Spring Forward

Well, we lost an hour ~ but that's ok. More daylight to ride our bikes down West Cliff after we finish our day at the Brewery!

We continue on the long path to cleaning and retrofitting our 'used' kegs - After dismantling half of them we have scrubbed and disinfected all of the internal parts and cleaned, disinfected and shined up the outsides with steel wool. Now we have to reassmble them with their new rings and valves, fill them with beer, slap a sticker on them, and it is off to market they go! What an investment. It is truly a labor intensive process but one that reminded me of catering and the process that food goes through - from field to plating - all the hands that touch and help create the amazing dish that we serve to others. This is how it will be with our beer - from the barley fields to market, so many people have had a hand in crafting and loving this beer, and even its packaging!

The gas lines are in! We may be able to keep our goal of brewing by the end of this week. That would be amazing, and the moment that we have all been anxiously awaiting. Earlier this week, after talking to Nick and Chad about my own inabilities to sleep, I realized all three of us are experiencing nervousness in similar ways. Excitement and nervousness, inability to sleep. But what is making us anxious? Money, failure, success, brewing... all of it. It seems the solution for a serious case of nerves, a hard day's work!

We landed some really big accounts, accidentally... which is exciting. There is a market out there! We also got a lesson in sales and what we are going to have to do and what we should present in order to get more accounts.

Our labels have been designed, though we are still looking at the proofs. They have to be approved by three different govering agencies, the CCOF, the ABC and the Federal Tax Trade Bureau... Sheesh! We registered SCMB with the Uniform Code Council and have our UPC code so that we can be scannable at your local grocery store.

The Organic Paperwork has been filed! Though, I realized yesterday that I forgot to include the MSDS sheets on the various cleaners/sanitizers that we use. Oh well.. I will fax them over tomorrow. There is really so much paperwork and organization it is amazing. In fact, as part of the Federal Approval process, I am going to have to take their course on record-keeping, because their records are so detailed (as well as their bi-weekly tax payment process!).

My best 'blogging critic' said this blog is more like reading my personal diary than a blog. He likes it though. He said I need to create a better cast of characters... which is true not only for the blog but for our marketing as well. What makes this business unique and special? Why did we come together to start up a brewery? Who are we? Well, everyone who reads this (probably just JM) already knows me... but what about Chad and Nick - the hard working, hop-loving, beer guys? What about the brew babies - Ethan and Alden who toddle around the brewery all day? How many three year olds have 'brewery' as a main word in their vocabulary? What about Bumpy and Granny who are down there moving equipment, hauling grain, scrubbing keg parts and extending us lines of credit? What about the neighboring business' dog who stares at us all day and craps in the planter box? What about the breathtaking bottlers of BDV who play soccer in the parking lot in front of the brewery, each day at lunch? If I set up stadium seating, we might make more selling tickets to watch them, then selling our beer! What about the older man who drives the ShampooChez car and brings us items he has made from trash collecting? What about the three homeless recyclers who pull up on Tuesdays in a car that doesn't look fit for a junkyard and fill their car so full of BVD bottles that they have to carry bottles on their laps? There is definitely an amazing cast of characters in this story... more to come!

We are still aiming to open the brewery for sales and tasting in early May, but this upcoming week will tell us for sure.

On another note ~ our housemate made it big this week!

http://coastalhomes.com/santacruz/?magID=20&page=38

Congratulations Lisa! Photo taken by Chad - Brewer/Photographer :)