Moonshrimp Brewing-A gluten free microbrewery

Thanks Rivenin, it was great to meet you. The tasting went well, I have only a few pictures of it (my camera lady got crowded out) but the reviews of the beer were overall incredibly positive. Of the three beers I was pouring, Dark Pale, Wit, Imperial IPA, all three recieved about equal votes as being a favorite. I poured a lot of beer but didn't run out, Portland U-Brew did a chunk of extra business because of the tasting and is really happy with me as well and is open to doing more events.

Then I locked my keys in the trunk of my car, but guess you cannot have everything. Found a tiny and very helpful woman out for a walk who's thin female arm could fit through the cracked open window and unlock the car (thank you small friendly woman!). In a great moment of Portlandness she was also gluten free so I gave her a thank you bottle of the Imperial IPA.

The tasting set up and a friend caught mid-pledge on the iPad (right). Got a chunk of new backers who pledged right on the spot thanks to the modern miracle of wifi.

Also have some beer porn for you guys, P.U.B's fermentarium (not mine, but I wish.)

In answer to questions about size/type of equipment: This is going to be a 2bbl direct fired gas system, 4 conical fermenters with an undersized mash tun do to the nature of my recipes. The fermenters are going to be ordered without a jacket that I will then build myself (cutting the costs nearly in half!) and connect to the glycol chiller that I am also going to build myself.

The beer will be bottled and conditioned in 22oz bottles and will not be kegged. The reason for not kegging is that while I would be able to have gluten free dedicated kegs, the lines that the beer are served on have no promise of being gluten free and I do not want it to be possible to have gluten mixed in and cross contaminate my beer to even the smallest extent. There are also several bars that said they would carry the beer in conditioned bottles -and not in kegs-in case it was a slow mover because the kegs could spoil while the bottles wouldn't.

Sounds good! That shouldn't run too high cost wise. Glacier tanks?

Going to go with Stout Tanks and Kettles actually. More local and looks to be better pricing.

I bought a 3.5 bbl brite through stout tanks and kettles, he's a nice guy. The tank is decent too.

Working on getting the word out, it seems to be working but so hard to say with kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1165013344/moonshrimp-brewing-gluten-free-and-vegan-handcraft). Funding is at 46% and there are 6 days left. Word is getting out and was just put up on oregon live. http://www.oregonlive.com/beer/index.ssf/2013/06/moonshrimp_brewing_---_tasting.html

Great News! For today and tomorrow (sun 16th and mon 17th) all pledges on the kickstarter will be matched 100%! Soon the kickstarter will be over and I will get back to brewing and building instead of computer and phone time, really looking forward to that. Kickstarter is wonderful but it isn't exactly low stress and I can't wait to move forward on the brewery itself.

In other news the landlady let some kids borrow parts off the roof octopus without notifying either of the tenants below, and now the octopus has no arms that can stand up where before he had two. Going to see if she will make the kids fix it, otherwise I think I foresee some roof time in my future.

Hey Infinite_Thought and beljica, I've been looking at getting my hands on a BrewMagic, but one thing that puts me off in looking at it (or really any mash tun designed for barley-based beers) is that the false-bottom screen in the mash tun looks like it might be too coarse to work with something like millet or quinoa (both of which are integral to my recipes). In putting together your own systems, how do you address that? Do you just get your fabricators to put in finer mesh, or is there something process-oriented you've figured out to get GF mashes to behave like barley in the mash?

I use a self made copper manifold, copper pipe just loose fitted together (45 degree elbows) covered in thin cuts made with a cut wheel on a dremel. The cuts are very narrow and though an occasional millet bit gets through only a few seconds of the first runnings have grain in them, generally only a quart of wert has to be recirculated.

Still working on the design for the brewery scale mash tun, but it won't be much different. The loose fitted parts let you just pull it apart to clean it very easily, fits tightly enough that it has never fallen apart during use, only when I yank it out.

Quinoa has a very high protein content. Lautering will always be a problem with quinoa. Never have a problem when using more than 50% millet.

I use a false bottom with a mesh bag lining the tun. Works great.

The Kickstarter has been successfully funded and the money is already in the business account. I have been e-mailing with the TTB regarding details on their forms and will be soon placing the order for 4x80 gal CCFV, 1x75 gal boil kettle and a customized 20 gal kettle to be my mash tun. YAHOO! I get to order equipment! The much higher density of millet compared to barley means that my mash tun can be much smaller and still hold the same weight.

In other strange news the neighboring business across the street from the brewery has sent us (both Moonshrimp Brewing and the lingerie shop) a message that they expect monthly payment to begin immediately for our share of their parking lot. They also expect us to hire their landscaper. We don't use their parking lot (at all, ever, as we have our own) and have nothing besides concrete to landscape. People are strange some times.

