Friday Profile: Upstate Craft Beer Company

It's Friday, so let's do a profile, an about-to-open brewery in this case. Upstate Craft Beer Co. to be exact. Seems like just yesterday, Jack McDonald and Chris Hardin were putting up the first sign (actually it was October) on their new facility. Construction since has been on schedule, lots of boxes have been opened and permits and licenses obtained.


So, the big opening? Jack tells me that December 26 (a Saturday) is the day to let the crowds in. I'm not sure when the BIY (brew it yourself) component will be in operation, but I can tell you I plan to be among the first to use Chris' recipes and brew a keg for myself. (Still working on a beer name, stay tuned).
 
My first impression upon entering the bright orange door was that, despite some continuing construction, the place is stunning with the shiny steel and warm wood greeting you. The pictures tell the story so I have posted a lot of them.
With the addition of Loose Reed down the street on Augusta, craft beer lovers will soon have a happening new neighborhood in which to indulge their (and my) passion.

Action central: kitchen pass-thru, taps and cooler.

A brewery on wheels!

Part of the retail section, malts and grain bins.

I expect the seats will all be taken in the near future.

Jack on the "hot side" of things. Two of the brewing carts will be in use.

Best of luck to Jack and Chris and welcome to Upstate Craft Beer Company to the Greenville beer drinking/making world.

Cheers!

International Women's Collaboration Brew Day - Local Chapter

Visited Quest Brewing Company this morning, the local site of the first state-wide Pink Boots Society event: International Women's Collaboration Brewing Day. Pink Boots Society (PBS), is an international organization devoted to educating and empowering women in craft beer. The object of today's event is to brew, collaboratively, a designated style of beer, in this case an Irish Red, and release it two weeks or so down the road at an event which will draw attention to the organization and its goals.
The ladies collaborating today are various areas of the craft beer community: brewery employees, bloggers, bartending, retail craft sales and growler refill stations. Some are even home brewers.
Following the sparging, boiling, cooling and fermentation, the ale will be ready for all to taste, evaluate and drink. Very small amount so the tasting will be a special occasion. Harvin at Craftbeerchick.com will be a good source for further info.
So, I caught some of the action in between sips of Melusine Biére de Garde and bites of Fields of Gold Farm Goat Milk Gelato made with Quest's Smoking Mirror Porter. One of my most challenging assignments!

Photos begin here:

L to R: Caitlin Pierson, Swamp Rabbit Brewery and Taproom; Keats Wineland, beer enthusiast; Courtney Pici, Bartender/Homebrewer; Erin Gregory, Quest Brewing Company; Kathy Roberts, Crafted, The Beer Store; and Harvin Bedenbaugh, Blogger/Brewery 85 bartender, aka Craftbeerchick.

Beginning of the sparging process.

Getting ready for the boil.

Now for a two week wait to taste it!!

Cheers.