Month: May 2007

We’ve been open for business for over a year. Hooray Beer!!! When we started this Lost Abbey project, we envisioned a barrel room like no other barrel room we had ever seen in a brewery. With this in mind, we created a sanctuary off to the side of our tasting altar. In this catacomb like room, we stacked row after row of oak barrels inside. It took us almost 6 months to get all 90 barrels full of beer. The good news is that now that all 90 barrels are full, we have acquired some 40 more barrels bringing our total to 130 Oaken Opportunities.

About a year ago, when we opened for business, the questions flowed. “How long does the beer sit in the barrels? How many different beers will you be releasing? Does this mean there will be more Cuvee available?” We still get these questions on a regular basis so I thought I would address them here.

First, we are producing the following beers from the barrel room at least once a year.

Cuvee de Tomme- Currently 9 oak barrels filled- anticipated release date is November of 2007.

Older Viscosity- Currently 10 oak barrels filled- anticipated release date is September of 2007.

The Angel’s Share(the Brandy Version)- Currently 9 oak barrels filled- anticipated release date is September of 2007

Red Poppy Ale- Currently 4 oak barrels filled- anticipated release date is October of 2007.

There are also many unique creations that will see the light of day as they mature. So far, we have released some En Garde, Amazing Grace and shortly there will be a special release for the members of our Patron Saints Club.

There are a bunch of randomly filled barrels that we will experiment with as we work on blending of casks for future projects. But let’s tackle some of the questions.

First, most of the beers in the barrel room will remain in oak for no less than one year. The Angel’s Share and Older Viscosity barrels are typically ready in 6-12 months. The other beers(sour versions) require something more akin to the patience of Job and as such I tell people 12-18 months. For those playing along at home, this is important as we have recently celebrated our 12 month anniversary. The next six months will be about selecting the best barrels and creating awesome blends. I for one am very excited about this.

Recently(at our anniversary party) we tapped a cask of The Angel’s Share that was aged in a Bourbon barrel. It was very well received. So well received that I have relented and brewed a batch of The Angel’s Share that will be finished in Bourbon Barrels and sold next year. This way, we can offer two versions of the same beer but with differing wood finishes.

This notion of multiple wood finishes is quite common in the whiskey world and is something that I had hoped to adopt at The Lost Abbey. It seems that our Angel’s Share was a natural fit. In the future, we may even look at 1-2 more finishes for this beer if we feel it is justified.

This past weekend, our patrons had to duck between the rows of the new oak barrels in order to get to our altar. The questions starting flowing as soon as they were seated. “What are you going to put in the new barrels? Can we expect more Cuvee? What is the first beer you will put in them?”

The answers are Yes, more Cuvee. We will be working on a few new projects(that we aren’t willing to discuss right now) and the answer to the other question is Duck Duck Gooze will be the first beer in the pipeline. Just remember that it will be 18 months before this one gets released so we’re looking at January of 2009.

It’s funny to be talking about beer 18 months out. Not many people and brewers are writing schedules for this far in advance. Most beer takes 9 days to make not 500 plus days. Maybe I will start speaking in terms of seasons like a farmer. (Holding a bottle)- “Now, this one here took seven seasons to get from tank to glass…” Oops. I forgot, we live in San Diego where there aren’t any seasons.

That’s it for the update. Thanks for listening. Apparently, it’s barrel filling season here at The Lost Abbey. We have tons of work to do(nothing new there). And at the end of the day, we won’t even know what these beers will taste like until 2009. Strange But True. Welcome to my World

Today

Was my daughter’s first birthday. She’s now a whopping 365 days old. That makes her sound so much older. Almost old enough to drink Old Viscosity- which I maintain is certainly not her favorite adult libation… or her father’s for that matter!!!

Tonight, we’re celebrating. We’re celebrating that after 365 days on this great planet, she’s accomplished some cool things. Like for example, she knows how to pull on the tap handle that daddy points to. She’s yet to learn how to close “said” handle however, like most grown ups, she smiles with glee when the river runneth through said tap. As the maker of said river, I would interject here that it would make me happier only if she learned how to stop said water of life from flowing…details I tell you.

