In Business!

Howdy Folks!

I’m sorry I’ve been so lame about posting recently. I’ve been pretty busy managing Richard's re-election campaign, tending to Matt’s excruciating sciatica, performing quality-control on the batches in the tanks, and swimming, biking, and triking with the kids. But because it appears that people actually read this blog, I hereby commit to posting EVERY MONDAY, if not more frequently. I’m also loading content on the rest of the site so you’ll have something new to read during lunch. So here’s what’s going on:

Test Batch Two, a beta run of our flagship Universale Pale, was delicious and was served at the Fremont 5K and Briefcase Relay and the Washington Brewers Festival at St. Edwards Park to appreciative crowds. It’s gone now. I’ve never been around commercial beer production and I’m amazed how fast a 30-barrel tank will disappear – you people are lushes!

We brewed what Matt is proud to call the first batch of true Universale Pale a week ago and it’s ripening in the fermentation tanks right now. If all goes well with those little yeasties in the next couple days, we’ll be kegging it this week and getting it out to our very patient accounts soon thereafter. And growlers will be for sale in the retail space – price and sales hours to be announced.

This may come crushing disappointment to you – it is to me, that’s for sure – but we have come to the decision that the tasting room will not open any time soon. With so many bars and restaurants eager to sell our beer, we need to focus on our wholesale business. We have a gorgeous space with splendid views in a totally happening neighborhood full of beer lovers but we don’t have the bandwidth right now to do everything it will take to make the tasting room structurally sound and comfortably appointed. So we’re putting off that part of the business until production, sales, and revenue are regularized. It’s a shame to miss out on this summer’s drinking season but the good news is that if we play our cards right, we could have everything, including the roof-top deck, ready for next summer.

This does not mean that we’re putting off the PARTY – on the shop floor, amidst the tanks. Details forthcoming. You can dress for the occasion in one of our swanky T-SHIRTS -- including cute women's cut -- available now.

By the way, on June 17, King 5 did a piece focusing on our symbiotic relationship with our sub-letter, Blue Marble Energy, who uses our spent grain to make their product. Check out our TV kiss here.

If you’re a member of the 36th Legislative District Democrats (FREMONT, Queen Anne, Ballard, and beyond), I urge you to attend their endorsement meeting on July 9th and show your support for the greenest guy on City Council, Richard Conlin (of course).