ales might exhibit pronounced seasonal trends.

How Many Customers Do my Competitors Receive Each Month?

Lastly, it's advantageous to generate foot traffic reports for your competitors to gauge the typical number of patrons they serve at their breweries. An example is shown below that presents the number of visits per month for a specific location:

In the end, the projected customer base for your brewery is a key assumption that will be foundational to your financial projections. Therefore, understanding your competitors' patron volumes can assist in estimating the potential traffic to your brewery.

How to Create Financial Projections for a Brewery Business Plan

Now, it's time to translate your market research into meaningful financial projections. Unlike other industries, the art of brewing introduces unique variables that shape revenue projections. While some breweries face capacity constraints, dictated by factors such as available seating, others may be limited by their brewing capacity and the ability to efficiently fulfill orders. Creating accurate financial projections is crucial not only to showcase your brewery's potential to repay loans but also to demonstrate an attractive return on investment to potential stakeholders.

• Estimate startup costs for your restaurant
• Forecast revenue including distribution, tap rooms, brewpub
• Project food, beer, and labor costs
• Estimate your operating expenses like rent and utilities
• Calculate how much investor or loan capital you will need to open

If you use our brewery projection template , you'll be guided through this process, ensuring your projections adhere to the format required by investors or lenders. Typically, startup brewery projections should include an integrated income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow forecast to provide a comprehensive financial overview.

Through thoughtful financial planning and accurate projections, you'll not only showcase the potential profitability of your brewery but also gain the confidence of potential investors and lenders. Let our brewery projection templates assist you in presenting a robust financial plan that sets the stage for a successful brewing enterprise.

Discover our brewery business plan template , available in a customizable Google Doc format, allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs. Accompanied by our video walkthrough, you'll receive guidance on adapting the plan to your unique brewery concept. 

Table of Contents

1. executive summary,  1.1. company overview.

Briefly introduce the company's background, products or services, and target market.

      -  Example: Barrel & Brew Co. is a boutique craft brewery located in Asheville, North Carolina. We are dedicated to producing exceptional handcrafted beers that showcase the artistry of brewing and embody the spirit of the local community. 

   1.2. Objectives

Outlines the company's short-term and long-term goals.

        - Example:  Establish Barrel & Brew Co. as a premier destination for craft beer enthusiasts in Asheville, achieving a 70% taproom occupancy rate within the first year.

        - Example: Long-term: Plan to expand our operations, opening additional taprooms in neighboring cities and maintaining strong customer satisfaction..

  1.3. Mission Statement

 Describes the company's purpose and core values.

        - Example: At Barrel & Brew Co., our mission is to create exceptional craft beers that captivate the senses and foster a sense of community. We are dedicated to promoting the art of brewing, supporting local farmers and artisans, and providing an inviting and educational space where beer enthusiasts can gather, share experiences, and appreciate the craftsmanship behind our beers.

  1.4. Keys to Success

Highlights the factors that will contribute to the company's growth and success.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. thrives on the following key factors for success. We prioritize exceptional craftsmanship, ensuring our craft beers deliver unmatched quality and flavor. Our engaging taproom experience immerses beer enthusiasts through guided tours, tastings, and educational activities. Active community engagement through festivals, collaborations, and charitable support builds a loyal customer base. 

2. Company Description

   2.1. company history.

Provides context on the company's background and founding story.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. was founded by Martin Holts, a passionate brewer with extensive experience in the craft beer industry. Inspired by his love for brewing and the vibrant beer culture in Asheville, North Carolina, Martin set out to create a brewery that would celebrate the artistry and flavors of handcrafted beers. 

   2.2. Legal Structure

 Describes the company's legal structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, corporation).

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. operates as a limited liability company (LLC)

 2.3. Unique Selling Proposition

  Emphasizes the company's competitive advantage or unique offerings.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. distinguishes itself through its commitment to brewing excellence and innovation. We pride ourselves on crafting high-quality beers that showcase a harmonious blend of traditional brewing techniques and inventive flavors.

  2.4. Target Market

Defines the company's ideal customer base.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. targets beer enthusiasts and craft beer connoisseurs in Asheville, North Carolina, and beyond. Our offerings appeal to individuals who appreciate the artistry, quality, and diverse range of flavors found in handcrafted beers. 

3. Market Analysis

3.1. industry overview.

  Presents a general overview of the industry, its trends, and growth potential.

        - Example: The craft beer industry in Asheville, North Carolina, is thriving, driven by the city's vibrant beer culture, tourism, and a strong community of beer enthusiasts. With a growing demand for high-quality and diverse craft beers, the industry presents significant growth potential for Barrel & Brew Co.

3.2. Competitor Analysis

 Evaluates the company's direct and indirect competitors, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

        - Example: Direct competitors: Mountain Brew –  a local brewery located in Asheville, North Carolina, specializing in craft beers that celebrate the mountainous region.

        - Example: Indirect competitors: The Hop House – a popular brewpub and restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina. While they brew their own beers on-site, they also offer a wide selection of craft beers from other local and regional breweries. 

3.3. Target Market Analysis

Explores the company's target customers, demographics, preferences, and pain points.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co.'s target market includes beer enthusiasts, craft beer connoisseurs, and locals and tourists who appreciate the unique beer scene in Asheville. The target demographic comprises individuals aged 21 and above who seek flavorful, high-quality beers and enjoy exploring different beer styles and flavors.

3.4. Market Opportunities

Identifies potential opportunities for the company to grow within the market.

        - Example: There are several opportunities for Barrel & Brew Co. to thrive in the market. Firstly, by actively participating in local beer festivals, events, and collaborations with other breweries, Barrel & Brew Co. can increase brand visibility and attract new customers. Additionally, partnering with local restaurants and bars to showcase their beers can expand their reach and tap into new customer segments. 

Key Point  1

• Example 1: Conduct a competitor analysis to understand the strengths and weaknesses of existing breweries in the area. (e.g., Identify key competitors' offerings, pricing, and customer reviews to determine potential gaps in the market)
• Example 2:Analyze local beer consumption trends and preferences through surveys and market research. (e.g., Discover that there is a high demand for craft beers with unique flavors and local ingredients in Asheville)

4. Marketing and Sales Strategy

4.1. product or service offerings: .

Describes the company's products or services in detail.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. offers a diverse range of handcrafted beers. Our lineup includes a variety of beer styles, from refreshing lagers to hop-forward IPAs and rich stouts. Each beer is meticulously brewed using high-quality ingredients and crafted to deliver exceptional flavor and aroma.

4.2. Pricing Strategy

 Outlines the company's approach to pricing its products or services.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. employs a competitive pricing strategy that reflects the quality and craftsmanship of our beers while remaining accessible to our target market. 

4.3. Sales Strategy

  Explains how the company plans to generate sales and build

customer relationships.

        - Example:  To generate sales and build strong customer relationships, Barrel & Brew Co. focuses on creating memorable experiences for beer enthusiasts. Our taproom in Asheville, North Carolina, serves as a hub for beer tasting, socializing, and educational events. We prioritize customer engagement by offering guided brewery tours, hosting beer tasting sessions, and providing a welcoming and knowledgeable staff to enhance the overall brewery experience.

4.4. Distribution Channels

 Describes the methods through which the company will deliver its products or services to customers.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. primarily distributes its beers through its taproom in Asheville. Customers can visit the taproom to enjoy our beers on-site, purchase cans or growlers to-go, and engage directly with our team. 

4.5. Promotions and Advertising

 Details the company's promotional efforts and advertising strategies.

        - Example: To increase brand awareness and attract customers, Barrel & Brew Co. employs a multifaceted approach to promotions and advertising. We leverage social media platforms to showcase our beers, engage with our audience, and promote upcoming events. We also collaborate with local food vendors, musicians, and artists to host unique experiences and create cross-promotional opportunities. 

Key Point  2

• Example 1:  Organize a beer tasting event showcasing the brewery's signature brews to attract beer enthusiasts and build brand awareness. (e.g., Attract 300 attendees to the event, generating positive feedback and inquiries about future offerings). Attend local festivals, events, etc to offer beer tastings and sale discounted beers
• Example 2: Collaborate with local restaurants and bars to feature Barrel & Brew Co.'s beers on their menus, expanding the brewery's reach and attracting new customers. (e.g., Secure partnerships with three popular restaurants, resulting in increased sales and customer referrals)
• Example 3: pre-sale “beer of the month” or mugs for a “mug club” to provide a discount for the first year (or lifetime) based on a pre-launch subscription fee
• Example 4: Social Media & Email signups. Build a local (and broader) following by documenting/sharing the process of brewing, building, launching the brewery. Collect emails to provide updates to local supporters

5. Operations and Management

5.1. brewery production.

Involves the brewing process, quality control, and packaging of the beers.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. focuses on producing high-quality beers by adhering to strict brewing standards, conducting regular quality checks, and implementing efficient packaging and labeling processes.

5.2. Inventory Management

Refers to the management of raw materials, brewing supplies, and finished beer inventory.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. maintains a comprehensive inventory management system to monitor stock levels, track ingredient usage, and ensure sufficient supply of brewing materials. This enables us to meet customer demand and optimize production efficiency.

5.3. Taproom Operations

Encompasses the management of the taproom, including customer service, beer pouring, and creating a welcoming atmosphere.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. places a strong emphasis on exceptional customer service and creating a warm and inviting environment in our taproom. Our well-trained staff provides knowledgeable guidance on beer selection, offers a memorable tasting experience, and fosters a sense of community among our patrons.

5.4. Compliance and Regulatory Requirements

Involves adhering to local, state, and federal regulations related to brewing, licensing, health and safety, and responsible alcohol service.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing the brewing industry. We maintain proper licensing, prioritize health and safety protocols, and promote responsible alcohol service to uphold the highest standards of legal and ethical practices.

Key Point  3

• Example: Martin Holts, the owner of Barrel & Brew Co., has a decade of experience in craft beer brewing, including managing a successful brewery in a different location. His expertise ensures a deep understanding of brewing techniques, quality control, and industry trends.
• Example: The brewery's head brewer, Sarah Thompson, is a renowned expert in the craft beer industry, having won multiple awards for her innovative beer creations. Her expertise brings credibility and a competitive edge to Barrel & Brew Co.

5.5 Staffing and Human Resources

Covers the recruitment, training, and management of a skilled and dedicated team.

        -Example: Barrel & Brew Co. places great importance on hiring passionate and knowledgeable individuals who share our commitment to brewing excellence. We provide comprehensive training programs, offer competitive compensation, and foster a positive work environment to attract and retain top talent in the industry.

5.6. Financial Management

Involves budgeting, accounting, and financial analysis to ensure the brewery's financial stability and profitability.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. maintains a robust financial management system, which includes accurate bookkeeping, regular financial analysis, and strategic budgeting. This allows us to make informed business decisions, manage expenses effectively, and pursue growth opportunities while maintaining financial sustainability.

All of the unique Brewery financial projections you see here were generated using ProjectionHub’s Brewery Financial Projection Template . Use PH20BP to enjoy a 20% discount on the template. 

6. Financial Plan

   6.1. startup costs.

  Provide a detailed breakdown of the total startup costs requirements, and where you plan for those funds to come from. You will also want to breakdown how the startup costs will be used including working capital to cover losses before the business breaks even.

        - Example: Creating a solid financial plan is crucial, and we are taking the necessary steps to ensure the success of Barrel & Brew Co. We have raised $150,000 through personal investment from Matin, and we are working with financial institutions to secure a business loan of around $500,000. By combining these funding sources, we are confident in our ability to meet the startup cost requirements and establish a strong foundation for Barrel & Brew Co. 

6.2. Revenue Projections

Provides an estimate of the company's future revenue based on market research and assumptions.

        - Example:  Barrel & Brew Co. projects $1,367,824 in revenue in the first year. The company anticipates steady growth in revenue over the initial five-year period.

6.3. Expense Projections

 Estimates the company's future expenses, including fixed and variable costs.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co.'s expenses include property lease, accounting, advertising, professional services, utilities, and more.

6.4. Profit and Loss Statement

Summarizes the company's revenue, expenses, and net income over a specific period.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. expects to achieve profitability within the first two years of operation.

6.5. Cash Flow Projections

 Outlines the company's projected cash inflows and outflows.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. cash flow projections account for seasonal fluctuations in sales and expenses.

6.6. Break-even Analysis

  Determines the point at which the company's revenue equals its expenses.

        - Example: Barrel & Brew Co. anticipates reaching its break-even point in year 2 of operation.

Watch how to create financial projections for your Brewery

Key Point  4 

• Example 1: Compare financial projections with industry benchmarks for breweries of a similar size and production capacity. (e.g., Aim for a gross margin of 50%, which is within the typical range for craft breweries)
• Example 2:  Consider potential market growth and expansion opportunities in Asheville, factoring in expected revenue increases from increased distribution and taproom sales.

7. Appendix

   7.1. supporting documents.

 Includes any relevant documentation that supports the information presented in the business plan, such as resumes, financial projections, market research data, and permits or licenses.

   7.2. Glossary of Term

 Provides definitions for industry-specific terms used throughout the business plan to ensure reader comprehension.

   7.3. References and Resources

Lists any sources or resources referenced during the preparation of the business plan, including industry reports, market research data, and relevant publications.

Key Point  5

• Example: Martin Holts and his family invest a substantial amount of personal funds into the brewery's startup costs, demonstrating their commitment to the business's success.
• Example: The brewery secures a small business loan backed by the collateral of brewing equipment, showing the willingness to assume financial risk and ensuring the lender's confidence in the venture.

How can I choose the ideal location for my brewery?

When selecting a location for your brewery, consider factors such as the availability of water supply, access to quality ingredients, proximity to your target market, zoning regulations for breweries, space for brewing equipment and storage, and the potential for a taproom or retail area.

What are the steps to start a craft brewery?

Starting a craft brewery typically involves conducting market research, writing a business plan, securing funding, obtaining necessary permits and licenses, sourcing equipment and ingredients, hiring staff, and marketing your brewery.

How can I finance my brewery startup?

There are various options to finance a brewery startup, including self-funding, bank loans, crowdfunding, seeking investment from private investors or venture capitalists, or applying for government grants or incentives.

What permits and regulations do I need to comply with to operate a brewery?

The permits and regulations for operating a brewery can vary depending on your location. Typically, you will need permits related to alcohol production and distribution, licensing for on-site consumption or retail sales, compliance with health and safety regulations, and adherence to labeling and packaging requirements.

About the Author

Adam is the Co-founder of ProjectionHub which helps entrepreneurs create financial projections for potential investors, lenders and internal business planning. Since 2012, over 50,000 entrepreneurs from around the world have used ProjectionHub to help create financial projections.

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How To Write a Successful Brewery Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for brewery businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every brewery business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Brewery Business Plan Template

What is a Brewery Business Plan?

A brewery business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Brewery Business Plan?

A brewery business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Brewery Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful brewery business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a brewery business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your brewery company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your brewery business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your brewery firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen brewery business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a brewery business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the brewery industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the customers of a brewery business may include:

• People who live near the brewery
• People who are seeking unique beer flavors or other properties
• People who buy beer from the brewery’s website or through a distributor

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or brewery services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Below are sample competitive advantages your brewery business may have:

• Brewery has a unique brewing process that results in a better-tasting beer.
• Brewery is family-owned and operated; customers can visit the brewery to see how their beer is made.
• Brewery offers a wide variety of beers, which appeals to different customer segments.
• Brewery beers are sold in local restaurants and bars, making it convenient for customers.
• Brewery offers tours of the facilities, which educates customers about the brewing process and creates a memorable experience.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your brewery business via word-of-mouth marketing.

Operations Plan

This part of your brewery business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a brewery business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include adding new brewing equipment, launching a new product line, or opening a new location.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific brewery industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Brewery Business

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Brewery Business

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup brewery business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Brewery Business

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your brewery company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

A well-executed business plan will give you the best chance at success and keep you organized and on track as your brewery company grows.

Now that you understand how to write a brewery business plan, it’s time to get started on yours.  

Finish Your Brewery Business Plan in 1 Day!

Wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Brewery business plan?

With our Ultimate Brewery Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

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How To Write A Comprehensive Brewery Business Plan

Starting a successful brewery is a big dream for many. To achieve this dream, you need to start with a solid brewery business plan.

Your business plan includes everything you need to organize before opening your business, from your business goals and operations to your brewery name, beer menu, and everything in-between. Getting this plan right is one of the most important steps toward your business's success.

In this guide, we’ll outline everything craft breweries should include in their business plan template.

What is a Business Plan?

A business plan is a document that lays out your entire strategy for starting a brewery. This includes business objectives, operations, and how your brewery will be profitable and viable. A business plan is a roadmap you follow when setting up your new venture.

Your business plan must include details of how you will set up your brewery and what you aim to achieve. Doing this helps you prepare for the new challenge and know what to expect throughout the entrepreneurship journey.

Why Do You Need a Brewery Business Plan?

Your business plan ensures you open up your brewery as smoothly and efficiently as possible. It helps you avoid surprises along the way, getting your establishment off the ground by following all the proper steps. A well-thought-out plan will boost the chances of your brewery’s success in a big way.

