How to Open a Beer Barn Business

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  • Setting Up a New Business
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How to Open an Old-Fashioned Corner Store

How to sell food using a concession trailer truck, how to be a liquor distributor.

  • How to Open a Bakery: Step-by-Step Instructions
  • How to Start a Frozen Dessert Business

A beer barn business allows drivers to pull into a drive-through opening in a building to purchase beer from a clerk who delivers the order to the car. The "barn" designation comes from the traditional design that resembles a barn used in farming. When the store barn doors swing open, the vendor sells beer, and the closed doors provide an easily identifiable clue to traffic filing by the bar that the business is closed. Opening a drive thru beer barn requires detailed research.

Comply with Local Alcohol Regulations

Research alcohol regulation in your state and, if your state allows drive-through alcohol sales, apply for a license to sell beer and other types of alcohol products from your beer barn business. Confirm the license matches your business plan. Some states, including some counties in Ohio and Indiana, allow sales of unrefrigerated beer, but not other alcohol products, while the State of Mississippi allow sales of chilled beer products. Some states, including Indiana, prohibit sales of alcohol on Sunday, although the sale of non-alcoholic products from the barn is allowed on that day.

Write a Beer Barn Business Plan

Write a formal business plan for your company, obtain your business tax identification number and set up your methods for customer payment. The business plan includes a multi-year formal planning document that includes funding sources, vendors, inventory, marketing plans, a budget and potential funding sources.

Take Care of the Basics

Open a business bank account, apply for a business loan to open your business, if necessary, and obtain a state, county or local business license. Make a list of the products for your barn business and meet with representatives from these companies to determine terms and conditions applying to your operation. Design your company logo and street sign and meet with a design firm to develop the advertising materials for your new business.

Choose a Location

Locate a parcel and build your barn or purchase a structure suitable for conversion to drive-through business. Work with an architect and the city building and traffic departments to ensure your barn has suitable traffic access. Plan for traffic lanes as customers wait for service during peak hours of operation. Contract for additional driveway entrances, if necessary, and signage to direct drivers into and from the barn.

Before purchasing or leasing your beer barn location, confirm that it meets local codes. Many city commercial building and business codes forbid alcohol sales with a certain distance of public schools and church structures.

Purchase Inventory

Stock your products and your point of sale solutions. Popular solutions like Square can be used straight out of the box, but you may need to make adjustments to customize them for your business, reports the craft beverage technology solutions provider Ekos .

Finally, install your signage and decorate your exterior for a grand opening. Confirm your street-side temporary signage and decorations conform to local codes before placing the advertising.

  • Ekos: How to Start and Market Drive-Through Alcohol Sales
  • Mississippi Department of Revenue: Beer License
  • SBA.gov: Essential Elements of a Good Business Plan
  • SBA.gov: Obtaining Business Licenses and Permits
  • SBA.gov: Search for Business Licenses and Permits
  • Confirm your beer barn location meets local codes. Many city commercial building and business codes forbid alcohol sales with a certain distance of public schools and church structures.

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Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

beer barn business plan

Your guide to opening a beer bar: From creating a business plan to financing

December 14, 2016 CBB Editorial Staff

Bond Street just published a great step-by-step guide on how to go about opening your very own bar, and we thought it was worth sharing with you CBB ers that still have that dream of moving your craft beer love from your garage to, oh, a slightly larger abandoned garage in a rundown part of town. Just be sure to let us know when you do because we want to hang out there. Thanks to the Bond Street peeps for letting us republish a piece of their guide — focused on the business plan and financing. If you like what you see, definitely hit their site for the full thing , which includes more on cost expectations, the liquor license process, hiring, equipment, etc.

Creating a business plan

craft beer business plan

Summarize your concept in a few tight sentences that you can eventually use as the starting point of your pitch to investors.

What are you going to name your bar? This is the beginning of your dream becoming a household name. It’s more important than you may think. Be creative, steering clear of the generic, let it espouse your vibe and make it catchy and memorable.

Determine how much initial capital do you need: However much initial capital you think you will need — you need about 20 to 40 percent more than that … SERIOUSLY, 20 to 40 percent more — when in doubt, round up.

Be sure to include the amount of initial capital that you have in personal funds and how much money you will need to raise from outside sources.

RELATED: Craft a brewing business plan: Tips from a brewery in planning

Solidify your first hires: Everything from whether or not you’ll have a manager or you’ll be managing the bar yourself, to your bouncer and security needs, to how many bartenders you plan to hire should be laid out in your initial business plan so that when you begin your search for your opening staff, you know who you’re looking to hire. Here are a few staff members that current bar owners say are absolutely essentially (and they may surprise you):

  • A really good bookkeeper: Your finances are going to overwhelm you. When I asked the owner of Summers, Chris Taha, for something he’d do differently he quickly responded, “Have a good bookkeeper from day one.”
  • “An accountant with a backbone who will make you do what you need to do — like pay your taxes.”– Scott Perez, Walkers
  • A liquor lawyer to negotiate the liquor license.
  • A lawyer who will first help you negotiate the terms of your lease and who will then serve to handle your legal needs (you are opening a bar).
  • A plumber you can count on, consistently, all the time (again, you are opening a bar).
  • If you’re choosing to hire a manager, they will be your eyes and ears, choose wisely.

