[cbrown0531]

Hello everyone, my wonderful wife got me a membership here for Christmas. I have been brewing for a while now and really, really enjoy it. I enjoy it so much so, that it has inundated our pantry and the fridge is generally full of some home brew or room is being made to store some. I have read several books on getting into the brew business and I feel my calling. However...I will finish out my career in the military first. With that, I am still looking at another 10 or so years until I can grow up and even consider this (NOTE: I am aware I cant walk out of this job and open a Nano or anything like that there are milestones in my brain I wont bore you with right now). My burning thought is what is your (the brewing community) thoughts on business over the next 10 years? We have seen an explosion over the last five or so, but what does it look like in the medium term? Has this been looked into yet or is it too soon?
I reassure myself that it will turn out well and there will still be a demand for good beer (a longshot?), but there is a reality to it and as I prepare my medium and long term goals I want to do it with some educated guessing. Thanks and happy brewing!

PS: First post here, looking forward to more discussions!

[tygo]

Welcome to the forum!  Take a look through this thread:  http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=14258.0

[dak0415]

Hello everyone, my wonderful wife got me a membership here for Christmas. I have been brewing for a while now and really, really enjoy it. I enjoy it so much so, that it has inundated our pantry and the fridge is generally full of some home brew or room is being made to store some. I have read several books on getting into the brew business and I feel my calling. However...I will finish out my career in the military first. With that, I am still looking at another 10 or so years until I can grow up and even consider this (NOTE: I am aware I cant walk out of this job and open a Nano or anything like that there are milestones in my brain I wont bore you with right now). My burning thought is what is your (the brewing community) thoughts on business over the next 10 years? We have seen an explosion over the last five or so, but what does it look like in the medium term? Has this been looked into yet or is it too soon?
I reassure myself that it will turn out well and there will still be a demand for good beer (a longshot?), but there is a reality to it and as I prepare my medium and long term goals I want to do it with some educated guessing. Thanks and happy brewing!

PS: First post here, looking forward to more discussions!

First of all, thank you for your service!
Where are you stationed?  It might be worth your while to "volunteer" your services to a local micro just to see what working as a brewer is like.

[micsager]

+1 on the thank you.  It's folks like you that make this country great.

As for the future of the small brewery market?  Whe the F knows.  Some have started to talk about an upcoming contraction.  Others say there is plenty of room for yet another brewery.  I would think most depend on your desired geography.  And in 10 years, everything we know today could certainly change. 

WE opened a samll brewery last year, and are already tripling capacity next month.  Of course that's from 10 gallons, to 1bbl, so we are still very small.  It's just a hobby for us.  A hobby that does pay for itself.  The only downside is I can't enter BJCP competitions anymore.  Well, at least until I get that new system, then I "think" I can still use the old system for competitions. 

[snowtiger87]

First of all - get good at brewing. Are you brewing all-grain yet? Real recipe development doesn't start until you brew all-grain. If not, get into it. Are you kegging yet? Are you entering contests (and winning a few) yet? If not, start entering.

Lastly, I got back from Afghanistan this August. Thanks for your service as well. Brew on brother-in-arms.

[cbrown0531]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies and kind words! Work keeps me busy...

@snowtiger87 - Welcome home! Thanks for your service! Definitely working on better brewing. I have not stepped up to all grain yet, part for the time and part havent bought the equipment yet. I think a little more extract brewing so I can get the hang of it (I skunked my recent beer!).

@micsager - Thanks for that! Im sure 10 years is a long time for any market to project...Im torn between the excitement of brewing and the dreams of what I would like to do. Best of luck on your brewery and congrats on the expansion!

@dak0415 - I am stationed out in the Mojave in California. The nearest small brewery that I know of is about an hour and a half. We are set to move again this summer and I have already been looking into places nearby (Kansas City seems to be the closest to our next stop).

@tygo - Thanks for the thread reference!

Thanks everyone again. I just finished up a book, the Nano-brewery guide (cant remember the exact name off the top of my head). What a fantastic read!

[vnzjunk]

My suggestion would be not to wait 10 years. Have a go at it rite away if your location will allow it. If storage is an issue just go small. Do 1/2 batches......2 1/2 gallons at a time take up almost no space whatsoever. If bottle storage is a problem consider drinking some qt bottles of root beer and using them for batches. 8 bottles to a 2 1/2 gallon batch. Go simple to start. 4-6 lbs of LME, packet of yeast and couple oz of hopps........you are in. Brew it on the stove top with care and a large enough brewpot and you are home free.
Have fun. It isn't as hard as some would have you believe.

Hello everyone, my wonderful wife got me a membership here for Christmas. I have been brewing for a while now and really, really enjoy it. I enjoy it so much so, that it has inundated our pantry and the fridge is generally full of some home brew or room is being made to store some. I have read several books on getting into the brew business and I feel my calling. However...I will finish out my career in the military first. With that, I am still looking at another 10 or so years until I can grow up and even consider this (NOTE: I am aware I cant walk out of this job and open a Nano or anything like that there are milestones in my brain I wont bore you with right now). My burning thought is what is your (the brewing community) thoughts on business over the next 10 years? We have seen an explosion over the last five or so, but what does it look like in the medium term? Has this been looked into yet or is it too soon?
I reassure myself that it will turn out well and there will still be a demand for good beer (a longshot?), but there is a reality to it and as I prepare my medium and long term goals I want to do it with some educated guessing. Thanks and happy brewing!

PS: First post here, looking forward to more discussions!