a blind john henry centers his chi.

I have had a long history with the word ‘naive’.  When I was younger, I struggled with the implications of what that word meant.  It was hard for me to know if the act of being naive was considered a desirable trait in the eyes of others or if it was a blemish to try and hide.  The behavior generally associated with the word (innocence, curiosity, etc.) were all positive, yet when observed in the presence of a seasoned (or withered) veteran of whatever task was currently at hand, the overall message was one of inferiority.  Strange, isn’t it?  Perhaps not.  As much as diversity and individuality are celebrated, the collective opinion of humanity is one of conformance.  In order to succeed, one must do as others do.  We must talk as others talk.  We must act as others act.  Otherwise we’ll ‘look stupid’.  And still, when we hear of emerging trends or new technology or art, we seek it out to satisfy curiosity, entertain our naivete, and then we’re the seasoned veteran; we’re the one that possesses knowledge that perhaps others do not.  It’s a cycle that demands a lot of energy to maintain.  Specifically:

Here I am.  Starting a brewery.  Why?  It’s the only area of my existence that I have a depth of knowledge greater than most folks.  I entered the industry as an extremely naive brewer, and fortunately for me, have not lost touch with that naivete.  I am well-versed in the process and the overall je ne sais quois of beer for certain.  I can hold a conversation with any brewer in the world regarding these items.  I can throw terminology around, boast statistics and facts to back up experiences.  However, the beer industry (much like the wine industry, much like any industry) conforms to itself and within itself.  Customers want to feel secure in their products, and are marketed to in a way that boosts that security.  For beer, you are guaranteed that your beer will taste the same as it did the last time you had it.  Consistency.  For wine, you are guaranteed that your wine measures up to French standards by growing region or specific processes in its manufacture.  Quality.

Consistency and quality.  Two words that are meant for trademarks, aren’t they?  Brewing Sahalie here at The Ale Apothecary, I am no different in utilizing these terms.  I associate with them, I hold them up as ideology; as pursuits.  In order to understand why it’s different here than any other brewery in the world, I’ll have to throw some more stuff at you.  Granted, it may be vague…we’re still a ways off from selling our product.  For a DIY operation that is relying on my intellectual property to succeed, I can’t go posting everything to the world prior to the release.  Too many $vultures$ out there, ready to swoop down and peck out my eyes.  However, let’s review:

• A world-class beer designed from American ingredients, specifically utilizing as much of Oregon as possible (with an All-Oregon produced beer as the carrot to work towards)
• Entertaining a wide variety of yeast strains and micro-organisms to consistently produce great vintage beer by batch
• Utilizing old world techniques in order to keep the brewery small, infuse flavor with character, and to regain an understanding of true artisan beer
• Develop real relationships with our customers, retailers, and suppliers, promote smaller and more sustainable practices, and create a model for our future breweries