If Thunder Island is a nano, I chose them. Though I'm not sure i can name any other nanos that Ive had.
This raises the question of "What is a nano-brewery?" IMO, by the time you're cranking out stuff on a 7 barrel (or larger) system you've graduated to something other than nano. I always assumed that term was reserved for the really little guys like AA and Natian that are brewing 1-2bbls at a time.
FWIW, I thought that the term "Nanobrewery" was for a 1bbl or less system. A little thought nugget I think I picked up somewhere along the line, I might be wrong.
Totally forgot about Ale Apothecary. I wouldnt consider De Garde, Upright, Pfriem and Block 15 Nanos anymore. Natian brews on a 7 barrel system now. Ale Apothecary is a nano - i choose them.
Fair enough, I have always considered smaller locally distro's as Nano, guess I should rethink my madness.
I view Ale Apothecary as a different model of brewery altogether. Paul's beers are among the best, but this thread could get real boring real quick if nobody says anything different. How about we generally agree AA is an amazing nano brewery, and decide to focus discussion on other nanos using more modern conventional brewing processes? Fortunately, Bend has another nano I can nominate: Below Grade Brewing. Dean chooses to bottle his batches, but they're only available at a handful of locations around town. He has 7 beers in his regular lineup, the most notable being a Sour IPA. Well worth seeking out if you're in Bend.