A brewery business plan is also necessary if you need to secure funding. Nobody will put money behind a new venture without a clear plan on how it will operate and what kind of revenue and profits are projected.

What to Include in Your Brewery Business Plan

There’s a lot to consider when you write a brewery business plan. To help you out, here are some of the essential features to include in this document:

Business Description Section

Start with an executive summary of your business. This should be a description with the basic outline of what your brewery business will look like, what it will do, and why it exists. The executive summary should include details like your brewery name, its purpose for being, and why you want to start it.

Also include the type of brewery you plan to start and the proposed size. Do you imagine a lively beer hall, a country brewery, a trendy gastropub? A clear concept and vision to work toward are essential. You should also include goals that you want to achieve.

The craft brewery industry is highly competitive, so it’s vital that your brewery stands out. Make sure to include your mission statement, what will make your brewery unique, and why this is important.

Business Operations Section

A vital part of the planning process is outlining exactly how your business will operate. When creating a plan for your craft brewery, try to detail exactly how the establishment will work - from sourcing ingredients to selling beer to customers.

Will you have a restaurant in your brewery? Will you sell beer to liquor stores, or will it only be available to consume on-site? If you do sell beer off premises, will you have sales reps? How far around the country do you plan to stock your beer? These are all important things to consider in your business model.

When you write a brewery business plan, include every detail of your operations. Think about transporting your beer, whether your brews will change over seasons, whether you will bottle or can your brews, and so on.

Management and Team Overview

A key part of your brewery business plan is outlining the people behind your business. You will need to have a plan for staffing and management requirements. Who will be in charge of which jobs? Having a clear management and staffing team structure will help you understand your brewery operations realistically.

You will certainly need a head brewer and a general manager. Depending on your business model, you might also need a chef/kitchen manager, a sales manager, and various support staff roles, such as assistant brewers, cooks, bartenders, and wait staff.

As a brewery owner, outline why you are the right fit for the job. Outline your brewery-related qualifications, experience, and interests. Repeat this for any other management positions that you have secured.

Menu Overview

If your brewery is going to be a success, it will need a great product. Carefully planned menus are vital parts of all breweries' business plans. Ideally, you should have already perfected your recipes and have some sample products and home brews available if you need to convince investors.

As a brewery, start with your beverage menu. Outline precisely what brews you will produce.

Will you have a flagship beer that your brewery is known for? Will you offer seasonal or limited-edition beers?

Make sure that the style of beers you brew makes sense to your location and target market. Having tried-and-tested recipes for your beers is essential. You will also need to know exactly what equipment you require for brewing all of your beers.

Then you will probably also need a food or snack menu. Some breweries are known for their food, while others serve light snacks to compliment their beers. Figure out a sample menu for your brewery and match it to your brewery concept. Will you do beer pairings? Will your brewery have a theme (like German or all-American BBQ)?

Again, testing this out and getting feedback on it is crucial. You will also need to make sure you understand the exact kitchen and equipment requirements for your menu.

You might be an amazing brewer with a killer business idea, but choosing the wrong location could be the downfall of your brewery. Location plays a massive role in the success of any brewery so try to be as specific about your location as possible in your microbrewery business plan. Take the time to carefully research different location options.

Ideally, you should open your brewery in an area with minimal competition and high demand. When choosing your business address, look for features like foot traffic, visibility, parking, and a great view. Some breweries are opened as “destination” breweries and could be in a remote or unique area that people want to travel to. Others do well in busy areas full of hungry and thirsty customers, like tourist destinations or shopping malls.

Of course, your brewery space will also need to be large enough to brew beer and seat customers or do tastings. However, some breweries have separate premises for brewing and serving the public.

Market Research

No business plan summary is complete without in-depth local market research. You need to understand your market and target customers. Use this to provide evidence of why your brewery idea will be viable. This should include an analysis of market trends, competitors, and customer segments.

Do some detailed competitive analysis of the area you plan to open your brewery. Understand who your main competitors will be and how your business will be different from them.

You will also need to understand the demand for a brewery. Asking locals and even sending out questionnaires can help here. You could also try to do a market or a “pop-up” brewery event in the area, partnering with another local business. This will help you understand demand and how people react to your craft beers.

Another central bit of market research is to create a detailed target customer persona. This should include your ideal clients' demographics, interests, income, age, and other relevant details.

Your competitive analysis section should also cover the general market price of craft beer and food in your area. When you conduct research, try to visit as many direct competitors as possible to understand how they operate, what they do well, and what you can do better.

A thorough market analysis will give you a good idea of the scale your brewery should operate at, who your potential customers are, and what new markets you could tap into.

Business Structure and Licenses

Outlining how your business will be structured is an integral part of any business plan. This needs to include who the business owners will be.

Some business structures include a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited liability company (LLC), and a corporation (C Corp). Choose the structure of your business based on how many people will be involved, how big the company will be, and how it will operate. The proper legal structure can have some significant personal and tax benefits.

When starting a brewery, include a plan for all of the licenses and legalities involved in the business. You will need permits for trading, selling food, and for brewing and selling beer. The specific requirements will differ between states. Contact your local government as early as you can to understand the specific legal requirements for your brewery.

Make sure to include the application process for these licenses in your timeline. You will also need to ensure these licenses, including a brewery license, are possible based on your business location.

Equipment and Setup

There’s a lot that goes into a brewery. Part of your brewery business plan is figuring out all the necessary equipment. This should be related to your menu, your brewery size, location, and how you plan to operate.

When planning your brewing equipment, consider the volume of beer you need to brew and have a clear plan for how you will be able to sell this. Your brewing capacity needs to be just right in terms of your business demand. If your capacity is too large, it will result in wastage. If it is too small, your brewing process won’t be able to hit demand, and you will miss out on revenue.

Beyond your brewing equipment, you might need kitchen equipment, a bar, tables and chairs, booths, glasses, a POS system , a coffee machine… the list goes on. Try to list every piece of equipment required for starting your business - from your mash tun right down to your coasters. All of these items need to be planned and accounted for. Getting this accurate is necessary for understanding what our realistic startup costs will be.

This might be quite a stressful part of our business plan, but it’s one of the most important things for all startups and small businesses to get right. Your brewery business plan must include accurate startup costs, predicted income statements, and financial projections. Quite simply, you will need to establish:

• How much capital is required to get the brewery started
• How much it will cost to operate the brewery
• How much revenue you can realistically expect to make each month (and year) after starting the business
• How much profit you will be able to generate

It seems simple enough, but a lot goes into this. You will need a clear profit and loss statement, realistic cash flow statements, and a pricing strategy that will work.

You also need to consider your cash reserves (you might not make a profit for a few months) and your stock and inventory. There is also packaging, software tools (accounting software, POS software, restaurant management software , etc.), payroll, and production costs. Let’s not forget to consider loan repayments, insurance, and other ongoing expenses.

If you pitch to potential investors or want to secure bank loans, you will need your financial plan to be absolutely watertight. This is what determines how viable your business idea is.

How will you attract customers once your business is open? You will need a clear marketing strategy. This could include a strong web presence , social media marketing, special promotions, eye-catching signage, a well-placed chalkboard, collaborations with other businesses, and more.

When establishing your marketing plan, keep your target customers in mind. The channels and strategies that your marketing plan includes will need to align with their interests.

Following these steps to draw up your business plan template should cover all the necessary details. Just remember that your brewery business plan is a working document. Dedicate enough time to creating your plan, and constantly update and improve it as you learn more about the market and industry.

Plan to host private events at your brewery? Get in touch with Perfect Venue to learn more about our event management software designed for breweries, independent restaurants, and hospitality groups.

Have thoughts on the article? Feel free to email us at [email protected] - we'd love to hear it!

Brewery Business Plan Template & Example [Updated 2024]

Brewery Business Plan Template

If you want to start a brewery business or expand your existing brewery business, you need a business plan.

You can download our brewery business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

The following sample brewery business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a successful brewery business plan. It can be used to create a business plan for a craft brewery, a microbrewery business, or another brewery business concept.

Sample Business Plan Template for a Brewery

Below is a brewery business plan example with each of the key sections to help you write a brewery business plan for your own company.

I. Executive Summary

Business overview.

Based in [Location], [Company Name] brewery makes high quality, local beer that not only enriches celebrations and traditions, but also brings a touch of the extraordinary into daily life. It combines time-honored brewing with new methods and unique recipes to create a range of classic and craft beer everyone can enjoy. [Company Name] beer is the flavor of [Location].

Customer satisfaction is [Company Name]’s highest priority, with beer for every palate. [Company Name] has ambitions to become a household name; a go-to for all occasions.

Products Served

The following are the types of beer that [Company Name] produces:

• Belgian Witbier

Customer Focus

[Company Name] will primarily serve the residents who live within the city. The demographics of these target customers are as follows:

• 302,145 residents
• 79,567 workers
• Average income of $51,031
• 40% married
• 38% in Mgt./Professional occupations
• Median age: 39 years

Management Team

[Founder’s Name]’s expertise and experience is the [Company Name]’s most valuable asset. After graduating from the University of ABC where he earned a degree in Business, [Founder’s Name] worked at Samuel Adams. In his long experience in the industry, he acquired an in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of running a brewery before he started [Company name].

[Company Name] will also employ an experienced assistant to help with production. He will also be trained by [Founder’s Name] so he can take over the brewery business when [Founder’s Name] is away.

Success Factors

[Company Name] is uniquely qualified to succeed due to the following reasons:

• There is currently no brewery in the community we are entering. In addition, we have surveyed the local population and received extremely positive feedback saying that they explicitly want to purchase our beer when launched.
• The management team has a track record of success in the craft brewery industry.
• The brewery business has proven to be a successful business in the United States.

Financial Highlights

[Company Name] is seeking a total funding of $400,000 to launch its brewery. The capital will be used for funding capital expenditures, manpower costs, marketing expenses and working capital.

Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:

• Brewery design/build: $200,000
• Working capital: $200,000 to pay for Marketing, salaries, and equipment costs until [Company Name] reaches break-even

II. Company Overview

Who is [company name].

[Company Name] is a [Location]-based brewery that produces high quality, local beer that not only enriches celebrations and traditions, but also brings a touch of the extraordinary into daily life. It combines time-honored brewing with new methods and unique recipes to create a range of classic and craft beer everyone can enjoy. [Company Name] beer is the flavor of [Location].

[Company Name]’s History

Born in Portland, the beer capital of the world, [Founder’s Name] grew up brewing beer. In keeping with family tradition, he was trained in the art and science of handcrafting beer using family recipes and techniques. Upon relocating to [Location], [Founder’s Name] was dismayed to discover a lack of local craft brews. It didn’t take long for him to seize the opportunity to open his own brewery, [Company Name].

Since incorporation, the Company has achieved the following milestones:

• Acquired land
• Developed the company’s name, logo and website located at [website]
• Determined building, equipment and fixture requirements
• Began recruiting key employees

[Company Name]’s Products/Services

Iii. industry analysis.

Over the past five years, the brewwery industry has experienced significant change, with the rise of craft breweries, wineries and distilleries. Smaller, regional operators experienced substantial growth, provoking a slew of new operators to enter the industry.

The industry is also seeing heightened competition. Over the past decade, the industry experienced a substantial rise in industry players, mostly craft breweries. As these breweries continue to expand over the next five years, competition is expected to increase, and historically dominant players will likely struggle to maintain their control of industry revenue. As a result, the development of brand names over the next five years will be critical to major players’ success, both in competition among brewers and against substitute products, such as wine and spirits. Such developments will benefit larger players that run more cost-effective promotional campaigns. At the same time, younger beer drinkers, aged 21 to 30, are expected to increasingly experiment with and seek out unusual brews, which will provide opportunities for craft breweries and microbreweries to expand their market reach.

As competition escalates between breweries and the craft beer boom continues to normalize, the number of new entrants is projected to slow. Still, the number of industry enterprises is expected to increase at an annualized rate of 9.4%.

Over the next five years, the industry is forecast to have steady growth. Operators are expected to experience increases in demand from their largest markets, particularly on-premise channels, such as restaurants, bars and event spaces. Moreover, smaller operators that rely on in-person transactions through in-house bars and tasting rooms are expected to see demand, as many people seek social drinking experiences.

IV. Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

[Company Name] will serve the restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and households within [location] and the immediately surrounding areas.

The precise demographics of the town in which our location resides is as follows:

Customer Segmentation

We will primarily target the following three customer segments:

• Local residents: Approximately 80,000 people live in the area, 80% of which are over the age of 21.
• Wholesale accounts: We will target restaurants, hotels and grocery stores to set-up wholesale accounts. These establishments will then sell our beer downstream to end consumers.
• Businesses: Local corporations hold parties and celebrations for special events and milestones. Although a small segment, this is a good place to increase the company’s brand awareness and market reach.

V. Competitive Analysis

Direct & indirect competitors.

The Gold Liquid Brewing Co. Established in 2017, The Gold Liquid Brewing Co is a family-owned and -operated craft microbrewery and gastropub. The operation consists of an 8 bbl brew house, 2 bbl pilot system, a small batch PicoBrew system, and a 3 kg coffee roaster.

In its taproom, Gold Liquid serves 34 in house brews on tap, as well as additional taps for guest ciders and 6 wines on draft. Its gastropub food menu features high-quality food designed to complement Good Liquid brews. Guests may eat in the bright dining room, or in the large, dog-friendly outdoor beer garden, which features picnic tables and outdoor games.

Midwestern Brewing Co. Established in 1998, Midwestern Brewing Co. is a brewpub offering its beers, both bottled and on tap, and serving lunch and dinner from locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible. Midwestern operates seven locations in Indiana, though not all serve food. The brewery offers complimentary tastings and monthly guest brewmasters.

Better Brewing Co. Established in 2018, Better Brewing Co. is a family-friendly, small batch brewery with a full kitchen on site serving gourmet style pub fare. It typically offers a weekly list of entertainment, music and food and drink specials. Guests may eat in the dining room, or in the dog-friendly beer garden.

Competitive Advantage

[Company Name] enjoys several advantages over its competitors. These advantages include:

• Client-oriented service: [Company Name] will have a full-time sales manager to keep in contact with our wholesale customers.
• Management: [Founder’s Name] has been extremely successful working in the industry and will be able to use his experience to create the best tasting beers. His unique qualifications will serve customers in a much more sophisticated manner than [Company Name’s] competitors.
• Transparency: To continue to assure customers of the quality of [Company Name]’s products, customers are welcome to tour the brewery for a beer tasting and brewery experience.

VI. Marketing Plan

The [company name] brand.

The [Company Name] brand will focus on the Company’s unique value proposition:

• Offers the finest beer at a competitive price
• Has a convenient location in the heart of the city
• Provides excellent customer service

Promotions Strategy

[Company Name] expects its target market to be individuals working and/or living within [state]. [The Company’s] promotions strategy to reach these individuals includes:

Sampling [Company Name] employees will initially give free beer samples to enable customers to taste the quality and variety of our beer and learn about us.

Ongoing Customer Communications [Company Name] will maintain a website and publish a monthly email newsletter to tell customers about new events, products, and more.

Pre-Opening Events Before opening the brewery, [Company Name] will organize pre-opening events designed for prospective customers, local merchants and press contacts. These events will create buzz and awareness for [Company Name] in the area.

Online Marketing [Company name] will invest resources in two forms of geographically-focused internet promotion—organic search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising. The Company will develop its website in such a manner as to direct as much traffic from search engines as possible. Additionally, it will use highly-focused, specific keywords to draw traffic to its website, where potential clients will find a content-rich site that presents [Company name] as the trustworthy, well-qualified brewery that it is.

VII. Operations Plan

Functional roles.

In order to execute on [Company Name]’s business model, the Company’s employees divide the following roles:

Operation Functions

• Production/brewing
• Deliveries and business operations
• Sales and Marketing

Administrative Functions

• General & administrative functions including marketing, bookkeeping, etc.
• Hiring and training staff

[Company name]’s long term goal is to become the dominant producer of quality beer in the [Location] area. We seek to be the standard by which other brewers are judged.

VIII. Management Team

Management team members.

[Founder’s Name]’s expertise and experience is [Company Name]’s most valuable asset. After graduating from the University of ABC where he earned a degree in Business, [Founder’s Name] worked for a major national brewer. In his long experience in the industry, he acquired an in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of running a brewery before he started [Company name].

[Company Name] will also employ an experienced assistant to help with production. He will also be trained by [Founder’s Name] so he can take over the business when [Founder’s Name] is away.

Hiring Plan

[Founder’s Name] will serve as [Company Name]’s manager. In order to launch the brewery, we need to hire the following personnel:

• Brewery workers: 5 full-time to start
• Assistant Manager: 1 full-time to handle the day-to-day operations
• Delivery personnel: 1 full-time

IX. Financial Plan

Revenue and cost drivers.

[Company Name]’s revenues will come primarily from the sales of beverages to its customers.

The major costs for the company are packaging costs, salaries and supplies. In the initial years, the company’s marketing spend will be high, as it establishes itself in the market.

