The table was in fact a kitchen one, but apart from that it’s all fact.
The meeting marked roughly 6 months since the first brew and was designed to give a time for reflection and indeed to chart a new course through the troubled seas of the winter and early spring.
The mood of the meeting was good despite the fact the weather conditions had caused the coconut bars to go a little soggy.
In no particular order it was agreed:
1) The first six months had gone generally well, a great deal had been learnt the main lesson being just how much we all still have to learn.
2) The brewery capacity is to be increased by 50 per cent to allow for continual lager production. Because we ferment it for so long lager tends to cause a production bottleneck (no pun intended) to extra fermenting capacity will allow us to supply more than just the island next summer.
3) The brewery shop had worked well and there was room for tweaking the range of goods.
4) Rock sales were slightly disappointing but we had only decided to stock rock on a suck it and see basis (pun intended sorry).
[ 1 comment ] ( 2 views ) | permalink | related link
Alastair, see below, did tell one fantastic story - well 30 fantastic stories but this one really stood out.
It concerned his mentor in his first days many years ago as a brewery rep going round the on trade selling beer. Days would be spent going from bar to bar having a chat and a pint, taking and order and away.
He was shocked on the first day when his sales teacher left the final call and said now lets go for a drink.
"What have we been doing all day."
"that's one thing," said the man, "but now its time for a private drink."
Drinking in work time does not count, at least it didn't in those days.
[ 1 comment ] ( 3 views ) | permalink | related link
Every now and then one meets a man who is master of their universe and so it was that we found Alastair Mowatt - A lunchtime mentor for the next stage in our brewery development. Alastair is a a beer brand guru who has amongst other things been chairman of Theakstons during a time its output went from 17,000 barrels a year to 250,000. He's run Newcastle Brown Ale and Becks Bier - and more and more and more.
(Alastair left and business partner Russell Sharpe)
Now retired he has et up Edinburgh Brewing with his old frind Russell Sharpe (Inventor of Deuchars IPA)and at their second brew they have 30 accounts - that is to say pubs that have taken their draught.
He gave us a great deal to think about - more later ---- too early to give any games away.
[ 1 comment ] ( 3 views ) | permalink | related link
Not wishing to sully the purity of this stream of consciousness with anything as vulgar as commercialism - but don't forget there are only 61 drinking days to Christmas. Fresh beer reached our mainland distribution hub this week and will be drinking well by the end of December. Why not visit the online shop --- no not any online shop...OURS.
[ 1 comment ] ( 3 views ) | permalink | related link
Now that the island has gone quiet and the queue for the brewery shop no longer snakes its way through Dunoran we have turned out thoughts to mainland sales.
This is going to be the real challenge of establishing a viable business.
To this end the mainland salesman, aka the skiver, is lunching
on Monday with the man who was responsbile for the world wide sales of Becks Bier and Newcastle Brown Ale, amongst other things.
We hope to find out more about cunning distribution methods and other ideas for getting our products in frotn of a wider audience.
We can only hope the mainland sales executive takes a notebook with him as often his recollection from lunchtime is hazy.
[ 1 comment ] ( 3 views ) | permalink | related link
Back Next
Calendar
