BeerBorg

Funky Skunk Brewing wrote:Just wanted to share this brewery tour someone at the brewery shot them selves when visiting Community Beer Works near Buffalo, NY. This is a 1 BBL nano that has been operating for around three years I believe. Interesting to see their set up is pretty much just larger scale home brewing to be honest.

Obviously some things are not "home brew" equivalent, still, their set up is something that is not over the top complex or high dollar comparatively speaking to other systems and rigs that are out there in the market. I have actually had communication with the owners and they have been very helpful in getting a lot of my questions answered and just general chat on what it took/takes, etc.

These guys are just another example of what smaller systems and breweries can do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2aauAB2poc

Thanks Eddie,

These guys are one of two local brewerys that are literally within a mile or so from me...

Ethan and Rudy and the rest of the folks over there are great people and a wealth of knowledge.

I often get their beers in growlers for take home, both at the brewery and at the local farmers markets where they also can sell growlers.

I believe they are. 1.5 barrel operation, brewing about 3 barrels a day on their PsychoBrew sculpture.

They have additional brite tanks for clearing and carbing.

Nice setup!

That's awesome! Glad to see someone knew who they were and has actually been to their brewery. Yeah, they have been more than helpful in a lot of our research leading up to this. Very cool guys and I wish them nothing but continued success.

Right. In speaking with them they do brew double batches o brew days and go from kettle to fermenter to brite tank on their beers, same as we plan on doing. Scary how close they are numbers wise, cost, etc. as we came up with our initial numbers as well. Again, as you said wealth of knowledge and great people.

To answer the initial question, which, I believe to be "Are Lager Beers the way to go for the future of craft brewing?" I agree, but the key to selling beer is to make good beer that the consumer will want to buy more than once. Style does not really matter. It has to be a brew that people tell their friends to try. Then it's best to get good ratings on the usual sites & win some GABF or World Beer Cup Medals. There will be a lot of small breweries & brew pubs going out of business soon. Too many are making sub-standard beer IMHO.

Eddie, I'm sure you did your research, and it'll show when you get to marketing your stuff. So good on ya.

I'm sure you'll eventually get a lager into the rotation, even if it's a Special Edition or a seasonal type, but obviously, you have to establish yourself and build a clientele first. With my own local brewpub, their most popular items are Medusa IPA and Muddy Creek Lager (my favorite). But they always have a wheat, a stout (we have a really large Irish population here), and a blonde that they call Little Thumper, which seems to be their lighter session style that won't scare away people new to craft beer. They've also done Russian Imperials, seasonals, and some other special beers from time to time. They're all good, and they're definitely making it work, which makes me happy.

Steve, you're absolutely right about making higher quality beer being essential. While it may be a dream for a homebrewing enthusiast to open their own micro, there's a big difference between good homebrew and good commercial brew. But the market will determine the successes and the failures.

It's really hard to be a successful micro brewery. I've been involved with Capt Lawrence since day one. I can't believe how far & big they are as a brewery today. For anybody who's in the NY area, please contact me & I'll give you a personal tour of the brewery. So Dave, if you think Defiant is good, come over the bridge on a Thursday & bring your growlers. Captain Lawrence is one of the best breweries in NY. The tasting room is great! Cheers.

I suppose a large factor in the decision on whether or not to include a pils or other lager in the regular rotation, especially for smaller brewers, is the inherent requirements that go with making a lager. In short, can we afford to tie up our equipment for a longer period of time (read:cost) , deal with a larger pitch (read: cost) and more intensive cooling requirements (read: cost). A wheat or blonde or cream ale can probably satisfy the same niche for most non-hardcore patrons.

Crazy Climber wrote:I suppose a large factor in the decision on whether or not to include a pils or other lager in the regular rotation, especially for smaller brewers, is the inherent requirements that go with making a lager. In short, can we afford to tie up our equipment for a longer period of time (read:cost) , deal with a larger pitch (read: cost) and more intensive cooling requirements (read: cost). A wheat or blonde or cream ale can probably satisfy the same niche for most non-hardcore patrons.

Yup, was just going to post that but you beat me to it.

Past month or so we have made several trips up and down the state doing research for a new business venture and on the way down we generally contact some of the brewers and ask them if they need a hops drop off for free shipping (I usually get at least a beer or free out of the deal). I have seen many new businesses start to exceed beyond their dreams - and free cash. Many have needed to cut back hours because they are litterally running out of beer to serve. Until you are in business for awhile and can balance costs, sales, and expenses, a lager is difficult to justify. Once all is balanced it is easier to brew a lager and see the reception and then look at either purchasing or dedicating equipment to fill that particular demand.

What a crisp, clean lager does help with is when Mr. Double IPA wants to go out with buddy Joe Sixpack, they both have a place they can go to and not have to hold their cookies down when taking a swig.

Beerlabelman wrote:For anybody who's in the NY area, please contact me & I'll give you a personal tour of the brewery.:

WOW! That's a wonderful offer, but don't see me getting up that way any time soon.

Soooooooooo, if you could just send me one of those barrels (one from the back shelf should work nicely), that'd be swell. Ok, love ya, see ya, bye.

DaYooper wrote:

Crazy Climber wrote: What a crisp, clean lager does help with is when Mr. Double IPA wants to go out with buddy Joe Sixpack, they both have a place they can go to and not have to hold their cookies down when taking a swig.

I'd just brew a Kolsch. No need for the expenses relating to lagers. Similar enough result for Joe Sixpack to be happy with the resulting product. I've never made a bad Kolsch. But I have had many a craft beer that called itself "Kolsch style" that clearly was not a Kolsch. IE brewed with American ale yeast. Craft brewers who do that should burn in hell says my inner German.

Inkleg wrote:Soooooooooo, if you could just send me one of those barrels (one from the back shelf should work nicely), that'd be swell. Ok, love ya, see ya, bye.

Shipping kills the deal...