[kylekohlmorgen]

...I hired kid your age last year and he couldn't keep up with one of my 36 hour days I get to do on occasion and I had to send him home to sleep while I finished up the job...

I always thought that was the best attribute of being a young gun - motivation and a strong back!

[wiley]

I've seen a number of posts in this forum (and others) that seem to discourage and dissuade young hopefuls from starting a brewery. Truth be told, brewing and taking a brewery from nothing to something is probably over-romanticized, and is some of the hardest work a person could seek to endure. I, like Major, favor realistic anecdotes for someone looking to enter the brewing industry.

However, I do have a small chip on my shoulder: being 28 and in the process of starting a brewery for over 2 years now, I've seen a growing sentiment from older and middle aged folks (and frankly, many baby boomers) to be cynical about the ability of someone in their mid 20's to be successful -- at building a brewery or anything for that matter. While generation 'Y' may exhibit behaviors and tendencies that reinforce the cynicism, I'd like to post a simple reminder about a couple of people that took some chances in their mid 20's, and have since accomplished some great things.

“The world is moving so fast that the person who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by the person who is already doing it.” Elbert Hubbard

Avery Brewing Company: started by Adam Avery at age 27.
Oskar Blues: started by Dale Katechis at age 28.
New Belgium: started by Jeff Lebesch at age 27.
Sierra Nevada: started by Ken Grossman at age 25.
Anchor Steam: purchased by Fritz at age 28.

[morticaixavier]

I think there is a parallel here with the advice one receives when the first child is on the way. It's all about how hard it is, how little sleep you will get, how much it will cost, etc. It's not that people are trying to discourage you as much as they don't want you to look back and say 'why didn't anyone tell me it would be so hard?'

It's all true, I don't sleep, have no money and have never worked so hard (a child for me, not a brewery but same same) but I wouldn't trade it. I think Major and the rest of the dream catchers on here would feel the same way about their 'babies'.

You can imagine how wonderful it will be, it's harder to imagine how hard so everyone is trying to 'help out'.

[bo]

I've seen a number of posts in this forum (and others) that seem to discourage and dissuade young hopefuls from starting a brewery. Truth be told, brewing and taking a brewery from nothing to something is probably over-romanticized, and is some of the hardest work a person could seek to endure. I, like Major, favor realistic anecdotes for someone looking to enter the brewing industry.

However, I do have a small chip on my shoulder: being 28 and in the process of starting a brewery for over 2 years now, I've seen a growing sentiment from older and middle aged folks (and frankly, many baby boomers) to be cynical about the ability of someone in their mid 20's to be successful -- at building a brewery or anything for that matter. While generation 'Y' may exhibit behaviors and tendencies that reinforce the cynicism, I'd like to post a simple reminder about a couple of people that took some chances in their mid 20's, and have since accomplished some great things.

“The world is moving so fast that the person who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by the person who is already doing it.” Elbert Hubbard

Avery Brewing Company: started by Adam Avery at age 27.
Oskar Blues: started by Dale Katechis at age 28.
New Belgium: started by Jeff Lebesch at age 27.
Sierra Nevada: started by Ken Grossman at age 25.
Anchor Steam: purchased by Fritz at age 28.

Well, I'm older than you and commend you for trying this. If it fails, pull yourself back up and try again. Your examples prove that it can be done. Good luck.

[majorvices]

I think there is a parallel here with the advice one receives when the first child is on the way. It's all about how hard it is, how little sleep you will get, how much it will cost, etc. It's not that people are trying to discourage you as much as they don't want you to look back and say 'why didn't anyone tell me it would be so hard?'

It's all true, I don't sleep, have no money and have never worked so hard (a child for me, not a brewery but same same) but I wouldn't trade it. I think Major and the rest of the dream catchers on here would feel the same way about their 'babies'.

You can imagine how wonderful it will be, it's harder to imagine how hard so everyone is trying to 'help out'.

Good analogy! I don't want to discourage anyone's dreams. I just want to apprise everyone what's in store. Cream rises to the top. don't look at it as someone stepping in front of your dreams, look at it as telling you the facts - and if you are going to do it this is what you need to get ready. It ain't homebrewing!

[denny]

Anchor Steam: purchased by Fritz at age 28.

Fortunately he had a family fortune to help him along.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[bo]

Anchor Steam: purchased by Fritz at age 28.

Fortunately he had a family fortune to help him along.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

And that's wrong? Did he rack up a big debt with his family? Do you really know? I don't.

[Joe Sr.]

Nothing wrong with that at all.  Helps to smooth out the bumps.

Obviously, he did well with it.  Family money does not prevent failure, although it may provide a soft landing and certainly helps at the start.

I hardly thing Anchor is a failure so he must have some business skills.