Capital Requirements and Use of Funds

• Store design/build: $200,000

Key Assumptions

5 Year Annual Income Statement

5 Year Annual Balance Sheet

5 Year Annual Cash Flow Statement

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• Business Plans

Brewery Business Plan

There is no question that there has been an increase in the number of craft breweries around the United States over the last several years. In 2018 alone,  1,049 new breweries opened  while 219 closed their doors forever. With over 25.9 million barrels of craft beer sold in 2018, commanding over $27.6 billion in revenue, there’s no wonder that entrepreneurs are launching more breweries than ever. Unfortunately, setting up a brewery can be expensive. Often, entrepreneurs must seek the funds of investors to support the launch of their craft beer business. To meet and attract investors, they need a strong brewery business plan that supports their case and showcases the potential of their idea.

Writing a business plan for a brewery is a bit different than writing for other types of businesses. Even when compared to other food & drink venues, breweries have several unique factors that should be addressed as a strategy is devised.

In the following post, we will explain everything you need to know about creating an awesome investor-ready brewery business plan.

Download our winning brewery business plan template here!

The Brewery Business Plan Format

The layout for a brewery plan will typically follow that of a standard business plan. However, because of the unique nature of a brewery business, the approach to each section may be considerably different. Here are a few tips as you write through each section of your brewery business plan.

Executive Summary

Seed and  pre-seed investors  receive business plans constantly, and often, they don’t make it through the first few pages. The executive summary is probably the most critical part of your document. Essentially, this summary is the pitch that sells investors on reading the rest of the plan! With so many breweries launching, your executive summary must effectively explain what makes your brewery special. After reading your summary, investors should be able to clearly recognize what factors make your brewery unique and why consumers would choose to patronize your establishment over another. In general, your executive summary should sum up the major concepts that are explained throughout your plan. If delivered successfully, investors will be excited to continue reading your plan. *Tip*  Although the executive summary is presented first in your brewery business plan, you should write it last. This way, you can ensure that it follows your strategy perfectly and that it mentions all notable details.

Brewery Details

This section introduces readers to your brewery concept and the products that it will offer. There are four major parts to a brewery details section: 1) Description:  Explain how the brewery concept was conceived and the milestones that have been achieved to date. Milestones can include things such as finding a location, securing advisors, or establishing beneficial relationships. 2) Mission Statement:  Write a statement that explains what your brewery stands for, who it serves, its beliefs towards quality craft beer production, and the type of experience you hope to provide to guests. 3) Products & Services:  List out the different products and brands you serve. Explain what makes these products unique from competitive breweries. Whether your product is more flavorful or fresher, this is the section to describe why your product is special – if it is in fact special. Don’t just stop at the product itself, but also consider the type of unique experience that your customers can expect when frequenting your brewery. 4) Key Success Factors:  This section describes the factors that must be accomplished in order for you to successfully launch and operate a brewery. Major key factors for brewery success include things like finding the right location, having the right brewing process, choosing the right equipment, and building a repeat customer base.

Market Research

Unfortunately, not every market is ripe for a brewery. In some markets, there just aren’t enough ideal consumers to keep a brewery at a meaningful capacity. It’s important to know who your customers are, how many of them exist within your specific region, and how many you can attract to your brewery each day, week, or month. Start your research by performing a  target market analysis  to estimate the size of your serviceable obtainable market. Unless you can find the research to prove that there is both a large market and a high demand for a brewery, investors will hesitate to invest their capital. Assess the demographics of your target consumer. Use research from reliable resources like the Census to accurately estimate how large your market really is.

Competitive Analysis

No matter how great your beer is, your brewery will face some level of competition. Even if you are the only brewery in town, competition will come from local bars, restaurants, and local stores that sell craft beer. On a secondary level, there will also be competition from distributors of mass-produced domestic and imported beers. Make sure you identify all of your players within your local competitive landscape. Assess what customers enjoy about these venues and what they dislike.  Perform a SWOT analysis  on your brewery business and detail the advantages you have over other breweries, bars, beer suppliers.

Marketing Strategy

Having the best brewery in town is meaningless if you can’t get customers through the door. Unfortunately, just existing isn’t enough – competition in the food & beverage industry is usually quite extreme and customers have many options to choose from. Decide how you will introduce your brewery to potential customers. Whether it’s local marketing with newspaper ads in a community newspaper or directory, or online using social media – an effective strategy must be implemented to succeed. Consider how you will market your brewery, how much you will invest into each method, and how many customers you will attract with your intended budget. Furthermore, answer the following questions:

• How will you ensure that customers are satisfied enough to give your brewery great ratings and reviews?
• How can you upsell to help increase the value of each customer on each visit?
• How can you ensure that customers will return to your brewery on an ongoing basis?

Operational Strategy

Planning a brewery is tough, but operating one is far more challenging. There are many factors that go into operating a brewery on an everyday basis. The operational strategy for your brewery plan should include the following elements:

• Location:  Explain where your brewery will be located, how big the facility will be, why it is the perfect location, how you will renovate the location, and more.
• Quality Control:  Maintaining product quality is essential for a brewery. Failure to stay on top of things could lead to food inspection violations. Detail the steps you will take to ensure that a high-quality standard is met at all times.
• Customer Service:  Breweries are service-based businesses, too. Customer service is key to ensuring that visitors are satisfied enough to return in the future. Describe how you will deal with customer service and how you will handle any customer complaints.
• Sales Process:  Explain the process of how a customer receives your product from the moment they walk into the door. Who seats them? Who serves them? How are they served? How is payment collected? What happens after they leave?
• Staffing:  Lastly, explain your staffing plan. Consider each individual you will need to hire to operate your brewery properly. When will you hire them? How will you train them? How much will you pay them?

Financial Projections

Finally, investors want to see the financial viability and potential of your brewery. Prior industry research should help you minimize assumptions as you build your financial model. Once you have identified all major expenses (such as equipment and staffing), be sure to identify minor expenses, too (such as equipment maintenance, cleaning supplies for the bathroom, soap to wash dishes with, and etc.). Your financial model should be realistic and should replicate the strategies described in your brewery business plan. It should showcase realistic growth, and should be based on real data and statistics – not fluffed up with too many unproven assumptions.

Special Considerations

While the  business plan format  of a brewery plan may be similar to every other plan, there are several special considerations that must be made. There are some challenges that are exclusive to food & beverage businesses, and some that are exclusive to breweries specifically. Here are three special considerations you should make when writing your brewery plan.

Pay Attention to the Details

Breweries have only recently began to explode across the country. Investors will either be experienced with breweries and extremely familiar with the associated details, or they will be clueless about what it takes to run a brewery. Either way, it is important that you are able to consider and communicate each detail clearly. Interview brewery owners who are not competitors – such as those operating in other regions. Ask if they can share their experience and have them look over your financials to make sure you aren’t forgetting anything. When starting a brewery, research is everything – and sometimes, you won’t find all the answers through an online search. Build relationships within the industry and use those relationships to to your advantage as you plan your brewery.

Consider the Community

Knowing your customer is essential to establishment and growth. The most loyal customers will generally come from the surrounding community. The better you know the community, the more effective you will be in serving your customers. Look into other food & beverage businesses that have launched within the area. Pay special attention to the ones that didn’t succeed. What factors led to their success? Why did other bars and restaurants succeed instead? Interview potential customers within the community. Ask them what they like about current options and what they’d like to see in a new brewery. The feedback will not only help you develop a business that the community supports, but it will also help you validate your concept to investors.

Know Your Numbers

If there’s one thing you want to be extremely detailed about – it’s your numbers. Finding out that your strategy isn’t viable during the business planning process may sting, but finding it out post-launch can completely derail your business. Every financial model will have some level of assumption built into it. Having too many assumptions though will turn a brewery financial model into a pipedream. When you write your brewery business plan, research as deeply as you can to find out the real numbers associated with starting and running your business.

Need Help With Your Brewery Business Plan?

Writing a brewery business plan can be an extensive challenge for an entrepreneur. At ThinkLions, we have written dozens of business plans for breweries and other food & beverage businesses – and we know what it takes to get your brewery funded. Need help?  Contact us  today and let us help you write the best brewery business plan possible!

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Sample Brewery Business Plan

Writing a business plan is a crucial step in starting a brewery. Not only does it provide structure and guidance for the future, but it also helps to create funding opportunities and attract potential investors. For aspiring brewery business owners, having access to a sample brewery business plan can be especially helpful in providing direction and gaining insight into how to draft their own brewery business plan.

Download our Ultimate Brewery Business Plan Template

Having a thorough business plan in place is critical for any successful brewery venture. It will serve as the foundation for your operations, setting out the goals and objectives that will help guide your decisions and actions. A well-written business plan can give you clarity on realistic financial projections and help you secure financing from lenders or investors. A brewery business plan example can be a great resource to draw upon when creating your own plan, making sure that all the key components are included in your document. The brewery business plan sample below will give you an idea of what one should look like. It is not as comprehensive and successful in raising capital for your brewery as Growthink’s Ultimate Brewery Business Plan Template , but it can help you write a brewery business plan of your own.

Example – Hops & Barley Brews

Table of contents, executive summary, company overview, industry analysis, customer analysis, competitive analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan.

At Hops & Barley Brews, we are passionately dedicated to brewing distinctive beers that cater to the tastes of beer aficionados in San Antonio, TX. Our brewery stands as a testament to our commitment to quality, creativity, and community. We take pride in our state-of-the-art brewing facility and taproom, where we invite locals and visitors to explore our wide range of beers, from traditional ales and lagers to innovative craft selections. Our mission is to become a cornerstone in San Antonio’s vibrant beer culture, offering a welcoming space for socializing, education, and appreciation of the art of brewing.

Our success is attributed to our meticulous attention to quality, innovative brewing techniques, and a deep understanding of our customers’ preferences. We’ve quickly established a strong presence in the local market, thanks to our diverse beer selection and engaging community events. Our accomplishments to date include securing several awards at regional beer festivals, consistently positive customer feedback, and growing sales figures. These achievements underline our commitment to excellence and our potential for future growth.

The craft beer industry has seen significant growth, driven by consumers’ increasing preference for unique and locally produced beers. This trend has fostered a vibrant competitive landscape, with breweries distinguishing themselves through variety, quality, and community involvement. San Antonio’s burgeoning craft beer scene is reflective of this wider trend, offering ample opportunity for growth, particularly for breweries that prioritize innovation and engagement with their local community. As the industry continues to evolve, staying ahead of consumer trends and leveraging local partnerships will be key to success.

Our target customers are diverse, including both seasoned craft beer enthusiasts and newcomers eager to explore the world of artisanal beers. We focus on creating a welcoming environment for all, regardless of their level of beer knowledge. Our customer base is primarily composed of local residents and tourists, drawn to San Antonio’s rich cultural offerings. By understanding and catering to the preferences of our customers, we aim to not only attract a loyal following but also to introduce more people to the craft beer experience, fostering a larger community of enthusiasts.

Top Competitors: Brew Haven, City Ales, and The Malt House.

Brew Haven focuses on a wide range of international beers, City Ales offers a cozy, family-friendly atmosphere with a focus on local brews, and The Malt House is known for its experimental beer flavors. Our competitive advantages include our commitment to quality, our innovative brewing techniques that allow us to create unique beer flavors, and our strong community engagement through events and partnerships. These strengths enable us to stand out in a crowded market.

Our marketing plan is designed to engage our target audience through a mix of online marketing, community events, strategic partnerships, loyalty programs, and traditional advertising. We leverage social media platforms to share engaging content, run contests, and promote our events, fostering a strong online community. In-person events and partnerships with local businesses enhance our community presence and offer diverse experiences to our customers. Our loyalty program rewards customer engagement, turning patrons into brand ambassadors. Traditional advertising in local media ensures broader brand visibility. Together, these strategies aim to attract customers to our brewery and build a loyal community around our brand.

Our operational processes are centered around ensuring the highest quality of our beers and optimizing our brewing schedule to meet demand. Key processes include sourcing the finest ingredients, maintaining strict quality control standards, and fostering innovation in our beer recipes. Our milestones include expanding our brewing capacity to meet growing demand, launching new beer varieties to keep our offerings fresh, and increasing our distribution channels to reach more customers. Achieving these milestones is critical for our growth and for maintaining our reputation as a top craft brewery in San Antonio.

Our management team comprises individuals with extensive experience in the brewing industry, business management, and customer service. With a shared passion for craft beer and a vision for Hops & Barley Brews, our team’s expertise is integral to our success. Each member brings unique skills that complement our overall strategy, from brewing innovation and operational efficiency to marketing and community engagement. Their collective experience and dedication are the driving forces behind our brewery’s growth and success.

Welcome to Hops & Barley Brews, a new brewery that has recently started serving the vibrant community of San Antonio, TX. As a local brewery, we’ve noticed a gap in the market for high-quality local brews and have taken it upon ourselves to fill this void. Our team is dedicated to providing an exceptional experience for all our customers, offering a unique take on craft beer that can’t be found anywhere else in the area. At Hops & Barley Brews, we specialize in craft beers that cater to a wide range of taste preferences. Our offerings include a variety of beer flights and sampler sets, allowing our customers to explore and enjoy our diverse range of brews. For those who wish to take a piece of our brewery home, we offer growlers and an assortment of brewery merchandise. Additionally, we provide brewery tours, giving our guests a behind-the-scenes look at how our craft beers are brought to life. Our dedication to quality and variety ensures there’s something for everyone at Hops & Barley Brews. Our brewery is proudly based in San Antonio, TX, where we serve our local community with pride. Hops & Barley Brews stands out in the bustling brewery scene due to several key factors. Firstly, our founder brings invaluable experience from successfully running a previous brewery. This expertise is complemented by our commitment to producing superior beer with more varieties than our competitors. These elements position us uniquely in the market, setting the stage for our success in San Antonio and beyond. Hops & Barley Brews officially opened its doors on January 2, 2024, as a Limited Liability Company. Since then, we’ve achieved notable milestones that mark the beginning of our journey in the craft beer industry. Our accomplishments include the development of our company name, the design of our distinctive logo, and securing an ideal location for our brewery. These foundational steps underscore our commitment to building a brand that resonates with our customers and stands the test of time.  

The Brewery industry in the United States is currently experiencing significant growth and has become a major player in the country’s economy. According to recent data, the market size of the Brewery industry in the United States was valued at approximately $119.6 billion in 2020. This impressive figure indicates the strong demand for craft beer and the increasing popularity of local breweries across the nation.

Furthermore, the Brewery industry is expected to witness substantial market growth in the coming years. It is projected that the market size will reach around $152.2 billion by 2026, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to several factors, including the rising consumer preference for craft beer, the growing number of microbreweries, and the increasing adoption of online sales channels.

These trends in the Brewery industry bode well for Hops & Barley Brews, a new Brewery serving customers in San Antonio, TX. With the industry experiencing strong growth and a positive outlook for the future, there is ample opportunity for Hops & Barley Brews to thrive and capture a significant share of the local market. By offering a unique selection of craft beers and providing a memorable customer experience, Hops & Barley Brews can tap into the growing demand for craft beer and establish itself as a go-to destination for beer enthusiasts in the San Antonio area.

Below is a description of our target customers and their core needs.

Target Customers

Hops & Barley Brews will target local residents who are seeking a unique and high-quality brewery experience. This core demographic is likely to appreciate the craft and detail that goes into each brew, making them frequent visitors. The brewery will tailor its offerings to meet the tastes and preferences of this group, ensuring a loyal customer base.

The establishment will also attract tourists who are exploring San Antonio’s rich culture and culinary scene. These visitors are often looking for authentic, local experiences that they can’t find elsewhere. By offering a selection of beers that capture the essence of the region, Hops & Barley Brews will become a must-visit location on any tourist’s itinerary.

Furthermore, Hops & Barley Brews will cater to the growing segment of craft beer enthusiasts. These individuals are always on the lookout for new and exciting brews to try. The brewery’s commitment to innovation and quality will make it a popular destination for these customers, who are willing to travel and spend more for a superior product.

Customer Needs

Hops & Barley Brews caters to the discerning tastes of San Antonio residents who demand high-quality beer. Patrons can explore a diverse range of flavors, each crafted with meticulous attention to detail and using only the finest ingredients. This dedication ensures an exceptional drinking experience that meets the expectations of even the most sophisticated beer aficionados.

Aside from providing premium beverages, Hops & Barley Brews fosters a sense of community among its clientele. Customers can enjoy their favorite brews in a welcoming atmosphere that encourages social interaction and the making of new friends. The brewery serves as a vibrant gathering spot where individuals can unwind and connect over shared interests.

Moreover, Hops & Barley Brews addresses the growing desire for unique and locally-produced products. By emphasizing local ingredients and innovative brewing techniques, the brewery stands out as a beacon of creativity and craftsmanship. Customers appreciate the opportunity to support local businesses while enjoying beers that they can’t find anywhere else, adding a special touch to their overall experience.

