68 episodes
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcast Kelly KfM Meyer
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- Business
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4.8 • 33 Ratings
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People of Earth, I would like to welcome you to the How NOT To Start a Damn Brewery: the podcast.
In this podcast I consider it my duty to share the sometimes gory but always honest truth hidden in the craft beer industry. Mainly that it rarely operates like a business. Margins are trash, distributors are garbage and capital expenditures are a raging dumpster fire. But many of the people are badasses.
I autopsy deceased breweries, retailers and distributors. I talk with wineries, breweries and distilleries. All in the search for ways to lure out profitability and best practices. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support
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Burnt Hickory Brewing - Scott Hedeen
Scott Hedeen was the quintessential beer fan. Back in the days when it was still cool to run all over Hell’s left testicle and cellar beers that don’t distribute to your state so you can trade them with other nerds of similar or increased nerdocity.
The only thing he may have been more into than beer was (maybe is) music.
But Scott’s on this podcast not because he sold his collection of rare beer to open a record label. No, he most likely would have been fabulously rich if he had done that.
Instead he liquidated some pretty amazing music memorabilia and rare records to fund the startup of Burnt Hickory Brewery, Georgia’s 8th craft brewery.
In 2012 the beer laws in Georgia weren’t exactly conducive to opening a craft brewery. But, like many of us, Scott and team Burnt Hickory sprinkled a heavy dose of ‘f**k it’ on their business plan and put the pedal down as hard as they could.
This is the story of Scott Hedeen and a little over a decade of Georgia’s Burnt Hickory Brewery. Listen in and let him and his story teach you How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery.
Burnt Hickory Brewery website
Burnt Hickory Brewery Facebook
Burnt Hickory Brewery X
Burnt Hickory Instagram
Burnt Hickory Brewery Closing Announcement
Episode Sponsored by:
Accubrew
Brewery Direct
Made To Measure Communications
Somnifix
(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)
Where to get my Damn Book
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support -
Coastal Craft Kombucha - Rachel Rappa
Rachel Rappa didn’t make beer. She imagined into life what grew into a large-scale kombucha brewery on Long Island in New York.
But the similarities between what she experienced growing her fermented sweet tea business to the craft beer industry are startling. She dealt with distributors, retailers, employees, seasonality, limited access to growth capital and packaging issues, just like we do.
She started as an artistic homebrewer and ended up owning 20BBL tanks and brewing primarily core styles. That could be the origin story for 80% of the craft breweries in America.
As you’ll hear, I really wanted to ask her about the advantages of Direct To Consumer sales, which turned out not to be the savior so many craft brewers think it is.
What really struck me about Rachel’s story was her journey to personal redemption. In the 3rd segment we really dive into why she finally closed her dream and why she’s now experiencing a depth of happiness deeper than she’s ever known. Her advice earned from her experience should inspire everyone everywhere to linger a little longer in front of the mirror today.
So sit back, listen in and let Rachel Rappa and the story of New York’s Coastal Craft Kombucha teach you how NOT to start a Damn brewery.
Coastal Craft Kombucha website
Coastal Craft Kombucha Facebook
Coastal Craft Kombucha Closing Announcement
Episode Sponsored by:
Accubrew
Brewery Direct
Made To Measure Communications
Somnifix
(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)
Where to get my Damn Book
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support -
Main & 6 Brewing - Dennis Espinosa
When Dennis Espinosa partnered with his mom to open Main and 6 in Jacksonville Florida he had the highest of hopes.
In 2017, like pretty much everyone in craft beer, he only saw victory ahead.
Most people would agree that he was set up for success. He started with award-winning beers, bought the building and hired an designer to make it special. He won more awards for his beer, actually a ton of them from 2019/2020.
In the brewery’s 5th year, he won the coveted GABF Brewery of the Year. And was closed down less than 10 months later.
There are a lot of reasons for why his brewery died. Some we’ve heard before but some will surprise you. So listen in as we share the story of Dennis Espinosa and Jacksonville’s Main and 6 Brewing Company so we can learn How NOT To Start a Damn Brewery.
Main & 6 Brewing website
Main & 6 Brewing Facebook
Main & 6 Brewing Instagram
Main & 6 Brewing X
Main & 6 Brewing Closing Announcement
Episode Sponsored by:
Accubrew
Brewery Direct
Simpson Motorcycle Helmets
Made To Measure Communications
Somnifix
(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)
Where to get my Damn Book
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support -
Exit Brewing - Grum Knight
In 2023, the Australian Beer market was shocked by the announcement that a beloved brewery that had been awarded close to 40 medals for their beer was shutting down.
After 9 years blazing the path of Australia’s craft beer scene, Exit Brewing was planning to exit the brewing industry.
Around 2010, Grum & Frase had been inspired to start a brewery after spending time in Europe immersed in their beer culture. 4 years later they released their first beer, a saison. As their company grew, they expanded to an off-site taproom, followed by national and then international distribution.
But, like most of us, they couldn’t seem to find whatever rock profitability was hiding under. They tried rebrands, new beers, new partnerships. Frase left to get a real job.
