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Brewday

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-07-03T11:13:43-04:00

Friday, July 3, 2009

Back in the brew house today brewing more of the Belgian-inspired Blonde Ale. I'm expecting that by the time I have some in kegs and bottles that the TTB will have approved the formula/recipe and the label.

Besides a bit of a break on the 4th, this weekend will also see me bottling and getting things ready for the next brew session. Then, back to the day job on Monday.

Back in the Brewhouse

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-07-01T06:02:34-04:00

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Sorry - I haven't been on the blog in a long time, but I have been back in the brewhouse.

Currently fermenting away is some of the Old Walt Smoked Wit and something new that I brewed some test batches of back in May. It's a Belgian-inspired blonde ale, but on the lower end of the ABV scale (4.5%). I'll be brewing more of it this weekend, it's currently waiting on TTB approval -- not just on the label, but they wanted a copy of the recipe/formula as well.

More bottles finally arrived, so I'll be able to get back on the old bottling line again (which is me hand bottling with a Blichmann Beer Gun).

Brewday

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-30T06:20:48-04:00

May 30, 2009

Brewing back-to-back batches of something for the Summer today.

Small Brewers and Farmers' Markets

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-27T06:12:37-04:00

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Legislation often moves at a glacial pace, but there has been some movement in the New York State Senate on the bill to allow small brewers to sell beer at Farmers' Markets. (Wineries in NY State can already do this.) The history of the Senate Bill is here:

S02623 Summary:
BILL NO S02623

SAME AS Same as A 2325

SPONSOR VALESKY

COSPNSR

MLTSPNSR

Amd S51, ABC L

Permits certain small beer brewers to obtain a permit to sell beer in a sealed
container for off-premises consumption at fairs and farmers' markets.

S02623 Actions:
BILL NO S02623

02/25/2009 REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS
03/10/2009 1ST REPORT CAL.105
03/11/2009 2ND REPORT CAL.
03/12/2009 ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
03/18/2009 PASSED SENATE
03/18/2009 DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
03/18/2009 referred to economic development

So, it now needs to pass in the Assembly, and then a reconciled bill would then move to the Governor's desk. (Will he sign it?)

The history of the legislation in the New York Assembly can be found at http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A02325. It looks like this has been on a back burner since 2003.

Bottling and Brewing

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-23T10:11:15-04:00

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Lots to do this weekend:

Bottle up some of the Hellsmoke Porter
Bottle up some of the Harborfields HefeWeizen
Transfer another batch of the Harborfields HefeWeizen for conditioning
Transfer that latest batch of the Old Walt Smoked Wit for conditioning
Brew up a test batch of another possible Summer Seasonal
Brew up more of the Hellsmoke Porter (which I decided to not quite retire yet for the season)

Plus the usual cleaning and sanitizing.

On to it...

Oneonta Daily Star: "Area brewers say bottle-bill flaws could end them"

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-20T13:10:00-04:00

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Blind Bat Brewery only sells beer in New York, so my business is not directly affected by this bottle bill. However, I'm a fan of the beer from the Cooperstown Brewing Company (love that Benchwarmer Porter), so this really alarms me:

From The Daily Star (Oneonta, NY)
May 16, 2009
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If New York's new bottle law takes effect June 1 as planned, the Cooperstown Brewing Co. may go out of business.

"The law's a nightmare, and there's no way I can comply," said President Stan Hall, whose brewery is home to Old Slugger and other beers.
- - - - - - - -
Breweries and other beverage makers would have to keep separate inventories and records for products sold in New York. New labeling equipment would cost thousands of dollars, he said, and sorting beers by destination would be grossly inefficient.

"We sell beer in Florida, Massachusetts and other places, but we don't know in advance how much is going where," Hall said. "Requirements like this are just going to kill small brewers."

Other brewers, both in state and out, have voiced similar complaints, saying the labeling requirement is unworkable.
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More at http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_136073120.html

Test Batch Sunday

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-18T06:47:58-04:00

Monday, May 18, 2009

I hadn't brewed my smoked wit since I got the new smoker, so Sunday saw me smoking and brewing a test batch of the Old Walt Smoked Wit. For this one, I smoke about 20% of the total grain bill -- a portion of the flaked wheat -- over mesquite wood chips. The idea is to end up with light notes of the mesquite smoke.

More of the hefeweizen is now conditioning, I tested some of the earlier batch and it wasn't quite ready on Saturday. It might be ready for bottling next weekend, so I'm hoping to roll it out soon.

NY State UPC Label Law: Update

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-14T19:05:35-04:00

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Some arguments, pro and con, about the New York UPC label law can be found in this article from Schenectady's The Daily Gazette.

Meanwhile...

Companion legislation has been introduced in the NY State Assembly (A.B. 8069) and Senate (S.B. 5363) seeking to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to eliminating the requirement that bottlers and brewers must include a New York specific universal product code on all redeemable bottles and cans and to extend the start date of registering container labels.

Speak up if you are so inclined. Democracy shouldn't be a spectator sport.

Brewday

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-10T07:25:16-04:00

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Brewday: Harborfields HefeWeizen.

Just one batch today, Happy Mothers Day!

Back to the Brewhouse

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-09T08:28:41-04:00

Saturday, May 9, 2009

I only made it through half a day when I went back to the day job on Tuesday, and ended up being out with that flu Wednesday and Thursday. Was back to work on Friday, and am back to the brewhouse this weekend. Today I'll finally be getting that Hefeweizen into conditioning vessels, and that Hellsmoke bottled up. Will then take care of a few more things in preparation for a brewday Sunday (more of the Harborfields Hefeweizen).

If you haven't yet done so, please do consider contacting your representatives in the NY Assembly and Senate about that NY-specific UPC label law. While it doesn't affect me as the Blind Bat Brewery (I only sell in NY State), it does concern me as far as the problems it will cause for other breweries who do distribute across state lines. (See Monday's blog post for more on this.)

Flu, Not Brew

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-05T07:06:12-04:00

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

I've been down with the flu since Friday (just the good-old-fashioned kind, not the swine flu), but it kept me from any brewing duties this weekend. Am crawling back to the day job today, after spending yesterday in bed. Am hoping to get things moving in the brewhouse this week (transferring hefeweizen from fermenters to conditioning vessels, bottling up hellsmoke) and be back to brewing on Saturday. Sorry about the delays.

Action Alert! Protect craft beer, support a repeal of the New York specific UPC requirement.

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-05-04T11:29:04-04:00

Monday May 4, 2009

This just in from the New York State Brewers Association, via the Brewers Association's "Support Your Local Brewery" email alerts:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FROM: info@supportyourlocalbrewery.com

May 4, 2009

Dear New York Beer Activist,

At the request of the New York State Brewers Association, we are alerting you to an issue which could dramatically affect your access to the craft beers made by small breweries all across the country.

