Messages

1

The Pub / Re: Signed 'Souvineer' Bottles - Save forever or drink at some point?

« on: September 29, 2011, 06:53:31 am »

OK then.  I'll have to schedule an event with some friends & drink these bad boys.   

2

The Pub / Signed 'Souvineer' Bottles - Save forever or drink at some point?

« on: September 29, 2011, 06:38:32 am »

I have a few bottles I've collected over the last few years that are signed by the brewer and/or someone else with or connected to the brewery. 

What do you guys do with bottles like this?  Do you save them forever - never opening them.  Or do you drink them at some point & then still save the empty, signed bottle?  I'm not sure if I should drink mine at some point or save 'em. 

3

The Pub / Re: Video Arcade Games That You Would Love To Get Your Hands on Again

« on: September 29, 2011, 06:34:46 am »

Asteroids II
Millipede
Joust
Pole Position

I used to love Time Pilot, that was my favorite game "back in the day".

Tron was another great one.

Pick up an Xbox 360.  Through the Xbox 360 Live Arcade, you can download & play every one of those games - including Time Pilot.   

4

All Things Food / Re: BBQ Style

« on: September 06, 2011, 07:02:24 am »

I made more pulled pork this past weekend:

The rub:


The pork shoulder:


The shoulder w/ rub applied:


After 7 hours in the smoker:


Pulled:


The accompaniment (Four Roses Bourbon & a glass of my 'Summer Snob' Imperial IPA):

5

All Things Food / Re: BBQ Style

« on: August 29, 2011, 09:26:55 am »

I use a propane-powered, Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Series smoker.  I've had excellent results with it from the start.  Though I would like to get one that's about twice as wide (so I don't have to cut my rib racks in half!)

For this session, I used all hickory chips for my smoke (I usually mix 2 different woods - but decided to keep it all hickory this time). 

6

All Things Food / Re: BBQ Style

« on: August 29, 2011, 08:33:16 am »

My ribs & pulled pork came out great!    

Ribs:


Nice crust.  Amazingly tender & fell right off the bone when I tried to cut the ribs apart.    

Pulled Pork (Made from a 4.5lb shoulder):


I had a few ribs & made a pulled pork sandwich when the smoking was done.  The next day (yesterday) was pulled pork tacos w/ fresh cilantro & fresh-made salsa.     (Sorry - no photos there - I was busy eating!)  

7

Ingredients / Re: Using Rainwater for brewing?

« on: August 26, 2011, 10:29:08 am »

Oh I know.  I was just putting it out there as an FYI.

I still wouldn't use rain water w/o filtering it first. 

8

Ingredients / Re: Using Rainwater for brewing?

« on: August 26, 2011, 09:47:34 am »

I would definitely filter any rain water before using it for brewing. 

I forget where, but a commercial brewery opened recently that was using highly filtered rainwater as their brewing water.  They got shut down - even though it was highly filtered, it was considered 'unsafe' (from a legal standpoint). 

9

Going Pro / Re: Brewery Financing for someone with no wealth/collateral

« on: August 18, 2011, 12:01:03 pm »

Facebook sounds like something a 13 year old girl keeps her makeup in. I just can't get around that. I'm rooting for google plus. We also have not had to use facebook yet. There is nothing it would do for us now. We do piggyback on the facebook pages of a few pubs. but the fact that we don't have one has created an image I actually want.

Well...  nobody HAS to use Facebook, but it's great for marketing.  Also, for me, it makes it much easier to stay in touch w/ family 1/2 way around the World on a daily basis. 

I'm on Google+ but haven't really used it yet.  I gotta start...

10

Going Pro / Re: Brewery Financing for someone with no wealth/collateral

« on: August 18, 2011, 11:48:58 am »

Twitter is a waste of time.

I disagree.  Twitter can be a great marketing tool - though too many out there just use it to point to their Facebook page.  

Czech mate!   

11

Going Pro / Re: Brewery Financing for someone with no wealth/collateral

« on: August 18, 2011, 11:41:57 am »

merry a loyer or a doctor.

