Dionysus Brewing

I think the main difference is this isn't even on the radar on most folks. Like, literally. no one gives a shit about this place or the potential of another rushed money grab. Where as Casa had a lot of white knights on a brewery that was, at best, vaporware.

I mean, both are vaperware at this point. Just this place isn't even on the fucking radar of anyone. So of course it'll get less hate.

And I'm sure they'll be glad to take your money if you just hit them up. This 20 per day or whatever opening slots is humoring, at best.

 

Not bad info, just a derp moment on my own part. I stand corrected.

I understand this isn't on many people's radar @Earlycsquid I'm just looking forward to variety in my podunk corner of California. I mostly just can't understand how you all can basically write off a start up brewery and call yourselves "BeerAdvocates". Shouldn't we support and embrace all new and upcoming craft breweries instead of condemning them before they even have a chance to show what they can do? It's our money we've promised to help this new brewery not yours. Caveat emptor to us I suppose...

 

My name is Kyle Pittser, I am co-owner at Dionysus Brewing.
First off, you guys need to quit posting false information. If you truly do not know the facts then please do not talk about it.
We WILL have a tasting room from the get go, so please stop saying we are not having a tasting room.
Why you guys have to bash other groups and people is beyond me. If you want to compare us to Casa thats your choice, but Casa and us are trying to achieve a dream every homebrewer dreams of. Just because we are homebrewers, does not mean we cannot brew on a commercial scale. To say we, Dionysus, have no plan is a joke. I have been working at a brewery for 7 years and have been planning this for 3 years now. We have most of our equipment and are awaiting word from TTB and ABC to let use do our thing. Also, do some research. To say our kickstarter failed is a joke. We got an investor that contacted us through that website and invested 12k+. Do your research even more and notice we did a gofundme and raised over $3,000. Please keep everything positive in the beer community. I understand some people are tight on money and need to try things before helping others, but please do not bring others down especially if you do not know the people involved and the process of actually opening a brewery, it is not as easy as just opening a beer and enjoying it like a consumer. Love all you guys and hope you all get a chance to try the real deal in a couple months. We cannot please everyone, we know that. But seeing people post false information is very frustrating.

 

Is there anywhere on your website that gives this background information? The About Us page is just a map with the location of your future brewery, so I'm not sure why you would expect people to know that information.

I can appreciate wanting to sell people on your business and correct misinformation, but most of us aren't psychic.

 

Not to be hostile, and in fact, while it sounds like some are being overly critical about your plans/production/dreams, you shouldn't take it personally or lash back. From what I can tell, there was a debate on if you had a license yet. As you state in your own message, you're working on it. Sooooo technically it is true that you don't, but you are working on it. Not sure how what they stated was false information?

It's difficult to keep things positive when the response/correcting/clearing the air is also done in a hostile manner in this "GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!"

I think it's a lot easier to see, much like with movies, that if said product was made by people who have a track record in making things they like, then they are more inclined to back the product up. You say you have 7 years experience working in the brewing world. Hell, just giving the information on that would also put you leaps and bounds above CASA.

As for feeling resentful for the comparison. It's unavoidable given that the two models seem very similar and given the track record with past kickstarter programs, it's a situation of a lot of folks getting burned out on the model. As respectable as it is of a dream to want to move from homebrewer to commercial, the path that crowd funding has taken usually leaves with the side effect that folks want more out of you, mainly because if the funding was being done by a bank, the person who would want more out of you to prove yourself is the bank with a business plan and model to sell them on your product.

Best of luck, but more information is the key and getting online and addressing concerns in a calm manner is key.

 

i dont think dionysus used crowd funding as their main source of income, just a supplemental thing to get people involved, excited, and to purchase things were needed (gofundme was for kegs).

 

True. But you have to deal with some level of scrutiny in the process of getting a business rolling. It's either get grilled by the bank manager about your business plan or get grilled by the public who is funding you.

Is it a tough process and filled with headaches? Yeah. no one ever said opening a business would be easy. Nor should it really be. But most folks just think they can get funding easier with the public, which often comes off as more panhandling than actually bringing awareness to the brand and generating buzz.

I mean, look at Modern Times. they used that kickstarter as a means to get that buzz going and do silly shit. The level of openness and transparency with Jacob is great and is a main reason why that crowd funding got very minimal amount of backlash. Because they had already lined up their ducks in a row and that was just the cherry on top.

