Shows
The Swirl SuiteHow NOT To Start a Damn Brewery with Kelly MeyerThis week on the Swirl Suite, we dive into the gritty and hilarious realities of the craft beer world with special guest Kelly Meyer, author of "How NOT to Start a Damn Brewery: Ten Business Lessons From the Front Lines of the Craft Beer Industry." A former brewery owner turned brutally honest storyteller, Kelly shares his hard-earned wisdom, epic missteps, and the behind-the-scenes chaos most people never see in the beer business.
From passion projects gone wrong to the lessons every beverage entrepreneur needs to hear, Kelly gets candid about what really happens when the beer dreams...2025-07-0229 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastElsewhere Brewing - Sam and Sara KazmerSam and Sara Kazmer brought great craft beer to a market they felt was underserved - Atlanta, Georgia when they flipped on the lights at Elsewhere Brewing in 2020. They wanted to produce award-winning beer in a unique, community-event driven taproom. They wanted to create space, community and memories for themselves and every customer that shared in their dream. And, as we’ll hear in the 4th segment, they were successful. The whole project was an amalgamation of the experiences they had researching craft beer while traveling the world. Drinking, tast...2025-05-081h 29
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastLandmark Beer Company - Kiernan MayKiernan May is a cool guy. He transitioned from a corporate career to open a brewery in New York with big dreams and a bigger bag of passion. His brewery was built on Kiernan’s analytic and logical understanding of the world that surrounded him. He put the pieces and plans together in a way that was structured and strategic. He grew sensibly, understanding his limitations and how to operate within them. He leveraged his contact brewing model and the flexibility that it gave him to utilize other sales chan...2025-03-211h 13
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastTumbledown Brewing - Matthew SwanYou’re about to hear the story of Matt Swan and the late Tumbledown Brewery from Farmington, Maine.
Opened in 2014 and closed late 2025, Matt’s experience is varied and truly interesting.
His is the first brewery we’ve talked to from Maine and the only one with a red ale as it’s flagship. We cover a lot of ground from distribution, burnout, capitalization and contract brewing.
One of my favorite parts of this story is that he opened as the only brewery around for miles and the on...2024-12-051h 17
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastTanglefoot Brewing - Andy MartinecTanglefoot made some solid lagers in an unlikely place. Temple, TX is a town of about 90K people about an hour to Austin. A huge segment of that population has Czech blood in their veins and a thirst for beer from the Old Country.
But as Andy Martinec found out the hard way, that didn’t necessarily mean they would support a local business making great examples of Czech lagers. You’re about to hear his story of struggling to make beer into a business for a few years before having to announce a final...2024-10-291h 30
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastPono Brewing - Larry ClouserPono Brewing of Portland Oregon was conceived as a lifestyle as much if not more than a beer brand. The beers were lively, fun, inventive and everything a craft brewery should be.
Larry Clouser and his partners grew from humble beginnings as a contract brewery to statewide distribution to opening a brewpub/restaurant before finally closing the doors in 2023.
Larry’s story covers contract brewing in a market that wasn’t sure how it felt about it. And partners that struggled to decide how they felt about it. We’ll touch...2024-09-251h 54
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBlue Cat Brewing Co - Charlie ColeBlue Cat Brewpub was an Illinois icon. One of the state’s first brewpubs, they made award-winning beer for 23 years.
After the owners sold and the brewery was rebranded unsuccessfully, the new owners were looking for a way to save the dream.
That’s where Charlie Cole came marching into the picture.
After working at most of the Quad-city’s breweries, hosting a beer-centric radio show and snagging more brewing education than I think anyone on this show has, Charlie decided to parter up with the new owners. ...2024-08-151h 13
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastMargins Wine - Megan BellAnd now for something a little different.
I came across an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, thanks to my sister-in-law, that cited the struggles of the California wine industry. I found the similarities to the struggles that the people behind their beer businesses face to be truly compelling and undeniably relevant.
So I reached out to Megan Bell from Margins Wine because her quotes in the article were honest in ways I see few entrepreneurs able or willing to be.
The path of her...2024-07-241h 33
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastNorth Center Brewing - Kevin DeGroodIn the span of a decade, Michigan saw a major craft beer boom, going from around 100 craft breweries to upwards of 400.
In the middle of that marketplace Kevin DeGrood opened Michigan’s North Center Brewing way back in 2015. He watched a fairly virgin market become deflowered with nearly 30 breweries just during the time he was finalizing his business plan.
His start up was methodical, specific and, by many accounts, the right way to do it. Unfortunately through a mix of employment issues, changing customer tastes and a near-impossible distribution mark...2024-06-251h 43
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastDeschutes Brewery - Gary FishThe focus of this show has always been to tell the stories of beer operations that one day turned off the lights for the last time.
I’ve chosen to be very selective when considering interviewing breweries that are still stirring their mashes. To date, I’ve only shared 5. There are a lot of reasons why but based on listener feedback, I’ve decided to look for opportunities to do it where it makes sense to the message of the podcast.