As you have likely learned, the state of New York recently enacted a requirement that bottled products sold in your state must bear a New York-specific UPC code for bottle deposit and redemption purposes. This requirement will have severe negative impacts on many businesses, including and particularly, small breweries. The cost to produce a state-specific label with a unique UPC and the inventory and shipping challenges that presents, will mean many small breweries will be forced to pull their beers out of the New York market because the cost of doing business in the state will be simply too high. And just think of the precedent this potentially sets for other states should they enact similar requirements…small brewer out-of-state sales could be decimated coast to coast.

Several brewing companies have already weighed in on this issue with the Governor, explaining they would have no choice but to discontinue distribution of their beers. This is bad for the state of New York, bad for small brewers everywhere, and perhaps worst of all for New York residents who are craft beer drinkers. Access to the wide range of beer you currently enjoy will be severely limited in the future should this requirement remain on the books.

Please take a few minutes and call or email your State Senator and Assemblyman. Let them know that you feel the New York-specific UPC is a bad idea for business and a bad idea for Empire State residents who drink craft beer and vote. Ask them to support a repeal of the New York-specific UPC requirement as contained in the recently passed Bottle Bill.

To identify your state elected officials by zip code and for contact information:

Assembly: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/

Senate: http://www.senate.state.ny.us/sdlookup.nsf/Public_search?OpenForm

Thanks for standing up for consumer choice and America’s small brewers.

Charlie Papazian

President
Brewers Association

Gary Glass

Director
American Homebrewers Association
gary@brewerassociation.org
888.822.8273 x 121
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Transitioning to Organic

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-04-26T07:48:38-04:00

Sunday, April 26, 2009

One of the things that made the biggest impact on me during last week's Craft Brewers Conference in Boston was the Organic Panel Discussion.

A wider variety of base and specialty malts have become available, giving brewers a bigger palette of ingredients to create with without sacrificing the taste and quality of the beer just for the sake of going organic. More and more organic hops are becoming available (both in the marketplace as well as "homegrown" hops.) The downside is that organic ingredients cost more, but the benefits, to me, outweigh that increased cost. (Ten good reasons to go organic can be found here, dig deeper if interested).

My little part-time nanobrewery isn't getting a whole lot of beer out as it is, but my tiny bit, while but a drop in the proverbial bucket, is my responsibility. So, I'll be transitioning to organic, sustainably-produced ingredients. It will take a little time as I work through my current inventory of raw material, but I'll be working towards becoming certified organic in the future. Not much happens overnight with my part-time schedule, but I consider this a journey worth taking.

Stay tuned for updates on my progress towards organic.

I Am A Craft Brewer

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-04-24T12:16:55-04:00

Friday, April 24, 2009

Greg Koch of Stone Brewing Company played the following video as part of his keynote address at the 2009 Craft Bewers Conference in Boston. An extended version is in the works.

Enjoy:

I Am A Craft Brewer from I Am A Craft Brewer on Vimeo.

Some Party!

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-04-22T06:26:00-04:00

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Before rushing out the door yesterday morning to catch a train to Boston for the Craft Brewers Conference, I checked in again on how the yeast was doing with Saturday's wort (turning it into Hefeweizen). The airlock in one of the fermenters blew off, and there are some nice stains on the ceiling thanks to the force that must have built up (note to self -- gotta move to blowoff tubes, at least for the vigorously-fermenting wheat beers). There also was a nice bit of wort on the floor. Floor to ceiling, it looks like it was some fun party for the yeast.

Happy Yeast, Dissatisfied Cow

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-04-19T20:40:01-04:00

Sunday, April 19, 2009

The yeast (White Labs WLP300) is happily working on turning yesterday's wort into tomorrow's HefeWeizen (OK, not technically "tomorrow" -- give the little buggers time to do the job).

This afternoon I brought the spent grains from yesterday's back-to-back batches of Harborfields Hefeweizen to the one remaining cow at the old (and now preserved) Lewis-Oliver Dairy in Northport. The cow (named "Half Pint" -- which ya gotta love) wasn't too keen on the 50-50 blend of spent wheat and barley, so I gave it to the pig instead.
"Half Pint"

Brewday: Harbofields Hefeweizen

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-04-18T08:49:38-04:00

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Brewing up some Harbofields Hefeweizen today.

Hops, Hellsmoke, and Hefeweizen

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-04-16T20:31:50-04:00

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Along with some other duties and commitments, I needed to get some cleaning done for a fermenter tonight, so was unable to attend the one-night "live" showing of Beer Wars. I'll be needing that fermenter for Saturday when I brew some of the Harborfields Hefeweizen. I'm hoping to catch a future screening of Beer Wars, but I'm certainly missing out on the communal experience tonight.

Before cleaning that fermenter (keeping ahead of the setting sun), I trimmed back some of the hops, leaving just the longest three bines growing out of each rhyzome. The Centennial, Chinook, and Fuggles are all coming back strong so far. The Hallertauer not much yet. No signs of the Willamette. I'm hoping it didn't get destroyed when we were putting up the greenhouse a few months back. (There might be some poetic injustice there.)

Will be bottling up some more of the Hellsmoke Porter (before heading off to the "regular job" tomorrow, if I get up early enough). I was planning on retiring the Hellsmoke Porter for the year now that warmer weather is approaching, but something happened when I drew a small sample tonight to check the carbonation level. My wife tastes some, and remarks on the hint of dark chocolate that she's noticed in previous batches. Recalling my affection for vanilla ice cream in a Guinness, she suggests I put some ice cream into the remaining sample. Damn, it's good. Summertime pints of Hellsmoke Floats are now dancing in my mind, so I might not retire this beer just yet.

Delivering Hellsmoke

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-04-03T10:59:50-04:00

April 3, 2009

Finally! I delivered some more Hellsmoke Porter on the way home from work last night to Big Z Beverage (http://www.bigzbeverage.com) on Jericho Turnpike. Tonight I'll be heading out to Bellport to deliver some to Dave's Bellport Cold Beer & Soda (http://bellportbeer.com/).

A sincere thank you to everyone for being patient. This part-time, one-man, 1/3-barrel nanobrewery hasn't been cranking out lots of beer, but I am exploring options that I can use in my existing space (and schedule) to increase my output six-fold.

More on this when I have it...

Bottling Hellsmoke

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-03-25T06:43:46-04:00

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

This week I'm bottling up the Hellsmoke Porter that was brewed in February, and will be getting it out next week. Will be putting out word of where and when early next week.

Weekends are the only time I can get any good amount of work done, so I'll be working in the brewhouse this weekend and not getting to the '09 Spring Craft Beer Festival at Nassau Coliseum. There will be some great beer there, though, so please go and enjoy! (Be sure to stop by the Long Island Beer & Malt Enthusiasts table.)

I'm in the midst of exploring various ways to increase the amount of beer I can brew in any given brew session, so stay tuned...

