It will be a big year for Good Beer. We are already starting to expand our distribution and bottled barrel aged beers are not far off. But the purpose of this blog post is not to talk about what's coming up, even though the future is incredibly exciting. The purpose is to look back to all that was accomplished in 2014.
In early 2014, we received the final approvals on our architectural and engineering plans, and pulled the permits to start construction. A project that seemed simple on paper took about 6 months to build out. The construction crew that helped build the brewery cannot be thanked enough. Jon is a great friend and spectacular contractor - he has the ability to think through the most complex of construction projects and build out simple and elegant designs with top-of-the-line materials. Wilson is a beast - he put all of his energy into this project, whether he was hauling 100-pound concrete blocks or working on delicate finishes. My brother Bryce is an absolute animal - he helped me build the glycol plumbing without any prior experience, install the kettle vents through the roof, and everything in between. I dropped a piece of conduit on my dad's face - it was one of the few moments that blood was shed during the project. He endured, and was a driving force behind putting together the glycol plumbing system. And everyone else that helped out along the way - Jill, Robyn, David, Crandall's Plumbing crew, and Skelly Electric, could not be thanked enough for making the dream come to life.
David, my brother and I started making beer in August, with our first batch, a recipe that I had brewed many times as a homebrewer. Saison Primero was borne on a commercial scale. A few years ago, David showed up at my house with a used wine barrel. We filled the barrel up with a sessionable saison that was a simple two row and wheat malt bill with a dash of Special B malt. That beer aged for months, receiving doses of wild yeast and bacteria from time to time. By the time the next So Cal Homebrew fest came around, we had pulled off a bit of aged beer and successfully blended it with other saisons and brett-beers. At my wedding in 2013 I had several versions of the house saison, featuring tertiary treatments with blackberries, raspberries, peaches, and dry hops. And that's just a taste of things to come.
Since then we've brewed up a huge variety of beers: three saisons, two all-brett beers, two pale Belgian-style beers, three india pale ales, two flavorful session beers, and a breakfast stout. Those batches served as the bases for numerous variations, too: DTSA Citra, Citra Wheat and Stout de Olla being a few of the most popular. We put a lot of beer away in wine barrels for aging, secondary and tertiary treatments, and yeast and bacteria additions. Those beers will likely be the highlights of 2015.
I cannot forget our loyal and local fan base. We thank you for following our story, and for supporting this mission - to craft world class beer for a good cause. We want to make a difference, and you're the reason we will be able to do just that. Those of you that have joined us in the tasting room know that we are dedicated to providing a craft beer experience. Our brewery and tasting room is more than a space where you can buy beer - it's a place where you can gather with friends and family to share experiences. We have a beautiful building with history and charm. Throughout every aspect of our business, we want you to know that we are committed to quality and community.
And then there's the folks that have provided support from within the industry. We've had the pleasure to meet Orange County's greatest brewers. Whether we're picking brains, sharing ingredients, or just plain sharing a beer - the craft brewers in this County are unreal. Our buds over at Bottle Logic threw us a bag of rice hulls when we planned and ordered ingredients for our Rye IPA. Our Class of 2014 brethren over at Barley Forge helped us out when a yeast pitch would not take off. Our buddy and world class homebrewer Charles Rapadas grew up some yeast for a special barrel project we are working on. Those are just a few of the stories behind how tight-knit this community is.
And our accounts - State law prohibits me from mentioning the folks that buy our beer. Cross promoting is seen as providing something of value to our accounts and that's a no-no. So I'll just say that we love Jarred, Jon, Jeff, Ryan, Casey and Ron. Thanks for helping us grow!
The fermenters are full. The barrels are full. The tasting room is full. And Good Beer is full-steam-ahead into 2015.
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