Talking Shop with Matt Huber of the John A. Huber Brewing Company

The Huber family calls Hubrew Beer, "Beer the way it should be." They have a variety of beverages available in area stores and restaurants. Matt Huber, CEO and business manager of the John A. Huber Brewing Company, shared his thoughts about business and family.

Q: How did your family start brewing its own beer?

A: It's a cool story. My dad, John, is our president, founder and brewmaster. Mom got him a Mr. Beer home-brew kit in 2003 and he started doing it. Dad never had any hobbies -- he didn't hunt or fish -- he always worked to provide for the family. He put time into it and it became his hobby. When you're in homebrew there are two versions. One is extract like Mr. Beer, which is kind of like instant coffee versus grinding and brewing your own coffee. With extract, you can only make it so good.

Around 2007, he took a class with Mike Mills at Buckner [Brewing Co.] with the [Extended and] Continuing Education Program at Southeast [Missouri State University]. That was his jump start. He started homebrewing all grain. In 2009, he wanted to start but we weren't all on board. He started Home-brew Supply of Southeast Missouri out of our basement. He started small in 2009. The closest place to get supplies was St. Louis or online, but the shipping cost is high. He was providing himself and others he knew access to products, really to cover hobby costs.

The "aha moment" for me was listening to a speaker at the [Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship] that was very motivational. I talked to dad and told him, "Let's do what it takes. I want to do it. We can work until we make it happen."

Matt Huber stands with a freshly poured Hubrew smoked porter medium bodied ale, Monday, May 13, 2013 in Fruitland. (Laura Simon)

In February 2011, we incorporated. We worked on the paperwork all year and got licenses. We purchased the building [at 3463 State Highway FF in Jackson] in the summer of 2011 and moved the supply shop out here. We expanded the inventory to include winemaking supplies. The supply shop is a complimentary business.

There are a lot of unique barriers to entry. We had a lot of accounts for buying ingredients. It takes a lot of time and practice to get good. Dad had 10 years of brewing experience. We made a lot of good connections with the supply shop. We started construction on the brewhouse in February 2012 and made our first sale on St. Patrick's Day 2012. It was a blonde ale at Bel Air Grill. My brother Chad is COO and assistant brewmaster. My aunt Delana Berkbigler is the fourth owner and CFO. We're entirely family owned and operated.

Q: What made you decide to take the leap into opening a microbrewery?

A: Going into business for yourself is a rewarding experience. The university speakers pushed us over the edge for motivation. We weren't afraid of hard work. We knew it would be worth it. Dad was a dairy farmer, and I always had one or two jobs. The university support was great. We were in a unique situation ... The supply shop gave us a client base of 80 to 100. We'd have them sample our beer and give us feedback. Most breweries will start a brewpub, and we did that with the supply shop. It's not easy but worthwhile.

As far as timing, craft beer has been growing in the last five years. Buckner wasn't distributing, and this was a market we thought we could get into.

A closer look at a freshly poured Hubrew Smoked Porter medium-bodied ale.

Q: The company is a family business. How do you feel that affects operations?

A: We've been lucky so far. I specifically did research on family businesses and common mistakes they make. I printed them out and handed it out and said, "These are problems we'll encounter." We know each other's strengths and weaknesses and don't overstep our bounds. We haven't had any arguments. Dad is the ultimate decision-maker. My brother and I were having a disagreement, so we said we'll take it to dad. What he says goes and we'll move on. Family business can be difficult. It can be hard on the work and life balance, but we get to spend time working [together].

Q: What are the benefits and challenges of creating and selling an original product?

A: We have a sense of pride in our work. There are difficulties starting a new product with a brand that's unrecognized in a market that is so dominated by mega-corporations. Getting name recognition is difficult. We put everything into putting out a quality product. It's awesome to go to some establishments and order a beer you made. We say our beer is "beer the way it should be." We put quality ingredients in our beer. A lot of big companies have gotten away from what it should be. Beer should be full of flavor and complexity.

Q: What are the perks and drawbacks of doing business in a small community?

A: There's cheaper overhead and it's cheaper to do business. The population is smaller and the product is something of a specialty product with an above average price range. It's a lot cheaper being outside the city limits. Labor is cheaper. But we don't have access to a large customer base.

Q: What advice would you give to people who want to start a business?

A: Do your research. Ask questions. Keep it simple. Find the parts of your overall plan that make the most business and go from there; that's bootstrapping ... There are great resources in the university that are helpful.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

A: We're thankful to everyone who has helped us along the way. We're grateful to the people who have given time and advice.

For a list of Hubrew beers and where to purchase them, visit hubrewbeer.com. For more information on Homebrew Supply, visit, homebrewsupply.biz.

apicar@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

3463 State Highway FF, Jackson, Mo.