This post could alternately be titled:
Can you install a new doorknob?
Can you fix your daughter's flat tire on her bike?
Can you change the leaky toilet valve?
Actually, it should be called HAVE you done these things?
Because as a brewer, you MUST be comfortable doing all these things and more. There are a lot of "user servicable" parts in a brewery, and you will service EVERY. ONE. OF. THEM.
Having a problem solving mentality and mechanical aptitude is essential to launching a brewery.
Brewers get dirty. Their hands get cuts and scratches. Daily.
So read your Popular Mechanics magazines and get familiar with every part of every tool you own. It is one of my favorite parts of being a brewer, and something that every brewer should embrace. A visitor to my brewery described my setup as "Andrew's Erector set"
Damn right it is!
Friday, August 1, 2014
Friday, July 11, 2014
Where are we?
WOW! We have sold 3000 pints of beer in the last 3 weeks.
Here is one thing to consider: if you are opening a brewpub, be sure you have enough back-stock to get you through. The temptation (and pressure) is there to "Just put SOMETHING on tap" for many reasons- people want to try your beer FIRST! (they all really do)
Then there is "I need MONEY NOW!" Totally understand. Our model is a bit different, but a small brewpub has been SUCKING capital for a long time during planning and construction, and you want some actual INCOME.
If you pour one beer, everyone will drink it and it will be gone. Then people will be mad. If you have 2 beers, the pressure on the handles are reduced. If you have 3, now people have a choice and will drink more varieties.
We opened with 5, and I'm so very glad that we did. The first brand blew yesterday- Grilled lemon Cream Ale. That's OK though because by delaying until we were truly ready, we were able to spread the tap pressure among a bunch of brands. It also gave time to brew, ferment, and package the next couple batches so there wasn't a blank space.
It has been amazing the comments and positive thoughts from the community- I am truly in awe of all the support which has brought me to this place. I only hope that I can return the favor and help others grow in building their passion and having success.
Other posts will be coming soon regarding further challenges I have faced recently. After all, my ego isn't that I am the best planning brewer on Earth, just that others don't struggle with the same thing I have.
Note one: If you are serving on premises, do NOT get a "Brewery" license from the Feds. Their description of a brewpub was that beer is served out of serving tanks. Well, they also consider kegs "serving tanks". SO- now I have to submit an amendment to alter my license. Good times!
Here is one thing to consider: if you are opening a brewpub, be sure you have enough back-stock to get you through. The temptation (and pressure) is there to "Just put SOMETHING on tap" for many reasons- people want to try your beer FIRST! (they all really do)
Then there is "I need MONEY NOW!" Totally understand. Our model is a bit different, but a small brewpub has been SUCKING capital for a long time during planning and construction, and you want some actual INCOME.
If you pour one beer, everyone will drink it and it will be gone. Then people will be mad. If you have 2 beers, the pressure on the handles are reduced. If you have 3, now people have a choice and will drink more varieties.
We opened with 5, and I'm so very glad that we did. The first brand blew yesterday- Grilled lemon Cream Ale. That's OK though because by delaying until we were truly ready, we were able to spread the tap pressure among a bunch of brands. It also gave time to brew, ferment, and package the next couple batches so there wasn't a blank space.
It has been amazing the comments and positive thoughts from the community- I am truly in awe of all the support which has brought me to this place. I only hope that I can return the favor and help others grow in building their passion and having success.
Other posts will be coming soon regarding further challenges I have faced recently. After all, my ego isn't that I am the best planning brewer on Earth, just that others don't struggle with the same thing I have.
Note one: If you are serving on premises, do NOT get a "Brewery" license from the Feds. Their description of a brewpub was that beer is served out of serving tanks. Well, they also consider kegs "serving tanks". SO- now I have to submit an amendment to alter my license. Good times!
Monday, June 23, 2014
Honored
WOW!
So the GM decided to throw a "cleaning party"
These are known to people in the industry. Generally despised.
SERIOUSLY, there are 35 employees here scrubbing their lives away to get the pub ready for "my day".
Humbling
So the GM decided to throw a "cleaning party"
These are known to people in the industry. Generally despised.
SERIOUSLY, there are 35 employees here scrubbing their lives away to get the pub ready for "my day".
Humbling
It's time!
Tomorrow, June 24th, will be the official rollout of Perch beers!
5:00 PM tapping.
This is sometimes odd for me. I am not one to look for accolades or "credit" for things. Yes, I do get acknowledged and recognized everywhere I go and yes, I get that. However, everyone keeps saying they are so excited for ME. I'm not really even that excited for me. It is, after all, a job. I am VERY excited for what this can do for The Perch and for Rebecca who has put her soul, a LOT of her money, and has gotten a very difficult education on what it means to own a restaurant. I have to write a speech and stuff. I mean, I have no problem talking in front of crowds, I just don't know how to position it. People expect me to go into talking about ME, and I simply don't do that.
HOORAY BEER!
5:00 PM tapping.
This is sometimes odd for me. I am not one to look for accolades or "credit" for things. Yes, I do get acknowledged and recognized everywhere I go and yes, I get that. However, everyone keeps saying they are so excited for ME. I'm not really even that excited for me. It is, after all, a job. I am VERY excited for what this can do for The Perch and for Rebecca who has put her soul, a LOT of her money, and has gotten a very difficult education on what it means to own a restaurant. I have to write a speech and stuff. I mean, I have no problem talking in front of crowds, I just don't know how to position it. People expect me to go into talking about ME, and I simply don't do that.
HOORAY BEER!
Friday, May 30, 2014
Great Community
During the tumult of yesterday, I am reminded at how awesome the beer community is.
Three local brewers deserve special note:
Doc, the Director of Brewery Operations for BJ's national chain, has been incredibly supportive through the entire brewhouse fabrication process. He loaned me some yeast, has walked through several times to suggest process improvements, and is overall an awesome dude.
Jonathan Buford from Arizona Wilderness talked me through some issues last night and shares his entire brewery with me. I stop there at least every week to look at a process which I need to fix. He and Patrick, the Head Brewer, and Brett the Operations Manager all give me hugs and encouragement whenever I see them.
Anthony and Gabe at San Tan Brewing, our neighbor 3 blocks away, are a couple of the guys who got me into brewing in the first place. I brewed at San Tan as my first brewing experience, bought the first keg they ever sold (5 years ago) and the first 6-pack they sold at the brewery. They have generously offered to let us clean kegs at their facility, allowing us to use a fully automated keg washer without having to make the enormous investment. This saves us a LOT of time and chemicals.
This is simply a mention to the three organizations and people who have given over and over and over. MANY local brewers have stopped by and every one of them have offered genuine and sincere help.
Thank you all!
Three local brewers deserve special note:
Doc, the Director of Brewery Operations for BJ's national chain, has been incredibly supportive through the entire brewhouse fabrication process. He loaned me some yeast, has walked through several times to suggest process improvements, and is overall an awesome dude.
Jonathan Buford from Arizona Wilderness talked me through some issues last night and shares his entire brewery with me. I stop there at least every week to look at a process which I need to fix. He and Patrick, the Head Brewer, and Brett the Operations Manager all give me hugs and encouragement whenever I see them.
