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Day of the Living Ales!

07 Mar

So, yesterday afternoon was Day(and Night) of the Living Ales. It’s a great event put on by the Chicago Beer Society, featuring cask-conditioned ales from various local breweries and some out of state ones, as well. There were 43 beers and during the 4 hour session, I ended up sampling 17. My favorites are in bold:

Bourbon McElroy Imperial Stout (Flossmoor Station)
Joppy Joppy Joy Joy Jalapeno IPA (Flossmoor Station)
Oaky Rose Flemish Brown (Goose Island)
SupercalifragilisticCITRAalidocious (Goose Island)
Traditional Honker’s Ale (Goose Island)
A belgian blonde named Citrus (Goose Island Clybourn)
Coffee-infused Schwarzbier (Gordon Biersch Bolingbrook)
Ginger Twin India Red Ale (Half Acre)
Bighead APA (Mickey Finn’s Liberyville)
Hopsickle XXXIPA (Moylan’s Brewery)
Coffee Oatmeal Stout (Rock Bottom Chicago)
Argus’ India Brown Ale (Rock Bottom Lombard)
Imperial Stout (Rock Bottom Orland Park)
King of Hearts Imperial Red (Rock Bottom Warrenville)
Darkness (Surly)
Tea Bagged Furious (Surly)
Resistance IPA (Two Brothers)

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Posted in Beer + Life

Next Up: Chicago Hot Dog . . . Lager?

22 Feb

Vienna Hot Dog

A VIENNA Lager fermented w/ sport peppers. GET IT?

Although Hot Dog beer doesn’t sound too tasty, so I have to rethink the name. . .

8 lb Vienna Malt
1 lb German Dark Crystal
1 lb Caramunich II

1 oz Hallertauer pellets @ 60 min
0.5 oz Hallertauer pellets @ 40 min

Wyeast 2206 GF Bavarian Lager Yeast

Fermentation: SPORT PEPPERS (amount as of yet undecided)

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Posted in Beer + Life

Feedback on the Blommer Chocolate Stout

12 Feb

I gave my friends a sixpack of the Blommer Chocolate Stout about a month ago and told them to keep it in their cellar for a few weeks before trying it. This was the stout that I bottled on December 10th, 2009. Last week I received a message saying they’d tried a bottle and it had a nice head, pine/foresty aroma and a roasty flavor.

Here’s the pic they sent:

Blommer Chocolate Stout

Approximately 10 people have tried the stout so far. Most people have reported the chocolate/roasted flavor and aroma, which is great.

Next time I will be using cocoa powder or cocoa nibs to increase head retention. I may even increase the amount of oats because I want that aroma and flavor to come through more.

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Posted in Beer + Life

Trying the Burnham Brown Redux.

12 Feb

So, I cracked open a bottle of the 2nd version of the Burnham Brown (which I brewed on New Year’s Eve). I was super surprised by the clarity this time. Additionally, it had a nice foamy head and good carbonation. Better aroma than before, but still reminiscent of the original. The taste is SLIGHTLY more watery, which was understandable because the previous version only yielded 3.5 gallons (because it was my first brew ever and I was still learning!) as opposed to this one which was about 4.5 gallons. Hop bitterness was present but not much hop aroma or flavor.

This is a very drinkable beer that appeals to a wide range of tastes. I believe I met my goals for this specific beer. CHECK OUT THE CLARITY!!! The glass I used is a Rock Bottom Brewery glass and you can actually see the letters from the back of the glass.

The beer still tastes “young”. I am going to condition it for another couple weeks and I think it will be even better.

Burnham Brown Redux

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Posted in Beer + Life

State of the Brewery Address

07 Feb

I’ve been really lazy in updating this blog, I know. I have a running list of topics to address, but have been lacking the inspiration/time to do so. Tomorrow I’m starting a 3-month contract (creating online training curriculum) to help pay the bills and save for what’s coming up. It’ll be 40 hours/week of my time that I won’t be able to spend on brewery/business, but I do get the luxury of working from home so I don’t have to worry about lost time on a commute. Plus, more money coming in means more beer I can #homebrew and more beer-related travel/events!

