Brewing

Actually, Don's not an ass in the least. . . I figure he's spent a few minutes trying to educate you on the biz. However, since you seem to be bound and determined to flaily about and not pay attention to the opinions you've solicited, I'm sure you know what's best.

Look, junior, take a lesson from Lew and Don. If you want to play in the beer biz, then you should probably do some heavy research. Roanoke isn't even going to support a multi-tap. You want to open a taproom in Roanoke? Make lots of room for MGD, AB products, etc. That's the reality. The profit margin to be made off of beer geeks is razor thin - even in robust markets. Don't go pissing on Don because you came off with a half-baked idea.

P.S. - If you want to search for original posts from me, you might want to go back to the cfv that started this newsgroup. . .

I'm sure the answer's going to be "yes," but did you get a chance to try to the Dupont (not the saison) draught beer at Tangletown recently. Les Bonne Veux, or somesuch. . . Jesus H. TapDancing Christ that's a great beer.

Don -

Fish, barrel, large bore rifle. . .

And to think, I've skipped reading rfdb for months. Hopefully, this guy is a troll, and we've all been drawn in. The alternative is too horrifying to consider.

If you get there on a night when Heather is working the bar, it's more than worth the drive. The food is good, but not great. . . The beers are all what you'd expect from Elysian. . . But, The Heather Show is definitely worth the drive.

I'll be sure to contact the original poster and offer to invest in his surefire venture. . .

I wouldn't even bet on a successful venture with a specialty beer bar in Charlottesville - and they have UVA as a built in clientele. Truth be told, Virginia, regardless of where you ware, just isn't friendly to beer-themed rooms. The best one I've found is "Green Leaf" down in Williamsburg, and they are always running on the thin edge of the margin where it comes to beer.

I almost feel bad about being old, wizened, and testy. Guess I'll drown my sorrows with a trip to Victory next week. Who knows? I might even throw caution to the wind and stop in for a beer or two at Monk's.

You take that back!!

I bear my burdens so lightly, but burdens they are.

.sigquote here, getcher .sigquote here!

Maybe if we all get together and sing this in three-part harmony with synthesizers and lasers ... ? I know for a fact that Lew can carry one hell of a tune.

Let alone a brewpub, unless someone has *really* deep pockets and is willing to watch a lot of money swirl down the drain.

Yep. You don't go into the beer biz - serving it or making it - to get rich quick, or even at all. I believe it was a wise ol' pub- owner in Portland (the one in Oregon, folks) that suggested it was far more profitable to be a property-owner leasing space to pub- keepers, than to actually be a pub-keeper.

And most of all, you gotta know your market. Maybe there is room for a specialty beer bar in Roanoke, VA. Maybe, if enough people are weaned off BudMillOors there, they'll go for something with a little more robustness (robusticity?) and flavor. Maybe. But somehow, I wouldn't lay huge bags o' bucks on it.

Jeez, there's my third shower today. Will you people just stop?!?

Yeah, but what have you contributed? What? C'mon, the world belongs to youth, brimming with happy, clueless enthusiasm, not tired, wizened, cynical old RFKIA beer geeks on Usenet.

And you've gotta be willing to learn. It's pretty obvious you're a rank beginner, and you've got a steep learning curve to climb. So when people suggest you get out there and climb up that curve, go do it!

Thanks for the advice. I am here to learn and am going to "climb up that curve".

Ya gotta learn to include quotes in your posting, even if you're using Google groups. BTW, a better alternative is to get a free account on news.individual.de and use a newsreader client like Firefox or Agent instead.

And you've gotta be willing to learn. It's pretty obvious you're a rank beginner, and you've got a steep learning curve to climb. So when people suggest you get out there and climb up that curve, go do it!

You know, Don, if I wanted to be you-like to you, I could jump all over your ass and point out that you're some sort of troglodytic half-wit because you can't tell the difference between a browser like Firefox and a news/email client like Thunderbird. Yeah, they're both Mozilla, but I'm sure it's very confusing.

But I won't do that.

Oh, and nice touch with the spelling flames elsewhere in the thread. Those are *so* challenging to come up with. And I'm sure you feel at least a good inch taller now and much more attractive to women.

The guy's obviously green, has only the beginnings of an idea, but I give him points for asking for thoughts before, say, sinking $800,000 into a brewery and kitchen. Hell, you should know from a brewpub owner you're familiar with about a three-hour drive south of you that someone who's open to any advice at all, instead of "fearlessly" plunging into the abyss is miles ahead of the game.

Usually asking questions is the first really, really good sign of being willing to learn. Sort of like the guy did when he first posted.

Yeah, it is. Your schools may have been different, but the generally recognized approach to help people negotiate those curves is not to jump up their ass for simply posing a question.

You might want to take your own advice.

-Steve

I think it would probably work, actually, given some work and edumacation. Roanoke has a strong homebrew club, but apparently no one's ever given a beer bar a serious try, let alone a brewpub. Blacksburg, just down the road, has a decent beer culture, and is hometown to the contract-brewed New River Pale Ale, a feisty hop-bomb of a beer that sells for $2.25 a pint -- imperial -- in this college town. Blacksburg Brewing closed in May, though not because of lack of demand, and John does want to re-open as a brewpub...but I doubt that will be happening real soon. But I think something WOULD go in Roanoke. Main problem is wholesaler access: Virginia is one of the worst states I know for this, and western VA is the worst part.

The Mellow Mushroom has a great tap selection in Ch'ville (Bear Republic, 3 Floyds, Stone, etc.), there are two very strong brewpubs (South Street is quite adventurous, Starr Hill has probably won more GABF medals with fewer beers than any brewery in the country), and there are at least four other beer bars well worth your time, including an excellent German-themed one that also carries a half-decent Belgian array.

Thank your lucky stars...it's one of the worst homebrewing books ever written.

------>Denny

If that's the case, you might want to point the OP in the direction of some of the better-quality brewing books. TNCJOHB would be a step up if it's that bad.

(Yeah, I know, better discussed on rec.crafts.brewing.)

Hell, I'll discuss it anytime, anywhere...but I'll pass my recommendations on to hi.

----------->Denny

John, I have that book...it's not a good book at all. Lots of bad advice and shaky recipes. When you say "The Bible", I assume you mean Charlie P.'s book. I applaud his attitude, but there's a lot of dodgy advice in that book, too. If you haven't already read John Palmer's How To Brew, go to the online version at www.howtobrew and check it out. It's "The NEW Bible"...

-------->Denny

at www.howtobrew

Can I assume you ment

John Nervo