The Brewers Association defines a taproom as “a specialty brewery that sells 25 percent or more of its beer on-site and does not operate a significant food service.”
A pub doesn’t need a full-fledged restaurant, so it can be a simple addition to an existing brewery.
Additionally, selling beer through tap outlets is more profitable than selling beer through distributors. A typical half-keg of beer sells for $600 at the bar and $150 at the distributor. Sounds good right? So sit back and pour yourself a cold drink while we discuss the ins and outs of how to open a taproom.
Do your research
Know your brand
Gather all the collateral and info you have on your brand. Think about what has worked for you and what hasn’t. Take note of any taproom ideas that seem like a good fit for your brand.
Poll current customers
Research locations
Set yourself apart from the competition
Make a business plan
For an existing brewery business, you already have a business plan. (If you don’t, that’s okay—take this opportunity to make one.) If your current business plan already has a bar in mind, great. If not, you will need to write a business plan for opening the bar. Either way, make sure to update everything as needed.
Executive summary
Business description and structure
Market research and strategy
Management and personnel
Financial documents
Find a location
Other important factors include renovation costs, the type of space and how it fits your brand and vision for your taproom, the space capacity, event space size, and how close it is to your existing brewery business. You likely won’t find the perfect space, but consider what matters most for your taproom and find a space that checks the most boxes for your business needs.
Figure out the financials
You will need to understand the overhead costs of your taproom — how much it will cost to get your taproom up and running. This includes the cost of any new equipment and renovations.
Once you are open, how much is rent? What will your ongoing expenses be? Also, consider the costs of any new staff you will need to hire.
Make a forecast for your predicted sales. Your first few months may be slower as you build your business and get the word out, so plan on covering some extra business costs. Think about when you think your sales will start covering all business costs.
Consider events and programming
Consider the different types of events you could offer in your space and try a few that are a good fit for your vibe:
- Private events and parties
- Trivia nights
- Theme nights
- DIY events
- Book clubs
- Game nights
- Bring-your-pet day
- Whatever else you dream up
And remember to make a calendar for all the events you plan to share with your customers!
Make it legal
You don’t want to face fines or shutdown, so make sure you have all your legal ducks in a row before you open. Every city and state has different regulations so check with your local authorities to find out what you may need. Here are some of the common things you may need for your business:
- Building permits
- Business license
- Certificate of occupancy
- Health permit
- Liquor license
Outfit your space
Also, consider what technology you want in your space. Think about the best brewery management software, your taproom POS system, and whether you want to use digital menus. How will customers order? Think about digital ordering and pay-at-table options. What kind of tunes will you play, and more , how will you play them? Think about the sound system you want for your taproom.
Plan your food program
You might offer a complimentary snack mix or bring in food trucks on the weekends. Other options include having a light appetizer menu or keeping menus on hand for local takeout options so customers can place an order when they get hungry. Whatever your plan, make sure you communicate with customers so they know how to plan for their food needs.
Hire and train staff
Taproom staff member learning how to pour a beer from the tap.
Your taproom staff will be the face of the brewery, so you want to make sure they represent the brand well and it’s a good idea for them to know their stuff when it comes to beer. They will also need to be old enough to serve alcohol — between 18 and 21 depending on the laws in your state.
Before you start the hiring process, think about what kind of culture you want to have in your space and build your interviews with that in mind. Is it most important that your staff is friendly, knowledgeable about beer, or something else? Look for a team that fits the bill.
Open up shop
Some businesses also find it helpful to have a soft opening. This is a day or time period where you are open but you only invite friends and family to give your team a chance to practice and make sure everything works smoothly.
Now you know how to start a taproom. You’ve got this. Let us know when we can pop in for a visit to your friendly neighborhood taproom.
