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So, i became a pro brewer..


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#1 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 20 March 2020 - 04:43 PM

TL:DR: a start up brewery tapped me to become the head brewer, 1.5BBL system. I said yes. 

 

about a 3 months ago, a start up brewery with a sweet 1.5 BBL batch sparge system, asked me to brew for them for opening weekend (3/13). its a 1.5 BBL system, with 3 BBL conicals. it's a sweet little system that a homebrewer can manage. 

 

well, opening weekend came and went, and they sold out by Sunday afternoon. 400 gallons made. knowing that its small and new, there would be buzz, but the owner didn't expect to completely sell out. 

 

now, he's shut down for "two weeks" as per state order with the COVID-19 restrictions implied on the state. it gives the brewery time to replenish stock once things come back to normal. 

 

he's given me complete creative control; he has two house beers to keep in stock at all times, other then that, i have free reign. 

 

he's ordered a water report, and minerals, hops, yeast, etc that i requested; turns out pro's get a pretty sweet price on materials. I didn't go hog wild, just a english, US strains, and some modest hops. he did spring out for Mosaic and Galaxy for a NEIPA he really likes i made at a brew meeting. 

 

what what i thought would be a 20 hour a week gig turned, temporarily to my full time gig, still in shock of all this.  


Edited by LeftyMPfrmDE, 20 March 2020 - 04:45 PM.


#2 zymot

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Posted 20 March 2020 - 04:46 PM

Cool gig. Good to see good things happen to one of the good guys.

#3 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 20 March 2020 - 04:53 PM

Cool gig. Good to see good things happen to one of the good guys.

thanks, man. this week, I made 180 gallons. that's close to what i make in a year. 

 

for now, i can separate the hobby and job aspect of it. I'll brew what I want to drink for myself on the weekends, and during the week, make what the brewery needs. in turn, my little home brewery has become a pilot system. I'll bring in a beer, and if he approves, scale it up.   



#4 HVB

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Posted 20 March 2020 - 05:14 PM

That is a cool opportunity and at a good time for you as well.  Good luck.



#5 SchwanzBrewer

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Posted 20 March 2020 - 05:39 PM

Nice!

#6 neddles

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Posted 20 March 2020 - 06:30 PM

Sounds like a sweet gig Lefty. Have fun with it.



#7 MakeMeHoppy

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 12:11 PM

Since this is a small state, what is the name of the brewery in case I get a chance to stop in on my travels?



#8 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 08:31 PM

Since this is a small state, what is the name of the brewery in case I get a chance to stop in on my travels?


Hangman brewing in Claymont.

#9 jayb151

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Posted 21 March 2020 - 09:31 PM

Congrats to you man. These are likely hard times for small breweries. I'm rooting for you!



#10 Poptop

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Posted 22 March 2020 - 10:33 AM

Cheers!!

#11 MakeMeHoppy

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Posted 22 March 2020 - 11:59 AM

Hangman brewing in Claymont.

Thanks my Friday travel plans just got cancelled anywat.  I go right by there on my trips up to see my mother so I'll look it up next time I'm up there after the lockdowns are lifted.


Edited by MakeMeHoppy, 22 March 2020 - 12:04 PM.


#12 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 22 March 2020 - 03:36 PM

Thanks my Friday travel plans just got cancelled anywat. I go right by there on my trips up to see my mother so I'll look it up next time I'm up there after the lockdowns are lifted.

Sweet! Tbh, the beers are a little rough without any perimeters on the water. Northern DE's water is a little too harsh for the styles being made at the moment. That'll be turned around soon.

#13 Stout_fan

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 10:47 AM

Congrats.

I had 2 offers in my lifetime to go pro.

Ruined a perfectly good electronics hobby by becoming an EE.

Not doin' that to brewin'

 

Try to enjoy life and still brew a little at home. That electric brewery does look sweet!

If the house purchase goes through I'll have to bust up some concrete in the basement for a floor drain and build a room for the head.



