Haiku for a dry wedding
Wait, what do you mean?
“Dry” includes beer, doesn’t it…
Don’t expect dancing.
Interview with a brewer: Oskar Blues in Lyons, CO
Recently we got a chance to interview Oskar Blues in Lyons, Colorado. Garrett at Maui Brewing introduced us, and I’m glad he did. If Oskar Blues doesn’t ring a bell, Dale’s Pale Ale might. Or Old Chub. Or Gordon. Or Ten FIDY. Oskar Blues is famous for making some amazing beers, but perhaps more famous for canning the amazing beers. They pioneered canning in craft beer, and for that we are forever indebted to them. Sidenote: If you’ve never had an imperial stout in a can, Ten FIDY is a must.
This interview is a little different, in that we asked some of our friends on Twitter to contribute questions. And contribute they did. Marty at Oskar Blues was kind enough to answer all of our questions, even the annoying ones. Which just goes to show you, they’re as nice as their beer is delicious. It also goes to show you how annoying we are.
1) Why craft brew in a can? How does the can affect quality, taste, your brewing process? (via Lauterhaus)
We launched our “Canned Beer Apocalypse” in November of 2002 as a clever way to promote our brewpub/music joint to folks outside of our town of 1200 folks. The move defied the brown-bottles-only mantra of craft beer, and made us the first US craft brewer to brew and can its own beer. We started by hand-canning our Dale?s Pale Ale on a little table-top machine. It sealed one can at a time.
Why cans? I’ll have Dale answer that one:
“We thought the idea of our big, hoppy pale ale in a can was hilarious,” Katechis recalls, “and it made our beer more portable for our fans who have fun outdoors. Cans also deliver the freshest beer possible by fully protecting it from light and oxygen. They?re good for beer.”
“The modern-day aluminum can is lined with a water-based coating so beer and the can never touch. It?s a myth that cans impart metallic flavors,” Katechis says.
“Cans are also the most recycled beverage container and they?re infinitely recyclable,” Katechis says. “Because of their light weight, cans are less fuel-consuming to ship and allow us to shrink our carbon footprint for out-of-state beer by about 40%. That?s big.”
But cans also make for some extremely portable craft beer, and allow folks to enjoy delicious beer in the outdoors more easily. Fishing, camping, beaching, biking, those sorts of things are special times and call for special beer. We hear from folks all the time who tell us how our beers have added much joy to their outdoor fun.
Cans also have an unpretentious, working-class, retro charm that appeals to us and many other folks. When you squeeze a big juicy pale ale or a luscious malty mutha’s milk into those cans, you’ve got something other-worldly and wonderful. And a treat that’s distinctly counter culture and against the grain. Punk rock, if you will.
2) Where should craft breweries interested in canning start and what should they be considering?
You gotta start with Cask Systems, the Canadian outfit that makes the gear we started on, and the gear about 25 other craft breweries now use. Their microcanning equipment made our trailblazing effort possible, they’re real pioneers.
What to consider? One drawback of cans vs. bottles, especially for a startup brewery, is you have to order cans in very large quantities. So you have to really believe in and be committed to that canned beer. And you’re very limited in the selection you can offer. Then again, if you don?t have faith, focus and deep affection for the beer you’re making, you should consider finding another trade.
3) When the hell are you coming to New Orleans? (via The Beer Buddha)
No plans just yet. Though my bass player has a place there and has offered it as a spot for launching some, uh, “research” into the area. Dale and the rest of us are sure big fans of much of the music from there, we book a ton of it in our place, too. Our brewpub menu is loaded with Cajun-style food.
4) If you were to start another brewery from scratch (purely hypothetical), is there anything you would do differently this time around?
Hmm. I’d say try and plan a bit farther out for growth. In our case, we’ve been unable to fill orders for most of our Apocalypse, just now getting caught up. And we’d pick more brains of our successful, more experienced peers. In our early days, Sam Calagione was a big source of help, support and inspiration. So was Greg Koch at Stone. The folks at the Brewers Association gave us giant help and support, too, as did New Belgium and several other craft breweries here in Colorado. But we made some mistakes of our own while learning on the job, extra brain picking may have avoided them.