Outline where will you look for your opening staff: Other than word of mouth and pulling from the neighborhood (especially for bartenders, look for locals who have worked at other bars in the area; this is a hard place for us to make recommendations. Craigslist and other jobs board have everything to offer from perfect fits to the absolutely unhireable, and it will take some sifting through the mess to find what you’re looking for. Regardless, this is a crucial but tricky step so start to think about it early.

Nail down what type of space you’ll need to bring your vision to life: How big of a space do you require in terms of square footage? (i.e. How many people do you want to have in your bar when it’s at capacity?) Do you need a full kitchen? Equipment requirements?

Consider your food and beverage program: What will you serve, and how much will it cost? What’s your pricing strategy: industry-focused or customer-focused? Who will be your suppliers and distributors?

When calculating the total cost of a drink, think beyond the liquor and mixers to the cost of garnishes and napkins; your total cost should be no more than 20 percent of the price you charge.

Outline your financial strategy:

  • When do you expect to be in the black? [Goal: 6 months-1 year]
  • When do you expect to break even? [Goal: 3-5 years]
  • What is your exit strategy if things go wrong?
  • How will you keep track of your financial goals and checkpoints?
  • How much should you be saving? [Put away about 2 to 4 percent of your weekly operating costs for emergencies and invest the rest back into improving your profitability]

Miscellaneous:

  • Choose a POS System, Inventory System, Payroll System and create on overall training and operating manual (more on this later).
  • How much can you spend on rent? How much, roughly, will initial renovations cost?

RELATED: How to avoid the most common MRP mistakes breweries make

Financing options

beer fund piggy bank glass of beer

Equity financing: For many investors, equity is the most attractive form of investment, giving them the prestige of ownership; investors give you money in exchange for a future stake in your bar when you become profitable. You estimate how much you think your future worth will be and, based on this estimate, they decide how much they will give you, which congruently determines percentage of ownership they’ll have. If bootstrapping isn’t an option and your initial collateral is minimal, the long runway that equity financing will give you to become profitable makes it a strong option to pursue.

If possible, seek out a business partner or investor with high net worth to provide the financial backing because they are passionate about your concept. Investors that will likely invest in you are probably not looking to make a huge profit and are more interested in the prestige of owning a bar (you should be offering about 2 percent of ownership, so you’ll need multiple investors unless you enter into a partnership).

Debt financing gives you a lump sum and you agree on a repayment schedule and an interest rate. While this is the most common form of financing for new businesses, if you don’t have any substantial collateral you may have difficulty securing this type of loan because, in the event that your business goes under and you default on the loan, your investors will expect there to be some kind of tangible guarantee.

Note: If your bar is also a restaurant, the Small Business Administration may have loans available that you could qualify for.

Convertible debt functions as a synthesis of debt and equity financing; you receive a loan and your investors agree that the loan will either be repaid in the future or converted into equity, perhaps after the business has reached a certain valuation. You can offer a discount to your investors (typically about 20 to 25 percent) so that if and when they do convert their loan into equity, they get however much you offer in addition to the original loan.

For both types of investors, those that choose to convert and those that do not, you will need to set an interest rate so that you can repay them until they convert or the loan is repaid. If you’re having trouble setting a valuation for your bar but don’t want the rigidity of debt finance, this is a good route to take with your possible investors.

Thanks to the Bond Street peeps for letting us republish a piece of their guide — focused on the business plan and financing. If you like what you see, definitely hit their site for the full thing , which includes more on cost expectations, the liquor license process, hiring, equipment, etc.

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How to Create a Brewery Business Plan: Free Template for Breweries

By Debra Weinryb

A smiling man using a tablet in a brewery.

The craft brewery industry is experiencing explosive growth, with sales accounting for 24% of the U.S. beer market which is worth over $114 billion . To truly achieve success as a brewery owner or manager in this competitive landscape, you’ll need a brewery business plan. 

Whether you are considering opening a large industrial brewery company in a downtown core, or a small neighborhood pub with a beautiful outdoor patio, every brewery starts with great business planning. Your business plan acts as a roadmap that helps you think about tools and technology to grow your business, like a brewery POS system for example. And with the right structures in place from the beginning, you’ll have a greater chance of being successful, and mitigating financial and legal risks.

If you’ve never written a business plan for a brewery before, it can feel overwhelming to get started. To make it easier, we’ve put together a complete guide to writing a brewery business plan. In this guide, we’ll cover:

  • How to write a business plan for your brewery business
  • The 8 sections of every great brewery business plan
  • A free business plan template for breweries

A smiling head brewer holding a beer in front of brewery equipment.

