So bright and early this morning it was on to the IPA -- get through as much of that before Bob has to load up his van and head for the pier. All went fairly smoothly with the crack team's eye on another record. However we could not but help notice the wind howling round the brewery rafters creating a mild sense of panic amongst the assembled crew that the boat would not make it in. Good old Calmac - they're just like Wells Fargo and always get through - - well more or less always --- and the Isle of Mull hove into sight - albeit rather later that normal. In fact more than an hour late. Thge skipper told the passnegers he had to come down slowly because of the poor weather contitions. Acutally we'd phoned and told of the need to finish the IPA to get it away to the mianland. No problem said the nice man at Calmac - we'll just come down at half speed and blame the weather.
Thanks mate, I mean skipper.
So that's it - no more beer heading for the mainland - brewery stocks sitting at a comfortable level - looks as though we can shut the door, turn the key and look forward to a quiet Christmas
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A challenge had been set. We needed to bottle all the beer in the conditioning tanks for mainland export on Wednesday (tomorrow).
We've got a backlog of orders - Christmas and New Year are coming - stress stress stress.
So today with the help of celebrity bottler Kirsty we managed to fill nearly 1500 bottles of 80/-. Even home from school for a well earned break, brewer's boy Luigi was pressed into helping and smiled throughout. It all went very well with Bob the brewer keeping spirits up with his usual non stop stream of wisecracks - memorable jokes like: "Why don't we close this down and open a tea room instead" had the bottling team rolling in the isles.
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Not the best headline but never mind --- the bottles got here. Our pint bottles that we have been waiting for came of the boat with some rather bored passengers that had been hanging round Oban since Friday because of the cancellation (see below). No disrepect to Oban - its a lovely placer and a great centre for a holiday - but not the place for an unexpected three day winter break.
These bottles come from a new supplier and cost slightly less that the previous ones - but, we are slightly worried that pints will be phased out by our European partners - but surely not before we get through this lot.
Anyway bottling tomorrow.
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The bottles were on their way – with a load of passengers, post and the weekend freight for the shop when some way out from Oban it was decided it was too rough to continue to Colonsay. The Calmac website takes up the tale:
Oban-Colonsay-Port Askaig-Kennacraig
Status : Cancelled
Reason : adverse weather
Further information : Oban-Colonsay-Oban 12/12/2008 cancelled for today due to adverse weather. Next sailing will be Monday 15th December at 12:00 as timetabled.
Last Updated : 12 Dec 2008 15:02
So that’s the bottle’s up a gumtree – we’ve orders waiting to go out – beer needing bottled – Christmas is coming – who said it was a good idea to start a brewery here?
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We have been expecting a delivery of bottles from a new supplier - slightly cheaper than our original supplier. They're hard to come by because we need 1pt bottles (obviously) and not many folk make them these days as we are the only brewery in Scotland to use them still (we think). No we're sure.
Anyway they were meant to be on the boat today and they were not. Quite why we weill have to wait and find out - but they will be here by Friday.
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