Update #11: B'Urban Trail 2011 - Collabeeration with De Struise & Half Acre
Hello to our faithful believers!
Let's start with the good news:
Hopefully you remember the story of how we got started... (we flew to Belgium to apprentice under RateBeer.com's 2008 #1 Brewer of the Year Urbain Coutteau of De Struise Brouwers...etc.)
Well, this time Urbain is coming to CHICAGO to see us! and some other prominent brewers as well ;-) such as Three Floyds, New Albanian, Half Acre and our good friends at the Louisville Beer Store!
He'll be in town the first week of May and we are going to head over to Half Acre to brew a collaborative Half Acre - De Struise - Pipeworks beer! (most likely will be bottled for sale at the Half Acre bottle shop on Lincoln Ave)
Urbain will be doing some other beery things around Chicago as well, like pouring a special De Struise keg at West Lakeview Liquors on May 2nd at 5pm, 2156 W Addison, Chicago, IL
Here's his full itinerary if you are interested in meeting him at some of these events in Chicago, Indiana and Kentucky:
Monday, May 2nd - • Arrive in Chicago at 1:17pm ; Check into hotel • Meet and greet at West Lakeview Liquors at 5pm • Dinner at Longman & Eagle with crew (set up by Lincoln) • Drinks at Local Option, Map Room etc. Tuesday, May 3rd • Drive to Munster, and brewday @ 3Floyd's • 8:30p - Dinner at Publican with 3Floyds brew teamhttp://thepublicanrestaurant.com/ Wednesday May 4th • Brew day at Half Acre • Drive to Louisville by 5pm Thursday, May 5th • visit Kelvin cooperage http://www.kelvincooperage.com/index.html • Go on the bourbon Trail http://www.kybourbontrail.com/ Friday, May 6th • OAKS DAY at Churchill Downs • Dinner at 732 Social - 7:00p • First Friday/Party at Louisville Beer Store w/ special guest! Saturday, May 7th • DERBY!!!! Day at Churchill Downs • Holy Grale's 1st Annual Beer Ball w/ special guest :) • Dinner at 610 magnolia? (need to confirm) Sunday, May 8th • Recovery Day - Open Monday, May 9th • Brewday at NABC http://www.newalbanian.com/ • Beer Session/Dinner at Richo’s
Okay sooo now for the 'other' news:
We are STILL location hunting! The Avondale/Old Irving Park neighborhoods have been very friendly and helpful to us, so we have been looking at several potential locations over there, but are still looking in places like Pilsen, West Loop, and the northern Chicago neighborhoods.
We've also found that some of the locations that will work for us with the least amount of hassle are about twice as much as what we had originally planned. For that reason we've had to seek out a little more fundage! but we are very very close!
We've also been able to save quite a bit of money using Beejay's sharp eye for deals! We've found several types of hosing, clamps, fittings, a spray nozzle, and a sweet pump for prices well below what had originally budgeted for.
Our 3 bbl direct fire brewhouse is sitting in Gerrit's garage now and our new 7bbl fermenters should be on their way by the end of May to their new permanent home because they won't fit in anyone's garage!
Thanks for being patient! We'll get all your backer rewards out once we're settled into our new home! But we know what you really care about is getting some beer already!!!
Cheers,
Gerrit & Beejay
p.s. check out Beejay's new tattoo!
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on January 1, 2011.
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
A snazzy Pipeworks Sticker mailed to you in an envelope! Feel free to put it on your bumper or in the stall of your favorite bar. (J/K we don't endorse vandalism)
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
Any person who pledges $10 OR MORE will receive an invitation to a private tasting / brewery tour! Of course everyone wants to taste what this is actually all about! We love to have parties!
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
Surprise! We've been waiting for... right now! to tell you that anyone who pledges $25 or more will receive 50% on your first purchase at our bottle shop on purchases up to $100! What!?!? That's crazy you say! Well, we want you to drink large quantities of our beer! (Of course we'll still include the key-chain/sticker. No need to switch to this backer reward if you've already picked the other $25 reward. Anyone who donates $25 or more will receive this coupon. Coupon will be hand numbered and include commemorative Pipeworks artwork so you can keep it, frame it, hang it from your review mirror)
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
A KickAss KickStarter Key-Chain Pipeworks Bottle Opener! Fashionable and FUNctional too! (plus we'll send you that sticker from above)
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
Your choice of one of our famous "Pipe Brew Drink" T-shirts.... (you pick the size and color), OR one of our laboratory-designed scientifically-proven taste-enhancing Pipeworks Glasses (not really, but it is a very nice glass though!) (plus we'll send you the Pipeworks Sticker)
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
Now added to the $100 & above level: You'll permanently have the ability to get first dibs on bottle releases. This means we'll give you the first chance to reserve limited bottles (or general releases if you don't want to worry about them selling out). A contribution at this level places you on our 'We <3 U list!