Hops & Barley Brews’s competitors include the following companies:

Thirsty Pups Brewery is renowned for its unique range of craft beers, catering to a diverse palette with offerings from traditional ales to experimental flavors. Their products are marketed at a premium price point, reflecting the quality and craftsmanship behind each brew. Thirsty Pups Brewery operates from a prime location in the heart of San Antonio, drawing in both locals and tourists seeking an authentic craft beer experience. The brewery prides itself on its community-focused approach, hosting regular events and tastings that cater to a wide customer segment. Their key strengths lie in their innovative brewing techniques and strong local brand identity. However, their reliance on a single location and higher price points could limit their reach among budget-conscious consumers.

Man Overboard Brewing distinguishes itself with a nautical theme that resonates throughout their product lines and branding. They offer a broad selection of beers, including IPAs, stouts, and lagers, aimed at appealing to a range of tastes and preferences. Prices are competitive, positioned to attract both craft beer enthusiasts and casual drinkers. Located in a bustling area of San Antonio, Man Overboard Brewing benefits from high foot traffic and visibility. They serve a wide geography, making their products available in various bars and retail stores across the city. Strengths of Man Overboard Brewing include their distinctive branding and wide distribution network. However, their broad product range might dilute the brand’s identity and impact the consistency of quality.

Second Pitch Beer Co. focuses on creating a small batch, artisanal beers, with an emphasis on quality and exclusivity. Their product offerings are limited and rotate seasonally, ensuring novelty and freshness. This exclusivity comes with a higher price tag, making their beers a luxury choice for consumers. The brewery is situated in a quieter neighborhood, attracting a dedicated following of craft beer aficionados from across and beyond San Antonio. Second Pitch Beer Co. targets a niche market, emphasizing the artisanal aspect of their brewing process. Their key strengths include a strong brand loyalty and a reputation for quality. A potential weakness is their limited appeal to a broader audience due to high price points and a smaller production scale.

Competitive Advantages

At Hops & Barley Brews, our primary competitive advantage lies in the quality and variety of our offerings. We pride ourselves on crafting better beer than our competitors, a claim backed by our meticulous attention to detail and passion for the brewing process. Our selection is broad and diverse, ensuring that every customer can find a beer that suits their palate. This commitment to excellence and variety sets us apart in the bustling San Antonio market, where beer enthusiasts expect nothing but the best. Our innovative brewing techniques and dedication to quality ingredients mean that each beer we produce is not just a drink, but an experience.

Beyond the superior quality and variety of our beers, we also offer a unique customer experience that fosters a strong sense of community among our patrons. Our brewery is not just a place to grab a drink; it’s a destination where people can gather, share stories, and create memories. This emphasis on creating an inviting and inclusive atmosphere adds a significant competitive edge, making us more than just a brewery, but a staple in the local community. Additionally, our engagement with local suppliers and commitment to sustainability resonate with customers who value supporting local businesses and environmental responsibility. In sum, our competitive advantages are not limited to the beer we brew but extend into how we operate and engage with our community and environment.

Our marketing plan, included below, details our products/services, pricing and promotions plan.

Products and Services

Hops & Barley Brews introduces a unique experience for craft beer enthusiasts, offering a diverse range of products and services designed to cater to various tastes and preferences. At the heart of their offerings are their Craft Beers, meticulously brewed to perfection, providing customers with an exceptional tasting experience. These craft beers are available at an average price of $6 per pint, allowing patrons to enjoy premium quality brews without breaking the bank.

In addition to their exquisite beers, Hops & Barley Brews also offers an array of Brewery Merchandise. This includes branded apparel, glassware, and other accessories, perfect for fans who wish to show their support for the brewery. Items are reasonably priced, with merchandise starting from $15, making it easy for customers to take a piece of their brewery experience home with them.

For those looking to explore a variety of flavors, Beer Flights are an excellent choice. Priced at an average of $10, these flights allow customers to sample four different beers in smaller quantities, making it an ideal option for discovering new favorites.

Similarly, Sampler Sets are available for enthusiasts who enjoy variety. These sets provide a curated selection of beers, enabling patrons to taste a range of brews at their leisure. With an average price of $15, Sampler Sets offer a comprehensive tasting experience.

Growlers are another popular option for customers wishing to enjoy Hops & Barley Brews’ craft beers at home. These refillable containers ensure that beer remains fresh and carbonated, with prices starting at $20 for a 64 oz. growler. This provides an economical and environmentally friendly way to enjoy craft beers outside the brewery.

Last but not least, Brewery Tours offer an immersive experience for those interested in the brewing process and the story behind Hops & Barley Brews. For an average price of $15, visitors can expect a guided tour through the brewery, complete with insights into the craft beer making process and, of course, beer tastings.

Overall, Hops & Barley Brews aims to provide a comprehensive and enjoyable experience for beer lovers, combining high-quality craft beers with a range of products and services designed to enhance the customer experience. Whether it’s enjoying a pint on-site, taking home a growler, or sporting some brewery merchandise, there’s something for everyone at Hops & Barley Brews.

Promotions Plan

Hops & Barley Brews embarks on an engaging journey to captivate the palates of beer enthusiasts in San Antonio, TX, with its unique blend of crafted beers. Understanding the competitive landscape, the brewery employs a multifaceted promotional strategy aimed at drawing in customers and creating a loyal community around its brand. The cornerstone of this strategy is online marketing, complemented by a series of innovative promotional methods designed to create buzz and foster a strong connection with its target audience.

Online marketing stands at the forefront of Hops & Barley Brews’ promotional efforts. The brewery leverages social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to share compelling content, including behind-the-scenes looks at beer production, introductions to their brewing team, and announcements of new releases. Engaging with customers through these channels, they run contests, live Q&A sessions, and virtual tastings, making the brewery’s presence felt far beyond the confines of its physical location. Additionally, the brewery will establish a robust email marketing campaign, sending out newsletters that inform subscribers about upcoming events, special promotions, and exclusive offers, thereby ensuring that Hops & Barley Brews remains top of mind among its patrons.

Recognizing the importance of community engagement, Hops & Barley Brews will also host a variety of events and partnerships. Launch parties, seasonal beer festivals, and brewery tours will invite locals and tourists alike to experience the brewery’s offerings firsthand. Collaborations with local businesses, food trucks, and musicians will not only diversify the experiences offered at these events but also embed the brewery within the local culture and economy. These partnerships serve as a testament to the brewery’s commitment to the San Antonio community and help in building a network of reciprocal support.

Loyalty programs will further incentivize repeat visits and foster a sense of belonging among the brewery’s patrons. A points system, for example, rewards customers for purchases, attending events, or referring friends, which they can redeem for discounts, limited-edition merchandise, or exclusive access to new brews. This approach not only encourages ongoing engagement with the brand but also turns customers into brand ambassadors who share their positive experiences with others.

Lastly, Hops & Barley Brews will leverage traditional advertising methods such as local print media, radio spots, and outdoor advertising to increase brand visibility. Strategic placement of ads in local entertainment guides, billboards in high-traffic areas, and participation in local radio shows will ensure that the brewery captures the attention of a wide audience, including those who may not be as active online.

In conclusion, Hops & Barley Brews employs a comprehensive promotional strategy that blends online marketing with community engagement, strategic partnerships, loyalty programs, and traditional advertising. This approach will not only attract customers to the brewery but also build a loyal community around its brand, ensuring its position as a beloved fixture in the San Antonio beer scene.

Our Operations Plan details:

• The key day-to-day processes that our business performs to serve our customers
• The key business milestones that our company expects to accomplish as we grow

Key Operational Processes

To ensure the success of Hops & Barley Brews, there are several key day-to-day operational processes that we will perform.

• Conduct daily quality checks on all beer batches to ensure consistency and excellence in flavor, color, and texture.
• Monitor storage conditions to ensure they meet the required standards for temperature and humidity.
• Perform daily inventory checks to monitor stock levels of raw materials such as hops, barley, yeast, and any other ingredients used in the brewing process.
• Ensure a steady supply of essential brewery supplies like bottles, labels, and packaging materials to meet production schedules.
• Train staff on customer engagement and product knowledge to provide an exceptional customer experience.
• Handle customer feedback promptly and effectively to maintain high satisfaction levels.
• Update social media platforms and the brewery’s website regularly with news, events, and promotions to engage with customers and attract new ones.
• Review sales data daily to understand customer preferences and adjust the product lineup as needed.
• Plan and adjust brewing schedules based on inventory levels and forecasted demand to ensure a consistent supply of products.
• Maintain flexibility in production planning to accommodate special or seasonal brews.
• Perform daily inspections and routine maintenance on brewing equipment to prevent breakdowns and ensure operational efficiency.
• Schedule regular deep cleaning of the brewing facilities to comply with health and safety regulations.
• Monitor daily expenses and revenues to manage cash flow effectively.
• Review and analyze financial reports regularly to make informed business decisions.
• Ensure all brewing and business operations adhere to local, state, and federal regulations, including health and safety standards, licensing, and tax obligations.
• Keep up-to-date with changes in legislation that might affect the business and adjust operations accordingly.

Hops & Barley Brews expects to complete the following milestones in the coming months in order to ensure its success:

• Secure a Prime Location : Choosing a location that is accessible and appealing to our target market in San Antonio, TX. This includes ensuring sufficient space for brewing equipment, storage, and a tasting room to welcome our customers.
• Obtain Necessary Permits and Licenses : Successfully navigating the regulatory landscape to obtain all required permits and licenses for operating a brewery. This includes federal approval from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), as well as state and local permits.
• Build-Out and Equipment Installation : Completing the construction and setup of our brewery, including the installation of brewing equipment, fermentation tanks, and a welcoming environment for guests. This also involves ensuring that our facilities comply with health and safety standards.
• Develop and Test Beer Recipes : Crafting a variety of unique and high-quality beer recipes to appeal to a broad range of tastes. This includes conducting taste tests and gathering feedback to refine our offerings before launch.
• Hire and Train Staff : Recruiting a team of skilled and passionate individuals for brewing, serving, and management roles. Providing comprehensive training to ensure they are knowledgeable about our products and can deliver excellent customer service.
• Launch Our Brewery : Officially opening our doors to the public with a well-planned launch event to generate buzz and attract our first customers. This includes marketing efforts to raise awareness of our brand and offerings in the local community.
• Implement Marketing and Sales Strategies : Developing and executing effective marketing and sales strategies to reach our target audience, build customer loyalty, and drive traffic to our brewery. This includes digital marketing, partnerships, and events.
• Monitor and Optimize Operations : Continuously monitoring our operations, customer feedback, and financial performance to identify areas for improvement. Implementing operational efficiencies and cost-saving measures to improve margins.
• Get to $15,000/Month in Revenue : Achieving this financial milestone as a sign of growing customer base and market acceptance. This involves increasing production capacity, expanding distribution channels, and enhancing marketing efforts to boost sales.
• Expand Product Offerings and Distribution : Once a stable revenue is achieved, exploring opportunities for expanding our product line with new beer varieties or limited editions. Also, considering wider distribution through local bars, restaurants, and retail outlets to increase brand visibility and sales.

Our management team has the experience and expertise to successfully execute on our business plan.

Hops & Barley Brews management team, which includes the following members, has the experience and expertise to successfully execute on our business plan:

Ethan Brown, President

Ethan Brown brings to Hops & Barley Brews a rich tapestry of experience in the brewery industry, underpinned by a proven track record of success. With a keen sense for the evolving tastes of craft beer enthusiasts and a deep understanding of the operational challenges unique to the brewing industry, Ethan’s leadership is rooted in practical experience. Having successfully run a brewery in the past, he is well-versed in navigating the complexities of product development, marketing strategies, and distribution channels. This background makes Ethan exceptionally qualified to guide Hops & Barley Brews towards achieving lasting success in a competitive market. His vision for the company is not only to sustain growth but to also foster a culture of innovation and excellence within the team.

To achieve our growth goals, we require significant investment in equipment, marketing, and facility expansion. This funding will enable us to increase our brewing capacity, enhance our marketing efforts to reach a broader audience, and improve our taproom to offer a better customer experience. Our financial plan is focused on securing the necessary capital to fuel our growth while ensuring sustainable operations and profitability in the long term.

Financial Statements

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Income Statement

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Cash Flow Statement

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Brewery Business Plan Example PDF

Download our Brewery Business Plan PDF here. This is a free brewery business plan example to help you get started on your own brewery plan.  

How to Finish Your Brewery Business Plan in 1 Day!

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With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Brewery Business Plan Guide in 2024

What is a brewery business plan, why does your brewery need a brewery business plan.

• Do you plan to stay in one place to develop your business or do you want to expand the number of breweries in the next few years?
• Consider the number of people you hire now and the number of people you want to hire when you reach your sales goals.
• Do you consider selling beer only on-site at your location, or offering your beer in trending grocery stores and restaurants?

Business decision

What should be included in your brewery business plan, executive summary, brewery details, brewery concept.

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Mission statement

Products and services, critical success factor, legal structure, short-term and long-term goals, menu and service.

• Attraction: What nearby features will affect your brewery?
• Competition: Are there other breweries or related companies in this area?
• Demographics: What kind of people will live or work nearby?

Visual effects

Market analysis.

• How much beer is on their menu?
• How often do their menus rotate?
• Do they offer monthly beer clubs or memberships?
• Do they have a customer loyalty program?
• Do they provide a tour of the brewing process?
• Are their craft drinks available at the local grocery store or can only be purchased from their bar?

Market segments

Market trend, organization, product inventory, marketing strategy.

• How will you ensure that customers rate your brewery very highly?
• How do you upsell to help increase the value of each customer per visit?
• How do you ensure that customers will continue to buy products in your brewery?

Business strategy

• Location: Explain where your brewery will be? How big will the facility be? Why is this the perfect location? How will you refurbish this location and so on?
• Quality control: Maintaining product quality is critical to the success of the brewery. Failure to grasp the latest product status may result in video inspection violations. You need to elaborate on the steps you will take to ensure that you can always produce high-quality products.
• Customer service: The brewery is a service-oriented enterprise that provides services to customers. Customer service is the key to ensuring that customers are satisfied enough for the next purchase. You need to describe how you will perform customer service and how you will handle any customer complaints.
• Sales process: Explain in detail the process from the moment the customer enters the door to the receipt of your product and finally leaves. Who will guide them where to sit? How to provide services for them? How is the meal fee charged? What will happen after they leave?
• Staffing: Finally, you need to elaborate on your staffing plan. Consider who you need to hire to run your brewery properly. When will you hire them? How will you train them? How much will you pay them?

Sales strategy

• What are your production costs?
• What are the costs associated with each product?
• What is the market price of similar products? (I.e. what price your competitors charge)
• How does your pricing compare to market prices?
• How is your pricing competitive?
• What kind of return on investment do you expect from this pricing strategy, and in what time period?

Online promotion

• Social media: If you plan to create and maintain social media accounts such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, please explain how you will use them to promote your business and brand.
• Website: Describe the overall concept of your website and how it aligns with your brand. Provide a visual model, including the main elements and design style. In addition, please indicate whether you plan to build a site internally or pay for professional services.
• Advertising: List all your paid digital advertising channels, such as review sites, banner ads, and social media ads. If you will work with an agency or contractor, please list them and what they will do for you in this section.

Traditional promotion

Business operations, team and staff, finance prediction.

• Revenue (forecast sales)
• Controllable cost (production cost, labor cost)
• Expenses (rent, supplies, utilities, marketing, etc.)
• Start-up costs (costs related to opening a brewery, such as the purchase cost of brewery equipment)

Business plan summary

• Why your business is successful-repeat in a few sentences how your brewery is different and why your business is successful.
• Requirements for success-if you need funds, please repeat the question here.
• Thank you letter-thank your audience for reading your brewery business plan and reminding them that you value their time and feedback.

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Brewery Business: 13 Steps to Starting a Brewery Business

Starting a brewery business takes time, dedication, and a great love of beer. It also includes all the steps of starting any business, from a business plan to marketing to hiring your staff. This guide to brewery business success will get you started.

How to Open Up a Brewery: 3 Facets of Opening Breweries

The practice of how to open up a brewery is similar to how to start a wine business , bar, or restaurant. It shares qualities with opening the best brunch places , starting a beer garden ,  opening a sports bar , or process of how to open a wine bar . 

Opening a Brewery

Opening a brewery involves the usual work of opening a restaurant or bar business . Then there are the decisions and plans specific for breweries. On the BinWise site, when we spoke about opening a winery, we talked about things like:

• Buying a winery
• Working at a winery
• The best wineries
• Wine marketing

... and so much more in the complete winery guide . 

Opening a brewery shares many of those qualities and needs. You’ll need staff, inventory, an inventory program , a business plan, brewery cleaning supplies, a brewery license, and brewery management software. From your inventory to your order management system , there’s plenty to keep track of. 

How to Open a Craft Brewery

Opening a craft brewery is very similar to how to open up a brewery. Some of the key differences between the two are:

• A craft brewery is an independent brewery, while a brewery is often part of a larger business.
• Craft breweries tend to make their beers in small batches. This leads to seasonal brews and limited editions.
• Craft breweries need more work with branding and marketing , creating a business brand , and understanding the importance of branding . They’re a small business, so small business marketing is a necessity. 

Those differences make a craft brewery something that can take more personal care, but that pays off in the long run. Craft breweries are gaining popularity due to their personal, curated space in the brewery business industry.