Cheers,
Paul

Brewday

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-03-15T07:13:09-04:00

Sunday, March 15, 2009

I'll be smoking and brewing up more Hellsmoke Porter today.

Yesterday, I accompanied Regina to a meeting in Riverhead of local organic farmers, as I'm interested in the possibilities of using local organic wheat (and possibly barley) as well as organic potatoes if my potato stout experiments pan out.

If anyone is interested in local organic, you might want to check out http://nofany.org/index.html (Northeast Organic Farmers Association -NY Chapter). Another good resource is Local Harvest ( http://www.localharvest.org).

What's Next (or not)...

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-03-09T07:09:05-04:00

Well, I didn't do great job keeping the yeast happy during the fermentation of my Wheatley Hills Weizenbock. After conditioning and bottling, it is unfortunately clear to me that while the Weizenbock is OK, it doesn't have all the character that I was aiming for. So, while it is drinkable (I'll be drinking and serving it at home), it isn't something I want to ask people to pay for. So, the Wheatley Hills Weizenbock won't be hitting shelves in the near future.

Meanwhile, more of the Hellsmoke Porter is currently fermenting and conditioning, so that will be out again soon. I'll be next brewing up beer more appropriate for Spring, and fresh batches of my Weizenbock should be making an appearance this Fall.

Hellsmoke Fermenting

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-02-28T20:21:13-05:00

Saturday, February 28, 2009 (8:21 PM)

Brewed more Hellsmoke Porter today, after transferring the February 16th batch from the fermenter to corny kegs for conditioning. As with the February 15th batch, I upped the smoke a notch from what was released in December. A number of folks on Ratebeer seemed to be wanting more smoke, and as my homebrew version was smokier, I'm more than happy to oblige.

The majority of my friends who had the old homebrew version thought it too smokey (I liked it) so the so the next to be released will be somewhere between that old homebrew super-smokey and the December-release level of smoke.

More beer is a'comin... really!

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-02-26T08:44:42-05:00

One of the perils of part-time operations is that the job that pays the bills has been taking priority over the part-time startup. The "day job" keeps spilling into evenings and mornings, but I'm lucky to have it.

I had planned on getting the Wheatley Hills Weizenbock out before the end of this week, but it looks more like it will be out sometime next week -- as I'll be bottling and labeling on Sunday. If that goes well, I'll then be making deliveries next week -- so either watch this space or your email (if you are signed up for the email updates) for news on where and when. In the meantime, the Weizenbock has been carbonating and conditioning in "corny" kegs.

Saturday will be the better day for brewing this weekend, and so I'll be smoking and brewing more of the Hellsmoke then.

Hellsmoke and Weizenbock

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-02-16T07:04:48-05:00

Monday, February 16, 2009 (7:09 AM)

OK, so I didn't get much work done on Saturday (Valentine's Day). Did get some cleaning done on Sunday, and am about to take advantage of the balmy just-above-freezing Monday-off-from-work to smoke and brew more Hellsmoke Porter. I've had a pot of coffee, and am out the door to begin right after I post this.

Apologies to all about the still-pending Wheatley Hills Weizenbock -- it's still conditioning, but it will be out this month. Word of where and when will be posted here (and via the Blind Bat Brewery Email Updates).

Happy Monday!

Smoke on the Horizon

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-02-13T15:18:50-05:00

Friday, February 13, 2009

I'll be brewing up more of the Hellsmoke Porter this weekend.

Local Hops C.S.A.?

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-02-10T06:43:00-05:00

February 10, 2009

This is still in the embryonic stage, but I've been in contact with two certified-organic farmers on Long Island's north fork about the possibility of growing hops using a CSA model. If any local brewers (homebrewers or commercial) are interested, let me know via my contact page.

For those not familiar with what a CSA is, those letters stand for Community Supported Agriculture. Essentially, folks buy shares in an agricultural venture. This is generally mutually beneficial to both the farmer and the members of the CSA: The farmer gets financial benefits up front, and the members get good, local produce. Both risk and benefits are shared, as there is no guarantee of outcome -- something that farmers usually have to face on their own.

If you care about where your food comes from, and are interested in keeping at least parts of Long Island agricultural, then a CSA might be for you. (For more about local CSAs, you might want to check http://www.localharvest.org).

What I'm envisioning for the hops CSA is that members would be responsible for picking and packaging their own hops. Perhaps there could be a hops harvest party, with members picking and weighing out the harvest together. (This seems like a good opportunity for an after-harvest beer party, with brewers bringing along some of their brews to share.) Something to keep in mind is that it usually takes more than one season to get a decent yield.

Baby Steps - On Ice

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-01-26T11:34:36-05:00

January 26, 2009

We seem to be having a real Winter this year, and things are again "progressing" slower than I would like. A busted pipe reminded me that the equipment isn't too happy with the sub-freezing temperatures. (Unlike the fermentation room, my little brewhouse is unheated.) Couple that with the fact that this is a small-scale, part-time endeavor (brewing on weekends or days where I can play hooky from work), the beer isn't flowing out too rapidly at present. As warmer weekends approach, so will new batches of beer.

Meanwhile some Weizenbock should be out early February.

I'll be kicking the smoke up a notch with the next batch of Hellsmoke Porter. The earlier homebrew version was a lot smokier than what was available to folks in December's "First Flight", but I seemed to be the only one who was happy with the homebrew level of smoke. Perhaps I brought the smoke level down too much. A good number of RateBeer / BeerAdvocate reviewers indicated that they would like more smoke, so I'll try to find a happy balance between the old homebrew smoke and that of the December release. Not too much to overwhelm the senses, but a bit more smoke seems to be called for.

The Severest Critics of All

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-01-19T19:20:52-05:00

January 19, 2009

While the Hellsmoke Porter has been receiving decent reviews on RateBeer and BeerAdvocate, the two cows at the old Lewis-Oliver Dairy in Northport haven't been taking at all to the last batch of spent grains from the Wheatley Hills Weizenbock. So, at least for the mix of spent wheat and barley, it's off to the compost.

Was too wintery to brew the next batch of Hellsmoke Porter this weekend (not just for me, but more importantly, for the equipment as the brewery currently needs to be set up). Please check back for news on that.

Hellsmoke Spotted in Manhattan

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-01-11T09:37:54-05:00

January 11, 2009

I'm not sure how it got there, but I just got word from one of the folks signed up for my email updates that they came across (and purchased) some of the Hellsmoke Porter in New Beer Distributors in lower Manhattan.

More Weizenbock

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-01-06T06:02:18-05:00

January 6, 2009

Took a day off from the regular job to brew more Weizenbock, but it turned out to be a bit longer of a day (into night) than expected. So, we missed getting to last night's Friends of the Farm meeting in nearby Northport. I will be getting more spent grains to the cows later this week, though, "leftovers" from yesterday's brew session.

Next to brew: More of the Hellsmoke Porter.

