I take a deep breath as I step into the taproom from the back hallway, and enjoy the scent of malt and hops filling the air. Today is the day I have been waiting for the last three months, and it’s finally here. Mack, our Brew Master, has just finished the first run of our newest beer, and we’re finally about to taste it. This new brew is a bit of a departure from our usual fair, but it’s an exciting turn, and if it goes well, I could see it leading to an exciting new phase for the Spirit of Hops.
As I walk behind the bar toward the small tasting area we have set up at the far end of the building, past the two rows of tanks that make up the bulk of our operation, I see Luka chatting with an animated Charlie and Mack.
“Kendric, my man!” Mack’s booming voice echoes through the room as he approaches, carrying a tray of samples. “You ready for this? It’s gonna be epic!”
I give the big man with an even bigger beard a playful punch on the shoulder. “Of course, Mack. If it’s as amazing as you make it sound, we’ll have to bottle this by the truckload!”
Luka raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Easy there, Ken. Let’s taste it first before we start dreaming of world domination.”
I can’t help but chuckle. Luka always keeps me grounded, even if he’s a grumpy asshole about it most of the time. He’s the pragmatic one, while I tend to let my imagination run wild, much to his chagrin. But hey, that’s what makes our partnership work. He keeps my feet on the ground, and I encourage him to pull the stick out of his ass.
We gather around the tasting table, where Mack has carefully lined up four glasses of the new beer. The rose gold liquid shimmers in the light, promising a perfectly refreshing taste just in time for the summer heat to fully set in. I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. This is the culmination of weeks of hard work, experimentation, and late nights. The new recipe was the brainchild of myself and Mack wanting to try something new. All we can do now is hope Luka likes the new direction and sees the potential.
“So, gentlemen, what we have here is the first in what I would love to make a new series of small batch, limited run brews that explore some more niche styles and flavors that may not be for everyone, but those that like it will hopefully go wild for. This one, which is still unnamed at the moment, is a Strawberry Passion Fruit Milkshake IPA,” Mack explains, passing out the glasses to the rest of us.
“Can’t say I’ve had a milkshake IPA before. What makes it a milkshake?” Luka asks skeptically. While the man has a great head for business, and an uncanny knack for the distilling side of the operation, he will always be the first to admit the beer side of things has never been his strongest suit as far as knowledge or creativity goes.
“Well, I don’t need to tell you that our IPA’s are almost always the top sellers, the crowd pleasers. A milkshake is basically a hazy IPA brewed with milk sugar, so lactose, and then we added fruit and sour cultures to really bring it into a whole other category. It should be smooth, fruity without being too sweet, with a balanced sour/tartness that cuts through and leaves a refreshing aftertaste without the heaviness you might expect from something like this.”
I have no idea how he does it, but Mack always makes the technical side of our beers interesting, even for someone like Charlie, who has the attention span of a cocker spaniel most days.
“So without further ado… Cheers, gentlemen!” Mack raises his glass, and we all follow suit. “To the first run of our newest creation. May it be the start of something incredible!”
We clink our glasses together before I take a sip of the beer, and instantly, a smile spreads across my face.
“Oh, wow,” I exclaim. “This is fantastic, Mack! It has just the right balance of fruit to counter the sour, and the hop still shines through.”
Luka nods approvingly. “Agreed. This had the potential to become a fast favorite. I see what you mean about it not being for everyone. The sour can be offputting for someone who doesn’t have the pallet for it, but for those who like that bite, I can see them loving this.”
“Exactly. I would love to see us expand on a series where we explore things like this that might not be for everyone. Still, they are small batch runs, so if you don’t like one of them, something new will hit the taps in a couple weeks that you hopefully will like. Not only does it give us some additional variety to the beer side of the offerings, but it drives people to keep coming back to see what’s new,” Mack explains. Bless him for going for the hard sell, as we discussed last night before this meeting. I may or may not have coached him on some of those particular talking points to appeal to Luka’s business side.
Charlie interjects, his eyes shining with excitement. “And we can’t forget ciders! With the success of the brewing and distilling we already do, I think venturing into cider production too would round out the menu nicely. It’s a growing market, and we have the skills and creativity to make amazing ciders without having to add a ton more equipment.”
