Hello from Bainbridge Island (Seattle area)

[tovelo]

Hi all,
I would like to say a big hello and THANK YOU, you all have inspired and pushed me to brew better beer and up my game. I have been brewing now for three years with about 35 batches of beer a year. I share beer with everyone around me and like so many of you I too have inspirations of opening up a pico brewery. I brew beer year round and hard cider annually. My brewing all started with my LHBS since then it has taken on a life of it's own. Again thank you all for giving so freely of your time and expertise.

 

[Beer_is_good_for_you]

Wow, that's a lot of beer! I actually grew up on Bainbridge..

 

[tovelo]

Hi, why did you leave? Do you still have family here?

 

[Beer_is_good_for_you]

My mom still lives there, so does my uncle and his family. My fiancee went to grad school in the bay area, we just moved back and are living with her mom until she gets a job and we find a place over on this side. I still go over there once in a while, I'll probably be over there this weekend.

 

[tovelo]

Well if you are on the island you are more than welcome to stop by and grab a beer to go. I give away a lot of beer in an effort to refine my recipes. I have growlers so you can take it to go I just ask for the bottle back when you come back. I don't know how to PM yet so I will have to figure that out first so I can give you my contact info.

 

[FermentedTed]

Wow... what a gorgeous place to live. My wife and I visited for the first time back in June when we were in Seattle for the NHC... she's been checking the job postings daily since then.

Welcome!

 

[fall-line]

Welcome to the forums, from just across the water. Our house has a *tiny* view of the water, and your lovely island.

 

[tovelo]

Thank you, My wife and two children moved here 6 years ago and love it. We found our spot and are staying put. I know 3 island families that moved from Chicago areas (Orbitz) and love the island. It can be expensive and secluded but the pace and people are wonderful. Nice garage build my wife and I (general contractor) are considering building a house, garage, wood shop, brewery & cider house in the spring. I would probably take a year to accomplish but we have time now we just need to figure out if we have enough money to make it all happen. Here is a picture of the brewery I have started building. I need help with the control panel schematic but hopefully someone on this site will help. also is a picture of this years cider fermenting away.

 

[fall-line]

Great looking brewery you've got underway there. I'm sure you'll find all the help you could need on here in the DIY section, you'll feel right at home with some of the awesome things people are building. I'm looking forward to starting work on the automation project this winter on my stand.

Wow, that's a lot of cider! And here I thought my 18 gallons fermenting away in my basement was a lot.

 

[tovelo]

Thank you, I am obsessed with building this system but work and family have delayed it too much. I hope to get it up and running by x-mas. Last year I screwed up w/ blue barrels that I wasn't 100% sure of their original contents and I had to pour out 150 gallons of tainted cider. I pitch both safale 04 & champagne yeasts. The ale yeast I think requires more back sweetening producing a sweeter cider but the champagne yeast can be left dryer for two distinctly different ciders to please more people.