Opening a Brewery: Brewing Up a Beer Business

Learning how to open up a brewery and following the steps can be a long process. If you’re looking for a lasting business with a unique selling proposition, there’s plenty you need to know. One important thing to learn is how much it costs to open a brewery.

"Key Takeaway: A brewery is a business you can pour passion into alongside every glass of beer you pour."

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Brewery? 6 Brewery Costs

The question of “How much does it cost to open a brewery?” Is something every brewery business owner gets to be well acquainted with. These six brewery business costs cover a wide range. You’ll find your specific costs within these lists. 

Average Cost to Start a Brewery

The average cost to start a brewery rests between $250,000 and $500,000, with the potential for much higher costs. That average is similar to the average of a $275,000 cost to start a restaurant. Of course, those costs are only for the start of your brewery. The following costs come up along the way, as well as at the beginning.

Brewery Equipment Cost

Your brewery equipment cost can range anywhere from $100,000 to millions of dollars. It all depends on the size of your brewery business, the types of beer you’re brewing, and the size of your team. The equipment you should consider includes:

• Bottling lines
• Canning lines
• Cooling systems
• Storage tanks
• Fermentation tanks
• Beer-labeling machines
• Piping and tubing supplies
• Refrigeration equipment
• Cleaning equipment and cleaning supplies
• Waste treatment systems
• Tap handles

This equipment will get you started. If you invest in high-quality equipment, these items will last for ages. 

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Brewery?

If you’re building a brewery from the ground up the costs are going to be much higher than with an existing location. That said, there are many benefits to building a brewery to your specifications:

• Details that suit your business branding to your exact specifications
• A space that fits exactly what you need equipment-wise
• A taproom that serves the number of people you want to host for your customer service plan

The average cost to build a commercial space is between $238 to $286 per square foot. For a brewery, that number is higher. BinWise isn’t a legal advisor or a building inspector, we can’t tell you exactly what it will cost in your location, for your specifications. If you want to go this route, check out the costs in your area. 

Brewery Franchise Cost

A brewery franchise can be a nice way to get into the brewery business if you’re looking to work with existing beer brands . There are a range of brewery franchises you can choose from. The brewery franchise cost ranges from $300,000 into the millions. 

Brewery Insurance Cost

The average brewery insurance cost for small breweries is $77 to $109 a month. That covers you for $1,000,000/$2,000,000 in general liability insurance. Of course, this is a sample example of the insurance cost, but you can generally expect something similar.

Brewery License Cost

The average cost for a brewery license is between $300 and $1,000, but that’s a wide range. It can be on either side of that as well. Ultimately, this is another cost you should check for your location, as it differs, and can change year by year. 

Cost to Open a Brewery: The Brew Bank

The cost to open a brewery isn’t a straightforward number. It depends on the specifications you have in mind, your location, your customer base, and so much more. Once you’ve covered your cost list, it’s time to get started on spending some of your funds, and hiring your brewery staff.

Brewery Staff: 12 Key Facets of Hiring Brewery Staff

Hiring brewery staff is a big step toward having a fully functioning brewery business. These 12 facets of hiring brewing staff will help you learn how to hire staff, what positions to hire for, and the role your staff play in the success of your brewery.

Brewery Training

You want to make sure your brewers and other employees have some level of prior experience. This can come in many forms. These three facets of brewery training are good to keep an eye out for and ask about in job interviews.

3. Through a College

Going through a college program for brewery training is a common option. You’ll find many schools with brewery programs and certifications. You can work online, or find a school near you.

2. Through a Certificate Program

A specific certification program is also a good choice. The Brewers Association is one option for finding these programs. It’s less time-intensive than a school program for the most part. 

1. Self-Taught

Some of the best brewery owners have delved into the process of learning the art of brewing by themselves. Being self-taught takes more work, but can often be more rewarding in the long run.

How Much Do Brewery Workers Make?

According to Zippia, the average salary for a brewery worker is $13.91 an hour for an entry-level job. In some states, namely Oregon, Massachusetts, Washington, New Hampshire, and California, brewery wages can be higher. In those states, it’s likely for a brewery worker to make around $42,000 a year. 

Brewery Job Titles 

Most brewery titles fall under these six categories in some way or another. If you’re looking for a brewery job, you can match your skills to one of these jobs. You could also go after another with the right training. When you’re hiring, make sure you’re looking for a mix of these employees, to keep your employee roster well-rounded.

The brewer is a key job most folks have heard about at a brewery. The brewer can be one of many people working in the brewing system. This person is responsible for making the beer. 

The brewery engineer is responsible for setting up the brewery equipment. After the initial set up the engineer helps make sure the equipment is in good working order. This is vital for overall beer production.

Microbiologist or Chemist

The microbiologist or chemist spends their time analyzing the microbes found in the brewing process. They test these microbes against a database of known microbes. That helps them make sure nothing is being introduced into the mix that could negatively affect the beer. 

The brewery manager is there to make sure everything is running smoothly. They work with everyone in the brewery, and have a vast knowledge of the entire works of the process. 

Sales and Marketing 

Sales and marketing folks in a brewery are generally responsible for getting the news about their beer out into the world. This is similar to many other sales and marketing jobs in other industries. 

Customer Service

Customer service typically includes the staff who lead tours through the brewery and chat with guests on-site. This is another somewhat general job, but it’s vital for sales within the walls of the brewery. 

Brewery Workers: Working the Beer Line

Brewery staff are a key ingredient of a successful brewery. The brewery manager in particular is a job that keeps the brewery running smoothly.

"Key Takeaway: Brewery staff are the backbone of the process of how a brewery works."

Brewery Manager Job Description: 4 Brewery Management Facts

The brewery manager job description covers a lot of ground in the management and staff structure of a brewery business. These four facts around the brewer manager job description showcase how vital of a position it is. 

What Is a Brewery Manager?

The brewery manager job description covers everything from the daily brewery operations to expanding customer service and guiding the brand of the brewery. A brewery manager is a standard manager and brand manager all in one. They fulfill a variety of responsibilities to keep the brewery running smoothly.

Brewery Manager Responsibilities

Brewery manager responsibilities include:

• Supervising, scheduling, and training employees
• Maintaining cleanliness in the brewery
• Keeping the brewery up to code and in compliance with licensing regulations
• Ensuring customer satisfaction
• Managing inventory–an inventory management system and inventory management program will help
• Overseeing the brewing process
• Managing wholesale beer sales with vendors
• Overseeing brewery finances

Overall, the brewery manager is responsible for each aspect of the brewery. The brewery manager works closely with the brewery owner and the brewers. 

Brewery Manager Salary

According to Indeed, brewery managers can expect to earn between $94,400 and $112,100 a year. Glassdoor has the average salary of a brewery manager noted as $56,972 a year. ZipRecruiter has a salary of $36,449 a year for brewery managers. PayScale has a range that falls between $32,000 and $74,000 a year. 

A brewery manager salary can vary widely depending on location and brewery specifications. If you’re a brewery owner working as the manager, your salary will depend on your annual revenue and overhead expenses . 

Brewery Management Courses

Brewery management courses can help you prepare for the brewery manager job description. General management courses and certifications are a good option. You can also lean into the brewery-specific courses available. 

Those include the business of craft brewing, beer quality analysis programs, and master brewer courses. They’re all good options for expanding your knowledge and learning things you can share with brewery guests.

Brewery Management Work: Managing Microbrews 

From the brewery manager to the rest of the brewery staff, there’s a question that lingers for people on the other side of the equation, people looking for a job. That question is, how do you work at a brewery?

How to Work at a Brewery: 12 Factors of Brewery Work

Learning how to work at a brewery is something anyone interested in beer can dive into. It’s also important for brewery owners to consider how someone can work for them and how that process works. These 12 factors of brewery work all play into the overall work a brewery does.

12. Choose Your Niche

You could be a brewer, an engineer, a microbiologist or chemist, a manager, someone in sales and marketing, or a customer service representative. All of these roles are vital to the operations of the brewery.

11. Learn The Brewing Process

Learning the brewing process will help you excel at brewery business work even if you don’t choose to work as a brewer. If you’re in customer service it helps to be able to share the process with customers. The same goes for a sales, marketing, or management role. 

10. Sample Some Brews

If you’re a beer enthusiast, sampling the brewery beers will help you have an interesting conversation in the interview. It will also give you some insider knowledge. 

9. Daily Brewery Work

Daily brewery work is something to think about as you’re looking for work, and something to prepare for each day of your brewing career. It ranges from the work of brewing and checking on beer batches to setting up the taproom each day to sell beer on tap .

8. Taproom Work

When a brewery has a taproom, that’s a crucial component of sales and profits for the business. Keeping the taproom up and running, and inviting for customers, is key.

7. Brewery Sales 

Brewery sales can fall under the process of how to work at a brewery for sales and customer service brewery staff. It’s a critical piece of every work day. 

6. Finding a Brewery Job

Finding a brewery job comes before many of the other steps on this list. We’ve placed it at number six because of how important it is, even as a basic step. Finding a brewery job is similar to finding any other job–job boards and online ads will be the place to start your search.

5. Network With Brewers

Networking with brewers and others in the brewery industry can help you find work. It will also help you grow your knowledge and expertise in the industry. 

4. Get Certified

For brewers and chemists, getting certified often involves a degree or certification program. For a manager, it can be a management course or previous experience. It all depends on the qualifications you need.

3. Brew Up Your Resume

Brushing up your resume for a brewery position will help you be more prepared for the job hunt. You can look at your past experience and see where your application skills are in the field. You may be surprised by how much experience you already have.

2. Find Intern Work

If you’re struggling to find a way into the brewery industry, starting with an internship can help. It’s an entry level option that gives you experience. If you’re toying with the idea of working at a brewery, an internship can help you fully decide. 

1. Have Passion for Your Craft (Brews)

Having passion for your work is one of the best ways to make sure you enjoy the majority of your time at work. Yes, some parts will always feel like work. However, if you have a passion for brewing, you’ll find success and enjoyment in your work.

Working at a Brewery: Put Your Brewer’s Cap On

Working at a brewery is something every person in the brewery business needs a well-rounded view of. It’s all part of the larger experience of how a brewery works, which involves many moving parts, including the specifics of brewery licensing.

"Key Takeaway: Working at a brewery is a never-ending adventure. From working as a brewer to working with customers in the taproom, it’s all surrounding the art of brewing great beer."

How to Get a Brewery License: Brewery Licenses For 50 States

Learning how to get a brewery license is vital for everyone who wants to open a brewery business. That said, it’s not always a straightforward process. BinWise isn’t a legal agency, and we don’t offer legal advice. We urge you to do your own research when you’re opening a brewery because rules and regulations do change. 

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB, is a good place to turn toward for research and rules. How to get a brewery license is similar to getting a liquor license , so that information is helpful as well. 

These regulations for the United States follow current online resources. They may change before you dive into the process, so be sure to check your local guidelines. 

• Alabama: In Alabama, you initially need a liquor license. You specifically need to register with the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, or ABC board, in the county where you’re opening a brewery.
• Alaska: In Alaska, you often need a liquor license and a specific winery /brewery license on top of the regular license. Alaska has some intense liquor and alcoholic beverage laws, so there are more steps you need to take.
• Arizona: Arizona has a few ways you can open a brewery or a brewery type of business. A liquor license is a good place to start. There are also microbrewery applications if you’re opening a business of a specific size.
• Arkansas: For the most part in Arkansas, you only need a liquor license to start with for a brewery business. The tricky parts of the process come into play with certain counties; Arkansas has certain dry counties.
• California: In California, you’ll typically need a beer manufacturer license, a small beer manufacturer license, or a general brewpub license. Which one you’ll need depends on the size of your brewery business.
• Colorado: For Colorado, you’ll need a brewer’s notice through the TTB, and a manufacturer’s license with the state of Colorado. If you’re going to have a tasting room you’ll also need a Colorado Wholesale license and a Colorado Liquor Sales Room permit.
• Connecticut: In Connecticut, you need to start with a liquor license. Specific licenses and permits beyond that basic license will depend on your location, but the liquor license is the most important.
• Delaware: In Delaware, to start off you need a liquor license. It’s an intensive liquor license in Delaware, it covers many specific instances. You should also look into Responsible Server Training approved by the state of Delaware if you’re serving tastings and food.
• Florida: In Florida, for a brewery, you need a Cereal Malt Beverage (CMB) or CMBP license. You may also need a specific license for a taproom or brewpub. That's if you’re looking to sell beer directly to the public through your brewery.
• Georgia: In Georgia, there’s a specific state of Georgia Brewery License. To get that license, you need a Malt Beverage Bond Performance and Tax Liability Bond. You also need an Alcohol and Tobacco personnel statement, a Citizenship Affidavit, annual registration for your business, and a local license. A few other items may come up depending on your business type.
• Hawaii: In Hawaii, you need to start with a liquor license. Different counties and islands have their own specific rules. From a liquor license to a direct wine shipper permit, there’s a lot to look into for your specific location.
• Idaho: For Idaho, an alcoholic beverage license is the place to start. You’ll need to complete a background check, a financial check, and fingerprinting to get set up with the application. From there, there are different levels of licensing depending on your business type.
• Illinois: In Illinois, there are brewer’s licenses and liquor licenses. Typically you need some level of both for an Illinois brewery.
• Indiana: For Indiana, an alcoholic beverage permit is the main requirement. You’ll need to contact an alcoholic beverage permit processor through the Indiana state government, which will help you check all your boxes.
• Iowa: In Iowa, you need a liquor license to start with. From there, you’ll need specific licenses and permits depending on the size of your business, your employees, and what you’re planning to sell on-site.
• Kansas: In Kansas, the brewery license rules are based on the size and type of brewery business you’re opening. In many cases you’ll need a standard Kansas liquor license. You may also need a specific microbrewery license. 
• Kentucky: For Kentucky, there are a few different options. There is the standard liquor license. There is also, however, a temporary Kentucky liquor license. That’s a unique option. You could also get an alcoholic beverage license to cover some general needs.
• Louisiana: In Louisiana, you’ll need a liquor license and, depending on your location, a more specific alcoholic beverage permit. Louisiana has different laws than many other states, so it’s a unique case depending on where in Louisiana you are.
• Maine: For opening a brewery in Maine, you’ll need a brewer’s notice, an Occupancy license for your location, and a sales and use tax certification. You’ll also need a specific brewery license depending on the size and structure of your brewery.
• Maryland: For Maryland, you’ll need a liquor license to start. You’ll then need to dive into which type of brewery license in Maryland is right for you. There are standard options, micro-brewery options, and manufacturing and wholesale licenses.
• Massachusetts: In Massachusetts, you’ll need something called an alcohol beverages farmer brewery license. This is unique to Massachusetts. There is also an option for an alcoholic beverages pub brewery license. 
• Michigan: For Michigan, there are a range of brewery-specific licenses and permits. You’ll likely need either a brewer or micro brewer license, or a manufacturing license and permit. In some cases you’ll need both.
• Minnesota: In Minnesota, you’ll need a few licenses that come up for most states. You’ll be required to have a brewer’s notice, a liquor license, and a wholesaler manufacturing license.
• Mississippi: For Mississippi, you’ll need a beer permit and a liquor license. These two permits and licenses cover a lot of requirements in Mississippi.
• Missouri: In Missouri, a microbrewery license is often required. You’ll also want to look into an alcoholic beverage retail license that is specific to your drinks. A liquor license will also be important.
• Montana: In Montana, one thing you’ll need to look into is a domestic brewery license. A liquor license and general business licensing will also be required.
• Nebraska: In Nebraska, you’ll need a liquor license, and potentially a craft brewery license. There are different levels of licenses depending on your business type.
• Nevada: For Nevada, you’ll need a mix of licenses. A liquor license is the place to start. From there, a brewery license is the next step. 
• New Hampshire: In New Hampshire, there are a number of licenses to look into beyond a standard liquor license. A beer specialty, beverage manufacturer, brew pub, carrier, or nano brewery may be the right choice for you.
• New Jersey: In New Jersey, on top of a liquor license, you’ll need a few other permits and licenses. A craft brewery license may be the right choice for you. A manufacturer license is also an option.
• New Mexico: For New Mexico, firstly you need a standard liquor license. Beyond that, you’ll need something specific. A small brewer liquor license is a common option. 
• New York: In New York, you’ll need to start with a liquor license. Beyond that, there are different levels of beer permits depending on the size and structure of your business. 
• North Carolina: For North Carolina, a brewery permit is required. A liquor license is also important. On top of that, you’ll need some level of a manufacturing license.
• North Dakota: In North Dakota, a liquor license is the place to start. From there, you’ll also want to look into a retail alcoholic beverage license. 
• Ohio: For Ohio, there are a variety of permits and licenses you’ll need. For one, you’ll need a liquor license. On top of that, you’ll likely need a permit to serve alcoholic beverages, and a manufacturer’s license. 
• Oklahoma: In Oklahoma, you need either a liquor license or an alcoholic beverages license, depending on the exact type of brewery you’re opening. Oklahoma has somewhat straightforward requirements and processes in place for opening a brewery.
• Oregon: In Oregon, you typically need a liquor license, as well as a brewery public house or winery permit. If you’re serving food you’ll also need to look into food handler’s certifications.
• Pennsylvania: In Pennsylvania, you’ll need a federal brewing permit from the TTB. A liquor license will also come up along the way. Pennsylvania is fairly straightforward in what you’ll need for a brewery.
• Rhode Island: For Rhode Island, you’ll need a basic brewery permit with the TTB in addition to a liquor license. You’ll need a different type of brewery permit depending on the size of your brewery.
• South Carolina: For South Carolina, you will need to start with an Alcohol Beverage license. You’ll also need a state sales tax permit no matter what type of brewery you open. The rest is dependent on what type of brewery you choose to run.
• South Dakota: In South Dakota, you’ll need a manufacturing license and a retail on-sale liquor license. South Dakota has more regional requirements for licensing, so it’ll heavily depend on where in South Dakota you’re opening a brewery.
• Tennessee: In Tennessee, in many places you’ll need to start with a beer permit. A liquor license will also likely come up depending on your location. Nashville has its own very specific license rules.
• Texas: In Texas, you need a brewer’s license, a distributor’s license, and a branch distribution license. You’ll also need to look into the rules around liquor licensing in Texas across the state.
• Utah: For Utah, you need a commercial business license. You’ll also need licenses from both the city and the state of Utah, through the Division of Alcohol Beverage Control (DABC).
• Vermont: In Vermont, you start with the Department of Liquor and Lottery, Division of Liquor Control’s Online Portal. This is where you sign up for a manufacturer’s license. You’ll also need a wholesale dealer’s license. 
• Virginia: In Virginia, for a brewery business you need to start with a liquor license. There are also specific brewery licenses and industry licenses. The Virginia ABC Board has the run-down on all the specifics based on your business type.
• Washington: In Washington, you need to complete a Business License Application and Non-Retail Liquor and Cannabis Board Addendum through the Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service. Your application will go through the WSLCB to get you licensed.
• West Virginia: In West Virginia, the main thing you need is a liquor license or beer license. Within those needs, however, are state licenses and the permits that come with serving food and drinks.
• Wisconsin: For Wisconsin, you’ll need to have a business license, a brewer’s notice with the TTB, and a brewery or brewpub permit with the DOR. These steps must be followed in order to cover everything you need.
• Wyoming: In Wyoming, you often only need a liquor license, as the Wyoming liquor license covers a lot of ground. You’ll need to file for a new liquor license, and each year you’ll need to file to renew with the Liquor License Renewal Application.

