A New Week, Another Monday
I realized over the weekend that we don’t always clue in our web readers to what we actually will be doing any given Monday. Of all days to post this should be the most important. So…I’m thinking I’ll do a basic format as follows:
Brewing (starting this week)- 10 gal. batch of the Weiss Guy Hefeweizen
Transferring (from primary to secondary fermentation) – 15 gal. Lumberjack (wedding) Stout
Bottling - 5 Gal Roundhouse Pale Ale
Consuming – Bog Monster, Swashchuckler, CowTipper, Base Jumper
On Tap – Casserole Ale
That’s right. I said “on tap”…on saturday I officially picked up the necessary accessories to actually use those 32 kegs we were given and yesterday I force-carbonated the Casserole Ale (figured that would be a good experimental batch). Starting this monday I hope to have anywhere between one and four beers on tap at all times. I have a feeling that I may have friends stopping by more often now for just a “casual visit” or a “quick drink.”
If you’re in ATL this evening please feel free to join us.
The Soggy Bottom Bog Monster
So it doesn’t actually have a soggy bottom (it’s really a very clear beer) but for some reason I think of the Soggy Bottom Boys from “O Brother Where Art Thou” whenever I think of the Bog Monster. But I digress, so I cracked my 2nd Bog Monster last night. We cracked the first one on Monday and with 9 days in the bottle it was really struggling (and by struggling I mean flat and cranberra-li-cious). Jonathan even dumped out his glass because he thought it was that bad. Well, I’m pleased to report that with a few additional days the Bog Monster has taken a turn for the better. The carbonation has mellowed out the cranberry to a really nice point and it has a nice subtle sweetness that complements the bitterness of the beer. I’m hoping the next week or so helps it even further…but stay tuned for a more “professional” opinion from the brewmaster…after all I was the guy who thought the Swaddling Ale was a solid brew.
Party Planning
Over the past few days, we at MNB have been discussing the much-anticipated Brewhaha. We have a preliminary schedule and a basic plan for the party. We’ll be brewing 10-gallon batches over the next few months, so expect the chance to sample 4-6 of MNB’s best brews and give us your honest feedback on what you think. Have thoughts or suggestions on what the Brewhaha should look like? Let us know.
Who knew that Brooklyn had something to offer us
The MNB gang has been circulating beer books for awhile as a form of general knowledge building. Beer School (Hindy/Potter) has recently been passed on to m by our pal Joel. This book chronicles the rise of the Brooklyn Brewery.
While I’m not necessarily sold on Brooklyn’s beer (their chocolate stout tastes like pure alcohol), the book itself is quite interesting. I’ve arrived on a few key insights pertinent to us as we continue our quest towards owning a micro.
Joel, feel free to add to these as you see fit.
- Distribution is going to be a key component, especially being able to achieve decent distribution early on in the process ? and Georgia’s distribution laws are… how you say… old-fashioned.
- Brooklyn Brewery overpayed for their lame logo and I’m glad that we will be able to do most of the creative in-house (at least initially)
- Seriously, Brooklyn Brewery’s logo is lame. You’d think it was a gift from the beer gods as they dedicated an entire chapter to how cool it is.
- We need to create defined roles and a defined mission (working on the roles, I think we’ve nailed the mission)
- Connecting to the community in which we brew is important and necessary
- We can totally do this. The Brooklyn Brewery guys were also homebrewers. Both were English majors. Tom worked for a bank, Steve was a journalist.
If anyone else has any insight they’d like to share ? or a good book we should read ? let us know.
Win those free pint glasses!
Ever since we’ve announced a monthly drawing for our Monday Night Brewery pint glasses (see pic) for mailing list subscribers, wouldn’t you know it, we’ve had an influx of subscriptions! It’s almost like you guys don’t really care about us… you just want our glasses.
Oh wait. It’s exactly like that. Nonetheless, we will still be holding a monthly drawing for all those fair-weather friends out there. Sign up either on the sidebar to the right or, alternately, here. Get you some!
32 kegs of beer in the van, 32 kegs of beer…
If anyone was wondering what 32 free kegs looked like, here’s a pic. Yep. That’s right. Monday Night Brewery is now the proud father of 32 wee ones, compliments of Joel’s uncle. Joel picked up these bad boys Friday in Birmingham (the Big Salty Ham, as we say in the business).
We used the first of these kegs last night to do the secondary fermentation for our casserole ale. While we are going to try to do some secondary fermentation in these bad boys, the main purpose will be to power our man-sized kegerators. We are so badass.
Marriage + Beer = Ball and Chain Stout
In recent weeks my fiance and I have struggled over what to give our guests as favors for the reception. There are the usual, boring little items, but who really wants any of that. We wanted to give something any decent person can appreciate. And then, over lunch with Jon and Joel, it hit us. Give the people beer.
Honestly, who doesn’t want a good brew, and not just any brew, a MNB brew. So, over the course of the next few weeks we will be brewing three custom batches of stout (with more developed chocolate notes than the Lumberjack) that will be handed out as favors at my wedding.
As my best man, my friend acquaintance, and as the Chief Creative Officer, Jon has suggested the most encouraging name to date, the “Ball & Chain Stout”. While insightful and poignant, I throw this to you, dear readers, and ask that you weigh in on the name of this stout.