Whether they brew 1,000 or 100,000 barrels of beer per year, opening additional taprooms is top of mind for many craft brewers today. But such expansions inevitably bring with them big, existential questions.
“Is this just going to be a bar serving one brewery’s beer? Is the higher margin worth the added complexity? How can I grow this side of my business without jeopardizing other parts of it?”
For many breweries, it’s natural to push toward a business model where they sell the majority of beer directly to customers. This helps control the experience of their brand while simultaneously driving higher margins. That extra margin also allows breweries to be economically viable at lower production levels.