[majorvices]

Anchor steam??? Common giys. We are talking about building a brewery ground up not starting with an established brand and family fortune. Doesn't work here. Rich guys are racing yachts not home brewing.

[Joe Sr.]

I think there is a parallel here with the advice one receives when the first child is on the way. It's all about how hard it is, how little sleep you will get, how much it will cost, etc. It's not that people are trying to discourage you as much as they don't want you to look back and say 'why didn't anyone tell me it would be so hard?'

It's all true, I don't sleep, have no money and have never worked so hard (a child for me, not a brewery but same same) but I wouldn't trade it. I think Major and the rest of the dream catchers on here would feel the same way about their 'babies'.

You can imagine how wonderful it will be, it's harder to imagine how hard so everyone is trying to 'help out'.

Good analogy! I don't want to discourage anyone's dreams. I just want to apprise everyone what's in store. Cream rises to the top. don't look at it as someone stepping in front of your dreams, look at it as telling you the facts - and if you are going to do it this is what you need to get ready. It ain't homebrewing!

I agree that's a good analogy, with the exception that I've never seen anyone with kids being discouraging of others having kids.  It's more like "when are you going to have one/another one."

It seems that people feel the responses here are discouraging about becoming pro rather than receiving constructive advice.

No one told me not to have three kids, they waited until afterwards to tell me how hard it is.  But there are a ton of rewards that come with that hard work.

Perhaps it's just putting a different spin on the advice you're giving?  I'm sure there are rewards to all the hard work you put in at your brewery.

[Joe Sr.]

Anchor steam??? Common giys. We are talking about building a brewery ground up not starting with an established brand and family fortune. Doesn't work here. Rich guys are racing yachts not home brewing.

I thought with that comment Morticai was pointing out that age should be immaterial.

There's plenty of examples of someone buying an established brand and running it into the ground. 

But, you are correct that it's bad example with respect to the original post.

[bo]

Anchor steam??? Common giys. We are talking about building a brewery ground up not starting with an established brand and family fortune. Doesn't work here. Rich guys are racing yachts not home brewing.

It was simply example of how age has nothing to do with being successful. It does work here.

Can you say, without a doubt, that all rich guys are racing yachts and that none of them homebrew?

[majorvices]

Ok - its like you live in a rented trailer and work part time at the convenience store and want to have kids. That's the way I see many people who want to open breweries. You don't have a plan to get the 250 grand you need and (maybe) don't make very good beer to boot.

I'm not saying that this is necessarily the case on every instance. But it is the warning in case that's what you have in your cards. You better have your s*** together - because those of us who have done it know what it takes to get it done. Your ten gallon home brew set up will not cut it. Your $20 grand from your 401k won't cut it either. Every damn time you turn around you need to sink 5 grand, or maybe more. That's the way it is. Thats what happens every month - you need a pallet of grain, you need kegs, you need yeast or your cold room expanded or you glycol system breaks down because you were struck by lightening, or, or, or, or......

It's fricking EXPENSIVE as hell. And there is no end and no cheap way to do it. And it always wants more money, because you can't make the money you need without the equipment and as soon as you have the equipment you need more kegs and more grain and more money ... On and on and on.

Dont get me wrong, I love it. All I am saying is no matter how hard you think it is .... It's way harder. Do it! Just do it knowing what you are getting I to. Do it knowing the facts of what you can use to make it work.

[bo]

Ok - its like you live in a rented trailer and work part time at the convenience store and want to have kids. That's the way I see many people who want to open breweries. You don't have a plan to get the 250 grand you need and (maybe) don't make very good beer to boot.

I'm not saying that this is necessarily the case on every instance. But it is the warning in case that's what you have in your cards. You better have your s*** together - because those of us who have done it know what it takes to get it done. Your ten gallon home brew set up will not cut it. Your $20 grand from your 401k won't cut it either. Every damn time you turn around you need to sink 5 grand, or maybe more. That's the way it is. Thats what happens every month - you need a pallet of grain, you need kegs, you need yeast or your cold room expanded or you glycol system breaks down because you were struck by lightening, or, or, or, or......

It's fricking EXPENSIVE as hell. And there is no end and no cheap way to do it. And it always wants more money, because you can't make the money you need without the equipment and as soon as you have the equipment you need more kegs and more grain and more money ... On and on and on.

Dont get me wrong, I love it. All I am saying is no matter how hard you think it is .... It's way harder. Do it! Just do it knowing what you are getting I to. Do it knowing the facts of what you can use to make it work.

You've just described any small business and I've never lived in a rented trailer.

I ran some numbers on a small brewery and while I have the resources to start one, it's just not worth the trouble for the ROI.

[Joe Sr.]

Ok - its like you live in a rented trailer and work part time at the convenience store and want to have kids. That's the way I see many people who want to open breweries. You don't have a plan to get the 250 grand you need and (maybe) don't make very good beer to boot.

Wow.