Anthony and Gabe at San Tan Brewing, our neighbor 3 blocks away, are a couple of the guys who got me into brewing in the first place. I brewed at San Tan as my first brewing experience, bought the first keg they ever sold (5 years ago) and the first 6-pack they sold at the brewery. They have generously offered to let us clean kegs at their facility, allowing us to use a fully automated keg washer without having to make the enormous investment. This saves us a LOT of time and chemicals.
This is simply a mention to the three organizations and people who have given over and over and over. MANY local brewers have stopped by and every one of them have offered genuine and sincere help.
Thank you all!
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Batch Number 4
Seriously, I hold faith that eventually this will get easier.
This is ONLY the 4th batch.
So today's "learning moments"...
I do double batches. The grain can clog up the false bottom. Next time, remove and COMPLETELY CLEAN OUT the false bottom. I had to stir the entire hour of the mash, just to keep the false bottom clear. AND YET, it sucked dry at one point and SCORCH! went the element in the RIMS tube. Luckily, I just turned it off and no wort went over the scorch. So- wort saved.
Oxygen lines can grow slime mold very quickly. Do NOT let this happen to you. I saw it as I was setting up the O2 for today, and fixed it.
No matter how "Oversized" your heat exchanger is, IT'S NOT. Don't believe the hype. For some mysterious reason, the heat exchanger has been chugging along for 4 hours and I'm at 80 degrees. This is not good. Must find solution.
Currently that has allowed batch 2, to mash for 4 hours so I'm PRETTY sure it's converted :)
Got here at 5 AM and it's 6 PM. I'm going to send the 80 degree wort over to the fermenter to continue chilling, and lauter out batch number 2 so HOPEFULLY I can be home by midnight. Probably not, but I hope so.
Still have
1) Mash out and bring up to a boil - 1 hour
2) Boil- 90 minutes
3) Chill - um.... 2 hours?
4) Transfer
5) Pitch yeast
6) CLEAN ALL THE THINGS - 2 hours
Maybe 2 AM. We shall see.
UPDATE!
Well, the HX is performing as poorly as the first run.
I did realize that the reason the mash kept getting compacted is because, duh, pumping instead of using a grant. So- this second batch will just be first runnings. YUM!
Also- the solenoid on the fermenter glycol jacket is stuck, closed. So- no glycol. This is quite a thing. I have no other fermenter ready (not passivated yet) though I just thought of something- I can send it to the bright tank. It's at 32, but it would at least be cold enough to hold for a day until I can get the solenoid fixed. That way the beer (and the day, and the precious grain) would not be lost. I can switch the solenoid from F3 to F5 and pump BACK to it.
Huh. That may just work for now. The next problem would be heating the wort back up from 32, to 65. Glycol is very good at the chilling, but not so much at the heating. At least simultaneously. Interesting. Another challenge.
UPDATE!!!
So I opened the Johnson controller up , and another one which was working, and compared the wiring. MUCH easier than swapping solenoids. BINGO! There was one wire which was incorrectly connected to the board. ALL FIXED!
And the reason the HX is going so slowly- probably- is because the HX is clogged with a bit of grain or something. So I have to figure that one out (with some help from my friends, most likely...)
More learning. Good times. Good times.
This is ONLY the 4th batch.
So today's "learning moments"...
I do double batches. The grain can clog up the false bottom. Next time, remove and COMPLETELY CLEAN OUT the false bottom. I had to stir the entire hour of the mash, just to keep the false bottom clear. AND YET, it sucked dry at one point and SCORCH! went the element in the RIMS tube. Luckily, I just turned it off and no wort went over the scorch. So- wort saved.
Oxygen lines can grow slime mold very quickly. Do NOT let this happen to you. I saw it as I was setting up the O2 for today, and fixed it.
No matter how "Oversized" your heat exchanger is, IT'S NOT. Don't believe the hype. For some mysterious reason, the heat exchanger has been chugging along for 4 hours and I'm at 80 degrees. This is not good. Must find solution.
Currently that has allowed batch 2, to mash for 4 hours so I'm PRETTY sure it's converted :)
Got here at 5 AM and it's 6 PM. I'm going to send the 80 degree wort over to the fermenter to continue chilling, and lauter out batch number 2 so HOPEFULLY I can be home by midnight. Probably not, but I hope so.
Still have
1) Mash out and bring up to a boil - 1 hour
2) Boil- 90 minutes
3) Chill - um.... 2 hours?
4) Transfer
5) Pitch yeast
6) CLEAN ALL THE THINGS - 2 hours
Maybe 2 AM. We shall see.
UPDATE!
Well, the HX is performing as poorly as the first run.
I did realize that the reason the mash kept getting compacted is because, duh, pumping instead of using a grant. So- this second batch will just be first runnings. YUM!
Also- the solenoid on the fermenter glycol jacket is stuck, closed. So- no glycol. This is quite a thing. I have no other fermenter ready (not passivated yet) though I just thought of something- I can send it to the bright tank. It's at 32, but it would at least be cold enough to hold for a day until I can get the solenoid fixed. That way the beer (and the day, and the precious grain) would not be lost. I can switch the solenoid from F3 to F5 and pump BACK to it.
Huh. That may just work for now. The next problem would be heating the wort back up from 32, to 65. Glycol is very good at the chilling, but not so much at the heating. At least simultaneously. Interesting. Another challenge.
UPDATE!!!
So I opened the Johnson controller up , and another one which was working, and compared the wiring. MUCH easier than swapping solenoids. BINGO! There was one wire which was incorrectly connected to the board. ALL FIXED!
And the reason the HX is going so slowly- probably- is because the HX is clogged with a bit of grain or something. So I have to figure that one out (with some help from my friends, most likely...)
More learning. Good times. Good times.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Glycol Shower
In moving the fermenters in our small space, it was decided that one should be rotated slightly.
Unfortunately, the rotation of the fermenter SNAPPED the pipe connecting it to the glycol.
Directly above my head.
So I got a nice glycol shower as my friend ran to turn off the glycol unit.
About 4 or 5 gallons of 27 degree gycol SHOT out at me, drenching me quite thoroughly.
Of course, this happens as we are leaving and the repair took 3 hours.
Shucks.
Unfortunately, the rotation of the fermenter SNAPPED the pipe connecting it to the glycol.
Directly above my head.
So I got a nice glycol shower as my friend ran to turn off the glycol unit.
About 4 or 5 gallons of 27 degree gycol SHOT out at me, drenching me quite thoroughly.
Of course, this happens as we are leaving and the repair took 3 hours.
Shucks.
Instructions not included
There are no instructions on how to use this vast array of equipment that you just paid tens (hundreds?) of thousands of dollars for.
SO- you research and you talk and hopefully you have spent time in other breweries, watching all the goings-on.
Yet, your brewery is not the same as theirs. And there are a lot of things which the other breweries are doing which you don't even notice.
So when it comes down to it, there is far more in the actual building and setting up of the brewery than you could possibly have imagined.
We struggled at first with getting our pumps working correctly
We are doing everything we can to have thermometers in places, because though the brew house included a fancy control panel, the sensor wires are too short
The trench drain creates an entire new colony of bacteria and yeast if left to its own devices. Quickly
Sanitizer mixing out of a 5 gallon bucket is NOT like star-san
Hoses don't bend. Like, seriously
pH meters need to be calibrated
Stainless must be passivasted
CIP does NOT mean "easy"
Grain dust is very dusty
Don't forget your CLT. It's the forgotten step-child
Glycol valves- put them at arm height if you can
There will be plenty more. Every minute, there is another discovery!
