Every week I wonder to myself what I’m going to write on Thursday. “Surely there won’t be that much to say,” I think, “and I’ll have to write on a non-CBW beer topic.” Those are fun too, of course! Ethan and I used to have a beer blog together and it’s fun to wax poetic about these things.

Recently, however, invariably once Thursday rolls around there’s been so much excitement that I have to drop my philosophical plans and let you know about all of it. Ready? Here goes:

That's a lot of grain!

On Monday the state Department of Agriculture will be stopping by to do their inspection. This is unrelated to our city Certificate of Occupancy, but both are needed before we can start selling beer. Our city inspections should be done by next week as well, so the CofO won’t be far behind. This is happening. (Maybe I should explain that last link. “Dance Yrself Clean” is the first track on LCD Soundsystem’s album This is Happening.)

Yesterday quite a bit of malt was dropped off. Well, “quite a bit” by homebrewing standards, not craft brewery ones. Us nanos don’t need quite as much, though, and so it’s just dandy for our needs. We already have the hops and yeast that we need. Everything is in its right place. (Okay, a pattern has emerged. I can do this!)

Please keep all hands and legs away from the giant flame

This past weekend we also took the brewing system out for a spin. The Psychobrew system has computer-controlled burners for the mash tun and hot liquor tank (Love, if you’re knowledgeable about that sort of thing). It’s been nice for a few reasons: I’ll be the first to admit I giggled like a kid on Christmas when I flipped the switch for a pump and water started moving. It’s also let us work out a few kinks, like, uh, forgetting to open the gas valve. That one was embarrassing. It also turns out that the recirculating coil in the HLT is hard to connect properly, so it’s a good thing it was only leaking hot water and not precious wort when we discovered that. That would have been a calamity. (Okay, Conley, you’re stretching it).

I began to write that it’s been a long ride up to this point, but that’s not true. If starting a brewery is a roller coaster, we’ve only just reached the top. We’re cresting the first peak, shivering with antici-