How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery: the podcast Kelly KfM Meyer

A few seasons back I realized that to truly tell the story of the business of craft beer, we needed input from other countries. So I reached out to Canadian, Australian, Norwegian, UK and South African breweries. Some of those interviews have already been released. 



But the very first international guest I tried to get was Nick Law. 

He not only had a beer brand but he’d started a podcast and a consulting company so I knew he brought a perspective we needed to hear from. And he and his businesses are in the UK. 



Of course, with all that going on, Nick was quite busy. So he and I played email and phone tag for years, which I won when we finally connected at the end of 2023. We finally got to this interview in early 2024. 



Like most of these stories, I go in thinking I know something about the brewery and the guest, only to come out on the other side of two intimate hours blown away with everything I didn’t know. And couldn’t have guessed. 



And with that, Damn Audience, I present you with Nick Law and the story of Emmanuales and Hop Forward. I hope it gives you a little more insight into how NOT To Start A Damn Brewery. In any country. 



⁠⁠Emmanuales Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Emmanuales Facebook⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Emmanuales Instagram⁠

Hopforward Website

Hopforward Podcast



Episode Sponsored by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Accubrew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brewery Direct⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

BrewBids

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Made To Measure Communications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to get my Damn Book⁠⁠


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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support

Scott Hedeen was the quintessential beer fan. Back in the days when it was still cool to run all over Hell’s left testicle and cellar beers that don’t distribute to your state so you can trade them with other nerds of similar or increased nerdocity. 



The only thing he may have been more into than beer was (maybe is) music. 



But Scott’s on this podcast not because he sold his collection of rare beer to open a record label. No, he most likely would have been fabulously rich if he had done that. 



Instead he liquidated some pretty amazing music memorabilia and rare records to fund the startup of Burnt Hickory Brewery, Georgia’s 8th craft brewery. 



In 2012 the beer laws in Georgia weren’t exactly conducive to opening a craft brewery. But, like many of us, Scott and team Burnt Hickory sprinkled a heavy dose of ‘f**k it’ on their business plan and put the pedal down as hard as they could.



This is the story of Scott Hedeen and a little over a decade of Georgia’s Burnt Hickory Brewery. Listen in and let him and his story teach you How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery. 





⁠⁠Burnt Hickory Brewery website⁠⁠⁠⁠

Burnt Hickory Brewery Facebook⁠

Burnt Hickory Brewery ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X

Burnt Hickory Instagram

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Burnt Hickory Brewery Closing Announcement⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Episode Sponsored by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Accubrew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brewery Direct⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Made To Measure Communications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Somnifix⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)



⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to get my Damn Book⁠⁠




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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support

Rachel Rappa didn’t make beer. She imagined into life what grew into a large-scale kombucha brewery on Long Island in New York. 



But the similarities between what she experienced growing her fermented sweet tea business to the craft beer industry are startling. She dealt with distributors, retailers, employees, seasonality, limited access to growth capital and packaging issues, just like we do. 



She started as an artistic homebrewer and ended up owning 20BBL tanks and brewing primarily core styles. That could be the origin story for 80% of the craft breweries in America. 



As you’ll hear, I really wanted to ask her about the advantages of Direct To Consumer sales, which turned out not to be the savior so many craft brewers think it is. 



What really struck me about Rachel’s story was her journey to personal redemption. In the 3rd segment we really dive into why she finally closed her dream and why she’s now experiencing a depth of happiness deeper than she’s ever known. Her advice earned from her experience should inspire everyone everywhere to linger a little longer in front of the mirror today.



So sit back, listen in and let Rachel Rappa and the story of New York’s Coastal Craft Kombucha teach you how NOT to start a Damn brewery. 



⁠Coastal Craft Kombucha website⁠⁠⁠

⁠Coastal Craft Kombucha Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Coastal Craft Kombucha Closing Announcement⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠



Episode Sponsored by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Accubrew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brewery Direct⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Made To Measure Communications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Somnifix⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)



⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to get my Damn Book⁠


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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support

When Dennis Espinosa partnered with his mom to open Main and 6 in Jacksonville Florida he had the highest of hopes. 

