Building A Small Brewpub - 8
The following is a fictional description of opening a brewpub.
Using a yellow legal pad I wrote down job descriptions every night while eating dinner. When I was satisfied with what I came up with for each position, I typed them into my computer so it would be easy to change them when the reality of actually running the brewpub came into being. I just started out with what I thought I wanted each position to do. I know it will change. Also, even though I will be doing some of these positions myself, I want to make this place so it can run without me, so I start with job descriptions.
Son of a bitch! The town sanitation department - actually their engineer - told me that the simple plan I gave them to deal with my effluent wasn’t going to fly. What they want me to do instead is add a manhole sewer access as the drain pipe leaves the building. Their thinking is that they could go outside and take a sample of the effluent and test it for pH and organic solids.
I tried to explain that anything from the brewery first comes out of a tank, then onto the floor and into the drain. Unless I was working in the brewery there wouldn’t be anything for them to test. In fact it would be much easier for them to just come in and test what I have before I dump it into the drain. But noooooo! They think it’s easier to lift up a heavy iron lid and jump down in that pit to retrieve a sample. God help me. I believe it will cost at least $5,000. But what can you do?
On a positive note, I found three Grundy tanks (actually a brewer friend - thanks Dean) on Probrewer for sale that I can use as serving tanks. They are fickle to deal with but workable. At only $600 a piece, I can’t say no. Even if I didn’t use them for serving tanks, I could turn one into a mash tun and another into a hot liquor tank. My goal however is to have at least 4 serving tanks, maybe 5 if I can fit it. These are only 40 inches in diameter, so that’s a good start. Also, close enough to drive and pick them up.
I received a phone call from an agent assigned to my TTB Beer license application. I guess that’s what they do, interview you while they thumb through your application. The only thing they found was how I planned to secure the Tax Determination Tanks. The nice lady agent just said to write a paragraph on how I will lock the room where the tanks are.
By Tax Determination, they mean the tank where the final beer is finished and ready to serve. You need to have a measuring device so you know how much beer is in the tank. I plan to make site glasses on the sides of the tanks that show the level of the beer, and mark the corresponding gallon lines on the side of the tank.
You will pay a tax of $3.50 for every BBL of beer you produce. This doesn’t count the beer that is in the fermenter, as it isn’t ready to serve. This is our Federal Excise Tax that we pay quarterly. It’s done online.
The state excise tax is .08 per gallon on what you actually served, not what you made (every state is different in how much you pay and how it’s calculated). That is paid monthly. To calculate this, when I do inventory I know how much beer I have on hand at the beginning of the month. I add what I produce (that’s ready to serve) to that amount, then subtract at the end of the month the beer that is on hand. That tells me how much beer went out the door.
To keep track of everything I made up a brewers Log Sheet, that I will use for each beer. Basically fill out the recipe and targets, then show fermentation, and finally how much beer is transferred into a serving tank (aka Tax Determination Tank). When the excise tax is paid, I have a place in the corner where I write the date down that I paid the tax. Then the page will go in a notebook for future reference.
My next task is to set up a small kegerator down at the brewery, so at the end of the week I can have some beers with the construction crew. Hey, there has to be some benefits to building a brewery.
Sequence of Events
Find a suitable location - check
Draw up a floor plan - check
Check with the town zoning to see if a brewpub is allowed in that location - check
Get someone from the building department to do a walk through in the space while showing them my plan to see if they see any pitfalls - check
Set up Company - check
Set up bank account and fund - check
Draw plumbing plans - check
Draw up detail kitchen plans - check
Meet with architect and engineer - check
Apply for state and federal licenses - check
Come up with a name - check
Get insurance set up - check
Acquire additional funding - check
Sign the lease - check
Demo for plumbing - check
Hire Contractor - check
Start acquiring equipment - in progress
Start on Business System - in progress
Food Menu - to do
Service System - to do
POS System - to to
Oyster! - to do
