I regularly speak with independent brewers in the Netherlands. I get a lot out of those exchanges and sometimes I'm genuinely surprised. For instance, one of the founders of a well-established SME brewery in the middle of the country recently told me that she is regularly approached by passionate people who also want to start a brewery. Naturally, with the expectation that a brewer with such an excellent reputation and a wall full of awards will let them in on the secret: how do you run a successful brewery? She invariably answers that kind of question with a question of her own: why do you want that - your own brewery?
That question turns out to catch people off guard time and again. And not infrequently it proves disruptive. Of course, everyone is entitled to their dream. But to stand a real chance as an independent brewer in the Netherlands, a well-considered answer is crucial. Especially if you want that brewery to provide a living for yourself and your family.
Come up with something better!
What do you add to the already overcrowded landscape of SME breweries in the Netherlands? Are beer lovers really waiting for yet another small producer making beers he or she personally enjoys drinking? If so, why not just keep it as a hobby? That way you can let your creativity run completely free without having to answer to anyone or anything. If you want to become a professional brewer, you truly need to come up with something better. And above all: for goodness' sake, take beer lovers seriously! The people who need to actually want to buy your beer.
When I look around at the landscape of independent Dutch brewers, I often think of this comparison: we set off on a long hike without first checking whether our walking-boot laces are properly tied. Thiols or fancy hops from New Zealand: fun gimmicks. Attractive cans with bold artwork, fair enough. Quirky merch. And ideally all produced sustainably as well. Is the 'secret' of a successful brewery hiding in here somewhere?
I don't think so. Because that secret lies in the answer to a different question. What about the quality of what you want to sell us?
Meeting expectations
There's no getting around it: if you want to succeed as a brewer, your quality has to be on point. That means: whatever you fill into those beautifully designed cans, enthusiasts can enjoy it carefree, anywhere and anytime. That means: the aroma and flavour of your beer are top notch. Every batch lives up to the expectation that beer drinkers have of you and your creation. Your price is higher than that of the 'supermarket brewer' - you need to justify that too.
Delivering and safeguarding quality means knowing exactly what you are doing. Not just once, but always. With everything that happens in your brewery. From the composition of the water you brew, rinse, and clean with. To the beer you have packaged ready for sale. And every stage of the brewing process in between.
It's just a shame that all the things you need to do to keep a constant finger on the quality pulse are exactly like all those school subjects you hated back in the day. Because it's 'boring', repetitive work that doesn't tickle your well-developed creative streak in the slightest.
Quality isn't sexy
Quality control isn't sexy. But you can't do without it. At least, not if you want to make a professional success of your own beer. Thorough quality analysis is the same as tying your walking-boot laces properly before you head out. It stops you from going down along the way.
Maybe you were one of those so-called 'lazy' students at school. Always looking for ways to achieve the best result with the least effort. Then you've probably figured out by now that you weren't actually lazy - you were efficient. You found clever solutions for 'boring' problems.
A smart solution for 'boring' work
Did you know that for quality analysis in your brewery there is also a smart solution for all that 'boring' work that comes with it? That you can perform all kinds of tests that matter in brewing, to laboratory standards, in a straightforward way. Where you get results quickly and waste of your beer is kept to an absolute minimum. And which, on top of that, stores all your test results for you in an app on your phone. Compatible with all common brewery software, available at a fair price. The secret of a successful brewery lies right here: beer of consistent, impeccable quality - made easy with Beer-o-Meter.