Together We're Bitter

[panamaniac]

Article in the Kitchener Post today indicates that Together We're Bitter is having trouble finding a reasonably priced location in the downtown core: http://www.kitchenerpost.ca/news/bitter-...-the-core/

$700/month sees not unreasonable, and walking distance to core (and to LRT):
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-commercial-office...1080490820

I hardly think that 400sqft is going to meet their needs.  Three or four times that space (more if they are planning to incorporate a decent kitchen) would be more like it.

[tomh009]

$700/month sees not unreasonable, and walking distance to core (and to LRT):
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-commercial-office...1080490820

I hardly think that 400sqft is going to meet their needs.  Three or four times that space (more if they are planning to incorporate a decent kitchen) would be more like it.

400 + basement.  But the point is that not everything is expensive.

[Smore]

I hardly think that 400sqft is going to meet their needs.  Three or four times that space (more if they are planning to incorporate a decent kitchen) would be more like it.

400 + basement.  But the point is that not everything is expensive.

Right, but the place needs to fit all the brewing equipment which isn't small, a kitchen and enough tables to be profitable...so the point is, that place is immediately disqualified. I'm sure qualified locations are too expensive....think of the Abe Erb space, which I think is about the minimum they'd need!

[tomh009]

400 + basement.  But the point is that not everything is expensive.

Right, but the place needs to fit all the brewing equipment which isn't small, a kitchen and enough tables to be profitable...so the point is, that place is immediately disqualified.  I'm sure qualified locations are too expensive....think of the Abe Erb space, which I think is about the minimum they'd need!

I don't know that space ... how big is it and how much does it cost?

[nms]

How big is the Abe Erb space? It seems pretty small, but yet they're brewing.

[numberguy]

They also likely rent brewing space from Innocente or Block 3

[BuildingScout]

How big is the Abe Erb space? It seems pretty small, but yet they're brewing.

Eyeballing it I would say 3,000 square feet.

[Spokes]

How big is the Abe Erb space? It seems pretty small, but yet they're brewing.

It's not huge, but they use it well.  Some (if not all) of their brewing equipment is on raised level/platform

[ookpik]

A micro brewery doesn't need to be any larger than a one-car garage. Otto Brothers who served the greater Jackson Hole, CO area started literally in a garage. They also reintroduced growlers to North America because there was no room for a bottling line in a garage.  (I can attest to this because I visited their garage back in the day. Very friendly folks. They even gave us a tour of their operation  ) 

So by comparison I would say Abe Erb's brewery operation is gigantic. 

Anyway, that's the bare minimum to serve a reasonable sized community. You'd need more space if there's a restaurant. And yes I'd guesstimate Abe Erb at about 3000 sq ft.

P.S. Presumably a true minimalist brew-pub would be in garage or basement and a food truck (assuming a food truck could get a beer license.)

[REnerd]

Dare I say that Abe Erb is a restaurant, with a brewery on display?  To say it is a brewery is just not correct (IMO).

It could be a lot smaller if it wasn't seating 70+ people for dinner and drinks....

I suspect that the Bitter people are going with a much more modest sized 'pub'.

[Spokes]

Dare I say that Abe Erb is a restaurant, with a brewery on display?  To say it is a brewery is just not correct (IMO).

It could be a lot smaller if it wasn't seating 70+ people for dinner and drinks....

I suspect that the Bitter people are going with a much more modest sized 'pub'.

In what way is it not a micro-brewery?

[Smore]

TWB is planning a restaurant. They already brew in a garage...

[kps]

They should rent the Macintosh building, so we can have drive-through beer.

[REnerd]

Dare I say that Abe Erb is a restaurant, with a brewery on display?  To say it is a brewery is just not correct (IMO).

It could be a lot smaller if it wasn't seating 70+ people for dinner and drinks....

I suspect that the Bitter people are going with a much more modest sized 'pub'.

In what way is it not a micro-brewery?

I think that a brewery can have an auxiliary restaurant but it is generally very limited in size etc.   I have a feeling that the Abe Erb restaurant is much larger.

Secondly, they serve a lot of other beers in their restaurant.  Classic micro-breweries will serve only their beer (I think ??).  I believe a micro-brewery can serve their own beer with less licensing oversight.   Add to this they also sell spirits.

I could go on but none of my reasons are really well 'backed-up'.  Maybe someone knows something about what makes a micro-brewery a micro-brewery and can tell me I'm wrong (or right  )?

[notmyfriends]

http://www.kitchenerpost.ca/news/brewery...ll-street/

"It’s an announcement Together We’re Bitter has been waiting more than two years to make — the brewpub has finally found a home at 300 Mill St."