Corridor Brewery & Provisions

wow, so from unlimited to 2 to 1 to none in a matter of months??

i would hope the bartender was simply mistaken

 

I would take a step back.

1. @dubo09 said their hazy beers were close to kicking today and the Cubs begin a homestand today.
   
2. Just switched brewers so I'm sure things aren't firing on all cylinders yet.
3. They're are not and were ever a production brewery. If there is no beer for sit-down patrons then that's not so goot for business!

 

I agree, not goot at all!

On a serious note, you’re probably right that they are close to having their current on draft hazies close to kicking and might not want to burn through them (for the risk of not having any for on premises patrons) before next beers are ready. I know about a month ago I was there with no hazy beers on draft and was pretty bummed.

 

Especially #3. I was there right after they had the rye issue, and most of their big stuff had kicked (with nothing to replace it). It was pretty disappointing, since obviously I'm going there for the beer (I love their burger, but I can get a burger a bunch of places...can't get Corridor beer anywhere else). Gotta try to make both parties (dine-in, carry-out) happy, but gotta make the dine-in people happy first.

 

By the same token, if you have customers traveling to grab crowlers while the beer is still on draft you should probably take care of them. I know I wouldn't waste time going somewhere if the ability to grab one was hit or miss.

 

Isn't that generally what's happened, though? We still don't know the situation with JFresh's anecdote, and almost everyone occasionally has a "draft-only" beer, even if this is potentially more of a case of a "draft-only now" beer.

 

They handed out a menu that shows crowlers available of both hazy beers. You order one. Then they tell you that you cannot get a crowler. Meh.

 

I get the frustration. Used to get a growler fill of whatever hazy when I'd head up to in-laws in Michigan but that option no longer is available.

Corridor's popularity is probably outgrowing their capabilities to service both dine-in and carry-out beer. I'll just re-adjust knowing their hazy's will probably be a draft-only treat for myself.

 

This is why I'm wondering what the situation was. I'm not saying you didn't (your girlfriend in particular) get screwed here, I'm just curious if someone was just uninformed or if there was a special case/bad luck to blame.

 

Yeah, I get it. Just unfortunate since it was unlimited, 2, 1, and now none. I don't want to call every time to ask if they are available. I will spend my money elsewhere.

 

they posted the following on Facebook:
"
PSA: Südhafen Kellerbier, Plump Cat DDH IPA, and Color of Life DDH DIPA are only available on draft, not to-go. Huge apologies for the inconvenience, but you guys have had an extremely thirsty summer and we're doing our best to keep up!

Many thanks for the support and understanding. We'll be fully back up and running as soon as humanely possible"

 

We are not doing away with Crowler fills. We are down to less than 2bbls on three of our current offerings until we can transfer 2 new hazy offerings on Monday and Tuesday of next week. I am sorry if the bartender did not inform your girlfriend of this fact. We are going into the weekend and as a brewpub first and foremost we need to have beer to offer our guests. Again I apologize for any inconvenience, but it was a decision made out of necessity as a brewpub, cheers.

 

It sounds like you guys are outgrowing your space...if popularity continues to deplete beers so they cannot be packaged for carryout what is the next step? Inhouse drinking only, contract brewing, taking more space?

 

I'd say they'd outgrown their space a while back when it was literally impossible to get in there after 2:00PM any day of the week without a wait.

 

We have hired a FT cellarman/assistant brewer. In the past we have only had PT help limiting the ability to either brew or transfer. With FT help the ability to brew and transfer on the same day is realistic. The training wheels are off next week and this will be put in motion Monday and Tuesday next week. That being said in the last week four hazy beers will have kicked in less than seven days since their tapping. Our fermentation cycle on these beers is 14 days. We can not rush the fermentation cycle if we want to offer the best quality product. I have not yet figured out how to make 14 days equal 7 days. So, please bear with us.

 

What do you mean you haven’t figured it out yet? Einstein’s book Relativity: the Special and General Theory basically spells it out for you.

 

Hate to say it but seems like the answer is no more crowlers. Maybe this wasn't the original strategy but the crowler machine has done its thing and gotten the word out. The sharing of crowlers increased the hype and created demand. Now there is no need for more demand.

 

Maybe they need to find a larger, separate building to brew more beer in eventually, in addition to the current location. Don't know if that's feasible.