So I am excited, pleased and even a little p...2024-05-281h 18
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastEmmanuales - Nick LawA few seasons back I realized that to truly tell the story of the business of craft beer, we needed input from other countries. So I reached out to Canadian, Australian, Norwegian, UK and South African breweries. Some of those interviews have already been released.
But the very first international guest I tried to get was Nick Law.
He not only had a beer brand but he’d started a podcast and a consulting company so I knew he brought a perspective we needed to hear from. And he and his businesses are...2024-05-181h 43
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBurnt Hickory Brewing - Scott HedeenScott 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 fabulous...2024-05-011h 55
What's on Tap RadioKelly KFM Meyer, Host of "How Not to Start a Damn Brewery" PodcastKelly KFM Meyer, host of "How Not to Start a Damn Brewery" Podcast stops by Studio S. Kelly talks about booking guests and how some are not willing to do his show, who is the one guest that he would love to get on, If he could go back in time when he was running The New Braunfels Brewing Company..what changes would he make, what excites people to visit a taproom,how do successful owners get out of the game, his thoughts on Buffalo Bayou Brewing closing, who is to blame for "Shelf Turds," plus his predictions...2024-04-2727 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastCoastal Craft Kombucha - Rachel RappaRachel 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 brew...2024-03-271h 24
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastMain & 6 Brewing - Dennis EspinosaWhen 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...2024-03-031h 37
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastExit Brewing - Grum KnightIn 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...2024-02-201h 17
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastEscape Velocity Brewing - Jason BehennaWhen 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 ni...2024-02-051h 28
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastPeople's Pint - Doug AppeldoornWhen 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 th...2024-01-211h 21
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastFlat Tail Brewing - Dave MarliaveThat may have been the moment that solidified the future of Oregon’s Flat Tail Brewery.
But the story of success, failure, embezzlement, money laundering and rebirth on the timeline of Dave Marliave’s craft beer career has so much more to teach us.
So I sat down with Dave to discuss what he’s felt, what he’s learned and how you can protect yourself from thieving partners and monopolistic distributors.
While the public demise of Flat Tail still swings in the breeze as one of c...2023-12-292h 05
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastFranconia Brewing - Guy HagnerI think most of you would think that if I gave you 2300 shareholders that would invest 2.2 million dollars in your brewery that you could make it work.
If I said you could secure another 400 grand from a state loan and 600K the SBA that your 3.2 million dollars would give your brewery a runway to space travel.
And if I said you could go back in time to when there were only a few hundred US microbreweries you’d think I was crazy. Remember that with inflation, that’s like having...2023-12-151h 32
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBeer Nouveau - Steve DunkleyIt’s important to me to dig deep and wide into the US craft beer scene. And while I plan to maintain at least 80% of my content domestically, we can’t solve the problems of the business of craft beer with a US based myopia.
So I’ve been searching the globe for stories of craft beer closures in other countries.
That’s how I found myself in Steve Dunkley’s orbit listening to his story and the story of Manchester’s Brewery Nouveaux.
Steve started s...2023-12-091h 48
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastHedgehog Brewing - Jonathan HarrisHedgehog Brewing was founded by Jonathan Harris and his brother Chris in April 2019 just outside of Austin, TX.
After home brewing voraciously for years they’d honed their recipes, harvested their own yeast and set about making their unique mark on craft beer. They focused on fermenting beers with wild Hill Country yeast with a core of the business in farmhouse beers. They also did well with their IPA
Jonathan echos the sentiment we hear a lot on this show: “Imagining recipes and brewing beer is rewarding, running a brewe...2023-11-211h 25
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastMockery Brewing - Zach RabunZach Rabun opened Mockery Brewing in Denver’s ubiquitous RiNO district long before it was cool. Most of you know that it's now become one of the best-known beer destination in the states.
After working at Coors and Denver area brewpubs, he set a concise theme for his brewery:
First, take a detailed, educated look at traditional beer styles and rules. And then make a Mockery of them.
This kind of contrarian thinking creates great art and great experiences for the consumer. But, as we hear on this...2023-11-121h 32
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastFractal Brewing - Robo RobisonFractal Brewing Project opened in 2019 and closed in 2023 in Huntsville, Alabama.
Maybe it isn't a song as old as time but the story is one we hear alot. There's this money guy who loves beer, befriends a brewer and gives that brewer a percentage of his new brewery.
The money guy overbuilds his vanity project and creates a truly beautiful space with all the toys, the bells and even some whistles. But without the proper guards in place, the business itself flies off the rails and hurtles towards disaster...2023-11-011h 44
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBrewCult - - Hendo HendersonSteven Henderson is a craft beer rockstar. He goes by the moniker Hendo and he’s one of the best-known personalities in the Australian craft beer industry. Well-loved and well-respected. And, from what I can tell, well-deserved.
He started a contract, or gypsy, brewing brewery called Brewcult. He pushed the boundaries of what people in Australia considered craft beer. He won awards for great beer, expanded distribution and travelled the country living the life of a National beer celebrity.
