TWO MORE DAYS UNTIL LIFT-OFF!

With 1/3-barrel Brewzilla in Amy & Alex's garage, 2009.

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer."
-Abraham Lincoln

In November 2009, after reading Stephen Buhner and Sandor Katz, we started brewing on the picnic table in my back yard. Buhner inspired with accounts of medieval brewing practices and insight into humanity’s connection with plant world. Katz provided a reassuring “anyone can do this” ethos and a deep reverence for the microscopic life-forms who conduct the real alchemy of brewing: fermentation.  Alex and I were attempting a hop-less interpretation of DFH’s World Wide Stout--going big right out’ the gate. Proud to say the beer tasted incredible out of the fermenter, humbled to say it was an infected mess when it was finally poured from a bottle. Big huge lesson #1: clean your stuff, well, and often.

And we were off.

Is that Ju-Ju, Gris-Gris, or Mojo in the tasting room?

Three years later, maybe to the day, we will start selling our beer. This is in no small part to Alex running with an idea to open a home brew shop. A year and a half ago, he and his wife (my sister) Gretchen took the plunge and opened A&G Homebrew Supply. As you might imagine, our homebrewing acumen grew as we enjoyed access to, and wholesale prices on, lots of supplies and equipment. Another bonus involves the old adage: “The best way to learn is to teach.” With Alex suddenly in a brew store 7 days a week he had to teach it. He read books, magazines and scoured the interwebs voraciously--and we continued to brew a new batch every week or two.

And lets not forget the resurrected Seacoast Homebrewers Club who eventually took to meeting at A&G. All of us are better brewers because of the friendships and support that club members have given each other over the last few years. Nothing like geeking out once a month whilst discussing and drinking the different brews we bring. (Thanks and cheers, ya’lls!)

In the brewery proper 2012, upgraded to a one-barrel system.

I don’t remember a particular moment when the idea of starting a brewery was hatched. We started playing "faux brewery" as soon as we had brewed a beer we wanted to share. Pretty early on Alex told me that some Native Americans refer to wild turkeys as “earth eagles.” Then the band-name moment came to me: Earth Eagle would be a very cool brewery name.  The term “brewings” came up pretty quick thereafter.  It sounded a tad mysterious, feral even, more like witches huddled over a kettle than a beer factory.  And we certainly didn’t want to give our friends and families blank bottles of beer with cryptic initials on the caps, so we started naming our beers and making labels.

Folks kept telling us that they really liked our stuff and wanted to buy it. We also won some homebrew competition medals. Then the song started to change from “I want your beer” to “I want to invest in your beer.” Alrighty then, when fate comes a knockin’ you best open the door!  Starting off with a one-barrel brewery feels just right for two guys who’ve never worked in a brewery before. We are optimistic that Earth Eagle will expand but want it to fund its own growth and create its own timetable. We intend to do it right AND stay connected to our “brewings” ideal of old world alchemy and creative expression.

Please join us for our opening day, Saturday November 17th from noon to 4 pm, and experience what we are brewing for yourself--empyreal ales and wonder gruits. Prost!