Slow down you HOPHEADS!

Todm here on Sat. the 28th of Feb. Can you believe we are already through Feb.?? Where does the time go.... and for that matter where did all the 5 C's go?!? We just put the 5C's on a week ago Thurs. and we are already below the one barrel mark! Slow the pace down!! How are we to keep up with your demand when we can hardly keep up the supply? We are brewing as fequently as possible. We just put in a double batch of Baltic Porter (yum!) and a new twist on our summertime Saison we are calling our Printemps (French for Springtime) Saison. Both need a bit of time to mellow ( read: 4 weeks at least for the Porter and 6 weeks for the Saison). I hope we can hold off long enough for the fine ales to come to maturity. We do have some tasty brews we just put on like the Winter Weizen and the oxymoron beer a dark light called, of all things, British Mild. The mild is an authentic session ale with huge quaffability with light body and lovely chocolate notes in the palette. The Winter Weizen is an authentic German Hefeweizen with banana and clove aromatics and a crisp tart flavor with a medium body. Both are light in their hops so all you hop (knuckle)heads will probably be asking when the next installment of 5C's will be coming out! We will be working on two hoppy beers for the springtime; American Mild and an Imperial IPA. Be patient! Cheers! Todm

5 C's, yummmmmy!

hey all,

We took off the Flanders and replaced the line with our 5 C's IPA. It is hop-a-lish! Big citrus note and the lingering hop flavor that wont quit! For you hop heads out there this is your beer.

I know that the Flanders was enjoyed by many. But to the sour fans keep and eye out, I said we took off the Flanders, not that the Flanders kicked. We are up to no good here in the brew house. Bwahahahaha!

Cheers,
Tyler

Some Reflections on Kate Day

It's been nearly a week since the festivities we've come to call Kate Day, when we tap Tod's famous Kate the Great Russian Imperial Stout and offer bottles of it for sale to the general public. We've gotten a lot of feedback and some helpful suggestions, and I wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts about how things went. 

Before I get into that, however, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who helped make Kate Day such a terrific celebration. That includes those who drove great distances and waited patiently in the cold in a line that extended from our doorstep all the way down to Market Square, a block and a half away. It also includes Tod, Tyler, Brennen, Joanne and the rest of wonderful Brewery staff - both front and back of the house - who worked their tails off and looked like they loved every minute of it, smiling and hustling their way through the (barely) controlled chaos that lasted from early morning till last call.

At the Brewery, we are very aware that we have been blessed with something extremely special, and it's not entirely about the beer. We are fortunate to host, once or twice a year, a remarkable gathering of friends, acquaintances and strangers, who come together under the pretext of seeking out a rare and marvelous beer - Kate the Great. But it's about much more than that. Everyone who attended will probably agree that the “vibe” we all felt that day was truly unique. This was not just another day at the office, or the bar, or a concert or whatever. Kate Day was a rare occasion - yes, the beer is the draw, but the people make the day.

Some have suggested that there is too much “hype.” I don't see it that way. Hype implies something false and inauthentic, that is blown out of proportion. If you look at the comments on Beer Advocate and other beer blogs, nobody said that the beer or the event failed to live up to their expectations. From the Brewery's standpoint, our promotion of Kate Day consisted of putting a countdown clock on our website, several mentions in our email newsletter, and our literary contest, which we promoted only on our website and newsletter. We didn't spend a penny on advertising. In the Brewery itself, there were no posters or table tents, or even a mention in our menu during the time leading up to the event. That's pretty low-key promotion, in my book! In my opinion, the interest in Kate Day was purely organic, generated by people who are sincerely interested in good beer and the opportunity to be part of a rare and special social event. Since bottle sales were limited to two per person, it's safe to say that the level of mercenary activity was pretty much zero; no one was cashing in on Kate Day. 

Did everything run perfectly? Certainly not. I was not happy to see so many people standing in line for much of the day. And like everyone else, I was disappointed to learn that Kate didn't make it till last call Monday. I only had one glass myself, assuming, like many others did, that I'd have another one with lunch on Tuesday. We will certainly do a post-mortem and think of as many was as we can to improve the next Kate Day. 

But I need to point out that we at the Brewery are in the business of saying yes. That is the cornerstone of our hospitality. We can not make a distinction between “regulars” and “non-regulars.” As far as I am concerned, everyone who walks in our door deserves the best we can offer, whether it's their first time, or their fourth time this week. We've talked about a “soft” release, and some on our staff are enthusiastic about that idea. I, for one, am not a big fan of the idea, because, as I've said, I belive the real magic of Kate Day is the mix of the beer and the gathering itself. I may crack open a bottle of Kate one evening, but I don't think I'll enjoy it nearly as much as the glass I had in the midst of such a wonderful crowd of happy beer lovers.

Cheers,

P-

Just a little preview

Hey all,

The 5 C's IPA isn't on yet....but we did sneak out the casks a bit early. We are just excited to try this beer as you guys are. If you don’t remember last years 5 C's IPA here is a little refresher. The 5 C's has five hop varieties used through out the brewing process and come off as a more west coast IPA. Meaning that there is a little bit more bitterness and more citrus aroma and flavor then our Bottle Rocket. But don’t drink the cask! I want to save it for myself :)

Cheers,
Tyler

Just getting over the shock

Hey all,

I am just getting over the shock that Kate is gone. The bottles sold out in 2 hours and the beer was kicked on tap that night! It is unbelievable. Thank you all that made it in here for the event. I hope everyone that was here had a great time!

Cheers,
Tyler

Kate day

Hey all,

Kate day is right around the corner and we are starting to get e-mails repeating the same questions. Mostly asking can I pick up my Kate bottles early, or can I get my friend to pick up my bottles with my ticket. To make it fair for everyone there are no proxies allowed. The rule is two bottles per person, not two bottles per ticket. Each person is eligible to buy two bottles, whether they have one ticket or twenty. Also Kate, in bottles or off the tap, is not going to be sold until 1:14pm on the 9th.

Monday is going to be a great time! I am not staying that you should skip work or class for the day, but I am sure that it would be much more fun here then there.

Cheers,
Tyler

Dubbel de-lish

Hey all,

Taking a quick break from the Kate bottling to let you know about the new beer on tap. Our Belgian Style Dubbel is now on tap. This traditional Belgian ale has the fruity/bubble gum nose that you would expect and finishes slightly dryer on the palette then the color would lead you to believe. Triple is coming soon, Dubbel, Flanders Red, Biere de Garde are all on now. Belgian brewery for a bit is always fun :)

See ya on Monday!

Cheers,
Tyler