Here’s a brief update on what I’ve been up to:

1. Attending all sorts of beer-related events. If it’s related to beer, I’m there. I’ve toured most of the Chicago breweries and hope to check out the new Revolution Brewing pub soon. I also purchased tickets to Night of the Living Ales happening in March.

2. Attending all sorts of entrepreneurship/business-related events. Earlier this week, the Business School at Kendall College put on a workshop for entrepreneurs. Some Northwestern Law School students were there talking about the common legal issues that entrepreneurs face when starting a business. While most of what they covered was stuff I already knew about, it did give me another perspective on incorporating as an S-corp rather than an LLC. I have been researching the best way to structure the company for almost 5 months now, and I think I’ve finally decided how I want to do it. It all depends on how I’m going to fund this venture!

3. Reading, reading, and more reading on beer, brewing, brewery history, beer news, and various business books. Last week I finished the “The History of Beer and Brewing in Chicago, Volume 2” by Bob Skilnik and have started The Wall Street Journal’s “Complete Small Business Guidebook.” by Colleen DeBlaise.

4. Continuing to talk with #beer people, business people, and anyone who wants to hear about Robey Street!

5. Working on new brew recipes. Today I’m bottling the MLK & Cookie Stout and will be trying to fit in the brew day for the Belgian Rose Witbier sometime next week.

6. Participating in a BJCP study group starting next week.

7. Continuing to fill in sections of my business plan.

8. Planning the (rescheduled from December) Robey Street Fundraising Party, tentatively scheduled for March!

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Posted in Beer + Business, Beer + Life, Beer Education

Brew #7: Belgian Rose Witbier

24 Jan

So, I planned a new recipe over the weekend. I hope to brew it in the next week or so.

I got a little inspired over the weekend while thinking about a rose-flavored drink that was very popular when I lived in Singapore. It’s called bandun (bahn-doon) I believe. Evaporated milk, ice, and rose syrup. A lovely pink and sweet drink. Rose flavored drinks/snacks are quite popular in Asia and the Middle-east but don’t seem to be very prevalent here in the U.S.

T. G. Kiat & Co (Pte) Ltd Rose Syrup

So, how about a beer with rose flavor and aroma? Could it work?

I started thinking about this rose syrup, and rosewater, and did some research if anyone has made a rose-flavored beer. Nothing really came up, but I didn’t look that hard.

I think in order for this to really work the beer has to be a bit sweet and light, so I decided to try my hand at a Belgian witbier. While I have finalized the grain bill and hops, I have yet to figure out if I will add rose syrup or rose water, and if I will do it during the boil, during the fermentation or both. I’m leaning towards putting some rose syrup in at the end of the boil. As for fermenting, that depends on how much I want the rose aroma/flavor to come out. I don’t want to it to overpower, but I do want it to be noticeable. So, we’ll see.

Here’s what I’ve got so far:

Please note: I’m listing the amounts of grain by percentage for now.

40% 2-Row

40% White Wheat

10% Flaked Wheat

10% Acid Malt (sour)

Rice Hulls*

*(Adding rice hulls to the mash to prevent stuck mash from the high percentage of wheat)

60 minute mash.

60 minute boil.

1 oz Saaz hops added at 40 mins.

Tentative: 8 oz. T.G. Kiat & Co. Rose Syrup at end of boil.

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Posted in Beer + Life

Brew #6: MLK & Cookie Stout

20 Jan

It was Martin Luther King, Jr. day this past Monday and to celebrate the day I decided to brew the “MLK & Cookie Stout”.

I like oatmeal stouts a lot. I like chocolate stouts, too, but I tend to be very picky about them. I also was eager to experiment by making a milk stout. So what better, than to combine all three to make a milk and cookie stout!

I put the recipe together after having done some research on various homebrew websites, taking notes from various recipes and combining all the best into one.

Grains:

7 lbs Briess Organic 2-Row
1 lb Briess Flaked Oats
1 lb Briess Roasted Barley
1 lb Briess Caramel 80L
½ lb Briess Chocolate Malt

Hops:

1 oz Goldings (UK) @ 60min.
½ oz Goldings (Yakmia) @ 30 min.
½ oz Goldings (Yakima) @ 15 min.

