The months since our opening on September 15th 2012 are somewhat of a blur. So much has happened so quickly and I can’t believe we’ve already been open for four months!

We’ve been so blessed with a tremendously supportive community and have cultivated the best group of craft beer enthusiasts (that’s all of you!) in the Rogue Valley. Our growth and success is due entirely to your support and we can’t thank you enough.

When we started this brewery we probably didn’t know nearly as much as we should. What we did know was that we wanted to provide a fun place for folks to hang out and drink a few pints without pretense or expectation. I think we’ve achieved that. The rest, we’ve learned as we’ve gone… and I like to think we’re getting better every day.

Thus far, our production volume has continued to increase month over month and we’re working hard to keep up with demand. As most of you know we’ve already tripled the size of our brew system, which has eased the workload a bit. Our first batch on the 1.5bbl system has already been kegged, and while we’ve done our best to capture the same flavor and character you’ve all come to love, we’d ask for your patience and understanding while we dial in the new system. Like food, beer recipes don’t always scale mathematically – and there’s some artistic correction that inevitably must be made when going from one size system to another. You can help by providing us with your honest feedback and telling us how we can make each brew better. In the mean time, we’ll (as always) continue to strive to provide you with the best tasting beer in the valley!

In the next couple of weeks, we’ll be making yet another major change to the brewery. Our current fleet of plastic kegs will be retired and a new and increased fleet of steel kegs will be put into service. Our plastic kegs have been great – but our current and planned growth dictates a transition to a more durable and serviceable product.

Looking to the future, we will continue our production and sales increases and will begin establishing some draft accounts in town. We’ll be taking a more active and visible role in the local craft beer community this year and plan on participating in a number of well known beer events in the Rogue Valley. We’ll also be expanding our merchandise offerings and coming up with new and exciting designs in collaboration with Legionnaire apparel.

Through all of this, though, our focus will remain on serving the craft beer enthusiasts of the Rogue Valley right here in the tap house. We have many special events in mind for 2013 and look forward to celebrating great beer with the amazing group of individuals committed to the Apocalypse Brewing product and philosophy.

So from the entire Apocalypse Crew – thank you all so very much, and here’s to an amazing 2013!!!

First we mash in as normal to create a standard wheat beer base wort. Then we rack this wort into a souring vessel. We toss in some uncrushed grain and hold the wort at 90 degrees for 3 days. During this time, a bacteria called Lactobacillus becomes active, starts consuming some of the sugars in the wort, and create the citrus-like sour profile that makes this beer so tasty! After the souring process has completed, we rack the wort into a boil kettle, boil as usual for any beer, and then rack into our fermentation vessel. Yeast is pitched and beer is made.

There are some inherent challenges with this beer though. Firstly, we’re dealing with a bacteria that while tasty in the Purgatory Pomegranate, is entirely undesired in any of our other beers. We have to take particular care to avoid – and have the utmost concern regarding – cross contamination. Secondly, because we’re dealing with a “wild” beer, there’s always a chance that some Lactobacillus makes it through the finishing process and continues to thrive during the fermentation process. In the same vein, there’s also the risk that one of Lactobacillus’s cousins (Pediococcus and/or Brettanomyces) can decide to join the party and further sour the beer. While these two other bacteria/yeast are sought after in certain styles of beer, they’re not what we want in ours.

So what happened this time? Well… we’re not quite sure other than we believe one of the 3 bugs mentioned previously survived the process and has begun fermenting the base beer. Because of the inherent risks to our other beers associated with a “wild” fermentation, we have no choice but to abandon this batch and try again. Beer lovers should not fret though – a number of our homebrew friends are quite excited to get their hands on this batch so it will not be senselessly poured down the drain. It will become some exceptional sour beer – made by homebrewers and enjoyed by homebrewers.

We’ll be starting the next batch of Purgatory Sour very soon and hope to have it back on-line in a couple weeks. In the mean time, we hope you will come and enjoy one of the 6 other beers we have on tap!!

What got me thinking about the paradigm of comradery amongst craft brewers was another great blog entry by Jessica over at GirlsLikeBeerToo. Jessica posted a great interview she conducted recently with Greg Koch, the co-owner of Stone Brewing Company. Stone, if you don’t know, is an example of success and craft beer philosophy for just about anyone else in the brewing arena. At any rate, you can find her entire post here.

