Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Ok - I have to share this

Good Clean fun...

Its good to laugh.

Oktoberfest is only three days away - wear something warm!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Oktoberfest! - 5 days and counting!

Greetings everyone!

Well our 3rd Annual Oktoberfest is fast approaching! Currently we have over 24 craft vendors signed up to exhibit their wares! That is a bunch more than last year and I know we will be getting more this week. The Car show is moving along as well and we will have several antique Harleys on display courtesy of Al Muth Harley Davidson from right here in Black River Falls!

Another new attraction this year will also be a rock climbing wall! This particular activity will be at the intersection of 3rd and Pierce. Of course we will have the usual fun of the Fevolden Farm Alpacas, 4 bands, food and drink. Todd and our fine Mayor will be doing the honors of kegging the golden keg at 1pm on Saturday.

Friday night we will be having the traditional cooking of the kraut as well as having a bit of a cook out!

This Wednesday - Todd and myself will be down at the Oktoberfest grounds in LaCrosse from 5pm - 8pm for the Craft Brewers Oktoberfest event! Come on down and see us . We will be pouring Black River Red, Wild Ride IPA and Cranberry Special Ale.

See you all out there!

Friday, September 25, 2009

URGENT UPDATE - Kay's Memorial

The celebration of Kay Brauner's Life is scheduled for Sunday - October 25th NOT this coming Sunday - September 27th

"A celebration of Kay's life will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday OCTOBER 25th at Skyline Golf Course Clubhouse, Black River Falls. Memorials may be given to End of Life Choices, P.O. Box 101810, Denver, CO 80250-1810, The Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203, and/or the Black River Falls Public Library. Torgerson's Funeral Service, Black River Falls, is assisting the family."

The paper and the radio station made an error and are now sending out retractions.

Please pass it on.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Kay

My first recollection of Kay Brauner goes back to about 5 years ago when she came to the brewery looking for some middlings. Middlings? What the heck was middlings!?

mid⋅dlings
–noun
middlings, any of various products or commodities of intermediate quality, grade, size, etc., as the coarser particles of ground wheat mingled with bran.


Ah spent grain. Got it. Learned something new that day! Bread you say? Sounds good to a bunch of guys who groove on good beer and food. Well a day or so later she showed back up with her Middlings/Beer Bread and it was a good. Here was something she took of average quality and turned it into something better.

We started to chat a bit more and she asked if we could use some help. It might have been the dark circles under Todd's or my eyes that inclined her to volunteer or maybe she really DID want to learn about making and packaging beer. At any rate, Kay showed up the next bottling day and learned how to load glass onto the line. As time progressed we learned a few things about Kay - she could work circles around just about anybody! We learned she also worked at the greenhouse. She also help Jeff and Sheri and later Jay down at Molly's with catering - oh yeah she also help trim apple trees at Cains Orchard and wait, she help others - LOTS of others! When she couldn't help out she found others - she also got her hubby Michael involved. Iron Mike we call him - want to find out why? Come work a few days with Mike when we are bottling, better eat your wheaties - he will leave you behind!

Over the last several years I got to know Kay - she would always listen patiently and give some pretty sound advice, sometimes without saying a word but by just nodding her head and smiling. Funny thing - she could always get me to where I had to go in my thought process. Always. She became a good friend to all of us. Always encouraging, Always helpful. Her and Mike helped us out a bunch with any activity, tasting or beerfest that they could get to.

When we first opened up our tap room we had a small bunch of folks show up. Kay and Mike would bring a few of their friends, and in turn those folks would bring a few more of theirs and so on. Pretty soon we had a pretty vibrant Friday night goin on! Life is good that way.

I would venture a bet that she had that effect on all she did. Kay touched the lives of all the people she would run into. I think she had a knack for taking middlings and making something better out of it.

I know she did with us "middlings" here at the brewery.