Feeding Time (Yeast and Cows)

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2009-01-02T17:45:46-05:00

January 2, 2009

I've had some good feedback on the Hellsmoke Porter, and will be smoking and brewing up more soon. If you have had some, and haven't yet shared what you thought of it, please do -- either via the "Be the Judge" form on BlindBatBrewery.com, or on Beer Advocate or RateBeer (or all three). I truly appreciate honest criticism. (And thanks to those who have given feedback.)

Meanwhile, back in the Fermentation Room, the yeast is happily eating the sugars, creating alcohol and carbon dioxide to make the wort into Wheatley Hills Weizenbock.

I finally got the spent grains to the cows in nearby Northport (no one was a the old dairy when I went on Sunday). If you have kids and happen to be near Northport, some free family fun can be had at the old Lewis Oliver Farm in Northport. They've got two cows ("Sassy" and "Half-Pint"), as well as some chickens, ducks, geese, and a pig. For more information check out the Friends of the Farm blog at http://friendsofthefarm.wordpress.com/

The farm happens to be looking for volunteers. If you are free, they are having a meeting at the farm at 7:30 this coming Monday night (January 5, 2009).

Back in the Brewhouse

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-12-28T09:16:05-05:00

December 28, 2008

Had some issues with a problematic pump that put a crimp in the plan to brew back-to-back batches, but I did get one batch of the Wheatley Hills Weizenbock brewed yesterday. Will be taking advantage of as many unseasonably-mild days as possible to keep busy in the brewhouse, which is heated only by the kettles when they are fired up.

In addition to more of the Weizenbock, I'll be brewing up more of the Hellsmoke Porter. Today, I'm hoping to bring the spent grains from yesterday's mash over to a couple of hungry cows I know of in nearby Northport. Our compost bins are full!

Hellsmoke Porter - Sold Out

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-12-24T09:45:17-05:00

December 24, 2008

Well, that went quicker than I thought it would. Despite three deliveries to Big Z since Saturday the 13th, the first official batch of the Hellsmoke Porter is reportedly just about all gone (check with Mark or Rick at Big Z to be sure). I've had some good feedback on it, so I'll be brewing up more for January availability. I'm also working on getting it into more locations. This is a small-batch brewery to begin with, but my goal is to first see how folks like a specific beer before I go nuts and start brewing up lots of back-to-back batches.

First Flight: Hellsmoke Porter

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-12-13T12:20:02-05:00

December 13, 2008

The Hellsmoke Porter is now available in 22-ounce bottles at Big Z Beverage on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington. For directions and contact info, use the "Where to Find" page at http://BlindBatBrewery.com. I'm also working on getting some of the Hellsmoke out to Bellport Beer & Soda, word of when will follow.

If you try the Hellsmoke, or any of the other future beers, please let me know what you think via the "Be The Judge" form at BlindBatBrewery.com. The form is designed to keep feedback anonymous by default, but feel free to let me know who you are if you want.

The Hellsmoke Porter is a robust porter, roasty and a bit smokey thanks to the alder and applewood I used to smoke some of the grains before mashing. As with many traditional porters, the carbonation level is on the moderately-low end of the scale. It goes great with steak, burgers, and other barbecued or grilled meats.

Happy Repeal Day - Bottles Getting Ready to Roll...

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-12-05T05:48:54-05:00

December 5th is "Repeal Day"
It's the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition, which lasted almost 15 years
(January 16th, 1919 --- December 5, 1933).

Part of the platform that Franklin Roosevelt ran on in 1932 was the repeal of Prohibition.
For more about Prohibition and Repeal Day, visit http://www.repealday.org/

"I think that this would be a good time to have a beer."
-President Franklin D. Roosevelt, December 5, 1933

Meanwhile, in 2008....
I've been bottling up that first official batch of Hellsmoke Porter, and am getting ready to roll 'em out the door at last.
Also, my commercial kegs finally arrived yesterday, so tapped offerings are now possible. News of where and when coming soon.

Conditioning... (and Farmers' Markets)

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-11-11T09:23:02-05:00

That first official batch of Hellsmoke Porter is conditioning away in Corny kegs, awaiting bottling (and kegging, if my Sanke kegs arrive soon).

The folks at the New York State Brewers Association are getting behind a pending bill in the NY State Legislature to allow small brewers to sell beer at farmers' markets and fairs (in sealed containers for off-premise consumption). However, no action is likely until the new session convenes next year.

Watch this space for more. If you are inclined to participatory democracy, please write your NY State Assembly Member and NY State Senator to support the following bill:

BILL NO. A07252

TITLE OF BILL : An act to amend the alcoholic beverage control law,
in relation to permitting certain brewers to sell beer at fairs and
farmers` markets

PURPOSE : To promote micro breweries in New York State by
authorizing micro breweries to sell beer at fairs and farmers`
markets.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS : This bill would amend section 51 of the
alcoholic beverage control law to authorize licensed brewers with an
annual production of less than 60,000 barrels to apply to the State
Liquor Authority for a permit to serve bottled beer at the state fair,
county fairs and not-for-profit farmers` markets. A representative of
the brewer would be required to be present at the time of the sale.

JUSTIFICATION : This bill is intended to promote micro breweries in
New York State by authorizing them to sell beer at fairs and farmers`
markets in the same manner as wineries are currently authorized to
sell wine at fairs and farmers` markets. It is estimated that this
authorization could increase sales of these small businesses by five
percent which will produce jobs and further economic development in
New York.

It is important to note that, as is the case with wineries, micro
breweries would be required to obtain a permit from the State Liquor
Authority under the provisions of this bill in order to sell beer at
fairs and farmers` markets, thereby ensuring that this authorization
would be closely regulated.

The number of the bill will be different in the NY State Senate, there it is S 2466.

ALSO: The number of the bill before both the Assembly and the Senate will possibly change in the new session. Watch this space for more as things progress...

Local, Local, Local

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-11-05T09:56:28-05:00

Not beer-related, but here is a nice slice of what "local" is about here on Long Island.
From the Northport Farmers' Market...

For more about the Northport Farmers' Market, see Our Northport or Village of Northport

Meanwhile, back at the nanobrewery....
I'm cleaning kegs to carbonate and condition the Hellsmoke Porter. Bottling to follow shortly. I'll be sending out word of where these bottles will be available soon. I would have taken care of all this over the last weekend, but there was a delay due to the greenhouse effect. Not the global greenhouse effect, but the preparations I'm undertaking for the greenhouse we're about to build in our back yard. Leveling out the area and preparing the foundation took up the weekend. So, I'm playing hooky from the day job today (after a late night of watching election returns), and playing a bit of catchup.

Tastes Great! Less Filling! Fights Cancer! (?)

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-10-27T10:23:10-04:00

Not sure what I think of this...
University researchers developing cancer-fighting beer

A team of researchers at Rice University in Houston is working to create a beer that could fight cancer and heart disease. Taylor Stevenson, a member of the six-student research team and a junior at Rice, said the team is using genetic engineering to create a beer that includes resveratrol, the disease-fighting chemical that's been found in red wine.