The interview with Greg covers a broad range of topics, but one piece of it in particular struck a cord with me and I just had to share. Koch, a fierce proponent of a supportive “compatriot” relationship with other craft breweries and brewers, at one point made the following statement:

“If you are out there on the playing field, and you say you are going to play like compatriots rather than competitors, but then you get completely body checked on the side. And you realize it was intentional. You get back up and you dust yourself off, do you decide that they’re competitors now? Or do you change your behavior? And I say it’s up to the individual player. We’ve been body checked so many countless times, usually by big brewers, usually by big wholesalers, sometimes by craft brewers, and you know what? You get back up – that sucked – but that doesn’t change the way we play the game. I might try and tune my peripheral vision a little bit, not allow ourselves to be blindsided again. But I still believe that this is a game best played with my compatriots. No, my attitude has not changed. Every time we have to pick ourselves up, another craft brewery is there to help. Like a mosh pit. If you get knocked down in a mosh pit, you pick each other up. That’s the ethic.”

As someone struggling just to get started in the business, I take this statement to heart. Not only is this philosophy of comradery something I seek in my own journey to successful entrepreneurship, it’s a philosophy I’ve adopted as a brewer in general. A climate of supportiveness amongst craft brewers and breweries, home brewers, and craft beer aficionados in general is something you see and hear about often. I’ve experienced it myself on many occasions and it’s truly amazing. I absolutely agree with and applaud Greg for his comments.

On the flip side of the coin, like Greg, we’ve already experience the ugly side of the craft brewing industry – and we’re not even open yet! Indeed, as pointed out, not all craft breweries and brewers share the same philosophy. Despite having once (no doubt) found, and perhaps even relied upon, the support and encouragement of fellow craft brewers already in business – not all successful craft breweries hold true to the spirit of comradery Greg espouses. Indeed, some (the names of which most would be shocked to hear) have apparently chosen a different path. One that relies on wealth, power, and intimidation to achieve market dominance. Instead of supporting their fellow brewers, these operations choose instead to play the same game, and utilize the same tactics, as the oft decried corporate giants of the brewing industry.

Despite having already been “body-checked”, it is my commitment to the brewing community, and the craft beer drinking population at large, to never stop supporting those who make, consume, and truly love craft beer. I will never stoop to tactics of intimidation and repression. Instead, we at Apocalypse Brewing plan on always fostering an environment of support and encouragement for our fellow craft brewers and beer loving compatriots!

We recognize that there are many stumbling blocks for us on our path to brewing success and that we need all the support, advise, insight and encouragement we can get along the way. We hope to repay this dept forward by doing the same for others who might be on the same journey with us. And what an amazing journey it is…

Salute!

Zwickelmania is an annual beer festival sponsored by the Oregon Brewers Guild. Held at participating breweries throughout the state, Zwickelmania is an opportunity for the community to experience the working-side of breweries up close and personal. Folks are offered tours of brewing facilities, and brewers are on hand to answer questions and hang out with fans (us beer geeks). For those serious about beer, it’s an all-around awesome day.

As we did last year, Erin and I chose again to visit Bend for the 2012 Zwickelmania. We love Bend and the breweries there. This year we decided to drag along some friends and were excited to have our business partner Dennis, his wife Penni, and home brewing Jedi Steve and his wife Chis with us.

I had a very full itinerary planned for us as there are now 11 breweries in Bend and I was determined to visit them all. With plan and maps (well… google maps anyway) in hand, we arrived in Bend early Friday afternoon. After a quick check-in at our rental, we hastily made our way to the first brewery on our list – Silver Moon Brewing Company. Silver Moon has a classic (modern) pub/bar feel and some pretty tasty beers. We hung out for a bit, played some pool, and enjoyed a number of their fine beer offerings.

Wasting no time, we then headed off to Three Creeks Brewing for dinner and brews. Located in Sisters Oregon, Three Creeks is the most “remote” of the Bend Breweries (not really Bend obviously… but close enough) but certainly not forgotten. As it happens, Bendistillery is on the way to Three Creeks, and while we weren’t really in the region to explore the distilled spirits there, we certainly have no aversion to them and so it was decided a quick stop to check things out certainly wouldn’t hurt anyone. A flight of vodka and gin, and a short drive later, and we arrived at Three Creeks Brewing. We obviously arrived just in time because while we were able to snag a table without a wait, the place quickly filled up and lines were formed. It’s not hard to understand why either… the food was excellent and the brews equally tasty. After an amazing dinner and a number of pints, we headed back to the rental. After a long enjoyable day, it was time to call it a night.

