The Microbrewery Handbook

Chapter 4Focus on Your Taproom First

LET'S TALK ABOUT Sam Calagione's “bottom jaw” analogy and why he believes the taproom model will survive the continued saturation of the craft beer industry. It comes down to a simple understanding of the distinct financial advantage of your taproom.

As states around the U.S. have continued to modernize legislation to allow for this amazing interaction that we all love – bringing consumers straight to the source of your product – the taproom model has emerged as the strongest and safest way to make a brewery successful.

Nothing in business is guaranteed. You aren't gifted profitability and success by merely opening a taproom. That becomes truer by the minute as more people enter this market. We'll cover some of those things throughout the book.

According to the Brewers Association, as of 2019, these are the top three reasons why people visit taprooms:

1. They want to sample different beers.
2. They want to learn about the beers.
3. They know it will be fresh.

Few bars can replicate this the way a taproom can. This model has an ability to create a localized, immersive experience that assumes peak freshness and that authentic fascination of sipping at the site of manufacture. It also assumes the expertise on beer that your taproom can provide.

Talk about some builtin advantages!

It's such a successful model that Bart Watson of the Brewers Association mentioned one emerging trend we're seeing more in the more saturated markets. Outside companies ...