And then the whole thing came crashing down, leaving a spe...2023-10-182h 10
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastLost Abbey Brewing - Tomme ArthurHey guys, today I have a story for you that’s very special to me. Lost Abbey is a brewery out of San Diego that needs no introduction. Tomme and the team over there have inspired breweries all over the world to push beyond the ordinary and intentionally create new and exciting beers of circumstance. They were a fundamental part of what created my perception of the expectations I wanted my brewery to live up to and I know I’m not alone in that.
We’ve talked repeatedly on this show about how special...2023-10-051h 28
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastVLOG2: Why we sold our Damn BreweryMy wife and I finally sold our brewery on Sept 3, 2021.
My book and this podcast give deep insights into what happened and why.
But I recorded this video available on Spotify and YouTude at DamnBrewery to explain exactly why we sold the damn thing. 2023-09-2715 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastAdena Distributing - Michael AmannIf you stab Michael Amann, he’ll bleed craft beer. He started in this industry as a fan, landed an entry level distribution job, worked his way to sales and then decided to open a brewery.
Maybe lucky for him that didn’t work out but instead, he went where most brewery owners think all the money in the craft beer industry is hiding. The middle tier. He opened Adena Distributing and set about being the grease that lubed the route from a brewery’s fermenter to the customer’s face.
Aden...2023-09-181h 34
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastUrban Brew Labs - James MoriartyJames Moriarty and the tale of his brewery should be a cautionary one. So many breweries start up with operators that know far less than James did.
He brewed in multiple facilities for over a decade, went to the Siebel Institute, worked as an engineer assembling and starting up breweries and only then did he leverage that experience to open Urban Brew Labs in Chicago.
But even that resume wasn’t enough to take his brewery into profitability.
But James wouldn’t go down without...2023-09-081h 28
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastDos Luces - Judd BelstockJudd Belstock and his co-founder, Sam Alcaine, started the first chicha and pulque brewery in the US.
They built a beautiful brewery in the heart of one of the beer-y-est cities in America - Denver. The market was large, the customers curious and everywhere you looked, the future for craft beer in 2018 looked as bright as a Rocky Mountain sunrise.
And for a few years, Dos Luces did grow. They expanded their product lines, their distribution and their fanbase. But like the story of many of the breweries I...2023-08-301h 06
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastPeoples Beer - - Clint Lanier (author)Today I’m bringing you something different. This is the story Ted Mack and his brewery, Peoples Beer in Wisconsin.
Mr. Mack passed away in 2019 so I’m interviewing Clint Lanier, whose new book, Ted Mack And America’s First Black Owned Brewery hit the market a few months ago.
This is a fascinating story of guts and activism that has inspired generations of modern brewers to pick up their mash paddles and make their mark on beer history. As the first brewery in America that was 100% black owned, it stood...2023-08-181h 23
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastSecond Self Beer Company - Jason SantamariaJason Santamaria and his partner Chris Doyle started a brewery in Atlanta back in 2014.
They called it Second Self and they ran it that way. The brewery was a creative expression of the flavors and experiences that shaped their lives.
What you’ll hear is how as the market grew and evolved, so did Second Self. Pivoting to find new puddles of profitability, struggling against changing consumer preferences and finally ending up as a primarily contract facility.
I sat down with Jason a week or so...2023-08-091h 24How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBonus - State of the Industry with Aaron GoreToday my article on How To Save Your Brewery gets published over at Brewbound.
I reached out to industry positivity guy Aaron Gore to debate my opinions and conclusions.
Aaron is the business development manager at Bevana, a unique business in the craft beer space. And one I think might be the smartest partner for the coming years.
Episode Sponsored by:
Somnifix
(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)2023-07-3146 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastPathfinder Brewery - Eric AddisonEric Addison opened a craft beer oasis West of Fort Worth in Hudson Oaks, TX. Or where he likes to think of as "Michelob Ultra" country.
Pathfinder Brewery opened at the height of the brewery building frenzy in TX. After losing not only his original name but lease space to another brewery he ended up building his own building from scratch. Which may wind up being the best case scenario.
After opening, he expanded outside the brewery with self-distribution, won a U.S. Beer Open gold and struggled to find relevance among...2023-07-271h 39
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastHawkins Farmhouse Ales - Philip DavisPhilip Davis isn't some mamby pamby little wanker that just opened up the Brewery-builder's playbook and picked one of the 3 standard brewery models.
He didn't open up in an industrial park, didn't pimp himself out to a group of stuffed shirt investors and he didn't read the report to find out the moisture content of the endosperm of the grains he brewed with. He sure as fuck didn't use Ai to design his recipes or automation to brew his beers. He was a dynamic artist and he had something to say. Maybe something to...2023-07-191h 13
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastHusick's Taphouse - Joshua KressJosh Kress is a cool guy that followed his heart, chased his dreams and made his piece of the world just a little bit better. His passion should inspire us all to linger a minute in the mirror today and take a hard look at why we do what we do.
