This morning, I woke at 6.45am, as I do basically every day, and as always, I hit the snooze button umpteen times until it was about 15 minutes from the time I should be at work. In the past I've done this for many reasons. A long time ago, when I was a university student, I did this because I had zero motivation to drag myself out of bed for an early morning stats class, which I would very likely sleep through anyway. Even earlier than that, because I had zero motivation to present myself at whatever shit job I happened to be working. Before that, it was because school didn't really make me all that excited.
This morning I had somewhat of an epiphany. I was not, as I usually would be, staying in bed for way too long to avoid the shittiness of the oncoming day. No. In actual fact, I was rather looking forward to it. Who could fail to look forward to a glorious brew day? Particularly one in which the Ubervölsch is to be made. I was staying in bed longer than I should, on this particular day because I was so tired after the utter insanity of the last few months.
The Brewvolution is upon us folks. I have been making beer almost every day since my last blog post, I've barely had a day off, barely had a moment to reflect. When I haven't been making beer, I've been in the process of selling it, designing labels, tap badges, installing hand pumps, or visiting other breweries. It has been absolute madness.
This was bought home to me in the most inspiring way possible when I arrived at our little brew house on Waiheke's glamorous Tahi Road, and was advised to watch this video. It's not just us on a tiny little island off another tiny little island in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. This movement toward beer actually tasting of something is a global phenomenon.
It made me feel like a small part of something much bigger than me. And that's a comforting feeling.
It made me feel like a small part of something much bigger than me. And that's a comforting feeling.
I know it has been a while since my last post. I really am going to try to be more diligent in future. All I can offer by way of an excuse are these photos, which should give you an idea of just how busy I have been.
Here we have the Octavius, an 8.4% monstrous Burton IPA.
We decided that it should definitely be aged in a French oak wine barrel (thanks Peacock Sky).
With obligatory dry hopping.
Here we are, in full regalia, delivering our first ever keg to one of our very favourite establishments in the Auckland area, the lovely O'Carrolls Freehouse.
Because we love good old fashioned kiwi ingenuity, we decided it would be a good idea to wheel the keg up from the ferry on a trolly.
This went better than expected.
And now Brothers Beer have one of our lovely hand pumps.
The feeling in the air at the moment is much like what was happening with the wine industry in New Zealand 20 years ago. Or so I'm told.
It's a good time to be a Brewster.