Summarize
Fabricante de equipos para fábricas de cerveza Los suministros de elaboración de cerveza proporcionados por Micet Craft pueden satisfacer sus necesidades de elaboración de cerveza, desde pequeños lotes de equipos de elaboración de microcerveza hasta 100 barriles de capacidad. Micet Craft ha alcanzado la cooperación con muchas fábricas de cerveza de todo el mundo, podemos
China fabricante y proveedores de equipos de elaboración de cerveza Micet Craft ha colaborado con cervecerías de muchos países del mundo para suministrarles equipos de elaboración de cerveza. Proporcionamos a los clientes soluciones de cervecería llave en mano, que incluyen el diseño, la fabricación y la instalación de cervecerías personalizadas. El equipo de Micet Craft
Best brewhouse equipment manufacturer from china Brewing good beer requires brewhouse equipment. Whether you are brewing beer for home, business or brewery, Micet Craft can provide a turnkey solution according to the daily output you need. We have brewhouse equipment with 2 vessels, 3 vessels and 4 vessels, the unique design allows you to do
China stainless steel fermentation vessels manufacturer The fermentation tank is where the beer carry out the fermentation process, it provides a place suitable for life activities and metabolism for microorganisms. To adapt to the use of different sizes of breweries, Micet Craft produced a variety of sizes and specifications of fermentation tanks. Customers can choose
Tanque de cerveza brillante profesional fabricante de China El tanque brillante es un recipiente para almacenar y carbonatar la cerveza, también se le llama tanque brite. El tanque brillante es una parte importante del flujo de trabajo de los cerveceros profesionales. Puede usarse para almacenar y carbonatar cerveza, eliminando así la molestia de limpiar barriles
El mejor fabricante de sistemas de elaboración de cerveza de china Micet Craft es un fabricante profesional de sistemas de elaboración de cerveza en China. Producimos principalmente sistemas de elaboración de cerveza llave en mano personalizados de alta gama. Ya sea que esté planeando abrir una nanocervecería, una microcervecería o una cervecería comercial, podemos brindarle
Clasificación de la máquina de llenado de cerveza La máquina llenadora de cerveza es el equipo central de la línea de producción de cerveza. Nuestro sistema de llenado de cerveza utiliza acero inoxidable como material de producción. El acero inoxidable no es fácil de usar y es fácil de limpiar. Micet Craft le ofrece una
Fabricante de equipos para fábricas de cerveza Los suministros de elaboración de cerveza proporcionados por Micet Craft pueden satisfacer sus necesidades de elaboración de cerveza, desde pequeños lotes de equipos de elaboración de microcerveza hasta 100 barriles de capacidad. Micet Craft ha alcanzado la cooperación con muchas fábricas de cerveza de todo el mundo, podemos
China fabricante y proveedores de equipos de elaboración de cerveza Micet Craft ha colaborado con cervecerías de muchos países del mundo para suministrarles equipos de elaboración de cerveza. Proporcionamos a los clientes soluciones de cervecería llave en mano, que incluyen el diseño, la fabricación y la instalación de cervecerías personalizadas. El equipo de Micet Craft
Best brewhouse equipment manufacturer from china Brewing good beer requires brewhouse equipment. Whether you are brewing beer for home, business or brewery, Micet Craft can provide a turnkey solution according to the daily output you need. We have brewhouse equipment with 2 vessels, 3 vessels and 4 vessels, the unique design allows you to do
China stainless steel fermentation vessels manufacturer The fermentation tank is where the beer carry out the fermentation process, it provides a place suitable for life activities and metabolism for microorganisms. To adapt to the use of different sizes of breweries, Micet Craft produced a variety of sizes and specifications of fermentation tanks. Customers can choose
Tanque de cerveza brillante profesional fabricante de China El tanque brillante es un recipiente para almacenar y carbonatar la cerveza, también se le llama tanque brite. El tanque brillante es una parte importante del flujo de trabajo de los cerveceros profesionales. Puede usarse para almacenar y carbonatar cerveza, eliminando así la molestia de limpiar barriles
El mejor fabricante de sistemas de elaboración de cerveza de china Micet Craft es un fabricante profesional de sistemas de elaboración de cerveza en China. Producimos principalmente sistemas de elaboración de cerveza llave en mano personalizados de alta gama. Ya sea que esté planeando abrir una nanocervecería, una microcervecería o una cervecería comercial, podemos brindarle
Clasificación de la máquina de llenado de cerveza La máquina llenadora de cerveza es el equipo central de la línea de producción de cerveza. Nuestro sistema de llenado de cerveza utiliza acero inoxidable como material de producción. El acero inoxidable no es fácil de usar y es fácil de limpiar. Micet Craft le ofrece una