Nano Brewing

Breweries with a brewhouse of 3 barrels or less

Nano Brewery Expenses and Funding

posted Oct 17th, 2014 by Stan Hieronymus

The first question a prospective nano brewery owner should ask themselves is not “How much money can I expect to make?” but rather, “How much money can I afford to spend?”

From equipment costs to building expenses to licensing, the cost of opening even a small brewery can be staggering. And that’s before you brew your first batch.

The equipment costs for starting a nano brewery may be significantly lower than those for a full-sized brewery – although a new turnkey 3-barrel system can still run upwards of $45,000. But just as brewing beer is but a small part of the job of owning a brewery, the equipment costs are just a fraction of the total startup capital.

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Nano Brewery Equipment Introduction

posted Oct 17th, 2014 by Stan Hieronymus

Today’s prospective nano brewer has more options than ever before when it comes to equipment. Whether the increase in the number of companies making nano-sized equipment has grown as a result of the nano boom, or whether the availability of equipment has fueled the growth spurt is a chicken-and-egg question. Regardless, you will have plenty of choices no matter what size system you choose.

Budget will likely be the primary deciding factor in the system you choose. Those with limited resources may choose a used brewery. With many nano breweries scaling up to larger systems, the used market is more robust these days.

When buying a used system, you want to make sure it will fit your particular needs – or be easily adapted. The savings from a used system can be eaten up rapidly by retrofitting costs. Whenever possible, it is a good idea to see the used system you are considering buying while it is still in operation so you can make sure you are not investing in another brewer’s headache.

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Nano Brewery Basics

posted Oct 17th, 2014 by Stan Hieronymus

The term “nano brewery” may be a fairly recent addition to the craft brewing lexicon, but the concept of small breweries with a pint-sized brew length is nothing new. Although Anchor Brewing in San Francisco might be considered the first American craft brewery, it was New Albion Brewing of Sonoma, Calif., that showed other entrepreneurs they could build a brewery from the ground up. New Albion opened in 1976 using a 55-gallon brewing system.

There is no denying that as total craft beer production continues to skyrocket, so does the number of breweries that are starting with smaller than traditional batch sizes. Just as the definition of “craft beer” can be a slippery subject, there is no definitive answer as to what constitutes a nano brewery. And, likewise, there is no comprehensive list or accounting for how many nano breweries are operating in the United States.

The most-widely accepted description of nano breweries is a brewery that produces in batches of three barrels or smaller. Based on that criteria, there are upwards of 300 breweries operating in the United States as of summer 2014 that would qualify as nano breweries. That would mean nano breweries account for nearly 10 percent of the nation’s craft breweries.

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Selling your beer – the basics of self-distribution and brewery sales

posted Oct 17th, 2014 (updated Feb 8th, 2022) by Stan Hieronymus

The following article was posted on Feb. 18, 2015. It has been reviewed and updated as necessary by the ProBrewer editorial staff.

So far, all of the considerations we have discussed have centered on the expense side of the ledger. But there is good news: Good beer is worth money. And, once you have navigated all the red tape to get licensed, scavenged the money to build a brewery and actually brewed some beer, there are people out there willing to pay you for your efforts.

But there are still many choices you have to make. The biggest is who is going to be your customer – the consumer across the bar at your own taproom or the retailer at a pub, bottle shop or growler station.

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All About Nano Breweries

posted Oct 17th, 2014 by Stan Hieronymus

Nano Q&A
Nano brewery basics
Nano brewery expenses and funding
Nano brewery equipment
Finally, time to sell your beer

Have a plan, do it right, learn from those who have gone before you.

You have loved the craft and science of brewing since your first kit, and early on you fell in love with your hobby, and your friends with your beer. Sure, it’s free, but they really like it, right? And now you are ready to take the next step, but don’t want to risk the whole farm and your children’s college fund. Enter the Nano. Small scale brewing for big time dreamers.

Beware! But go for it. Your Nano is a business and you must treat it that way. It is also a brewery and you’d better be making some great liquid. You will not get a pass from consumers just because you ground your malt by hand with a mallet and a flat rock, or made it 60 gallons at a time!

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Nano Brewing

Nano Brewery Expenses and Funding

Nano Brewery Equipment Introduction

Nano Brewery Basics

Selling your beer – the basics of self-distribution and brewery sales

All About Nano Breweries

Have a plan, do it right, learn from those who have gone before you.

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