Blue Cat Brewpub was an Illinois icon. One of the state’s first brewpubs, they made award-winning beer for 23 years.

After the owners sold and the brewery was rebranded unsuccessfully, the new owners were looking for a way to save the dream.

That’s where Charlie Cole came marching into the picture.

After working at most of the Quad-city’s breweries, hosting a beer-centric radio show and snagging more brewing education than I think anyone on this show has, Charlie decided to parter up with the new owners.

The goal? Recreate the magic of Blue Cat and parlay that success into a distribution strategy to build the brand beyond anything it had ever achieved in it’s golden years.

As I’m sure you’ve guessed, that isn’t what happened and the new Blue Cat shuttered in 2023 after calamity ended in catastrophe.

Listen in and learn How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery with Charlie Cole and the Blue Cat Brewing Company.

Blue Cat Facebook

Blue Cat Website

Blue Cat Instagram

Closing Announcement

And now for something a little different.

I came across an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, thanks to my sister-in-law, that cited the struggles of the California wine industry. I found the similarities to the struggles that the people behind their beer businesses face to be truly compelling and undeniably relevant.

So I reached out to Megan Bell from Margins Wine because her quotes in the article were honest in ways I see few entrepreneurs able or willing to be.

The path of her winery and the legacy she’s built winds through struggle, success, pivots and uncertainty. Her experience educates us on nationwide distribution, the role of DTC sales, club memberships and own-premise sales over the bar.

I was able to grab a few bottles of her wine and found her approach to wine and business to be eerily similar to what my wife and mine was with our brewery. And what many people I talk to either tried before, are trying today or are hoping to try one day in their business.

You have my word that the story of Megan Bell and her story of Margins Wine will not only help you to be a better Bev/alc business owner but will teach you How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery.

Margins Wine Website

⁠Margins Wine Facebook

SF Chronicle Article

In the span of a decade, Michigan saw a major craft beer boom, going from around 100 craft breweries to upwards of 400.

In the middle of that marketplace Kevin DeGrood opened Michigan’s North Center Brewing way back in 2015. He watched a fairly virgin market become deflowered with nearly 30 breweries just during the time he was finalizing his business plan.

His start up was methodical, specific and, by many accounts, the right way to do it. Unfortunately through a mix of employment issues, changing customer tastes and a near-impossible distribution market, his brewery finally closed a few months ago on St Patty’s Day.

Kevin’s story highlights how the right brewery can still end up on the wrong end of a P&L. He’s smart, passionate and, thankfully, open to sharing his story so that we can all learn from him How NOT To Start A Damn Brewery.