The beer-brewing industry has been around since ancient Mesopotamia, and the number of breweries across the globe is still on the rise. However, many women feel discouraged from joining the industry because of the perception that beer brewing is a male-dominated occupation. But women are still brewing beer and running major distilleries across the world. In reality, the ancient Mesopotamians thought beer brewing was a woman’s profession—talk about a fun fact! If you’re ready to join their ranks, here are a few tips for starting a brewery.
Learn More About Beer Brewing
Most likely, if you’re interested in starting a brewery, you know something about the process of making beer; if you don’t, though, this is the time to learn. Beer is a science that can go very wrong at every stage of the process if done incorrectly. Even if you have been brewing beer in your home for years, beer brewing looks different on a larger scale. If you are brewing beer commercially, you will have to familiarize yourself with FDA, state, and local regulations regarding your beer.
Know Your Area and Your Market
Craft beer sales are on the rise, but that doesn’t mean you can start selling any beer anywhere. In places where there aren’t many specialty breweries, the general demand in the area could be for more mainstream beers, which may pose a greater risk to you as a new brewery. In places where there are other breweries, you will be faced with more competition. You will also want to know the big picture of the industry, such as up-and-coming techniques, flavors, and styles of beer that are becoming popular.
Get the Right Location and the Right Gear
There is a lot that goes into a brewery setup, right down to finding a building big enough to house your equipment safely and support the necessary amount of water and electricity. This may be a point of concern in older buildings. Having high-quality brewing equipment is also important for every stage of the brewing process—that includes tanks, thermometers, a krausen monitoring system, and packaging materials to name a few. There are various types of brew tanks as well, each with its own benefits. Most consider stainless steel to be one of the more cost-effective options.
When choosing the right gear and equipment for your brewery, you need to focus on everything from the larger parts – like a quality fermenter – to the small parts, such as filter aids that can ensure the purity of your brew. When searching for a high-grade filter aid for your operation, be sure to check out chemical distributors like Faber&VanderEnde. Distributors such as this can supply you with mineral-based filters to ensure the efficiency of your filtration process and successfully remove any unwanted particles from your finished product.
Learn About Distribution
Depending on your operation’s scale, you will also need to consider how best to distribute your beer. You can rely on a distributor or self-distribute. A distributor is great because they have a solid knowledge base and using their services allows you to focus your attention on the other ins and outs of your business. It is important to note, however, that using a distributor will cut into your margins. Self-distributing cuts out the middleman and allows you greater control of your product, but it can be time-consuming and potentially illegal, depending on your state.
