Mellody Brewing

Top Nine in 09

Here's my list of the Top Nine Beer moments in 2009.

1. I have now drank nine of the Top Ten rated beers according to BeerAdvocate.
2. Volunteered at Philly Craft Beer Festival, meet brewers, walked home with bottles and contacts.
3. Shared beers with Bob from St. Somewhere and Patrick from The Bruery during Craft Beer Week.  I still have Patrick's card on my chalk board, it may yet come in handy.
4. Back to homebrewing (even if partially extract) - two batches in two months - one tapped - one ready to go.  It feels good.
5. My brother sent me beers from Chicago for Christmas, including: Goose Island Matilda, Bourbon County Stout and New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red. He even drove to Wisconsin to get me the bottles of New Glarus - I've clearly made an impact on him.  Best gift this year, by far.
6. Philly BA Meetup - it was hotter than Tampa, and we drank in the cooler to fight of total dehydration.  
7. Hit almost every major new beer bar (Gastro Pub) that opened while I lived in Tampa.  I'm overwhelmed by my options now that I'm back.
8. Shared bottles of St. Somewhere with friends and family that I bottled while in Tampa.  
9. Buying bottles at Capone's before Thanksgiving, and sharing lots of good beers with the family through out the day.

Great Pumpkin

 

This time of year calls for lots of things, and Pumpkin Beer, in my mind - is not one of them.  I'm in a minority here it seems, but I'm just not a fan of the stuff. Everyone I have had tastes like fake pumpkin pie.  But, in honor of Halloween, here's some fun music to celebrate.

Also, Mellody Brewing is back on Twitter.  Check us out at @mellodybrew

Mellody Brewing Apartment Concert Series

I've written here about my love of music.  I've dreamt of supporting local artists in the brewery I'd love to own someday.  I've posted YouTube videos for the Friday Hootenanny, talked about pairing music to beer and well, done lots of talking.  I need to stop talking and writing and get busy doing.

Recently I learned about an organization called The Philadelphia Sessions.  The goal of The Philadelphia Sessions is to positively expand the reputation, and recognition of the city of Philadelphia through its music, and to do so by selecting local musicians and helping them get international experiences - and then bringing them back to Philadelphia.  As Bill, the founder, said at a recent event at Yards, "we support our local scene by sending our artists away."  I recently spent a few hours listening to two musicians at a fundraiser The Philadelphia Sessions held at Yards Brewery.  It was everything I've ever dreamed of doing at my own place someday.  It was bitter sweet.  I left thinking about how I need to stay focused and motivated and how I need to work harder at making my dream a reality - so I can have a night like that.

Since I don't have a brewery, but am still passionate about helping out - I've decided to settle for the next best thing: a house concert, or in this case apartment concert.  Bill and I have been emailing and I'm working on setting up a night for one of his artists to come to my apartment for an evening of music, food and a Mellody Brewing Ale on draft.  The cost is minimal, about $10 a person, and all the money goes to the artist.  We're aiming to get about 25-30 people for the night.  Sure, my place is small, but I think we can fit everyone, and I also think the space will be conducive to a fun atmosphere as we gather for the music.  More to come on dates and times and other details.  I hope you can make it and this is the beginning of a series.

There's always money in the banana stand (wink)

Let's talk funding, yet again.  I'm coming full circle lately on starting to think about asking friends and family for money.  Almost a microloan type of arrangement.  Following the idea of Kiva and looking for anyone to make a donation.  I also recently read about a brewpub in  (I believe Texas) where people can send money and become an owner.  Though for the life of me I can't find the article again.  In doing some research last night, I ran across this press release from Sam Adams - Brewing the American Dream.  Now I wouldn't be able to apply for this but I just thought it was amazing.  I love what Sam Adams stands for, and more and more love reading about what they do in their community. 

So, I'm starting to wonder if I can work up the final business plan and instead of going to a bank - can I ask the public for the funding?  More to come on this, but basically create it as a shareholder option, with various tiers of support.  Include some ownership incentives, creative ways to get people involved.

I like what I've read from other on this, I wonder if I can make it work too.

P.S. Extra points if you get the reference in the post title.

Beer Cart? I wish...

Recently I've been toying (aka day-dreaming) about some different business ideas.  I still am always thinking bar and brewery - but recently I have another idea - one that I think would be fun.  I'm sure it's not easy work, but it seems it could be satisfying - and has low start up costs.  The question is, can it make money, and how much?  Could this be a transition into a business I could "sell."  The idea I'm day dreaming of now focuses on a creating a gourmet food cart.  Now, sure you're thinking - dirty water dogs and soft pretzels when you think of food carts, right?  I'm not.  I think too often the streets of Philadelphia are crowded with some crappy food options.  Where good carts exists (there are a few near Univ. Penn, Temple, and Center City) people will come.  I've seen lines 10 people deep at one particular cart I frequent near my office.  My thought is to create a food cart with one item done really well.  Made with quality ingredients, and at a decent cost to the customer.  I can't remember if I've written about this before or not.  Basically the question I'm asking myself - could I create this business to generate cash for the bar or brewery.  If I ran the food cart on weekends at tourist locations, or something.  Found someone to run it and cook during the week days eventually. 

