So You Want To Own A Brewery...

If you're a homebrewer, or even just a Lover of craft beer, then it's likely you've contemplated opening your own brewery at one time or another.  Of course, after looking at what it really takes, most of us can't.  The cost and time investment required to open your own brewery or craft beer bar can be a daunting challenge - and it's these barriers that usually stop most people. 

Personally, I'd love to open my own brewery.  The problem?  I work a regular, 40 hour+ per week job, have a mortgage and bills, and don't have the extra capital necessary for the initial investment nor paid months I can take off from work.  Also, since laws don't allow you to open a commercial brewery fom within a residence (i.e. You can't just setup shop in your garage), I also lack the necesary space in which to setup my brewing sytem and tap room; which of course will cost even more. 

I suppose I could sell every material posession I own and start living in a dinky studio apartment to save money for the brewery, but that would be a bit rough on me, my wife and our two dogs, and would be rather drastic. 

Fly-PA, Rare Drafts, Alaskan Brewer's Night & Big Wood

Big Wood 2011 At Brouwer's Cafe:
I'd also like to give my readers early notice of the 2011 'Big Wood' fest at Brouwer's Cafe on December 8th.  This is one of my favorite annual events, which features a plethora of wonderful wood-aged beers all available on tap.  Things get going on Thursday, December 8th at 11:00AM.  Yes, a Thursday.  I might see if I can get the day off work just to attend. 

The Big Wood fest will likely be the last local event I'll be able to hit up before I leave for my vacation in mid-December.  It should be a wonderful trip, with lots of brewery stops planned along the way. 

UPDATE 11/2/2011 - It has just been confirmed that Firestone Walker Brewing Company's XVth Anniversary Ale will be at this year's Big Wood fest!  I'll definitely be there! 

Fly-PA Launch:
First up is the launch of the first beer from Seattle's first and only cooperative, member-driven brewery, Flying Bike.  Their 'Fly-PA' IPA, which was brewed by Baron Brewing in Seattle (FB has no brewing facilities of their own yet), will be going on tap tomorrow, Thursday, October 27th, at Pillager's Pub on Greenwood Ave. in Seattle.  The beer will also be going on tap soon (but not necessarily by tomorrow) at Beveridge Place Pub in West Seattle and Fiddler's Inn up near Lake City. 

Things should get under way at Pillager's Pub around 7:00PM tomorrow, and Flying Bike is encouraging everyone to come out and give Fly-PA a try. 

Rare Drafts Night At Beveridge Place Pub:
While Fly-PA may not be on tap at Beveridge Place Pub by this Thursday, you might still want to make your way over to West Seattle anyway, as Bev. Place is having a 'Rare Drafts Night'.  Beers on tap will include:
-Deschutes The Stoic
-Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada Life & Limb II
-Cascade Bahri Date Bain
-Black Raven La Petite Morte
-Big Time Ave Rat Malt Liquor
-Diamond Knot 666 Imperial Bavarian

That's a pretty impressive lineup.  I may just have to stop by there myself on the way home from Pillager's Pub for a few rare goodies! 

Alaskan Brewer's Night At Brouwer's Cafe:
Next up on November 8th, 2011 is Alaskan Brewer's Night at Brouwer's Cafe.  There will be 8 dedicated Alaskan Brewing taps available.  There will be no Alaskan Amber, but there will be their Oatmeal Stout and their 25th Anniversary Perseverance Ale.  An Alaskan Brewing representative will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Board Membership & The Waiting Game

This past Saturday the 22nd of October, I was officially selected as the next member of the Board of Directors for the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery.  It's been a long road since I first joined Flying Bike as member #12 earlier this year, but I'm ready to take a leadership role and do all I can to help Flying Bike move forward and become a great success. 

It seemed clear at the annual meeting, that the members desire more communication from the Board of Directors regarding what's happening with the cooperative 'behind the scenes'.  As someone who's only been a member up until now, I fully agree.  During my time on the Flying Bike Board of Directors, I intend to do all I can to make the activities of the Board as transparent to the members of the cooperative as possible. 

