The Microbrewery Handbook

Chapter 9Finance Q&A with Bhramari Brewing CEO Audra Gaiziunas

AUDRA GAIZIUNAS¹ started a company called Brewed for Her Ledger, an accounting, management, and consultancy firm that combines her financial expertise with her passion for craft beer.

She spent time as Dogfish Head's controller in 2009–10, Mother Earth Brewing Company's CFO in 2011–14, and then took over as CEO at Bhramari Brewing Co. in downtown Asheville in 2016, navigating a miracle turnaround from what seemed to be inevitable closure to a thriving brewery in the heart of one of the nation's most competitive craft beer environments.

She has worked with more than 100 breweries in all phases of life to help them start, grow, and prosper.

While I can speak to some of our financial projections, targets, and how we modeled those numbers at Perfect Plain, Audra brings immense data and perspective of best (and worst) practices in our craft industry. And in an ever‐saturating market, understanding the numbers can be the difference between success and failure.

She discusses the most common missteps, how to prepare financially, and the key metrics you should be following in your brewery business.

D.C. Reeves:    When you work with a taproom‐focused brewery, be it a startup or an existing one, what is the most common thing you see happening with its finances?

Audra Gaiziunias:    From a financial perspective, the number one issue that we face is opening and operating undercapitalized. Make sure that you have enough working ...