One thing this country is known for is its craft beers. You can try handcrafted brews from local taprooms that capture the essence of what American craft beer is all about. And what the spirit of that particular brewery is all about. This is why we celebrate American Craft Beer Week.
Why do we commemorate American Craft Beer Week? It’s not a secret that the United States is a country of beer lovers. What’s more, we are a country of innovators. When you combine the two, you get the truly inspiring, not to mention tasty, American craft beer. So, during American Craft Beer Week, we celebrate those pioneers of the brewing industry who are daily exploring flavors and brewing techniques to bring their customers something special.
Facts About American Craft Beer
- The best cities for craft beer lovers are San Diego, Asheville, Denver, Seattle, Portland, Maine, and Cincinnati. And this is just a snippet of the list. More and more American cities are starting to become capitals of craft beer. This is because the art of making this type of beer is becoming increasingly accessible. Many entrepreneurs are beginning to get into this industry and make their name.
- Craft brewers provide approximately half a million jobs in the US.
- The craft beer market has experienced exponential growth and accounts for nearly $27 billion.
- The malt content of the beer affects the color of the brew.
There is a lot to know and learn about craft beer in America. What better time to do so than during American Craft Beer Week?
Running Your Own Craft Beer Brewery
Opening a brewery is a very viable business model, especially now. Some things that you should know about opening and operating your very own craft beer brewery:
- The equipment can be expensive. The bigger you are, the more equipment you will need, and thus, the more expensive it will be. On average, opening a brewery can range from $100,000 for equipment cost to upwards of $1 million.
- You will need to get licensing. Federal licensing is not expensive. Generally speaking, the higher cost will be at the state and local levels. And keep in mind that the wait times for procuring the necessary licenses can be somewhat lengthy.
- There is usually some experimenting required. That is to say, not every batch of beer that you brew will be all that tasty. There will be some bad batches where you will find you need to start again. This is common in the craft brew business.
- You can’t forget about marketing. One of the biggest mistakes that new craft breweries make is to focus on making the beer versus marketing the beer. If you don’t market your product, how do people know that it exists? This is where you will have to spend some money to make money on your endeavor eventually.
Funding Your Craft Brewery
There are several different ways to get the funds needed to start and run a craft brewery. For example, the SBA offers loan programs that could be accessed for your beer business.
Many people looking to start a craft beer company will also look to investors for money. This is a good approach; however, keep in mind that you could potentially have to give up some company control.
There are also brewery business loans to consider. Many alternative and online lenders will offer such loans, even to those newer in business. Plus, when working with an alternative or online lender, the process is straightforward and fast, with many customers getting funded in a day or two.
First Union Lending is Here to Help
We work with craft breweries across the United States. Our job is to help you thrive and grow. If you need money to launch a new beer line, for marketing, or to hire more staff, we have the resources you need. Even if your credit score is less than stellar, we might still be able to help you get the money required to expand your brewery. Call today.