Building R.Shea Brewing: Week 2, Aug 11-17, 2014

Building a Brewery

Building R.Shea Brewing: Week 2, Aug 11-17, 2014

 It's been a week of 'waiting'.  It should be the last week of waiting.  Insurance papers were sent to the landlord.  It's been nearly two weeks since I had a company (the same that did the insurance) work on the brewers bond.  I have inquired several times on the status but it has been radio silent the last time this past Friday.  This frustrates me as I need it to finish the Federal Brewers application and every day this is stalled, is another day I delay in opening.  I will be making phone-calls this week on getting estimates from other companies and telling the current one 'this is your last chance'.  If it honestly takes a few weeks to do this, then just give me some communication, that's all I ask.  I run into this problem frequently with other companies.  Ironically I find it extremely difficult to give companies my money!  All I want to do is to better plan.  Not talking to me at all just irritates me. We also received some additional financing...YAY!  More for any 'unknows' that happen to come up.  And yikes, this is a story in and of itself - I will tell you over a few pints.  I know this place that will open soon in the Valley...

This week I plan to:

• Get the keys this week to go in and get to work (and to get those 'for lease' signs down ;) ).  This will involve additional measurements, taping the floors off to 'model' where everything will go.
• Get the utilities switched to my name.
• Brew.  We're going to have another brewday on the homebrew level to work on some recipes.  I'm thinking working on the IPA made a few months ago - develop it more, work on the filtration.  I have also figured out a way to dry-hop under pressure fermentation and I plan to test it.  I also want to make the Pilsner and fine-tune some of the hop levels. 
• Food.  We will also start working on some food.  My wife and I want to develop a great fresh, smoked, pulled pork recipe infused with one of the beers.  We also want to experiment with hot-dogs and brats with the hot-dog rollers...keeping them fresh, cooking times, etc.

Research:

My wife and I just enjoyed our 15th wedding anniversary.  Though we also did some research while on our getaway.  We hit-up the Lazy Flamingo in Sanibel.  A very small place with one cook and one bartender.  About room for 20-30 people tops.  You go to the bar to place orders, get drinks and food.  It actually worked.  A great bartender - though busy.  We want a similiar, efficient style, though with enough bartenders where there is time to talk about the beers and interact more with the customer.  We were able to get Cigar City's Jai Alai ON TAP!

I am trying out many Shandy’s lately.  Hopp’in Frogs ‘Turbo Shandy’ has turned me onto this style.  They do an excellent job.  Here are a few that I have had recently.  Though realistically, these are ‘malt beverages’, but nevertheless, and important style that one needs a few of, especially for the ladies.  I have an idea on a few styles, essentially, I want a little less sugar in what I want to make.  If I can make a ‘sour shandy’…yum…

I also tried several hard ciders.  Honestly I am not impressed.  ALL of them either had ‘natural’ or ‘artificial’ flavors added.  And they are too sweet.  I have been making cider for several years and prefer a dry, tart cider…not these candies.  One honestly can’t get a ‘purely natural’ hard cider.  I intend to change that.