Might there be some over promising here? And, even though I brew and drink beer, I also enjoy red wine. I don't need beer to solve all of my problems, there's a place for everything, no? How about a sensible diet and regular exercise?

I'm all for progress, but I'm also leery of genetic engineering and any possible unintended consequences. Or, am I just reacting like an uninformed villager ready to storm Dr. Frankenstein's ~~lab~~ brewery? Am I just acting like an old man shaking my fist at the clouds?

It seems that the students at Rice University are working on modifying a strain of yeast for this purpose, it would be interesting to know what strain they are working with. Different yeast strains are used for different beer styles.

Fermenting, Kegging, Bottling...

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-10-20T08:54:32-04:00

This week should see me kegging up the Bitter Wheat test batch experiment (A.K.A. "Grodziskie") as well as that first production batch of the Hellsmoke Porter. The Hellsmoke will be bottled up after some time carbonating and conditioning in the corny kegs. Commercial keg options are being explored this week, I should be finally pulling the trigger on a couple of "sixels" soon.

Next on Deck: Wheatley Hills Weizenbock

Once the big fermenter is clear of the Hellsmoke Porter, the next production batch will be the Wheatley Hills Weizenbock. I had planned to have two more large fermenters by now, so as to keep the production batches rolling along. I'll get those extra fermenters once money loosens up a bit.

A little Long Island history
The Wheatley Hills Tavern used to be on Post Avenue in Westbury, and a few businesses (and a golf club) in the Westbury area still bear the name. The original Wheatley Hills is in England (I'm not sure if the good folk there would appreciate a German-style beer bearing their town's name). There is also Wheatley Heights in Suffolk County. "Westbury" and "Salisbury" on Long Island were also named for original places in England by English settlers here in the 1600s -- after they took over western Long Island from the Dutch, who in turn muscled out the original Lenape people.

A glimpse of Wheatley Road circa 1906
The Vanderbilt Cup Race was held from 1904 to 1910, and was a pretty big deal at the time. It was the first international automobile race held in the U.S., and Vanderbilt had the Long Island Motor Parkway built partially for the race itself.

The film below is from 102 years ago, and shows a hairpin turn at Wheatley Road in Old Westbury.

For more about these early 20th Century races, check out the excellent The Vanderbilt Cup Races site.

Bitter Wheat Experiment

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-10-12T08:21:47-04:00

With last Saturday's back-to-back batches of Hellsmoke Porter fermenting away in my largest fermenter, this Saturday I brewed up a small experimental batch of a Polish / German style that appears to have otherwise become extinct - Grodziskie. Grodziskie, a smoked wheat ale, is considered to be the only beer style native to Poland, and it is named after the city where it was brewed.

When the city of Grodziskie was part of Germany, it (and the beer style) was renamed Grätzer. (My heritage is more Polish than German, so I prefer to refer to this as Grodziskie). This style is said to have been popular across much of Poland and northern Germany up to the period before the first World War.

Thought to have been born sometime in the 14th Century, the last known commercial example of this style was brewed in the 1990s, when the last brewery producing it closed.

Grodziskie is considered by some to be related to Weissbier, in that the majority of the grist is Wheat, but in the case of Grodziskie, about half of the grist mashed is first smoked over oak.

I smoked some of the wheat malt over medium-toast French oak chips. For this test batch, I used a German ale yeast, rather than a weizen yeast, and hopped with 30 IBUs of Saaz. This style is said to be bitter and of a relatively low ABV. I'm shooting for an ABV of 3.7%

While there was a surprise somewhat-unwanted guest in the brewhouse last Saturday, yesterday morning there was a most-welcomed guest: Rich Thatcher - President of the Long Island Beer & Malt Enthusiasts, as well as the manager of Bellport Beer & Soda. Rich got to see just how small this nano-micro brewery is just before I started smoking up that wheat.

Notes from a Brew Day

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-10-06T07:33:12-04:00

Two back-to-back batches of the Hellsmoke Porter are now in the hands of the yeast, which are happily fermenting away since late Saturday. It was a long day, with some brewing time lost when I discovered a leaky connection in the conical fermenter on Saturday morning while filling it one more time with sanitizer. Finally fixed it and got back to smoking some malt for the first batch's mash.

(Unlike meat, grains do not take hours to smoke. I prefer to smoke the grains the day of the brew, they can lose some of the smoke over time.)

Are black labs a good omen?

A little more time was lost when a neighbor's dog came running into the brewhouse. I've never seen the dog (a big, friendly black lab) before, she seemed to be drawn in by the malty aroma during the mashing of the first batch. My entreaties to "go home" were unheeded, her tail kept wagging while she continued sniffing around the brewery. Fortunately, she had a tag on with her address on it. I flamed off the kettles for a bit while I walked her up the road to her home.

The brew session did not seem to suffer, as it hit my target Original Gravity of 1.067.

Buster Keaton Draws a Cold One

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-10-03T16:19:42-04:00

I'll be brewing up a big batch of the Hellsmoke Porter this Saturday.

Meanwhile, here's a vintage (circa 1959) beer commercial with Buster Keaton, drawing himself a cold one...

The William Simon Brewery was in Buffalo, New York. Sadly, it closed in the early '70s.

Blind Bat's First Flight: Hellsmoke Porter

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-09-26T09:48:00-04:00

The test batch with the new smoker worked out well. In a couple of weeks, the first beer to hit the shelves (and possibly a bar or two) will be the Hellsmoke Porter.

Stay tuned for more on when and where to be on the lookout for the following label...

Meanwhile, the experimental dry stout is in the fermenter. More on that to follow. The addition of that mystery (for now) local ingredient needs to be approved by the TTB.

Another hint on the mystery ingredient (besides it being local): It's heavier than smoke.

Hoppy Days are Here Again?

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-09-25T14:57:40-04:00

It might be premature to sing the song just yet, but here is some encouraging news from International Brewing Industry News (http://www.brewersguardian.com):

There’s good news emanating from the hop fields of the Czech Republic: according to the country’s Hop Growers Union, after two years of disastrous yields, the hop harvest will be around the long term average. Total production will be around 6,500 tonnes, with the Saaz variety accounting for the majority of the harvest at 5,300 tonnes. That’s almost a 1,000 tonne improvement over the 2007 total of 5,631 tonnes. Acreage for all varieties has held constant, at 5,335 hectares in 2008 compared to 5,389ha in ’07. There has been some redistribution between varieties, with additional land for Sladek and Premiant verities at the expense of Saaz. That said, Saaz remains the Czech hop of choice, accounting for an estimated 4,738ha this year. Not all the news is positive, at least from the perspective of Czech growers. Gains in contract prices, notes the Hop Growers Union, have been offset by increases in the cost of fuel, fertilisers, electricity and other essentials. There are also exchange rate woes - more than 80% of the hop crop is exported, a problem given the Czech currency’s recent appreciation against the euro.

