Small-Batch sake brewery selling to bars and shops
Brew sake in a small rented unit and sell bottles and kegs to restaurants, bars and independent shops.
- C$80k-300k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Canada, not guarantees.
What it is
A small production brewery making sake from rice, water, koji and yeast in a rented industrial unit. You focus on brewing and wholesale rather than running a public bar or shop.
Your first three steps
- Take a sake brewing or fermentation course, or arrange to help at an existing craft sake brewery to learn the process
- Contact your provincial liquor regulator and the Canada Revenue Agency to learn which licences and excise rules apply to making sake
- Price out a small unit, fermentation tanks and a rice supplier, then make test batches to show to local restaurants
Who pays
Restaurants, bars, independent liquor and specialty food shops, and sometimes distributors or provincial liquor boards.
How it makes money
Wholesale price per bottle or keg, plus some direct sales where your province allows. Limited seasonal releases and restaurant partnerships can help lift prices.
Skills that help
- Brewing or fermentation know-how
- Cleanliness and careful record keeping
- Selling to restaurants and shops
Watch out for
- Federal excise licensing for producing alcohol and provincial liquor licences, check both before you buy equipment
- Rules on selling through provincial liquor boards or directly to licensed venues differ by province
- Zoning and building requirements for a production unit, check with your municipality
- Commercial general liability and product liability insurance
- Sake rice and koji supply can be hard to source, so plan ahead and test your recipes
- Long start-up lead time before the first sales, so plan your cash flow
Deep research report · Canada
Everything you need to start: small-batch sake brewery selling to bars and shops
Researched with live web search for Canada: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a small sake brewery in Canada?
Estimates are typically around $80,000 to $300,000, depending on your brewing equipment, the rented industrial unit and the scale you start at. Plan for a long lead time before your first sales.
How much can a small-batch sake brewery earn?
Estimates suggest monthly revenue of typically around $4,000 to $25,000, depending on your volumes and whether you sell to restaurants, bars, shops or distributors. Because first sales take a while, plan your cash flow carefully.
What licences and rules should I check before brewing sake to sell?
Check federal excise licensing and provincial liquor licences before you buy equipment. Rules for selling through provincial liquor boards or directly to licensed venues differ by province. Also check zoning and building requirements for a production unit with your municipality.
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