Homebrew pub??

[Edindie]

I've never run a pub, so this may be all ******** but...

...why is there no homebrew pubs? Brew pubs, yes, but no homebrew pubs that I can see. Pubs are all having to diversify to get custom and this seems a logical step for me.

- I can open a pub with an approved brewing area above;
- All the other homebrewers in the area can come and use the approved brewery to make their beer, which can then be sold to the masses;
- I live in yorskhire where there seems to be loads of seasoned AG brewers;
- Pub gets cheaper beer, hence a competative advantage;
- can do brewing courses during the day (which I searched for when I started brewing, the only one I could find was in Buxton. Anyone looking to make money on the side, I'd have paid £60 - £100 for someone to teach me how to brew [£100 would be across a few weeks and leaving with a beer to drink]);
- People would bring their friends to try the beer they brewed and brewing courses would increase the number of local people interested in trying the more inventive brews;
- could be a testing ground for local microbreweries as they could test reactions to a new beer without it damaging their brand;
- could do tie ups with collages / universities who do brewing courses; and
- with great food etc this could be a decent idea.

What do you think? Would you go? Would you brew for it? What other ideas could you have? Aside from 10% off for THBF members of course.

 

[LeithR]

The answer is a resounding NO. Selling HB is illegal hence no HB pubs. The only way is to get a license and go commercial.

 

[Edindie]

That's what I meant. Health and safetly approved brewing area + paying all the tax etc to be legit. Surely they can't say who is allowed to brew in this brewery?

 

[Edindie]

I realise ths would cease to then be homebrew, but it doesn't change the idea much.

 

[bobsbeer]

But then you become a Brew Pub. Or am I missing something. :hmm:

 

[Edindie]

I guess not. A brew pub with mostly guest brewers.

 

[bobsbeer]

Interesting concept if you have a good location.

 

[graysalchemy]

As Bob has said you become a brew pub.

You have obviously given some thought to this idea and listed them.

However the big thing you seem to be missing is the economics of it.

Pub gets cheaper beer, hence a competative advantage;

How would the pub get cheaper beer :wha: :wha: and more importantly if you are running a business why would you want to sell cheaper beer? Your overheads would be exactly the same as any other micro brewery as you would be buying grain and hops at the same rate paying tax at the same rate and paying for rent rates and utilities etc at the same rate.

Any successful manufacturing business relies on economies of scale, ie you buy in you materials in bulk. However if you are going to have lots of different people involved in the production of the beer and lots of different recipes with lots of different ingredients means that you will not be as economical as a micro that just uses pale malt, crystal, and two hop varieties to produce its range of beers (look at any major brewers recipe and you will see consistencies of ingredients across its range of beers).

Great idea but in the words of Duncan Bannatyne I am out. :evil:

 

[Edindie]

How would the pub get cheaper beer? [\quote]

Fair point. I just woke up early this morning and had an idea. Obviously not enough time thinking the price thing; my homebrew is cheaper as I don't have to pay tax on it and don't consider my fixed costs. I forgot about that.

Perhaps I should change the idea and persuade a local brew pub to start doing red letter days. I think loads of people would like the idea of buying an experience where you come out with 40 bottles of your own hard work.

 

[adomant]

also go to consider that there has to be a registered brewer in place as well as the premises since they would be responsible for all the controls that HMRC, Environmental Health, Council etc... need to see in place such as correct record keeping, measurements etc... penalties for breaching can include prison as well as big fines.

I know a lot of brewers who are good mates, but would I want to take ultimate legal responsibility for their brews ?

 

[calumscott]

Perhaps I should change the idea and persuade a local brew pub to start doing red letter days.

Now *that* might just fly. Basically it's a diversification of a brewpub. If you wanted to do it yourself as a business you just need to buy a brewpub and set up "experience" days. The level of involvement can, of course, be varied depending on the skill and qualification of the guest. Clearly a "random" couldn't actually brew (food safety and all that), but a "less random" with a current food handling certificate could get more "hands on" I suppose...

I think I like it as a concept...

...promotes all the things that are missing from pubs. Interesting beer and localism.

When are you planning to open? I'll give it a bash... :thumb:

 

[The Goatreich]

Pub gets cheaper beer, hence a competative advantage;

How would the pub get cheaper beer :wha: :wha: and more importantly if you are running a business why would you want to sell cheaper beer?