Fly-PA Judging Last Month at Pillager's Pub

Next up for Flying Bike is something very exciting.  Our first beer is going on tap!  For those who members who didn't get a chance to try it out at the annual meeting this past weekend, gather your friends and acquaintances and come on out this Thursday, October 27th, where Fly-PA will be on tap at the following locations:

Pillager's Pub
8551 Greenwood Ave. N
Seattle, WA  98103

Beveridge Place Pub
6413 California Ave. SW
Seattle, WA  98136
(West Seattle)

Fiddler's Inn
9219 35th Ave. NE
Seattle, WA  98115

Also, this past weekend, I took my long-anticipated BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) exam.  It was a three-hour written exam, but I was so busy writing the whole time that it felt like it was only about 15 minutes!  The test consisted of several 'essay' style questions and four beer tasting/judging challenges, done at half-hour intervals after the first hour of the exam. 

It's an extremely challenging exam, and the three-hour time limit may sound long, but it's not!  The test requires a vast amount of knowledge regarding all the various styles of beer, the 'classic' examples of what each of those styles should encompass, as well as an extremely thorough knowledge of the entire beer brewing process - all the way from grains to glass. 

Now I play the waiting game.  Unfortunately, the BJCP is so backed up in scoring exams, that I won't have my test results for approximately six months; a long time to wait.  Due to this, however, the BJCP is changing the format of the test next year.  The test will be given in two parts starting next year: The written part which, for the first time ever, will be available to take in an online format, and the tasting portion, which will have to still be scheduled and attended in-person like the current exam. 

I'm hoping I did well enough my first time taking the exam to get 'Certified' status, which requires an exam score of 70% or higher; no easy task.  Otherwise, I'll likely be 'Recognized' status, which requires an exam score of 60% or higher.  But I can always take the exam again next year in the new online format. 

My whole motivation for taking the BJCP exam has been to increase my own personal knowledge about beer and the brewing process, mainly so that I can better articulate my various beer experiences and tastings to my readers.  There is no other benefit to me or to any other BJCP judge beyond the personal satisfaction of gaining the knowledge and experience necessary to continually improve our beer tasting and evaluation skills.  And, though I have now taken the test, the journey is not over.  I'll continue to learn more and improve my tasting and evaluation skills, so that I can provide better information to my readers about all the various and wonderful beers out there to try. 

I'm looking forward to putting some of my sharpened tasting skills to the test this December, when I hope to visit as many of the following breweries during my vacation as possible.  I plan to contact each brewing I'm going to visit beforehand, to see if I can setup some interviews and get you all as much 'inside' information as I can:

Hair of the Dog Brewing Co. - Portland, OR

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Chico, CA

Russian River Brewing Co. - Santa Rosa, CA

Lagunitas Brewing Co. - Petaluma, CA

Moylan's Brewing Co. - Novato, CA
(Moylan's is the 'Sister' brewery to Marin Brewing below.)

Marin Brewing Co. - Larkspur, CA

Firestone Walker Brewing Co. - Paso Robles, CA

Stone Brewing Co. - Escondido, CA

Whew!  I hope I'll have time to hit 'em all. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!

Classes, Competitions, Elections & Oktoberfest

BJCP Certification Classes:

Over the past few weeks, I've been busy cramming my head with craft beer knowledge.  The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) is about more than just tasting beer.  It also requires that you have a strong understanding of the entire brewing process for all major styles of beer, from malting grains all the way to the glass.

I've had four classes so far, covering various topics from malting and kilning grains to the mashing process, what enzymes and reactions take place at what different temperature ranges, how different water chemistry and other factors can have a major influence on the finished beer, etc. etc.  As I've been saying all along, it's a lot to learn. 

