The build out on the new Kraftbrau is moving along. We are getting oh so much more closer (yet it seems still forever and a day away). The current plan will be that we are going to mainly be a brewpub, at least in the short term. The long term plan will be to add distribution.
The other day our Elite Brands rep (at the Epic) was telling me about a new style of keg. Keykeg is currently used in Europe. Although it is a step beyond the traditional way of kegging beer but environmentally it is a step in the right direction. Stainless steel kegs may be reused but the environmental impact of cleaning and sanitizing them can be drastic. Especially now with the growth of microbreweries. Personally, I like the direction that the use of this type of keg can take us.
Something I find really interesting about the keykeg is the possibility for real beers. Traditionally, a real beer is naturally carbonated (instead of forcing co2 into the liquid) and then a beer engine (essentially a hand pump) is used to dispense the beer. In this process air is forced into the keg, giving the beer a shorter shelf life. The design of the keykeg does not allow air or co2 to touch the beer itself. With this set up the brewer can pick and choose the kegs they wish to run with forced carbonation and those they wish to naturally carbonate. You could even run the real beers on your normal lines if you so choose. As a brewer, the possibilities of these kegs are mind boggling.
In other news, at home I don't have any new brews in the works. I have been lazy when it comes to kegging the pilsner. I plan to finally do it tomorrow. The dopplebock still has some time to go before I will be ready to keg it. I am thinking that after I get my bottling system in place my next project will be the buildout on a chest freezer. I want to set it up with a two tap tower and use the added space to condition additional kegs. I think with the chest freezer I will be able to condition at least two to three more kegs while having up to 4 beers on tap. This will be a must have when I set up the brew sculpture. I plan an moving into 10 gallon batches when I have that built.
Enough of this rambling for now. Enjoy a pint or two for me cause I am off to work soon.
When you mention "Kraftbrau" are you referring to the Kraftbrau Brewery in Kalamazoo, MI across from Bells? I used to go there in the late 90's, and I loved it there. However, I moved from Grand Rapids to Chicago a few years ago and do not get up that way often.
ReplyDeleteYa Kraftbrau was once across from Bells. Do to a bad situation in their old location they were forced to shut down. Since that time they have been looking for a new location. They have now been working on getting a new space set up and ready to reopen. Hopefully, within the next couple months we will be up and running again.
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