In 2017, like pretty much everyone in craft beer, he only saw victory ahead. 



Most people would agree that he was set up for success. He started with award-winning beers, bought the building and hired an designer to make it special. He won more awards for his beer, actually a ton of them from 2019/2020. 



In the brewery’s 5th year, he won the coveted GABF Brewery of the Year. And was closed down less than 10 months later. 



There are a lot of reasons for why his brewery died. Some we’ve heard before but some will surprise you. So listen in as we share the story of Dennis Espinosa and Jacksonville’s Main and 6 Brewing Company so we can learn How NOT To Start a Damn Brewery.



Main & 6 Brewing website⁠⁠

Main & 6 Brewing Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Main & 6 Brewing Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Main & 6 Brewing X⁠⁠

⁠Main & 6 Brewing Closing Announcement⁠⁠⁠⁠



Episode Sponsored by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Accubrew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brewery Direct⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Simpson Motorcycle Helmets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Made To Measure Communications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Somnifix⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)



⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to get my Damn Book⁠


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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support

In 2023, the Australian Beer market was shocked by the announcement that a beloved brewery that had been awarded close to 40 medals for their beer was shutting down. 



After 9 years blazing the path of Australia’s craft beer scene, Exit Brewing was planning to exit the brewing industry. 



Around 2010, Grum & Frase had been inspired to start a brewery after spending time in Europe immersed in their beer culture. 4 years later they released their first beer, a saison. As their company grew, they expanded to an off-site taproom, followed by national and then international distribution. 



But, like most of us, they couldn’t seem to find whatever rock profitability was hiding under. They tried rebrands, new beers, new partnerships. Frase left to get a real job. 



I sat down with Grum to find out what happened, what went wrong and what the future of the Australian Craft Beer scene looks like. Hint: Grum exited it. 



So open your minds and ears and listen to the story of Craig "Grum" Knight and Melbourne Australia’s Exit Brewing.



⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exit Brewing website⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exit Brewing Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exit Brewing Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exit Brewing X⁠

Uitgang Bar website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exit Brewing Opening Announcement⁠⁠

Exit Brewing Closing Announcement⁠⁠⁠



Episode Sponsored by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Accubrew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brewery Direct⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Simpson Motorcycle Helmets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Made To Measure Communications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Somnifix⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)



⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to get my Damn Book⁠


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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support

When Jason and Heather decided to open their brewery in Indiana they, like most of us, decided to do it their way. They looked at what existed and targeted providing their community with something new. 



Jason made beer styles that he respected in traditional ways. That meant lower abv beers with flavor and consistency. The couple decided to specialize in their food offerings and target an underserved demographic in their market. That meant building one of the only vegan breweries I’ve ever heard of. 



While their niche within a niche might be smaller than the one you set out to fill, in a way, every craft brewery does exactly this. They look at what they perceive as the boring and stale market that currently exists and dream up something new and exciting that will attract customers and their credit cards. 



Jason hit all the road blocks head-on and did so very publicly. After fighting against Covid, toxic masculinity and a suboptimal location, he and Heather finally lowered the curtain on Escape Velocity Brewing in the summer of 2023. 

 

There’s a lot to learn here so open up and listen in. This is the story of Jason Behanna and Lafayette, Indiana’s late Escape Velocity Brewing. 



⁠⁠⁠⁠Escape Velocity Brewing website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Escape Velocity Brewing Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Escape Velocity Brewing Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Escape Velocity Brewing X⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Escape Velocity Brewing Opening Announcement⁠



Episode Sponsored by:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Accubrew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brewery Direct⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Simpson Motorcycle Helmets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Made To Measure Communications⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Somnifix⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

(use DAMNBREWERY at checkout for 10% off)



⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to get my Damn Book⁠


---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/damnbrewery/support