Pondering A Brewing Future
I have a dream. This may be a cliche start to this post, but nonetheless it’s true, and it’s what got me to thinking about writing this down. I have a dream of opening my own brewery, and it’s one I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.
I don’t normally use this forum to write about anything but other people’s products. And there’s a reason for that – I really admire well-crafted beers, whiskies, coffees, and wines, and see them as an expression of truly creative people and companies. And I’m most excited when these are people who are clearly passionate about what they’re doing. Just consider Barth and Greg at Barrington Coffee Roasters, or Alan Sprints at Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company, or the creative geniuses at Founders Brewing, to name just a few. These people create amazing coffees and beers that express their own, unique visions. Each of them has followed their own path to where they are today, and I believe will continue to do so in the future. Each is inspiring.
I’ve been homebrewing for 3 or 4 years now. As I’ve gotten more brews under my belt, I’ve gained a greater understanding of the process, an appreciation of the history and culture behind brewing, become a better brewer, and turned out beers that I’m proud of. I’ve also started to figure out what my own, personal brewing “voice” is. I’ve realized just how much I enjoy brewing, and that it’s become a creative outlet that I never expected it to be.
When I started brewing, it was just a hobby, something I was interested in trying out for fun. During the past year or two in particular, I’ve come to realize that it’s something that I’m actually good at. I love the process of thinking about the beer that I want to brew, letting the idea crystallize in my head, researching the style, ingredients, and methods involved, and then crafting a recipe that embodies the ideal beer that I’ve framed in my mind. My best beers have come about through this process, beers that I would be proud to stand up next to the commercial brews that have inspired me.
So here I find myself today, dreaming for the umpteenth time about starting a brewery. I haven’t worked in a brewery, and have only ever brewed at home. But similar to the process by which my best recipes have come about, the brewery itself has begun to take shape in my imagination, and to slowly crystallize into clear, practicable ideas.
For instance, if you were starting a brewery tomorrow, what beers would you brew? How many and what would they be? I’ve meandered along thinking about this, and have settled on the idea of 4 regularly available beers, 3 year-round and 1 seasonal. The 3 year-round beers would be: a late-hopped IPA, a hoppy Rye Ale, and an Imperial Stout. I also know what 2 of the 4 seasonals would be: in fall, a malty, low-gravity Mild, and in summer, a crisp, grainy Kolsch. Gosh, I just get so excited thinking about this, the possibilities! But these 5 beers that I’ve mentioned, I have a picture-perfect idea of them. I know how they’ll taste, what they’ll look like, even what type of glass I’d server them in. The idea is so clear in my head, it’s kind of strange actually.
I also know exactly who some of the key players would be, if I could choose anyone to be part of the team that gets the brewery off the ground. One would be my friend who is a coffee-shop owner, who is one of the most creative, entrepreneurial people I know, and whose small-business sense I think is remarkable. Another would be a friend of mine who’s a graphic designer, who does remarkable design work, and whose discussion, feedback, and ideas about brewing (and other drinks-related topics) are thought-provoking and inspiring. And without a doubt, my wife, who not only is a source of endless inspiration and confidence, but who brings a creative, sharp, analytical mind, and a remarkable ability to accomplish what she sets out to do. I know that with these three people on board, my belief in this venture would soar.
Will anything ever come of this dreaming? I honestly don’t know. I’ve never thought of myself as a huge risk-taker, and this is a very big leap. But who knows. I’ve spent countless hours dreaming up ideas for the beers that I want to brew, and have seen these ideas crystallize into reality in the form of newly brewed beers. I’ve learned that patience is the key, that I need to let the beer take the shape it’s going to take. That only then will it be ready to be brewed. So I’ll keep dreaming of opening a brewery. I’ll let the ideas gradually take their own shape, and who knows, maybe one day that’ll turn into an actual brewery where I can follow in the footsteps of those remarkably creative, inspiring companies that I mentioned earlier.
Go for it! Come on! Start small, maybe just the seasonal?