Yankee Brew News Archive

Vermont Company Offers Restaurants and Bars Easy Entry to Brewpub Scene

Originally Published: 10/96

By: Tom Ayres

A new, Vermont-based company offers the restaurant, bar or nightclub owner an enticing package: fast, full-scale entry to pub brewing, without the hassles of dealing with regulators, equipment fabricators, contractors or even hiring a brewer.

"We're going after a market that no one has really thought about very much. The goal is to work with restaurants, bars and nightclubs to help them install and operate breweries that become profitable operations from day one," said James Sherman, president and founder of One World Brewing, as he quaffed McNeill's Alle Tage Alt at Burlington's Three Needs Tap Room. "They'll be able to brew and serve two or three of their own beers without having to go through a two- to three-year ramp-up to get started."

The One World concept is so simple and concise it's a wonder it hasn't been widely embraced before.

"Starting a brewpub means dealing with lots of federal, state and local paperwork, bankers, lawyers, fabricators and vendors," Sherman explained. "For the interested owner of an existing establishment, One World handles all the paperwork, provides 100-percent financing, full-scale site inspection and installation, and even brings in a head brewer. We'll also consult with the owner around the beer styles that will work in that particular setting. He or she can change on a dime the kinds of beer the establishment wants to offer."

A fabled haunt for area college students on the prowl for cheap eats, the Ruben James Restaurant on Main Street in downtown Burlington recently added the words "and Brewery" to its moniker. Known by denizens as RJ's, it's dubbed "the beta site" by One World's Sherman. Brewer Dean Bloch, a frequent award-winner in regional homebrewing contests, began offering RJ's regulars a sampling of two or three pub-brewed beers there in June. Currently on tap: a blonde ale, red ale and brown ale, all crafted from malt extracts using a smaller test version of the entry-level system One World now offers to a wider market.

The basic One World system is a four-barrel turnkey operation including a kettle, jacketed fermentation vessels, conditioning tank and bright beer tank for carbonation and kegging. Three Needs Proprietor Glenn Walter, who recently joined One World as director of brewing operations, was reluctant to name the equipment fabricator. He did note its similarity to components proffered by Montrealer Pierre Rajotte, who has outfitted several small New England brewpubs and microbreweries in recent years.

While the initial One World design targets the extract brewer, the system is upgradeable for all-grain brewing, Walter noted. "With extract, we can provide consistent, high quality with less labor intensity," he said. The approach makes sense, since One World brewers like Ruben James' Bloch will essentially serve as "circuit riders," brewing on a rotating basis in several of the company's contracted operations within a given geographical area.

Under a new arrangement with Walter, One World brewers will also train at the Three Needs for a minimum of two weeks before going out into the field. Currently one of Burlington's largest purveyors of draught specialty beers, the Three Needs will install its own on-site brewery later this year.

The One World approach is targeting "people who have no idea right now that they want a brewery," Sherman offered. "One of the reasons for the continued growth in brewpubs is consumer demand for fresh, premium beers. Our system targets the proprietor who seeks a quick start-up with ease of installation and operation. It's sized to move very easily through doors and into place. The owner of the establishment just has to say, 'Yes.' There's no major retrofitting or renovation involved. Ingredient inventory and ordering can all be centralized through One World. We've got all the [computer] hardware and software in place to make that happen."

Sherman predicted that "three or four more" One World systems "will be up and coming in the fall." He wouldn't name specific settings because "negotiations and paperwork [were] still under way," but said locales are likely to include the Sugarbush and Mt. Snow ski regions, as well as Essex Junction, South Burlington and a second site in Burlington. Discussions are also ongoing with potential One World customers as far away as Albany, Glens Falls, and even Cleveland and New Orleans. Sherman predicted possible expansion to Montreal and Toronto as well.

One World's "all-inclusive" pricing structure includes federal, state and local permitting; site inspection; brewery installation; a head brewer and recipe consultations; and marketing support. It entails a five-year commitment. Costs are based on the number of kegs per month an establishment expects to sell. Prices to the purveyor for pub-brewed One World beers range from $170 per keg ($1.55 per pint) for 10 kegs per month to $120 per keg ($1.10 per pint) for 30 kegs per month. Above the 30-keg threshold, the cost is $95 per keg or 86 cents per pint.

Sherman believes the economics--and access to fresh, well-made beer for patrons--makes sense for the restaurateur, bar or nightclub owner anxious to explore the pub-brewing scene.

"We're bringing together people like myself, Glenn and Dean, who have a love for the craft of brewing," he concluded. "We're using that as a motivator for restaurants and other establishments that show an interest in pub brewing. We're offering them a reliable draw to increase business."