The increasing interest in craft beers, locally brewed beers and unique types of beers has inspired a generation of new brewmasters. Starting a brewery, even on a small scale, can be a challenge with finding facilities, purchasing equipment and establishing branding and marketing.
There are a few common mistakes that startup breweries often make when it comes to brewery equipment purchases. To help avoid these issues, here the three most common errors in choosing equipment for a new brewery and why they are not a good option for your startup brewery.
Buying Used
Not all breweries, just like any startup company, are destined to stay open. In many locations across the country, there are auctions or private sales of commercial quality brewery equipment.
Buying used equipment either privately or through an auction is a significant risk. There is no way to know if the equipment was maintained or if there are problems with the machines and systems. While it is possible to get a like-new, mint condition system, it is more likely to be a system with issues, which may be very costly to diagnose and repair.
Buying Cheap
The old saying “you get what you pay for” also applies to brewery equipment. Quality manufacturers specializing in brewery systems and equipment do not make cheap lines of products. Buying quality equipment is an investment in the quality of the beer and the consistency of product for years to come.
Buying Unknown
There is a real advantage in buying US-based brewery systems and equipment. Not only is the manufacturer a known factor, but there is also the ability to easily order replacement parts or upgrades to the equipment as needed.
Buying from unknown manufacturers or imported equipment can mean delays in finding parts, problems with system integration and a host of other potential issues.