While Husick’s Taphouse ended up out of business, twice, he may have changed the landscape of Sacramento forever. He brought in craft for craft’s sake to an area that was underserved. He struggled against his lack of business experience and fought to create a business that stood...2023-07-031h 06
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastHome Brewing Co - - George ThorntonGeorge Thornton had many fantastic milestones in his career in beer. From humble beginnings slinging beer kits to home brewers at a San Diego homebrew store to building a thriving, symbiotic brewery/homebrew hybrid. He won AHA Homebrew Shop of the Year in 2018 for fuck’s sake.
George will explain how he sees rampant commercialism and growth for growth’s sake as a primary reason for the eventual demise of Home Brewing Company. See, he opened the homebrew shop in 2012, expanded to a brewery a few years later and closed them both in 2022.
...2023-06-201h 38
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastFalling Rock Taphouse - Chris BlackFew people have been or will ever be as connected in the craft beer industry as Chris Black.
If you haven't met him or heard of him, then you surely caught wind that Downtown Denver had a little beer bar called Falling Rock Taphouse for 24 years.
In 1997 what we think of as the craft beer industry hadn't really begun yet. With only around 800 breweries in the US, opening a beer bar with 69 taps of what we call craft beer was an anomaly. And while it's hard to believe in 2023...2023-06-061h 54How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastSeason 5 Coming SoonJust a quick update on Memorial Day to let you know that Season 5 starts next week.
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support2023-05-2902 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastHidden Mother Brewing - Mike DetarMike Detar is a creative motherfucker.
Whatever he did in whichever career in which he did it, he was going to throw passion, fire and grit everywhere he went. Like many of us who are slaves to our creativity, he worked with a mix of attention to detail and a ‘grip it and rip it’ philosophy that took him right to the edge of innovation.
When he opened his brewery in Washington State, he quickly found out that he was going to need every one of his unique talents to fig...2023-04-261h 29
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastNewFangled Brew Works - Adam ColeAdam Cole got the call that so very many people in this industry dream of.
Some rich asshole picked up the phone and tagged Adam to help him open an overbuilt, beautiful facility with a high-end restaurant. He got to design the brewery, pick out the equipment, set his brew schedule and design his own recipes.
Best of all, he was given sweat equity for his investment of effort, intelligence and management. He was part of the ownership structure with everything that comes with it.
T...2023-04-131h 37
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastHair of the Dog - Alan SprintsIn 1993 Alan Sprints opened a brewery in Portland, OR. He did his brewery his way making unique and interesting beers unlike what he found on his local shelves. With a culinary background he was, and is, a true artist, contrarian and inspired creator.
Hair of the Dog produced beers that were, and if you’re lucky enough to have some in your cellar, still are, full of flavor, high in alcohol and complex in all the right ways. Alan and his brewery were a major part in creating the strong beer category and pushing cr...2023-03-211h 25
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastCraft Beer Cellar New Orleans - Matt & Pat BoudreauxNew Orleans is a drinking city.
And the brothers Boudreaux -David, Matt and Pat - decided this was the perfect place to open their dream. Well, the dream before the dream at least.
See, what they really wanted to be were brewery owners one day but they settled with slinging craft beer bottles and cans in a 2700 sq ft retail shop off Magazine street in the crescent city. And they hooked up with a bottleshop franchise many of us know, Craft Beer Cellar.
The neighborhood was made better, the seasonal tourists were made dru...2023-03-091h 35
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastPappy Slokum & Sockdolager Brewing - Jeff & JamesThose of us who pay attention to this podcast know that the future is uncertain for the craft beer industry overall. But the beer people in Abilene, TX are feeling the bubble burst maybe a little bit more than most cities.
In the first two months of 2023 Abilene lost half of it's breweries. One in January and the other one in February. The had both fought to stay afloat for years and even knowing the other was leaving, neither felt the market in Abilene could support them.
I caught up with Jeff from Pappy Slokum a...2023-03-021h 35
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastRedwood Coast Cider - Christina and JesseChristina and Jesse don’t make beer.
At least not commercially. They have a palate for bone-dry, flavor-driven ciders and their late project Redwood Coast Cidery was their gift to the hard apple cider drinking world. Or at least to the Bay Area of San Francisco.
These guys opened a Cidery in 2015 because they couldn’t find the styles of cider they liked to drink - which sounds a lot like every home brewer I knew in the early 2000s.
They opened on a responsible budget, grew quickly and expanded when it made sens...2023-02-161h 56
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastRocket Frog - Richard HartogsBack in 2013 a lonely frog thought he’d be cute so he hitched a ride on a NASA rocket. It might have been the most excitement that amphibian ever saw in his life but we’re pretty sure that the RocketFrog died.
Years later twin brothers Richard and David Hartogs named their cool brewing project after that poor dead frog. I actually forgot to ask them why but I guess it doesn’t really matter now.
Guys, this is one of those stories the craft beer industry thinks doesn’t happen. One of the brothers went to...2023-02-011h 26How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastVLOG1 - Memento MoriPart 1 of my Video Blog Series.
I explore the ancient concept of Memento Mori and how looking death in the eye can make us better brewery operators.
Throughout the ages our art, philosophy and, of course, religion all explored ways for us to share and remind each other of the concept of Memento Mori.
