Bottle Sale Recap

“Did you just sell all that beer in 4 minutes?”. Steve Doty… owner of Shady Oak Barrel House… looked at the screen and then at me. He had actually sold those beers. I may have chosen the ingredients, designed the labels, and chosen the final blends… but without him I’d still just be brewing 3 gallons at a time in my Oakland apartment. For nearly 2 years I’ve been storing barrels and small tanks at his brewery in Santa Rosa, CA… helping him wherever I could to show my gratitude. Before I acknowledge all of you… Steve Doty and his crew should receive my thanks.

Session 2 of the sale started a few hours later… and I was certain that the first 175 bottles selling that fast was a fluke. I’m willing to acknowledge that I’ve had the opportunity to rub elbows with some pretty impressive brewers… and I assume that a small number of folks imagine my beers are (or will be) similarly sought after. I don’t think that’s true at all but I can admit that perhaps I’m guilty of riding some coat tails. Surely, though, this next round would expose the truth.

11 minutes. All-in-all…350 bottles total in about 15 minutes.

Nearly a week later and I haven’t really processed what happened. I wish I could say that I have been on cloud nine. I’d love to be basking in the glow of a successful bottle release. The reality is that I’m just spending all day living inside my own head. Trying to figure out how I managed to do it. Trying to reassure myself that the beers were exactly where I wanted them to be. More than anything I want all of you… the people who put faith in me and this project… to like the beers. I love what I’ve created… but will you? I want you all to feel like you made the right choice and that I’m not a fraud. An imposter. I want you to open your bottles and enjoy them while thinking about your own project and goals. If getting these beers out inspires one person to get moving on their own creative endeavor I’ll be happy.

Thank you all so much. I can’t possibly convey how much it all means to me.

And for all the folks who wanted bottles but didn’t have a chance to get them… I’m feverishly working out when I can bottle more beer while maintaining the high quality that I demand of myself. I’ve been communicating with hop brokers and fruit farmers daily looking to source the best ingredients we can afford. I’m looking at ordering bottles. I want to prove to all of you that this isn’t a flash in the pan. I’m not confident in many things… but I know I can make you a beer you’ll like.

I’m posting a new podcast tomorrow where I briefly go over all this but the goal is to do two more bottle sales this year. The next bottles will likely be dry hopped saison variants with more fruit beers coming out in the winter. For everyone waiting for their GSO deliveries… your continued patience is greatly appreciated. We’re just waiting for our shipping boxes to arrive.

Many thanks to my friends and family who have supported me. Special thanks to all my Indiegogo backers from 2018, to my co-workers at South City Ciderworks, to Ash and Kevin, to the Armstrongs, the Tonozzi family, Tim and Carmen (aka mom and dad), Bobby and Andrea, and everyone else who has been there.

Finally… my eternal gratitude to Tamara for putting up with my bullshit. This year has been weird but I’m glad I have you and we still have a lot to celebrate.

Cheers

Tim