As usual we are going to keep our lips sealed on where we are pending approval for a new brewing location...but we are knee deep in the process of gaining a Brewers license which is VERY exciting. It is easy for all of us to be wrapped up in the excitement of the future making patience hard on all of us and all of our fans, but we are surely spending our time wisely building the brand and learning new things. In fact, Larry has been busy with his new system brewing some fantastic creative craft beers lately.
He has so far successfully brewed a light and refreshing Saison, a new fruit infused Purple Possum Ale, and of course a seasonally fitting Chocolate Cherry stout that makes the house smell as amazing as Christmas itself. All the new beers have been taste tested and approved by the entire family and are sure to be a hit with all of you looking for a creative and delicious new brewed creation.
I am especially proud of my dad and all the fantastic creations that have come from that basement of his. I've been fortuneate enough to be a minor part of taste-testing and ingredient purchases and I must say nothing compares even close to a Purple Healer Creation.
I also promise that as soon as we get the official approval it will be posted here first!
We apologize that it has been a really long time since we have posted and update. The brewery is knee deep in excellent progress towards our goal of finally selling beers. We have not yet been given to go ahead to sell but have made progress in getting all the details worked out. Larry of course didn't want to just wait around especially with so many of you being interested in our company (thank you again for sticking with us). He went ahead and ordered the system. A few weeks passed between ordering and delivering of the system and the system had a grand tour of the area before arriving at Larry's house.
Larry decided that he was going to begin brewing at his Center Street house in Bloomsburg simply to get a good grip on the system and how his techniques would change upgrading to larger batches. He spent the better part of a week sorting through the junk in the basement, checking gas lines, running electricity, and of course sanitizing the area and building a shelf. At last a spot was available for him to begin the first real beginning for Purple Healer Brewing Co. Larry had rounded up the troops (Adam and Craig) to help move in the system into his basement and had them ready for a scheduled delivery time and the truck carrying it had to make stops all across PA first. After a few concerned phone calls and glances down the street a truck pulled in at about 7:00pm on Wednesday July 27th with the biggest box any of the boys had seen. I never saw such hard working determined men as I did watching the boys unpack the big box into several small boxes and carrying each heavy part around the house and into the basement. They set everything up and stood back drank water (and beer of course) and admired the 700lbs of pure beer making stainless steel sitting in front of them.
They system has been tested and the lines have all had water run through them. Larry has spent the past week locked up with the machine and the directions studying his craft and finally this Sunday he is scheduled to brew his first batch in the new system. Even though we make biscuits out of the spent grains we also share them with local farmers chickens who will be extremely happy to receive 40 lbs of yummy feeding goodness to their free range diets. I also am including the first snapshots of the brand new brewery in its temporary home.
Happy Brewing Larry and Cheers to Purple Healers first baby steps into what is sure to be a beautiful beer making business.
The very first picture after all the fermenters were put into place and the boxes unpacked.
First of all we want to apologize that it has been a bit longer than we anticipated to get the brewery up and running. There are many specifics that need to be addressed before anyone can open up a brewery and we are making sure that we do this legally, appropriately, and mostly outstandingly so that we can be around providing great beer for a long time.
I want to take this opportunity to address many questions we have received regarding the brewery. Many people have asked what is taking so long to get the construction process underway and the answer is really simple. We are still going to operate in the same building as La Fontanas but we will actually be our own entity not a part of the restaurant. When we are open and ready to sell our fine beers you will be able to enjoy them in that restaurant first. Construction is going to involve a lot more than we expected because we are converting a basement. We will need to perfect conditions to brew the beer and we need the exact license in place to be sure we are not operating an illegal entity. We are constructing our brewery under a restaurant with restaurant hours and we do not want to disturb the patrons of La Fontanas while we do this.
We haven't been able to post any information regarding this because things have changed a little bit every day. I still cannot release any specific date or timing in regards to the brewery but I can say that Larry and the rest of the team are sacrificing time, blood, sweat, and tears to make sure that we can be up and running soon. We do not believe we pulled any trigger too early we just believe that we owe you, the fans of our brewery the honest standings of the brewery.
As always we will put all public updates on here and we are more than happy to take any questions regarding the opening of Purple Healer on either email to Larry or Tacy.
Thank you for enjoying craft beer and being fantastic fans or us. We will be up an running as soon as we can and we look forward to meeting you all in our own space once it opens up.
That we in fact are ready for our BIG REVEAL of the top secret information as to where and when our beers will be available for public sale. If you have found this blog from our teasing captions all over our Website then you already know that we are joining forces with La Fontana's in Bloomsburg, PA. What you may not know is that this specialty Italian gem in our small little town has been our family's favorite place to eat since the day it has opened. When Larry began Brewing his beers he had shared a Rippinator with the owner of the restaurant and by then a close friend of ours. Needless to say as all of our finely crafted beers have done, we won him and others in the staff over. When Larry was ready to take this business into sales the whole team at La Fontana opened up their gracious arms and have decided to lease Larry a space in the basement to create his craft.
Purple Healer's first production system is the Brew-Magic Sabco system and will produce small batches (1.5 to 3 bbl to be exact) and as we grow so will the batches.
Larry is beginning the construction process this Sunday and hopes to have his system ready and of course the first round of brews available by the beginning of August (exact date will be posted on here and website). We will be updating you with pictures of the construction process, any changes in the menu, and of course a few brewing stories to keep you busy while you count down the summer months to join us in this incredible adventure.
The opening menu is set to include Rippinator our award-winning Dopplebock, Auntie M Amber, a Golden Ale for sweet summertime sipping, and Larry's newest and finest creation, the Russian Imperial Stout. To find descriptions of all the beers on this menu and other beers on this blog check out our site.