Literally, remember death. One day you will cease to exist. No matter how hard you cling to life, to legacy and even to love, your days are numbered. Ashes to ashes and all that.
“On a...2023-01-2409 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastShepherd's Meadery - Jim PenceJim and Betsy Pence have been around the ‘ol block a few times.
After a love of wine led to a love of craft beer which opened the door to a love of mead, they decided to do what many of you are deciding to do.
They wrote a business plan and set about opening their very own craft meadery in Charlotte, NC. They chased after their dream, bought equipment, started brewing and then closed down almost immediately.
Then they did it two more times.
Jim has joined us to day to...2023-01-161h 29
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastSteam Whistle - Greg TaylorMost people only have one spouse.
Having more than 2 careers at a time is rare.
The world would be far better off if we’d never had a second Crow movie. Or absolutely anything Keanu Reeves ever did other than John Wick.
There was only one ring in that book.
One goal can win a soccer match.
But somehow when it comes to the production of beer today, we think every brewery should make 7 million mediocre beers. One-offs, seasonals, brand extensions, variety packs and special releases. All this to ca...2022-12-201h 07
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastSt Somewhere Brewing - Bob SylvesterI’d like to introduce you to Bob Sylvester, founder, brewer and all-around badass from South Florida’s Brasserie St. Somewhere.
Bob started brewing back in the early days of this last craft beer explosion. You know, back in 2008 when owning a brewery was still counterculture, hip and a bit radical. He managed to create a unique and interesting lineup of beers that garnered him international acclaim and a loyal fanbase of like-minded craft beer drinkers. He grew from meager beginnings into a beautifully imagined brewery with a separate tasting room and every reason to expect growth and s...2022-12-071h 42
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastGet Ready for Season 4Just an update to let you know I'm still here and preparing for a Hell of a season 4
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Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/damnbrewery/support2022-11-2201 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastCraft Beverage Lending - Jason SleemanPeople like to say that I don't want people to follow their dreams if they're dreaming about mash paddles and mass distribution. While that's not entirely true, I do think the odds are you'll be living on ramen noodles and stolen Netflix.
But if you ARE gonna start a brewery, the point would be to do it right and make some money. And before you get to that point, you have to figure out just how in the world you are gonna pay for it.
You’ll need hundreds of thousands of dollars, preferably someone els...2022-10-051h 30
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastStarlight Distribution (and a bunch of others) - Eddie AndersonEddie Chimi, or Anderson, or whatever he's calling himself these days, is a craft beer industry veteran.
He’s damn near an expert on getting beer from the manufacturer to the asshole waiting in line to buy a can of it.
You know that I’m always on the lookout for people who’ve been around the craft beer block and lived to tell about it. And I’m fascinated to have conversations with people who are willing to disagree with me. Eddie fits both of those perfectly.
He worked at Goose Island before a...2022-08-181h 34
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastInfinite Monkey Theorum - Molly WareMolly Ware heads up revenue production at The Infinite Monkey Theorem. I’ve long said that what other booze producers experience should inform and prepare us for what we face in beer.
Molly was kind enough to step away from the highly competitive and unfairly overfunded wine industry to sit and answer my questions today. And I think if you listen to the end, you’ll be better for it.
I asked her on the show to share the experience of closing 3 of their urban wineries. While the beer industry seems to think tasting rooms will...2022-06-211h 34
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBarrel of Monks Brewing - Kevin AbbottYou may not have heard of Kevin Abbott. But you’re not likely to forget him.
He’s a guy who’s brewed at three different breweries.
He was at Funky Buddha before the fairy tale exit that happened in 2017. He was the brewer back when they had a 1 BBL system in 2010, he was there for the 30BBL expansion in 2014 but he was safely gone when they sold for 80 million 4 years later.
He was at Due South during their formative years. Due South closed their tasting room a few months ago.
Then h...2022-05-261h 50
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastIntergalactic Brewing - Alex VanHorneToday’s guest got bitten by the brewery bug in 2012. Back when there were less than 2500 breweries nationwide and you could still convince yourself that there was room for one more.
Like many of us he thought, start small, build it up slowly and grow incrementally over time. Invest in growth, recapitalize and add market share along the way to success.
But his multiple award-winning brewery got swallowed first by the massive growth of his massive brewery neighbors and then by an oversaturated industry overall.
He made great beers, great friends and left a...2022-05-102h 00
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastDeFalco's Home Wine & Beer Shop - Scott BirdwellIf you’ve been paying attention over my last 20-whatever episodes you know that craft beer is an ugly place to try to make any money.
You do not go into beer to get rich. Or even to pay your light bill.
Well, here’s a news flash I bet you didn’t see coming:
HOMEBREW SHOPS AREN’T MAKING ANY, EITHER.
For today’s episode I sat down with Scott Birdwell to discuss what it’s like to own a homebrew shop for over 40 years and then watch it slowly die. This ca...2022-04-271h 39
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastGenetic Brewing - Gene BouckEarthlings, meet Gene Bouck, the mad scientist from the late Genetic Brewing in Florida.
