So, to recap: we've been here at Hornet Close with our little brewery for 3 years, slowly but surely building up our customer base, increasing sales and adding capacity. There's now three of us full time and four part. We all get paid and no one has to work like a horse (anymore). Even the numbers add up properly, at the end of the month.
Easy street here we come? No way. I'm ripping the whole thing out and starting again, bigger (three times) and better (immeasurably). Why? It's not as if we did a poor job in the fist place, quite the opposite, by luck more than judgement. But, and inexplicably I'm afraid, I know there's no plateau upon which to rest, it's just a straight incline. Or a decline. I'm scared of the former but not half as frightened as I am of the latter.
So look forward to a blow by blow account over the coming months of how to decommision two breweries and recommision them both armed with only a wing (secularity precludes the usual prayer), an extremely tight budget and total failure-phobia. Ought to be interesting.
13 comments:
Best of luck with it! Speaking as someone also with failure-phobia, I'll be looking forward to seeing your risks being rewarded :)
Wow! Sounds exciting E.
Very best wishes; bigger WILL be better!!
Failure is really nothing to be scared of, I personally embrace it. Having said that, fear of thirsty Thanetians hunting down a brewmaster who's failed to fill their tankards with the ale they love is certainly something to consider as you're pulling the brew engines apart.
I hope this doesn't sound too much like a threat, best of luck with the refit!
Thanks all.
Brock - fear of failure is debilitating, but I'm not afraid of that. Anyway, I embrace the fear - not much would get me out of bed!
Best of lucky Eddie, I look forward to trying even more of your wonderful brews...
Bold but solid words, Eddie. Lovely though the current brewery is, it was never going to let the company really spread its wings and, given the quality and passion of your beers, it would be a crime to humanity not to let the business grow.
Good luck, fella.
Good to hear you are expanding-you won't have mash tun woes anymore!
I might be putting two and two together and making five, but is it Dark Star's old 15brl plant you will be using by any chance?
Brock - been thinking more about failure-phobia: I reckon it's what keeps us going when the going gets tough.
Thanks PhilH & BS (get it open).
Pete - jumping to conclusions again eh? Drop in next time you're passing...
I was down last Friday, picked up some of your bottles, some Rochefort 8&10 along with A Dark Star Imp Stout and some De Molen too.
I'll be back soon no doubt, the girlfriend lives in B'staris!
I meant Broadstairs, but I seem to have lost the ability to type.
When the going gets tough, the tough get brewing?
Well whatever it is that keeps you going, I'll drink to it.
Just seems a shame to be motivated by something as negative as fear rather than by the potential positive rewards of success.
Clearly you're a slave cowering under threat from the stick, whereas I leap enthusiastically for the carrot. I'm just not that bothered about carrots, so failure doesn't worry me at all. If only somebody had dangled Dogbolter in front of me, I could've made something of myself.
Wait.. There's Darkstar Imperial stout in the shop? I'm on my way.
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