Between the higher costs for transport and the poor shape of the U.S. dollar, I don't expect hops to be cheap, but at least more will be available. Some hops can't be had for love or money.

I'll share any domestic hop news as I find it.

Catching Up

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-09-17T05:52:01-04:00

Summer officially fades away soon, and while I've been away from the Brewhouse Blog, I've been keeping busy in the brewhouse itself test batching some Fall and Winter Seasonals. The August 30th batch of the Wheatley Hills Weizenbock will likely be kegged up soon.

Got that new smoker, and tested it out with a small batch of the Hellsmoke Porter, now fermenting away. Much better control of the smoke is possible with the new smoker than with my previous Flintstones method. While I personally liked previous incartnations of the Hellsmoke Porter, the feedback concensus was that it was oversmoked. I'll also be taking another crack at the smoked wit soon.

I'm also experimenting with a dry stout using a local ingredient, so watch this space. The TTB won't approve the label for this one until they give the OK on the formula, but I also won't release it unless it is worthy.

Belated Weekend Update

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-08-19T06:03:19-04:00

A belated update on a busy weekend, which saw me smoking some wheat over mesquite and then brewing up another test batch of the Old Walt Smoked Wit Beer. I oversmoked the last batch, and I have a new smoker on order which should give me better control over this aspect of both the Old Walt and the Hellsmoke Porter.

Tonight, I'll be kegging up the test batch of the Gersten-Weizen brewed on August 2nd.

Hops, Yeast, and Smoke

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-08-07T08:17:52-04:00

Was able to pick some of the Chinook hops after work yesterday, to add to the Centennial hops picked in July. There should be more of both varieties as the season progresses, along with some not-as-yet-pickable Nugget hops. While I planted some Hallertauer, Fuggles, and Willamette this Spring, I'm not expecting much yield from those this year.

The yeast is happily working away at Saturday's test batch. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to brew this weekend (will be attending this Saturday's North Fork Craft Beer Festival -- as a spectator -- and Sunday is somewhat booked up.)

Sunday should see me smoking some more grain in preparation for the next brewing of the Old Walt Smoked Wit Beer.

Chomping at the Bit, Slow Out of the Gate

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-08-02T06:59:00-04:00

6:46 AM

About to brew another test batch today, but wanted to get something out about these tests I've been doing --- and when beer might actually be available for folks to try.

While I would like nothing better than to have beer out for folks to enjoy this very day, I don't want to just put anything out there just for the sake of having it out there. The old saying goes, "you can't make a first impression twice."

While waiting for my licenses, I was informed that I was forbidden to brew until licensed. So, for almost a year, I was unable to perfect recipes and techniques that I had planned on working on while licenses were pending. That's what I've now been working on since this June.

If this was a full-time brewery, I would have been able to brew a good number of test batches a week. I'm a bit behind where I would like to be since I'm still working a full-time job which has has spilled into mornings, evenings, and weekends lately. That should be a temporary situation, due to a number of extra projects with hard deadlines. For now, only part of the weekends are open for me to brew.

So, it may be that beer won't start flowing until the Fall. I hope folks understand.

Feel free to comment away...

Weekend Update: More Hops, Kegging, and Another Test Batch

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-07-21T07:23:28-04:00

Picked some more of the Centennial hops on Saturday, and I did a bit more cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and fermenters in preparation for brewing on Sunday. Can't overclean or oversanitize, but sure can ruin a batch if something isn't completely clean.

On Sunday, while mashing another test batch of the 6ixth Sense Ale, kegged up the last test batch. More about that kegged-up batch in a day or three...

Weekend Update: First Pickings of Hops

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-07-14T05:33:08-04:00

The temperature in the fermentation room was gradually raised each day this past week for the yeast working on the test batch of the 6ixth Sense Ale. The room started at 64ºF last Sunday, and reached 80ºF this Sunday.

Spent much of Saturday cleaning and sanitizing.

Sunday, was able to pick just under a pound of the Centennial hops. More hops to follow as the season progresses.
Centennial is one of the "citrusy C" varieties, and is sometimes called a super Cascade.

License Update

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-07-07T05:18:41-04:00

Another cautionary tale for anyone else considering starting up a brewery. Don't be a ascared... I'm still saying "come on in, the wort is fine."

So, back on April 16th, over seven months after I had submitted my application materials (for the second time), I stood before the Board of the NY State Liquor Authority to answer any questions before they voted on granting me a micro brewery license. I took with me copies of everything I could think they might want to see. However, after only two questions and about as many minutes, the voice vote of the Board was taken, and all said "approve". The Commissioner then looked at me and, with a bang of a gavel, stated "Approved."

That was that...

... so I thought.

About one week later, I received a "Conditional Letter of Approval" outlining three items I needed to provide before a license would actually be issued. Three items that I had with me at the meeting, in case anyone asked. Much of what I brought with me was duplication of what I had submitted months previous - just in case. Two of the three items on the list were things I had already provided, but I figured, OK -- just send it in again. And so, I did, via US Mail Next Day Express.

After two weeks, I began inquiring. And asking. And questioning... as more and more weeks went by.

Finally, someone answered.

Oh, yeah. there's one more thing we need from you.

This one more thing, I provided.

On July 2nd, I was told, the license would be issued.

Sometimes, seeing is believing, other times it's believing is seeing. For me, for this, it was the former. But I now have in my hands the actual "MICRO BREWER LICENSE 2009 1 SUFF MI 1198544 101"

Back in the Test Batch Saddle...

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-07-06T21:23:30-04:00

9:42 PM

Finally worked out the burner issues which canceled last weekend's brew session. Ultimately didn't need to call in the services of a licensed plumber, my beautiful-and-handy farmer wife provided the needed fix.

With a late-in-the-day start, today/tonight brewed a test batch of the 6ixth Sense Ale (Belgian-Style Golden Ale).

Came in on target with an Original Gravity of 1.072. The yeast are happily working away, I'm about to hit the hay, tomorrow's another working day.

Test Batch Update ["Best-Laid Plans" Edition]

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-06-29T21:25:00-04:00

Was all set today to brew a test batch of the 6ixth Sense Ale (Belgian-style golden ale, formerly known as "Suckerpunch Belgian-Style Strong Golden Ale"), when I discovered that a crucial burner is malfunctioning. While the burners under the brew and mash kettles are operating fine, the burner under the kettle that is used to prepare the water for mashing and sparging is acting oddly. Oddly enough to cause safety concerns, and not just reduce efficiency or effectiveness.

My amateurish plumbing attempts were to no avail, so I'll be calling in the services of a licensed plumber who knows what he (or she) is doing. However, no test batch today. :(

No brewing didn't mean I didn't get to have some fun, I did the next best thing -- another round of cleaning and sanitation, just to keep things flowing along in the ol' SABCO.