Next week we have no class due to a schedule conflict, so I'll be using it as a self-study week.  We were given a partial practice test to work on to help prepare for the real exam coming up in October, so I'll be going over that in detail next week.  Also, luckily, there have been enough cancellations that I have made it from the waiting list into the October exam.  So no matter what happens, I'll be taking my first crack at the BJCP exam this October.  I'm hoping for a score of at least 70 for my 'Certified' ranking, though I'll take a 60 if that's all I can get ('Recognized' rank).  The first few mini practice tests I've taken in class tell me that I still have a lot of studying to do.

My Fly-PA Entry Is In:

Last night, I finally dropped off my 'Summer Snob' Imperial IPA entry for the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery 'Fly-PA' competition at Larry's Brewing Supply in Kent.  I'm pretty happy with my entry.  Since bottling it for competition a couple of week back, I've been drinking it myself and sharing some with friends.  I've gotten lots of positive feedback and accolades, so I'm hoping I'll do well in the competition.  It would be great if, somehow, I managed to win & my Imperial IPA became Flying Bike's very first beer. 

At this point, I have no idea how many other entrants I'm up against, but Flying Bike has announced that the judging will be taking place this coming weekend.  So, hopefully, we won't have to wait too long for the results.  Wish me luck.

There are also a few other homebrew competitions coming up soon in the area, so I may enter my IPA into more than one contest.  I bottled a few extra bottles just in case I needed more for other competition entries.  I may even bottle some of my Oktoberfest soon for a 'Novembeerfest' competition coming up in November. 

Flying Bike Board Member Elections:

Also coming up soon will be the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery Board Member elections.  I've been campaigning for a position on the Flying Bike Board of Directors, and all the candidate profiles are up for viewing on the Flying Bike website.  We're still waiting for the current Board to announce the date(s) for the election, but I'm hopeful that I will soon be a member of the Flying Bike Board of Directors.  You can also see my video appeal for your vote HERE.  Wish me luck. 

Oktoberfest Is Almost Here:

The first official day of Oktoberfest this year is September 17th.  In 1994, the schedule for Oktoberfest was modified in response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd (which is the case this year), then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). 

My regular readers know that I've had my Oktoberfest lager (the first lager beer I've ever made) conditioning in a keg in my beer fridge since June of this year.  I brewed it in early May and wanted at least a 3-month long lagering period before serving the beer.  I haven't tasted it since moving it to the conditioning keg back in June but, at that time, it tasted great and should only get better over time.

This year, I plan to do things up right by making a full, traditional German meal on September 17th.  Right now, my menu consists of Jägerschnitzel, Käsespaetzle and Red Cabbage.  I'm also considering making some German pretzels for appetizers.  To do those right, I'll have to pick up some lye.  True German pretzels are dipped in a lye solution just before baking.  It's what give them that distinctive texture and flavor that says you're enjoying a real German pretzel. 

Until then, I'll keep studying my BJCP materials, enjoying my Summer Snob Imperial IPA, and hoping for the best in both the Flying Bike Fly-PA competition and the Flying Bike Board Member elections. 

Also, don't forget, the annual Hopfest at Brouwer's Cafe starts THIS Friday, 9/9.  Don't miss it! 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Flying Bike Board Member Elections Are Coming

Since it went public earlier this year, I have been highly involved with a new venture; the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery here in Seattle. 

If you've been following my posts, then you already know what Flying Bike is about.  For those of you unfamiliar with it, Flying Bike will be Seattle's first cooperative brewery.  We do not yet have a physical location, but have a membership over 400 strong and growing.  We're hoping to have a location secured and have our doors open by late 2012.  Things are in the early planning stages now for location, brewing system(s), taproom or brewpub, etc. 

Currently, we're gearing up for our first homebrew competition.  It's an IPA only competition (English, American or Imperial IPAs are acceptable), and it's only open to members of the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery.  The winner of this competition will have their beer scaled up and brewed by Three Skulls Ales here in Seattle.   Though contract brewed, this will be Flying Bike's first official beer.  I will be entering an Imperial IPA into this competition myself, so wish me luck. 

