So now what?

A letter to The Perch staff:

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“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.

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?