Meanwhile...The yeast in the test batch of the Old Walt Smoked Wit brewed two weeks ago are still happily working away. Am looking forward to keg and bottling it up soon.

On Target (Test Batch B)

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-06-17T20:33:48-04:00

Kegged up Test Batch B of the Harborfields HefeWeizen tonight.

The hydrometer reading showed a a Final Gravity of 1.018. , so, with an Original Gravity of 1.053, this batch is at the target 4.5% Alcohol by Volume.

Father's Day Test Batch

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-06-15T08:46:46-04:00

Brewed a test batch of the Old Walt Smoked Wit Beer, came in on target with an Original Gravity of 1.052. I smoked some of the wheat for this beer briefly over some mesquite.

This was a beer my Dad (who passed away three months ago) liked, so it was a different kind of brew day for me today. Raising a glass to Dad! He was otherwise a Coors drinker, but he liked the wheat beers (particularly the Hefeweizen), having developed a taste for them when he got them fresh in Germany many years ago during his Army days.

Test Batch A [Harborfields HefeWeizen]

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-06-14T18:05:36-04:00

I was aiming for 4.5% Alcohol by Volume for the Harborfields HefeWeizen, but the Original Gravity (OG) of the first test batch was higher than I was shooting for (1.058, vs. the target of 1.052).

The Final Gravity (FG) was 1.020, bringing Test Batch A of the Harborfields HefeWeizen at 4.9% Alcohol by Volume. Higher than the target, but not too bad for the first brewing session in almost a year. (Once I filed for the licenses, I was not permitted to brew until the licenses were granted. Welcome to Brewer Hell.)

Kegged up this first batch today -- it's going to be bottled from the keg after it reaches the proper carbonation level.

Test Batch B of the Harborfields HefeWeizen had an OG of 1.053, much closer to the target 1.052. We'll soon see how that one turns out, as it is just a week behind Test Batch A.

Happy Yeast

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-06-02T05:37:22-04:00

5:40 AM
The Weihenstephan Weizen yeast is happily working away at Test Batch B. (I'm always a little bit anxious until the yeast starts its work, the little buggers seem to have a mind of their own).

Getting Back on the Hefe Horse...

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-06-01T18:50:50-04:00

Brewed Beta-Phase Test Batch B today, another go at the Harborfields HefeWeizen.
Hit closer to the target Original Gravity this time: While Batch A's OG was 1.058, Batch B's OG is 1.053. Not quite the 1.052 I was shooting for, but getting closer.

6:56 PM
The yeast are happily working away, turning wort into beer. The spent grains are now mixed in with the rest of the compost in the garden.

Clean up of the brewery equipment is done, now to clean up the brewer, and think about "what's for dinner?"

Caution: Yeast at Work

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-05-29T13:31:25-04:00

The yeast has been happily working away at the wort that is becoming Hefeweizen for five days now. Without these little wonders, there would be no beer.

High and Outside

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-05-27T14:03:30-04:00

Finally overcame various plumbing issues, and brewed a test batch of the Harborfields HefeWeizen on Saturday. Just before I pitched the yeast, I took a hydrometer reading. I didn't hit my target Original Gravity (1.052), instead the (post-boil) Original Gravity was 1.058 (!)

Assuming that fermentation goes as expected, this first batch won't be at the target alcohol by volume percentage that I'm shooting for the version that will be eventually offered up for public consumption, but time will tell. The yeast is happily working away...

TTB TKO's SuckerPunch

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-05-22T18:11:53-04:00

If you happen to have any curiosity about what can, can't, and should be on a beer label (especially if you might be considering starting a brewery), read on...

I've chalked this one up to the learning process. Much of what I learned on my submission for label approval to the TTB (United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) was applicable to my subsequent submissions for other labels.

The following, an adaptation of one of my homebrew labels, was nixed by the TTB:

As ruled by the TTB:

Code 150
Malt beverage labels may not contain the words "strong", "full strength" or similar words likely to be considered/confused with statements of alcohol content.

Code 108
The net content stated on your labels are in metric units of measure. US measure is required for malt beverages and must be stated as follows; If less than a pint = In fluid ounces, If 1 pint, 1 quart or 1 gallon = it shall be stated; If more than 1 pint, 1 quart, or 1 gallon = it shall be stated in fractions or in quarts, pints and ounces. Example: 1 pint 9 fluid ounces.

THE NET CONTENTS MUST BE STATED AS "1 PINT, 6 FLUID OUNCES".

Code 63
On containers of this size, the Government Warning statement must appear in printing not smaller than 2mm. When upper and lower case lettering is used, the lower case lettering must appear in 2 MM print. 27 CFR § 16.22(b)(2)

Code 15
Your statement of alcohol content must be changed to read Alc. ______% by Vol. 27 CFR § 4.36(b)(1)

Code 14
Your alcohol statement may not appear in printing smaller than 1 MM or larger than 3 MM. 27 CFR § 4.38(b)(3)

Code 5
The company name and address (city and state) is required to appear on your front label. 27 CFR § 4.35(a)

Code 116
The text "SUCKER PUNCH" and the image of the fist touts the alcohol content of the product and the effect that the product will have on the consumer. Delete or change this text.

I thought that I was warning folks about the alcohol content, rather than touting it.
There was even a now-obscure reference to an Abbott & Costello routine on the label.

Abbott is Costello's manager/corner man for a boxing match. Costello is overmatched in the upcoming bout, but Abbott is giving him a pep talk:

Abbott
Give him the old one-three, one-three.

Costello
What happened to "two"?

Abbott
"Two" you get.

(Maybe you had to "be there.")

After going back to the proverbial drawing board, I submitted the following, which was approved by the TTB yesterday. Henceforth, the (Belgian style) Golden ~~Strong~~ Ale offered by The Blind Bat Brewery will be

Now all I have to do is get the label registered with the Wholesale Division of the NY State Liquor Authority, start making some sales calls, and get it out on shelves.

Oh yeah, and brew this sucker.

Licensed to Brew

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-04-17T05:57:27-04:00

I appeared (briefly, once it was my turn) before the Board of the New York State Liquor Authority yesterday in NYC. 222 days after sending in my second round of application materials, with some followup along the way, the Blind Bat Brewery is now approved for a NY State license.

When I was going through the Federal application process last summer with the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), I was told by the TTB that I was not allowed to brew until I had licensing in hand. So, it's been a looooooong time since I have brewed. The next few weeks will involve finalizing things in the brewhouse and brewing up some test batches to get my brewing chops back.

Stay tuned for actual beer actually hitting actual shelves!

On The Calendar At Last

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-04-09T21:05:05-04:00

The Blind Bat Brewery is on the agenda for the next meeting of the full board of the New York State Liquor Authority: Wednesday, April 16th. The full board will vote aye or nay on granting a state license to the brewery.

Stress?

What stress??

