What going on?! I have lots of people curious and interested what’s going with the brewpub. The Ozaukee Press article explained the building and the relationship with my landlord (the American Legion Post #82), but not everything that needs to occur before opening. That’s mostly what’s happening right now.
Fish Day (July 15th) has been planned and most of our volunteers have been lined up that day. Simple menu of Burgers, brats and dogs with soda/chips. And we’ll have craft beer and mixed drinks available as well. The outside will have about 7 full-sized picnic tables and lots of other stand around tables. If there was still room, people could bring their own camp-chairs, I guess. We’ll be under the front awning/porch (not sure what its called) as well as a 10×20 and 10×10 popup tent. There’ll be plenty of ice and 3 portable toilets so you don’t need to leave to use the Fish Day ones. The rest of the effort is for our regularly scheduled kitchen and bar hours. (Sun, Wed, Thur 11-10PM, and Fri/Sat 11-11PM beginning hours. I’d love to open 7 days a week, but we’ll see how everything goes)
Here are things that are done or scheduled to be done for the normal opening: gas, electric, water/sewer, garbage, CO2, phone, internet, TV, ice machine, food, beer/wine/alcohol distributors. I’ve also purchased a Point of Sale system and some TV displays for the beer and food menus. In addition to learning some key things like Quickbooks Online and website, mailchimp, social media, …most of my time involves around equipment, furniture and other things that will be needed. I’ve already built the barrel chandeliers, gear table and a few table tops (more are needed). Now I’m working on those as well as the picnic tables which will finish on site so I won’t have to move them wholly. We have the landscaping figured out for the front, which is an interim solution, for steps closer to a German-style biergarten. The inside plans are started too for updating the banquet hall and sprucing up the barroom as well. Kitchen won’t get any major renovation but will have added small appliances to facilitate the menu. Finding some good deals on used commercial refrigeration too, good thing I own a truck now!
Until we can move in and rearrange the shop slightly, we won’t be able to analyze and measure for the brewery. After moving in we should be able to determine that and get the major pieces of equipment on order–which is a start, at least.
The starting food menu is set and we’ll add items during the soft openings as we feel comfortable with the kitchen, staff, processes, etc.
The starting beer menu isn’t on my radar yet, but I’m in the process of collaborating with other Milwaukee craft breweries and will have several beers that I had a hand in creating on tap for the opening as well. You’ll definitely see stuff on FB when these are brewed/ready but no guarantee I’ll take the time blog about each and every one.
Well, this is just the tip the iceberg, maybe I’ll share more as things get finalized. Happy Memorial Day, go have a beer!
Prost!