Hey all,

I am currently in the beginning planning stage to start a Nano brewery. I am thinking of starting the brewery with a 2bbl system, but am open to suggestion. The plan is to produce two or three styles, and put them all on draft. If anyone has experience with this size of system, I can use all the information I can get. Also, if anyone has experience with starting a Nano or Micro brewery, or links to those who do, I would be very appreciative.

Thank you all, and happy brewing!

Bryan (Baloo)

Fort Collins, CO

Check out this company....

http://conical-fermenter.com/products/2-bbl-systems/

Their stuff looks really nice....I would say going with a 2bbl would be a good call if you can afford it. Pretty much just go as big as you can to start without busting the bank, the bigger the system the less often you'll have to brew.

Have you done a break even analysis? Most research I've read states a minimum capacity of 7 barrels to hit break even. Smaller systems are more labor intensive and cost more to operate, requiring upgrades anyway on the way to profitability.

Alan

The guys in our area that are giving it a go were going to start with 1.5 bbl.

They eventually revised the plan to be 3 bbl.

Then they revised it again to 7 bbl.

Upon questioning them about this they said (paraphrased): You can't even break even at anything less than 7 bbl.

Those guys are planning on being distribution only because our state doesn't allow for a production brewery to sell beer at its facility - unless you're a brewpub all beer has to go through a distributor. Now, if you could sell half of your beer at retail prices out of your taproom, you could probably make a go at breaking even with a 3 bbl system.

Baloo
Check out this brewing company in San Diego. It is the smallest I have seen. They have been very well received in the community and rent a small space in an industrial park. I think they started with 50 gallon batches, and just increased their fermentation space. He gets local brewers to help him out (free labor) and they brew great beer.

http://hessbrewing.com/

Holy god~!! In my god awful nanny from hell of a state, you can open a brew pub and so long as you only sell what you make, you don't need a liquor license. Just a $20.00 permit from the State.

I have been thinking of doing a similar size brewery if I cant find a job here soon. My suggestions are:
1. investigate the laws in your state. I am also in a state that requires everything not sold at a brewpub to be distributed by a distributer (and there are only a few of those in the state, check your laws/licensing). Some places have a finite number of liquor licenses (which you most likely need to serve on site), for instance my "city" can have 2 liquor licenses both are owned, i could not do a brewpub in town
2. Run some calcs checking cost to income. DO NOT forget to include your time as a cost, as well as taxes, fees, rent, and what ever your distributors cut is (not all inclusive list). To be safe include a margin of error (I like 15%)
3. Find a location remember things like zoning restrictions (brewerys are industrial, unless they are a brew pub then they are commercial, in most places)
4. Check out your packaging options. This one is killing me, kegs are expensive(~$100 each used), figure at least 3 kegs per tap handle (this is what I read someplace), bottles are a lot of work and time plus you need to buy new all the time, figure out what you are going to do and make sure you can afford it.

just my 2cents
good luck to you

I have heard, that anything below 10bbl. is a waste of time, if proift is the goal.