Moonshrimp Brewing-A gluten free microbrewery

[InfiniteThought]

John's is awesome, they are burning through about 50 fliers a day, possibly more. Every time I have been there they have already run out. They also told me that they were going to turn their entire store into a trap that people couldn't leave until they contributed to the Kickstarter, that one seems slightly less likely to work out.

As far as city governments are concerned I haven't done any work, one downspouts worth of water now empties jointly with another one about 15 feet away connected only with temporary pipes. It is always good advice to avoid problems with the city, especially the permitting process for ANYTHING AT ALL but in this case they really don't care.

I am using millet (un malted, hulled pearl millet) and beet sugar. For a list of the complete ingedients in each beer see www.moonshrimpbrewing.com/beers

 

[Rivenin]

haha holy crap, i just saw where your location was as well... i drive by you guys everyday from work. i'm not a vegan nor am i wheat intolerant, but just means i could stop by for a work when i head home!
If you guys need a hand sometime, let me know! i'm just up capital by PCC

 

[InfiniteThought]

You like the octopus on the roof? He needs a little love and some paint, as well as his compound fractures repaired. Then we can sit on the roof and have a beer with a giant purple octopus.

For all nearby peoples, Moonshrimp Brewing will be offering homebrewed tastes of our beer at P.U.B on june 4th from 5-7pm.

Edit: P.U.B is Portland U-Brew & Pub in Sellwood.

 

[Rivenin]

Haha yes! i love the cephalopod! Octomoon brewing?

and badass... that is my LHBS when i need something on the way home from work... awesome! this is going in my calendar

 

[InfiniteThought]

Very excited for the tasting today, hopefully some good Kickstarter action will come out of this. The brewery walls still look like mushrooms are coming out of them from the sealant I sprayed into all the old cable holes and gaps, will try to get a picture up cause its very strange looking.

 

[Osedax]

Cool man. Good Luck! Got any pics of the beers? Loves me some beer porn.

 

[Rivenin]

Is anyone else heading to the tasting?

 

[Osedax]

I wish. Wrong coast. Let us know how it goes.

 

[beljica]

Good job on the build. What type/size of system are you thinking of?

 

[Rivenin]

Sorry I had to ditch out early. Wife needed something... but it was nice meeting you! And great beers! I usually dislike most gluten free beers, but I loved yours and am looking very forward to having a beer on the way home! If you need any help with construction or anything at all, let me know! And, because I know you were worried.... don't worry, the octopus is still there!

 

[InfiniteThought]

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.)

 

[InfiniteThought]

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.

 

[beljica]

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

 

[InfiniteThought]

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

 

[beljica]

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

 

[InfiniteThought]

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

 

[InfiniteThought]

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.

 

[igliashon]

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?

 

[InfiniteThought]

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.

 

[Osedax]

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.

 

[InfiniteThought]

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.

 

[wooda2008]

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.

 

[Ash_Mathew]

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.

 

[Osedax]

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.

 

[InfiniteThought]

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.

 

[Rivenin]

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

 

[InfiniteThought]

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.

 

[InfiniteThought]

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.

 

[Rivenin]

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!

 

[Rivenin]

any new updates on this?