Nano-Brewing is not exactly a new concept. That said, I don’t think that enough of us hop-heads are aware of the latest revolution in brewing. When trying to start a business, there is nothing wrong with starting small and growing organically. I think a lot of people out there look at starting their own brewery or brew pub and go “wow, there is no way I can afford to get into this.” Although by no means cheap, starting a nano-brewery could be the way to go if you are looking to make and sell beer.

What is a Nano-Brewery?

Nano-Breweries, for those that don’t know, are breweries that reside in very small spaces pumping out 20 gallon-ish batches of brew for kegs, casks, and possibly some small bottle runs. The people behind these businesses usually start off as home-brewers who wish to take things to the next level. Often, these breweries pump out a mere 100 barrels of beer a year due to the fact that they are weekend operations. Many of them survive on the fact that the buying local movement is growing on a daily basis and although they run small, they sell all their product and slowly gain a following. King 5 out of Seattle did a short piece on this back in April, you can view it here.

Brewing Equipment

Depending on your budget, goals, and the space you have available to you there are many options for brewing set ups. Aside from creating your own gravity fed system, there are also many commercial brew system options. These range from the Dog Fish Head favorite, Brew Magic from Sabco, starting at around $6,000 and going all the way up to a Bavarian Brew Tech Pilot System coming in around $75,000. Other notable options include the Electorbrewer and offerings from Pico Brewing Systems. Aside from the brew system, you will also want to consider other things like refrigeration for conditioning, hand bottling units, and keg fillers. As long as you can be creative and do your research, I’m sure you’ll find some slick deals on all of these things. If you doubt any of this, you can always take some advice from Mr. Dog Fish himself, Sam Calagione. Although this is an endorsment for the Brew Magic system, I think it’s safe to say that he’d encourage you to use any pilot system to get your business up and running.

Brewery Location

I think the most wonderful thing about starting a brewery this way is the fact you do not need to go lease a 10,000 square foot building at some astronomical cost. Most of these systems will fit perfectly into a garage along with the rest of your supplies and equipment. Ideally, you’d have more space, but when you’re trying to get a business off the ground you need to make some sacrifices. During my research, I have seen breweries that have started in only a couple hundred square feet. We’re talking brewhouses the size of janitors closets here. If you have access to around 500 square feet of space, you’re more or less good to go.

Getting the Word Out

Okay, so you’ve bought your brew system, you’ve found your space, you’ve brewed your first batch of beer – now what? Well, let’s face it, if you’re at this stage, you’re probably not some shlub off the street, meaning you’re more than likely to belong to organizations like CAMRA and the Brewers Association. Through these organizations you probably know some fellow brewers, a few pub owners, and a couple store managers. Us beer folk tend to stick together so get the word out. Many of these people will help you get your brewery off the ground and look at the situation as “the more the merrier.” From there I suggest you continue reading truecask.com and look out for the Marketing Beer series I recently started. I know that is a shameless plug, but come on – I have to throw one in every now and then.

Things to Keep in Mind

There is a lot I don’t know about this business. I am in a process of learning and am documenting it for all of you to see. With that in mind, you must be aware of other things like your local laws, distribution rules, business licensing, material cost, etc that I am not knowledgeable about. Do your research and reach out to those who have already successfully tread these waters before you. My go-to example would be the people behind Two Beers Brewing. They have gone through this exact process and will be more than happy to answer your questions whenever possible.  This is not an unachievable dream, it’s just going to take a lot of work and passion. Keep focused and I’ll keep documenting my learning experience as they come.

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