Seriously considering selling my brews

[The Green Man]

Hey guys. Long time, no post or even visit to the Forums to be honest. I hope you are all well.
I've still been brewing away and I am now really thinking about testing the water with selling my brews. I am sure this kind of thread has been posted many times before.
It looks like a major pita with Beer Duty here in the UK and all the red tape but I am thinking if you never try, you'll never know.
I am only planning on very, very small batches to begin with but going for 330ml bottles rather than the bigger 500ml. I'll trial it all the first year at least and then if the demand is there, I can upscale. My main problem at the moment (though I'm sure I'll find more) is labelling. I'm not going to invest in any machines for now. Anyone here got any idea about the best way to go about this? I am thinking that ordering a large number from a printing company and then applying them by hand.
In terms of brews, I'll have 2 year-round brews (an ESB and an American Amber Ale) and 2 seasonal (Summer: an IPA and a Saison, Winter: an Oatmeal Stout and a Dunkelweizen). These are my preliminary plans.
I am still in planning stages and won't be launching for a good while yet. Loads of research to do before that. I am expecting to have to put in the hours, especially during the first year with my very small scale brewhouse set-up and lack of machinery.
Likewise, if anyone has been here and done this I'd be very grateful for any input or advice.

 

[Herm brews]

Good luck is the best I can offer.

 

[The Green Man]

Good luck is the best I can offer.

Cheers. I think I will need it, lol.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Regarding your labels: I think you have to be careful with ordering too many labels in advance in case the actual stats of your batch differ from what the label says. Unless you have a local printer who could print labels per batch. You could also order a large quantity of labels but leave the stats values empty and hand write the values in once they are known. But, be aware. I'm not a lawyer. I don't own a business. And I don't live in England.

Best of luck to you!

 

[The Green Man]

Regarding your labels: I think you have to be careful with ordering too many labels in advance in case the actual stats of your batch differ from what the label says. Unless you have a local printer who could print labels per batch. You could also order a large quantity of labels but leave the stats values empty and hand write the values in once they are known. But, be aware. I'm not a lawyer. I don't own a business. And I don't live in England.

Best of luck to you!

Thanks. That is a very good point.

 

[GFHomebrew]

@Steve SPF has some imput on small scale Micro brew in England he will have an idea or two for you.

I like barabrian brewers idea on leaving the vitals blank so you can input them.

Good luck mate I look forward to how you get on.

I'm following a small brewery build setup on YouTube over in the UK four priests brewery.
He's done a step by step and dealing with beauracracy over In UK.
Here is his first vid if your interested.

 

[The Green Man]

@Steve SPF has some imput on small scale Micro brew in England he will have an idea or two for you.

I like barabrian brewers idea on leaving the vitals blank so you can input them.

Good luck mate I look forward to how you get on.

I'm following a small brewery build setup on YouTube over in the UK four priests brewery.
He's done a step by step and dealing with beauracracy over In UK.
Here is his first vid if your interested.

Thanks mate. I'll have a look. Bureaucracy seems like a real headache...

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

this guy just opened I think, not sure what part of the UK he's in but on YouTube he talks about all the licensing he had to go through

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvKLs3Dlryqi3yIXFXwpvBw
https://mobile.twitter.com/fourpriests

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

this guy just opened I think, not sure what part of the UK he's in but on YouTube he talks about all the licensing he had to go through

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvKLs3Dlryqi3yIXFXwpvBw
https://mobile.twitter.com/fourpriests

ha ah didn't realize it had been posted lol

 

[GFHomebrew]

Harrybrew 69 I another one.

Both of these two are happy to help out and good on the communication front.

I'm sure if you asked the 4 priests guy he would be more than happy to email you some pointers.


Leave a comment on their pages and they will get back to you.

Hey maybe you should start a brewery build vlog.
You'd have one subscriber right here

 

[GFHomebrew]

I also know a regular on here @The Brew Mentor would know the ins and outs on setting up a micro Brewery.

 

[Donoroto]

If you keep it small, good, but remember you have to do everything: accounting, advertising, marketing, taxes, legal stuff, chief cook snd bottle washer, storage, delivery, invoicing... lots and lots.