5) How did you get a black hole into a can? I swear Ten FIDY can absorb light. (via Geistbear)
Well, you’ve gotta have the guts and the sense of humor to make a beer that big and sell it in a can. Most importantly, you need whip-smart brewers like our man Dave Chichura and his crew. Making Ten FIDY is not easy due to its immense grainbill and viscosity. Kinda like making good gravy or uber banana pudding. That’s some beer isn?t it?!
6) There are a lot of breweries in Colorado that make great beer, but Oskar Blues has managed to develop great beer and a successful company. What do you think are the key differentiators of those breweries that have experienced growth and commercial success?
The key factors for us? A rare combination of novel ideas, humor, savvy gospel-spreading, expert sales, and goosebump-inducing beer. And much happy hard work and risk taking.
Dale’s idea to can a big hoppy, American pale ale was way out there, a real rulebreaker. But we and our customers love the blasphemous nature and ridiculousness of it. A hearty sense of humor and “why not?” has also been key. Along with relentless, smiling, informed communication with the press about our beers, mojo, and ideas. From day one we’ve invested much time and effort in educating the media and consumers about cans, our bodacious beers, the fun we have.
We also launched with a one-of-a-kind sales dude, Wayne Anderson, who has that same grinning relentlessness and skill for selling our beer. He rocks. And we’ve had the great blessings of sharp brewers who deeply love our beer, have the skills to make it in primo fashion, and are willing to work long hard hours to brew and package that beer.
We also have a lead cat with grand ideas, the juice and love for driving a runaway train, and a way with bankers.
Most of all, there?s the beer itself. We make elegant-but-assertive beers for a very small but growing slice of beer lovers. Folks like us who crave rich flavors, artful things way beyond the mainstream, the more meaningful things in life. We don?t give a hoot about appealing to the masses.
One more thing: we love what we do. So our appreciation for our “jobs” is pretty obvious and folks can feel that. And the long hours we put in are a pleasure, not a chore. Very, very important.
It’s great fun turning more and more folks on to your beer. But crazy growth also presents some problems and risks and requires much work.
7) What has been the single greatest marketing tactic for you in growing your brand (other than “word-of-mouth”)?
The move to cans instantly set us apart from everybody else, and was living proof that we thought and operated differently. Our decision to make microcanning our focus (instead of some sideline novelty) added to it. But it’s been a combination of the things mentioned above. Without our swing-for-the-fence philosophy, media tickling, ace sales and brewery staff, and delicious, uncompromising beer, we’re not where we are today.
A Monday without brewing is like a day without sunshine
There are few people that get as excited as I do Sunday nights. Most people are probably only beginning to realize that the work week starts anew after one all-too-short night’s sleep. However, Jeff, Joel and I have a completely different reaction:
Source: Unsourced everywhere on the internet
You see, Mondays are our lifeblood. Mondays rock. We brew beer, we drink beer, we meet people. But when Mondays get canceled for no good reason, I get antsy. Without 10 gallons of wort in the kettle, I didn’t know what to do with myself. Fortunately Tony and Garrett stepped in and invited me to Taco Mac. And then Colin, Nathan and Andy (no website? srsly?) heard my sobs and had me over for another beer.
Bottom line, I’m in withdrawal. I’m prepared to wake up sweating with the cold shakes until next Monday, though that hasn’t happened yet. I’m just glad that people realized how naked Mondays are without beer, and sought to include me in their dirty doings. Because, at the end of the day, “Oh girl HOLD ON. Are those shoes on sale?”
Good news for people that hate beer (no brewing on Monday)
Rarely do we call off brewing on Monday nights. Unfortunately, both Jeff and Joel are sick, so tomorrow is going to have to be one of those nights. I would like to point out, however, how frail both of them are compared to me, pinnacle of health. It really makes me second-guess going into business with a couple of pansies with runny noses.
