u/snake_eaterMGS

Three years ago, I started a tiny brewery thinking it might eventually become my main source of income. I also wanted to become a better brewer and learn what it meant to run a small craft brewery.

Today it’s still essentially a one-man operation. I design recipes, brew, serve customers through my mobile beer truck at local events, manage the business, and do everything else myself.

Financially, it has never been particularly profitable. But I also realized I have other sources of income, which gave me the freedom to rethink what I actually wanted from this project.

Ironically, once I stopped chasing growth, I became a much better brewer. I started experimenting more, using local ingredients, even growing my own hops, and simply enjoying the process.

Looking back, I don’t think my scale was ever going to become a highly profitable business. Instead, especially over the last few months, I’ve found real value in staying small, meeting people directly at events, and brewing the beers I genuinely want to make.

I’m beginning to think that success, at least for me, on this project, isn’t (and couldn’t) be about building a bigger brewery. I’ve learned that investing more and trying to scale isn’t the path I want to follow, and I was naive before (learned my lessons).

Instead, it may be about building something I still enjoy running ten years from now.

Curiously, walking away from the project doesn’t feel like the right answer either. I’m starting to think there’s room for a small, local brewery that focuses on local ingredients and sells directly to the local community through markets and events. A simpler, lower-stress approach. Not quite a hobby, but not a high-growth business either. If it brings me some extra income while allowing me to keep learning, brewing, and enjoying the craft, I’d consider that a success.

Has anyone else intentionally chosen to stay small vs. closing as an option?

Are there breweries, or even other craft businesses, that have successfully embraced this approach? I’d love to hear your experiences.

Hi! Has anyone here ever seriously considered selling their beer commercially?

I’ve been homebrewing for years and at various points I’ve thought about turning it into a business. I’ve done some small commercial projects and events, but I’m increasingly wondering whether trying to monetize brewing can actually take away some of the enjoyment that made it appealing in the first place.

For those of you who have been brewing for a long time:
What keeps you passionate about homebrewing?
Have you ever considered starting a brewery or selling your beer commercially?

If so, what made you decide for or against it?

Do you think turning brewing into a business risks ruining the hobby?

Looking back, would you make the same decision again?
I’d be interested to hear both from people who stayed hobby brewers and from those who went professional.

Dúvida de literacia financeira / património:

Numa herança familiar surgiu uma hipótese de acordo:

Opção A:
Receber cerca de 25.000€ em tornas (pagamento único) mais 2 casas (ver abaixo)

Opção B:
Abdicar dessas tornas e ficar com 2 casas mas com rendimento mensal superior

Cenário aproximado:

Pessoa 1:
Imóvel → ~700€/mês
Imóvel → ~100€/mês* (arrendamento antigo com inquilina muito idosa)

Total atual: ~800€/mês

Pessoa 2:
Imóvel → ~650€/mês
Imóvel → ~800€/mês

Total atual: ~1450€/mês

*Detalhe: o imóvel de menor renda pode no futuro gerar mais rendimento (exemplo, 800€/ mês), caso haja mudança de inquilino (visto ser idosa), mas não é possível prever quando.

Pensando puramente em património e longo prazo, preferiam:

receber ~25.000€ agora
ou
abdicar disso e ficar com os imóveis de maior rendimento mensal?

Obrigado!

Edit - esclarecimento adicional:

Explicitando melhor:

• ⁠Há 4 casas semelhantes entre si, excepto uma arrendada a preço baixo
• ⁠2 pessoas têm de receber 2 casas cada um.
• ⁠Pessoa 1 tem de pagar tornas de 25.000€ de outro acerto
• ⁠Será o pagamento de tornas de 25.000€ negligenciável e esquecível, se essa pessoa ficar com a casa arrendada de menor valor, mais outra casa de arrendamento médio/ alto.
• ⁠Por outras palavras, sendo eu a Pessoa 2, saio favorecido ou pelo menos de forma justa se perdoar tornas, mas ficar com 2 rendas médio/ altas?

Nota: casa de renda baixa pode mudar no futuro, mas não se sabe se é daqui a 2, 5 ou 10 anos (inquilina idosa).

I’m 35 and I feel like I’ve essentially reached a modest version of FIRE.

This is definitely not FAT FIRE, but my current setup comfortably covers my lifestyle and expenses while still allowing me to save more, invest in MSCI World ETFs, and gradually improve my financial position.

Most of my income comes from 4 rental properties (2 inherited). I also run a small craft beer and drinks business. Interestingly, the business gives me far more emotional and social fulfillment than financial return. Around 80% of my monthly income actually comes from the rentals.

I’ve been living this way for about 2 years after leaving a fairly challenging corporate career.

Recently my girlfriend (we’ve been together for about a year) suggested that I might benefit from adding something more social to my life — maybe part-time work or volunteering that creates more structure in my days. Apart from events, the production side of my business is quite solitary.

I’ve also noticed that because I have a lot of free time, I probably end up relying too much on her for company. She still works full-time and naturally has her own routines and responsibilities.

I actually think she may have a point.

My first thought was simply spending more time with friends, but realistically that’s difficult. We already meet for dinners or similar plans from time to time, but like most people at this age, everyone has their own routines, jobs, and responsibilities.

Has anyone here reached FIRE relatively young and faced something similar? Did you find purpose through part-time work, volunteering, hobbies, community involvement, or something else?

This is a genuine question. Thanks :)