Saturday was the official Zwickelmania event and we had a full schedule. First stop… Boneyard Brewing. Last year we arrived later in the day, the place was packed, and we really didn’t have much of an opportunity to check things out very well. This year, we got there before they opened and had a wonderful tour and tasting. The folks there were great. Brewers were pulling samples off the fermenters so we could taste their offerings at different stages in the process and we had a great chat with one of the employees about the origins and progress of the company over only two short years. No loans, no investors, a hodgepodge of repurposed equipment, and they’ve grown in a very short time to a very successful (and soon to be) 50 barrel brewery!!

Next stop(s)… Good Life Brewing and Yet To Be Named (YTBN) Brewing. Both of these breweries are new, with Good Life just getting started and YTBN not yet operational. Good Life is HUGE! Coming out of the gate with a 30 barrel, 4 vessel brew system and a 200+ barrel fermentation capacity, Good Life has big plans. Their facility is like a zillion square feet and their tasting room is equally impressive. Yet To Be Named Brewing, on the other hand, hasn’t yet installed their system or opened (officially) their facility. Operating out of an old transmission shop, this brewery is sure to be another gem in central Oregon. The place is currently gutted and undergoing major renovation, but the owners opened their doors anyway to share their architectural plans and chat with future patrons. This dream team of brewers and business leaders comprised of Lary Sidor (previously of Deschutes), Dave Wilson (currently of 21A brewing), and Paul Evers (of tbd creative agency), will no doubt be producing some awesome brews. Steve and I chatted a bit with Dave while we were there and are super excited for what they’ve got planned. The coolest part? They’re going to be doing some open fermentation in coolships!!

The last brewery of the day was 10 Barrel. They’re bringing their new 50 barrel facility online soon and opened up the new space to the public for all to see. When we arrived, the place was packed. The facility is giant and the equipment is all in place. After partaking in one of my favorite 10 Barrel brews, S1NIST0R Black Ale, I began to explore the space. As I’m walking around the side of one of the new fermenters, I hear Dennis call to me from the side of the room. Walking over to him to see what’s up, he introduces me to the guy he’s been talking to, Chris Cox. Chris is one of the owners of 10 Barrel and an all around awesome guy. After chatting a bit with Chris about our plans for Apocalypse Brewing and his ongoing success with 10 Barrel, Chris took our group (as in just those of us from ABC) on a personalized tour of the facility. It was awesome! Chris offered a wealth of information and support. At one point his twin brother and fellow 10 Barrel owner Jeremy Cox came over to hang out for a bit. Like Chris, Jeremy is an all around awesome guy. We all chatted a bit more, had some laughs and finished our beers. They both wished us the best of luck, told us to give them a ring once we opened, and we all parted ways. It was an unexpected encounter and totally awesome. (for those curious, ask Dennis how he bumped into Chris in the first place…)

By this time we were all ready for some food! Continuing with the 10 Barrel theme, we decided to hit up their pub. As usual, the place was packed and we had to wait. No biggie… just more time to drink more beer! For those that haven’t been there, the 10 Barrel pub is awesome. Great vibe, amazing food, and copious quantities of killer beer. Need a menu suggestion? Check out the pub nachos… they’re the best frikin nachos any of us had ever had. Seriously.

We were about comatose at this point and decided to call it a day. We did go check out Winterfest a bit that night, but we were rather out of place. At some point I guess we all reach an age where we’re just too old to hang out at a giant college ski party… which is basically what Winterfest (at night) is. At any rate, after a long day of mass beer consumption, we all needed our rest.

Thinking the weekend had peaked with the 10 Barrel tour, we figured Sunday would be more mellow and uneventful. After hitting up the REI in the morning (because really… who doesn’t like REI), we headed over to Cascade Lakes Brewery. Unlike the other breweries we visited, Cascade Lakes doesn’t actually produce beer at their pub in Bend. It’s essentially just a restaurant that serves their beer. We enjoyed a quick pint there and rushed off to Deschutes Brewing to catch the 1pm tour.

We got there just in time and lucked out… the last 6 on Mark’s 1pm tour. Mark was a great tour guide and quite entertaining. We went through the tour and were rather impressed with their newly expanded brewery. Recently adding over 6000 square feet of brewing space and currently 3 (soon to be 6) rather massive fermentation vessels, the brewery is on target to produce over 300,000 bbls of beer this year! After the tour, we got to chat a bit with our tour guide Mark and brand ambassador Jeff. It turns out Mark is not only a guide for Deschutes, but owns a brewery tour guide business with franchises all over the country! We chatted with him and Jeff about our plans for ABC and both were exceptionally supportive.