Also, coming up fast are the Flying Bike Board Member elections.  There are three board positions opening up, and I am running for one of them.  If I am elected, I will have a more direct say/influence over the direction things will take for the Cooperative.  And since I'm highly motivated to see Flying Bike succeed, I'm very eager for this opportunity. 

I've been drumming up support among the Flying Bike members by attending events, spreading the word about Flying Bike and my desire to be on the board across the web, in area breweries and beer bars, etc.  I'm trying to build a buzz, that Beer Monger (Aka: Michael Dieterle - me) is very serious about this and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make Flying Bike a success.  You can view profiles for all board member candidates here: http://www.flyingbike.coop/about/2011-board-candidates/, and you can view my video appeal for your vote on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=889_2xRg5PY

If all goes well, I hope to be one of the three new members of the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery Board of Directors.  So wish me luck, and if you're a Flying Bike member, please vote for me.  Thanks.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

Patience Is A Virtue

Back in April of this year in a post titled, "Patience & Planning Ahead", I posted about the necessity of patience in the brewing and fermentation process.  I think, with my latest batch of IPA, I have finally realized the true benefits of patience and planning. 

Back in late June, I brewed an IPA for a competition.  The competiton is the Fly-PA IPA competition being put on by the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery.  It's a cooperative members-only competiton to find Flying Bike's 'flagship' IPA beer.  The winner will have their beer scaled up and contract-brewed by Three Skulls Ales here in Seattle.  It's a rare opportunity for a homebrewer, like myself, to not only have their beer featured at a local pub, but to create what will be the first ever production beer created for the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery; an important milestone for any brewery - or brewer.  I brewed a nice and hoppy Imperial IPA, with a final acohol level somewhere in range of 7-8 percent (7.75% ABV). 

A Beautiful Imperial IPA

The Imperial IPA I brewed stayed nestled in it's primary fermenter at 68 degrees for a full three weeks before I moved it from the fermenter to a 5-gallon keg for conditioning.  I had intended to let the beer condition for just a week or two before dry-hopping it, but I got so busy and sidetracked that I didn't get around to dry-hopping it until about a week ago (August 17th); which means the beer was allowed to condition for about 4 1/2 weeks before being dry-hopped.  This was not a bad thing. 

The beer was not carbonated during conditioning.  I only placed a gentle blanket of CO2 at 10PSI into the keg just after filling it, and then disconnected the CO2 line.  Two days after adding the hops (in a 'hop sock') to the keg, I began carbonation. 

Last night, I got the first true taste of the finished beer - dry hopped an all.  I was very pleased.  I can honestly say that this may very well be the best IPA I have ever brewed.  It was also the first batch where my wife, Lynn, was my assistant brewer.  So it was a great milestone for her as well. 

The aroma, appearance and flavor of my IIPA were all right where I wanted them to be.  I had to stop myself from going back for more.  I want to let the beer sit a few days longer, and then I'll bottle some this weekend for the competition.  After that, I can begin enjoying the rest for myself and bring some to a few friends for them to enjoy as well. 

I used a brand new recipe, concocted from scratch by myself, for this batch.  It is definitely a recipe I'll have to try again.  I had originally planned to use Simcoe hops for this batch, but I was unable to find any, so I used a combination of different hops as a 'substitute'.  Now, I have my hands on some Simcoe from this year's crop, so I'll have to try the Simcoe version as well and see how it compares to what I've got now. 

So wish my luck!  If I'm fortunate enough to win the Fly-PA competition, it won't be long before you'll be able to taste my beer on tap right here in Seattle.  If I don't manage to win, perhaps you'll be able to taste some anyway... but you'll have to find me!  ;) 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there! 

