Get updates by RSS
Update #8: Preparing for Nano Launch!
Greetings,
As promised, we are updating you all on our progress towards launching the Bemidji Brewing Nano system, with pictures too! Since acquiring and assembling all of the nano equipment we have brewed two test batches, so far so good. We will be filtering and kegging them in the next week or so. Each time we brew we discover upgrades and efficiencies to work on for the next batch. One awesome upgrade we have already made is a stainless steel brew stand that Tom's father welded up for us. It definitely makes the brew process easier, safer, and more compact--thanks Dennis! So far we have been test batching in a friend's garage, but will make the move into our new home, The Community Kitchen at Harmony Co-op soon.
We have also submitted our Brewer's Notice and associated paperwork to the TTB (Federal gov) and are now waiting the average 57 days for their approval. After that we can be inspected by the State of MN and hopefully get the green light to brew commercial batches. In the meantime we have lots of little projects to keep us busy and should be able to squeeze in another test batch or two.
This week should also see the remainder of the $65 swag packages shipped out--everything looks great and we hope you all enjoy your items! That leaves only the Deluxe Tasting packages and Experiences such as the Beer Dinner, Keg Party, and Brews Cruises to wrap up. If you have any questions about your pledge items or experiences, please let us know!
We hope that you will continue to follow and support Bemidji Brewing as we get closer to launching our nano system and releasing our first beers in the Bemidji area. We will continue to update you on our progress and any upcoming tastings or other events, but feel free to contact us in the meantime. Oh, and be sure to check out the photos below! Thank you again for your support of Bemidji Brewing and craft beer.
Cheers,
Tina, Tom, and Bud
Update #7: Our apartments are getting really full of stuff.
Greetings!
If the amount of stuff taking over our living spaces is any indication, things are rolling right along with Bemidji Brewing's nanobrewery launch. There are Kickstarter pledge items coming and going as well as pieces of brewing equipment--very exciting!
Rest assured, your pledge items are in the works and if not already in your hands, they will be soon. Below are a few pictures of just some of the fun items, starting off with the tasting paddles that Bud's parents created in their woodshop:
We are also excited to announce that we have secured a location for our nanobrewery. We will be brewing out of Harmony Cooperative’s NEW Community Kitchen in downtown Bemidji. It is a new project that aims to help small food-related startups bypass or ease the costs of leasing space, building a certified kitchen, and licensing. Here is a link to a recent MPR blurb about the Kitchen. We are thrilled to be one of the Kitchen’s inaugural tenants!
In case you missed it, Bemidji Brewing was also featured in a MPR story about crowd-sourced funding in early March. Thanks again to Tom Robertson at MPR for highlighting our story!
Other than getting Kickstarter pledge items wrapped up and acquiring our nano brewing equipment, we have been busy filling out our licensing paperwork, working on recipe development, and finalizing our lease agreement. We are planning to do our first test brew on our new equipment in mid-April, or as soon as all of our equipment has arrived and is assembled. We will be sure to share some pics of the system and our brew days. And we will also keep you updated on our timeframe for our fist beer release--after we have been inspected by the State of MN, the Feds have a 95 day window to inspect and approve us and then it's GO time!
Thanks again for your support! We look forward to hearing from you and hope that you will share pics of your sweet BBC gear in action.
Cheers,
Tina, Tom, and Bud
To get you even more excited about your pledge items, here are a few last pics of one of our pledge packing parties:
Update #6: Swag Shopping, Licensing, and Lots of Planning...
Greetings Backers!
We hope this update finds you all well. Things are going great for Bemidji Brewing Company, in large part due to all of you and our successful Kickstarter campaign! So, you may be wondering: what are we doing now? And how soon will you be getting your sweet pledge items? And of course, when can you have a delicious BBC brew?
Much of what we are doing at this point falls into the paperwork, planning, and meeting category (i.e. Way Less Fun than a Kickstarter Campaign, but Necessary), things such as: filling out licensing paperwork, making lots of lists regarding equipment and suppliers, and meeting with folks from the City and State in regards to where we can brew. Lots of work, but exciting too!
We are also making good ground on your pledge items. We have several suppliers that we are looking into and are trying to stay as local, yet economical as possible. We can't wait to share some pics of the designs and items themselves. We hope to have most of the items ordered within the next two weeks, so expect to receive a survey from us also in a few weeks regarding item details. We will also keep you posted on the Experience rewards such as the Keg Party and Beer Dinner, they are going to be a blast!
And of course, you're probably curious to know when you might be able to get your hands on Bemidji Brewing's beer--we are still hoping to be brewing by late spring so that you can enjoy a BBC brew this summer. It will only be on draft in limited quantities here in Bemidji this first summer, all the more reason to make the trip! We will keep you posted as our timeline firms up.
Thank you again for supporting Bemidji Brewing--feel free to drop us a line or ask questions, we'd love to hear from you!
Cheers,
Tina, Tom, and Bud
Update #5: EVENT: New Year, New Beer!
Bemidji Brewing hosted the pledge and tasting event, "New Year, New Beer" last Friday, January 13, 2012 at the Keg N Cork in downtown Bemidji--it was a hit! We had over 200 people join us for tasting, pledging, and Hammerschlagening (sp?). It was great to see so many locals out in support of craft beer and everyone had a good time. We can't wait to hold another event! Thanks to all of our awesome volunteers, family, and friends who helped us pull it off--we couldn't have done it without you. Thanks also to the Keg N Cork for letting us take over the entire basement and being okay with us playing a game involving hammers and nails! Check below for some of the sweet photos of our event, courtesy of Joe Hensel.