Create a professional business plan for a brewery with this customizable template.

How To Write A Brewery Business Plan

Below, we’ll cover the eight essential sections that go into a great brewery business plan.

Executive Summary for Your Business Plan

Your Executive Summary is arguably the most important section of your business plan. While it’s the first section that investors typically screen, it’s often written last because it summarizes all of the following sections. Here, you’ll explain the type of brewery you will be operating – whether that’s a taproom, brewpub, or another model. 

It’s important to state your business model early on because your specific type of brewery will change the direction of your plan. For example, microbrewery business plans describe businesses that produce less than 15,000 barrels a year . Microbrewery business plans therefore focus on selling specialty drinks, instead of large quantities of beer that a craft brewery could offer. 

In this section, you’ll also provide a high-level overview of your type of brewery, customers, competitors, sales, and marketing strategies. You can also write about your leadership team, their experience, and provide financial information.

Remember to write concisely and not longer than a page in length. This section should be inspiring and tell investors why they should choose you over your competition. To stand out, highlight what makes your brewery special. Here are a few examples:

  • Your location: “Benji’s is a growing brewery in the center of New York City.”
  • Your market: “Our market is lucrative and growing with low competition in the neighborhood.”
  • Your unique menu: “We serve a curated selection of sours, ales, and IPAs.”
  • Target market: “Our ideal customers are corporate workers who love a fresh cold brew at the end of a day’s work.” 

A brewery owner and investor discussing a brewery business plan.

Company Profile

The Business Overview section provides a brief snapshot of your business. You’ll want to include details that investors might want to know before they invest in your brewery, like the legal and trade name of your business, your service structure, your business address, and the date you founded your brewery. 

You can also provide links where a potential investor can find more information, like your brewery website and social media pages – in addition to your contact information like email, phone number, and mailing address. Optionally, you may include banking details, including your branch and banker.

Company Description

Your Business Description section goes into more detail about your brewery, such as what your service will look like, where you will be located, your menu variety, and the vibe you will be creating. Overall, this section should highlight your overall brewery concept, vision, and goals for achieving business success.

This section gives an overview of your brewery’s mission statement , your business goals, and information about your menu offering. You should also describe your location and why it’s ideal, in addition to your brewery design and why you chose it. Lastly, make sure to mention your legal structure, whether you will be a partnership, sole proprietorship, or corporation. 

Market Analysis

As more breweries open up and enter the landscape, it’s important to know how your business operates differently. Your Market Analysis section looks at where your competitors are doing well, and what gaps you can fill.

For example, you can look at competitor offerings, marketing strategies, business functions, and branding. What type of beer is being offered by other breweries? What does their menu look like? Do some brewers offer guided tours? What makes your brewery different?

There are many points that you can include in your Market Analysis to show how your brewery is unique. For example, you can write about your target customer and why they would choose to visit your brewery over others. You can also include research on the breweries you’re competing with, and identify opportunities where gaps exist that you can fill. Can you compete with better business hours, menu variety, or guest tour experiences? It’s also important to note any industry trends, like economic or social impacts, and challenges that you plan to overcome.

Let’s look at an example. If you were writing a microbrewery business plan, you could include data about several new tech companies setting up shop in the area. Then you might include aligned research that microbreweries are more likely to be visited by young professionals in their twenties to thirties. Now you have a case to argue why your location will attract more foot traffic over other breweries that target an older demographic.

Two men using an iPad inside a brewery.

Marketing Plan for Your Brewery Business

Having a steady flow of customers is key to the longevity of your brewery business. To achieve this, you’ll need to create a plan for marketing that keeps customers returning.

Positioning 

Here, you’ll discuss how you will keep your brand top of mind for your consumers. Outline any key differentiators, like what customers can get from your brewery that they can’t get elsewhere. To figure out your differentiators, ask yourself a few questions:

  • What type of beer do you brew? 
  • What makes your guest experience memorable?
  • What makes your brewery unique?

Beer Pricing Strategy

In this subsection, describe how your pricing compares to competitors in your market. Here are a few questions you can answer in your pricing strategy:

  • What are your costs? Including everything from materials to labor to packaging.
  • What is the market price for similar beers that are selling?
  • How does your business pricing measure up to the market price?
  • What return on investment do you expect to see?

Remember that your pricing strategy needs to cover the costs of production and leave room for profitability!

Digital Promotion

Here are a few restaurant marketing ideas that can be incorporated into your brewery plan:

  • Digital advertising: Many consumers can decide where they will buy a drink based on an ad, or Google search. Consider investing in paid advertising on platforms like Google or Facebook.
  • Social media: Use your social platforms to improve your customer experience by engaging guests in real-time conversations. For example, you could ask if they prefer beer branding on bottles or cans.
  • Your website: Use SEO tactics on your blog to show up in Google keyword searches. Make sure your brewery’s website is full of useful content, and your online menu is easy to find from your main homepage. 