Brewing An IPA For A Competition

Brewing is an art, and all art has critics. Beer is no exception. Of course, just like art, the way a beer is perceived can vary from person to person. Our taste buds are unique; we don't all experience flavors in exactly the same way. So, when brewing an IPA that must appeal to the masses, what type of malt and hop profile do I shoot for? Do I want more Earthy/Piney hop character or would a more grapefruit/citrusy hop aroma and flavor win over more people? Shuld the hops fully dominate, or do I want a more balanced IPA with a slightly sweet malt character to compliment the hops?

These are the types of things I must consider when crafting my latest IPA recipe; since this beer will be for a competition. However, this will be a non AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned competition. That makes a difference. Why?

BJCP Certified judges must adhere to a strict set of rules when judging in an AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned competition. A beer cannot be judged on personal taste or simply how well you 'like' it over another entry. Each beer in an AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned competition is judged on its own merit by a specific set of criteria and how close the entry comes to meeting the definitions of the particular style category the beer was entered into for each of those criteria.

Also, in an AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned competition, there can be no style variations. For example, you could not enter, for example, an Imperial IPA or a Lavender IPA into the IPA category as defined by BJCP. Imperial has its own separate category and using Lavender would place any entry in the 'Specialty Beer' category, since it would not meet the 'classic' definition of an IPA.

In the competition I'll be entering, there are no such restrictions. Want to make a Cotton-Candy IPA? Go for it. How about an Oaked Honey IPA? That'd work too. So I also need to decide if I'll make a more traditional IPA for this competition, or if I'll get a bit more creative and add one or more special or unusual ingredients.

I'm planning to brew the IPA sometime this weekend, however, so I need to make my decisions and finalize my recipe soon. If I manage to win the competition, my IPA will likely become one of the very first beers to be brewed by the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery, which is pretty exciting. So wish me luck!

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

The Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery Meet & Greet Was A Great Success

This past Saturday, May 14, was the official Meet & Greet for the founding members of the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery.  The event was held at The Stables, a great rentable space in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle.  The Meet & Greet was the initial opportunity for the founding member/owners of Seattle's first Cooperative Brewery to meet one another, hear about the vision and direction for the Brewery from the Coop President, and to start getting to know each other and kicking around ideas of what they each want Flying Bike to be. 

When the space for the Meet & Greet was originally booked, Flying Bike was expecting maybe 100 people to be present; perhaps 125.  After all, the membership drive had just begun and was supposed to generate 300 members by the end of June.  Little did everyone know that the 300 member mark would be passed in a mere 5 days.  In fact, by the end of this event, there were a total of 374 Flying Bike mebers, including a few guests of members who showed up for the Meet &Greet and purchased their membership.  As a result, the Meet & Greet event had to be broken up into three different sessions (due to occupancy limits). 

Derek & Drew's IPA Showdown

At each of the three Meet & Greet sessions, members had a chance to pickup their 'Founding Member' pint glass and T-Shirt, sample some beers made by some of the Flying Bike board members, have a little food and hear a welcome and vision speech from Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery President, Jeff Hicks. 

Anyone interested in viewing the member welcome and vision for Flying Bike speech Mr. Hicks gave at the first session of the Meet & Greet can see it HERE on Youtube. 

Attendees of the first two sessions of the Meet & Greet also had the opportunity to vote on an 'IPA Showdown' between Flying Bike Board Members Derek Drennan and Drew Wilson.  Each had an IPA on tap to sample, and membes were encouraged to try both IPA's, decide which they liked best and vote for the winner.  I'm not sure which IPA won but both were pretty tasty.  In fact, demand for both IPAs was high enough that the third session of the Meet & Greet didn't have the opportunity to judge these two IPAs.  They were all gone! 

There are still plenty of steps Flying Bike has to take before they're ready to open their doors to the public.  The actual brewery itself is still in the planning stages, and a location has yet to be selected.  Now, it's up to the drive and determination of the board members and all 374 member/owners of Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery to keep on peddaling and see that this thing gets off the ground.
(See more photos from this event HERE.)

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.