La Fontana is located at:
105 W Main Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 Make Reservations at (570) 245-0057
We are very excited to be able to have navigated our way through most of the legal spiderwebs involved in starting up a brewery and are incredibly appreciative of all YOUR support and patience as you anxiously await the day that you can freely order a beer instead of begging Larry for "free samples." Trust me when I say that Larry is more than happy to sell you all of his beers during any meals you will be enjoying at our local Italian Gem of a restaurant. May I recommend having the Rippinator with Rico's Spicy Arribata pasta or perhaps the Golden with one of his fine fresh market fish specialties...or maybe I should stop making your mouths water until it gets closer to August.
Many of you hop heads of this side of the Atlantic are probably familiar if not subscribing members of the Mid Atlantic Brewing Newsletter which comes out bi-monthly throughout the year. Many brewers turn to this magazine to network, gather recipes, get their muse, or just to learn more about the craft. Purple Healer is featured in this months edition on Page 24 with a lovely recognition of Rippinators claim to fame at "The Taming of the Brew" Festival in Bloomsburg, PA.
Don't have the magazine? Do not fret you can read the digital copy right here.
Also a big shout-out and congratulations to Damien of Old Forge Brewery who also has a small write-up about his production adventures.
Way to go Rippinator, Larry, and everyone else at Purple Healer Brewing Co.
Happy Memorial day to all who are spending the day remembering a special service man or woman in your lives. At Purple Healer we cracked open our newest Imperial Stout which Larry claims he "would stand up next to any other stout out there." If you remember in the description of a Russian Imperial Stout we previously posted, this stout has more character and flavor than, say, Guiness and it possessess drinkable qualities that are rich, dark, and luxurious. The Stout is surprisingly drinkable and smooth and has wowed even those in our family who don't drink Stouts.
Of course with this fantastic 90 degree weather and beautiful sunshine its hard not to daydream about our favorite wheats, IPAs, and goldens that are perfect for sipping poolside among our favorite family and friends. Larry is well ahead of all of you and has a Golden ale and the Helles brewed with fresh lemon ready top drink. He is also has next up in the kettles a summer IPA...our favorite English IPA hoppy and lighter and now newly named LDB Ale. Why would Larry give it the name with some strange initials?
Ask Billie, Desi, and Lucy the family "hoppers." What can we say at Purple Healer we are in fact big animal lovers.
Of course I know many of you are still anxiously awaiting the big reveal of where you can sip on our fine brewskies....and trust me news will break soon....just be patient and drink on!
In less than a week, specifically May 16th through May 22nd craft breweries begin a celebration that started officially by congress last year known as American Craft Beer Week.
Craft Brewing is not only about the beer we make and the thoughtfulness and ideas established by the brewers who design their unique beverages. It is also one of our nation's efforts to pull away from mass productions of big companies who cheapen food and drinks by pumping it full of corn and rice (both the cheapest and easiest grains to come by but not ingredients belonging in beer) and outsourcing integrity in the name of cost efficiency. We are a nation becoming more aware of the dangerous effects of "filling" animals full of these ingredients and hormones to make bigger, plumper, and assembly line-like meats. We also recognize in these tough times that local farming not only offers a better product but keeps in mind the TRUE American way to help thy neighbor succeed and use our own fertile lands being a nation that lacks a need to rely on importing products. Although imported beers are also made with integrity and offer us the base for our creative, innovative, and boundary-breaking beers made here in America, this week is set aside to celebrate the over 17,000 of us out there growing our own hops, grinding our own grains, and discovering new flavors from other local growers to offer a palate pleasing treat to the American Beer Drinker.
The Brewers Association is offering a wide array of events across the country to attend and enjoy. You can check the calender of events that are the largest here and start making plans to schedule out a chunk of time to celebrate with any local brewers you may know at those festivals. If you are like us nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania and may not be within an acceptable driving radius to one of these events, I am offering up an idea to celebrate the values and "informed consumption" involved with craft beers. Print out the Declaration of Beer Independence, have all of your friends and family turn this in to all the distributors, restaurants, and shops that limit their selection to the rice pumped, mass-produced, sell out beers because they believe the average American isn't willing to fork out the cash to try our artful creations. If you have been afraid to try a craft beer or have tried a few, may I suggest finding a place that sells local craft brews and find a friend who can recommend their favorite that you have never tried close your eyes and sip...and....enjoy. Try and taste it before you know what its made from. Enjoy the complexity of the hops as they add bitterness and flavor. Let the taste of the malt roll to the back of your tongue and enjoy how it pairs up with the seasonal flavors it was paired with. Don't form assumptions based on what others opinions are and find a new beer worth falling in love with.
Purple Healer may not yet be able to offer its beers for sale this week but we are certainly celebrating our American right to enjoy complex, thoughtful, organic, and all out amazing beers made by people with integrity. We have much to be thankful for from our established local breweries who got our carbonation going. Our friends at Marleys Pub and Old Forge Brewery are guaranteed fantastic places to sit back and sip fine beers while enjoying amazing food and great company. As a homage to the week, perhaps you have considered beginning the craft yourself. This is the week to begin and to get all of your supplies and the support and education needed to begin the craft, check out our friends at Keystone Homebrew and if you visit their Bethlehem location stop by and see Judy who got Larry started the right way.
As for us we are still taking the time to dot our I's and cross our T's and are planning to roll forward and be ready to rock this business in the near future. Purple Healer is all about family, innovation. character, and independence and community. We will celebrate this week with our own as well as other beers in hand. We vow to continue to operate our Nanobrewery with the same principles as our fellow craft brewers. We will stand behind the curiosity of others and we will share our successes with the successes of others who paved the way for us.
So Cheers and feel free wo post any events you may be having so we can all celebrate and enjoy with you.
