Collaboration, not competition

Yesterday at the brewery, I was talking with Mike and Other Mike about writing the story of our brewery and our present collaboration.  The two Mikes were making a fresh batch of Juicy and I was kegging our Wild Experiment #3 (open fermentation, if you have a wild streak in your character). 

When I'm kegging, I have time to think and so yesterday I was thinking about our collaboration with Secret Engine.  Other Mike contacted us several months back and explained that he was starting a brewery in Brooklyn.

The first problem that the small brewer encounters is getting the proper licensing so that they can brew and sell beer.  It's not a quick process.  For example, it took Mike, Yuri, and I just under two years to navigate the federal and state licensing procedure.  The zinger is this: during that process you must be able to pay the monthly rent on your brewing facility, but you aren't allowed to use it to make beer and you certainly aren't allowed to sell beer.  What this means is that anyone who thinks they want to start a small brewery has to have between 12 and 24 months worth of rent money that they are willing to burn.  And that's cash you won't get back anytime soon.  (Small-scale brewing is not a lucrative business model and I'll write about some of the reasons why in future posts.)

I think of this licensing situation as wall or hurdle which keeps out your average home craftbrewer who might want to go into business but who isn't already independently wealthy.  I'm not saying that anyone is consciously trying to prevent craftbrewers from "going pro," but who of us has tens of thousands of dollars sitting around to throw away before you even get started with your business?

That's why collaboration is important.  Small brewers should help other small brewers to break through that barrier.  Does this sound counter-intuitive?  Aren't we taught that competition is the life-blood of business?  Or maybe there's another way of doing business.

By the way, the guys are up at the Rocky Point Farmers Market today.  If you want to taste that new batch of Juicy, head on up there.  The market is at the intersection of Broadway & Prince.