SO- you research and you talk and hopefully you have spent time in other breweries, watching all the goings-on.
Yet, your brewery is not the same as theirs. And there are a lot of things which the other breweries are doing which you don't even notice.
So when it comes down to it, there is far more in the actual building and setting up of the brewery than you could possibly have imagined.
We struggled at first with getting our pumps working correctly
We are doing everything we can to have thermometers in places, because though the brew house included a fancy control panel, the sensor wires are too short
The trench drain creates an entire new colony of bacteria and yeast if left to its own devices. Quickly
Sanitizer mixing out of a 5 gallon bucket is NOT like star-san
Hoses don't bend. Like, seriously
pH meters need to be calibrated
Stainless must be passivasted
CIP does NOT mean "easy"
Grain dust is very dusty
Don't forget your CLT. It's the forgotten step-child
Glycol valves- put them at arm height if you can
There will be plenty more. Every minute, there is another discovery!
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Never dull
Another brew day arrives. At 5:30 AM I roll in, preparing after a FULL 2 day weekend (20th anniversary. What can I say.)
The beer I brewed last Wednesday is at 115 degrees.
Yes, something happened with the glycol unit and it was running at 115 degrees.
That being said- what to do?
I tasted the beer after it came back down to 65 degrees and it wasn't horrible, but it was just meh. I theorize that the yeast had really already finished their work when the glycol unit crapped out. Which means that rather than pooping out nasty fusels and esters, they just burned up and died. All the natural carbonation from 65 degrees is gone. There is no "pop" to it like it had before.
Then I brewed another beer, while waiting to see what the repair man had to say (it was expensive)
That beer day went more smoothly than the first, but my assistant brewer, Andrew, and I, are too busy DOING things, to take time to write things down. I am going to enlist the assistance of one of the many people who have volunteered to help, to be my secretary for the day, recording every move.
Such as moving hoses around.
WOW, do we do a lot of that.
There has GOT to be a way to streamline the hose and valve situation. Our space is so limited that navigating through the maze of hoses is quite challenging.
Lots of learning, lots to do!
Here is a link to my TV appearance on Friday Fox 10 News
The beer I brewed last Wednesday is at 115 degrees.
Yes, something happened with the glycol unit and it was running at 115 degrees.
That being said- what to do?
I tasted the beer after it came back down to 65 degrees and it wasn't horrible, but it was just meh. I theorize that the yeast had really already finished their work when the glycol unit crapped out. Which means that rather than pooping out nasty fusels and esters, they just burned up and died. All the natural carbonation from 65 degrees is gone. There is no "pop" to it like it had before.
Then I brewed another beer, while waiting to see what the repair man had to say (it was expensive)
That beer day went more smoothly than the first, but my assistant brewer, Andrew, and I, are too busy DOING things, to take time to write things down. I am going to enlist the assistance of one of the many people who have volunteered to help, to be my secretary for the day, recording every move.
Such as moving hoses around.
WOW, do we do a lot of that.
There has GOT to be a way to streamline the hose and valve situation. Our space is so limited that navigating through the maze of hoses is quite challenging.
Lots of learning, lots to do!
Here is a link to my TV appearance on Friday Fox 10 News
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Making of beer!
It is done.
Beer has been made.
The tax form has been... well, contemplated
Yesterday was the maiden voyage for The Perch Brewery! Grains went in water, then the water came out sugary, and then hops went in, it got cooled down, and yeast went in. It's now bubbling.
That's pretty much making beer, right?
The brew is "Calibration Ale". It's really just an attempt at seeing how the system work, what we are missing and how to fix it.
Imagine it like this: You are delivered a bunch of parts. Some are partially assembled, and some are just there. You KNOW this is supposed to be a car. So- now put it together. I mean, you HAVE driven a car before, right? Well then you should have no problem. ENJOY!
The glycol system had a slight problem which was fixed early in the day, so that was good. The o2 system leaked like a sieve and we went through 20 cubic feet of pure oxygen in no time (need a new regulator) the heat exchanger went much slower than expected. If the boil is going to vigorously, simply pop a breaker in the circuit panel and reduce the heat by 25%. That's how it's SUPPOSED to work, right?
Learning moments were about every 3 minutes throughout the 16 hour day, so- it was a complete success!
Beer has been made.
The tax form has been... well, contemplated
Yesterday was the maiden voyage for The Perch Brewery! Grains went in water, then the water came out sugary, and then hops went in, it got cooled down, and yeast went in. It's now bubbling.
That's pretty much making beer, right?
 |
| Before brewing, 5 AM |
 |
| First water filling the HLT |
 |
| These are the breakers for the brewhouse |
 |
| "I'm a safety girl!" |
 |
| Pretty picture |
 |
| Always with the hoses. On. Off. Move. UGH! |
 |
| This dosen't suck |
 |
| Recirc thru the RIMS tube |
 |
| HOT SCOTCHY! |
 |
| That, my friends, is a boil |
Imagine it like this: You are delivered a bunch of parts. Some are partially assembled, and some are just there. You KNOW this is supposed to be a car. So- now put it together. I mean, you HAVE driven a car before, right? Well then you should have no problem. ENJOY!
The glycol system had a slight problem which was fixed early in the day, so that was good. The o2 system leaked like a sieve and we went through 20 cubic feet of pure oxygen in no time (need a new regulator) the heat exchanger went much slower than expected. If the boil is going to vigorously, simply pop a breaker in the circuit panel and reduce the heat by 25%. That's how it's SUPPOSED to work, right?
Learning moments were about every 3 minutes throughout the 16 hour day, so- it was a complete success!
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
So now what?
A letter to The Perch staff:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“WHEN WILL WE HAVE PERCH BEER?!?!”
I know, folks. You hear this many times a day.
So here we sit, waiting. Longing. NEEDING to quench our thirst with a delicious Perch handcrafted, delicious beer. HOW CAN YOU MAKE US WAIT MORE?!?!?!? ARE YOU THE DEVIL?!?!!?
Here it is- we are all signed off on licensing. We are checked off by the people who say we can make alcohol (one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country).
There is no “user manual” for a new brewery. For the last few days, I have been learning the specifics of the brewery. Each brewery is different, each with its own challenges and unique systems. These are being discovered and created as I get ready to brew.
“HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?!?!?!”
Brewing will take about 12 hours the first time. Because, well, I’m making it up.
After brewing, fermentation happens. This can take from 7 to 21 days. The first batch will be about 2 weeks, more or less. Each beer and each yeast has their own way to go, and even if everything else is the same, two beers exactly the same can take different time to complete the brewing process. Because yeast is a living organism and though we try and understand it, it is still a bit mysterious. Like Yoda.
After fermentation, the beer goes into the Brite Tank for a few days until it is carbonated and ready to go into kegs. Then, it goes into kegs. Through MAAGGIICC...
“SO NOW WE HAVE BEER TO SERVE?!?!?!”
Well, almost. If we put the first beer we make on draft, it will be gone in 2 days. Then we will put another on, and it will be gone in 2 days. And we will be out of beer. And people will be pissed.
