Yet another waiting game

Waiting... for the bank... again...

I realize the economy is tough and that banks are being a little bit more sure with their money, but damn. If it takes this long to get a loan, I kind of have to wonder how they'll be with the rest of my financial business transactions.

On another note, everything is ready to go. As soon as the bank lets me sign paperwork, I sign papers with the landlord, start a little remodeling, give notice to the federal and state authorities, contact equipment manufacturers blah blah blah... It's a lot to cram into two months, but hopefully by the middle of April we're ready to go.

Just need the bank to fall in line.

Beer choices and selections

While the bank plays "phone tag" with the SBA, I'm started finalizing much of the logistics and strategies about the brewery. One of the more difficult ones to think of was how many and what kinds of beers to brew.

While everyone has their favorite beer style to drink, it may not be a beer style that a majority of beer drinkers like. While I enjoy a good super hopped IIPA or a super sour lambic, the average beer drinker may not. So with that in mind, I have developed Doodle Brewings first beer to be a Belgian Dubbel called "Dubbel Doodle."

Belgian Dubbels, in my opinion, are very easy to drink, have a little bit of a punch to them, and are still a very classy artisian beer. Plus, my wife really likes dubbels, and we all know that the person letting you spend lots of money on beer is someone you have to cater to.

With that said:

The Dubbel Doodle pours a dark mahogany with a slight red at the edges of the glass. The aroma reveals a malt sweetness with hints of toffee and raisin present but not dominating. The first sip fills your tounge with a caramel like sweetness with a slight plum/raisin aftertaste lingering. The last sip leaves you with an empty glass and an empty feeling, until the next time you are able to enjoy another one of these hand crafted artisinal beers.

At least, that's the way the test batches are. I'm sure the final product will be much better after more testing and some various tasting panels.

Nick

Another Waiting Game

It's all in the banks hands now. I'm just waiting on that phone call...

The starting of a brewery

My name is Nick Vaughn, and I have a problem. I currently work at the 75th Street Brewery in Kansas City as a brewer and I've had lots of fun, but I'm having this itch. Some people call it a mid life crisis, some people call it insane, I call it something that I've wanted to do since I started brewing professionally and even if I fail at it, I need to know that I tried it. I'm talking about wanting to start my own brewery.

I have a chemical engineering degree, I worked for three and a half years at a regional specialty brewery in Boston, I've worked at a brewpub for two and a half years... but is that enough?

Answer: Probably not in and of itself, but when you plan on spending your three year old sons college money on your brewery, it makes you really want to succeed.

So I've done the research, the equations, the numbers, the thinking, the thinking, the thinking and most importantly, the convincing of the wife (although truthfully, it didn't take her long to support me). Everything is in place. I'm doing it. I'm starting my own brewery.

If you want details, you can go to http://www.doodlebrewing.com and read a bit about what I'm doing, where I'm at and what's going on.

As of right now, I'm just waiting for the bank to finalize the loan, which is in my hands right now since they need a piece of paper from another bank before they finish the approval. When that happens, everything is ready to move. The brewhouse is ready to be ordered, the location is almost locked in, the paperwork is filled out... I'm just waiting for that one magical day when I sign mucho paperwork to start this whole process and complete my succombing to my few passions in life

Making, drinking and sharing awesome craft beer with everyone.