Micro-Dreams

So I know you guys are probably sick of "Ole Miller with his lofty dreams," but I think I've finally found something that is feasible, involves brew, and just might help some people. Sounds like my cup of tea. Or beer. So please if you care about stuff like this read on, if not feel free to move along.

Anyways, most of you have heard my plans of starting a Micro-Brewery, (one akin to Yazoo, Terrapin, and New Belgium). Now I won't get into uber-logistics, but in the past decade or so the Micro-Brewery/Craft Brewery has taken off in America. Think about the impact that it must have on the beer market if a company like Anheuser-Busch feels compelled to release a "better tasting, well crafted," type of beer like Bud Light Wheat.

Seriously, if twenty years ago you told people that college students in 2010 would be spending $10 on a six pack, or 4 to 5 bucks on a draft they would slap you in the ball-sack and call you a commie (and yes I know what inflation is Gorman, but you get the point). If you don't believe me, (Monger) take a look at this article, from I dunno the WALL STREET JOURNAL? its somewhat dated but is interesting nonetheless. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123733628873664181.html

I love Natty as much as the next guy, but I will take good beer over tasteless stuff any day of the week, and I think a large portion of America agrees with me. Don't misunderstand me though, the Microbrewery isn't something super new or something I invented. There are micros all over the place out west and up north, it has recently started to emerge in the southeast, but for the most part its an "untapped" (boom) market around these parts. And If you didnt read the article, which you should, seriously go back and read it, basically it says that beer is a steady business even in tough times "Sales of craft beer, the industry's fastest-growing segment, rose 6% by volume, and dollar sales jumped 10.5% to $6.3 billion, according to the Brewers Association"

Now I know most of you tried my beer and probably thought to yourself, "Mmm, this tastes weird but its OK for a beer made by a jerk, but I better say its awesome." which is ok, and I understand, I would do the same.

Here's the exciting part though; I'm hopefully going to purchase a CO2 apparatus soon, so I can make a batch a week (as opposed to a month), keg it (in smaller kegs called corny kegs), and get ahold of a mini-fridge so have it available for you guys ice cold on draft. Plus I will hopefully have a Pale Ale recipe perfected soon that will taste as good as Yazoo Amarillo or Sierra Nevada Pale Ale etc.

Again, I know most of you have heard this and are yawning by now, but I kinda wanted to flesh out my thoughts in print, so sorry if this seems selfish or self promoting. BTW House is already in on all this with me and having good input and we're pretty serious (as serious as two guys who suck at school and are good at Call of Duty can be) and its not like I'm king and you guys should join my great plan, its more of a communist society, but yeah I'm really hoping for some great political debates on the comments you guys leave on this post. not really. Although I do admire yalls political/ecomonic knowledge so no offense (Bing Gorman Wise).

Back to the plan, after a few years or whatever of this I would get a business license etc. so I could actually sell it, while still doing it somewhat small scale (smaller than micro, like I wouldnt have big tanks like DTGandB or Yazoo), basically catering for events 'cept just beer.

After a few months/years of perfecting a few beers, maybe getting a brewmasters degree, building a reputation, making some contacts, and scratching my balls House and I would put together a real business proposal and aim to get some loans, (scary I know, but all great entrepreneurial conquests don't happen without money and many are started by people who don't have the money themselves, so its more than possible). A successful brewery that has taken off in England, "BrewDog" (Click it) was started by two 24 year old douches who took out a shit ton of loans.

Why are they successful you ask? Well because they presented a product with a new twist that has the x-factor, the steve jobs factor. They're big thing is super high alcoholic content, (41% to be exact) ridiculous I know, but it worked. So many of these breweries see immense success and they're run by a bunch of old farts who don't know what people want, if we could release a new cool beer that had "it," the sky is the limit, just ask Steve Jobs.

I would never dream of making a beer with 41% alcoholic content and that's not my big secret plan. But I have other ideas that I think can work and haven't really been fully taken advantage of by anyone yet. You probably already know most of what my plan is but if you don't or if you want to know more just ask me, seriously I love talkin about this shit.

Anyways at this point in if all goes according to plan in a perfect world we would have a small warehouse in a southeastern city, Nashville, Boone, Brevard, Knoxville, Oxford, ???, and basically be like Yazoo but better and cooler, and Farley could lead the tours and be funnier, jollier, drunker, and beardier than the Yazoo guy. And we'd live happily ever after enjoying free tasty beer and having rockin, fun, philanthropic events all the time.

The whole reason I tell you guys all this is because I love and depend on you as brothers and if you want to help at all, want to tell me I'm a dumbass who is wasting my time, or just want some free beer - I'm cool with any of that. Really though, if you have an idea for a beer name, brewery name, type of beer I should make, weird ingredient I should put in beer (metamucil? bologna? crab cakes?), some skill to offer, I would greatly appreciate it. I look forward to serving you all beer as soon as possible.