Or an English teacher?    lol

The Coop I'm with is looking at starting with either a 10 or 15 barrel system.

12

Going Pro / Re: Brewery Financing for someone with no wealth/collateral

« on: August 18, 2011, 09:57:42 am »

first person who shows me on paper how to make a living on a 1-2 bbl system get's a free beer.   Once you run the numbers it becomes pretty clear. I can understand someone starting at 1-2 bbl (though, having gone through that I wouldn't recommend it necessarily) - can't ever understand staying at that level. The one exception I have been overlooking is a pub or tasting room. I'm considering production facility only.

Here is the website (Specificlly a photo showing his' brewery') for Epic Ales in Seattle.  His beers can be found in local bars & local bottle shops.  And apparently I exaggerated. He brews on a ONE barrel system.  

http://www.epicales.com/brewery#theBrewery

No where does this show me he is making a living. I never said a 1bbl brewery couldn't exist. hell, I ran one for about 6 months. I just think it is pointless.

That said, the tasting room is a big bonus, and the fact that he bottles some of his beer for sale. I can't do either of those in my location. (Actually, legislation just went through to allow me to open a tasting room, but i don't have the resources right now).

That said, brewing and kegging ona  one bbl brewery is a full time job. I can't imagine bottling and running/and or manning a tasting room.. He either works 100+ hours a week or has a full time voluteer staff.

Now ask yourself, how long do you think this is gonna last at 1bbl?

I have no idea whether he's making any money or not.  If he is, it can't be much.  I was really just showing you an example of someone actually trying to go commercial w/ a system that small.  

I'd never try it.  I'd have no life - be brewing 24/7 to try and keep up. 

13

Going Pro / Re: Brewery Financing for someone with no wealth/collateral

« on: August 18, 2011, 09:55:59 am »

first person who shows me on paper how to make a living on a 1-2 bbl system get's a free beer.   Once you run the numbers it becomes pretty clear. I can understand someone starting at 1-2 bbl (though, having gone through that I wouldn't recommend it necessarily) - can't ever understand staying at that level. The one exception I have been overlooking is a pub or tasting room. I'm considering production facility only.

Here is the website (Specificlly a photo showing his' brewery') for Epic Ales in Seattle.  His beers can be found in local bars & local bottle shops.  And apparently I exaggerated. He brews on a ONE barrel system.  

http://www.epicales.com/brewery#theBrewery

It remains to be seen if he can make a living though.  I was embarrassed when an AHA bigwig was in town and was given a bottle that had clear contamination.  I've gotten some bad bottles myself, and now mostly avoid the brand.  His recipes are interesting and I hope he will be successful.  But he's got to get the issues worked out or he'll fail no matter what the size of his system.  Maybe he's already cleaned things up but I wouldn't know because, like I said, I'm avoiding the brand.  I guess some people will keep going back for phenol-bombs, but not me.

I've only ever been to the brewery once - and I don't generally buy his beers.  I was just giving an example of someone giving it a go on a serously small system.  I've only had it out of the bottle once - and I got a non-infected bottle.  The others were on tap.

14

Going Pro / Re: Brewery Financing for someone with no wealth/collateral

« on: August 18, 2011, 09:02:39 am »

first person who shows me on paper how to make a living on a 1-2 bbl system get's a free beer.   Once you run the numbers it becomes pretty clear. I can understand someone starting at 1-2 bbl (though, having gone through that I wouldn't recommend it necessarily) - can't ever understand staying at that level. The one exception I have been overlooking is a pub or tasting room. I'm considering production facility only.

Here is the website (Specificlly a photo showing his' brewery') for Epic Ales in Seattle.  His beers can be found in local bars & local bottle shops.  And apparently I exaggerated. He brews on a ONE barrel system. 

http://www.epicales.com/brewery#theBrewery

15

Going Pro / Re: Brewery Financing for someone with no wealth/collateral

« on: August 17, 2011, 12:56:05 pm »

Epic Ales in Seattle has been successful on a 1-2 BBL system.

Granted, he has to be brewing constantly (and he only brews 'unusual' stuff).