Gene started as a home brewer, like many of you. Gene dreamed of the freedom of entrepreneurship like many of us. And, as part of an ever-increasing pool of dead and dying breweries, Gene watched his brewery suffer and die.
The goal of this podcast has always been open and honest conversation with people who’ve been there. People who’ve put their futures on the line in an attempt to craft something beautiful. Gene’s story is hard to hear. There’...2022-04-111h 37
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastGarrison Brothers Distillery - Dan GarrisonDan Garrison is the founder and proprietor of TX’s first legal bourbon distillery, Garrison Brothers in Hye, TX. I wanted to interview Dan because I knew that there were lessons we could learn from how spirits goes to market. I was positive that there were overlaps in the cash flow model for aging bourbon vs fermenting beer. I knew that he had overcome massive obstacles on the path to building his nationwide brand. And I was certain that understanding his business would make us better in ours. What I didn’t know was that he was still chasing prof...2022-03-271h 24
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastAtlanta Beer Boutique - Jen PriceWhat happens when a successful craft beer blogger, author and educator decides to dip her toe in the business side of craft beer?
Does the SBA switch horses mid-stream?
Does she get dizzy navigating the logistics of Atlanta’s city, county and local government permitting processes?
Does a worldwide pandemic and a heartless landlord throw rocks at her like a sweaty bully on the playground?
Jen Price is one of those people that makes this industry fun. She cares. She inspires. She reminds us not to take the beer more seriously th...2022-03-151h 50
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastHanging Hills Brewing Company - Joe PloofToday’s craft beer badass is Joe at Hanging Hills brewing in Connecticut. He’s a guy that’s been run through the ringer. He’s lost a best friend to craft beer. He lost money. He was marked for pain and suffering by an internet douchebag. He’s fought and bled to build his business, only to watch it cough and die in his arms.
But through all that, Joe Ploof is still a believer. He still wants to make beer and sell it to people. He scraped his shit together and 8 months after his closure he reopene...2022-02-221h 56
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastAces and Ales - Adam MetcalfToday my friends and foes, we sit down with Adam Metcalf, General Manager and all-around cool dude at Aces and Ales in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Aces represents the trail-blazing craft beer bar. You know what I’m talking about because we all have an example of one near us. In virtually every market over the last decade, someone has come on the scene with a unique take on selling beer to people. They develop relationships with distributors, offer the most interesting and dynamically rotating craft beer selection in town and add personality to the process of boozing it...2022-01-251h 51
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastLauren Kendzierski - - Black Rabbit FarmsOur guest today is Lauren Kendzierski of the late Black Rabbit Farm Brewery in Southwick, MA.
She did beer the way I did. Only more authentic and actually on a farm. Sadly, we can’t taste her beer now that her brewery has closed but we can hear the story and feel the passion that went into every bottle.
And I hope that both of those come through in this interview. She tells her story from inspiration to construction all the way to distribution and final dissolution. There’s a lot in there and I’m eter...2022-01-122h 18
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBlack Rabbit Farms - - Lauren KendzierskiOur guest today is Lauren Kendzierski of the late Black Rabbit Farm Brewery in Southwick, MA.
She did beer the way I did. Only more authentic and actually on a farm. Sadly, we can’t taste her beer now that her brewery has closed but we can hear the story and feel the passion that went into every bottle.
And I hope that both of those come through in this interview. She tells her story from inspiration to construction all the way to distribution and final dissolution. There’s a lot in there and I’m eter...2022-01-122h 16
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastNew Republic Brewing - Dean BrundageOur guest today is Dean Brundage of New Republic Brewing Company.
Like any good drama, this is a story of love, hope, betrayal and complete annihilation. He and his business partner started their brewery together with stars in their eyes back in 2010. Only a few years later their disagreements turned into Dean being forced out of the company he helped found, create and build. New Republic has always had a cult following here in TX and to this day they have a legion of loyal fans. These guys produced a selection of straightforward beer styles with recognizable p...2021-12-281h 59
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastMixTape Beverages - - Chad MitchellOur guest today is Chad Mitchell from Mixtape Beverages in SouthEast Asia.
He shared the story of his day job, BeerVana International with us in Episode 16 so if you haven't listened to that one yet, I'd recommend you do that first.
His brewery is contract-brewed, which I'm starting to think might be one of the best business models under 10K annual BBL of production. He's got a ton of useful insights and stories to share and he's just a blast to hang out with.
Sit back and listen, you might just learn something.
2021-12-1443 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBeervana International Distribution - Chad MitchellWelcome To Craft Beer's ONLY Voice of Reality
Episode 16
Our guest today is Chad Mitchell from BeerVana International in Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. They distribute beer from all over the world but have an especially strong affinity for what we call American Craft Beer. As you'll hear, they are an anomaly in beer distribution; they actually care about the art and craft of the beer they represent. They believe in giving honest feedback, legitimate sales projections and partying like you love your job. They are beer nerds in a beer job and just listening to C...2021-12-141h 28
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastSouthern Star Brewing - Dave FougeronOur guest today is Dave Fougeron from Southern Star Brewing Company in Conroe, TX. By now you know that my focus is interviewing struggling and failing beer businesses so that we can learn from their mistakes. I want to assure you, that’s not why I asked Dave to be on the show.
