Nesting Down and Setting Up
It’s been almost two weeks since I got the keys to Dookit’s very own unit. Well almost my own unit. I will be sharing it with my good friend and peer Jake Griffin, the brilliant brain and brewer behind Up Front Brewing and Das Ist Techno Sex.
We’re in. We’re speaking at the speed of light about everything that needs done. He’s moved in his fascinating haul of stuff. I’ve moved in the brewhouse on my side and my small mountain of gubbins in the corner. Looking at it all and thinking on all that needs solving and doing is boggling. Are we mad? Possibly. But you’ve got to try.
Darragh Meech came into the shop yesterday in his usual lovely mood. I work part time at Valhalla’s Goat in Kelvinbridge. I’m biased but it’s the best booze stop in town. Darragh works over at Cail Bruich and is always so kind, interesting and interested when he visits. A great mood bringer. He asks ‘how’s the beer going?’ and I update him with the move. He suggests I start this blog cataloguing my thoughts as I set up the brewery. What a great idea. Cheers Darragh.
If I look back on the early stages of setting up Dookit (the back and forth branding discussions with Hazel, the fallout with a dear old friend come business partner, the test brews, the paperwork, the spending of lives savings) I can still feel the faint pain of doubt and fumbling around in the unknown. It’s very similar to what I feel today looking ahead at the new daunting project. I wish I started a blog back then so I could look back now and assure myself that it’s all a process. We as humans are a process as my wise and forthcoming boss at The Goat says.
So, the state of my current thoughts. Well like the photos of the unit in its current state, they are a bit of a jumble. Hickle-Dee-Pickle-Dee. (Ooh that’s not a bad name for beer.... perhaps a hickory infused pickled sour ale.... no that’s not what’s Dookit about).
See I told you. My mind flits from practical realities of drainage and flooring solutions, budgets and quotations to broader questions of ‘why am I doing this?’ ‘What is Dookit trying to achieve?’ And the annoyingly inevitable and sharp doubtful thoughts of whether it’s worth doing at all. Anyway, that’s a long enough entry for now. This is dangerously getting close to procrastination. Time to call Gareth, the flooring guy.
Autonomy-ish
Dookit Brewing Co. Day 1 + Fran’s Framing Equipment
Clean Dungarees