I’d like to thank some people
You know, running a brewery is hard work. Of course it’s made easier by beers at noon when friends stop by for no good reason. Other times at best it’s a jumbled mess of legal, legislative and enforcement woes. This was one such week beset by head spinning agencies and local code enforcements.
A very expensive sign
On Tuesday, we were surprised inspected by the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health. The two inspectors were sent out to visit our facilities (and other breweries in San Diego) as a patron had lodged a complaint about local tasting rooms. So I’d like to take a moment to thank that one person who felt it was important to lodge a complaint about brewery tasting rooms all over San Diego. Apparently they were concerned that we didn’t have a GIANT BLUE “A” on our cold boxes!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
You see, my fellow brewers and brewery owners are now having our hands forced (in the name of public safety) to go through the plan check and approval phase so that all of us can earn Health Permits for our tasting rooms.
What’s even better and the reason we’re all so thankful for your efforts today is that Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey has been issued a cease and desist for the sampling of beer in our tasting room. Because, as we all know, beer is a public nuisance laced with nasty things that can kill you!
I personally want to extend my gratitude to that consumer who felt this industry needed more regulatory agencies knocking on our doors. (The Health Department has never been interested in us before this call) Muchas Gracias Amigo (or Amiga) wherever you might be. There are breweries all over the City of San Diego who are now going to have to spend thousands of dollars on repairs that at best are “marginally justified.”
And while I’m at it, a shout out to my bookkeeper Alicia Kelly who will be working extra hours to ensure the payments and checks we need to facilitate this spending spree are cut and signed.
I suppose the plumbers, electricians and restaurant supply companies would like to take a moment to thank that one person who lodged the complaint. I’m sure the plumber won’t mind firing up the concrete saw as he makes a number of cuts in our floor so that we can install new floor drains. The electricians will have fun working to move junction boxes and installing more electrical outlets enabling us to relocate our new computer terminals because someone at a desk thinks they’re too close to the dishwasher. The restaurant supply company will gladly order all of the necessary stainless steel sinks and drain boards we need to be compliant. My flooring guy is looking at a nice fat check for the installation of washable tile flooring since the concrete we’re currently using isn’t up to code. I doubt any of them will complain as each will be getting paid for their assistance.
Yet, I am thankful that I know that I know them because without them, we’d be running around like chickens without heads.
And as long as we’re thanking people, I would like to thank the two ladies from the County Office who were incredibly nice as they asked me to sign away my rights to sampling our patrons on a beverage that cannot make them ill. Most assuredly, they could feel my pain. As we have been sampling our faithful for 4 years, it was hard to convey the sense of dismay and shock of being told we have no recourse in this matter.
On the plus side, they did agree with me that retail sales of bottled beer and growlers should not be affected by this directive (see below). I know that we’ll become great friends as we’re now scheduled to see each other at least twice a year. I’m looking forward to hearing all about their children and how little Johnny played at second base last week during his little league game!
Having heard from all sorts of local government employees this week, I am sure they would love to personally extend their gratitude to that person who just created more work for them even though every other Friday they are being furloughed. They all seemed “genuinely” concerned that someone would get sick from drinking beer at a tasting room as they rolled their eyes at us. Did you know that Wineries and Brandy producers who operate tasting rooms in California are exempt from inspections? I didn’t either until Tuesday. I’m seriously considering going Jesus on the world and turning water (and grapes) into wine enabling us to get an exemption as well.
Lastly, my employees would like to thank that person who lobbed that phone call. Normally I don’t have a reason to swear and yell at anyone around here. I’m pretty even keel. But this week, all bets were off. I think I yelled at a guy for actually doing a great job. I wouldn’t know because since Tuesday, I’ve been thanking everyone under the sun for everything and nothing at all. I figured if I thanked enough people, I might find the person who I really needed to. As it’s Friday and I’m still not sure I have thanked that person who acted in the interest of public health, I thought I would take a few more minutes to do so.
To the person who lobbed the complaint to the County Department of Environmental Health, I’d like to take one last moment to Thank You on behalf of all the brewers and brewery owners in San Diego County.
Thank You for adding more work to our already busy schedules.
Thank You for adding more stress to our already stressed out lives.
Thank You for adding another agency we must pay fees and submit to inspections for.
Thank You for adding taking dollars out of our bank account so governments have things to inspect.
Thank You for giving me another reason to drink my World Class Kick Ass Handcrafted American Beer because even though I’m staring at a pile of paperwork I didn’t need, I’ll be doing it with one of our non life threatening beers in hand!