Now that is something I hadn’t considered. I can’t help but visualize a row of cider barrels filled to the brim with crisp, fruity goodness lining the back of the production area. We could even take it a step further and build some storage along the back wall, have the cider barrels, and do some barrel aged beers with some of the used distilling barrels. The idea of expanding our business, reaching more customers, and creating even more delicious beverages fills me with an intoxicating mix of anticipation and joy.
But as the conversation turns to what expansion would look like, a cloud of hesitation settles over Luka’s already severe and stoic face. “I’m not sure, guys. Hiring more people means additional expenses, and we need to ensure we can handle the growth before taking on that responsibility.”
Mack looks at Luka with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Come on, Luka! We can’t do everything ourselves forever. We need more hands on deck to conquer the craft beverage world!”
Charlie chimes in, nodding emphatically. “He’s right, Luka. We’re at a point where we can’t keep up with the demand. Hiring more staff will ease our workload and allow us to focus on growing the business further. At this point, adding more people really should be a when, not an if.”
Luka scratches his head, contemplating the idea. I can see the gears turning in his mind as he weighs the pros and cons. Finally, a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth.
“All right, all right. I surrender!” Luka exclaims, raising his hands in mock defeat. “Let’s start looking for the perfect candidates to join the team. I agree with the expansion plan, but I want to make sure we do this right. Let’s take our time and ensure we find someone who really fits and shares our vision, passion, and commitment to quality.”
Relief washes over me, and I cheer, earning a round of laughter from everyone at the table. We clink our glasses together once more, toasting the victory of the new beer and the exciting future that lies ahead for the Spirit of Hops.
As we savor the remaining sips of the delicious brew, our conversation takes a hilarious turn. Mack, always the joker, suggests we include a secret ingredient in our next batch.
“Think about it, guys,” Mack says, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “We’ll market it as the most mythical and magical beer ever brewed and call it Green Unicorn Tears! It’ll be awesome!”
“Dude, just because it is legal now, doesn’t mean we need to add weed to everything. Let the beer be beer, dammit!” Charlie chides with a laugh.
The rest of us burst out laughing. The image of a unicorn, high off its hooves, shedding tears into a brewing kettle, has us rolling with laughter, tears streaming down our faces. While I’m sure, now that it’s legal in Minnesota, it won’t be long before we see THC-infused drinks, I just don’t see us going that route any time soon. I like my booze boozy, thank you very much.
Eventually, we compose ourselves, wiping away the tears of laughter as we settle back in. Luka shakes his head, a fond smile playing on his lips.
“As much as I appreciate your wild imaging, Mack, I think we’ll stick to traditional ingredients for now,” Luka says, his tone still laced with amusement.
Charlie wipes away a tear of laughter and raises his glass. “To unicorns and their elusive tears! May they forever remain a myth in our brewing process!”
We all raise our glasses, clinking them together once more. The air is filled with lighthearted banter and camaraderie that only comes with pursuing a shared passion.
As we finish our tasting session, we agree to begin the hiring process in the coming weeks. The thought of expanding our team and venturing into new territories fills us with renewed energy and determination.
With a collective sense of excitement, we wrap up the tasting and head back into the taproom, ready to tackle the challenges and adventures that await us. As Mack and Luka head up to the office to discuss the details of the new plans and what additional orders we will need, Charlie heads back behind the bar. I am left standing in the opening of the garage bay doors, looking out over the patio and parking lot toward Sloan’s building.
In the two months since that last run-in with her ex on the sidewalk, she has been working night and day on the place. While I will never admit it out loud, I am damn impressed by the amount of work she has accomplished. The weight of the decision we just made settles over my shoulders as I continue to stare at her building. With the new expansion plans, I will be shocked if Luka makes it even to the end of the day before he bugs me about wanting to take over her building again.
The last two months have been decently quiet between our two operations. Can we call her reno an operation since she isn’t open for business yet? Either way, I have worked hard to stay out of Luka’s brand of “negotiations” regarding Sloan, and I have no intention of that changing anytime soon. Even if it is not necessarily in the best interest of the expansion plan for the Spirit of Hops, I can’t help but want to see Sloan succeed. I don’t see why we can’t all get what we want out of this. There is more than enough room in this town for the both of us. Now if I could just convince Sloan and Luka of that fact.