Well, almost. If we put the first beer we make on draft, it will be gone in 2 days. Then we will put another on, and it will be gone in 2 days. And we will be out of beer. And people will be pissed.
Rather than have that happen, we are going to finish 5 batches, THEN put Perch Beer on tap. I know that it seems like a LONG process, and yes. It is. Once this process is going, we continue and make more beer.
Since we have so many other great beers available, it is unlikely that we will have problems keeping up with demand for Perch Beer. I anticipate having 5 beers on at all times. This is not a guarantee as we have a certain amount of fermenters and one brite tank, but it should roll along on schedule.
There is a lot of set-up to do and just me to do it, so trust me when I tell you I am moving as quickly as possible to get Perch Beer in the keg, glass, and your beerhole! As soon as we get to the big time, I am glad that Andrew Ortega will be stepping in as my assistant! Don’t worry though, I will be glad to (and NEED) additional help. I am still planning on doing classes for homebrewing.
So when will we have Perch Beer for guests? Late May, early June. We will share specifics as they become available, so keep checking the Facebook page!
“What is the first beer going to be?” Rosemary IPA. Then Fluquat Belgian, then a Robust Porter.
“What kinds of beers are you going to make?” All of them. We are completely flexible and able to brew ALL THE BEERS!
“Are you going to make IPA? I love IPA. IPA. IPA. IPA.” Ok, sure. Can I get you a beer? Rampage perhaps?
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Parts parts parts
Received one of the 3 orders for part which I made last week. These are essential for hooking up tingz.
I need additional ferrules for hoses. That's number one.
Along with thermo-wells.
The sensors still have to be hooked up in order to automate, but I can brew manual. Phil, the Bru Gear owner, has been spending a LOT of time at the brewery, and has a 10 day trip to China starting tomorrow, so either I figure out how to hook up the sensors, or go manual.
Tomorrow I will passivate the system. Basically, run a cleaning run through. Using acid to help the stainless build up a protective layer.
I need additional ferrules for hoses. That's number one.
Along with thermo-wells.
The sensors still have to be hooked up in order to automate, but I can brew manual. Phil, the Bru Gear owner, has been spending a LOT of time at the brewery, and has a 10 day trip to China starting tomorrow, so either I figure out how to hook up the sensors, or go manual.
Tomorrow I will passivate the system. Basically, run a cleaning run through. Using acid to help the stainless build up a protective layer.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Approval!
Health inspection today was supposed to be a "Benchmark" where they look at what we have accomplished, add more little stuff, and then come back in 5 days to give final approval.
Instead, they gave me a list of 8 things to fix in 10 days, and APPROVAL!
I'm literally on hold right now waiting to pay my $260 permit fee, and I can (almost) start brewing!
The only thing I forgot was that we have to ACTIVATE our State Microbrew license, which we HAVE.
So- our new, rust-free heating elements are in, and the replacement caps for the crappy ones are on the way. I must HAMMER Phil to be sure they get here SOON!
Then it's beer time, kids!
Instead, they gave me a list of 8 things to fix in 10 days, and APPROVAL!
I'm literally on hold right now waiting to pay my $260 permit fee, and I can (almost) start brewing!
The only thing I forgot was that we have to ACTIVATE our State Microbrew license, which we HAVE.
So- our new, rust-free heating elements are in, and the replacement caps for the crappy ones are on the way. I must HAMMER Phil to be sure they get here SOON!
Then it's beer time, kids!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
GRAAAIIIIINNNNSSSSSS!
Yes, the pallet of grains came in today. It's pretty damn awesome. Also- Hops. And... other stuff.
You know what that means- Beer is Imminent!
Thank you to my good friends Christian Chandler and Jeremy Jones for helping out at the brewery today.
There really isn't much more for "handy" people to do now- electrical and a tiny bit of plumbing is all that remains! Then it's Brew time!
My birthday is Sunday. Is it possible? Will I make it? Only fate and the Health Department knows...
You know what that means- Beer is Imminent!
Thank you to my good friends Christian Chandler and Jeremy Jones for helping out at the brewery today.
There really isn't much more for "handy" people to do now- electrical and a tiny bit of plumbing is all that remains! Then it's Brew time!
My birthday is Sunday. Is it possible? Will I make it? Only fate and the Health Department knows...
Sunday, April 27, 2014
The Lesson of Proper Planning
Today, dear people, we are going to learn about planning.
Planning a restaurant/brewery takes a coordinated effort of many people working together and creating a realistic vision of the eventual product.
It takes a long-term vision to succeed.
The original plan for this location was to have 30 tapped kegs and all the food for a 300 seat restaurant in a single, 8x11 walk-in cooler. Now, some of you might do MATH and say... golly! In order to do that, you would... well... probably expect a complete and utter disaster!
Those people would be correct.
So we are now erecting an additional walk-in cooler, 3 months after we opened. We had some equipment which wasn't working (yes, 3 months after we opened. Actually, a month after we opened. Sometimes buying used JUST doesn't pay...) and traded it for a walk-in cooler box and compressor.
In order to install the walk-in, it must be on a concrete "curb" or pad. This means making a form, getting the concrete, finishing the concrete, and then allowing it to cure. Generally this is a 3 day process.
Pouring the pad was done on Thursday, and here we are on Sunday. The guys arrive at 7 AM to erect the walk-in box, and low and behold- the walk in is not 10x12 as the pad is poured to accommodate, rather it is 12x15 !
This means that we have to expand the pad. So- go through the 3 day process again. ON THE OTHER HAND, it is 50% larger than we had originally projected, so it will make life a WHOLE lot easier.
A little short term pain in delay, for a LOT of gain with the additional space.
Such is the continual and ongoing adventure of opening the brewery. "ALMOST there!!!!..." If you are thinking about opening a brewery / restaurant combo, I would suggest that you would possibly work with a Project Manager. Yes, that's an actual job title and some might even work for trade in kegs.
Planning a restaurant/brewery takes a coordinated effort of many people working together and creating a realistic vision of the eventual product.
It takes a long-term vision to succeed.
The original plan for this location was to have 30 tapped kegs and all the food for a 300 seat restaurant in a single, 8x11 walk-in cooler. Now, some of you might do MATH and say... golly! In order to do that, you would... well... probably expect a complete and utter disaster!
Those people would be correct.
So we are now erecting an additional walk-in cooler, 3 months after we opened. We had some equipment which wasn't working (yes, 3 months after we opened. Actually, a month after we opened. Sometimes buying used JUST doesn't pay...) and traded it for a walk-in cooler box and compressor.
In order to install the walk-in, it must be on a concrete "curb" or pad. This means making a form, getting the concrete, finishing the concrete, and then allowing it to cure. Generally this is a 3 day process.
Pouring the pad was done on Thursday, and here we are on Sunday. The guys arrive at 7 AM to erect the walk-in box, and low and behold- the walk in is not 10x12 as the pad is poured to accommodate, rather it is 12x15 !
This means that we have to expand the pad. So- go through the 3 day process again. ON THE OTHER HAND, it is 50% larger than we had originally projected, so it will make life a WHOLE lot easier.
A little short term pain in delay, for a LOT of gain with the additional space.