For those of you who live in San Diego and visit our brewery, this comes as no surprise. Sydney is a frequent attendee at the alter of greatness we call Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey. She knows her stuff well. We expect her first words to be “world class” or perhaps “Gold Medal…” But then again she may have moved on to the business of life and be willing to blast off a “hey, you owe us $3.00 a pint…” We’re just not sure which way she leans yet. It will be sassy no matter which direction her tongue takes her.

I have this bet with her mother that her first word will be LAMBIC. This is only due to the fact that Brettanomyces is too polysylabic. I’m holding that one back for our First Parent Teacher Conference Night.

Um, “Mr. Arthur, did you know that Sydney broke off a Brettanomyces reference today…?” She did. That’s my girl!!! Did she make Vinnie proud and reference Pliny too?” I can’t wait. She’s not only a step ahead, she’s one and a half fake ID’s ahead as well. My daughter turned one today and she knows great beer and she knows it better than a one year old can(with apologies to Ava Rae Murray of Pizza Port Fame- who has yet to turn one year yet)!

I for one, am looking forward to more conversational opportunities with her when we can discuss the merits of Avant Garde and Cheerios. Both sport a decidely “toasted” quality and at the same time have subtle nuances that need to be discussed on their own. She’s told me as much.
Still, I felt it was important to stop for a moment and share this moment with all of you and especially her. So Sydney Happy Birthday. Your Daddy is very tired. He double brewed today. It won’t pay your tuition yet but that’s life. In honor of your birthday, he threw back a chocolate with chocolate frosting cupcake and a bottle of Deus. Certainly this was not a pairing made in heaven. But at the end of the day, a beer made in the Champagne Method needed to be drank. Cupcakes be damned!!!

Happy first birthday my little one. Daddy has to go back to work now. Something tells me that college in 2025 won’t be cheap… I think I hear the Angel’s calling. What’s that, there’s a shortage of barrels? Someone tell the Dean, I have his check… I just need to sell a few more cases of the good stuff.

It strikes me that if I was a crappy author who didn’t know better, I would start this blog with a half-ass line like…”Gee has it really been a year since we opened our doors? Where has the time gone?” That’s a fantastically original way of opening a piece. Perhaps I should opine or rip off a well worn opening…”It was the best of times, it was the worst of times (with apologies to Dickens).

Screw all that. I wanted to open my one year blog with a strong first sentence so here goes.

I’m tired. Actually, I am exhausted.

But things are seemingly getting better (that’s what I tell myself). In the last year, I have slept less than ever before. Worked harder than I even thought plausible and I have done it in the name of beer (our really great beer). And I wouldn’t give any of it back. This thing I do 24-7 consumes me in a way nothing else can. Some would call this work. But brewing beer really can’t be considered work. How many jobs do you know of when, if by 8:30 AM you’re not having a good day, you can auto-fix the problem by pulling a fresh pint? And if the first one doesn’t do the trick perhaps number two will.

I’ve come to the realization that this is a lifestyle. One that is infused with copious amounts of passion and enthusiasm. It’s the perfect way to go through life without ever being bored. There’s just so much to see and so many people to meet that one can’t help being invigorated. And much of this energy comes from you the faithful members of The Lost Abbey clergy.

By now, I realize that many of you have been paying attention and following along at home. I know this because when I see you each weekend, we reminisce about the week in the brewery and my travels here and abroad. Both come with great stories. Yet, I know that you have been listening each and every time I have enlightened you about our most recent accomplishments.

Last May 6th, we opened the doors to a new brewery project. Some of you thought this would be a “sleepy” sort of operation. Since that first day, we have brewed almost 2,000 bbls of beer. We have filled some 100 oak barrels with the most interesting libations possible.

During our first year we have filled these barrels with some great beers- many which haven’t even been released yet. And, we also managed to knock two barrel aged homeruns out of the park in our first year. Those of you lucky enough to sample the Older Viscosity and The Angel’s Share know where I am coming from. We made a major commitment to our barrel aged beers when we built that room. Thank God, it has churned out more great beers than Louisiana Hot Sauce.

