Anyone want to give their ingredient cost/batch?

[Neckbone]

So, I'm starting on my business plan to open a microbrewery. Looking at 3000 bbl/yr first year and expand from there. Probably will start with 15bbl system.

My question is this. What is everyone's cost per batch (for basic pale ale) and what size batch are you running? From my initial rudimentary calculations (and taking a SWAG at yeast cost) I'm coming up with pretty close to $450/batch on a 15 bbl system. Does that sound about right, give or take $50?

Thanks for any help you guys give. These boards have been extremely helpful so far and I'm sure will be until I open the doors and beyond.

[beertje46]

From my initial rudimentary calculations (and taking a SWAG at yeast cost) I'm coming up with pretty close to $450/batch on a 15 bbl system. Does that sound about right, give or take $50?

Short answer, yes. Longer answer; most suppliers use a sliding scale for pricing based on quantity purchased (except hops). The more you commit to buying the lower the cost in most cases. Where will your brewery be located?

[Neckbone]

Short answer, yes. Longer answer; most suppliers use a sliding scale for pricing based on quantity purchased (except hops). The more you commit to buying the lower the cost in most cases. Where will your brewery be located?

We'll be located in the southeast. I've already emailed a guy at Cargill who gave me $.30/lb for base malts, and $.50 for specialties.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but with a 15bbl batch size, looking at 13-19 batches/month, I'd probably be ordering around 15-20k lbs. And, I assume it's more expensive to be sent in bags then bulk delivered into a silo.

[beertje46]

Your calculation is correct, for a 3000 bbl. brewery. I would not invest in a silo. I use Bulk Bags (http://www.specialtymalts.com/order_info/bulk_bags.html) from Cargill and love them. They reduce your cost per pound, start-up cost is lower as you only need a forklift and a hopper to feed your mill and reduce waste vs. 50 lb. bags anyway. Have you read Before you purchase a silo (http://www.specialtymalts.com/tech_center/malt-silo.html)? If you haven't already use the search function above for past threads on silos.

[lhall]

Hey David,

How do you meter out the pale malt into the mill, do you have a weigh belt?

Cheers,

Linus

[beertje46]

Hey David,

How do you meter out the pale malt into the mill, do you have a weigh belt?

Cheers,

Linus
Not sure what a weigh belt is...

If you mean how I meter from the bulk bag, it's simple. You purchase bulk bags that contain the correct amount of base malt for a given beer. I purchase four different size bags for our whole product line and add the specials per batch by the bag. You need a three mast fork lift and a small malt hopper(mine holds 600 lbs.) with an auger to the mill/grist case. I moved to this method after careful evaluation of the end product, beer, and adhere to it for the savings in labor, raw cost, dust reduction, and waste disposal.