Such is the continual and ongoing adventure of opening the brewery. "ALMOST there!!!!..." If you are thinking about opening a brewery / restaurant combo, I would suggest that you would possibly work with a Project Manager. Yes, that's an actual job title and some might even work for trade in kegs.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Getting Things Done
I have been pretty much the only person building the brewery up to this point. When I call my electrician, he comes in and does his thing so that is nice. When I call the plumber, he typically shows up 2 days later and does his thing. Which is annoying. When I call the GC for the restaurant project overall, he might show up a week later so if I want something done, I better do it myself.
This week my very good friend Jeremy has come in to help me. The great thing about Jeremy is not only does he understand the brewing process, he had been in construction trade years ago and has skills and knowledge I do not. I can give Jeremy a task, and I know it's going to get done right, without me having to answer 50 questions, disrupting what I'm working on.
Since we are only waiting for the Health Department approval now, I am messing with the brew system. You know- heating water, pumping things here and there, timing heat cycles and chill cycles, things like that.
So what do I have to do for the health department?
One thing is that the hot water heater is undersized. This is to serve the employee restroom, the hand sink in the brewhouse, and the triple sink in the brew house. The water heater is 20 gallons. To fill all 3 of the triple sinks, is 20 gallons. However, each hand sink requires 5 gallons of capacity. Which means we need a 30 gallon water heater.
We have to build a walk- in cooler for clean and full keg storage. I don't have a room for clean empty kegs as required by AZ law, so the plan is to store them in the cooler. It's inefficient, but... oh well. This cooler has to be built. The contractor says he can't do it till Thursday. The walk-in box guy is scheduled for the following Monday. THEN we have to build a roof over it. THEN we have to place the compressor on the roof. THEN we have to have the electrician wire the compressor. THEN the refrigeration guy has to hook it all up.
Nothing moves fast.
Fly fans are mounted
The three compartment sink is in place but needs to be hooked up to water and the drain pipe (running across the floor) needs to be secured
I have to caulk all the seams in the FRP
The second sliding door is bolted shut
Soap and Towels and SELF CLOSING trashcans are in place at hand sinks. SELF CLOSING. It's a big deal, apparently.
Mini hot water heater in place at fermentation hand sink
All wood in the grain storage room is sealed
Cove base installed in grain storage
Insulation on transfer and glycol lines need to be wrapped in Gorilla tape and labeled
Window A/C's are installed
Ingredients arrive Tues or Wed.
"HOT" signs are ordered. Everyone walks in to the brewery and instantly leans against the boil kettle to peer over and see what's in there. HOT signs. On the back, "DUMBASS" signs
Still need to repaint all 80 kegs and get them washed at San Tan
Mom is making curtains for the windows- afternoon sun in the grain room and fermentation would have been REALLY rough otherwise.
Here is a link to the Big List of Stuff to Do!
It's certainly not complete. I deleted all the C of O stuff when we passed inspection. In retrospect, should have kept it.
Putting lists in plain view, keeps people on task!
This week my very good friend Jeremy has come in to help me. The great thing about Jeremy is not only does he understand the brewing process, he had been in construction trade years ago and has skills and knowledge I do not. I can give Jeremy a task, and I know it's going to get done right, without me having to answer 50 questions, disrupting what I'm working on.
Since we are only waiting for the Health Department approval now, I am messing with the brew system. You know- heating water, pumping things here and there, timing heat cycles and chill cycles, things like that.
So what do I have to do for the health department?
One thing is that the hot water heater is undersized. This is to serve the employee restroom, the hand sink in the brewhouse, and the triple sink in the brew house. The water heater is 20 gallons. To fill all 3 of the triple sinks, is 20 gallons. However, each hand sink requires 5 gallons of capacity. Which means we need a 30 gallon water heater.
We have to build a walk- in cooler for clean and full keg storage. I don't have a room for clean empty kegs as required by AZ law, so the plan is to store them in the cooler. It's inefficient, but... oh well. This cooler has to be built. The contractor says he can't do it till Thursday. The walk-in box guy is scheduled for the following Monday. THEN we have to build a roof over it. THEN we have to place the compressor on the roof. THEN we have to have the electrician wire the compressor. THEN the refrigeration guy has to hook it all up.
Nothing moves fast.
Fly fans are mounted
The three compartment sink is in place but needs to be hooked up to water and the drain pipe (running across the floor) needs to be secured
I have to caulk all the seams in the FRP
The second sliding door is bolted shut
Soap and Towels and SELF CLOSING trashcans are in place at hand sinks. SELF CLOSING. It's a big deal, apparently.
Mini hot water heater in place at fermentation hand sink
All wood in the grain storage room is sealed
Cove base installed in grain storage
Insulation on transfer and glycol lines need to be wrapped in Gorilla tape and labeled
Window A/C's are installed
Ingredients arrive Tues or Wed.
"HOT" signs are ordered. Everyone walks in to the brewery and instantly leans against the boil kettle to peer over and see what's in there. HOT signs. On the back, "DUMBASS" signs
Still need to repaint all 80 kegs and get them washed at San Tan
Mom is making curtains for the windows- afternoon sun in the grain room and fermentation would have been REALLY rough otherwise.
Here is a link to the Big List of Stuff to Do!
It's certainly not complete. I deleted all the C of O stuff when we passed inspection. In retrospect, should have kept it.
Putting lists in plain view, keeps people on task!
Hoses and the Magic Question
Hoses are essential for the brewing process. They make it much easier for moving liquid, than it would be by using a pitcher, or, say, a cup :)
You would think that Phoenix, being the 6th (or 5th) largest city in the Country, we could get pretty much anything. Apparently food grade hoses are the exception to this. Actually, there is ONE place in town (Hose Power on 29th Ave) which carries in-stock beverage/vintners hose.
Lessons to learn:
1) order enough hose so you don't have to do any panic buying.
2) have the hoses BANDED, do not use worm-drive hose clamps. I'm not sure why, but every brewer I see says it.
3) GET A PRICE UP FRONT. Hose is expensive. $15 a foot for Goodyear Vintner. I got a knock-off at $11.46 a foot.
I also wasted 2 hours at the hose store, plus an additional hour of drive time.
One of the counter guys said "Wow man, you've been here a long time. I even went to lunch and came BACK!"
The problem is, I brought in a hose with simple, $12 barbed fittings. The guy at the counter said "Do you want me to put the fittings on them for you?" I said "Wow, you have those in stock? Cool, sure!"
Here is what WASN'T said: "We are going to custom fabricate pressure fit stainless steel hose fittings for you which cost $180 each"
After waiting 2 hours, he says to me "That will be $1028.79"
I LITERALLY laughed out loud thinking he was making a joke. No, no he wasn't.
It was quite a scene at the counter when I had 4 guys working on how to reduce the price- which they really did try to do. The sad part is, it wasted their time, it wasted my time, and now they have 2, 10' brewery hoses sitting on the shelf which will most likely never sell. You see, the fittings are GLUED in place and are not able to be removed and re-used. And they are $500, 10 foot hoses. I am the only brewery in town who uses hoses that size.
I went in expecting to pay $500 for 2, 10' hoses with fittings and 1 additional piece to cut up back at the brewery. There was no WAY I could float even one dollar over that number. I mean come on. That was crazy.
SO- as with everything- ASK the price first, kids. Number one question- "How much does it cost?"