Many then find they don't have time for brewing. All the fun stuff gets done by others, and the owner gets to mop the floors snd take out the trash.

Have a realistic estimate of how you will allocate your time.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I love the passion, but the amount of work you'll need to put into it is more than I can even begin to list here.
If I didn't have a business partner to pick up the pieces, support my passion and drive and be strong in my weak points, I couldn't have done it.
And then there's always the next steps.... Music, food, events, etc.
Just making beer to sell is why you want go forward, but that will be one of the least things you will be doing.
I encourage you to follow your passion and dreams, but be very, very careful as it's easy to get in over your head.
For starters, have you had your beers blindly evaluated? Any Competition's and or accolades?
That would be the very beginning.
Then plan, everything. And double the estimated cost and time at a minimum.
Expect delays with everything.
And last but not least, don't plan on paying yourself for a couple of years.
You can do it, but it's not an easy road.
Cheers and good luck!
Brian

 

[Ward Chillington]

Plus another for Barbi! There's a small local the does the same...they have a sexy label for the brewery with a lot of write on space for the name and stats.

Your brews...keep your taste out of what "The Market" wants.

The other business advice I'd give us to write a business plan...it sounds like you have the germ of one already....that goes for any business...and have someone look it over with a critical eye....finally...along with Brian...check in with @Steve SPF too...he's a publican of sorts.

 

[Donoroto]

"Just making beer to sell is why you want go forward, but that will be one of the least things you will be doing."

Re-quoted for truth.

 

[The Green Man]

Cheers guys. Really appreciate all the responses and will be contacting some of these guys.
There is a lot of food for thought. Lots to chew over. I won't be dashing headlong into this without a lot of thought. But, and I know it seems crazy but I am not looking to make this my main job even. I am looking into this as a side thing. So volumes aren't going to be massive at all.
Certainly won't be making any investment at all unless I have checked it all out in detail and make sure that I am not exposed in case it all goes south.
Certainly is a hell of a lot to do before I even mash my first commercial brew. Nowhere near that point yet but can't help thinking that I need to try it to see.

 

[The Green Man]

I am badly jet lagged and my brain is not making a good job of writing all this down.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I am badly jet lagged and my brain is not making a good job of writing all this down.

So your not in the military any more?
I remember last time you were on here I'm sure you were trying to source HB in Japan?

 

[The Green Man]

Plus another for Barbi! There's a small local the does the same...they have a sexy label for the brewery with a lot of write on space for the name and stats.

Your brews...keep your taste out of what "The Market" wants.

The other business advice I'd give us to write a business plan...it sounds like you have the germ of one already....that goes for any business...and have someone look it over with a critical eye....finally...along with Brian...check in with @Steve SPF too...he's a publican of sorts.

So your not in the military any more?
I remember last time you were on here I'm sure you were trying to source HB in Japan?

Hey Trialben. No mate, moved back to the UK in 2018. All went a bit TU tbh. Could be a lot worse though. Did manage to start HB in Japan. Guerrilla-style as it isn't strictly speaking legal out there. I did look into the Craft Brewery idea when I was there too but the outlay was beyond my means and they have made it even more difficult since by the looks of it.
Never been in the Military my friend. I have a shaved head but that's as near as I get
This idea of mine may just be unfeasible (and completely out-there) but I'll definitely be exploring it some more.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Hey Trialben. No mate, moved back to the UK in 2018. All went a bit TU tbh. Could be a lot worse though. Did manage to start HB in Japan. Guerrilla-style as it isn't strictly speaking legal out there. I did look into the Craft Brewery idea when I was there too but the outlay was beyond my means and they have made it even more difficult since by the looks of it.
Never been in the Military my friend. I have a shaved head but that's as near as I get
This idea of mine may just be unfeasible (and completely out-there) but I'll definitely be exploring it some more.

Ah true sorry I musta got it stuck in my beer soaked brain somewhere .

It all starts with a germ of an Idea mate keep hombrewing and stay inspired.