Don’t show up at Jeff’s Monday, unless you want to be infected with his cooties. Hopefully we’ll be back in business next week.
Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, come on down!
There are some weeks that leave you craving a particular beer. The frigid Atlanta winter is upon us, and while it’s not as cold as the homes and hearts of some people, it’s still too dern cold for me. The temperature, plus the busier-than-usual work week, has put a craving in my belly. A craving that can be satiated only by Breckenridge Vanilla Porter.
If you haven’t had this beer, you’ve probably got some reservations. Vanilla is a touchy ingredient, and can overpower a beer with ease. But this beer does it right, and is perfect for the winter months. If you see it on the shelf, pick up a 6-pack and let us know what you think.
But seriously, it’s like drinking candy from a glass. Mmmmm. And as the marketing dork, I’m also a huge fan of their label and 6-pack carrier. It may not stand out as much as some of the others, but it’s got a nice subtley about it. It reminds me of those old snake oil medicine ads.
Interview with a brewer: Fullsteam in Durham, NC
We just finished up a great interview with Maui Brewing as part of our Interview with a Brewer series, and now we move a little closer to home. We got the chance to talk to Sean of Fullsteam, a microbrewery-in-planning in Durham, North Carolina. We have a lot in common with Fullsteam:
- We’re both in-planning
- We love the South and are committed to making it a craft beer destination
- We’re all about the local focus
- We have similar taste in music
Fullsteam is a little further along than us at the moment, as they have already purchased their brewhouse and have raised some money. I’ve been reading about their dirty doings and beers for awhile now, and they have some incredibly unique beer ideas. I’m particularly fond of their experimental hickory-smoked porter, Hogwash!, to be paired with barbeque. Mmmm. Barbeque. I just drooled on my keyboard. Before I cause a short underneath my spacebar, I present you the interview in full. Thanks to Sean and Chris for indulging us:
1) In haiku form, who are you guys and what are you about (doesn’t have to be in haiku form)?
Experimental.
Crap, that’s five syllables long.
Can I start over?
Okay, for real… Fullsteam is a brewery-in-planning that will be both a distributing brewery and an on-premises tavern. We don’t plan on having a full-service restaurant, so we’re not really a brewpub. But the tavern is a big part of the plan. We want it to be both a community gathering place and, ultimately, a landmark brewery.
Our beer niche is Southern agricultural brewing — experimenting with local, seasonal farmed ingredients and heirloom grains in the brewing process to craft a distinctly Southern beer style. In addition to our experimental Southern Ag beers, we also plan to launch a “control” series of easy-drinking, lower-alcohol beers.
At the tavern, the food will likely be limited to hand-held savory pies called bullies. Bullies and beer. We want to keep the food simple and fun, with the focus on brewery operations… not restaurant operations.
It’s complex to write out. I’m not real good at trimming down the concept into easy-to-digest sound bites. Hopefully people will get it.
2) What beers do you plan on launching with?
Our flagship beer — well, what we hope will be our flagship beer — is a “Carolina Common” called, simply, Fullsteam. It’s based on the traditional turn-of-the-century California Common; we’re calling ours a Carolina Common just for fun. Plus, a lager yeast fermented at warmer ale temperatures kind of works for the south, being warm here and all.
Other than Fullsteam, we don’t really have a set line-up of beers. We’re testing control and experiment batches, and we’ll decide on our beer list when we’re closer to knowing our opening date. Since our focus is on local and seasonal farmed ingredients, so much will depend on the time of year and the availability of harvested goods. This makes it both exciting and a little daunting.
I remember a conversation with a brewery owner who was “all about the recipes.” That basically there’s no brewery without intellectual property. I don’t want to speak for Chris Davis (our brewer), but I don’t follow that mindset. I’ve worked in too many restaurants where the best dishes where the literal catch-of-the-day or what the local farm brought by. I do realize that we’ll have to settle on some core, consistent beers to satisfy customer demand…but I believe it’s too early to try and nail down what that selection might be.
