The all important plumbing rough in was finished last week and as long as it is functional we will be able to make good on that promise to have indoor plumbing. The first week of November brings to town an exceptionally skilled concrete laborer that will not only construct the eventual beer garden in the front of our building but also put in one of those nice long strolling sidewalks that will lead millions of people (or maybe at least thousands but without a doubt at least a few hundred and in a worse case scenario my family will show up) into the micro-brewery.  He is also set to build a ramp into our 492 square foot cold room.  So the week is pretty much full of Concrete setting up next week when Jimmy, the carpenter, starts the hammers into motion as the framing of the tasting room goes up.  Though hammers don’t really fly anymore on construction sites as I have found out but nail guns do. 

But please don’t let your liver get to excited yet.  Sure it seems like things are moving fast but we are still at least 5 months away.  Unlike CVS, who put up a major store at the intersection of Chippewa and Gravois in the time it took me to write this email, we are just barely keeping one foot in front of the other.  It is also important to note we have a slightly smaller crew of just two humans.  Unfortunately for progress sake,  the two humans on this job get sidetracked occasionally by some tasty barley sodas.  (by occasionally...I mean a lot...actually mostly just on Fridays.) But I digress or maybe regress...

Tomorrow, I am renting one of those nice walk behind concrete saws which with the help of the bobcat (pictured right) and operation skills of Mike (to be pictured later) will make way for a massive amount of new concrete.  Ramps, sidewalks and patios which are all very important to our mission at the Civil Life.  They say you should always build a business on solid ground.

We moved forward this past week with the biggest decision of all.   After some deliberation and lots of research we chose to purchase our 20 Barrel brewhouse from Premier Stainless from the Great debt ridden state of California.  Unfortunately, our purchase will do little to turn the economy around in California.  But it will, do the most important thing for the Civil Life project by becoming the vessel that brings Civil Life to the earth, in particular to a very small part of the earth located at 3714 Holt. A place that is currently over-run by large tractors that have ripped up concrete and by humans that are carefully laying the sewer lines, bathroom plumbing and of course the all important staple in any brewery, the trench drain.  

Deciding on a brewhouse was the second most important decision thus far.  It goes without saying that the first decision was to keep the “No Guns or Weapons Allowed” signs that were posted on the brewery entrance doors upon building purchase. Quite honestly, I am leaving that sign up in case we are ever robbed at gun point.  Can’t you just imagine the robbers disappointment after learning he (or she) must leave and come back without their gun.  Foiled I say, foiled by a sign.  

We, by we, I mean my brewer (to be disclosed at a much later date) spent the last few weeks checking references on our final two candidates and that process alone seemed to cement in our minds the decision to proceed with Premier Stainless.  Please note:  References taken in confidence can quickly unveil many things about companies.  Our emails produced responses: “Everything has worked extremely well”. “For a couple of very minor issues, I have found the guys at Premier to be very helpful.”  “They are my vendor of choice for new.”  But what really swayed us to Premier was this quote copied from somewhere on the net by me that captures my concerns.  “Purchasing from Company named removed is like winning a tiger in a raffle.” (Just kidding on that last one there is no Brewing Manufacturer by the name Company name removed.)

Moving on. Other updates, the new sewer line is set to be finished by this coming weekend and I am proud to announce that we have decided to go with indoor plumbing in our tasting room. Despite my traditionalist approach and attempts to save some money whenever possible (which so far has been deemed not possible) during this project we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to offer to our tasting room guests standard amenities.  We are also kicking around the idea of both heating and cooling the place.  Coming up:  the beer garden (next week) and I have been persuaded by my carpenter’s advice and have taken his recommendation to put walls up in the tasting room.  (Week after next)  

On another note,  I locked my keys in my car yesterday...with it running and had to have my dad bring my spare set from home.  First time ever on the running part and first time in 20+ years on the locked in my car part.  Prompting me to ask the question, “Should I be in charge?”  To which I answered, “No one else even works here.”  After which, I realized I was both questioning and answering myself thus causing me to repeat, “Should I be in charge?”  Continue then repeat. 

Stay tuned and buckle up... the ride is about to start.  Please keep your hands and feet inside of the brewery at all times.