No, I reached out to Dave so that he could tell us all what we’ve all done wrong and, hopefully, how we can fix it. See, Dave’s brewery has been around since the late 2000’s and he’d been a strong force in Texas craft beer ever s...2021-11-301h 39
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBeer Business Daily - Harry SchuhmacherYour best friend Harry has a brother Larry
In five days from now he's gonna marry
He's hopin' you can make it there if you can
'Cause in the ceremony you'll be the best man
While the lyrics of that 1989 Young MC jam have nothing to do with this episode, they’ve been bangin’ around in my head while I’ve edited it so now they’re in yours.
Our guest today is none other than the ubiquitous Harry Schumacher, the founder, writer, editor, podcaster and all-around badass at Beer Business Daily.
Hi...2021-11-161h 32
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastWandering Boots Distribution - Kris JonesMy guest today is Kris Jones, co-founder of Wandering Boots Beverage Distribution from Houston, TX. He’s one of those guys that when you meet him you immediately know two things:
1. He’s a REALLY fucking nice guy
2. This industry is gonna eat his lunch
Unfortunately that’s exactly what happened. He was a teacher back in 2012/13 when an uncle said something like “Hey you and your wife wanna do a beer distribution business in TX?” to which Kris said something like “heck, yeah.”
He admits to having no idea or experience in the industry, like most of us starting out, but figured...2021-11-131h 42
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastRabbit Hole Brewing - Laron CheekToday we are joined by Laron Cheek from the late Rabbit Hole Brewery outside of Fort Worth. Laron and his co-founders learned the hard way that owning a brewery is hard. Like really hard.
During the time we shared together Laron offered advice about distribution, packaging and management. He's got opinions about the state laws here in TX, what it would take to actually run a profitable brewery and how inane online beer reviews can be.
But it's the poem he wrote and presented as a toast on the final day the brewery was open t...2021-11-011h 23
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastBrigadoon Brewery-Alan WardOur guest today is Alan Ward from Brigadoon Brewery and Brew School. Alan’s brewery is likely one of the most unique beer producers in the US.
They are located on the grounds of the Texas Renaissance Festival, are only open 19 days per year, and even brew some of their beer on equipment and using techniques from 500 years ago.
Alan has served as president of District Texas of the Master Brewer’s Association of the Americas and he hosts a bi-weekly radio show reviewing beer. So he knows how to make beer and how to tast...2021-10-231h 41
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastGather Brewing Company - Mike and JustinHey cocks and chickens, welcome to the first episode of the second season. Today our guest is Mike from the as-yet-unopened Gather Brewing Company. He’s joined by his brother-in-law Justin also.
Gather will be located in the North San Antonio suburb of Universal City. It’s going to be a medium-sized brewpub next to an airforce base that plans to offer draft, cans to go and not a thing to distribution.
Today we talk about what Mike learned, how he’s learned it and how he plans to apply it when he finally opens the doors in November 2021. We share...2021-10-101h 46
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastSolid Rock Brewing - Curt WebberOur guest today is Curt Webber from Solid Rock Brewing. He co-founded his brewery just before the craft beer scene in TX really started to take off. They had enough early success that any of us start-ups in the early 2010s would be lying if we said we weren’t measuring our potential by what they’d accomplished.
Like many of us, their plan was to learn as they went. And for awhile it looked like they were going to keep growing. But navigating the distribution business, maintaining a positive cash flow, and getting attention as new brew...2021-09-261h 47
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastWhichCraft - JodyOur guest this week is non other than Jody Reyes. The founder, proprietor, marketer and all-around swell motherfucker from WhichCraft in Austin, TX.
If you don’t know Jody, your life is worse off for it. The beer industry is overflowing with misguided arrogance and dripping with rampant douchbaggery. Yet somehow Jody has managed to stand right in the center of the Austin craft beer scene for close to 8 years and still maintain a state of influence. And zen. I’m well aware that you didn’t but if you ask me, I’ll tell you that he’s the...2021-09-191h 10
Beer In FrontKelly KFM Meyer How NOT To Start A BreweryGreat show this week where I talked to Kelly KFM Meyer. Kelly is the former owner of the New Braunfels Brewing Company in Texas. He is the author of the book How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery and hosts a podcast with the same name. This was very informative and I thank Kelly for coming on to chat.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beer-in-front--5704447/support.2021-09-1643 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastDay Off: Hot Tub BeersToday I’m doing something a wee bit different. I’m basically co-hosting a mashup of my podcast and the Hot Tub Beers podcast.
Hosts Tim and Jake brought a pickup-mounted hottub to my brewery parking lot and mic’d up. So I threw on some Speedos, jumped in and kinda took a day off from my hosting duties.
