Christmas and New Year’s are fast approaching, and with it the logistical circus of splitting time between family, friends, and the good folks down here at Schooner EXACT. (And who doesn’t love a ton of plane/train/automobile travel thrown in?) Accordingly, our holiday hours will be slightly adjusted:

-Friday, December 24th-Sunday, December 26th: CLOSED

-Monday, December 27th & Thursday, December 30th: open regular hours (4-8 p.m.)

-Friday, December 31st: open 3-7 p.m. for pre-New Year’s growler fills

-Saturday, January 1st: BOWL DAY! Open all day–come watch the games and relax after welcoming in 2011

We hope to see you all down on 1st Ave South in the coming days. Special thanks to all of you who made it out to the Winter Beer Fest at Hale’s Palladium last weekend. You are what makes it possible for us to share our beer with Washington; we are really grateful to all of you for supporting Schooner EXACT. Have a great holiday!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving (though a deep probing of the blogosphere indicates there was no beer at the First Thanksgiving, the Mayflower’s status as a wine vessel notwithstanding), and with a freshly completed community painting of our snow-friend Hoppy gracing the brewery’s chocolate brown walls, the folks here threw culinary caution to the winds. How much fun can you pack into a half-barrel? Ingredients involved: midnight wheat, cranberries, grains of paradise, chocolate, coffee, Magnum hops, Willamette (the pronunciation of which I botched like a true East Coast ignoramus) hops, Goldings, the classic Chinook… the list goes on.

The Good Things being thus included–more grain than ever before! No, we really mean EVER!–we had a little bit of a stuck mash and a lengthy transfer. No matter: everyone had a whack at stirring the mash, scooping spent grains out of the tun, or skimming proteins off the top of the boil and flicking them into the floor drains. Best of all, a watched pot did in fact boil.

According to Wikipedia (still an esteemed source of information, despite our brewery page having lasted a mere two days), the traditional Irish meaning of the word “potluck” comes from when groups of women would gather to cook a one-pot meal with whatever ingredients they had that day. Influenced by the Western American indigenous word “potlatch”, the word has garnered its current meaning: spending a darn good time with friends, family, and dogs at a fantastic brewery–and crafting a hilariously hodge-podge hobo brew in the process. Now to see how it turns out…

Chuck and Janis and in town from India, where they have lived and worked for several years as art educators. They believe in the creativity of every individual (for those of you who were maybe a little hesitant about attending and participating) and in unlocking art’s spiritual potential.

Join us today to paint a Hoppy Holidays-inspired work. The canvas is up; the paints are ready; a fresh keg of Hoppy is tapped–hope to see you there!

Short answer: Misinformation to Voters

Longer answer: The primary message to voters is, “Wouldn’t it be great to be able to buy your   (liquor) _ at the grocery store?” What they neglect to mention is repealing 39 state laws, or the role those laws play in the current industry. That means that voters will be voting on an issue not understanding the full impacts of their decision. They are also saying that these initiatives will result in cheaper liquor prices. This may be true, but likely only if you purchase your products at Walmart, Costco, or Safeway. When giving the mega-retailers volume discounts, the producers and/or distributors (heard from the horse’s mouth) will be unable, or unwilling to take a hit to their profit margin. The result will be to give the big guys a volume discount and raise prices on the small to medium sized retailers/ restaurants in order to make up the difference.

Short answer: This initiative goes too far.

Long answer: These initiatives have two purposes; privatizing spirits and modernizing liquor laws. The Brewers Guild has no issues with the privatization of spirits; rather we think it is a good idea as long as it is done in a responsible fashion. The supporters of this initiative say these initiatives modernize liquor laws. Two legislative sessions ago, a coalition comprised of members from all 3 Tiers, worked together and hammered out a bill that modernized many laws and provided more freedom for producers in the state. Last session, more freedoms were granted to the alcohol industry by being able to sample in grocery stores. Our liquor laws are being modernized, slowly but surely; done in a responsible fashion with input from stakeholders and opportunity for public discussion. These initiatives go too far by putting our livelihoods in the hands of voters who do not understand the intricacies of our industry, nor the laws that regulate alcohol.

Short answer: Access to market

Longer answer: In the current business environment in WA state, there exists a level playing field where big producers are not allowed to buy their way onto store shelves and into alehouses. Currently, beer is chosen by its merits, which directly benefits consumers. If this initiative passes, big producers would be able to use their corporate expense accounts to influence buying decisions.

Thanks for listening and voting by Nov. 2nd

Heather

Here in Seattle, our tasting room is open. The game will be on so come on down to watch. While you’re there, check out the amazing 1 Liter growler bottles we just received. They are a perfect 2 pint size for dinner.

Mondays  3-7; Thursdays 3-7; Fridays 2:30*-7; Saturdays 12-7.

We will have a calendar of events, specifically a cyclist Happy Hour on Mondays and Cask/Art nights the first Thursday of the month. Stay Tuned.

Cheers!

*that’s for you, Cascade Designers!