Business Operations

Here you’ll describe how you will put the plan you’ve described so far in place. This means outlining everything from your business team to suppliers, insurance, and licensing:

  • Team structure: Identify the members of your business team. You can include their years of experience, qualifications, and responsibilities. Be sure to outline how each person will help you run the brewery efficiently.
  • Supplies and inventory: List your supplies in this section, such as brewing equipment, ingredients, bottles, technology, and furniture. Consider using a dedicated brewery POS with an added integration like BevCheck to keep track of your inventory.
  • Insurance plan: Ensure that you have insurance in place to prevent an unexpected financial loss. Without insurance, you’re risking the chance of having to close your brewery in the case of an injury or equipment failure.
  • Licenses: You’ll need a brewery license that allows you to manufacture and sell beer in accordance with local regulations. This is different from a liquor license that restaurants use to serve alcohol. It’s best to contact your local government website to find out what local licenses or permits are required. For example, California has many licenses , including one just for beer manufacturers. 

A worker standing next to commercial brewery equipment.

Business Plan Financials

The financial section of your business plan should demonstrate your potential for achieving revenue growth. This is especially important if you are trying to get financing from potential investors. 

Include any documents that demonstrate your financial viability, like balance sheets, cash flow, and income statements. You can also show that you are financially responsible with loan and banking statements. All of these documents demonstrate that you are capable of handling cash and making timely payments – two characteristics that are highly valued by investors.

You can also include your financial goals, such as quarterly goals for your revenue growth. To demonstrate how you will achieve these, you can provide revenue projections for the next five to 10 years. 

This section of your business plan should include your costs, such as labor and training, rent, supplies such as ingredients, marketing, and brewing equipment. Remember to always explain how your profit will outweigh your costs to demonstrate your potential for success. 

To keep track of financial information more accurately, you can use accounting software like MarginEdge , Xero , Sage , QuickBooks , or Shogo . 

If you’re looking for more information on how to break down your financial section, it’s good to reference a brewery business plan example .

Business Plan Summary

This section should highlight the strongest points of your business plan to tell your brewery’s story, and show your reader why your brewery is unique and worthy of investment. It should also describe how your business will grow and achieve financial profitability. 

Make sure to include:

  • What you require to succeed, such as loans or an advisor
  • How your brewery is special compared to your competitors
  • A few sentences to thank your readers for their time and interest

Now that you’ve completed the written component of your business plan, it’s time to polish up your presentation skills! You’ll need to memorize all of your key points, and get your business plan in front of the right people. 

Once your plan is ready to go, send it to your investor contacts, and network with as many people as you can to get more leads and referrals. You can also send an email introduction to your target reader and let them know you have a plan you’d like to send. 

If you’re meeting in person, or by Zoom, it is helpful to prepare a presentation that covers the main elements of your brewery business plan. Setting up one-to-one meetings will also create a personal connection, and allow time for questions. To prepare for your presentation, think of questions or objections your audience might ask, and have prepared answers.

Remember to be transparent and honest. By showing you care about answering questions to your fullest ability, you’ll show investors that you have the drive to potentially work together to achieve your brewery business goals.

If you’re opening a brewery, you should highly consider writing a business plan. While it may seem like a lot of work, the time and sweat that you put into your plan will most certainly pay off in the long term. A thorough business plan can help you ensure your business can launch successfully, thrive, and grow.

Looking for a brewery business plan example? You can find many ideas in TouchBistro’s brewery business plan template . Inside, you’ll find inspiration with industry-specific tips, such as ideas for how to write a microbrewery business plan, and more!

Debra Weinryb author photo

Debra was a Content Marketing Specialist at TouchBistro, writing about the latest food and restaurant industry trends. In her spare time, Debra enjoys baking and eating together with family and friends.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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How to Write a Brewery Business Plan: Complete Guide

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  • January 3, 2023
  • Food & Beverage

Brewery taproom

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?

beer barn business plan

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.

beer barn business plan

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.

beer barn business plan

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:

beer barn business plan

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%.

beer barn business plan

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.

beer barn 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.

beer barn business plan

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.

beer barn business plan

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.

beer barn business plan

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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Business Plan Resources for Breweries

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Graham Rausch started with the Brewers Association in 2014. His goal is to engage with as many members as possible, help them maximize their membership benefits, and act as the resident resource-Sherpa for 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.

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How to open a craft beer bar

how to open craft beer

Do you pride yourself on being a craft beer enthusiast and expert, and feel ready to launch your very own craft beer bar?

Then you've come to the right place! In the guide below, you'll find out everything you need to know about how to open a craft beer bar - from conducting market research to setting out your marketing plan and writing your business plan . 

Carrying out market research to open a craft beer bar

Beer bar market: trends and predictions.

As increasingly more health-conscious consumers trade in heavy drinking for nights in, bar sales have seen a decline in recent years. Despite these hurdles, however, specialised craft beer bars and those owned by big brands such as Kronenbourg and Heineken have continued to grow.

