Commercial microbrewing with Brewlab

Get out of the shed and into the shops – how to turn your passion for craft brewing into a profitable commercial enterprise

You've developed a product you're proud of, and thought of a witty name to set it out from the crowd. But you've still got a lot to learn before you bring your beer to market. This one-day event gives aspiring microbrewers a unique opportunity to learn the fundamentals of perfecting and marketing a microbrew, from the experts at Sunderland's internationally-renowned Brewlab.

This one-day crash course covers all the business and technical essentials, from getting the right consistency for satisfying lacing to planning a social media strategy to spread the word. You'll find out how to analyse your competition and market to ensure your brewery has a clear competitive advantage. You'll also learn how to create a detailed business plan to work out the resources you'll need to get started, including the costs of equipment, labour and distribution, to give you a realistic map for the journey ahead.

As well as a practical guide to the day-to-day realities of the game from Phil Douglas, master brewer of bestselling, multi-award-winning Black Sheep, you'll also receive an authoritative guide to profiling beer flavours and perfecting the quality and character of your recipes, so your beer is sure to stand out from the pack. The day finishes with an opportunity to taste some excellent real ales, and swap tips and contacts with like-minded brewers from across the country.

This course is for you if...

• You've learned from or been inspired by a previous Guardian masterclass in independent brewing and want to take the next step
• You're a confident homebrewer who would like to sell one or more craft beers commercially
• You run a free house or restaurant and are interested in branching out into brewing and selling your own beers
• You are interested in beer and want to know more about the logistical and financial challenges of setting a small-scale microbrewery

Course description

This one-day seminar-style, intermediate-level course is designed for amateur craft brewers with some experience, who are ready to take the next step and start selling and distributing products pubs, restaurants and/or off licenses. Topics covered on the day include:

• Ingredients, processes and the necessary equipment for brewing
• Defining your company and product
• How to organise your finances
• Creating a viable business plan
• Finding your place in the market – and why it matters
• Marketing and promotion for your beer – from social media to real ale festivals
• Distribution and packaging
• Perfecting your recipes and creating beer with character
• Common pitfalls, and how to avoid them

Tutor profiles

Piero Alberici is an experienced international sales and marketer. He has sold products in 60 different countries and regularly lectures on behalf of UKTI to prospective new exporters. He has been lecturing at Brewlab for five years on all matters related to business start-up and marketing. In addition he is the new business development manager for Fentimans drinks.

Keith Thomas is a senior lecturer in biotechnology at the University of Sunderland with academic and practical experience of applied research in many areas of brewing. He founded Brewlab Ltd in 1986 and Darwin Brewery in 1995, providing technical and training support for new brewers for over 25 years.

Alison Hedley is the laboratory manager at Brewlab, heading up the analysis department. She has 32 years experience in the brewing industry. She conducts external microbiological audits and trains brewery operatives in flavour assessment techniques. In addition she lectures on a variety of brewing courses on topics such as beer tasting.

Phil Douglas is a qualified master brewer and a Fellow of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling with 24 years experience in the industry. He is a part time lecturer at Nottingham University brewing school and trains licensees in beer handling for the British Institute of Innkeeping.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website