Microbrewing for Micropubs Micropubs and Microbreweries share some key facets, of which one in particular stands out: says Rob Smith of Brewing Services Limited, providing high-quality beer to discerning drinkers. There is nothing more enjoyable than a good pint in a convivial atmosphere and, to those of us whose livelihood depends on brewing, nothing is more satisfying than knowing that you have participated in ensuring that it is a good pint. However, with so many new breweries starting up, a brewer’s route to market is getting ever more crowded. One way to ensure you have a ready supply of drinkers for your beers is to sell to them direct. Once upon a time, there were brewpubs in every village and on every street supplying fresh beer to a very small area: the four walls of the establishment where the beer was produced. We have advocated this more local approach for many years; serve the freshest beer possible while being totally in control of the quality of your product from raw materials to glass. It can even be more profitable! Whether a traditional brewpub, or a crafty beer emporium, the idea of super fresh beer served direct to the consumer within the brewery environment is definitely on the increase. Having a destination where people come together, not just to drink your beer but also to socialise, creates a sense of community which often leads to your customers themselves becoming unofficial advocates and ambassadors for your brewery. Another shared facet of both microbreweries and micropubs is their uniqueness; each one is different, from the beers brewed to the equipment they’re brewed on. This of course means that
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there is no single path to setting up a successful brewery, though there are some key areas which all breweries (both existing and potential) should be looking at to both survive and thrive.
Have Passion
Running a pub or running a brewery is hard work and the hours put in can sometime be hard to justify. 5am starts on a brewing day or weekend trips to the brewery to check on fermentations are not uncommon. Brewers and publicans alike must have a passion for what they do, with the reward often being watching customers become regulars and sometimes friends.
Focus on Quality
Time and time again, we find that successful breweries focus on quality and consistency, offering beers that both licensed retailers and drinkers alike can put their faith in. Creating ever more varied products, while possibly useful for exposure, is not a sure-fire way to increase sales and can risk the opposite if the core beers are neglected. A 4% Pale Ale or Best Bitter might not get shouted about much on social media or on dubious beer rating sites, but these beer styles still sell in some of the largest quantities and are welcome on bars up and down the country.
