Lately, we’ve been working hard to promote our IPO. In fact it feels like a long time since we’ve publicized anything that didin’t have to do with the community ownership model. So, here’s an overdue update on non-financing developments.
Not long ago, Lance and I stopped by the brewery with Steve and Shaun from Trout Architects to begin laying out the brewery. We played around with a couple different configurations and now have a pretty good feel for what the brewery is going to look like on opening day. Unfortunately, the tiger pit and beer swimming pool were early casualties of the design process. You can see the concept in the picture at the top of the blog.
Licensing is also underway. It’s quite a process, and various governmental agencies now have my fingerprints, sources of financing for the brewery, 10 years of my employment history (hope someone there speaks Japanese if they really want to contact all of my previous employers), my height, weight, eye color, favorite color, favorite number and diet plan in the case that my weight should change. I’m not sure if this brewer’s license also comes with a CIA security clearance, but it feels like it probably should. Word on the street is that licensing should take about four months. Luckily, it sounds fairly straightforward, despite the length of time and amount of personal detail required.
It’s still brewing equipment that is the major piece of the equation that will dictate when we can open our doors. Most manufacturers appear to be about six months out, though we’ve recently found a reputable company that’s able to deliver in four months. It’s a long time to wait, but we want to make damn sure that we’ve got equipment that will enable us to make the best beer possible. So look for us to start slinging drinks in March or April!