The Next Chapter in Brewing

We're amidst a new year. Looking back at the second half of 2013, Matt and I had almost 30 different beers added to our portfolio. During that time, we experimented with different malt, different hops, different yeasts and even different techniques. We picked up momentum, and are now on pace for what promises to be an exciting 2014. It's for that reason a new brand, a new beginning, seems appropriate as we gear up for the next chapter in brewing with a renewed vision. With over a hundred beers brewed and thousands of others sampled, our vision looking ahead has never been more clear. We respect tradition as much as we respect pushing the boundaries. Our admiration for the history of farmhouse brewing and spontaneous fermentation has molded us into brewers with an adventurous side. All the while, our passion for clean, traditional styles that have survived the test of time, keep us in check. We want to challenge and be challenged, all while maintaining the utmost respect for beer's history.

With that said, we announce Kimbell Brewing. Matt and I are once again working on a brewery venture. While we're very much aware of the booming Chicago market, we know we have something special to offer. From this day forward, Kimbell Brewing will work diligently to craft our beer with integrity. The brand is in development, but what's more important to us right now is brewing efficiently with audacity, while meeting our community and gaining support. The branding—something I value greatly—has been in rush-mode for the last two weeks in an effort to meet our self-imposed deadline tomorrow for the Brew HaHa. After the event, we'll let the dust settle for a moment, then pick back up, tweaking and polishing as we dig deeper into the meaning of it all.

So if you know Matt and I, and have enjoyed our beers in the last several years, we hope you continue following our progress, and remain excited for things to come. I know we are.

CHEERS.

476 Days Later...

I’ve been interested in authoring a personal blog for several years, but I’ve found it difficult reserving time to do so. That being said, here I am, writing my first thoughts in well over a year. It seems appropriate now since my life has changed a bit during that time. One of the more substantial changes is the status of Low Dive Brewing.

We spent more than a year focused on opening a brewery in Chicago. During that time, my biggest role aside from brewing was creating (and maintaining) brand identity and a presence within a handful of social networks. As much as I may dislike some aspects of marketing, I rather enjoyed the responsibility. And while time-consuming, I also enjoyed putting myself out there to network, meeting anyone I could that works within the industry and even those in a similar position that I was in—working their way into it. There’s a lot to be said for networking. I’ve met a lot of great people whom I hope to work with in the future or even just drink a couple beers with when the opportunity arises. Being part of a home brewery working towards opening a commercial brewery comes with its challenges. We loved sharing our beer. Offering the experience we worked to create with it resulting perhaps in a new fan or rather interested future consumer, and even better, feedback and criticism. But it became more difficult as the popularity of home brewing, and craft beer in general, kept growing. So much so, that our efforts caught someone’s attention, and TTB was contacting us soon after, making it nearly impossible to share the fruits of our labor.

In that following year, while working on our business plan, marketing ourselves, formulating recipes and brewing those beers, I sensed a slow deterioration. By the end of 2012, it was decided that we would no longer pursue the venture together. At that point, we were simply home brewers again. And admittedly, I was very excited about it. That past year brought challenges unforeseen by me. Challenges I felt were out of my control. But now, all we planned on doing was getting back to the basics, and brew beer with a rejuvenated approach.

Also at this time, Tara (my lovely girlfriend) and I decided I would move into her home. Obviously, that was a big step for both of us. What that also meant was that I would soon be able to brew at home, whereas in the past, I relied entirely on the others to host primarily due to the fact that my apartment simply wasn’t conducive for brewing and fermenting beer. However, that also meant that Low Dive would now have 3 locations, thus likely transporting equipment even more than before depending on who hosts. Having to transport the equipment at all is not ideal. Therefore, Tim and Sean proposed that we split our equipment as best we could, resulting in two separate brewhouses. Tim and Sean, who share a home with their families, would share one set, while Matt and I would share the other. It was unanimously agreed upon, so we sold some of our larger equipment, and divvied up the remaining pieces between the two groups. Matt and I were excited to get brewing again, so we worked diligently to build our brewhouse back up, and finally mashed in our first beer as a duo (again) on June 1.

I know there are folks out there wondering what’s going on with the Low Dive brand. Lately, when I’ve been asked, my genuine response is, “I don’t really care.” But that's only because I find great pleasure in simply brewing and not worrying about the business side of things at this time. Now that 95% of all-things-brewing between Matt and I occur at my home, I’m in a happy place. But to address any confusion or curiosity regarding the status of Low Dive Brewing, it still exists. When we decided not to pursue the venture as the four original members, and instead, put our sights on just brewing again, the thought was that Low Dive would function more as a home brew club. while we don’t brew as a foursome any longer, we’re still friends, and we are still home brewing.

Matt and I's equipment; my new basement

It is still Matt and I’s desire to open a commercial brewery together. whether or not we bring the Low Dive brand along with us remains to be seen. For now however, our focus simply is on brewing beer.