The craft beer market has seen a noticeable upturn in recent years. According to a report by the Society of SIBA Independent Brewers, Brits consumed around 2.8 million hectolitres (that's 506 million pints) of craft beer in 2018 alone.

This revival of the beer market is linked to an appreciation of beer amongst young customers - with increasingly more of them opting to brew their own with DIY kits or at small craft beer factories. But an actual bar setting provides a place for these customers to discover new beers with friends.

The regulation to open a craft beer bar

As with the launch of any other pub, opening a craft beer bar requires a premise license. 

This will enable you to not only serve alcohol but also play live and recorded music and serve hot food and drinks after 11 pm. For more information on how to obtain a premise license, visit the Gov.uk license finder .

If you're based in the US, you can visit the SBA website for more details on what licenses will be required prior to your launch.

Deciding the concept for your craft beer bar

Once your market research has been carried out and you inform yourself of the regulations in place to keep yourself in check, you'll be ready to decide the concept for your bar . 

Are you keen to open a pub that plays football on big screens? Or maybe you'd rather open a high-end craft beer house that offers leather armchairs and a swanky Sunday roast on the weekends, or an eSports bar for avid gamers?

Whichever concept you go for, this will have to reflect on the menu of your craft beer bar - whether you're selling global beers at low prices, exclusively English beers, or tasting beers.

Once your concept has been defined, it's time to consider whether you'd rather operate as an independent beer bar or as part of an already established chain - unless, of course, you're buying over an existing craft beer bar. 

Bear in mind that a craft beer bar particularly aligns well with working within a chain. This is because many craft beer bars offer a separate shop from which customers can directly purchase the beers, and require insider knowledge from staff members of the beer being sold. Launching a 'hybrid' store such as this from scratch certainly isn't impossible, but could prove challenging. 

Scoping out a location for your craft beer bar

Picking the perfect location for your future craft beer bar is essential. Where it's based will have a considerable influence on how many customers it attracts, and consequently, its turnover and profitability. 

So you need to choose a busy location when opening your craft beer bar. Keep in mind, however, that the concept of your bar needs to dictate where it's situated. An affordable craft beer bar, for example, will ideally be located between a university and a sports ground, whilst a high-end bar is most likely to be planted within a chic, city centre neighbourhood. 

The concept of your bar will also determine how big your space should be. As a general rule, the higher the prices, the more space you'll need for customers. 

What is the legal structure of a craft beer bar?

To open a craft beer bar is also to give life to a new company with a legal entity. 

You must really focus when choosing the best legal form for your craft beer bar because among other things, it will impact:

  • How much your business is taxed
  • Your taxation at a personal level
  • Your responsibility for the company's debts in the event of bankruptcy

To help you make your choice, you can find more detailed information on the different legal forms available to you on the gov.uk guide for UK business owners and SBA guide for those of you based in the US.

The staff and equipment needed to open your beer bar

Next up in our guide on how to open a craft beer bar is to define your staffing and equipment requirements so that these can be factored into your financial forecast.

The equipment necessary for the opening of a craft beer bar

There are a few key pieces of equipment you'll need to open your craft beer bar. These include a till, an actual bar counter (of course), as well as furniture, decorative items such as paintings, glasses, and, of course, a large stock of beers. 

Staffing requirements of a craft beer bar

Staffing is also a major factor to take into account when drawing up your financial forecast. Whether you need a waiter or a cook to make up small snacks, draw up a precise list of staff roles that need to be assigned. You should also make a note of expected working hours and desired skills to help you get the right people in for staff interviews.

Additional services essential to the opening of a craft beer bar

As with any other new business, opening a craft beer bar will mean enlisting the help of additional services to ensure its operation runs smoothly. This includes calling on an insurer and chartered accountant who can take care of the administrative tasks and help you keep track of business accounts.

Remember to ask for quotes from several professionals for all of these services, to ensure you get a precise idea of the best value service. Also, you will be able to compare the offers and use this as leverage when negotiating with various companies. 

Creating a marketing plan for your craft beer bar

The next step in our guide on how to open a craft beer bar is to put an effective marketing strategy in place to help you attract and retain customers. Many means of communication are at your disposal, so it's up to you to identify the most relevant to your business.

Taking to the streets to hand out flyers and advertising in your local newspaper is a surefire way to make yourself known to any potential customers living nearby.

Schemes and promotions (such as a 5 pm - 7 pm happy hour) can be also used as a lever to build customer loyalty.

Finally, you should seriously consider setting up a website when opening a craft beer bar, or, at the very least, using social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to keep your customers up to date with how the business is running. You might also want to make sure that you've been added as a point of reference on Google Maps.

Writing your craft beer bar's business plan

Once all the above steps have been completed, it's then time to write the business plan to open your craft beer bar. 