#14 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 01:44 PM

Congrats.

I had 2 offers in my lifetime to go pro.

Ruined a perfectly good electronics hobby by becoming an EE.

Not doin' that to brewin'

 

Try to enjoy life and still brew a little at home. That electric brewery does look sweet!

If the house purchase goes through I'll have to bust up some concrete in the basement for a floor drain and build a room for the head.

I tried to become an EE a while back, just happy being an electrician. 

 

thanks for the compliment on the electric set up! 

 

this isn't a career move, it will be part time once life gets back to normal; the timing was just right, accepted to work part time on Friday, then told to sit at home from work for a couple of weeks on Monday. the timing on that aspect just worked out. 

 

I'm still brewing at home; made a helles Sunday afternoon. Honestly, working in the brew house doesn't "feel" like work. sure, i'm constantly cleaning and staying a step or two ahead of the process, but it makes the time pass quickly.   

 

good luck chipping up concrete! floor drains are the way to go, but the work to install one is not a easy or fun project- but totally worth it. 


Edited by LeftyMPfrmDE, 23 March 2020 - 01:46 PM.


#15 Stout_fan

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 02:06 PM

...this isn't a career move, it will be part time once life gets back to normal; the timing was just right, accepted to work part time on Friday, then told to sit at home from work for a couple of weeks on Monday. the timing on that aspect just worked out. ...

 

Tell me that six months from now. :D



#16 Stout_fan

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 02:12 PM

I tried to become an EE a while back, just happy being an electrician. ...


good luck chipping up concrete! floor drains are the way to go, but the work to install one is not a easy or fun project- but totally worth it. 

Being an electrician is probably more rewarding. You get to see your work and how it is enjoyed by your customers instead of being snowed under by paperwork and in my last job spending half your time trying how to comply with GVT policies. That said when in the home remodel biz, I had the NEC memorized. THOSE regs meant something, not some nitwit expressing his regulatory power to just DO something. OTOH 2/3 of the DVB transmitters in the UK would have been my design if the Brits chose with our company. Oddly enough they went with the FRENCH!!! Go figure!

 

And thanks for the insight on floor drains, now to press on and pick something to install...presuming the house purchase goes through. Oh the Huge manatee.

Oh%2520the%2520Huge%2520Manatee.jpg


Edited by Stout_fan, 23 March 2020 - 02:19 PM.


#17 LeftyMPfrmDE

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 03:40 PM

 I had the NEC memorized. THOSE regs meant something, not some nitwit expressing his regulatory power to just DO something

Been there plenty of times. When I traveled for work during the recession, I was in Lancaster, OH. the local framing/plumbing/electrical inspector (possibly the dog catcher?) pulled that AHJ BS on a olive garden i remodeled. would run to his truck, poor over the NEC, looking for a violation and code. The man didn't think to look or read the exceptions on each code he cited. He eat a big plate of crow that inspection.

 

 

OTOH 2/3 of the DVB transmitters in the UK would have been my design if the Brits chose with our company. Oddly enough they went with the FRENCH!!! Go figure!

 

 

 

 

Sounds similar to what i have to deal with at work now. i install a fair amount of equipment, made from all places in the world, that are "experimental" and not UL listed. a inspector has to come out, give the equipment the blessing, and we have to create SOP's for its safe use. Its pretty wild.  



#18 Stout_fan

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Posted 23 March 2020 - 03:57 PM

He eat a big plate of crow that inspection.

 

AWESOME!



#19 Genesee Ted

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Posted 25 March 2020 - 02:32 PM

Awesome! Welcome to the club! I’m stuck at home not brewing right now of course. We have so much inventory. Just landed a distro deal and made a ton of beer for their first order. The bars and restaurants are shut down so they aren’t buying anything right now. Sucks. Hopefully I’ll be back to work soon but I don’t think it’s gonna be anytime soon.

#20 cavman

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Posted 02 April 2020 - 07:09 PM

Can't transition the sales to retail or is all kegs?




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