Things To Consider When Building Your Brewery


Apr 09, 2021

The craft beer market is estimated to be worth more than $29 billion…and it continues to expand even with the setback of the pandemic. If you’re considering entering this exciting business and building your own brewery, it’s important to plan carefully before you ever break ground.

What to consider when building your brewery

1. Location

Choosing the right location for your brewery can be a challenge, but this may be the most important decision you’ll make in starting up your brewery. You need a location with plenty of parking for patrons, one that has enough space for both your brewing operation and your pub, one that has some charm, and one that’s situated in a neighborhood that patrons will be able to easily find and where they will feel safe.

2. Legalize

Almost as important as location is making sure that you have the necessary licenses and permits to open your brewery. In addition to a basic business license, liquor license, and food and beverage license, you’ll need a permit for your brewery business. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to get this permit until your brewing equipment is all in place and operational.

3. Specialized equipment

A brewery is different from some restaurants and bars in that it requires specialized, often expensive, equipment, over and above the standard equipment required for a restaurant. In addition to things like a walk-in cooler and an industrial range, you’ll need kettles, kegs, boilers, and storage tanks.

4. Building out space

A good brewery construction design is flexible and can easily adapt as the business evolves and grows. One good way to accomplish this is by using Isowall panels in your brewery. Isowall panels easily expand, are easy to install, are affordable, can be installed quickly, are CFIA accepted, and are easy to clean.

5. Marketing

Lastly, you want to make sure that you have a plan for letting people know that your brewery is open and ready for business. It’s not simply enough to open the doors. You need to generate a buzz on social media and among local beer enthusiasts. There are many ways to do this. You can create a fun and shareable social media marketing campaign. You can canvas the local offices in your area and “invite” them to join you after work. You can offer a discount to patrons who introduce a friend to your brewery (use sparingly). You can also enlist the help of “influencers” in your area to help spread the word. Whatever you decide to do to market your business, it’s important that you have a plan in place and that you factor in the cost of your marketing efforts in your start-up costs.

Good planning helps any business succeed, but it’s especially crucial in the brewery business. Set yourself up for success by spending time on picking just the right location, making sure that you have all the licenses and permits you need, budgeting for all the specialized equipment you need, making sure your brewery construction design is flexible and budgeting and planning well for how to market your business.