Getting a Brewery License: Licensed to Brew

The process of how to get a brewery license is one of the most important parts of starting a brewery business. It’s a vital component of how a brewery works.

How a Brewery Works: 11 Facets of How a Brewery Works

These 11 facets of how a brewery works happen roughly in this specific order. Some of them may get switched around, and you may find other steps that crop up for your specific brewery plans. When it comes to learning how a brewery works, however, you’ll find all of these steps come up along the way.

11. Opening A Brewery 

Opening a brewery is the first step, and an ongoing process. It starts with a brewery business plan, and choosing the design and overall goal of your brewery business. You have to start with a firm foundation of what you want your brewery to be.

10. Hiring Employees 

You’ll want brewers, a manager, someone who understands accounting, and general customer service employees. Everything beyond that depends on the size of your brewery and the functions you’re looking to fulfill. 

9. Setting Up Management 

Setting up management might be as simple as deciding that you, as the brewery business owner, will be the manager. If you want to hire someone you’ll need to plan your management structure with more precision. 

8. Procuring Brewing Supplies 

Procuring brewing supplies comes before many of the other physical steps of opening and operating a brewery. Yes, you’ll need a location secured before you buy up supplies. After you’ve found your spot and gotten your licensing squared away, however, you’ll need supplies.

7. Setting Up Equipment 

Setting up your brewery equipment is one of the most tangible steps toward brewing your first batch. This involves cleaning up your space and deciding on your layout. You can check out other breweries for this plan, and find what works best for your location.

6. Brewing Your First Batch 

Brewing your first batch is an exciting moment in your brewery business set up. Your customer satisfaction ratings will be based on how your brews turn out. The first batch is the start of everything you’ll make down the road. 

5. Marketing Your Brewery 

From small business marketing to understanding the importance of branding, there’s a lot you need to learn. Brewery business branding revolves around making your business unique and exciting. Business marketing comes along once you know what makes your business unique. 

4. Setting Up Your Taproom 

Setting up your taproom might be a part of the set up that comes with equipment and brewing supplies. It is a separate part of your business in the sense that it’s a customer-facing space with a different main goal. It’s where you lean on design aspects for your brewery business brand. 

3. Choosing Highlighted Brews 

Choosing some of your best brews to highlight in your taproom as beer on tap will give you something special for customers. You can also highlight brews at different times of the year. 

2. Building a Menu 

Building a menu for your taproom should revolve around the brews you’re offering. You can mix up beer food pairings , like a craft beer food pairing menu. For dessert options, lean into beer and chocolate pairing choices. They make for a sweet dessert menu treat. 

1. Building a Customer Base

A strong customer base is a long-term goal for your brewery. You can work on it by providing specialized customer service. You could even offer a rewards program or a referral discount. Draw in the right customers, and use your unique qualities as a brewery to keep them coming back.

Brewery Works: Into the Brew

Learning how a brewery works is important for everyone working in or around a brewery. Whether you’re the owner, manager, brewer, or taproom assistant, you play a role in how the brewery operates on a daily basis. From customer service to brewery cleaning supplies, it all comes together to cover the operations of the brewery.

"Key Takeaway: Learning how a brewery works is important for everyone working in or around a brewery, whether you’re the owner, manager, brewer, or taproom assistant."

Brewery Cleaning Supplies: 5 Types of Cleaning Supplies

This brewery cleaning supplies list works for any brewery. These five types of cleaning supplies cover the vital areas of your brewery business. From the beer brewing equipment to the taproom this list has you covered. 

5. Acid Detergents

Acid detergents are one of many vital brewery cleaning supplies. Acid detergents keep residue from building up and they work for heavy industrial materials without causing harm. 

4. Caustic Cleaners

Caustic cleaners are a sodium hydroxide cleaner used to clean and sanitize your brewery equipment. They break down residue left behind from the brewing process. This keeps your equipment ready for the next batch, with minimal contamination. 

3. Draught Line Cleaners

From acid cleaners to caustic cleaners, keeping your draught lines clean is a must. It minimizes contamination in your brews and keeps them tasting fresh and in keeping with the flavor profile.

2. Sanitizers

From a quaternary sanitizer to a food-grade sanitizer, there are plenty of sanitizers to have on hand. Sanitizers help you prepare your brewery equipment for other cleaners and keep a lot of the general areas of your business clean. 

1. Specialty Brewery Products

Specialty brewery products come in at number one because they are so unique to brewery cleaning supplies. Specialty brewery products cover everything, including conveyor lubrication, de-foaming agents, caustic cleaner additives, and no-foam additives. These specialty products are primarily used in conjunction with other cleaners. 

Brewery Cleaning: 99 Cleaned Bottles of Beer on the Wall 

This brewery cleaning supplies list will help you prepare to open your brewery for business and keep it running smoothly through the years. Having a clean brewery is a big part of the battle for operational efficiency. Another part is having the right brewery management software, to keep your operations running with ease.

Brewery Management Software: 7 Types of Management Software

These seven best brewery management software areas of support come together to make your brewery business better for customers, yourself, and your employees. They cut down on time-consuming tasks and make it easier to enjoy the art of the craft of brewing beer. Any or all of these are perfect for every brewery. 

7. Quality Control Software

Quality control software plays the role of helping you consistently make the best beers the way you want them to be made. It gives you continuity in your flavor and substance for every brew and every bottle. Quality control software can monitor the ingredients, flavor, clarity, color, and foam of your brews. 

6. Keg Tracking

Kegs can take time to get used to, and keg tracking software can get you there faster. It’s designed to help you keep track of kegs and keep them available. Keg tracking software can make use of barcode scanning, outsource tracking, or RFID keg tracking systems. They all have different benefits.

5. Customer Data Tracking

Customer data tracking is important for any business, from a business and customer perspective. It allows you to know who your customers are, how many are returning, and what they’re enjoying. 

For customers, customer data tracking helps to give a more personal experience. Coming back to the same brewery and being remembered there feels amazing. You can provide that level of service with the right software. 

4. Reservation Software

When customers can reserve a table at your brewery, or a ticket for a special event you’re hosting, they’ll love it. Reservation software makes it easier for you to manage the customer service of your business. Instead of dealing with your own booking you can get the right brewery management software and ease your workload. 

3. POS Systems

There are many POS systems available in the myriad of brewery management software. When you find the right POS system that integrates with your platform, your customers can pay you with ease. You’ll have an organized interface for checking receipts and receiving payments. 

2. Order Management

Order management software makes it easier for you to manage your products, have what you need on hand, and even send out shipments. An order management system like BlueCart can help you manage your orders and products from one platform. It keeps track of your reorder point , so you never have to worry about having enough of the products you need. 

1. Inventory Management 

Inventory management pairs perfectly with order management software. BinWise Pro , the BinWise inventory management platform , pairs perfectly with BlueCart. BinWise, alongside the BinScan app , gives you control when you take inventory, and easy access to your inventory count. 

Brewery Management Support: Finding the Right Brewery Management Software

Your brewery management software serves as the underlying backbone of your brewery business. It supports everything you do and makes it better. When you find the right brewery management software and build it into your brewery business plan, you’ll be ready for anything. 

"Key Takeaway: The best brewery management software is designed to ease your workload and improve customer service, beer quality, operational efficiency, and business success."

Brewery Business Plan: 10 Brewery Business Plan Factors

A brewery business plan gives you a concrete list of steps and needs for your brewery business. These 10 factors within a brewery business plan showcase the different areas of business development you’ll work with. 

10. Executive Summary

The executive summary is a concise summary of the business, with introductory information for the rest of the plan. Your executive summary is the place for the key highlights of your business, from the product to the commercial space to the market. 

9. Company Overview

In your company overview, you should define the operations of your business and the specific products and services. It’s also a good place for information about the ownership structure and hiring plans, as well as inventory plans.

8. Team and Management

The team and management section of your business plan is where you go into detail about the structure of ownership and management. This covers the order of operations as well as the responsibilities of each tier of management. This is also the place to discuss staffing.

7. Menu Sample

A menu sample is vital for any business plan if the business is putting up menus. It gives you an idea of what you’ll need and it’s often required for getting a food service license. This is the place to share ingredients, menu structure, and food supply chain plans.

6. Market Analysis

Your market analysis focuses on three factors: your target consumer, location, and competition. This is where you dive into who your competition is and what is working for them. It’s also where you outline your buyer persona and make a plan for how you’ll sell in your market.

5. Publicity and Marketing

The publicity and marketing section of your brewery business plan is the place to talk about how you’ll spread the word about your business. It's how you’ll get the news of your business out into the world.

4. Business Operations

The business operations section is the place for the daily routine of the business. It covers the general operations that go into the regular success and smooth sailing of the business. It’s a good place to include information about the technological support you’ll use as well. 

3. Finances

The finances section of your business plan is the place to outline the finances you’ll need and how you intend to get them. You’ll need a full budget for this section and an outline of the funding you’ll need and the options available. 

2. Sales Forecasting

Your sales forecasting section is a subsection of the financial plan. It’s a place for a break-even analysis. That's where you dive into specific pricing from the supply chain to the taproom.

1. Operational Costs

Your operational costs are another subsection of the financial section of your brewery business plan. Operational costs are something you need a firm grasp on when you’re planning your budget. 

Brewery Business Plans: Build Your Brew Plan 

Your brewery business plan is the place to start and it will be an integral part of the backbone of your brewery business. When it’s written up, you’ll be ready to implement the different sections of it, including your brewery marketing plan.

Brewery Marketing: 15 Tips for Marketing for Breweries

Brewery marketing is the cornerstone of running a successful brewery business. These 15 brewery marketing tips are applicable for any brewery, of any size, in any location. They cover the particulars of marketing in a saturated space and the general needs that come with a marketing campaign. 

15. Jaw-Dropping Architectural Features

Jaw-dropping architectural features can mean something different depending on your location. Updating your architecture features could include great lighting, or even a mural on your building.  

14. Pop-Up Tasting Events 

Pop-ups are a great marketing tool for any business. Pop-up tasting events help you showcase your brews and connect with your community. 

13. Local Partnerships

Partnering with local restaurants and food carts, or specialty shops featuring your products, will get your products in front of a local customer base. Local partnerships will build your community.

12. Community-Generated Content

Getting community-generated content gets you more than just content–it gets you public reviews from customers. This content can come from a photo space at your brewery, or contests online. 

11. Branded Email Marketing

Email marketing is something you should engage with from day one of your marketing plan. Branded email marketing that shows what your business is all about, will get you good results. 

10. Promotional Giveaways

Promotional giveaways are something you need to be careful with as a business that sells alcohol. For the most part you cannot include beer in giveaways, but you can build them around other merchandise. 

9. Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs are one of the best ways to turn one-time customers into repeat customers. Your loyalty program can include coupons, special offers, and insider information. 

8. Brew-Related Content

Brew-related content is something unique to your brewery business. This can come in the form of information and content around the brewery, and information you share at local events. 

7. Branded Merchandise

Branded merchandise is a classic marketing tool for a reason: it’s something everyone enjoys. From shirts to beer koozies to pens, there are many options for merchandise you can brand and sell or give away.

6. Social Media Educational Content

Since you’re selling a product people enjoy learning about as much as drinking it, you’re well positioned to create social media educational content. A fun fact posted weekly is a good place to start.

5. Packaging Designs

Your packaging designs are a subtle place to include your brand aesthetic. From the design of individual cans and bottles to the artwork on beer cases, keep your brand in mind. 

4. Private Event Hosting

For marketing your space to unique customers, private event hosting is one of the best things to offer. With a beer garden or a large indoor event space, you can rent out the brewery for special events. 

Using SEO is specifically related to your content marketing and web content. SEO, or search engine optimization, is a critical component of using the full potential of your online marketing. It’s a way of creating content that will rank well on Google and other search engines. 

2. Follow Up On Feedback

Following up on customer feedback is less about straightforward marketing and more about the work that goes into making sure your marketing and business plan is working. When you receive feedback, listen to it and implement changes when they make sense for your business.

1. Discover Your Buyer Persona

Discovering your buyer persona is a crucial step for your marketing plan. Your buyer persona is the ideal person you’re selling and marketing toward. Creating your buyer persona and marketing to that person will help guide your marketing.

Marketing for Breweries: Build Up Your Brews

Brewery marketing is something you’ll invest countless hours and a good chunk of your budget in. Your inspiration for marketing ideas can come from anywhere, including other breweries, like some of the best in the United States.

"Key Takeaway: Brewery marketing goals revolve around the need to spread awareness about your brewery business and turn customers into repeat customers."

The Best Breweries In the U.S.: 15 Best U.S. Breweries

These 15 best breweries in the U.S. are a place you can turn toward for inspiration. They showcase the variety of beer and breweries across the country.

15. Machine House Brewery In Seattle, WA

Machine House Brewery in Seattle, WA, specializes in unique beer. They produce small-batch, English-style cask ales. Their tasting room is a delightful space for customers.

14. Suarez Family Brewery In Hudson, NY

Suarez Family Brewery in Hudson, NY, specializes in ales that have a mixed range of fermentation. They also have a mastery over unfiltered lagers and crisp brews. They’re an example of what you can do with some truly specialized brews.

13. Halfway Crooks In Atlanta, GA

Halfway Crooks in Atlanta, GA, has a mix of pilsners, lagers, and ales. Their beers range in ABV, but have consistently amazing flavors. Flavor is one of the most important things on your list to pay attention to as a brewery owner.

12. Resident Culture Brewing In Charlotte, NC

Resident Culture Brewing in Charlotte, NC, offers guests a mix of brews, cocktails, and food. A brewery offering more than beer is a surefire success. 

11. Wheatland Spring Farm and Brewery In Waterford, VA

Wheatland Spring Farm and Brewery in Waterford, VA, is an estate brewery, which means their farming operations are dedicated to ingredients for their unique beers. They’re an example of farm-to-table operations. 

10. Jester King Brewery In Austin, TX

Jester King Brewery in Austin, TX, boasts a brewery, kitchen, farm, and event hall. Their craft beers, fermented with wild yeast, are one of a kind. 

9. Highland Park Brewery In Los Angeles, CA

Highland Park Brewery in Los Angeles, CA, is a craft brewery located in Chinatown. Their beer on tap selection is impressive, and it’s paired with a variety of appetizers. They’re a fine example of the unique brewery spaces that have grown in popularity throughout Los Angeles.

8. Blackrocks Brewery In Marquette, MI

Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette, MI, is a mellow microbrewery with craft beer, live music, and an outdoor area for guests to relax with a great brew. They’re a place that, for every guest, quickly becomes the place they always want to spend time at to enjoy some beer in a great environment.

