Olde Towne Brewing Company

On a quest to find a new place of habitation in Huntsville I decided to seek out the Olde Towne Brewing Co. (featured in Southern Brew News ...pick up a free copy at your local watering hole). Well it took a little map reading and help from my phat daddy via cell phone while he was at work (place of work not disclosed) in order to find them but it was well worth the trip. They are officially the only microbrewery in AL (defined as 15,000 barrels or less in production a year, just like a certain Sam started). Upon entering Melonhead and I were greeted by a certain older cat that when I questioned about beer availability gave us 2 Pale Ales straight off the line just before capping. Now this is how beer should be enjoyed when possible. Even Melonhead was licking her lips when greeted with a freshie. He then turned us over to a fellow War-Eagle-er who told us a little about the newly established brewery (ca 2004) and about the latest Beers Across America order of about 3000 cases of their pale ale and amber they had put out. They have a nice clean facility and he said it took 8 hours of non-stop bottling to empty their bright-fermenter (one ready to bottle and cap) in order to empty it. They have a line that runs about 50-55 or so bottles a minute with 4 guys running it (which was just the picture when we entered). By the way when I opened the door I thought there would be an open desk/secretary area but instead I walked right into the fermenting area which was a very nice touch especially when welcomed with a smile as some guy was video-taping the line. The younger cat (sorry didn’t catch any names) told me where to pick up all of their beers at a local BP but told me not to bother buying the Extra Pale Ale which I found puzzling. He said it didn’t sell well because it was more of their version of Coors, Miller, etc and the people buying their stuff wanted BEEEERRRRR. I’m sure the big boys started out this way before becoming commercialized. He said to pick up a sixer and try it but that the Pale Ale (made with 100% Cascade) and Amber were well worth it and also said they would be replacing the Extra Pale Ale with a Robust Porter due to slumping Extra Pale Ale business. As a partying gift he GAVE me ½ case of Pale and said to enjoy since it was all in the family “War Eagle”. Go by, visit, contribute and buy from this small brewing co. 214 Harmon Rd NE downtown H’ville, don’t bother calling, I tried and everyone is on the bottling line of loudness anyway, just pay 50 cent;) in parking and walk in.

Other Business

We are mad at work trying to come up with solid T-shirt ideas for our up and coming brew company. (Name not to be disclosed at this time to whack-os out there that would rather ride other people's coat-tails than sew their own.) However I have come up with some great ideas and with Junk's help hope to incorporate a little advertising into the whole mix. We also hope to have a good IPA going soon and some deuce doses on their way to AU. I also gagged down a 3-2 of Icehouse, which after the first 22 ounces seemed good, in order to have a good bottle for yeast starters on the high gravity stuff we may have coming out this winter. News from Terrapin to come..

Now Brew Batch #13

IRA hit the bottles tonight in our 2 hour bottling marathon. FG 1.002+0.00 @65F for 4.33%ABV. We bottled up 47 brown long necks, 2 clear and a mutt all with red crowns. The only problem is that I have labeled them in gold which didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, silver which is okay then back to basic black which seems to be the best so far. It seems to be one of those don't fix it if it ain't broke kind of things. Junk and I talked about how to divvy up the mutts for Red and such. Overall it was a great night of bottling with a clean kitchen at the end and a couple of Steam Styles to wash out our gullets. Which by the way will find itself in a head-to-head with Anchor Steam soon! (Stay Tuned)

Brew Batch #14 First!

Tonight Junk and I bottled 47 short-neck green with green crowns of EPA (and of course 2 clear). And they were a pain in the ass! I used the "old" Old Dutch Windmill bottles from brew batch #1 and I guess I had more patience with them then or something because the remainder of the sanitized ones are out on the curb waiting for recycling. I couldn't get a good crown seal on about 6 of them the first try. So the rest of you little bastards let it be known, as soon as you are in someone's belly will be chunked!! FG 1.012+0.00 @ 65F, which scared me at first because I am worried about glass hand grenades going off downstairs in about 2 days when the pressure builds up. This batch turned out amazingly clear with a great color. 4.85%ABV. We tried it out and it will be one awesome "Hey, how you doin'" session beer.