A business plan is a document containing a financial forecast (highlighting the financing requirements to start the business and the expected profitability of your project), as well as a written part presenting its strengths and the company's objectives for the coming years.

Your craft beer bar's business plan is particularly important as it will enable you to check that your business can be profitable. It's also the document you’ll use to present your project to the bank and potential investors to secure the capital needed to launch - so having a professional and reliable business plan is key.

If you've never written a business plan and aren't sure how to go about it, you can use online business plan software .

There are several advantages to using specialized software:

  • You are guided through the writing process by detailed instructions and examples for each part of the plan.
  • You can be inspired by already written business plan templates
  • You can easily make your financial forecast by letting the software take care of the accounting aspects for you.
  • You get a professional document, formatted and ready to be sent to your banker.

If you are interested in finding out more about this type of solution, you can try our software for free by creating your account here .

Financing your craft beer bar

The investment required to open a craft beer bar will greatly depend on the concept, the size of your space, and its location.

There are many ways in which you can raise the money needed to launch your business:

  • First of all, it's ideal to have founders’ equity to build up the company's own equity. This is the money that you and your potential partners can contribute to the business in the form of share capital or a contribution to a director loan 
  • You can then turn to banks or private investors to fund some of your start-up expenses
  • You can also appeal to friends, family, and future clients by launching a crowdfunding campaign
  • Finally, don't forget to look into start-up assistance schemes available. These can sometimes provide you with financial aid in the form of hard cash or tax credits.

As we conclude our guide, we hope it has given you a better understanding of how to open a craft beer bar. If you have any questions or queries at all, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.

Also on The Business Plan Shop

  • Bar business plan template
  • How to carry out market research for a bar
  • How to take over a bar with no money
  • How to enhance the profitability of a bar

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Guillaume Le Brouster

Founder & CEO at The Business Plan Shop Ltd

Guillaume Le Brouster is a seasoned entrepreneur and financier.

Guillaume has been an entrepreneur for more than a decade and has first-hand experience of starting, running, and growing a successful business.

Prior to being a business owner, Guillaume worked in investment banking and private equity, where he spent most of his time creating complex financial forecasts, writing business plans, and analysing financial statements to make financing and investment decisions.

Guillaume holds a Master's Degree in Finance from ESCP Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business & Management from Paris Dauphine University.

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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.

Financial Highlights

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.

beer barn business plan

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Honk for Beer

May 25, 2022, story: laurel miller, photo: drew anthony smith, once ubiquitous across the midwest and the south, drive-thru liquor stores face a host of modern challenges. but for a handful of owners, they are a tradition worth preserving..

For most of us, the drive-thru is a place to grab a greasy burger on the fly or hit the ATM without having to enter a bank . But if you live in Ohio, Texas , Wyoming or a handful of other states , the drive-thru is also where you might pick up a six-pack after work, a bottle of wine to have with dinner, or a keg for the weekend—all from the comfort of your car.  

C oinciding with the post–World War II expansion of the automobile industry , the drive-thru concept — initially food-focused — expanded to include groceries and booze. The Copper Still , opened in 1955 by Ben S. Wood in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, proclaimed itself the first drive-in liquor store in the country . Since most of the state was dry at the time, people shied away from being seen at a bar. Wood’s solution was to sell liquor from a small, unobtrusive building with a window staffed by an attendant. Transactions were brief, allowing customers to retreat to their homes, reputations intact . Today, two Copper Still locations remain in operation in Hopkinsville.

By the end of the 1950s, these convenient beer and liquor stores — variously known as beer barns or brew-thrus — were popping up in select states in the Midwest and South. A more literal approach to the term “drive-thru,” these businesses required customers to actually drive through the building, where they were assisted by an employee without ever exiting their vehicle .

Arizona , in particular, became an epicenter of drive-thru liquor stores, especially in the Phoenix metro area. (The Phoenix New Times even published a 2017 “field guide” to 50 of the region’s best.) One of the more iconic examples i s Melrose Liquors, which opened in an aqua and Pepto-Bismol pink Googie structure in 1957; in 2017 it was slated for demolition, which was ultimately put on hold due to public outcry. “Phoenix underwent rapid physical growth in the post–World War II era, leading to a strong automobile culture,” says Helana Ruter, acting historic preservation officer for the city. “Unlike corporate fast-food chain drive-thrus,” she adds, “the independent-ownership model of midcentury drive-thru liquor stores encouraged kitschy roadside architecture to attract commuters.” 

But antiquated liquor laws , coupled with zoning changes and growing competition from online retailers, are threatening the future of the nation’s drive-thru liquor stores. “A lot of these laws just don’t make sense,” says Robert Ellis, co-owner of Austin’s Party Barn, noting that Texas’ ban on Sunday liquor sales hurts business. “Restaurants and bars serve alcohol to customers knowing there’s a good probability driving home will be involved, which is a greater risk than a closed-container beer sale.”

