Brewery Production Planning: Craft an Efficient Production Schedule

Planning a brewery production schedule manually, without the aid of brewery management software, might seem like a challenge, but with a bit of organization, it’s entirely manageable. Whether you’re a seasoned brewer or just starting out, having a clear production process is essential for maintaining efficiency and driving profitability. A well-structured plan ensures you can meet production goals while optimizing resources. By incorporating sales data and demand forecasts into your scheduling, you can better align production with market needs and avoid overproduction or stock shortages.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Planning your brews: Determining what to brew, when to brew it, and how much to produce based on forecasted demand.
• Securing materials and supplies: Ensuring all necessary ingredients and materials are available to keep the production process running smoothly.
• Proactive purchasing: Identifying and acquiring missing ingredients in advance to prevent costly delays.

Let’s break down each step!

Start with the big picture: what craft beer do you want to brew, and when? Factor in seasonality, market trends, and your current inventory. A clear plan will help ensure your brewery stays on track and responsive to demand.

Here’s how to break it down:

Choose Your Recipes – Select the styles of craft beer you’ll produce based on sales forecasting. Pay attention to emerging market trends to introduce limited-edition or seasonal offerings.

Set a Schedule – Plan brewing dates for each recipe, keeping fermentation timelines in mind to prevent tank bottlenecks.

Calculate Volume – Use sales data and current demand to determine how much of each beer to produce.

Document everything in a calendar or spreadsheet to create a visual roadmap of your production schedule, ensuring you stay organized and aligned with market trends.

Before brewing, it’s critical to ensure you have all the necessary ingredients and supplies. This step will save you from scrambling mid-brew or delaying production. Here’s how to confirm everything is in place:

1. Check Inventory: Manually audit your stock of raw materials, including grains, hops, yeast, and water additives. Don’t forget packaging materials like bottles, kegs, and labels.
2. Match Inventory to Recipes: Cross-reference your recipes with your current inventory to ensure you have sufficient quantities of each ingredient.
3. Account for Lead Times: If you’re missing key items, take note of supplier lead times to ensure they arrive before your scheduled brew dates. Adjust your schedule as needed.

This is where a good checklist or a detailed spreadsheet becomes invaluable for tracking what you have versus what you need.

Once you’ve identified gaps in your inventory, it’s time to act. Efficient purchasing keeps your brewing schedule on track and avoids costly downtime.

Place orders well in advance whenever possible to avoid delays. Build strong relationships with your suppliers for better service. If budget is a concern, make sure to compare prices between suppliers. Double-check your order quantities align with your production schedule to prevent over-ordering or shortages.

Keep a record of your orders, including expected delivery dates. This will help you to stay adaptable, reducing downtime. With all your ingredients in place, it’s time for the fun part: brewing!

Brew Ninja brewery management software can take the hassle out of planning. With features like automated inventory tracking, streamlined purchasing, and integrated scheduling, Brew Ninja simplifies your operations so you can focus on brewing great beer. Why do it the hard way when you can do it the Brew Ninja way? Schedule a chat to learn more!