Kay, thanks for being part of our lives - I consider myself blessed for being able to know you for these short 5 years.

Yeah, I know - dont fuss over you.


"A celebration of Kay's life will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday October 25th at Skyline Golf Course Clubhouse, Black River Falls. Memorials may be given to End of Life Choices, P.O. Box 101810, Denver, CO 80250-1810, The Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203, and/or the Black River Falls Public Library. Torgerson's Funeral Service, Black River Falls, is assisting the family."

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

It is with a heavy heart today that I pass on the news, our friend Kay Brauner has passed away suddenly.
We are awaiting the arraignments and will keep all posted.
Please keep Kay and her family in your prayers.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Ah yes Friday!

Greetings folks!

Well we have made it through to another Friday and like most weeks around here it was a big one. Todd and Nate were brewing machines kicking out a total of 160 bbls of beer brewed and filtering down to package about the same! Whew! We sure have come along way in 5 years!

Next week we will be releasing our Fall seasonal the "Cranberry Special Ale" - be sure to look for it on the shelves in your local purveyor of fine Sand Creek products. We have been working hard at designing and redesigning several of our 6 packs. The good news is one is done but many left to go!

Last weekend was the 10th Annual Clearwater brewfest sponsored by us! It was a great event with nearly 700 participants and lots of great beer from area micro-breweries. Tom, Char, Pic, Tooti, myself and my good friend Kevin poured beer. As you might guess the Hard Lemonade was quite the hit but our bigger beers of Oscar, Wild Ride, English Style Special and the Scotch Ale were all well received! Special thanks to the organizers of the event and to Chris and the gang from Park Ridge distributing for making it a smashing success! Mark your calendar for the 11th annual Clearwater Brewfest - which will be on September 11th 2010.

This week we are pouring beer down at the Great Lakes Brewfest - friends of the program (read: Mark's Sister and friends) will be pouring our products for this great event.

Planning for our 3rd Annual Oktoberfest is coming along nicely. We have over 20 craft vendors signed up SO FAR! The car show should be a dandy with the added antique motorcycles being put on display. We will have a rock climbing wall set up too! Of course add music, food and beer and we should have a record event! Be sure to show up and witness Todd tell the tale of Oktoberfest and the golden keg at 1pm.

If there are any friends of the brewery that wish to volunteer to work the festival - Drop me an email at sales@sandcreekbrewing.com so I can get you on the list.

We of course will be open Friday night for our usual fun and games. Only a couple of Saturdays left for tours (the last day of tours on Saturday is on the 3rd of October during the fest)

Cheers!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009


Oh yes -- Our 3rd Annual Oktoberfest is upon us!

(Click on the image to enlarge)

Thursday, September 3, 2009




Here are some fresh pictures from the fest circuit.

Labor Day !!

Hey Everyone! Big Mike too!!
Yes we are still alive and doing very well.
First things first...We will BE CLOSED SATURDAY,SEPTEMBER 5 for the Labor day weekend.
We will be open on Friday night in case you might need some extra fluids to aid in re-hydration.

We are making the Cranberry Special ale today so we can be ready for the fall rush.
Yeaterday was a brew day for Aran of Furthermore Brewing, we brewed up his first batches of Fallen Apple ale. That beer is about half fresh pressed apple cider!

The rest of the gang is downstairs bottling this morning, or at least trying to.
The filler has been playing games with us recently, sounds like it's time to tear it apart and pull out the gremlins.
Oh, you didn't know? That's how we power the bottling line,
we cant use old Norwegians any more due to government intervention. It's all about CHANGE.

Oktoberfest is just around the corner so make sure your calender is ready.
We just recieved the 2009 Oktoberfest mugs this week too, they are a two tone brown with a special 2009 logo.
Make sure you pick one up for your collection. The mugs are 22 oz. and intitle you to 6 oz. more beer per. fill during the fest.
All this for $25, no better deal anywhere.

See you all soon!!