You would think that Phoenix, being the 6th (or 5th) largest city in the Country, we could get pretty much anything. Apparently food grade hoses are the exception to this. Actually, there is ONE place in town (Hose Power on 29th Ave) which carries in-stock beverage/vintners hose.
Lessons to learn:
1) order enough hose so you don't have to do any panic buying.
2) have the hoses BANDED, do not use worm-drive hose clamps. I'm not sure why, but every brewer I see says it.
3) GET A PRICE UP FRONT. Hose is expensive. $15 a foot for Goodyear Vintner. I got a knock-off at $11.46 a foot.
I also wasted 2 hours at the hose store, plus an additional hour of drive time.
One of the counter guys said "Wow man, you've been here a long time. I even went to lunch and came BACK!"
The problem is, I brought in a hose with simple, $12 barbed fittings. The guy at the counter said "Do you want me to put the fittings on them for you?" I said "Wow, you have those in stock? Cool, sure!"
Here is what WASN'T said: "We are going to custom fabricate pressure fit stainless steel hose fittings for you which cost $180 each"
After waiting 2 hours, he says to me "That will be $1028.79"
I LITERALLY laughed out loud thinking he was making a joke. No, no he wasn't.
It was quite a scene at the counter when I had 4 guys working on how to reduce the price- which they really did try to do. The sad part is, it wasted their time, it wasted my time, and now they have 2, 10' brewery hoses sitting on the shelf which will most likely never sell. You see, the fittings are GLUED in place and are not able to be removed and re-used. And they are $500, 10 foot hoses. I am the only brewery in town who uses hoses that size.
I went in expecting to pay $500 for 2, 10' hoses with fittings and 1 additional piece to cut up back at the brewery. There was no WAY I could float even one dollar over that number. I mean come on. That was crazy.
SO- as with everything- ASK the price first, kids. Number one question- "How much does it cost?"
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Plumbing Inspection
Our final inspection for our Certificate of Occupancy, which allows people other than construction crew to be IN the brewery area (also allowing ingredient storage), was yesterday. It went well, only one thing to do.
The other day I woke up in a bit of a panic, thinking "We need an air gap for the water connection to the HLT!"
Seriously, these are the things that come to your head when waking up.
I relaxed, thinking to myself- "Oh, ppfew! It's connected to the filters so there MUST be a backflow preventer before the filters."
Now, I am not sure if you subscribe to the though "Never Assume"...
So the plumber is installing the backflow preventer today.
My good buddies at Arizona Wilderness, just down the street, told me they had a similar experience, and that there also has to be a drain cup below the backflow preventer to catch any drips or, ahem, backflow!
Check them out- they are pretty bad ass.
http://www.azwbeer.com
And a recent article about them: Esquire Magazine
After C of O is acquired on Wednesday, I have a meeting (courtesy walk-through) with the Health Department, on Thursday.
The other day I woke up in a bit of a panic, thinking "We need an air gap for the water connection to the HLT!"
Seriously, these are the things that come to your head when waking up.
I relaxed, thinking to myself- "Oh, ppfew! It's connected to the filters so there MUST be a backflow preventer before the filters."
Now, I am not sure if you subscribe to the though "Never Assume"...
So the plumber is installing the backflow preventer today.
My good buddies at Arizona Wilderness, just down the street, told me they had a similar experience, and that there also has to be a drain cup below the backflow preventer to catch any drips or, ahem, backflow!
Check them out- they are pretty bad ass.
http://www.azwbeer.com
And a recent article about them: Esquire Magazine
After C of O is acquired on Wednesday, I have a meeting (courtesy walk-through) with the Health Department, on Thursday.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Taxes
I took a couple of hours to navigate the paperwork jungle of brewing.
Essentially, "he with the most paperwork, wins"
Daily logs of brewing operations- ingredients received, brewing, moving from one tank to another, packaging, returns of beer, losses of beer, sale of beer, etc.
Monthly inventories
Bi-weekly tax filings
State tax filings
City tax filings
Don't forget any of them, or you'll be an unhappy brewer!
Essentially, "he with the most paperwork, wins"
Daily logs of brewing operations- ingredients received, brewing, moving from one tank to another, packaging, returns of beer, losses of beer, sale of beer, etc.
Monthly inventories
Bi-weekly tax filings
State tax filings
City tax filings
Don't forget any of them, or you'll be an unhappy brewer!
Sunday, April 13, 2014
YESSSSS!
On April 11th, 2014 our application was ACCEPTED by the TTB.
That means we're IN!
For those of you keeping track, it was:
140 days from initial application, November 22nd
115 days since application was accepted as complete on December 17th
88 days since application was marked as complete by Triage on January 13th
So- where do we go from here? Well, now I have a few construction things to take care of. City Certificate of Occupancy and Health Department approval are the final two regulatory items to pass. Since our local Health Authority is considered to be "very stringent" in their review of breweries, this is the next big hurdle.
The Director of the Department does all Brewery inspections. His last name is Brewer. He is also a member of a religion which stringently enforces a "No alcohol" policy among its members. You know, the one based in Salt Lake. That one. Is this really relevant, or am I being a religious bigot? Well, I suppose that is up to individual consideration. Personally, I think it is relevant and is somewhat of a conflict of interest, but... clearly that's not up to me to decide. It's up to me to get my brewery together and dialed in so he really has nothing to complain about.
Stainless transfer lines are installed. EXPENSIVE ones. 80 feet total, and $6000 They are beautiful, to be sure!
Wood and concrete in the storage room are sealed. Shelves are assembled.
I have to connect the final hoses to the fermenters from the glycol system.
There is currently water in the HLT for leak detection- None detected! :)
This week we will go for the C of O Inspection and MAYBE if everything goes perfect, go for Health Department. I also have to get grains! and Hops! and Yeast! And and and and
That means we're IN!
For those of you keeping track, it was:
140 days from initial application, November 22nd
115 days since application was accepted as complete on December 17th
88 days since application was marked as complete by Triage on January 13th
So- where do we go from here? Well, now I have a few construction things to take care of. City Certificate of Occupancy and Health Department approval are the final two regulatory items to pass. Since our local Health Authority is considered to be "very stringent" in their review of breweries, this is the next big hurdle.
The Director of the Department does all Brewery inspections. His last name is Brewer. He is also a member of a religion which stringently enforces a "No alcohol" policy among its members. You know, the one based in Salt Lake. That one. Is this really relevant, or am I being a religious bigot? Well, I suppose that is up to individual consideration. Personally, I think it is relevant and is somewhat of a conflict of interest, but... clearly that's not up to me to decide. It's up to me to get my brewery together and dialed in so he really has nothing to complain about.
Stainless transfer lines are installed. EXPENSIVE ones. 80 feet total, and $6000 They are beautiful, to be sure!
Wood and concrete in the storage room are sealed. Shelves are assembled.
I have to connect the final hoses to the fermenters from the glycol system.
There is currently water in the HLT for leak detection- None detected! :)
This week we will go for the C of O Inspection and MAYBE if everything goes perfect, go for Health Department. I also have to get grains! and Hops! and Yeast! And and and and
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Buying Beer
Have you ever bought beer for a bar with 40 tap handles?
Neither had I.
When things went topsy turvy, since I knew about beer- I got the task of keeping up the draft selections.