 

Im sorta surprised someone hasnt called him out on rating some very well made and respected beers in a certain style very low and rating the beers made at his old job a perfect 5. I get liking your own beers and and thinking they are 5s, but to rate those other ones a 1 was pretty shady and something i wouldnt expect from someone who works in a brewery and wants their own beers to be judge accordingly.

 

I've never had Keene Idea or Citra but something tells me they don't deserve a 1.

 

LOL, good point!

Krbc citra, 1.
Lengthwise Zeus, 5.

The fuck outta here!

 

Every brewery that posts in this sub forum needs to take a lesson from Jacob at Modern Times to learn how to communicate with the public.

They're all really bad at it.

 

According to this article, Kyle is a longtime bartender at Lengthwise. @Chevchelios - were you a member of the brewing staff at Lengthwise?

 

Not back lashing, stating facts as they are. Yeah rating things low was kind of silly, but it was for a good cause, well kind of i guess. The owner said if Zeus got to top 20 on DIPA list then he would make Zeus $3 a glass on wednesday. Silly reason I know. I have had my hands in all aspects here at Lengthwise. Kitchen, Bartending, Brewery, and Distro. I have learned a lot from these guys here and have helped me see that the market here in Bakersfield is ready for something new. I am 25 and have nothing to lose so why not you know? I have spent a lot of money to get the Dio name out there and a lot headaches have came out of it. I am no perfect person that is for sure, but my main focus is to do something I love and hope that people can see that passion because making beer and seeing people enjoy them is pretty damn satisfying for sure! I hardly even use this account, someone just showed me what was going on and I wanted to introduce myself to you gentlemen and get some things straight. Honestly to get a bank behind you for a nano brewery is not as easy as you think, you should try it for yourself

 

How would you feel if people rated Dionysus beers low on purpose for some arbitrary reason? Would you see that as silly?

 

Clearly not happy, but I am sure it happens more often than it should! I forgot I even did that especially to Citra!! Kyle Smith has been a blessing for us. Will have to change those numbers for sure because Citra used to be my favorite DIPA before falling in love with Wild and Sour ales. Cheers all. I am out from this forum and thanks for the constructive criticism. I hope you all give Dionysus a chance at least, because we will not let you down whatsoever. I am sure we will all talk again.

 

Not sure how "They don't have a license" is some factual error when you just said you're currently going through the process..

Sooooo again, you don't have a license yet. I do have to wonder how much of a blessing Kyle has been to you guys that you would mark Citra as a 1, along with other really great beers. But hey,

riiight?

I imagine getting a bank to back you and give you a loan isn't easy at all. I mean, you have to have a business plan, some proper experience to show them that it will make it. So much more work than just offering a membership futures program.

The whole 'I'll gladly give you sours later for some cash up front today' business model is more appealing. Only there's still accountability that needs to happen. Instead of bankers asking for their investment back, it's consumers, who really don't have much recourse in the event that you can't live up to said promises if things go bad.

 

To be fair sir, I did not say anything about correcting information posted about our license/permit. I addressed the errors: tasting room and crowd funding. That is all. I hope that clears it up for you.

 

It's really weird to take money when you're not even sure your alcohol license will be granted. Putting the cart before the horse big time.

 

If for some wild reason our license gets denied (I see absolutely no reason for it to get denied considering we are past the 30 day mark), then we have an automatic refund option on our merchant account. We have thought this through, but we are also very confident that both TTB and ABC will grant us the permits/license. TTB said rejected applications happen in the first 30 days and we are past the 30 days. ABC has had no concerns with us thus far or anything questions regarding operations. I understand the realism in all of you, you have to be SURE of what you're doing in order to make it. But at the same time if you plan accordingly and do you research, there should be no problems. We want to do something special, we want to produce some high quality products for people to enjoy. Getting started is never easy with any business, people will talk down on you while others will praise you. It is an emotional rollercoaster I must say, but the day each of those license get approved you guys will be first to know and I know that will still not make you impressed by us and that is okay, I want to impress you guys with our product, not our business logistics. That is for us to worry and stress about, there should be no stress in coming to Dionysus and in buying our product outside our facility. I have this strong feeling that what we are doing is going to blow up big time and I would love for you guys to be a part of it as well. If staying in constant communication will help that, then i'll be very active here as well. The consumer determines what sells and what doesn't, no matter what I think is good or not, so without you guys... there is no Dionysus. Cheers and have a wonderful evening.

 

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You could see why one might think that your crowdfunding ventures failed.