Great job on the financing!

as for the notice... lol
But I hope you have access to a good lawyer, just in case. People put a surprising amount of effort into illegal extortion.

Man, I would tell them where to get off. If you are renting the place and not owning, I know under British law that it is the OWNER of the property that pays for any kind of up keep and not the person that rents. Not sure about American law in that way, but considering they were both the same once, it possibly may still be the same. As for the parking, if you have your own car park, I would ask them to explain why they think you should pay to use theirs, and to justify their note. It probably is classed as a form of extortion. Or really bad sales techniques which borderline extortion and blackmail. I work for a solicitors in conveyancing. So know a tad about property laws etc.

That being said, dude. Good luck with everything. Trying to get some Government funds to do the same myself. All we have here is De-Glutenised crap. So trying to show that there is a better way.

Congratulations! A 20 gallon mash tun? Thats crazy for what I assume is a 2bbl system. Millet does pack in better and has no husk but still....

O well, whatever works.

Yep a 20 gallon mash tun for a 2 bbl system. I don't get that much fermentable sugar out of the millet and supplement with beet sugar, but in terms of wight 25# of millet is about the same size as 10# of barley, maybe even smaller.

The crazy person across the street is not answering her phone so I am just going to send her an e-mail and imagine that the situation is over. If she comes after me with a lawyer, well, that would be interesting...and end badly for her I think as I know several really good ones who would help out the brewery for free.

Glad to hear about the kickstarter! good job.
Hows the octopus? ever get the legs back in working order?

Talked to the landlady, she said she is going to make the kids put the octopus back together, I have my doubts but we will see if it happens. Apparently the rooftop is turning into a bit of a hangout for people in the complex when I am not there so that needs to end before something goes badly. Perhaps my roof access needs a gate?

I just - as in a few minutes ago- put the deposit in for the equipment, four fermenters, a boil kettle and mash tun along with associated valves, clamps, gaskets and such have all been ordered and 70% paid for. It is an amazing feeling. Now going to go over and lay out the sewer pipe outlines for what I need to get built.

First paperwork is getting done! Zoning map had been signed for submitting to the local government (the Office of Neighborhood Involvement) and I am working on the building plans for the Oregon Department of Agriculture which has authority over all food manufacturing for off-premises consumption. Gonna give them a call tomorrow and see if they need anything else in addition to plans of what I will be adding to the building.

Kickstarter prizes are starting to go out, which is also fun. Still working on the design for the t-shirts and pint glasses but sending out vacuum packed homegrown hops in the next few days.

Forgot to post this... when i met you at PUB i was telling you about that dry yeast.
http://baderbrewing.com/products/mangrove-jacks-craft-series-yeast
i've used the workhorse and i'm about 1.5 weeks into fermentation and tastes amazing. i'm pretty sure it's gluten free as well as GMO free!

any new updates on this?

I am also curious

MY APOLOGIES FOR THE HUGE DELAY!
In all honesty in the chaos that is my life now I completely forgot about this thread. (So Sorry!:smack

So: Updates since then!
Bad news first, it turns out that the landlady didn't actually own the building anymore. Got to the brewery one morning and there was a notice on the door saying that new owners had bought the building at foreclosure auction and had taken control. Everything got put on hold while I had to straighten a new lease out with them (month and a half) but that got worked out it the end. Scary as hell, they didn't have to honor my standing lease because of when it was signed so I could have been out of the space.

Octopus also never got fixed.

Good news! Approval from Feds and from the state to brew beer! City of Portland sign off as well.

And then back to bad news again the city doesn't want to give me a building permit to install new water and sewer lines for a whole bunch of reasons, only a few of which I can influence. Great, just great. I also have to pay $500 to "appeal" my front door because it is against code, but would also be against code to fix it. so I have to give them money to ...do nothing...

That is where it is at right now, pictures to follow since I remember I have this thread now.

Yikes man! that's terrifying considering how long this has been going on for...
Best of luck! If you ever need help with anything, i'm over in SE now instead of lake o... but still willing to come out and help out if need be!

Thank you very much. I am working on some of the details with the city today and trying to foist as much of this code compliance crap off on the landlord as possible. Did you know Portland charges $570 to come look at a valve? Yeah...thats per valve too, you install 2 back flow preventers and the city charges over a thousand to look at them and admit that they exist. These are required of course....

Woot! Landlord has agreed that things that are his problem are actually his problem. Sounds sad but this is actually progress.

Woot! contgrats on that man! I'm guessing this means less money out of your pocket and more money into the brewery? Hopefully soon you get to just kick back and relax and enjoy brewing...
How long would you say you are away from opening?

