Feud between my two local breweries

[aprichman]

Haha, just noticed this is the same brewery that was trying to head hunt a head brewer through Oregon State University's fermentation science program. Here's what they said about your little town m00ps:

"Paducah (pah-doo-kuh). Funny name isn’t it? But it’s a cool place. It has a thriving art community, two craft breweries, a low cost of living, an amazing local music scene, lakes, trails, rivers, great restaurants, a bevy of fascinating young professionals, and the people here are embracing craft beer in a way we never thought possible (you have to meet our regulars…especially Jeffro). Seriously, it’s cool."

The excluded that their former head brewer got fired for throwing around chairs

 

[m00ps]

Oh yeah we are so cool. They didnt even mention the #1 attraction - The National Quilt Museum. Yup, every April the town gets swarmed with seniors and its hell driving around trying not to hit them as they meander through the streets

 

[nDub]

I think every town now has at least one hipster craft beer snob brewery. ...

*exception to point* We have zero brewery here. I'd take a hipster beer snob brewery just to have something.

 

[m00ps]

Down the grapevine, it looks like theyve found a few candidates for brewery #2. Im considering going back there to at least see whats going on. A number of their employees I really liked. I hope that the snobbishness was just cultured from their last brewer....

 

[m00ps]

update: I went to the brewery that lost its head brewer for New Years Eve. They had a band playing and it was absolutely slammed. Their beer has majorly gone downhill. I tried 3 of my top beers from there and I struggled to finish every one of them. I'm guessing their head brewer kept most of what he did to himself and just kind of gave the assistant ones tasks and stuff because they obviously aren't doing what they did before. I've talked to 4 other people that similarly noted the considerable decline in quality

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

update: I went to the brewery that lost its head brewer for New Years Eve. They had a band playing and it was absolutely slammed. Their beer has majorly gone downhill.

Can you tell if they are usually busy, or think it may have just been a NYE thing?

I'm used to seeing dive bars do well, just as much as I'm used to seeing upscale pubs do well. But I have a hard time understanding how a dive-brewery can do well. I say that because there is one place I have been to and they serve horrible horrible beer...from plastic cups. Yet, they are busy with the locals who come in to hang out and listen to live music.

 

[Hello]

You should clearly never return to that brewery. Those who love it will continue to go, but you, you can find another place and just know that you hate that brewery. Save your dollars.

 

[m00ps]

Post mortem update:

Over the last few months, the brewery that lost their head brewer has gotten a bit desperate it seems. They are in the midst of a lawsuit with the brewer that left/got fired. Apparently he's suing them for stealing "his" recipes. Although, from everything I've gathered, they were just palmed straight from the +5 breweries hes worked at.

They are now trying to collaborate with #1. #1 want to be amenable, but is worried that #2 is just looking for a window into their process. I found out the other day the actual reason #2s beer has changed so much over the past few months. Apparently none of the processes were written down, so the guys at the brewery were left with just a list of ingredients and no idea as to yeast handling, mash temp, sparge procedure, fermentation temp, etc.

SWMBO wants me to head to #2 tonight cause some of her friends want to do a trivia thing there. Decided to go and see if their snobbishness has tapered off yet. I really think I could help them out with at least their Belgian styles. They have been sickeningly sweet since the new year

 

[joshesmusica]

Always good to help. Especially if their not big Richards any longer.

 

[AK7007]

Apparently he's suing them for stealing "his" recipes.

Apparently none of the processes were written down, so the guys at the brewery were left with just a list of ingredients and no idea as to yeast handling, mash temp, sparge procedure, fermentation temp, etc.

First off, this is why the owner of a brewery should always have a detailed understanding of how their beer is made. You don't have to do it yourself, but you need to be able to brew if the worst happens, or at least have more than one person at the brewery capable.

Everything else aside, this is almost hilarious how bad a head brewer the guy that left sounds like. Writes nothing down, hides everything he does from his boss, and sues after he leaves in an attempt to prevent them from continuing to brew the same beer.

Saddest part is, this probably isn't as uncommon an attitude as we would hope.

 

[Auger]

They are now trying to collaborate with #1. #1 want to be amenable, but is worried that #2 is just looking for a window into their process.

This sort of thing is handled all the time in industry using Proprietary Information Exchange Agreements and/or Memoranda of Understanding. If #1 is worried (I would be too, given the history) but is will to give it a shot, the proper contractual vehicle can be worked out in advance to protect themselves and establish the desire for goodwill.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

I just cannot believe Padukah has a single craft brewery, let alone two!