Amazingly, considering their size, Jeff was rather excited about our endeavors here in Southern Oregon! He spoke to how this area is primed for an explosion of craft breweries and that he’s surprise he hasn’t seen/heard about more of them popping up. Then, out of the blue, he asks me what size shirt I wear. I tell him and then he says “wanna trade?” (we were both wearing our respective breweries work shirts). “Sure!” I say and we swap out. It was awesome and quite unexpected… after all, why should he care about us and our gear – he’s Deschutes Brewing!! Anyway, it was a killer goodwill gesture and made my day.

The rest of the day is kind of a blur. We all headed over to Bend Brewing for a bit, had a couple pints and a snack, then off to some family/friends that live in Bend for a BBQ. 12 hours later, back at the rental to crash for the night. Overall, a great day.

Monday was quite uneventful. We hit up McMennimens on our way out of town for some breakfast and then made the long(ish) trek home. A whirlwind trip but one for the books that’s for sure! A big thanks to all those we met and chatted with while there – your support and encouragement meant a lot to a nobody like me!

So… there’s the long, possibly boring and tedious description of our Zwickelmania weekend beerfest extravaganza!! As to the question of “why go public now?” Well, frankly, after many months of working quietly, in relative secrecy, we decided it was time to share our plans and journey with the world. This trip was a bit of an emotional boost for all of us, filling us with encouragement and confidence and the commitment to make this dream a reality.

From here, our primary task is to find the right space. There’s much to consider and we have a few options in mind. We’re looking at spaces weekly and hope to find something soon. A location is key and the catalyst for everything else required to open a brewery… so once we find it, we’ll be moving into hyper speed as we work through the licensing and start-up process.

Thanks to everyone for their support. I can’t tell you how excited we are about this endeavor and how much we appreciate all of your encouragement. We look forward to making the journey with all of you!!

First, we believe we can produce a product that will attract customers and bring an exciting and pleasurable craft beer experience to a region that is dreadfully lacking (in comparison to our neighbors here in Oregon) in brewery operations. Indeed, while the Rogue Valley has seen a renaissance in the wine industry over the past decade, the beer scene has been rather subdued… this despite the fact that beer, quality craft beer, has the same level of depth and complexity as wine. We hope to drive change in that regard.

Second, and a bit more personal, I was staring down the barrel of corporate downsizing and rather than wait for the trigger to be pulled, decided to take a proactive approach to my employment status. I’ve been marching to the drum of major employers my whole life, and while rarely completely unhappy in my job, I can’t say that I have ever been truly fulfilled either. Brewing has become more than just a hobby for me, it has become an outlet by which I can produce something of my own rather than peddle the wares of others. And, so, with much encouragement from my amazing wife, she and I both decided it was time to take a risk and have a go at self employment doing something I have come to love so much.

Third, I think the time is perfect for the pico/nano brewing industry. In recent years there has been a tremendous movement towards the purchase of local product from local vendors. The concept of sustainable commerce, whereby companies are owned, managed, and supported by members of the community they serve has finally found traction and it is this paradigm that nano-brewing fits so perfectly. Additionally, the idea of purchasing raw materials locally, producing a quality product with those materials, and providing the finished goods to the community in which they were produced is exactly the concept behind Apocalypse Brewing. There are currently no plans for distribution of our product beyond the Rogue Valley. No fancy equipment used in the production process. And as little money as possible leaving the Rogue Valley. Indeed, Apocalypse Brewing is a perfect fit for this region and the region is a perfect fit for Apocalypse Brewing.

We are committed to providing you with the best product possible and hope to see you in the (future) tap house on a regular basis!

In keeping with our minimal-technology paradigm, the sculpture will be a 3-tier, gravity feed system. While it will house 3 propane burners (clearly not the lowest tech approach), it will not have any kind of pumps or special electrical control equipment generally found on brew sculptures of this size. The 3rd tier will also be removable, nesting on top of the 1st tier to aid in transport/storage.

As I’m building this myself, the going is slow. I’m grinding away at it as time allowes and hope to have it fully completed and operational sometime before the end of January.

A huge thanks goes out to Dennis Dye, my friend and the President of our local homebrew club – Bear Creek Homebrewers. Dennis has already spent many an hour helping me to assemble this behemoth. In addition to his time, he’s arranged for welding equipment and assistance from others in it’s construction. In short, I wouldn’t have a sculpture if it wasn’t for him – so a big thanks for all of his help.