Sudsy startups
Before a brewer hands a cool pint across the polished bar at a tasting room or restaurant, he or she faces multiple challenges. Founders of Birds Fly South Ale Project, 13 Stripes and Fireforge breweries recently gathered to share insights from their journey to launch brewing operations in the Upstate.
Capital is one of the largest challenges in beginning a brewery, said Shawn Johnson of Birds Fly South: “It’s more money than you think it should be, and some money on top of that.” Johnson, who said his first goal was to produce beer, is currently contract brewing at longtime producer Thomas Creek Brewery. The next step is investing capital to establish a physical location, he said.
Kenworth Reeves, cofounder of 13 Stripes Brewery, said funding is a challenge along with finding a suitable location, which he will announce soon. Reeves added that banks are surprisingly craft beer-friendly. His brewery’s goal is to establish a tasting room and then pursue distribution at local stores, he said.
Brian and Nicole Cendrowski of Fireforge are moving toward creating a tasting room that focuses on hospitality and experience, they said. The confluence of activity in establishing an operation can be a challenge, said Brian Cendrowski.
Reeves agreed, saying that funding, space, legal issues, purchasing equipment and finding backers can happen all at the same time. An urgency to accomplish it all exists, said Brian Cendrowski, “We’re losing money because we’re not open and not selling.”
Reeves said a surprising success was the community support and responsiveness of a traditional lender. The generosity of friends and family along with a speedy welcome from the Upstate community were surprising, said Nicole Cendrowski. “It makes us more excited and more driven,” said Brian Cendrowski. Johnson said he was surprised at how good it feels to brew – “to make a product and people respond to it.”
All of the brewers said the key to getting started and sustaining a brewing business is developing relationships, creating a quality product, gaining local community support and developing a loyal “tribe.”
Recent state legislation supporting breweries is opening up the market, but more can be done, specifically a lowering of excise tax and self-distribution, what Brian Cendrowski calls “the Holy Grail.”
Though there are multiple more Upstate breweries in the works, they all bring something unique and the market is far from saturated, they said. “We bring a personal touch to a manufactured product,” said Johnson.
