Ask Dr. Frankenbrew

April 30, 2023

Dr. Frankenbrew Mature Brewing Professional

Q. Hello Mr. Hennessy, I would be interested in learning more regarding the topics of “Security and Safety” at a business. Some ideas for this topic: -How to make a building, business, employees and customers safe -Policies for dealing with customers and employees if a security issue arises -Recommended security systems, lighting and cameras -Tips on how to create a safe building environment -Recommendations on how to safely open in the morning and close your store at night -Any issues you might have experienced and how you responded -How to deal with disgruntled customers or employees/etc. Another idea for article could be about if any of your former students have ever used your brewpub SOPs/set up but incorporated them into an entirely different business. It would be interesting to see how they used these great ideas in another type of business besides a brewpub. Has anyone set up a coffee roastery, craft soda, ice cream shop, bakery, etc. instead after completing your course?

A. I’m no expert on security and have probably made more mistakes that anyone in this area. In our early days the manager was the last one to leave, typically by themselves. This one night our manager was leaving and as she turned the corner at the side of the building four guys grabbed her. They pushed her against the wall but before anything happened one of the guys told everyone to stop it and they let her go. I still get chills thinking about it. After that we instituted a policy that no one leaves on their own and at a minimum gets escorted to their car. By the way, that manager was so upset about feeling vulnerable, she got into law enforcement and joined the FBI.

We also have a policy that we will not tolerate any customer abusing an employee. They are asked to leave right away and we will call the police if they don’t comply. However we do not use any cameras. We also cut people off as part of our alcohol training. Oh the stories I could tell but space here limits me. I read Anthony Bourdain’s book, Kitchen Confidential, which shocked people about what kind of crazy things go on in a restaurant, and all I can say is “yep”.

Give your employees your backing to cut people off and also refuse to serve. We do not need to put up with assholes. If they are assholes to the servers, they probably are also assholes to the customers around them. They will go on to trash your name in public but it is still worth it to get them out of your place.

Your other question about the business system working in other business models besides breweries - some of our students have expanded their breweries to include coffee and other things, but on the whole the business operating system we teach works in any business. So if you have a brewpub using this system and you want to expand and build a coffee house/bike shop in the space that has opened up next to your brewpub, the same system will work just as well there. By the way, I do recommend adding coffee in the morning to your brewery, and also expanding from your brewery into other businesses that interest you. There’s no reason not to, as long as you have a solid business operating system managing it.

Q. Hey Tom, my buddies and I live in a small Southern city of about 21,000 residents and near a bigger city of 200,000. The bigger city has 2 breweries and our small city has none. How would you go about determining if there is enough demand for a small brewpub?

A. Simple answer? Go for it. In the town of Montrose, Colorado with a population of 20,000 we have 4 breweries (including ours) that all do well. There are two more on the way. However a more complicated answer is not how many breweries there are, but rather what will you offer that is different. Another brewery in a small warehouse with food trucks making hazy IPA’s might not offer anything interesting. However if it was a cozy pub serving pom fritz and Belgian beers - that’s different. Or great Mexican food and refreshing lagers.

I personally think it’s more productive to not think about dividing the brewery pie, but rather baking a new and different one. (is that a horrible metaphor?) Anyway, customers want something unique and they want value. Value is exceeding expectations. This is done with quality, service, price point, and above all, offering something different than what everyone else is doing.

So yes, go for it. With your demographics you will kick butt even in a tasting room brewery with food trucks. But remember, you will eventually have competition, so make your brewery something different and special as well. Good luck!

Keep the questions coming. If I don’t know the answer, I like doing the research.