Adds Philip Foreman, second-generation owner of North Carolina’s Brew Thru chain: “We’re not encouraging drunk driving; we’re offering a service. We have an off-premise license and our business is just a convenient way to get your beer.” As a point of pride, the chain employs “cartenders” responsible for checking IDs before any purchase. “One of our guys nabbed 23 fake IDs in a single day,” recalls Foreman.

Despite the challenges, these drive-thru liquor stores remain, in part, by prompting nostalgia in their present owners. In fact, Ellis had no intention of operating Party Barn. But as a student at the adjacent University of Texas, he was a regular customer, often cruising through to pick up ice and six-packs. In March 2020, after Party Barn closed as a result of the pandemic, Ellis and his business partner Meador Hall jumped at the opportunity to purchase the store, reopening it just two months later. “The city’s changed so much; there’s not much left here that’s original,” says Ellis, who notes that Austin implemented new zoning requirements that make opening another drive-thru beer barn unlikely. “We wanted to bring back an ‘old-timey’ way of doing business, built on great customer service, which we pride ourselves on.”

Party Barn Beer Barn Austin

To support the local economy during the pandemic, Party Barn began offering dozens of craft beers from Central Texas, although Lone Star remains the bestseller. 

Party Barn Beer Barn Austin

A car waits to drive through Austin's beloved Party Barn.

Party Barn Beer Barn Austin

Party Barn prides itself on great customer service.

Party Barn Beer Barn Austin

“The city’s changed so much; there’s not much left here that’s original,” says Robert Ellis, owner of Party Barn.

Seventy miles north of Austin, Lampasas Beer Barn has been supplying locals with Coors Light since 1986. Current owner Deanna Juarez, who grew up in the town of nearly 8,000, bought the business from its second owners in 2019. “I had to do it,” she says. “My memories of the Barn are vivid, even the times when my high school friend and I would get older patrons to buy us Matilda Bay wine coolers,” she recalls. “Those nights usually ended with one of us hugging the toilet, but this is still the only place in town where you can literally drive your car through a barn and be waited on.”

The original Beer Barn had two lanes, but Juarez closed one to expand storage for her inventory. She also built a separate liquor store on the property that will soon have its own drive-in window. “I understand why metropolitan areas may limit or deny permits for drive-thru beverage retailers, but rural areas like this have historically had a need for them,” she says, noting that when Lampasas Beer Barn opened, nearby chain stores weren’t permitted to sell alcohol.

Other beer barns, like Brew Thru, which now has five locations throughout the Outer Banks, cater to the needs of seasonal tourists. The family-owned and -operated chain known as the “original drive-thru beverage store” was started by Dana and Rebecca Lawrentz in Nags Head in 1977. After a summer of steady business, the couple quickly realized they needed a plan to sustain their family during the off-season.  

“Winter is brutal,” says Foreman, the Lawrentz’s son-in-law. (He and now-wife Brandy, Dana and Rebecca’s daughter, began working at Brew Thru as teens and bought the business when Dana retired in 2002.) Merchandise became the solution to survival; to date, Brew Thru has sold more than $6 million in T-shirts, leading the Foremans to open a dedicated retail shop. Still, only two stores remain open year-round; the rest shutter from late November until the week before Easter.

In high season, Foreman says Brew Thru offers just about everything needed for a day at the beach, from local craft beers, wine, soda, ice, snacks and sunglasses to cigars from the humidor. Even COVID-19 didn’t put a damper on sales, according to Foreman. “We’re kind of built for a situation where people are afraid to get out of their cars,” he says.

Like trips to Brew Thru, visiting Lampasas Beer Barn is more of an excursion than a chore. “You come here, place your order, we fill your cooler and chitty-chat for a while if there’s no line,” says Juarez. “It’s not your typical hangout, but our customers are like family. We learn their names and preferences, and they bring us produce from their gardens and homemade salsa, and eggs from their chickens.”

Despite the challenges , Juarez sees value in maintaining the drive-thru—if only as a cultural relic. “ Beer barns are worth preserving because they’re such a part of Texas culture,” she says. “I don’t know how they got started, but whoever came up with the idea is a genius.” 

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How to Write a Winning Beer and Wine Bar Business Plan (+ Template)

Business-Plan

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be beneficial for beer and wine bar businesses who want to improve their strategy or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan outlines your company’s vision and documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you will accomplish it. To create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every beer and wine bar owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Bar Business Plan Template

What is a beer and wine bar business plan.

A beer and wine bar business plan is a formal written document describing your bar’s business strategy and 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 Beer and Wine Bar Business Plan?

A beer and wine bar business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide to 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 Beer and Wine Bar Business Plan

The following are the critical components of a successful beer and wine bar business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a beer and wine bar 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 beer and wine bar  
  • Provide a 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.

You may not have a long company history if you are just starting your beer and wine bar. 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 or been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your beer and wine bar company, mention this.

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

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an essential component of a beer and wine bar 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 beer and wine bar 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 your company’s success)?