As you can see - my brain just won't shut off.  This is pretty much all I think about now.  Ideas, angles, ways to get money...ways to quit work and keep life somewhat the same.  The obsesison just keeps growing, and festering.  I really like the idea of a gormet food cart, basically because if it existed I'd go to it right now.  They are missing in the business district here in Philadelphia.  Can I really make decent money - who knows? Once I'm in can I parlet it into something bigger eventually? Good question... No matter what the grass is always greener on the other side, right? While I'm sure it's hard, hot, sweaty work with lots more downs then ups - it still seems more attractive then what I've got going now. 

The wheels...keep turning...keep turning...

Shark Tank

I'll take $750,000 and let them have a 51% stake of the business.  How about it sharks?

On again, off again...

This blog is like a bad relationship - one that I just can't ignore and can't give up; brings me joy and fun yet also frustrates the hell out of me.  It's frustrating because whenever I write here I get upset that I'm only just writing here.  I'm frustrated cause I'm all talk and while I dream of all things beer and bee related I for some reason, personal or other can't seem to break out of this mold.  Writing here though does motivate me and it does get me to do things that I normally don't - last year I volunteered for a brewery and made good friends and gained some interesting expereinces in doing so. I did it, so I could write about it...I also went to BeerAdvocate Meet-ups, again something I did to write about it - but also to network.  Well, after months of sulking, and dreaming up other business venture ideas I'm back.  I can't say for how long, or at what quality these posts will be but as I garner all my internal strength to get back on the horse of making a dream come true I hope you all still continue to come along for the ride.

I'm headed to Bell Vista distributors tomorrow night for my first Philadephia BA Meet-up.  Hope I can make it to work on Wednesday.

Timing, Budgeting and Being Realistic

Time flies when you're having fun, that's for sure.  Since moving back to Philadelphia I have been getting settled, but also I've been reconnecting with family and friends and reengaging in my career at the full-time jobby job.  This has left no real time for real business planning.  Sure, I could be staying up late and working on it.  Reality is, I needed a break. I needed to readjust and reorganize into the new life I have now that I'm back home. As I do this though, the wheels have been turning, albeit quietly in my head, I have some fun ideas for the bar concept and it seems that might be a better focus area for me right now.

I've found a great location in my neighborhood and the price, though high, includes lots of incentives to move forward sooner, rather then later.  I could move ahead with less start up costs (I think) but still have lots of work to do.  I'm back to researching, while also taking the Wharton classes starting in a few weeks to help get my head wrapped around what needs to happen to start the business.  I'm no where near any sort of beginning, It's definitely more of the glimer in my eye state.  The real questions are timing, cost and can I do it given some time frame issues with the real job. 

I'm moving ahead with the concept, trying to get it all on paper now to flesh out the holes.  I'm also trying to learn the laws of ownership, incorporation vs. llc, and well lots of Philadelphia zoning laws to figure it and deal with.  I need to learn about inspections, licensing, zoning, labor laws, etc, etc. etc.  I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface.

Every morning or evening I walk by the location that I have in mind.  Yesterday I scoped it out in detail and tried to see inside.  I'm in contact with the broker of the lease and will try to set up a time to see the inside soon.  While the location is great, I can't rush into getting it till I know everything else is in place.  We can only hope that it'll sit for a bit longer while I work things out.

Until then, for fun I'm trying to decide on a name...I'm not asking for suggestions as the name is personal to me and there's lots of aspects to it that I need to hammer out.  More to come on that shortly.

Regroup, Realign and Reengage

 

Part of my problem with starting the brewery, is I'm too analytical. I need a detailed plan, where I outline my risks so I know what I'm getting myself into.  I do this in lots of areas of my life, from moving to new jobs to relationships.  I've always been friends with girlfriend's first for that exact reason.  Sorry, we're getting off topic.

As a way to jump start my business plan, and get me ready to talk to banks I'll be leveraging my local Small Business Development Group at Wharton.  They have an other course after this for actual planning, , business plan, etc.  I think I'm going to do that as well.  That way, but the end of July, it'll all be on paper, ready to present, with solid numbers and I'll know exactly what I need.

Motivation

I Am A Craft Brewer from I Am A Craft Brewer on Vimeo.

What I loved about this (except a neat feeling that I've met and shared beers with a few of the brewers in the video) is that this is, it truely is how I feel every damn time I have a good beer (even though I'm not...a craft brewer.) Time to refocus...