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John Liegey & Rich Vandenburgh go from drinking beer together to making beer together at LI brewery
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Well we are gonna switch gears now from finding the gaps in in planning for retirement.
A couple of guys to met -- backing -- never a couple of Beers hatched a plan to the few years to get it into fruition.
But they are threw caution to the -- -- -- -- -- rich venom very gently G there they co founders of green port or harbor brewing company and thanks so much for joining us here on set today guys with with props here off the quite a few minutes before and corking that but.
Listen you guys out -- we we have a lot of entrepreneurs come on and and talk about the challenges here you have a great idea.
Obviously it took awhile while you what about your your careers and in -- -- was saying you know what life has lots of curve balls and in crazy turns here but.
What was the next -- I mean obviously out of families in in life.
In between those couple of years back in college and in brewing the first couple but.
What she really got serious about it I mean you you found the location angry -- an old firehouse mean.
Talk to me about what the next up was how do you go from -- this looks like could be got a great place.
Serving up here and in getting people to buy -- from -- -- I mean it's basically was it was kind of the you know right time right place since situation -- -- -- that we were gonna have there.
Take that leap of faith that it would we built that they would come so we we secured the financing for the purchase of the property.
Most of the effort in terms of the renovation of the building and you know one repairing and restoring it was all pretty much sweat equity with John myself and my brother in -- brother.
Helping out.
And -- -- did you guys know much about.
-- in the business end of beer as opposed to just being big consumers.
Occur in the restaurant business that was you know little bit on the inside the service side but as far as your coast -- we heard.
Really well.
First that trekking here and we -- making it no the whole.
Mechanics of it were not something that we was on the job learning -- I was.
Or -- -- there -- someone's story aircraft beer you saw these guys can -- why can't we.
Well I mean I think probably the -- quick easy example is Tim Cook you're you know Boston Beer company and he's essentially traveled around Boston wins Beers in a briefcase and walking in the places and saying hey once you try this so I would say that's probably the most obvious example -- but really I think it was just the excitement of us being able to.
You know our aren't big joke was if we -- a very we never have to buy -- -- -- again.
So I think there was large motivation of that behind this kind of like we can do this we can do this and it really isn't as a passion for both of us about the mere yeah.
And did -- was it who was there are certain what one of the biggest hurdles you can think of was it was -- getting -- our special certification to brew beer.
Vs are you making widgets and a factory -- You know -- and without a doubt I think the thing that stuff most people has to be the paperwork involved -- mean you're dealing with.
Alcohol so there's a lot of government involvement there's a lot of filings -- -- paperwork that you have to put together.
And it's a long process and thankfully -- have somebody who is.
Very get a lawyer -- out -- like very much focused through you know a lot of that work -- -- it's a pretty challenging.
Few months to get everything done you need to in order to -- -- -- paper standpoint not to mention that the building in getting the equipment and all that -- -- together.
Them that you didn't miss is where you the life experience comes into blaming your life and -- -- ad sales -- and -- -- the creative sides and I are able to have to bring that knowledge to the table that you may be some younger entrepreneurs.
Maybe you are not able to do and and it's one thing that's interesting about -- the craft beer movement it is a little bit of a paradox right I mean it's never been more popular EC growth in this the overall -- markets actually been declining the past two years but craft beer.
Keeps growing double digit percentage wise.
Father on the competition for tap handles an -- in space in you know convenience stores and then an even you when you've got her CD serving prowler is.
Yeah you know its its reach critical mass but yet they're more names and ever.
-- and that that certainly is people always ask us about that and usually it's people that are from outside the industry don't understand exactly why would you -- -- -- -- opening up you know down the street -- next town over.
And actually did the bringing she's actually very collaborative so we've actually been very fortunate to enjoy a lot of you know support and we help each other out.
There right now there's -- little over 2000 registered breweries and that our.
According to -- growers association in America with 700 more in planning.
So certainly the pressure for those -- panels becomes.
More interest thing in terms of exactly where the road's gonna lead.
But hey you know for us it's essentially.
You know we -- term is you know the liquid speaks for itself the beer speaks for itself so hopefully when she had a -- that's very want to go back to.
And John we've we've been covering a Fox Business that the big draw big jump I should say and act prices -- drown out there to get some do you lock in your real house prices are you concerned about commodity cost jumping up absolutely I mean we have we have -- contracts that last year -- They've got cut by 60% by the copper because there were issues with.
Getting the -- out to the field and as a smaller brewery.
You knew we were kind of maybe the worst possible place in the the you know the chain of but who gets what -- -- large numbers get.
Him more access and then -- we did but.
I think what it did an interesting way it was it forced us to be creative and to actually reach out beyond that most popular hops to -- that are.
Maybe less you know.
Often -- -- come up with your cells that were you know a little bit more experimental little bit more interest thing.
And a little bit more what -- microbrewery should be doing so it ended up being a positive even though was that the challenge you know you have to become commodity futures -- The odds of -- right and then of course you know higher gasoline prices input cost on and everything in that the glass and everything is is.
-- been on the rise on.
You're you're expanding W -- kind of exponentially from what 200 tags back in 2009 congratulations on third anniversary by the way just celebrating of -- And you know you -- -- moving to a new -- is now did you have any idea when he saw that did dilapidated firehouse in green port.
That you're going to be moving now -- -- you know we -- -- -- -- we really didn't you know it ain't that the speed with which things have grown in there and the reception with which we.
Had has been phenomenal so -- were very fortunate to be ahead in the curve of where we thought -- be at this point.
Yeah I mean yet he likes it started -- case you're looking at 6000.
Kegs for this year.
What about for next -- -- to put -- -- -- -- the facility come on line -- thirteen yet the expectation is that new facility will be in line by you know next Memorial Day and that we -- that added capacity with our system in place there will be a thirty bell system there.
We it because we're gonna continue to -- green point we're not leaving green point right now that's gonna continue to be there.
That -- a capacity -- hopefully allow us to achieve 6000.
Barrel which is 121000 -- Goal and I mean.
That has caused interruption of packaging plant -- -- -- -- have your own bottles -- for a -- -- -- -- all drastically -- restaurant OK so we'll give -- two thirds more locations and we can now -- you know.
Increasing our production to package and so.
Interest -- right it.
Last thing favorite flavor.
And I -- hello -- You know you know what I eat its.
Ethical person so it is whatever you know the newest clear we have just go for and a huge ways.
It changes from month month for -- it's a seasonally changes.
Easily it is all right well that's spoken like true craft Beers have they say much for joining us John lady -- -- Vandenberg near the co founders of -- -- harbor brewing company that we've got the website up here on the screen right now.
And I feel pretty good there -- check out and they do have tours and tastings and you know have a beer garden at the new location that's correct and which will be out on Long Island -- -- enough and they were reported isn't.
There's a picture all right outside of the old firehouse just couple blocks off the waterfront.
Were -- so much for joining us today I'm Robert -- from the Fox Business Network thanks again for joining us on foxbusiness.com.
-- foxnews.com.
Live the business -- have a great day.
