Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob Sandage.
Bob, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am an electrical engineer – as a kid with my dad and then myself in the Marine Corp and bachelors, masters, and almost Ph.D. Owned my engineering company for 15 years and sold it to a Montreal-based company in 2009. I started home brewing in 1992 and wrote my first draft brewpub business plan in 2002. Three days before selling my company, the Wrecking Bar property became available as a result of foreclosure. Worked hands-on on restoration for 14 months, assembled the team, and now have one of the top 10 brewpubs in the US-based on ratings.
Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not smooth. The first year saw abrupt changes in key brewing and kitchen personnel – I stepped in as brew master 5 months after opening and we had our third head chef leave right after our 1st anniversary. It took about 3 years to get all of the right key people and processes in place.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Wrecking Bar Brewpub story. Tell us more about the business.
The Wrecking Bar Brewpub is unlike most other brewpubs in the country. My business partner Stevenson and I purchased a farm two years ago and supply a good portion of the menu produce to the pub and several others in Atlanta. The food is pretty much all locally sourced and is quite unique as far as brewpubs go. We also usually have 12-15 beers on tap ranging from light to hoppy to dark, malty, and strong.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think that the moderate to fast growth in craft beer has created a small “bubble”. Not every homebrewer who won two medals and borrowed 98% of their startup costs will survive the transition to a brewery or brewpub. And there is already increasing pressure on the top end – mega-breweries are buying up medium to large breweries and brewpubs. So, there will be some consolidation over the next 5 years. I do like that what looked like a fad or trend at one point of the local/sustainable movement is having some movement into the brewing industry. More and more hop farms and grain farms/malting companies are opening, leading to a more sustainable supply chain that can yield fresher product and keep stimulating local economies.
Pricing:
- Food: $5 to $25 items
- Beer: $2 for 4oz samples up to about $7 for 8oz high gravity beers
Contact Info:
- Address: 292 Moreland Ave NE
Atlanta GA 30307 - Website: www.wreckingbarbrewpub.com
- Phone: 404.221.2600
- Email: info@wreckingbarbrewpub.com
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