7. Ruse Brewing In Portland, OR

Ruse Brewing in Portland, OR, features delicious beer, a superb environment, and delicious pizza. Portland has a lot of great beer, but you can never go wrong with Ruse Brewing.

6. Side Project Brewing In St. Louis, MO

Side Project Brewing in St. Louis, MO, is a fine example of a passion for beer turning into a successful brewery business. Their beer is unlike anything you’ve tried before. 

5. Supermoon Beer Company In Milwaukee, WI

Supermoon Beer Company in Milwaukee, WI is an example of the beer state that Wisconsin is and has been for ages. They specialize in hybrid brews showcasing the quality of Wisconsin beer..

4. Tilted Barn Brewery In Exeter, RI

Tilted Barn Brewery in Exeter, RI, is known for being Rhode Island’s first farm brewery. They’ve been crafting some of the best beer in Rhode Island since 2014.

3. Untitled Art In Waunakee, WI

Untitled Art in Waunakee, WI, is another fine example of the best beers of Wisconsin. Their brews are truly a work of art, and they focus on their presentation with artful designs on their cans.

2. Vitamin Sea Brewing In Weymouth, MA

Vitamin Sea Brewing in Weymouth, MA, is amazing for their creative name alone. Beyond that creativity, they specialize in craft brews that will make you consider the beer of Massachusetts as a serious matter.

1. Weldwerks Brewery In Greeley, CO

Weldwerks Brewery in Greeley, CO, has won a number of awards for their unique brews. From great beers to a kitchen menu that will have you coming back for more, they’re an excellent example of the great beers Colorado offers.

The Best U.S. Breweries: Finding the Best Brew 

The best breweries in the U.S. are places you can turn to when it comes to designing your own brewery business. Ultimately, they all have one thing in common: a passion for great beer. That is the main ingredient of a successful brewery. It also applies to breweries around the world you can draw inspiration from.

The Best Breweries Worldwide: 12 Best Breweries Worldwide

As a brewery owner, you’re part of the worldwide community around beer. Tapping into that community, and checking out these 12 best breweries worldwide, helps you round out your brewery business.

12. Swinkels Family Brewers In Bodegraven, Netherlands

Swinkels Family Brewers in Bodegraven, Netherlands has been in operation for over 300 years. They’re a company that manages a family of breweries across several countries, with their base remaining in the Netherlands. 

11. Fuller’s In Chiswick, Greater London, England

Fuller’s brewery in Chiswick, Greater London, England, is a brewery shop area that covers beer, wine, glassware, and a range of memorabilia. If you’re looking for a spot that is a complete depiction of the England beer and alcohol industry, Fuller’s is it.

10. Cloudwater Brew Co. In Manchester, England

Cloudwater Brew Co. in Manchester, England, is another prime example of the beer scene in England. Cloudwater Brew Co. was founded in 2014, with its first beers being brewed in 2015. They have ruled the Manchester area for great beer brewed from passion.

9. The Kernel Brewery In Bermondsey, Greater London, England

The Kernel Brewery in Bermondsey, Greater London, England, is a London gem specializing in pale ales, dark ales, lagers, and mixed fermentation brews. Those types of brews are what you can expect from a London spot, where darker beers are preferred. 

8. Brasserie Dieu du Ciel! In Québec, Canada

Brasserie Dieu du Ciel! in Québec, Canada, offers up beer worthy of the exclamation point in the name. If you’re looking for a taste of Canadian beer with a French influence, this is the place for you.

7. Mikkeller In Copenhagen, Denmark

Mikkeller in Copenhagen, Denmark, is world-renowned. Their range of beers, wines, spirits, merchandise, and community spaces make them the epitome of craft breweries. 

6. Browar PINTA In Wieprz, Poland

Browar PINTA in Wieprz, Poland, was the first craft brewery in Poland. They’ve been brewing since 2011, churning out exceptional beer. If you need a reason to travel to Poland, PINTA makes for a great choice.

5. De Struise Brouwers In Oostvleteren, West Flanders, Belgium

De Struise Brouwers in Oostvleteren, West Flanders, Belgium is a fine example of the amazing things in Belgium. It’s one of two Belgian breweries on this list. It’s a microbrewery with a unique focus on American-style craft beer. 

4. Siren Craft Brew In Finchampstead, Berkshire, England

Siren Craft Brew in Finchampstead, Berkshire, England, is a unique brewery producing a range of craft beers. They won the title of Supreme Champion Beer of Britain in 2018. 

3. Buxton Brewery In Buxton, Derbyshire, England

Buxton Brewery in Buxton, Derbyshire, England, specializes in full-flavored craft beers made with hops from around the world. Buxton’s has grown exponentially since they started in the family garage in 2009, now they’re a recognized name across England.

2. Garage Project In Wellington, New Zealand

Garage Project in Wellington, New Zealand, is a prime example of the amazing beers being made in New Zealand. They’re a small operation with a fitting name, and they’ve been going strong since 2011. 

1. Cantillon In Brussels, Belgium

Cantillon in Brussels, Belgium, is the second of the two Belgian breweries on this list. Boasting beer cellars and brewing equipment from 1900, Cantillon is the spot in Belgium for a beer tasting and some take-home purchases too. 

The World’s Best Breweries: The World’s Best Brewery Crawl

The best breweries worldwide are an inspiration for every brewery owner. That said, when it comes to your own brewery, draw inspiration from the best, but make it your own as well. The best thing your brewery can be is a unique place where beer lovers can find something new, yet familiar too. 

"Key Takeaway: The best breweries worldwide are important for a brewery owner to pay attention to for two reasons. One is: you can draw inspiration from these spectacular breweries. The second is: looking into these breweries spanning the globe shows you how well-loved beer is."

Brewery Business: Brewing Up Something Special

This guide to running a brewery business sets you up for success with your brewery project. There is plenty you need to know, and now that you’ve read through these steps, you’re ready to get started.

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Moscow, Russia

A Redevelopment Project of an Old Factory Area in the Heart of Moscow

The aim of the Badaevskiy Brewery project is to redevelop the six-hectares old factory area, between the Moscow River and the Kutuzovskiy Prospekt, and to transform this famous but largely abandoned and dilapidated site into a vibrant destination point in central Moscow. The factory grounds and river embankment will be opened to the city; the old industrial structures have been assessed, with more than 40’000 sqm of them slated to be restored and brought back to life through new internal organization and uses; more than 100’000 m2 of new residential, office and retail program is to be added in order to rejuvenate the site, support the complex renovation, and provide quality residential, work and recreation areas to this prime location. After an initial feasibility and concept study, Herzog & de Meuron were formally appointed for the design of the Badaevskiy Brewery Project in 2017. In 2019 the project was announced as a winner of the category «Future Projects – Residential» of the World Architecture Festival – WAF 2019, and became one of the «WAFX –Re-use» winners. Moreover, the project was mentioned as Highly Commended in the category «Future Projects – Masterplanning» during the festival.

Short History of the Site

Three distinct steps of historical development define the current state of the neighborhood. In 1875 the famous brewery was founded as the Trehgorniy Factory, located just outside of the Moscow city walls, four kilometers from the Kremlin. The factory grew typically for a manufacturing complex of that time, characterized by a brick industrial architecture, with a monumental representative front and a disordered agglomeration of support buildings growing organically at the rear towards the river. In the 1950s, the Kutuzovskiy Prospekt cut through the old random city blocks and, lined up with the uniform neoclassical 12 storey residential buildings, formed the straight western vector of the now prominent radial scheme of Moscow. At the turn of the 21st century the construction, across the river, of Moscow City – the skyscraper business hub of Moscow – introduced a radically different high-rise scale and materiality to the site and to the whole of Moscow.

Constraints and Conditions of the Site

Since the closure of the brewery in the 2000s, the buildings fell into ruin, and despite sporadic uses, remained largely abandoned. Today, from the three original main factory buildings, built between 1875 and 1912, only Building 1 – a Russian Romantic Revival arcaded building on the eastern part of the plot – and Building 3 – an English style industrial cluster with characteristic silos on the western end – remain. Building 2, the centerpiece of the historic ensemble, was lost. The current urban and heritage regulations have given cultural heritage status to the ensemble and require preservation of the original brick factory structures of Building 1 and Building 3. The remaining part of the site is open for new development, within a height restriction of 75 meters. Under these regulations, the project has undergone a series of consultations with authorities and municipal specialists, resulting in a successful Expertiza process and receipt of the Construction Permit; construction is now underway.

The Given as an Inspiration for the New

The found structures and the history of the site inform and inspire all our urbanistic and architectural interventions: the elevation of the new building, as well as the spatial continuity of the park and gardens beneath. We found it extraordinary and especially appealing to use the opportunity to push such a radically different urbanistic approach in a city which has traditionally preferred tabula rasa concepts, in the Soviet as well as the post-Soviet periods, as so perfectly demonstrated by the nearby examples of the 206-metre high Ukraina Hotel (one of the iconic Moscow Seven Sisters high-rises), the Kutuzovskiy neoclassical blocks, and the more recent 350-metre high Moscow City.

Renovation and Revitalization of Historic Structures: Buildings 1, 2 and 3

Through the clearing of the unimportant and unprotected structures, the site opens, for the first time, to the city and the neighborhood. A new park connects the site with the river, and the heritage buildings are revealed and made accessible. Building 1, a pair of historical structures of 20’000 m2 will host a food market, fashion store, co- working space with conference center and a large gym. These diverse functions are united by connected central atriums and covered by top-light wooden roofs, reconstructed to their original geometry. Building 2, the lost heart of the complex, is built anew in solid brick to its original design, following historical documents. The 3’000 m2 building will retain a large grand hall space and bring back some of the original functions of the complex with a small local brewery. Building 3 is a 15’000 m2 complex agglomeration of separate parts on 8 floors of variable heights, each with its own facade and symmetry, yet all combined into a single whole by its brick structure and facade and common industrial use. Four new internal light wells together with an existing courtyard, bring daylight into the deep floors and emphasize the original vertical cluster structure of the building, without interfering with the historical outer envelope. In the resulting building volume, new functions, such as a traditional Banya, arts center, childcare facilities and a maze of apartments are opportunistically jig-sawed together and exploit the specific diversity of the existing spaces: former industrial halls, production rooms, industrial cupolas, neo-gothic water tower and silos. Together, the three heritage buildings, with their restored front recreate the representative brick face of the historical Badaevskiy Brewery and become the monumental heart of the new complex. The buildings’ rear facades, revealed after the demolishing of the support structures and opened now to the park and the river, continue the solid brick materiality and reflect the new internal organization of the buildings.

A City Block Lifted up in the Air

The new building on the site could be described as a piece of city lifted up in the air. This “Horizontal Skyscraper” is the result of a research phase where we tested and tried out all kinds of building typologies along the riverfront, but whatever we tried felt wrong. The greatest problem was that any new structure on the ground would have divided the site into privileged and less privileged areas, into front and back sides, and the amount of public green would have been reduced to a minimum. It was obvious that we started to lift up in the air the piece that we had tested on the ground before, although we were hesitant to come up with a building typology which is so remindful of the “Wolkenbügel”, one of the most heroic icons of the Russian Avant-garde. But here it didn’t look heroic or monumental. The building does not fly; it rather sits on many slender stilts like an elevated lodge in the forest. The stilts connect the building with the ground and the park like trunks of trees. The single operation of elevating the new building 35 meters up in the air brings three key advantages for the project: first, the new green area, an urban park, emerges in the vacated land under the hovering structures, between the heritage buildings and the river front; second, despite the substantial densification of the site, the historical buildings retain their direct connection to the river and their clear visibility and access to the city; and third, all the flats in the hovering structure are top floors with prime views to the Brewery, Kutuzovskiy Prospekt, Ukraina Hotel, the State Duma, Moscow City, and beyond to greater Moscow. Running along the riverfront plot line, the new lifted building follows the outlines of the heritage structures and the established north-south orientation of the old industrial grid. The resulting undulating form resembles the geometry of the meandering waterfront buildings in this part of historical Moscow and maximizes the views out to the river. The elevated building consists of approximately 100’000 m2 of residential area. The apartments are highly individualized in terms of layout and facade expression and command sweeping panoramic views with their fully glazed facades. Each apartment has a large balcony, a truly private exterior space in the center of Moscow. The largest external spaces are the rooftop gardens belonging to the seven sky villas, capping the hovering building with a raised landscape. A single underground complex on three floors inhabits the entire site, connects and serves all the buildings and provides the required parking, delivery and support facilities.

Public Green − a Place for All

The greatest benefit of the Badaevskiy Brewery development is the creation of urban spaces accessible for all: along the Moscow River it opens up a highly attractive stretch of promenade and boulevard with restaurants, bars and shops. Between that river promenade and Kutuzovskiy Prospekt, a landscape is implemented that maximises the green areas with transitions between public, semi-public and private zones, and gradual shifts from lawn areas, to low greenery, to high forest-like planting. The entire plot is kept exclusively pedestrian and permeable to provide easy and direct public access from the river promenade to the microcosm of activities in the new Badaevskiy Brewery project and opening, for the first time through this site, links between Kutuzovskiy Prospekt and the Moscow River. Herzog & de Meuron, 2018

Bibliography

“Herzog & de Meuron.” In: Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.). “Arquitectura Viva Proyectos.” Vol. No. 089, Madrid, Arquitectura Viva SL, 2018. pp. 28-31.

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143 Fünf Höfe, Five Courtyards for the Munich City Centre 143

Munich, Germany

230 Elbphilharmonie Hamburg 230

Hamburg, Germany

439 Am Tacheles 439

Berlin, Germany

453 6AM 453

Arts District, Los Angeles, California, USA

529 Power Station 529

San Francisco, California, USA

542 Tuchkov Buyan Park 542

St. Petersburg, Russia

• 477 --> 477 Dreispitz Nord
• 479 --> 479 Basel School of Business (HSW)

Moscow Beer Guide

• Restaurants

Dogma Bottle Shop

Rule taproom, share house, method • beer & munchies, borrachitos, eric the red, craft republic, rusbeershop, beer happens, beru vykhodnoy (prospekt mira), camorra (moscow), sosna & lipa, glavpivmag (pyatnitskiy), glavpivmag (bar & bottleshop), brasserie belge 0.33, beer harbor, pivoluchshe, beermarket bar, pauwel kwak pub, pivzavod 77, vse tvoi druzya, 465 kraft bar, craftira (marshala vasilevskogo), axiom pub (skolkovo), pivo i penapaki, café études, bad.bro.bar, crafter (tverskoy), brasserie lambic (vorontsovo polye), local station bar, pivnoi rai (timiryazevskaya), porternaya (bolshaya akademicheskaya), yan primus sviblovo, right hops (stolyarny), suckin’ diesel, galereya gradusov, jawsspot (pushka), beru vykhodnoy (altufevskoe 24k1), beru vykhodnoy (altufevskoe), bliznetsy (beringov), bochka (sedova), rhythm & blues cafe, howard loves craft, paulaner bräuhaus moscow olympic, john bull pub (karmanitskiy), imeyu pravo!, bliznetsy (vereskovaya), conversation (bolshaya nikitskaya), beer happens jr, los bandidos bar, varka (solzhenitsyna), st. peter’s and st. anton, plovnaya no. 1, pivovarnya khovrino, kolbasoff taganskoye, na dne (zhigulevskoe pivo), right hops (depo), volchya staya, john donne (nikitskiy), beerhouse tverskaya, openbeer.ru (marino), chelsea gastropub, sixteen tons (presnensky), paulaner braühaus moscow paveletsky, paulaner wirtshaus moscow polyanka, pivnoy import, local beer (bolshaya marfinskaya), kolbasoff (schuka mall), dva topora (bolshoy simonovsky), dva topora (scherbakovskaya), el borracho craft bar, craftira (marshala tukhachevskogo), dacha gasheka, beru vykhodnoy (skhodnenskaya), beerhouse prospekt mira, steak and beer corner, volkovskaya pivovarnya, zakon bernulli, now out of business.

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The Copper Turtle taps into craft beer and cocktails for Third Ward tavern

When Benjamin and Amanda Rossi were looking for a date night or weekend getaway, Milwaukee’s Third Ward became their go-to destination. In fact, they loved the area so much that the Illinois couple decided to open a business here. The Copper Turtle Brewery & Taverne, 330 E. Menomonee St., officially opened Dec. 31, 2022 .  

Tapping into their previous experience as owners of a brewery in Illinois, plus Amanda’s interior design skills, they created their version of a speakeasy vibe for the space that housed Bavette before it moved around the corner. 

Striking a balance between beer and cocktails, Benjamin leans on his experience as both a brewer and mixologist. The brewery offers six beers brewed on site, including a new barrel-aged stout collaboration with Dancing Goat Distillery, plus a menu of cocktails. While the Wisconsin old fashioned on tap was initially a favorite, espresso martinis quickly became the top seller once they were added to the menu. 

Benjamin Rossi recently spoke about the appeal of brewing and cocktails, and what he’s planning for their patio season opening later this month. 

