BrewDog, probably the most ridiculous name for a beer-brewing company in the world, is retapping a particularly liquid source of funding.
The Scottish brewery last month launched its second crowdfunding scheme, dubbed Equity for Punks, to raise £4 million ($6.1 million) from punters to fund an expansion of its premises, and open new bars and bottle shops.
Crowdfunding, if you didn’t know, is a direct way of raising money from, or selling equity to, many people. No bank is involved.
The first time BrewDog did this was in 2011, raising £2.2 million – apparently the world’s most successful independent crowdfunding scheme to date.
This time around the brewery is making 42,000 shares available to anyone at £95 each.
Now that seems quite expensive, but when it’s broken down in the most scientific manner, it roughly means the price of buying five rounds for five of your mates at £4 a pint.
The question then is: do you continue to fritter your money away down the pub, or, do you forgo one Friday night, buy one share and risk being disintermediated by your mates for missing your round?