This is not as simple as one might think.
Factors to consider-
1) Guest desires.
All your guests do not want the same thing. Some want Bud and Coors Light. Some want sours. Some want Stouts. Some want their favorite craft beer. Some want the RAREST beers they can get their hands on. There is one thing they all have in common- they all want to tell you what they want
2) Time Wasting.
With a large collection of available handles (i.e. revenue streams) in one place, every single salesperson in the market will want to meet with you and tell you why you should have their taps on ALL THE TIME. They will generally show up at any time they want, and want to chat for an hour.
3) Distributors.
A NEW beer bar manager may think "gosh, I need another keg of beer to replace that one that is going to blow tomorrow. I shall order one from my local distributor." The distributors have regular order and delivery days, and with the goal of efficiency in mind, run regular routes on certain days. This makes sense. The thing you haven't considered is that about 15% of the beer you order, won't be on the truck. "Wait, what?" That's right. Due to outages at the warehouse or mispicks on the truck, you will NOT GET about 15% of what you order. Just get used to it, and demand that they replace it immediately. It's maddening to me. The driver today said "Yeah, there are outages all the time with the craft beers" FOR EXAMPLE: I have a large brewery doing a tap takeover on Tuesday. The order was shipped today. Of the 8 kegs I ordered, FIVE were not on the truck. That's right. Shorted 5.
4) Employees.
Your employees need to be sufficiently motivated to change out a keg. Let's just leave it at that. It's really easy for a bartender to say "86 this" instead of going to change a keg that weighs around 140 lbs.
5) Storage.
You will not have enough. I don't care how big, or how MANY walk-in coolers you have, you will not have enough. This means doing inventory every day. This affects your ability to order for major discount, so if you have the ability to increase your cold storage space, ALWAYS do it.
6) Menus.
Do you like deforestation? Then beer list management is right up your alley. We print our menus daily, and we get negative feedback daily because there are items listed, which are not available. Since we have 10 "rotating taps", it is inevitable. Yet, people get upset. I am using TapHunter and updating immediately. I am also implementing a digital menu board which integrates with TapHunter. Our TapHunter is also tied in to our Facebook page.
http://phoenix.taphunter.com/location/The-PERCH-Pub-&-Brewery
7) Education.
Your staff does not know as much about beer as you do. This is why you are "the man" Yes, there may be SOME staff members who know as much as you. USE these people to help others learn. Continual education is the only way to improve your beer program. Your staff are the "front line" out there interacting with guests. Give them as much information as possible.
8) Discount Programs
Ordering kegs 5 at a time can earn free goods or cash or percentage discounts. Different distributors offer different programs. LEARN about these programs and you can make a significant improvement in your costs, meaning more money to the bottom line.
Neither had I.
When things went topsy turvy, since I knew about beer- I got the task of keeping up the draft selections.
This is not as simple as one might think.
Factors to consider-
1) Guest desires.
All your guests do not want the same thing. Some want Bud and Coors Light. Some want sours. Some want Stouts. Some want their favorite craft beer. Some want the RAREST beers they can get their hands on. There is one thing they all have in common- they all want to tell you what they want
2) Time Wasting.
With a large collection of available handles (i.e. revenue streams) in one place, every single salesperson in the market will want to meet with you and tell you why you should have their taps on ALL THE TIME. They will generally show up at any time they want, and want to chat for an hour.
3) Distributors.
A NEW beer bar manager may think "gosh, I need another keg of beer to replace that one that is going to blow tomorrow. I shall order one from my local distributor." The distributors have regular order and delivery days, and with the goal of efficiency in mind, run regular routes on certain days. This makes sense. The thing you haven't considered is that about 15% of the beer you order, won't be on the truck. "Wait, what?" That's right. Due to outages at the warehouse or mispicks on the truck, you will NOT GET about 15% of what you order. Just get used to it, and demand that they replace it immediately. It's maddening to me. The driver today said "Yeah, there are outages all the time with the craft beers" FOR EXAMPLE: I have a large brewery doing a tap takeover on Tuesday. The order was shipped today. Of the 8 kegs I ordered, FIVE were not on the truck. That's right. Shorted 5.
4) Employees.
Your employees need to be sufficiently motivated to change out a keg. Let's just leave it at that. It's really easy for a bartender to say "86 this" instead of going to change a keg that weighs around 140 lbs.
5) Storage.
You will not have enough. I don't care how big, or how MANY walk-in coolers you have, you will not have enough. This means doing inventory every day. This affects your ability to order for major discount, so if you have the ability to increase your cold storage space, ALWAYS do it.
6) Menus.
Do you like deforestation? Then beer list management is right up your alley. We print our menus daily, and we get negative feedback daily because there are items listed, which are not available. Since we have 10 "rotating taps", it is inevitable. Yet, people get upset. I am using TapHunter and updating immediately. I am also implementing a digital menu board which integrates with TapHunter. Our TapHunter is also tied in to our Facebook page.
http://phoenix.taphunter.com/location/The-PERCH-Pub-&-Brewery
7) Education.
Your staff does not know as much about beer as you do. This is why you are "the man" Yes, there may be SOME staff members who know as much as you. USE these people to help others learn. Continual education is the only way to improve your beer program. Your staff are the "front line" out there interacting with guests. Give them as much information as possible.
8) Discount Programs
Ordering kegs 5 at a time can earn free goods or cash or percentage discounts. Different distributors offer different programs. LEARN about these programs and you can make a significant improvement in your costs, meaning more money to the bottom line.
A Busy Restaurant
A very busy restaurant is what we built.
There is a rooftop patio- rare in Arizona for some reason. It is the HOTTEST nightclub in town. It's not a craft beer bar. It is a Scottsdale-style nightclub at night.
A neighborhood craft beer bar with wine and spirits and 7 TV's.
A family friendly casual dining courtyard garden restaurant.
An AVIARY with over 60 birds.
Soon- a private dining space in the brewery with seating for up to 30.
We have all 3 of these venues in one. 250 total seats, with the ability to expand to about 300 without having to do ANYTHING. Just let people sit in the tables and chairs we already have.
And- we are busy. REALLY busy. I don't want to discuss specifics, but our Point of Sale (computer) company said that in 2 years, they have never seen a restaurant, bar, or nightclub open with the sales volume we are experiencing.
There have been plenty of growing pains. Some have been incredibly painful, some have been heartbreaking, and some have been unfathomable. However overall, there have been a TON of truly kind guests willing to overlook some of our flaws and give us 2nd, 3rd, 10th tries.
As operators of a restaurant, it is our responsibility to return as much of our top line sales, into bottom line profitability as possible.
As a brewer in a brewpub, remember this- WITHOUT THE RESTAURANT, THERE IS NO BREWERY.
This is a critical concept for any aspiring brewers to remember. Fortunately, I have 20 years of restaurant management experience (and a B.S. in Restaurant and Hotel Mgt) behind me. Despite wanting to stay as far out of restaurant operations as possible, clearly there is advantage to having as many years of experience as possible, helping make the restaurant successful.
There is a rooftop patio- rare in Arizona for some reason. It is the HOTTEST nightclub in town. It's not a craft beer bar. It is a Scottsdale-style nightclub at night.
A neighborhood craft beer bar with wine and spirits and 7 TV's.