How his first job put him on the path to hospitality

I grew up in Grayslake, Illinois. My parents still live in the house I grew up in. I’ve been in the hospitality industry, more on the beverage side, my entire career. I started waiting tables at Denny’s when I was 15. That moved into bartending. I went to a mixology school in downtown Chicago and got more into the bartending side, went into management, into beverage director. During my time as a beverage director in Chicago, I started getting into homebrewing. It would drive my wife nuts. I’d take over the kitchen. 

When I was a beverage director on the north side of Chicago, it was the start of the craft beer boom. I tried my best to feature local and worked with up-and-coming breweries like  Begyle (Brewing) in Ravenswood. I actually bought their first keg. They invited me to come to their brewery and brew with them. We collaborated on a recipe. After that I was hooked and did my own thing. 

Making the move to Milwaukee

I do live in Illinois, directly on the state line. It is a quicker drive for me to get to Milwaukee than to Chicago. ... What brought us up was my wife and I fell in love with the city. We have four young kids. Vacations and date nights, our time alone, is few and far between. Milwaukee became a nice, easy getaway for us. We’d go to the Third Ward, send the kids to Grandma and Grandpa’s for the weekend, and stay in a hotel or an Airbnb. Milwaukee flies so under the radar with food and beverage. We just fell in love with exploring it. 

Not only do I brew beer, but I went to mixology school. I designed our entire cocktail menu myself. I’m very into that side of the industry. We had a brewery in Illinois that just never recovered from the pandemic. Our original plan for Milwaukee was a cocktail lounge and keep the brewery in Illinois. We closed down in Illinois, which was bittersweet, but when one door closes, another opens.

Cocktails and craft brewing are his perfect pairing   

Craft breweries’ nationwide sales have gone down since 2021. I made a decision when coming to Milwaukee. You have two options: brewers license or brewpub. A brewpub license allows you to serve spirits and serve a full bar. We went the full route. 

My cocktail sales volume are actually higher than for beer. That’s why it is called Copper Turtle Brewery & Taverne. ... We see a lot more of the late-night cocktail crowd, and we still get the brewery-hopping groups. It is nice to have both. 

What he loves about working behind the bar

Anyone can go anywhere and have a beer or a drink. We’re not just bartenders. We’re not just owners. We’re about customer experience. That’s the goal of the person behind the bar, an experience. It is not just pouring beer. It is getting to know people, making them laugh and making it a good experience. That’s what I like when I hop behind the bar. 

What defines his approach to beer, brewing and cocktails

Whether cocktails or beer, I’m a purist at heart. As far as beers, I’m a lager guy through and through. I like the easy-drinking beers. I like cocktails that are pre-Prohibition — fewer ingredients, classic cocktails. It is always the traditional and purist aspect that defines my approach. Of course if people want IPAs, you brew them, and we do. We keep up with the market and trends, but If I’m making a beer for myself, it is always a nice, crisp, easy-drinking lager. 

Untappd , which is globally popular with beer drinkers, just gave us recognition. It is like an Instagram for beer. You can make friends on the app and wherever you go, it is like an online journaling and rating system for beer. They just did their first ever community beer awards and our La Tortuga, a lime lager, won number one in the state of Wisconsin for its category.

What defines this brewery and bar space

My wife is an interior designer, the design lead on the project. Our goal from the beginning was to kind of be that speakeasy vibe. We didn’t want to go the typical industrial aesthetic of the average brewery. People come in at night, the light fixtures are some of the coolest aspects of the setting. We didn’t really want to be like every other brewery. There’s a place for that, and the industrial warehouse thing is cool. I’ve been to breweries like that. I owned one like that. We wanted to do something different here. 

You have beer drinkers, wine drinkers and cocktail drinkers. If you only serve beer, you lose 66% of your market. We’re a tavern that brews its own beer, and we have something for everybody.

Where the name Copper Turtle comes from

We have these giant copper tanks. We knew we were going to name it something with copper. My oldest daughter always wanted to be a marine biologist. Her favorite animals in the world are sea turtles. She is the type of girl who goes to a restaurant and sees plastic straws and gets angry. We took that approach and applied it to Copper Turtle. We try to be sustainable and eliminate all plastic waste. We definitely don’t use plastic straws. We’re cognizant of trying to do our part as a small business to make the world a better place. 

What you’ll find on tap

We’re not like one of the big breweries that have 30 to 40 beers on tap. We have six copper tanks behind the bar, so at any given time, we have six beers on tap. The copper tanks are hooked right to our draft system. Every time we pour a beer, it is fresh from the tank. That does limit us to fresh beer options, but I don’t view that as a hindrance. 

We have draft cocktails as well. Our Wisconsin old fashioned is on tap. It is Wisconsin brandy old fashioned, sweet or sour. We mix it and put it on tap, top off with lemon lime or grapefruit soda. That used to be our number one selling cocktail until I added espresso martinis. 

We have a traditional old fashioned on our menu as well, called The Goat. Everything comes from  Dancing Goat Distillery in Cambridge, Wisconsin. We use their Limousine Rye. My bartenders are very sure to clarify what people want. They’re wildly different drinks. 

Look for these seasonal sips 

We just released our first ever barrel-aged stout, another collaboration with Dancing Goat. It was inspired by the old fashioneds. ... You get the sweetness from the brandy barrel, the spice from the rye. They play very nice together. 

Over the next couple months you’ll see what I call "crushers" — the warm-weather drinking beers, the easy-drinking for patio and Summerfest season, like La Tortuga. 

This is the bestselling drink on the menu right now

Our number one selling cocktail now is definitely the espresso martinis. We have three varieties, and a large cult following for those. All of our espresso martinis use a cold brew espresso, and all of them have Aztec chocolate bitters added to the recipe. Bartender Meaghan Hau’s espresso martini made with vodka and a simple syrup and a coffee liqueur is definitely the most popular. 

This is his go-to drink

My go-to drink on our menu is the Boulevardier, my riff on a pre-Prohibition classic cocktail. It is simple ingredients — the Limousine Rye whiskey with sweet vermouth and a red aperitivo, a dash of bitters — absolutely delicious. If I am pouring anything for myself, that is what I’m having.

Fork. Spoon. Life. explores the everyday relationship that local notables have with food. To suggest future personalities to profile, email [email protected] .

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1. Pivzavod 77

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Moscow Park City Building, Russia

Park City Moscow Building, Russian Property Design Images, SHC Architects News, New Architecture

Moscow Park City : New Building

Architecture Development in Russia design by Swanke Hayden Connell Architects

19 Feb 2008

Swanke Hayden Connell Designing Adaptive Reuse Projects In Moscow

Firm Working on Third Major Assignment in Russian Capital

Park City Development Moscow

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – Swanke Hayden Connell Architects (SHCA) has been awarded the contract to design four buildings within the Park City development in downtown Moscow.

Park City Moscow

These buildings will occupy the historic center within the mixed-use master-plan for the 36-acre (14.6-hectare) site. Two of SHCA’s buildings involve adaptive re-use of existing late 19th century brewery buildings, and two will be new ground-up construction. They will accommodate hotel, residential, retail, and entertainment uses.

The projects represent the third major assignment for SHCA in Russia. The firm is currently designing Project Slava, a five million square foot (465,000 square meters) mixed-use complex in downtown Moscow as well as the 70-story Moscow International Business Center mixed-use tower that is part of a new Moscow City development.

According to Peter Gross, Architectural Design Principal for SHCA, all of these projects are being designed to the highest global standards. “American architects like Swanke Hayden Connell are bringing in cutting edge architecture that is creating an entirely new skyline for the city of Moscow,” he explained. “These new large scale developments will help transform the city into a world class business center.”

The Park City master plan is on a site off of Kutuzovsky Prospekt, the main avenue named for the general who defeated Napoleon in 1812, stretching west from the center of Moscow. It is adjacent to the Hotel Ukraine, which is one of the “Seven Sisters” – seven skyscrapers built under the Stalin regime. The site enjoys an extraordinary length of waterfront along the Moscow River.

The buildings that SHCA is designing front onto a broad pedestrian promenade which connects a central public square at the heart of the master-plan with the riverfront. Two of the buildings involve the adaptive re-use of the late-1800s Badaevsky Beer Brewery buildings. One of the these will be adapted into an entertainment, spa, and retail center. The other building will be a boutique hotel. Between theses two buildings will be a new high-end mid-rise residential tower, and adjacent to the river will be a two story restaurant and retail pavilion. With its dynamic design, this pavilion will become one of the signature structures of the whole master-plan development.

Because the two existing buildings functioned as a brewery in the 19th century, they are idiosyncratic structures constructed of heavy masonry with many load-bearing walls. They include unique spaces, such as vast vaulted rooms and silo-like structures, which present opportunities for the design of unique spaces for public functions and hotel rooms.

“One of the key design challenges is to achieve the right balance between the ‘anatomy’ of the existing structure and the modern interventions required for the program,” Gross noted. “Our goal is to create an integrated dialog between the historic and contemporary portions of the design. It is this juxtaposition which will create a thrilling experience.”

Construction on the SHCA projects at Park City is expected to begin in 2008.

SHCA’s Project Slava entails six separate A+ class office buildings varying in height from nine to 22 stories, with a common retail podium on the first, second, and third floors, spanning over existing and planned new streets. The tallest of the six office buildings is designed as the signature piece of the complex, intended to become a new symbol in the Moscow skyline. The project will start construction presently.

SHCA’s 70 story office tower in Moscow City includes over 2.2 million square feet (207,000 square meters) of space on a 150,000 square foot (14,000 square meter) site. The building will have 50 floors of commercial office space based on Class “A” U.S. occupancy standards. Above the office space will be a sky lobby with amenities to be shared by the offices as well as 19 floors of residential apartments. The tower will sit on two floors of retail space, cafes, restaurants and a casino that will relate to the nearby retail complex. Currently under construction, the project is scheduled for completion in 2010.

Swanke Hayden Connell Architects is the continuation of an architectural practice founded in 1906. Staffed with more than 300 professionals located in eight offices worldwide, the firm provides services in five core areas of practice: architecture, interior design, master planning, strategic facilities planning, and historic preservation, working with a variety of corporate and institutional clients.

Moscow Park City property development image / information from Swanke Hayden Connell Architects

Moscow Park City design : Swanke Hayden Connell Architects

Location: Moscow , Russia

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‘I want to do grimy Worcester beer.’ Welcome to the weirdest brewery in Mass.

• Updated: Mar. 31, 2024, 8:36 p.m. |
• Published: Mar. 31, 2024, 5:45 a.m.

• Nick O'Malley | [email protected]

Jay Grey knows how his brewery looks. He’s talking about doing a beer collab with a local strip club while standing in front of a mural that a friend told him “looks like the ‘90s threw up on your wall.”

Odd By Worcester Brewing is loud in its personality and explosive in its visual impact. From its beer labels to its trademark artwork, the new upstart in the city’s craft beer scene is riddled with nerdy references and nostalgic nods that inevitably catch the eye on the internet.

But Grey and his team want to make it clear. They’re not doing this as some marketing scheme. It’s just who they are. They’re weird.

And that might be the best part about the brewery.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nick O'Malley (@nickateit)

Odd By Nature, Worcester By Choice

Odd By Worcester is a ‘90s-themed brewery that opened up in mid-February inside downtown Worcester’s Midtown Mall , which is undergoing a revitalization, but has a long way to go before it’s a trendy date night spot.

The taproom is hard to miss. It’s the one whose signboard is a play on the old Blockbuster logo. Once you step in, your eyes are immediately drawn to the spectacular and intricate ‘90s-themed mural produced by local artist Ferdinand Nazario. The floor-to-ceiling explosion of color is a love letter to the ‘90s, featuring nods to Nickelodeon, Kurt Cobain, and video games. It even has a chunky old portable phone.

It doesn’t take long to notice the retro video game consoles at each table -- with choices including Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis and Playstation. That’s all on top of another set of unique art designs on each table -- done by Nazario in Sharpie.

Then there are the beers, which are varied, creative and unabashedly eclectic. The “Sorry I Need Space” stout is brewed with Oreo and astronaut ice cream. The new Woo Juice beer is “a Danimals-inspired strawberry banana yogurt smoothie sour.”

But it’s not all ‘90s references and candy thrown in the beer. Odd By Worcester is working to build strong ties to the city.

Grey, who lived in Worcester for a decade, is keen on embracing the weird parts of the city. His goal is an unusual one.

“I want to make grimy Worcester beer,” Grey says.

How does one go about that? It starts with a flagship light lager called “Parking Tickets,” which has a label of a heavily ticketed car in front of Polar Park.

It continues with the brewery working with local businesses, including Woo Juice, a juice and smoothie spot also in the Midtown Mall. Woo Juice provides fresh-pressed juice for the brewery’s budding mocktail program. It’s also the basis of a beer featuring its name.

A “strawberry banana yogurt” might sound bizarre. But in reality, it’s astonishingly smooth, sweet and drinkable. At 6% ABV, it’s almost dangerous in how delicious, creamy and light it feels.

It’s a wild idea that comes from a sincere place and has the execution to show it’s not just a gimmick -- which more or less sums up the whole experience of Odd By Worcester.

“It’s supposed to be funny. But there’s also heart”

So, about that strip club beer.

Grey is working with the owner of Hurricane Betty’s, a longtime “adult entertainment club” on Southbridge Street. He plans to make a beer called “Sweaty Betty’s,” which is a play on a common nickname for the club.

He knows it sounds ridiculous and that it will get a response from people in the city.

But Grey is genuinely excited about the actual beer. “Sweaty Betty’s” is based on a Blue Hawaiian cocktail, featuring fresh pineapple, fresh orange and blue raspberry.

“It’s just so cool in flavor and the color. But there’s also heart in it. The owner, we talked about it and his grandmother’s favorite drink was a Blue Hawaiian,” Grey says. “Yes, it’s collab with a strip club. It’s supposed to be funny. But there’s also heart, and that’s what I want in that.”

That sentiment carries over to the cartoon and video game references plastered over every surface of the brewery. Heck, even the bathroom keys are mock-ups of old NES cartridges.

But each nod and reference comes from a place of sincerity. Grey highlighted an image from “Super Mario Bros.” in the mural. It’s tied to one of his fondest memories, when his mother took him out of school early one day and surprised him with an N64 and a copy of “Super Mario 64.”

“When I look at that, that’s not a marketing tool to get people in the door,” Grey says. “That’s not any other reason than it reminds me of my mom.”

How to open a brewery in a mall

Odd By Worceter’s small, 40-seat taproom doesn’t have a kitchen. But it does have a unique beer list, a lively atmosphere and free-to-play retro consoles at the tables. It’s that energy that’s been key in finding an audience, with the brewery drawing 3,000 customers in its first month.

“It’s not the size of the brewery, it’s what you do with it,” general manager Justin Suarez says. “We’d rather serve 40 people the right way, than 100 people the wrong way.”

Odd By Worcester is a spinoff of Grey’s York, Maine-based brewery, Odd By Nature. The taproom in Maine is temporarily closed while Grey focuses on getting the Worcester taproom up and running. Once that happens, Suarez will take the reigns at the new spot.

Suarez worked at Medusa Brewing Company in Hudson before teaming up with Grey. He’d taken notice of Odd By Nature’s video game references on its labels and started following them. Now, he’s all-in on the company’s creative approach.

“Just a little out there enough where you’re like, ‘Yeah, this is weird. But this is a cool, good weird,’” Suarez says. “I guarantee you Maine’s never seen anything like the beer that we’ve been making.”

For the Worcester taproom, that creativity has translated into a beer list that isn’t limited to a bundle of IPAs or heavy stouts. There’s a light beer that will appease Bud Light fans. One of their flagship beers is a crisp kolsch.

If you don’t drink, they have creative mocktails like “Carrot Cake in a Cup,” “Smurfs in Hawaii” and “Ube Coffee Cake.”

The team has been listening to customer feedback and plan to add cocktails to their lineup, along with “beer slushies.”

The endgame is to create an environment where everyone is welcome, not just craft beer nerds. They don’t want customers trying to conform to their tastes. They want everyone to stay weird.

“The Odd by Nature name – the whole name comes from, like, be yourself,” Suarez says. “We don’t care who you are, what you want to be, as long as you’re respectful and you’re a decent human being. Be your weird self, and if you don’t think you’re weird, you’re lying to yourself.”

More stuff you should know about Odd By Worcester Brewering

Check them out : Website | Facebook | Instagram

What’s the address? - 22 Front St, Worcester, MA, 01608

What’s the parking situation? - There is street parking outside the Midtown Mall, as well as multiple parking garages nearby.

Do they serve food? - No. But customers can bring in their own food.

Is there outdoor seating? - No

When are they open ? Here are the listed business hours at the time of writing:

Monday: Noon - 10 p.m.

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: Noon - 10:00 p.m.

Friday: Noon - 10:00 p.m.

Saturday: Noon - 10:00 p.m.

Sunday: Noon - 10:00 p.m.

More coverage of Worcester Breweries

• A new ‘90s-themed brewery in Worcester features wild beers, free retro video games
• Beers over ice: Worcester’s brewery at a hockey rink is unlike any other taproom in Mass.
• This unlikely spot in Worcester might be the best place in Mass. to open a brewery

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