Which San Diego brewers have been affected?
As a proud craft beer bar owner, I love and/or appreciate our customers but there’s always some yokel that needs to say too much. Lost Abbey is a fantastic brewery and although I understand the need when providing food and beverages to the public, to maintain the highest levels of cleanliness and food safety, there comes a point to say ENOUGH is ENOUGH.
(If this is how we need to put people back to work, than I suggest we find a new system).
Niall
The time and money this will cost is one thing, but the frustration of having no recourse is what zaps one’s love for the industry.
I can’t agree with every one knocking regulation though…it’s regulations that keep our food safe and it’s the lack of rigid regulations that may be behind one of the largest environmental disasters to hit the U.S. – the oil rig that’s currently dumping 200,000 gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico daily.
What’s missing with tasting rooms is an overall understanding of a business that is safe and sanitary. And what’s missing with the health department and inspectors is the common sense to realize they shouldn’t mess a business that’s working fine and does not need these costly changes. No one is in danger with things as they currently exist and the health inspectors should be embarrassed to enforce these regulations. Like dumb cops, some people just follow rules and don’t think about the right and wrong and logic of their actions.
Regarding moving the tap room to another location, while this could occur, it would take away the opportunity to see Lost Abbey in operation, to see the amazing barrel collection, to sit on a grain barrel seat, and to enjoy the wonderful staff and friends of Port.
As another person commented, I’ll do my small part by buying more Port brews…there’s a pretty good selection in Denver currently. And I’ll toast you at the Boulder Strong Ale Festival today…ayieee!!
This sort of thing never ceases to amaze me. Stay strong brother! I’ll be drinking your beers all weekend.
Mad props from NorCal.
Reading about this travesty makes me think how infuriated I would be if I happened to make the long trek out from the east coast only to find i was c&ck-blocked by stupid bureaucracy!
Everyone knows some douche who goes by the book… but I am thinking it has to be the competition – why else would someone do this??!
I love the double standard though about the wine industry… pretentious pricks!!
Boston, MA
I was at the Lost Abbey on Wednesday with Rob from Premier Stainless, having traveled from Australia to be there I was more than excited to taste a few ales directly from the source. But thanks to some busy body with to much time on their hands, I was denied.
I have gathered a few bottles from the bottle shop and will taste them with mates at home, but it won’t be quite the same.
I’ll be sure to do my part and buy more of your beers next time I’m at Grants.
I wish I had that much free time on my hands that I could go around complaining about what other people are doing when it has little to zero impact on my day-to-day. I suppose being so bored and having such little purpose in life would frustrate me enough that I’d start poking my stick around in other peoples’ mud. Ugh…..
I read this and went out and bought a ton of Wipeout and Hop 15, I wish you guys the best of luck and if anyone finds out the person that decided to poison the magic well… feel free to publish their name and photo so we can stop them at the door when they show up at any local watering hole.
Stay strong and don’t let them win.
As an Indiana resident I unfortunately don’t have direct access to your beers.. but next time I head to Chicago to see my dad, I will stock up for sure. That really is a lame stunt pulled by someone. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn it was someone who is on the neo-prohibitionist movement and is just looking to make trouble for good hard working Americans in an industry he doesn’t approve of.
BTW.. my dad has been to your tasting room twice now in the past few years and he has assured me he has never been treated as well anywhere else as when he has stopped in.
I restocked my refrigerator as well. Good luck——
So wrong! So unnecessary! I am very sorry to hear about his. Looks like I have to start drinking heavily in order to help you raise funds to accomplish modifications. The knowledge of the tasting room being close!d is bringing down our neighborhood.
There are breweries that have restaurants and are already permitted to have tastings, etc. If you were a wise man, you would realize that it was your competitors that shut you down and not some “concerned” citizen.
I guess your position as a “celebrity brewer” couldn’t help you this time!
How miserable. And all from one whiny squealer. A whiny squealer who apparently doesn’t know how much scarier a pack of beer snobs with a grudge can be compared to hardened convicts! LOOK OUT, SQUEALER!
All jokes aside though, sorry to hear about this- the extra work and dent in finances is absolutely unwarranted and ridiculous. I for one am looking forward to celebrating at the tasting room the weekend after the ban is lifted (and even moreso at the first session of this weekend’s Anniversary party)!
But WAIT! I just enjoyed your “Upon Further Review…” entry! Crisis averted! Now we have TWO reasons to celebrate this weekend!