We’re joined by my old brewer Nathan and some unsuspecting tourists that are walking by. My wife even takes a break from taking embarrassing pictures of me to jump in for a few minutes. No not in the hottub, in the conv...2021-09-111h 14
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastAudacity Brew House - John CulpJohn Culp was a minority investor in Audacity Brew House in Denton, TX. Towards the end of Audacity’s lifespan he started a mobile caning company that he still runs today. Beer Dudes Mobile Canning.
Like many of us mis-guided souls, he had always dreamed of owning a brewery but UNLIKE us he knew he didn’t have the time to devote to it. So he settled for being a volunteer around the brewery, particularly on canning day. Eventually, Audacity needed money and he was given the opportunity to invest. The brewery needed a bunch of cash and targeted around 300,000 at a...2021-09-041h 35
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastPart 2 of 2: Theresa and Brett of Fetching Lab BreweryWhat I have here for you today is Episode 2 from my interview with Bret and Theresa of the late Fetching Lab brewery.
If you haven’t listened to the first episode, well, get off your ass and go cue it up. Go ahead, we’ll be here when you get back. While you’re at it, maybe listen to any of the others you’ve missed, as well. My guests and I have spent precious time and energy making these things, and if we can’t agree that you should be listening to each of them, how the Hell do we expect...2021-08-281h 45
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastJosh Cunningham - Kora Kora CoffeeMy guest today is not a beer manufacturer. He doesn’t distribute beer and likely hasn’t ever carried a half barrel keg up a flight of stairs. He does drink it but that’s not why I’ve asked him to sit down with us today.
See, I’ve always felt that if lessons are principles then they have to be universal. And they’re only universal if they can be applied across multiple disciplines and industries. If the 10 mistakes I wrote about in my book are worth the paper they are printed on, then I would be abl...2021-08-221h 28
Liquid Lunchliquid lunch 246: nbbc’s kelly “kfm” meyer in stew-dio
Recorded 8-17-21. New Braunfels Brewing Co. founder Kelly “KFM” Meyer once again visits the Liquid Lunch Stew-dio to discuss his new podcast “How Not to Start a Damn Brewery.” Kelly also has a book by the same name and we get into some of the stories he’s discovered through the interviews on his podcast and why now he decided to sale New Braunfels Brewing Company. We sample to delicious NBBC beers and take questions from the live viewers on a special Tuesday addition of Liquid Lunch.
Support Liquid Lunch
2021-08-171h 27
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastPart 1 of 2: Theresa and Brett of Fetching Lab BreweryThere was so much to share with this interview I had to break it into 2 shows. Part 2 will come out later this season.
My guests today are Brett Bray and Theresa Hutchinson of the late Fetching Lab Brewery down in way South Houston.
Brett was a full-time financial advisor and a part-time homebrewer so he has qualified to own a brewery as most of us in the beginning.
Based on Brett’s research, he felt opening a brewery when there were less than 50 TX breweries was “so darn viable that you’d be a total...2021-08-151h 09
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastOff Rhodes Craft Beer Station - Chris RhodesToday I am joined by Chris Rhodes of Off-rhodes Craft beer station. It’s a small taproom/bottleshop located here in New Braunfels serving arguably the best selection in town. He and his wife took what looked like a risk at the time and worked their tails off to make it a recognizable brand and loyal customers
Chris got his start in the industry working in bar management and even spent a brief sentence as a server in my Tasting Room. Prior to opening his shop he also started a Craft Beer Tour company right as the sc...2021-08-071h 32
Better on Draft | Craft Beer PodcastNew Braunfels Brewing w/ Kelly KFM MeyerCRAFT BEER PODCAST INFO: Kelly 'KFM' Meyer is the founder of New Braunfels Brewing Co, author of the book How NOT to Start a Damn Brewery, and all around interesting character. Kelly takes us down the path on the many mistakes (which he owns) while owning a brewery, and goes over what the future of New Braunfels will look like as they continue down the road of open culture brewing. Kelly talks about his book, beer fan culture, and how some mistakes in the past continue to haunt him as he continues running a brewery. Kelly is...2021-08-0753 min
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastAltmeyer and Lewis Brewing Company - Byron LewisMy guest today is Byron Lewis, co-founder of Altmeyer and Lewis from San Marcos, TX. They were a brewery known for classic styles and solid execution. They never packaged and never signed with a distributor. And although Byron does have some regrets, that is NOT one of them. We get into the logistics of building and managing a brewery and even some of the emotions around tearing it back down.
The idea for the brewery came around Christmas of 2012 when Byron’s wife’s sister’s husband called. He said, “Hey I got some money and I want to...2021-08-051h 45
How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcastNoble Rey Brewing - Chris RigoulotMy guest today is Chris Rigoulot, the founder of Noble Rey Brewing in Dallas. Noble Rey came on the brewing scene in 2015 and made a splash with their can artwork. They quickly expanded across Texas and captured the attention of the craft beer scene with cool names, good beers and unique marketing. They expanded to two locations and by the end of 2018, word got out that they were in bankruptcy.
Chris got his start in this industry like most of us did. Brewing beer at home, working jobs he hated and dreaming of opening his own business...2021-08-041h 45