A family friendly casual dining courtyard garden restaurant.
An AVIARY with over 60 birds.
Soon- a private dining space in the brewery with seating for up to 30.
We have all 3 of these venues in one. 250 total seats, with the ability to expand to about 300 without having to do ANYTHING. Just let people sit in the tables and chairs we already have.
And- we are busy. REALLY busy. I don't want to discuss specifics, but our Point of Sale (computer) company said that in 2 years, they have never seen a restaurant, bar, or nightclub open with the sales volume we are experiencing.
There have been plenty of growing pains. Some have been incredibly painful, some have been heartbreaking, and some have been unfathomable. However overall, there have been a TON of truly kind guests willing to overlook some of our flaws and give us 2nd, 3rd, 10th tries.
As operators of a restaurant, it is our responsibility to return as much of our top line sales, into bottom line profitability as possible.
As a brewer in a brewpub, remember this- WITHOUT THE RESTAURANT, THERE IS NO BREWERY.
This is a critical concept for any aspiring brewers to remember. Fortunately, I have 20 years of restaurant management experience (and a B.S. in Restaurant and Hotel Mgt) behind me. Despite wanting to stay as far out of restaurant operations as possible, clearly there is advantage to having as many years of experience as possible, helping make the restaurant successful.
Lag time? What lag time?
There are so many updates... I started full time at The Perch on January 1st. The pub opened on Valentines Day, the 14th of February. This is also Arizona's "birthday" of becoming a state. In addition, the first day of Arizona Beer week. (kind-of)
So the pub is open. It has been quite a wild ride and is just now starting to level out, if ANY restaurant can be considered to be less than insanity.
I did get pulled in to restaurant managing for a few weeks, and am now back to the brewery.
So here is the low-down.
I get asked about 50 times a day when we are going to start brewing. Which annoys the ever-living crap out of me. On the other hand, it is nice that there is so much interest and it warms my heart to think that I'll be making beer very soon, to the great delight of all these inquisitive folks.
Our Federal Brewers Permit process began November 22nd when I started the online application. That was 120 days ago
It was submitted as complete on December 17th. That was 95 days ago.
It was moved to a Specialist out of Triage, on January 13th. That was 68 days ago.
In November, this page listed the processing time as 78 days. It rose to 103, then 113, and is now down to 98 days.
Here is the problem- when does the count start? When the application is submitted as complete? Because that is when I gave it to them. They then got back to me a week later and asked for an additional document. Which is sent immediately. HOWEVER. That was the Friday before Christmas. Which meant the triage specialist was out of the office until January 6th. One would think that when she returned, she would have the document I overnighted to her. Unfortunately, it takes a LONG time for the MAIL ROOM in the basement of the Federal Building in Cincinnatti, to get anything to her desk. Like... 3 weeks, apparently.
Then came the Polar Vortex- the coldest winter storm in the history of the WORLD, apparently. When all the Federal offices closed for 3 days.
Pushing my acceptance back again.
January 13th, it was marked as accepted and moved along to a Specialist.
I immediately emailed the specialist and introduced myself, a courteous thing to do.
I heard nothing in return.
Then I called and left a voice mail, again simply introducing myself. Fine, no need to return the call
I suppose.
Since then, I have received a single reply to the 10's of phone calls and emails I have sent- when I informed the specialist that I had received my equipment. The reply was "Thank you for the update. I will note it"
This shows that yes indeed, the emails ARE getting through.
However, I have not heard a single word since that day.
Indeed it will happen eventually. I know that. The frustration of yelling into an eternally deep well, and waiting for a reply, is quite weighty.
Regarding construction - Phil who built the system (Bru Gear) has been here working through kinks, along with my electrician. They should be done on Monday.
My plumber started working on the Glycol system on Wednesday, but has not appeared since. A resolution must be forthcoming soon.
The transfer lines will be installed late next week.
After that, it's inspection for Certificate of Occupancy and the Health Department (notoriously difficult) and we're ready to go. Brewing in the first week of April? I certainly hope so!
Honestly, I have been so completely consumed by the pub that I have done almost zero regarding brewing- not homebrewing, not reading, not listening to podcasts. I feel out of touch completely.
Due to circumstances, I became the only manager of the restaurant for 10 days- which meant 20+ hour days for that stretch, and 17 hour days for the week prior and 2 weeks after, up until 2 days ago when our new General Manager arrived.
I get to go back to construction manager and future Head Brewer again!
Our Facebook Page!
So the pub is open. It has been quite a wild ride and is just now starting to level out, if ANY restaurant can be considered to be less than insanity.
I did get pulled in to restaurant managing for a few weeks, and am now back to the brewery.
So here is the low-down.
I get asked about 50 times a day when we are going to start brewing. Which annoys the ever-living crap out of me. On the other hand, it is nice that there is so much interest and it warms my heart to think that I'll be making beer very soon, to the great delight of all these inquisitive folks.
Our Federal Brewers Permit process began November 22nd when I started the online application. That was 120 days ago
It was submitted as complete on December 17th. That was 95 days ago.
It was moved to a Specialist out of Triage, on January 13th. That was 68 days ago.
In November, this page listed the processing time as 78 days. It rose to 103, then 113, and is now down to 98 days.
Here is the problem- when does the count start? When the application is submitted as complete? Because that is when I gave it to them. They then got back to me a week later and asked for an additional document. Which is sent immediately. HOWEVER. That was the Friday before Christmas. Which meant the triage specialist was out of the office until January 6th. One would think that when she returned, she would have the document I overnighted to her. Unfortunately, it takes a LONG time for the MAIL ROOM in the basement of the Federal Building in Cincinnatti, to get anything to her desk. Like... 3 weeks, apparently.
Then came the Polar Vortex- the coldest winter storm in the history of the WORLD, apparently. When all the Federal offices closed for 3 days.
Pushing my acceptance back again.
January 13th, it was marked as accepted and moved along to a Specialist.
I immediately emailed the specialist and introduced myself, a courteous thing to do.
I heard nothing in return.
Then I called and left a voice mail, again simply introducing myself. Fine, no need to return the call
I suppose.
Since then, I have received a single reply to the 10's of phone calls and emails I have sent- when I informed the specialist that I had received my equipment. The reply was "Thank you for the update. I will note it"
This shows that yes indeed, the emails ARE getting through.
However, I have not heard a single word since that day.
Indeed it will happen eventually. I know that. The frustration of yelling into an eternally deep well, and waiting for a reply, is quite weighty.
Regarding construction - Phil who built the system (Bru Gear) has been here working through kinks, along with my electrician. They should be done on Monday.
My plumber started working on the Glycol system on Wednesday, but has not appeared since. A resolution must be forthcoming soon.
The transfer lines will be installed late next week.After that, it's inspection for Certificate of Occupancy and the Health Department (notoriously difficult) and we're ready to go. Brewing in the first week of April? I certainly hope so!
Honestly, I have been so completely consumed by the pub that I have done almost zero regarding brewing- not homebrewing, not reading, not listening to podcasts. I feel out of touch completely.
Due to circumstances, I became the only manager of the restaurant for 10 days- which meant 20+ hour days for that stretch, and 17 hour days for the week prior and 2 weeks after, up until 2 days ago when our new General Manager arrived.
I get to go back to construction manager and future Head Brewer again!
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