I sat down with Grum to find out what happened, what went wrong and what the future of the Australian Craft Beer scene looks like. Hint: Grum exited it.
So open your minds and ears and listen to the story of Craig "Grum" Knight and Melbourne Australia’s Exit Brewing.
Exit Brewing website
Exit Brewing Facebook
Exit Brewing Instagram
Exit Brewing X
Uitgang Bar website
Exit Brewing Opening Announcement
Exit Brewing Closing Announcement
Episode Sponsored by:
Accubrew
Brewery Direct
Simpson Motorcycle Helmets
Made To Measure Communications
Somnifix
(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)
Where to get my Damn Book
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support -
Escape Velocity Brewing - Jason Behenna
When Jason and Heather decided to open their brewery in Indiana they, like most of us, decided to do it their way. They looked at what existed and targeted providing their community with something new.
Jason made beer styles that he respected in traditional ways. That meant lower abv beers with flavor and consistency. The couple decided to specialize in their food offerings and target an underserved demographic in their market. That meant building one of the only vegan breweries I’ve ever heard of.
While their niche within a niche might be smaller than the one you set out to fill, in a way, every craft brewery does exactly this. They look at what they perceive as the boring and stale market that currently exists and dream up something new and exciting that will attract customers and their credit cards.
Jason hit all the road blocks head-on and did so very publicly. After fighting against Covid, toxic masculinity and a suboptimal location, he and Heather finally lowered the curtain on Escape Velocity Brewing in the summer of 2023.
There’s a lot to learn here so open up and listen in. This is the story of Jason Behanna and Lafayette, Indiana’s late Escape Velocity Brewing.
Escape Velocity Brewing website
Escape Velocity Brewing Facebook
Escape Velocity Brewing Instagram
Escape Velocity Brewing X
Escape Velocity Brewing Opening Announcement
Episode Sponsored by:
Accubrew
Brewery Direct
Simpson Motorcycle Helmets
Made To Measure Communications
Somnifix
(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)
Where to get my Damn Book
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support -
People's Pint - Doug Appeldoorn
When Doug Appeldoorn got the inspiration to open his brewery, he wasn’t just any old home brewer.
He and co-founder Pietro first started a brewing collective that hosted events to champion creativity, inclusivity and the homebrew community of Toronto, Canada.
They followed virtually every home brewer’s dream and found a permanent space to create a brewery with the dream of taking their homebrew community with them on their journey to go pro. They hosted events for them, maintained taps for their beer and sponsored their everts. All while trying to grow their own fledging craft beer brand.
After opening in 2018 it didn’t take long for the financial part of running a brewery to take it’s toll on Doug. While his story and the story or People’s Pint hits some of the same notes we’ve heard already, I can assure you that his is a unique perspective that I’m proud to have the opportunity to share with y’all.
So please, settle in and enjoy the story of Doug Appeldoorn and Toronto’s People’s Pint Brewing Company.
People's Pint Brewing Facebook
People's Pint Brewing Instagram
People's Pint Brewing X
GTA Brews Homebrew Club
Episode Sponsored by:
Accubrew
Brewery Direct
Simpson Motorcycle Helmets
Made To Measure Communications
Somnifix
(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)
Where to get my Damn Book
---
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support
Customer Reviews
Extremely insightful
My ADHD took me down the brewing path and I’m currently in brew school at Saint Louis University. I started this podcast around June this year to really hone in on the business aspects of brewing. I’ve recently finished listing to every single episode and feel well equipped with the knowledge that I need. I wouldn’t say I was convinced not to start a brewery, but I just won’t at this moment. I’ve learned about the market and margins of brewing and now just isn’t a good time to take the leap.
I’d tell everyone who is thinking about going from home brewer to “pro” to listen to this podcast and have a think about what you’re getting yourself into. As an investment decision, a brewery isn’t the smartest move.
Overall, great podcast. Anyone who rates this low got an ego gut punch because all their ‘friends’ rooted them on when Kelly told the cold hard truth. There’s always a dichotomy with these kinds of things, but it’s good to know the darker side of owning a brewery.
Insightful and entertaining
As someone engaged with a brewery in planning I’ve found this podcast to be very insightful, humbling, and entertaining all at once. Thank you for the episodes and engaging conversations, hoping we continue to hear more. Also, I need to stop using UnTappd 😂. Cheers!
Absolutely no value to be found
The most negative piece of media I’ve ever heard. I get the concept and understand the baseline of what this show is trying to do, but it goes far past that and is insulting to an entire industry.
In the spirit of this show, I’ll continue my review in the same vein of its episodes: The host sounds, and talks, like he’s a pre-teen in the midst of puberty. Every guest can be summarized into 3 talking points: “1: I refused to make beers people would drink even though I know I should have. 2: The entire beer customer base is stupid, only me and the host of this show know what good beer really is. 3: Untapped destroyed an entire industry regardless of what year I failed”.
Back out of character now – I am no stranger to profanity and consider it a legitimate part of the English language. But the host of this show has no idea how to use it to naturally and as emphasis and sounds like a 13 year old who’s out of his parents earshot for the first time.
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