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
The Sticker, Bottle Opener, "Pipe Brew Drink" T-shirt + Pipeworks Tasting Glass
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
Same as $100 reward + a nifty Pipeworks Hat extra tasting glass and... YOUR INVITED TO THE BEST DINNER EVER! Hard to describe in words. Check out photos of our Earth Day Dinner with City Provisions to get a taste! www.facebook.com/pipeworks under our photo albums or click on the hyperlink under our links section at the bottom of this page. (If you can't make the dinner I'm sure we can find alternate ways to make you happy) [we're moving the Beer Dinner to the $250 reward! ] (if you've already chosen the other $250 reward you can switch to this by clicking 'manage your pledge' or you can keep your original reward choice) + there's more... you'll get put on an exclusive 'Pipeworks Tasting Panel' list that invites you to the brewer to help us develop our beers. You can help us retool test batches and put in your valuable input, as well as coming in for a samples of the finished product before anyone else!
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
Same as the $100 reward + a nifty Pipeworks Hat, extra Tasting Glass and Printed Label Art Poster of your choosing!
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
Same as $250 reward + 2 more tasting glasses and an extra seat to the Beer Dinner (so 2 seats for the Dinner and 4 tasting glasses total, + sticker, bottle opener, T-shirt)
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
Oops! The $1000 reward is supposed to say "Same as $500 level" not "$250" and we'll bump the dinner seats up to 4 total for this reward! + Pipeworks Wrench Tap Handle and you can have your likeness on the label a batch of 13%abv Abduction Imperial Stout ! (you can switch to this reward if you've chosen the other $1000 reward by clicking 'manage your pledge'
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
Same as $250 level + 2 more tasting glasses to round out the set, another seat at the awesome beer pairing dinner, as well as a Pipeworks Wrench Tap Handle, and maybe if you so desire we'll stick your likeness on the label of an edition of our Abduction 13% Imperial Stout (See Label Art Link).
Pledge $2,500 or more Pledge $2,500 or more
Same as $1000 level, except instead of having just your likeness on Abduction, we'll invite you to create a beer with us from the ground up that will go into production. This includes creating the recipe with you, as well as the name and label art, which can of course be a glorious tribute to your generous donation!
Pledge $10,000 or more Pledge $10,000 or more
Here's the grand daddy treat for the most philanthropic effort: We'll take you to BELGIUM! You'll get to relive the beginning days of Pipeworks! We'll take you to where it all started, a tour of Belgium and probably a stop in the Netherlands. Not only will you visit and experience the most holy of brewing sites (Westvleteren, Cantillon, De Struise, The Kulminator, etc...), but if we're lucky you'll get to be a part of a collaboration brew with one, or more, of our European brewing friends! Oh yea, we'll throw all that other stuff in there too, probably by the case (glasses, shirts, hats, key chains, dinner, tap handle, and maybe if there is room a sticker or two).
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Pipeworks began as…
the dream of a couple of beer geeks right here in Chicago. Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis started their adventures in fermentation within the plastic buckets and stovetop kettles of the home brewer. The two met while working at West Lakeview Liquors, a mom and pop liquor boutique on the north side boasting one of the best beer selections in the world. It wasn’t long before they began dreaming up plans for their own craft brewery.
In January of 2009, after some persistence, the Pipeworks boys landed an apprenticeship in Belgium with Ratebeer.com’s 2008 Brewer of the Year, Urbain Coutteau of De Struise Brouwers. Living and working alongside Urbain, the Pipeworks crew honed their skills,learning the traditions of Belgian brewing while mastering some innovative new techniques. To document these brewing adventures the boys started the popular Buckets to Barrels Blog hosted on De Struise’s site.
Pipeworks is…
- Beejay Oslon, a native of Chicago who began home-brewing while attending art school. Beejay serves as the head brewer, with over five years of experience in both brewing and craft beer retail. Through his experiences as a fine artist and graphic designer, he also serves as the creative director for Pipeworks.
-Gerrit Lewis, a transplant from the brewery-rich Colorado, armed with a sharp palate and lust for everything beer.He spends his time (and lots of his money) visiting at least one area beer store a day, seeking out the newest craft beer releases. Gerrit attended Loyola University Chicago Business School and considers himself a savvy and aggressive fresh-faced marketer.