I often forget in the day-to-day bustle to stop and account for what it is we have accomplished or for that matter are attempting to accomplish. This weekend, we are releasing 3 new bottlings alone! This would be a whole year of specialty releases for other breweries. Nope not us. We just call it the month of May. I guess I really am crazy.

I sat down tonight and popped a bottle of Lost and Found for my blog. It seemed so appropriate. There are many things that I have Lost this last year and so many things that I have Found. Besides, it’s a kick-ass abbey beer that I spent 10 years trying to get ”right.” And when I drink it, I know that I got it right.

This weekend we are adding three new labels to the Lost Abbey line of beers. This brings us to a total of 15 new bottled Port Brewing beer offerings in our first year alone! That is seemingly some sort of death wish or the result of having a clueless loon at the helm of your ship. Breweries do not open their doors, release a whole new second brand of beers and at the same time find a way to package 15 different beers in bottles. Yet, that is exactly the thing that happened around here in our first year. I guess you could say we are resting on our laurels?

Was this by design? Hardly. Was it a good idea? Um, did you read my strong opening? But at the end of the day, it was us. It was the Pizza Port of old and me the brewer of new with a bigger brewery on our hands. It’s been fun. It was challenging and at the same time, it’s incredibly ridiculous.

It’s my notion that most breweries our size open their doors with a core set of 4 beers and then mix in a seasonal beer or two. But that just isn’t in our blood. Nope, Port Brewing decided that we needed a whole bunch of beers to keep me happy. I call it artistic indifference. You probably call it ADD. Last month, I opened my Celebrator magazine to see my name in print. Typically, this is a good thing.

A British author who goes by the name Ben McFarland had this to say about me: “Tomme Arthur pushes more envelopes than a mailman on Crystal Meth.” At least he had the Meth part right. San Diego was the Crystal Meth Capitol of the United States for many years in the late 1980’s. But I don’t need artificial drugs and stimulants. I have you.

It’s no secret to me that I am inspired on a regular basis by the people that I meet. Some of you more than others inspire me to reach levels of spontaneity that I didn’t know existed. In this way, you are MY oxygen. You breathe life into my world and sustain all of my creative needs. In every way possible, you act as my elements- the things I need to breathe each day. The sum of these elements in my life is my beer and the things we are able to accomplish at Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey.

Life ceases to function when we lose the ability to breathe. I for one am grateful for those of you who have joined our crusade. There are too many bad beers out there. It is our belief that we are all in this crusade together, and that working together, we can eradicate some of these bad beers.

So a big fat thank you first and foremost to my partners. Gina, Jim and Vince- it has been a stupid first year. Here’s to many more where that one came from. To David our “web guy.” Thanks for holding and pulling together the strings that no one sees. You are the man who manipulates the Marionettes. Our Patron Saints and Sinners owe you big time. As do I.

To the people who have volunteered, bottled, and everything else. My heartfelt gratitude to each of you. This place is big. So big, that I forget three people can’t always do the work of 6. To Terri and Sage. Is it my turn to pass out yet? Thanks for teaching me the true meaning of “Masterbrewing.” You’re my biggest fans and as we move forward, no one can replace what you have offered.

To Josh Miner who has left us for Drakes Brewing Co. You’ll be missed. It’s a big building that needs help big time. Good luck with the new project and title. You know the phone number. I would be remiss if I didn’t offer a heartfelt thanks to the whole Pizza Port Brewcrew. These guys are the best brewers I know. I miss drinking with them on a regular basis.

I wanted to thank the Friday nighters and the Saturday afternooners. McDuggle we’re going to miss you big guy. The pleasure is all mine to each of you who has enriched this project. We may need a bigger bar next year when it’s all said and done.

Lastly, to my daughter Sydney. Those are taps. From them flows beer. This is the very liquid that infuses my body and one day will pay for your college. So smile at the nice people. Laugh and let them know how much you love Old Viscosity. Come to think of it, your daddy likes it too…

Happy One year to all and to all a goodnight.