Admit it. You’ve always day dreamed about opening your own brewery. In those rosy dreams, you’ve always pictured yourself as a hearty brew master serving mugs of frothy ale while building a good rapport with your devoted fans.
Well, the reality isn’t all that smooth. While running a craft brewery is 1000X times better than being slaved to a desk from 9 to 5, you need to put in massive tons of work and effort before you can create a successful microbrewery.
Our aim here isn’t to discourage you from your grand plans. But, we wish to help you be better prepared by gearing you up to face the realities. Consider this article as an eye-opener and your guide to prepare for launching your microbrewery.
We’ve gathered the best tips from craft brewery pioneers across the country, to help you launch a successful micro-brewery.
IN INDIA, BREWING IS MORE THAN SELLING
If you thought that you could just brew your unique drinks and use your smart marketing skills to put the beer on counters all over the country, then you need to think again. If you wish to make a hefty profit in selling your beer, then it’s essential to serve it.
You may not have the spaces or capital to set up a fine-dining establishment on your premises. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip the restaurant/pub/bar aspect of the business. Even if you can only accommodate a handful of tables and a small bar counter, it’s better than entirely skipping it.
In most parts of the country, the beer you brew must be sold on premises. The only exception to this rule is the state of the Maharashtra that allows you to distribute your brews.
The moral of the Story: If you brew, look for innovative ways to sell it at your site apart from figuring out the right distribution channels.
DON’T COMPROMISE QUALITY FOR CHEAP EQUIPMENT
This one comes as a sticker shock to many aspiring brewmasters. Setting up a craft brewery and marketing your products requires significant investment. Something around 80+ lakhs is a decent capital to start.
The fulcrum of making your brews successful is getting the right equipment, to begin with. While a range of Chinese counterfeit equipments have flooded the Indian market and are available at low costs, they aren’t worth it in the long run.
Don’t try to save a few bucks by compromising on the quality of your equipment. This not only ends up ruining the taste of your brew but could end up severely damaging your reputation. So, always look for the best quality brewing equipment in India.
Apart from the cost of the equipment, you also have to factor in the licensing, distribution rights, deposits, property rent or the cost of buying your own space, setting up a tap room, marketing, and other miscellaneous charges.
DON’T GET DISHEARTENED WITH DELAYS AND EARLY LOSSES
Microbreweries need to first rent out or buy a space, purchase the required equipment before they can even apply for a license. The entire process is lengthy, and you have to get the complete approval before you can sell your first mug of beer. The time frame for this whole process can be anywhere from 12 to 24 months.
So, don’t be discouraged by the lengthy period nor take the initial losses to heart. Once people taste the unique flavour of your brews, you can be pretty sure that you’ve got them hooked for life.
THERE IS SURE TO BE SOME LEVEL OF BUREAUCRATIC INTERFERENCE
If you think that you’ve crossed all the major hurdles once you procure the license, then you’re wrong. You’ve just crossed half the distance. You have miles to go. But, we promise that once you get the hang of it, the going gets easier.
It takes around two months for your beer labels to get approved. The next challenge is to find a qualified head brewer. Apart from this, if you plan to sell your beer at any event, you have to ensure that the organisers hold a liquor license to sell the beer at the event. That’s not all. Every single crate of beer that leaves your premises has to be approved by an excise offer. Without the signature of these officers, you can’t ship the beer outside your brewery.
YET, THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR MICROBREWERS AND BREWERIES
If you think all this is an uphill task, then here’s something to cheer you up. While the initial going may feel extremely tough, the industry has plenty to offer. Unlike western markets, which have reached saturation levels, microbreweries are just now beginning to crop up in India. This means that you have a huge market that is untapped.
With a mixture of passion, dedication and the right support from the craft brewing community, launching a microbrewery will prove to be incredibly rewarding. And always remember that the craft brewery community is highly supportive. “Craft brewers aren’t competing against each other but fighting against the system and trying to win commercial beers.”
So, you’re sure to get plenty of support from other craft brewers along the way. All that you need is passion and the belief that you can run a successful microbrewery.
If you are looking to start a microbrewery in India then you are at the right place. We @ Rohit Jafa Brewing Solutions is one of the best the microbrewery Equipment Supplier in India that helps you in starting the microbrewery in India. We can be checked on www.microbreweryindia.com | Talk to us @ (+91)9811233358.