Mailed application on August 31st, 2007
Application officially received by the New York State Liquor Authority on September 7th, 2007

215 days and counting...

The New Rhyzomes Are Here...

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-03-06T19:05:07-05:00

The new rhyzomes are here!

Just arrived from Oregon, Fuggles, Hallertauer, Mt. Hood, Sterling, and Willamette. I'll be planting these along with the established Chinook, Centennial, and Nugget.

Ahhh... Spring is coming...

No License Today... but some nice exposure in print and online...

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-03-05T11:14:51-05:00

The Full Board Calendar for today's NY State Liquor Authority meeting (http://abc.state.ny.us/agenda/agenda030508.html) hasn't been updated since last Wednesday (Feb. 27th). The Blind Bat Brewery LLC is not on the published agenda, so it looks like I'll have to wait until the next full board meeting: Thursday, March 20th. Keeping fingers and toes crossed until then, although that is causing some problems with typing and walking.

However, there is a nice little piece on me and the brewery in this month's Canvas magazine. Very generous, considering that the brewery is not yet active.

To top that, the writer of the Canvas piece, wine writer/commentator and guru Lenn Thompson wrote an even more generous piece on his wine blog (LENNDEVOURS). This piece includes a nice mention of my wife Regina, and her career move from librarian to farmer for the Sophia Garden organic CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Regina and I had the pleasure of meeting Lenn at the Canvas LI wine and food event at the Canvas gallery last Saturday evening.

New York State Liquor Authority

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-03-03T12:44:49-05:00

Well, there is still time, but I am not as yet on the agenda for the next full board meeting of the NY State Liquor Authority (Wednesday, March 5th):

http://abc.state.ny.us/JSP/content/fullBoard.jsp

... still keeping fingers and toes crossed, but might have to keep doing so until March 20th

Quick check in: Deux

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2008-02-16T11:57:52-05:00

It's been a while since I've noted anything on the old blog. Boy, my last post was pretty grim.

There is finally some movement on the license from NY State. After submitting additional material, the report was finalized for the members of the New York State Liquor Authority. The next step is the vote of the board, but the brewery isn't yet scheduled for the next meeting (February 20th). It might make the following meeting of the board, March 4th. Keeping fingers and toes crossed here.

Hop rhizomes should be arriving in early March, I'll be planting Fuggles, Hallertauer, Mt Hood, Sterling, and Willamette. I've already been growing Centennial, Chinook, and Nugget.

Quick check in

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-12-17T14:11:30-05:00

Still no State License.

Bumpy road ahead....

The price of hops: Going up.
The price of malted barley: Going up.
The price of stainless steel: Going up.
The price of glass: Going up.
The price of cardboard: Going up.

The availability of hops: Going down.
The quality of available malted barley: Questionable.

"Adapt and overcome."

Happy Repeal Day!

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-12-05T11:04:00-05:00

December 5th is "Repeal Day", the anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition
(January 16th, 1919 --- December 5, 1933). Almost 15 years.

Have a drink to, as Harry S Truman said, "Strike a blow for Liberty."

For more, visit
http://www.repealday.org/
or
http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/1160247

"I think that this would be a good time to have a beer."
-President Franklin D. Roosevelt, December 5, 1933

Great Time to Start a Brewery

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-11-13T18:49:03-05:00

More news about hop shortages, this time via an NPR story this morning

Give a listen here.

I have grown some hops the last few years as a homebrewer, but have placed
an order for a whole lot more of various hop rhyzomes to plant in Spring 2008
for cultivation and use.

It may take a second season before I have a decent yield, and even then -- even at
my small scale of brewing -- I'll likely need to purchase hops.

There might be a bit less of the hoppy Long Island Pale Ale 2 than I had hoped.

Beyond the Pale?

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-11-12T11:55:16-05:00

Have been debating about changing the recipe for the Long Island Pale Ale, which has been -- during my homebrewing days -- a hoppy India Pale Ale rather than a less-hoppy American Pale Ale.

I enjoy both styles, and so have decided to split the Blind Bat Long Island Pale Ale into two different beers.

Long Island Pale Ale (sailboat) will be an American Pale Ale.
Long Island Pale Ale 2 (speedboat) will be a higher-ABV, hopped up IPA.

This is all, of course, pending a license being granted by NY State as well as label approval by the Federal TTB. While a license to brew has been granted by the Federal TTB, each and every beer offered for sale needs label approval (which also includes ingredients and recipe approval -- for the protection of a nation of beer drinkers).

Catching Up

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-11-07T12:52:38-05:00

Well, I obviously haven't been keeping up with the Brewhouse Blog,
so to quickly recap what's been happening since August 31st:

Completed paperwork for NY State License (round 2).
Submitted paperwork for NY State License to the New York State Liquor Authority ("gotta be in it to win it")
Filed first quarterly report to the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury). Even though there was no activity to report, a report had to be filed.
Unable to brew while State license is pending, so have been dreaming of milling grains, mashing, boiling, pitching yeast, kegging, and bottling.

Oddly enough, haven't had any dreams of cleaning and sanitizing equipment. And that's the fun part!
With help of my Dad, Brother, and Brother-In-Law (the foreman), have built an insulated, temperature-controlled fermentation room (happy yeast makes happy beer) and brewhouse in what had been our circa 1928 garage.
Assembling stainless-steel conical fermenter.
Getting ready to file official TTB form (Brewers Notice) reporting items 5 and 6 above.
Met up a couple of times with the Long Island Beer & Malt Enthusiasts. I haven't been able to meet up with the group nearly as often as I would like (work + brewery startup + some life = notmuchtimetospare).

If you live on Long Island, and enjoy good beer and/or whiskey and/or scotch, check out http://groups.google.com/group/beermalt . You might want to join up. A great bunch of folks, bringing a wealth of perspective, knowledge, and appreciation of the finer things in life. And, it's fun! ....Tell 'em the Blind Bat sent ya.

Rest In Peace: Michael Jackson (The Beer Hunter)

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-08-31T10:36:36-04:00

Raise a pint or three
to the memory
of the first "Beer Advocate"
Michael Jackson
("The Beer Hunter")

More at
The International Herald Tribune

He's in Valhalla now.

Hoo-Hah

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-08-03T19:15:03-04:00

Got word today from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
that my application for a Federal Brewery License
has been approved (as of August 2, 2007).

Contrary to expectations, the TTB was very helpful and pleasant to deal with.
(I'm not brown nosing here, no need since the license has been approved).

Once some additional forms are filled out, and I have official paper notification,
I can next send a pile of material that is ready to go to the
New York State Liquor Authority for State license approval.

Getting closer...

Pump fixed!

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-06-14T22:21:17-04:00

Parts finally arrive, and I manage to put the pump together without breaking anything. Who knew I could plumb?

Busted Pump!

Paul@BlindBatBrewery.com — 2007-05-27T22:27:14-04:00

Busted Pump!
No dice.
No brewing.

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