July 26, 2007
Step #2, Thanks To My Brother
Ever felt like you’re being drawn, almost by fate, into something?
I realized a few years ago that you never become truly wealthy working for someone else. The people who really “get ahead” do it on their own. You set out on a course unknown, and you try to make your mark. Entrepreneurship is the true path to wealth and freedom.
But it’s more than that. I’m not the type of person who can really be passionate about something unless it’s personal. I like my job, and I’m interested in seeing the company do well, but only so much as their success contributes to my personal success. I’m not passionate about it. I am passionate about creating. I love crafting things, whether it be with words (as in blogging), or with barley and hops (as in beer), I want to make something and make it well.
I’ve been thinking for a while about what it would take to start a brewery. The success I’ve had with some of my competitions has told me that I can brew good beer. I’ve still got a lot of learning to do, but my ability to craft a recipe and brew a nice drinkable beer is starting to become a lot more consistent. I’ve made a few stinkers when I try to experiment, but each of those experiences has been instructive, and when I brew my Smoked IPA in a few weeks/months, I think I might actually get it right.
Then, I started talking about the idea of a brewery with my new brew partners, and they seem interested in the idea. And I started reading Monday Night Brewery, a blog written by three friends in Atlanta who are working to open a brewery in the next few years. But it goes farther. Just a week and a half ago, my brother was out here and we started talking about the logistics… How much space would be necessary, how much the initial investment might be, etc.
Last night, for my birthday, I went to a beer tasting at a local brewpub with my wife, her sister, and my brother-in-law. We started speaking with the head brewer, and he took us in back to give us a tour of the facilities. I made sure to get into questions about output, the sort of turnover and fermentation time that’s necessary, all with a little question in the back of my head: “What do I need to do to make this happen?” So I took some of that information, and started working up an ultra-rough idea of what a monthly balance sheet would need to look like to make it happen, and I’m starting to do some research on what the initial capital investment will take.
And last, but what I’m sure will not be the end of it, I arrived home today to find a very nice birthday gift from my brother. He bought me a copy of Brewing Up A Business by Sam Calagione, the founder of Dogfish Head brewery. It’s the story of a guy who said to himself “I can do it better and I can do it my way”, and he’s done it.
I’ve still got work to do. I need to expand my repertoire of styles. I really need to start thinking not only about brewing good beer, but about what I want a brewery to be and represent. But that’s mere steps on the road. I want to be a brewer. I want to make beer I like to drink, and share it with the world. I want to be able to go to Wyatt’s “career day” at school and be the cool dad who makes beer.
So I’ve got some reading to do. I see where I am, Point A. Point B is me making 100% of my income from brewing. Hopefully this new book will help me start mapping the route.
Why I love the business of brewing | Monday Night Brewery : Atlanta, GA linked with Why I love the business of brewing | Monday Night Brewery : Atlanta, GA
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So good to hear you talking about doing this. I have no doubt you can make it happen. Keep us posted!
Yes! That’s awesome. We’re 100% behind you. Another book to check out would be Beer School. It’s about the Brooklyn Brewery story. While I don’t like any of the beer I’ve tried from them, the book itself had some good stuff. Just make sure to look past all of the business fluff.
Brad, It sounds wonderful and I think you can do almost anything you put your mind to. Check out the health laws, what kind of taxes you will have to pay, zoning rules and all of that kind of stuff before you start ordering equiptment. Read the book “The Secret” and it will help inspire you with your dream….. Keep your day job until you know that you can make a living with your brewery……I don’t drink but that doesn’t mean I can’t cheer you on….Hold on to that dream and make it a reality.
Lucy may not drink, but she should at least by your beer. She can give it to those less fortunate (Corona drinkers).
I hate to say this Warbs, but if you’re going to try to found a business in California, you’re insane.
Run it out of Nevada or Arizona or you’ll just be screwed by the state.
[...] While not all inter-industry support is this blatant, it makes a powerful point. Brewing is about beer. We brew beer and enjoy that we can make a living doing it, but money isn’t why we brew. There are very few industries where I would feel comfortable supporting “competitors.” People like Brad Warbiany, who has just recently decided to pursue his own commercial brewing endeavors, and Beau’s All-Natural Brewing, a father/son brewing start-up in Canada. I genuinely look forward to consuming these beers. I feel a kind of kindred spirit, even though I have yet to meet either of them. [...]