Not to combat this, but a quick 2 pennies drop in. Personally I would happily pay a little bit MORE for a pint of beer in a pub like this, plus I think with the current "craft beer" fashion I think that others would too.
My local brewery Tiny Rebel recently opened up a bar in Cardiff, and the prices are not cheap compared to other bars around it, but due to the nature of the beers on offer it is always busy, and I am always happy to pay 50p or whatever more for a pint of amazing beer, or even just to have a choice of different beers, rather than the same olds you get in most pubs.

 

[graysalchemy]

How would the pub get cheaper beer? [\quote]

Fair point. I just woke up early this morning and had an idea. Obviously not enough time thinking the price thing; my homebrew is cheaper as I don't have to pay tax on it and don't consider my fixed costs. I forgot about that.

Perhaps I should change the idea and persuade a local brew pub to start doing red letter days. I think loads of people would like the idea of buying an experience where you come out with 40 bottles of your own hard work.

Sorry I didn't mean to sound so off with you .

The thing with any business idea is that they need to be explored and expanded, which is what you were probably trying to do.

Some micro's do run competitions for homebrewers with the winners beer being used, so really your idea's are an expansion of that.

You also seem to have a sense of community perhaps wanting to do something that everyone benefits from, perhaps a not for profit community enterprise might be the way forward for this type of business.

Now look who is thinking out aloud

Please feel free to shoot me down folks

 

[graysalchemy]

Not to combat this, but a quick 2 pennies drop in. Personally I would happily pay a little bit MORE for a pint of beer in a pub like this, plus I think with the current "craft beer" fashion I think that others would too.
My local brewery Tiny Rebel recently opened up a bar in Cardiff, and the prices are not cheap compared to other bars around it, but due to the nature of the beers on offer it is always busy, and I am always happy to pay 50p or whatever more for a pint of amazing beer, or even just to have a choice of different beers, rather than the same olds you get in most pubs.

That was my point actually well crafted beer which is away from the norm should in fact have an uplift in price, but it would still need to be economically produced. To many micro's just produce bog standard beers but as I have explained previously you need to be economical with ingredients, having said that a creative brewer can produce wonderful brews with a limited palette of ingredients.

The best beer I have had this year was from our fellow brewer UnclePumble and his Cheshire Brewhouse. :thumb: :thumb: , however I have had some micro brewed beer which to be honest a pint of J*hn Sh8te would have been a better choice

 

[Megaross]

I actually know one pub which does sell homebrew and brew it on the premises, the landlord apparently had a ******* nightmare opening it though, more red tape than a red tape factory on redtapeman day.

 

[fizz head1982]

Edindie,

Great idea! :

There is allot of love and passion in your idea, and as many others have said - community. Unfortunately the government wants it piece of every pie and it wants to dictate how you make that pie. They strangle all the love and all the fun out of it and this is what your idea is up against.

However! What about, starting a brewing club in your own area! You could start it at your own place if you have room for a little while and think about renting or buying a commercial property later... You could run it as a not for profit organisation, which I believe might excuse you from some levys. Now would I think require a brewing license? - I think not as your not brewing to sell! You would have to read the licensing laws but I am pretty sure that legislation revolves around the sale of alcohol! - so again, bypassed.

So essentially you might have a club for members that share beer... :whistle: It might open on Fridays for ermm, tasting nights... :whistle:

 

[calumscott]

Unfortunately the government wants it piece of every pie and it wants to dictate how you make that pie. They strangle all the love and all the fun out of it and this is what your idea is up against.

Or maybe they just want to regulate who can make, distribute and sell intoxicating substances to the public and the current market supply chain is such that big players are the norm and the legislation and regulations reflect that... :wha:

 

[fizz head1982]

Tomato toma(y)to...

 

[graysalchemy]

Unfortunately the government wants it piece of every pie and it wants to dictate how you make that pie. They strangle all the love and all the fun out of it and this is what your idea is up against.

Or maybe they just want to regulate who can make, distribute and sell intoxicating substances to the public and the current market supply chain is such that big players are the norm and the legislation and regulations reflect that... :wha:

And we all know what happens to the bigger players they sell there 'products' to off shore companies to sell it back again avoiding paying corporation task. Were as smaller companies can't wipe their proverbial **** without incurring red tape and paying disproportionate amounts of tax.

 

[The Goatreich]

The best beer I have had this year was from our fellow brewer UnclePumble and his Cheshire Brewhouse. :thumb: :thumb:

I am itching to try his Galaxy Blues