The responsibility aspect will save some money but it is more about saving time at this point. I don't really have an estimate on how soon I will be open as a lot of that is in the hands of the red tape at the moment. Should have the building permit pretty soon. Getting my a/c unit->glycol chiller rewired tomorrow, I feel like I could probably do the wiring myself but as there is a reasonable chance of electrocution I have put it off until a real expert could come help and it is getting done tomorrow!
It is a a 12kBTU in window unit that I am going to connect with independent pumps and ranco controllers to submersible pumps in the cooler. I have 100' of copper pipe wrapped around each 2bbl FV and think (hope) that will work fine.

My a/c unit is magic. According to the circuit diagram it never has power coming in, the power just runs continuously in a circle. Makes it a little hard to figure out how to rewire it.

haha wait what?! do you have a diagram?

Okay, so second try on posting this. The diagram is a bit dark (cause it was night out) and the flash resulted in a whited out square. There is no break in the diagram for actually plugging the thing in. The wire runs from the capacitor to the compressor, to the fan, to the capacitor... yeah.
I killed the only perpetual potion machine. Sorry guys.

Uhhh... a circuit is a circle of sorts. Do you have a better photo? It's too blurry to read. If you have a model number you can look up the diagram online. Good luck!

Sent from space for your convenience

InfiniteThought said:

Okay, so second try on posting this. The diagram is a bit dark (cause it was night out) and the flash resulted in a whited out square. There is no break in the diagram for actually plugging the thing in. The wire runs from the capacitor to the compressor, to the fan, to the capacitor... yeah.
I killed the only perpetual potion machine. Sorry guys.

Click to expand...

holy crap, i think i found the same one via google...



i think my google-fu is strong today!

i'm pretty sure the power cord is the one above the area labeled "4", that sideways S dude is for AC voltage and is the only one besides the motor to have a ground labeled and it also has black and white coming off of it... hopefully that helps!

That looks right to me, the problem is that reality doesn't match the diagram, even taking the AC spot that you found to be where the power goes in. The circuit board isn't on the diagram and things come out of it and connect differently then shown.

Your google-fu is strong indeed.

Fortunately I know what the wires are supposed to be doing so I should be able to rearrange them until they match this. The diagram even came with a potential relay (for free!).

So, I have news from the city. I had to file an appeal for the front door because their is a step up to the door without a landing and this cannot be fixed because the city Right Of Way (ROW) is too close to build the landing. Given that their is no possible way to fix this without demolishing the entire building I figured they would grant it.

Yeah...So the decision is that I can use the door myself but that the public cannot, meaning that my brewery can only be used for manufacturing and not for direct sale to the public. That was their statement at least but my OLCC investigator (Kat Hand, awesome person) and I are working on extending my OLCC permit to apply to a portion of the ROW so that I can sell beer through the door way and perhaps also the window to people on the sidewalk.

Strange but apparently workable solution, like a walk-through sales window. I think this will be the first premises licensed this way, assuming it actually works.

Rivenin said:

i'm pretty sure the power cord is the one above the area labeled "4", that sideways S dude is for AC voltage and is the only one besides the motor to have a ground labeled and it also has black and white coming off of it... hopefully that helps!

Click to expand...

Edited, because after looking at it again, I'm wrong - that is AC - either 120(White/black) or 240 (Blue/Brown) . 4 is a compressor (COMP), 3 is the phase shift cap.

I'm surprised there isn't a block or breaker for the incoming to connect up to - most incoming mains will be either fused or on a contactor that must be closed.

InfiniteThought said:

So, I have news from the city. I had to file an appeal for the front door because their is a step up to the door without a landing and this cannot be fixed because the city Right Of Way (ROW) is too close to build the landing. Given that their is no possible way to fix this without demolishing the entire building I figured they would grant it.

Yeah...So the decision is that I can use the door myself but that the public cannot, meaning that my brewery can only be used for manufacturing and not for direct sale to the public. That was their statement at least but my OLCC investigator (Kat Hand, awesome person) and I are working on extending my OLCC permit to apply to a portion of the ROW so that I can sell beer through the door way and perhaps also the window to people on the sidewalk.

Strange but apparently workable solution, like a walk-through sales window. I think this will be the first premises licensed this way, assuming it actually works.

Click to expand...

That'll be kinda rad! i wonder if you can get a patio type deal going as well for the summer?

it'll be like a gluten free beer-thru!

Where is that? I think I need to go there...

I know of one like this in Stillwater, OK. Some of my friends go there regularly.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

haha, we used to have them around when i lived in Cincinnatti on the outskirts, we also had one when i lived over in California... it was the coolest thing when i was little. you'd ask for a gallon of milk, they'd bring it to your window.

This is probably a dumb question so I hope you'll forgive me, but couldn't they just let you level the floor of the doorway so that you could put a step in? Like, in the doorway and not on the sidewalk?