The first four years focus on chemistry and biology, and the last two specifically in brewing. The brewery hopes to move to larger quarters, preferably a 20 hl facility, and is slowly collecting equipment and experience. They appear to see this as a cost to be paid during their education, which is fine as long as they can afford it. For that matter, they don't have electricity or plumbing either, and run a tube down the street to a sewer when they're brewing. In Belgium there are many fraternal and business organizations holding meetings throughout the year, and it is a common practice to have a brewery prepare a batch of beer with special labels for the occasion.
Someone shows up with a truck, takes several dozen cases, hands over a check, and the thing is done.
In a business where cultivating and supplying retail outlets can be a major chore, the savings in effort is substantial. In addition, many of these organizations see it as a matter of pride to present unusual or high quality beers, and actually seek out smaller breweries to work with. Regional pride plays a strong role as well. Page Back to the Direct Links to Some Brewery Reports.