We are in the midst of a Craft Beer revolution. Everywhere you look, microbreweries are springing up by the dozens. With the younger crowd stepping away from hard alcoholic beverages, the demand for beer is on the uptick.
This means that opening a brewery on the surface level would look like a great idea. However, there is more to it than meets the eye.
In this resource article, we talk to the new CEO of one of America’s most successful breweries, Melvin Brewing. We ask him about the five mistakes your breweries should look to avoid. With an experience and career spanning over 35+ years, Frank Magazine is the best person to address these questions to.
List of 5 Mistakes a New Brewery should avoid making
Mistake 1: Not Making the Beer Brewery a Separate Legal Entity
Brewers are passionate individuals that do not have a lot of care for the business, legal and financial side of the business. However, it is important that when setting up a brewery, the element of risk of the business going under is a real possibility.
This is why industry veterans like Frank Magazine point out that the business should be set up as a separate legal and financial entity. This will help protect your own personal and financial assets in case anything goes wrong. You need this safety net to ensure there is no pressure.
Mistake 2: Not Paying Attention to Social Media Platforms and Presence
Beer drinking is a cultural thing. This means that there is a community that is pushing this through. Beer aficionados are a cult that your business needs to engage and interact with at multiple levels. The good part, you can find them on social media platforms.
From spreading brand awareness to promoting your beer along with running offers and contests, social media should be the number one marketing platform for a brewery. Traction on social media platforms is essential if you are looking to create a successful brewery business.
Mistake 3: Not Investing in a High-Performance and Optimized Brand Website
Breweries, especially the younger ones do not have the marketing budgets to make Superbowl. They, however, can use digital platforms and search engines for running targeted campaigns. This is where the role of a brand website becomes so important.
Breweries need to create an artistic, creative, and visually attractive brand website. Like we already stated, beer drinking is a cult and your website needs to be reflective of the brand you are and align itself with the personality of the beer-drinking community.
Mistake 4: Not Getting the Best Brewing Equipment for the Business-
There is no doubting the fact that brewing equipment and machines are expensive. This makes many first-time breweries start using second-hand equipment. They are cheaper to buy, easily available, and can be installed from one place to the next.
However, as a new brewery, you need to focus on the quality of the product over everything else. This means you need to invest in the best equipment and brewing infrastructure for the business. This comes as a cost; however, this is what will guarantee high-quality products.
Mistake 5: Not Establishing Relationships in the Community-
Before you become an American best-seller, you need to become attractive to the local county and town from where you start. This is why new breweries need to become worthy attractions in the local community and engage with the locals in the area.
The more you are a part of local events, Sunday markets, and fairs, the more exposure and popularity will you get for your brand and its products. Ensure you are striking meaningful relationships at the grassroots level to build a solid base for your product.
The Final Word
Starting and running a successful brewery is not easy. It requires a lot of skill, patience, and capital. However, if you can eliminate the above-mentioned mistakes, you will be well on your way to establishing a great new brewery.
