So what makes me think I have what it takes to be a successful commercial brewer? I've asked myself that question many times over the last few years. There are a great many homebrewers around here that brew amazing beer. I am by no means the most decorated homebrewer in this town but I have won my fair share of medals. The truth of the matter is that's just not enough of a resume to run out and start a brewery. So I started studying. Reading brewing textbooks that remind me a little bit of my old organic chemistry book has become the norm around my house. I've taken some classes at the Siebel Institute which is America's oldest brewing school. A couple of years ago I became a certified beer judge (yes there really is such a thing), and earlier this year I became a Certified Cicerone (the beer equivalent to a wine sommelier). I've volunteered, consulted with, downright pestered and learned a lot from some of the other local brewers along the way. (Thank you Mt. Carmel and Rivertown).
Does any of this mean I've got what it takes to do this for a living? Who knows. I haven't even touched on how much "fun" learning the business and accounting side of things has been, let alone dealing with state and federal licensing bureaucracies, city building permits, or my least favorite part, preparing to make sales calls. Thus the "scary" part in the tagline of this blog. What I do know is that I have a passion and desire to do this that has been building inside me for years and it isn't going away. I've been learning and working my way to this point for quite a while now and there's no turning back now.....
