So you want to start a brewery? : the Lagunitas story

In 1993, Tony Magee, who had foundered at every job he'd ever had, decided to become the founder of a brewery. So You Want to Start a Brewery? is the thrilling first-person account of his gut-wrenching challenges and heart-warming successes. Based in Petaluma, California, the Lagunitas Brewing Company makes simple and flavorful craft beer that defies categorization. The same could be said for this book. Equal part memoir, narrative, and business story, with liberal dashes of pop culture and local color, this illuminating yet hilarious account of a one-of-a-kind made-in-America journey just happens to culminate with the success of one of the nation's most popular craft beer brands. In twenty years, Lagunitas has grown from a seat-of-the-pants one-man operation to be the fifth largest-and the fastest-growing-craft brewer in the United States. So You Want to Start a Brewery? is a look behind the curtain rather than a simple business story. It's unglamorous and full of hilarious digressions, but it's never afraid to mess with the nuts and bolts. Devoted to details but never boring, this is a must-read for all who have considered starting their own business-or have sweated blood working to get one on its feet. Told in the vibrant voice of the man closest to the process-and with the most to lose-this illuminating volume should quench the thirst of anyone who has ever tried a Lagunitas beer. Tony Magee is the founder and CEO of the Lagunitas Brewing Company. He lives in Marin County, California In 1993, Tony Magee, who had foundered at every job he'd ever had, decided to become the founder of a brewery. So You Want to Start a Brewery? is the thrilling first-person account of his gut-wrenching challenges and unexpected successes. Based in Petaluma, California, the Lagunitas Brewing Company makes craft beer that is simple and flavorful and defies categorization. The same could be said for this book. Equal parts memoir, narrative, and business story—with liberal dashes of pop culture and local color—this honest yet hilarious account of a one-of-a-kind, made-in-America journey just happens to culminate with the success of one of the nation's most popular craft beer brands. In twenty years, Lagunitas has grown from a shoestring operation to be the fifth largest—and the fastest growing—craft brewer in the United States. First published in a limited edition two years ago by a tiny California press, So You Want to Start a Brewery? has here been revised and updated to include Lagunitas's establishment of a new brewery in Chicago, set to open in 2014. So You Want to Start a Brewery? is unglamorous and full of entertaining digressions, but it's never afraid to mess with the nuts and bolts. This is a must-read for all who have considered starting their own business—or have sweated blood working to get one on its feet. Told in the vibrant voice of Tony Magee—the man closest to the process—this blow-by-blow chronicle will introduce beer drinkers and entrepreneurs to the reality of starting a craft brewery from the ground up. Front Cover 1 Title Page 2 Copyright 3 Contents 4 Fauxword 6 Introduction—The Days Before the First Days 10 Chapter 1: The First Days - Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff 20 Chapter 2: The Tyranny of Fast Growth - What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger 32 Chapter 3: But What Kind of Beer . . . ? - Building a Beer in Make-or-Break Times 40 Chapter 4: Creative Funding - Robbing Peter to Pay Paul 46 Chapter 5: Dramas and Debacles - Good Judgment Born from Bad Experience 54 Chapter 6: Tried and Tested - The Art of Staying Ahead of the Game 66 Chapter 7: The Birth of a Brand - A Rose By Any Other Name . . . 74 Chapter 8: The Arrival of Our IPA - The Beer That Was Destined to Become Our Destiny 82 Chapter 9: Flavors and Labels - How a Rogue Brand was Established 90 Chapter 10: Down with Dogma - Feeling Around for the Edges 106 Chapter 11: The Experimental Recipes - You Win Some. You Lose Some 116 Chapter 12: The Brewery - The Story of the Place Itself 124 Chapter 13: Moving to Petaluma - Friends and Frenemies and Petty Tyrants 132 Chapter 14: Moving Again - Why a Brewery is Like a Rubik’s Cube 144 Chapter 15: A Word About Brewers - The Ghosts in the Machines 160 Chapter 16: The St. Patrick’s Day Massacre - A.k.a. The Undercover Shutdown Investigation 168 Chapter 17: The Beer Sanctuary - And Finally, A Bona Fide Place to Drink the Beer 180 Chapter 18: Current Life on Planet Lagunitas - Still Doing Our Best to Keep It Real 186 Afterword— Thoughts on Thinking 196 Epilogue 204 Index 222 Back Cover 226 "So You Want to Start a Brewery? is the first-person account of Tony Magee's gut-wrenching challenges and heart-warming successes in founding Lagunitas Brewing Company. In just 20 years, the company has grown from a seat-of-the-pants, one-man operation to be the fifth largest--and the fastest-growing--craft brewer in the United States. This equal part memoir, narrative, and business story is an illuminating yet hilarious account anchored strongly in time and place as a one-of-a-kind, made-in-America journey that culminates with the success of one of the nation's most popular and enduring craft beer brands"-- Provided by publisher "So You Want to Start a Brewery? is equal part memoir, narrative, and business story; an illuminating and hilarious account of a one-of-a-kind, made-in-America journey that culminates with the success of Lagunitas Brewing Company, one of the nation's most popular and enduring craft beer brands"-- Provided by publisher