Yeast:

Irish Ale (Wyeast 1084)

Misc:

½ lb Lactose at flame out.*
1 tsp Irish Moss at 15 min.

60 min mash @ 158F, sparge @ 168F, 60 minute boil.

OG: 1.055

*For those who aren’t brewers, lactose (milk sugar) is added to the beer because it is an unfermentable sugar and thus keeps the beer sweet. You can read more about milk stouts here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stout#Milk_stout

Brew notes:

It was my first time using the new Barley Crusher malt mill that I bought and I’m already glad I invested in it. My numbers were SPOT ON. Everything else went well on brew day, and the wort alone smelled great so I’m eager to try it in about 8 weeks!

Barley Crusher Malt Mill

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Posted in Beer + Life

Business Partner Wanted Ad: The Search Begins.

20 Jan

One of the most obvious issues with starting up a brewery is the fact that I cannot do this all by myself. I need to partner with someone whose strengths, skills and experience are complementary to my own. I need someone who is as passionate about my business idea as I am and willing to run this business with me, 50-50.

I’ve taken some time to think about what I’d really like to be doing when it comes to running the business as well as some things that I will definitely need help with in the future. I am perfectly content doing whatever it takes by wearing as many hats as possible, but I do see where having someone else with complementary strengths and weaknesses will be necessary for success.

I AM someone with:

A clear vision for the Robey Street mission and brand.
Strong organizational and multitasking skills.
A serious dedication to making this business come to fruition.
A passion for learning and learning quickly to get things done.
An eye for the big picture as well as all the details within.
Experience working in many different industries, business types, and with people from all over the world.
Growing knowledge about brewing and beer in general.
A preference to be behind the scenes working on the production side.
A realistic and practical approach to getting things done, and doing them right the first time around.
Strong budgeting and money management skills.

I NEED someone with:

A passion for craft beer and small business.
Enough time to dedicate themselves fully to this endeavor.
Start-up business experience, especially financing, putting together PPMs, etc.
Craft beer industry experience, whether on the business side of things, on the brewing side of things, or any combination thereof.
Experience managing small business finances.
A desire to promote the product and brand directly with the public. A “people person” who wants to be “face” of Robey Street.
Discipline, focus, and a positive attitude even in rough times.
NO drug, alcohol, or other dependencies. ABSOLUTELY SERIOUS. It’s one thing to love beer, it’s another thing to overdo it.
A clear understanding that we probably won’t be profitable for YEARS, so don’t expect to be making bank anytime soon.
Tons of money! (Just kidding…. kinda.)

Does this describe someone you or someone you know? Remember that I’m not looking to “hire” someone, I’m looking for a business partner. An EQUAL partnership. Serious inquiries only. CONTACT ME.

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Posted in Beer + Business

Just an update . . .

10 Jan

I’m just checking in because it’s been a while. I like to write most of my posts in Word first and make sure they’re complete before publishing them up here. Currently working on a WANTED ad for a business partner. This one has taken a lot of thought. I will post it at the end of the week.

Taking a few days off to celebrate my 30th birthday. I’ll be in SoCal and hope to check out a few breweries while I’m there (Stone is #1 on the list, followed by Lost Abbey and Green Flash). Of course I’ll be posting about that, too. :)

CHEERS!

Check out the birthday card I got from my parents :)

Birthday Card

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Posted in Beer + Life

For-Profit until we make a profit!

07 Jan

So, after doing some research, I have learned a few things about the whole non-profit beer company idea.

Legally, I cannot establish a beer company as a non-profit entity. Basically, I’d have to establish two companies, one for-profit, and a non-profit organization. The profits from the beer company can be then passed on to the non-profit arm.

Since it usually takes most microbreweries a couple years to break even, much less, become profitable, I will just be incorporating the for-profit beer company for now. Once we become profitable, I will do one of two things:

1. Open a non-profit to utilize profits from Robey Street beer sales.

2. Make all profits from specific beers benefit various local charities and organizations.

I’ve been leaning towards the second option.

So, there’s the update. Thanks to everyone for their feedback on the previous post(s)!

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Posted in Beer + Business