Must Punchers Anonymous

[koolmoto]

So I was sittin around the house Sunday punchin my must when I had a brilliant idea for a business. I started thinking about it more and more and decided to google it to see if it existed. It seemed like such a good idea that it must exist, but I couldn't find much about it and certainly nothing nearby. The idea was to create a maker space for home beer & wine makers. The concept is called "brew-on-premise" where the company would provide all the storage spaces (of different temperatures), cleaning areas, tools, and guidance for making your own beverages. The members would pay a membership fee in exchange for use of the facility. Since the beverages would be the property of the members (not of the company), I feel like it wouldn't need a beverage license, but maybe the reason it doesn't exist is due to some law preventing it? Have any of you heard of these types of companies and/or the reason why they aren't popular? I feel like the spouses of many home beer/wine makers would be more than happy to have that space in their homes back. Plus, it provides a low-risk/investment way to get into beer/wine making if new.

 

[crushday]

I seem to remember they are quite popular in Canada. Not sure of any in the States. Depending on where you live, in terms of population center, it might work here.

 

[cmason1957]

I know of one in Missouri, o'Fallon, mo to be exact design to brew is the name. I believe they have some kind of license, but not sure what. As I recall having the customer pitch yeast and doing the bottling was a requirement.

 

[Rice_Guy]

The concept is popular in Canada due to the laws related to wine making.

I have seen one (Vines to Cellar of PortWashington). It holds a license as a winery, it sells lots of kits which folks run there, one can bring in their own juice, neat bottle setup and floating lid tanks (I lust at their hardware)

 

[Jal5]

There is a pub in Pittsburgh that has you brew your own beer and bottle it there. They have all the mess and keep an eye on it’s progress you come back and bottle it. Joe

 

[Ted Brumleve]

A now defunct LHBS installed four beer brewing systems as you suggested. Not nearly enough demand for that here. Closed up shop about four months later.

 

[Rocky]

There was one, similar to what is described by the IP, in Dublin, Ohio that went out of business. They provided the work space, fermenters, carboys, etc. for a small fee and they also sold the kits. Users would buy a kit, set it up in the store (it was in a small strip mall) and then come in (during limited store hours) periodically to tend to their wine. When the wine was completed, the user could bottle the wine in the store (bottles sold by the store) or take the carboy home to bottle (had to pay for the carboy). I also recall a similar club in Northeast Ohio (can't remember exactly where or the name) and I don't know if they are still in business or not.

The downside, to me, of such a scheme is lack of control and that early on in the process the wine needs close monitoring. This would require almost daily trips to the site which would be a big negative (versus going down to my cellar). Secondly, the wine would be unsecured and who knows who would "mess" with it or what could be done to it. I suppose it could work for people who have no alternative but would not be of interest to me.

 

[vineyarddog]

There is a pub in Pittsburgh that has you brew your own beer and bottle it there. They have all the mess and keep an eye on it’s progress you come back and bottle it. Joe

Gone here a few times. Neat concept, beer wasn’t particularly great but a fun experience for a group!

 

[BernardSmith]

Most definitely not a business person and I know diddly squat about marketing but a) I think that this CAN be a great idea if
b) you can get those involved to meet regularly to "check on their wines" so you may want to build cohorts of folk rather than individuals if you get the distinction because
c) if all they do is pitch the yeast and forget about it until it is ready to bottle then
d) given the length of time between pitching and bottling interest will fade and
e) there is no good reason why after one go around folk will return so you are always creating NEW customers and not working with RETURN customers...
But even as this is not so novel in Canada , I have heard of this being offered in different parts of the US.

 

[cmason1957]

I just remembered, there was another business that did something very similar to this near me, they have since moved is why I don't think about them often. To keep interest going and hopefully build some repeat customers, they would have folks come in as a party, pre-wedding, pre-engagement party and make the wine to drink at that function. They generally had folks make something like the Island Mist lower alcohol kits, but I think sometimes went with the higher quality, they then up-charged some on the kit for the part they would do, as in the one or two rackings and the adding of clearing, etc. But you came back in the 4 to 6 week time period to bottle your wine and they also sold wine by the glass for consuming during those parties.

They did a really good business, even though they were in a horrible location, that's why they eventually moved and are now just a small winery, near a college town. But they still make the same kit wines, they buy the winery series amount, add water, yeast, etc. and the college kids love them. $3/bottle to make (or less) sell them for $15-25

 

[pillswoj]

The ones in Canada have evolved / been regulated.

In the beginning they were as described, you had to physically add the yeast and do the bottling, they did not need a liquor license to operate.

Now they are licensed, you place your order and they tell you when to come in to bottle it. Since Covid the one by me now does the bottling as well, they tell you when to drop off bottles, then come back in an hour to pick up your wine.

The Canadian system is meant to cater to people who want lower cost wine or custom labeled rather then to winemakers.

 

[franc1969]

The homebrew shops near me in Maryland do brew-on-premise. I imagine this would be useful to learn about how it all works, or all-grain brewing , without buying all that stuff. I wouldn't want to get kettle, false bottom, cooling system, etc.
For wine you wouldn't need much, but the shops don't do wine from grapes at harvest. That's the messy part I want help with, deliveries of grapes, crushing and pressing, tests and chemicals, etc. I don't have a need to make kits somewhere not my home, and on kit-described schedule, no less.
The closest place has a brewery associated with it, also the one in Baltimore. I think MDHB does not. I don't know what licensing is required, but all have a strict schedule. You can't bulk age there, unless you are buying barrel and space. I forget the name of the place that does that. I am not sure if they still exist, I got the impression they catered to things like wedding parties making wine for the event.

 

[koolmoto]

Thank you all for your replies and insights. Sounds like there is a niche market for this, but it has a lot of obstacles to success. I will research further and let you all know if I decide to do anything with it.

 

[Jal5]

I think setting it up so that avgroup makes the wine or beer fir a specific event like a wedding or retirement party could be a seller . Special labels etc.

 

[koolmoto]

I think setting it up so that avgroup makes the wine or beer fir a specific event like a wedding or retirement party could be a seller . Special labels etc.

I fully agree!