Well, you weren't SUPPOSED to notice anything, but if you did then you get a gold star.
What the hell am I talking about? Read on.
Lately I've been chatting a lot with people who have a company, want a company or and just generally interested in starting one. From these chats I've noticed that for the most part people only consider influences from the same industry. While you need to know your industry and can't ignore the trends, fads and random noise you can't be solely influenced by it.
Thinking of most of the breweries I've stumbled across it seems they have only drawn influence from other breweries in the world from American craft beer to traditional german lagers and classic british styles it is seemingly harder for new breweries to break out of this funk. Most of the Ontario craft brewers have roots running very deep into british origins with only 1 or 2 really starting to get on the american IPA styles with mega hops and crazy high alcohol brews. The american craft beer revolution runs as far back as 1984 with Sam Adams and the Boston Beer co. While there were canadian craft breweries opening in this time period (Brick in Waterloo for example) none of them ever got to the size that Sam Adams has become and probably never will. Why? First of all, these guys are stuck and the marketing is just stolen from other successes IN THE SAME INDUSTRY and have really shot themselves in the foot with the customer base they built up (the Laker bums). American Craft brewers started to dry hop beers years later and only now is it growing across the border and to other parts of the world (Scotland quickly comes to mind). From what I've found out dry hopping isn't a new technique but is just used more effectively due to more flavourful hops.
What is going to be the next big thing in brewing? Who knows but I really hope that it doesn't come from history. A leading example I can think of is Dogfish Head in Delaware. These guys are doing some crazy shit and while a good amount of it isn't new techniques they are using the old techniques and bringing them forward (continual hopping, serving through fresh hops and using other woods to age beers). Listening to Sam (founder) talk about his influences in life it seems that a good amount of them are drawn from outside the industry. I really want to meet him someday as his book is amazing and you should check it out. Brewing Up a Business by Sam Calagione. You will thank me later.
Why I care? These same people that I've chatted with have made me realize that it takes more than good beer to have a great brewery. It takes innovative thinking, inventive ways to spend (and save) money and a bit of insanity. I thankfully have the last bit, part of the first bit and bits of the second bit as well. It has also made me realize, even though it depressed me quite a bit, that I'll need to get off my ass soon and start to do some work.
I'm 21 right now and what have I accomplished? Well, I've got through 2.5 years of a chemistry degree, I've grown the balls to move to a new country for 8 months knowing next to nothing about where I'd be living, what I'd be doing or who I'd meet and I've met some fantastic people who have inspired me. I'll be honest, it was a bit scary after the excitement wore off but its turned out for the best and I'd never change what I've done. Ever. Why I'm kicking myself in the head a bit is because people only 3 years older than me, as well as people younger, have done so much more. I know it isn't good to compare yourself to other people but at times it's hard not to. I guess I'm actually coming to grips with the things that I've been talking about for a year or so. Owning a brewery, brew pub or both. Its scary to think that in a few years I might own my own business. I know if I do I'll have a lot of support from lots of great people, either financially or emotionally (we all need a shoulder to cry on at times, right?), but I worry and wonder if I can manage the stress, fear and burden of it after that initial excitement wears off. No matter how much research you do, experience you get or planning hours you put into things you just never know.
And what scares me the most (other than my yearly birthday freak out session about getting older)? How can I be different. I want and need to be different from the competition in order to a) be successful and b) make myself happy. b is much more important to me than a but there is definitely a relationship between the two.
You meet new people everyday and in each new interaction you learn something that you can take away and keep with you. I'm an optimist, its a fact but man it gets hard at times to see the bigger picture. I'm fortunate enough that I've had an interesting life and have many things to draw from for inspiration but inspiration is another mystery and usually just shows up from time to time. With that in mind, you have to work hard and find things to learn about to draw inspiration from. I love music, books, magic and movies and from each of those you gain something. Every song has a different purpose to different people. You take away things from a movie that others may not (which is why I hated english class because my opinion was usually wrong. That makes no fucking sense, does it? An opinion can't be wrong you idiots.). Magic is about personal experience. Some people believe, some are entertained and some can't be bothered.
Your life experiences design you. What you do with them defines you (Is that mine? I hope so)
I'm not sure how we got here but this is a long fucking post. Thanks to everyone who read to the end and I'd like feedback. I love collaborations and will work with anyone on anything if you get me interested because once you have that hook the rest is easier. Thanks to everyone, and you know who you are, who inspired it.
Cheers (to the 2 pints you probably drank while reading all this. And you are still reading because I'm still typing. Sorry)
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