Friday, February 27, 2009

TGIF!

Good times a coming! On March 20th we will be having our 2nd annual SCREW winter Party! Invariably I am expecting about 12 inches of snow that day! Doors will open at 3pm for tours and such. Food and vittles around 6pm and we will have local acoustic entertainment from 7 to 10ish. I will post more details as they become apparent.

Well looks like we made it through another week! And quite a week it was. The usual stuff at the brewery, beer a brewing, beer a filtering, beer a bottling and beer a leaving!

Last weekend we had a pretty amazing set of beer fests! On Saturday, Mark poured beer at the Milwaukee Public Museum's Food and Froth event. Todd poured beer at the Manitowoc event and on Sunday I poured beer at the Milwaukee Ale House's - Mid Winter brewfest! At the Ale house we had a new FOP (Friend of the program) pour beer. Our good friend Ryan did one heck of a job getting folks to try our beers and he has signed on for the duration.

This weekend - Todd will be over on the East Cost of Wisconsin (sorta) and pouring beer at the F.A.C.E.S. event (check the website for details!) Other than that it will be a quiet one with the excepetion for the major project here at the brewery - we are starting to paint the interior. And when I say "We" I am NOT refering to a past memory of a carnival ride but refer to that Pic will be spearheading the outfit with a little help from Nate, Todd and Myself.

Usual fun and games at the brewery this evening! Doors open at 3pm - Tours at 3:30.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

READ THIS AND PASS IT ON!

This is freakin GOOD NEWS!! Help small brewers - CONTACT YOUR US SENATOR /CONGRESSIONAL FOLKS!!

BA Small Brewery Members,
On Tuesday, February 3rd, HR 836, the Brewers Excise and Economic Relief Act of 2009, was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D-North Dakota) and Congressman Tom Latham (R-Iowa). This legislation seeks to reduce the tax burden for all brewers and specifically reduces the small brewer rate by 50% to $3.50 a barrel.

This is truly amazing news - If you read my older post HERE, you can see the profound effect that excises taxes have on a small brewery. Although I would love to be exempt from the tax a 50% reduction will still result in more jobs, a better brewery and an increased chance of success not only for your favorite brewery but ALL brewers!

I ask you all - friends of Sand Creek to contact your Congressman and Representatives to add their vote and voice in support of this legislation. Representative Ron Kind has already signed up! (first person besides the original authors! THANKS RON!) You can click this LINK, enter your zip code and you will find out the contact information for your representative - call them, contact them email them and urge them to support this decisive and critical legislation

I am a happy guy

Monday, February 9, 2009

2075 and STILL counting!

Well we made it through another weekend. I want to give a shout out to all of the folks that made Friday night a truly great night. First off a big thank you to everyone who attended the festivities. As usual we had a TON of food. The Tegarosa Cattle Company did the honors with smoked pork tenderloin, venison and turkey. It was fabulous! Many thanks to everyone that brought a dish to pass around. Everything was delicious and there wasn't much left at the end of the evening!

Special thanks to the crew that helped put this event on - Todd, Nate, Dan, Donna, Kevin, Lizzy, Nancy, Trish, Sherry, Leif, Charlotte, Tom , Ena, Mike, Rhonda, Bill, Pic and Cora too! (Cora was in charge of quality control of all meat products). If I miss anyone my sincerest apologies! THANK YOU ALL!

Atlantic Wave put on a stellar show even with Barry having about 1/3 vocal capacity. We estimated we had about 300 folks in here on and off through the night. We had many old friends (Dan - it was good to see you!) show up along with many new ones! All in all a rousing success.

This weekend we have a few tastings I believe but no major fests. Usual fun on Friday at 3pm.

Next Month - we will be shut down for a weekend for some spring cleaning and painting. As soon as we get the date figured out I will post it here. Becauase we will be depriving you all of a Friday night of fun and games, our next BIG night will be March 20th which is the Spring Equinox (leaving no doubt we will get at LEAST 3459734525 inches of snow!) Food and Entertainment will assuredly be available. Details posted as they develop!

Have a good week everyone!

(The 2075 notation is the counter we installed when the blog was started! It keeps moving up - slowly but surely - feel free to leave comments and such!)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Oscar is in the house!

There is nothing better than walking into the brewhouse at the crack of dawn and smelling the wonderful scents of another batch of Oscar wafting through a building. Yes its brewing day. Todd and Nate have whipped up another batch of our award winning stout. Now if I can get a steady supply of it infused with nitrogen...

Not a lot to report today. Just the usual end of year madness, minor and major project completion and of course selling beer. Todd, Dan, Nate and our friend Rob have been doing a great job getting our custom made depalletizer put together. Our first run will be tomorrow morning. If you hear breaking glass - just blame Leif!

Dont forget our festivities this coming Friday and look for a one special event at the brewery each and every month in addition to our usual Friday fun. No big beer fests this week but the weekend of the 21st we will be well represented at the Manitowoc Brewfest (attended by Der Brewmeister), The Food and Froth at the Milwaukee Public Museum (Mark) and on Sunday the 22nd the Midwinter Brewfest at the Milwaukee Ale Houe (Beer being poured by Pic, Barry and me)

Thats all for now!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

This makes my brain hurt!

Hi Everyone - Good Tuesday to you all.

I was perusing the web and getting my latest news fix. This article managed to raise my blood pressure a bit. The news is what the GOP is pointing out as wasteful spending on the Economic stimulus plan - Senate version. Here are FEW things that makes you say to your self "Self? how is this going to turn around the economy? and "What was that about earmarks again?" Remember folks this is an economic stimulus plan - it shouldn't be a social social programs plan.
(You can get the full read on www.cnn.com or just click the above link)

• $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.

• $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.

• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.

• $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.

• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.

• $75 million for "smoking cessation activities."

• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.

Granted some of the programs will create jobs but lets do it smart OK? PLEASE??

Ok other rant - whats with all of the hotshot politicos who are getting appointed to the cabinet who DONT PAY THEIR FREAKIN INCOME TAXES? Good lord any common folk that would have the sheer audacity to do that would have the IRS just climbing all over them and taking away everything!

Sheesh!

Ok enough of the rants. Another reminder that this Friday we are proud to present Atlantic Wave who will be playing the music of Ireland, Scotland and Cape Breton. Doors open at 3pm, tours at 3:30, Food and goodies around 5pm (ish) and music at 8pm. NO COVER!!

Be well all!