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Yes we could organise a pxxs up in a brewery. And a jolly good one it was too. Three o'clock say a goodly proporition of the island assembled to see oldest resident Dougie McGilvray, not far off his first hundred, cut the ribbon and declare the brewery open, officially. If the gods had wanted to send a sign as to the success of the venture they could have sent nothing better than the brilliant sunshine that stayed with us for the whole afternoon as locals and visitors supped free pints and passed in the main favourable judgement. All went back for more which probably the best mark of the product.
So that's the fun done with - mainland sales start next week. If by some chance anyone is reading the drivel near a central belt upmarket wine shop or beer seller please popin and ask for a few bottles of Colonsay Lager or 80/- Ale, or indeed IPA. They won't have it but may be sti,ulated into getting some.
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OK so it wasn't on sale - The till had to be programmed and the brewery failed to provide delivery note etc/. These hurdles have been overcome and at 6.15 all are assembling to have pints of draught lager pulled by the fair hand of island bar managed ANGUS MACPHEE - - always capitalised to empahsise is commanding presence. Can't wait - we're off.
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The Colonsay - 5pm Wednesday April 11 - - - - After a pier side meeting Colonsay Brewery Beer and Lager is ordered for the hotel.
Brewery sales executive - The skiver - was painting his boat. Hotel proprietor Alex Howard was painting his boat, both at the harbour. Skiver and proprietor fell into conversation along the lines of you have a hotel and we have a brewery - lets sort the whole thing out.
Ok price agreed order placed and for once the skiver managed to get it together and within 15 minutes lager and 80/- Ale was delivered to the hotel. Back at the harbour, as a good will gesture, skiver gave proprietor a roll of masking tape - obviously the beginning of a long business relationship.
So beer delivered ===== will it be on sale tonight? I hope so - I'm off for dinner there.
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Apologies for literals and poor grammar - it’s been a long and hard day. But a good one.
Bottling happened yesterday. The lager and 80/- were started and sales were achieved in the afternoon. The Colonsie (the island beer sales index) rose several points over the afternoon as strong demand was met by weakened supply. However the price remained steady at Two Pounds fifty.The rub came this morning when by 11 am ( with the shop still shut) we had repeat customers who had bought the day before, drunk and declared the product successful. The best of the endorsements came from former island hotelier Kevin Byrne who had sampled the 80/- with friends whose total experience in the licensed trade added up to 170 years and they were pleased with their pints.
Amongst the brewers there is a debate however as to whether the head of the finished pint is right. There is a good head but the consistency worries two of us and satisfies the other two. Is this down to the beer drinking antecedence of the parties involved....or something that needs addressed. Key island experts have bottles away tonight - they will not be shy in passing judgment. The hotel has confirmed their decision to taker the beers - final details are being worked out. The owner of one of Scotland best known restaurants happened in while holiday and has signed up too. Not bad for day one of beer selling for real.
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