Things to Consider When Starting Your Own Home Brewery Business
Would it surprise you to learn that every year one million Americans begin brewing their own beer at home as a hobby? For some, this is purely a passion project, something special and unique to share with friends and family. For others, this is the beginning of a business.
Starting your own home brewery business might sound like a great idea but, especially if this is to become your primary source of income, it is not an easy undertaking. Before you begin, you will need to make sure that you know what it is that you are getting yourself into.
Many successful brewery companies started out in the home brewery market as small, independent producers. The number of small craft breweries is constantly increasing and the beers themselves are also constantly increasing in popularity.
In addition to all the usual steps that you have to take when starting a new business, there are a number of additional steps involved in starting your own home brewery company.
Personal or Private?
Federal law allows adults in the United States to legally produce their own beer at home for their own use without the need for a license. The regulations allow home brewers to produce as much as 100 gallons every year if there is a single adult in the house. This is raised to 200 gallons per year for households with 2 or more adults.
Some states place added restrictions on personal consumption. These can include restrictions which prohibit you from sharing your homebrew, even if no money changes hands.
In any case, as soon as you wish to sell your brew for money, a whole bunch of local, state, and federal regulations apply.
Nature of Your Operations
There are different types of brewing operation, and in some cases the laws and regulations that apply will depend upon what you do with the final product. For example, different regulations apply to businesses who serve alcohol on their premises, compared to those who sell it in sealed containers.
It is a good idea to get to know some of the other brewers who operate in your local area. Making friends with established businesses can benefit you both as this is the kind of industry where teamwork is more commonly seen. You can find lots of great advice online for choosing the best home brewing techniques and equipment, for example – 52brews.com/best-homebrew-mash-tuns. However, you can’t beat first hand advice from an experienced brewer.
Can You Make it?
If you want to begin pursuing home brewing as a hobby, or even as a side business to supplement your main income, then you have little to worry about. However, if you wish to make this your primary source of income, you need to make sure that you know what you are doing.
If you have little to no prior experience in running a business then you should be aware that you will be entering a very challenging marketplace. It is easy to sell your home brew beer, but it is much harder to turn it into a viable business.
Starting your own homebrew business is a dream come true for many people. While it is definitely a difficult market to compete in, it is tremendous fun trying.