You should also include sources for your information, 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, a beer and wine bar’s customers may include:

  • Business professionals in their 30s and 40s looking for a place to unwind after work with a drink and some appetizers.
  • 20-something college students who want a place to hang out with friends on the weekends.

Include information about how your customers decide to buy from you and what keeps them buying from you.

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

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will differ 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 or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

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 beer and wine bar business via PR or by exhibiting at trade shows.

Operations Plan

This part of your beer and wine bar 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?
  • What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

You also need to include your company’s business policies in the operations plan. 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, your Operations Plan will outline 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 beer and wine bar include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include adding new locations, adding new services, or reaching a certain number of customers.

Management Team

List your team members here, including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific beer and wine bar 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 and the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product 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 Beer and Wine Bar  

Balance sheet.

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

  • Assets : Everything 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 Beer and Wine Bar  

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:

  • Investments

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup beer and wine bar business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Beer and Wine Bar  

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 beer and wine bar. 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-written beer and wine bar business plan is a must for any new bar owner. It’s a great tool for attracting investors and keeping the company focused.  

Finish Your Beer and Wine Bar Business Plan in 1 Day!

Business Ideas | Small Business Ideas

  • Business Plan
  • Small Business Introduction
  • Choosing a Business
  • Business Structures
  • Brand Your Business
  • Register Your Business
  • Location And Licenses
  • Business Bank Account
  • Finance Your Business
  • Small Business Loans
  • Business Liability Insurance
  • Hiring Employees And EIN Number
  • Advertise Your Business
  • Make a Business Website
  • Record Keeping
  • Make The Leap
  • Small Business Success Factors
  • Business Conclusion

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

  • How to Open a Beer Barn Business

Beer Barn Business

Things Needed

  • Local zoning, building and signage regulations
  • Liquor and business license
  • Federal tax identification number
  • Copy logo and signage
  • Construction or remodeling permits
  • Confirm your beer barn location meets local codes. Many city commercial building and business codes forbid alcohol sales with a certain distance of public schools and church structures.

References (5)

  • City of Tustin, California: Community Development Department: Supplemental Application Form: Alcoholic Beverage Sales Establishments
  • Buddy's Beer Barn: Home
  • NEWS360.com; New Albany Allows Sale of Cold Beer Every Day; Errol Castens; January 2010
  • New York State Liquor Authority: Licensing

Resources (5)

  • SBA.gov: Why Do You Need One?
  • SBA.gov: Essential Elements of a Good Business Plan
  • SBA.gov: Templates for Writing a Business Plan
  • SBA.gov: Obtaining Business Licenses and Permits
  • SBA.gov: Search for Business Licenses and Permits

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Bar & Brewery Business Plans

Did you know each of these plans was created in LivePlan? Learn More

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Vino Maestro will be a full-service retail merchant of fine wines and spirits in Boston.

Interested in making the nightlife your life? Opening up a brewpub, night club, or exploring unique hoppy flavors with your own craft brewery may be right for you. No matter the style of drinking hub, these sample plans will give you the guidelines to get you started.

If you’re looking to develop a more modern business plan, we recommend you try LivePlan . It contains the same templates and information you see here, but with additional guidance to help you develop the perfect plan.

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beer barn business plan

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COMMENTS

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    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

  8. How to write a business plan for a craft beer bar?

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  9. Starting a Brewery (10 Steps): Business Plan, Costs, & More

    However, for a standard brewery, it's reasonable to expect that value to fall between the range of $500,000 and $1.5 million. The average cost of opening a brewery is dependant on a number of factors which vary based on your concept, location, needs, and preferences. 4. Secure Brewery Funding.

  10. Brewery Business Plan Example

    Total start-up capital and expenses (including legal costs, logo design, stationery and related expenses) came to approximately $41,700. Start-up assets required and utilized included brewing plant and machinery, pick-ups, office furniture, personal computers and other office equipment. This figure comes to $840,000.

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    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.

  14. What You Need to Know to Start a Drive-Thru Beverage Business

    Once you've done your research, written your business plan, selected your location and equipment, secured all your necessary licenses and permits, and hired your staff, you will be ready to open and promote your drive-thru beverage business. George Lee has been writing about food-related topics, mostly in the B2B environment, for more than 20 ...

  15. The Drive-Thru Beer Barn Is a Staple of American Drinking

    After a summer of steady business, the couple quickly realized they needed a plan to sustain their family during the off-season. "Winter is brutal," says Foreman, the Lawrentz's son-in-law. (He and now-wife Brandy, Dana and Rebecca's daughter, began working at Brew Thru as teens and bought the business when Dana retired in 2002.)

  16. Microbrew Bar Business Plan Example

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  17. How To Write A Beer And Wine Bar Business Plan + Template

    The executive summary of a beer and wine bar 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 beer and wine bar. Provide a summary of the key points in each section of your ...

  18. How to Open a Beer Barn Business

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