A collaboration between a Sydney publican and a website building platform – called ‘Save The Beer’ – has smashed the first phase of its crowdfunding target, taking $20,000 in just 10 days.
Called TAPSnTINS, the initiative is the brainchild of MOBLE and Royal Albert Hotel publican Michael Bain. It aims to save 8000 kegs of craft beer laying idle in kegs amid coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Brewers hoping to ‘Save The Beer’ include Beerfarm, Balter, Feral, Bridge Road Brewers, Ballistic Beer, Kaiju!, Hop Nation, Modus Operandi and many more.
It all began in March, when Surry Hills based tech company MOBLE, released a 0% Fee Home Ordering Solution, as an alternative to home ordering apps, which can take up to 30% of gross revenue.
Businesses needing to sell online can either build their own home ordering website for free, starting at $9 per month, or ask the MOBLE team to do it for them.
“As part of the step by step website training course that is included in the offering, MOBLE wanted to document not only how to build a website, but a warts and all journey of how to grow a startup.” Davenport said. “With family in the craft beer industry, we knew the craft beer industry was struggling and felt TAPSnTINS was a worthy stage.
“Needing a liquor license, we invited Mick Bain from our local pub The Royal Albert Hotel to join us and it escalated from there.”
The next step was to find a way to can the craft beer into crowlers (946ml tinnies, the size of two schooners).
“Initially, we wanted to use canning equipment to save the beer,” Davenport explained.
“Canning machines turned out to be a barrier to entry, as one litre crowler seamers and cans were out of stock globally, with long waiting lists. While 500ml alternatives were available, they had a lot of wastage, were slow and labour intensive. To Save The Beer, we knew we had to invent our own can, that had a twist top, to remove the barrier to entry that machines presented.
“Being an entirely local campaign, we approached a Sydney based canning company to work with us to make one litre twist tops cans. The success of the crowdfund was a critical validation check for the manufacturer to work with us, and we now have an unlimited supply of cans."
“With cans now available, we have found a way to get pubs back open with a combined home ordering solution from MOBLE and canning offer from TAPSnTINS. The key thing for venues is that canning beer from kegs is much higher margin than the pre-packaged bottle shop alternative."
The offer is now open to pubs around the country.”
The entrepreneurs have launched a crowdfunding campaign where people can pledge to pre-order beer from the warehouse.
“People who pledge can login to access a VIP Warehouse Bar, where they can pick and mix beer that is on offer in the warehouse,” Davenport said.
“Crowlers will be poured in the first week in June and shipped the same day for that pub fresh taste. As a tech company we knew that the crowdfund model was the perfect solution to save the beer. We could get funds in advance to manufacture cans, plus we could ensure every drop had a home to go to before it was poured. We have only made it to the first phase of the crowdfund, we can't get carried away yet, we have 8000 kegs of beer to save.”
Independent brewers have welcomed the TAPSnTINS initiative.
“The brewers, of course, have been right behind us,” Davenport said. “This is not just about saving lost revenue for the breweries, but it is an opportunity for publicans to reopen and start selling beer. Everybody wins.”
Click here to find out more about the Save The Beer crowdfunding campaign.
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