Thanks again to all for helping us "Beer Bemidji!"
Cheers,
Tina, Tom, and Bud
Update #4: We made it! Whoohoo!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! With just under a week to go in our campaign we are fully funded--$15,000 and growing! It was a magical moment and a bit serendipitous as all of the BBC crew was together when it happened. We are so grateful for all of the support we have received these past two months--from everyone who's donated, shared online, attended our events, and spread the word, we couldn't have done it without you. We can't wait to get started! Thank you for helping us "Beer Bemidji"!
Cheers!
Tina, Tom, and Bud
-
-
-
Paul Lennemann on January 16
Congratulations! Hope to be able to visit this summer. Now get busy brewing!
-
Sue Hale on January 16
Very excited for you!!! My mother's family has had ties to Bemidji since the late 1800s - early 1900s. The family made pilgrimages almost every year (even tho' we live on Lake Michigan!!) Now that my parent's are gone - I have inherited their cottage and am looking forward to some good "Bemidji Brew"! See you in June!!!
-
248
Backers
$17,528
pledged of $15,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on January 23.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
Bemidji Brewing Decal & Web Recognition: An exclusive lure logo decal stating "I helped beer Bemidji" and website "thank-you" name fame.
Pledge $20 or more Pledge $20 or more
Bottle Opener & Eternal Name Fame: A high-quality bottle opener that looks like a lure, plus the sweet BBC decal, web thanks AND your name immortalized within the walls of the future brewery. Until Bemidji Brewing has a physical location, this thanks will travel with the team to festivals and events in the form of a pledge plaque or something equally monumental and cool.
Pledge $35 or more Pledge $35 or more
Vintage-Inspired Bemidji Brewing T-Shirt: Show the world your BBC support with an awesome vintage-inspired t-shirt. You'll also receive the BBC decal and Name Fame.
Pledge $45 or more Pledge $45 or more
ITEM: Custom Beer Tasting Journal: Get this custom tasting journal, complete with insider tips, facts, and other fun tidbits that will help you document all of your favorite beer sampling memories. And don't worry, you'll also get the BBC decal, bottle opener, and Name Fame!
Pledge $45 or more Pledge $45 or more
EXPERIENCE: Invite to Bemidji Brewing's Inaugural Keg-Tapping Party: when the brewery's first commercial beer is released you'll be invited to this special and exclusive party. Just think about it this way: it's the same price as a concert ticket for a band touring to dozens of cities but this event happens only once in a brewery's lifetime and you can say you were there! *All of the following levels will also receive Name Fame.
Pledge $55 or more Pledge $55 or more
EXPERIENCE: Attend a Private Beer Dinner: Indulge in an exclusive, three-course dinner paired with Bemidji Brewing beers. Only 24 total seats are available for this event, so act fast, every 8 seats will cost more money!
Pledge $65 or more Pledge $65 or more
EXPERIENCE: Attend a Private Beer Dinner: The same awesome event as above, but since you missed out on the previous level, it'll cost you $65 per seat--still a great deal for such an exclusive event!
Pledge $65 or more Pledge $65 or more
ITEM: Swag Package: Not able to attend events but still want to show your BBC support? This is the perfect package for you: get the decal, bottle opener, t-shirt, tasting journal, AND a custom Bemidji Brewing pint glass--an item only available at this level of support!
Pledge $75 or more Pledge $75 or more
EXPERIENCE: Attend a Private Beer Dinner: This is your last chance to snag a seat at our private 3-course, beer-paired dinner! Don't miss out!
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
ITEM: Tasting Package: Get your hands on this tasting package and be prepared to really experience BBC Brews. Comes with: BBC bottle opener, a 4 glass set of custom 5oz. sampling glasses, holding tray, and your very own custom BBC Tasting Journal so that you can document all of your "research."
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
ITEM: Deluxe Swag & Tasting Package: At this level of support you'll score the sweet vintage-inspired BBC t-shirt and the same great items from the basic Tasting Package PLUS an additional set of sample glasses & tray for you and a friend to tickle your taste buds sampling BBC brews. And to take it one awesome step further, you'll also get a custom Bemidji Brewing soft-sided cooler to keep all your favorite BBC brews at their perfect tasting temperature. Cheers!
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
EXPERIENCE: Beer for Breakfast: The Bemidji Brewing founding team comes to your Northern Minnesota residence/cabin and prepares a breakfast of champions for you and 5 friends/family members, featuring Bemidji Beer as an ingredient as well as a chaser for your morning coffee.
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
EXPERIENCE: Lake Bemidji Brews Cruise: Support Bemidji Brewing and treat 8 of your friends to a personal tour of beautiful Lake Bemidji via pontoon boat. Enjoy a relaxing cruise, an open beer bar featuring exclusive BBC brews, and listen to awesome live music!
Project By
Has not connected their Facebook account.
Tom Hill has been an avid homebrewer for the past eight years, participating in multiple brewing courses, devouring all brewing texts, and becoming one of the first Certified Cicerones in Minnesota.
Tina Hanke has lived and worked in various places across the country, making sure to explore each areas craft beer scene and putting her geography degree to good use. Other than the geography of beer, Tina has experience in community programming, event and organizational marketing, and education.
Justin (Bud) Kaney developed a love for great beer over discussions with great friends. After exploring craft beer culture while working in product development in New England and organizational capacity building in the Rockies, he is excited to get creative in his Alma Mater town, Bemidji.
