E-Malt.com News article: USA, CO: Dad & Dudes Breweria to expand in the neighbourhoods of Colorado

The father-son duo behind Dad & Dudes Breweria is raising a couple million dollars to build more restaurants and push beer distribution into neighbouring states, BusinessDen reported on June 25.

Thomas Hembree and his son, Mason, are working to raise $2 million.

“We feel we’ve got a niche within the brewpub concept,” Thomas Hembree said. “We think we can [put] this throughout neighbourhoods in Colorado.”

Dad & Dudes Breweria is a 4-year-old brewpub that makes some of its beer on-site and partners with two brewing companies – Rockyard in Castle Rock and Sleeping Giant in Denver – to make beer for distribution. This year, it will produce nearly 2,500 barrels.

Matt Osterman, the owner of Sleeping Giant, said Dad & Dudes Breweria’s has created a strong customer base at its 6730 S. Cornerstar Way location in Aurora.

“They do have aggressive expansion plans, and in my mind, given that I see a lot of different approaches, that’s what it takes right now to separate yourself from the rest,” Osterman said.

Dad & Dudes Breweria hopes to increase annual production to about 5,000 barrels during the next several years, Hembree said.

“Beer sales are going to continue to go up,” he said. “We’re going to continue to market in Colorado and eventually take our distribution of craft beer into other states.”

The pair also has plans to open two new Dad & Dudes Breweria locations in the suburbs around Denver, with more on the way.

“We will be able to open at least one new restaurant a year for the next five years,” Hembree said. “That’s a conservative estimate. There are a lot of pre-existing restaurants that have closed down that fit our model that we can update.”

The company is on track to earn $2 million in revenue this year, Hembree said, up from $1 million in 2012.

At 3,200 square feet, Dad & Dudes Breweria is small in comparison to other breweries that make more of their beer on-site, Hembree said.

“This size is a much more appealing concept to someone who wants to franchise,” he said. “We can set them up for success. We already now have the system, the food, the beer and the concept. Other companies are telling us it’s (able to be franchised).”

The Hembrees plan to start selling beer in other states before establishing franchises outside of Colorado. Mason Hembree said beer sales and marketing around the state have driven buyers to visit the pub; a “spoke and hub” model he thinks will work elsewhere.

And if the franchise idea catches on, Mason said each location would differ slightly from the others to reflect local preferences.

“We have a brand of flagship beer that you would find consistently at each location, but each would offer some beers that you couldn’t find at other,” he said.


26 June, 2015