3) What’s your favorite thing about brewery planning?
Your question sounds deceivingly simple, but I’m finding it difficult to answer.
I think the best part is when Chris and I are sitting around drinking Fullsteam’s test batches and talking through the ideal tavern atmosphere. The steampunk concept is going to be a lot of fun, even if economics temper our enthusiasm and we have to go more sparse than we’d like. We’re both kind of big goofballs, and we spend a lot of time scheming up ideas that we think people would like: Really Bad Movie Night, the Contraption (Chris’ amazing beer dispensing machine), collaborative brewing with local homebrewers. That kind of dreaming up is fun…a lot more fun than meeting with city officials determining whether brewing beer is allowed in a particular zone.
4) What did you learn from Pop the Cap (NC’s specialty beer lobbying organization) and how have you been able to apply it to the process of opening a brewery?
Relationships matter.
It’s so important to speak positively and respectfully and to avoid gossip. Idle conversation can really mess up relationships, whether with retailers, restaurants, distributors, or fellow breweries. I think we did really well with Pop The Cap because our mission was singular: to lift the 6 percent alcohol cap…and we stuck with that mission, avoiding as much as possible the gamesmanship of state politics. We spoke positively about the industry and treated people with respect. We’ll be successful with Fullsteam by working under a similar code, speaking kindly and living generously. Good relationships are the key to our start and to our future.
5) You’re only a year into brewery planning, but is there anything you would do differently if you had to do it all again?
I’d raise all the money first.
I’ve had it in my mind that I needed to first show investors that we found an ideal location, and *then* we would go out and raise the money. What I’ve found is that building owners, banks, and even other investors want our funds to be in-place before we secure a space. Duh, right? I know now, but like most entrepreneurs, I thought getting money would be snap. It’s easy to put off raising money, thinking that you just need this web page looking good or this zoning issue resolved. Not good enough. I’ve been doing it backwards, and it cost us time…and probably a potential location or two. I’d love to have a mulligan on that one.
6) What marketing tactics have been most successful for you thus far?
Similar to you guys, we put a lot of stock in building online community, including our newsletter (6:14 Express), Facebook, Twitter, and the fullsteam.ag website…which is really just a blog on steroids. A lot of the up-and-coming breweries in the South are taking advantage of new so-called web 2.0 platforms. I think you’ll see a lot more interactivity and collaboration amongst customers and craft beer manufacturers in the months and years ahead, particularly among the new breweries unencumbered by existing HTML. The danger is over-communicating…of failing to create a bit of a mystique by showcasing everything. I like a bit of mystery, and we’ll have to think about how to balance communication and transparency with intrigue…particularly as we build out the brewery and tavern.
I do want to say that I’ve enjoyed following Monday Night Brewery online…I think I’ve been following y’all since the first few months of (online) inception. I’ve picked up some stuff from you guys; hopefully you from us, if not now, then perhaps in the future. It’s one of the many reasons Chris and I love craft beer…the people are great and the industry is a blast. I truly appreciate you interviewing us.
Milk Stout, Take 2!
Last night we gave our milk stout a second swing after underpitching the yeast in our batch a couple of weeks ago. It was no walk in the park – the obstacles facing our attempt were numerous and horrific. No oats. Low propane. Frigid cold. Malfunctioning fermentation chamber. And most dire, Joel alone at the helm for the better part of the evening, thanks to late nights at the office for Jonathan and me. By some miracle, we ended the night with 10 gallons of milk stout dead on our target gravity of 1.068.
In other news, the fermentation chamber continues to be finicky. Rather, we continue to find ways to inhibit functionality of this remarkably simple contraption. This time, the heat lamp somehow came unplugged from the temperature regulator, and the air in the chamber had dropped to a chilly 52 degrees from 67. It can’t have been that way for long, because last week’s IPA still managed to attenuate about 50% – we’re hopeful the yeast can finish the job with the aid of our now-functioning heat lamp.