Author: Marshall Schott

I started Brülosophy a couple years ago as an outlet for me to write about the experimental stuff I was doing with my brewing, I certainly never envisioned it would become something I think about non-stop and spend most of my free time working on (I really should be in bed right now). It’s been a real hoot, though given my obsession with commitment, I occasionally feel like keeping up is unmanageable. Thanks to a killer team of contributors, things always seem to come together in the end. Just last week, I was on a five day camping trip in a place that’s completely off the grid, and I returned to find everything was fine. Brülosophy wouldn’t be what it is today without this team, a team that continues to expand…

I was recently introduced to a blog that was focused on experiments similar those we do here. I followed, read, and appreciated what the guys at Process Brewing were up to. Chats with the site originator, Jake Huolihan, ultimately culminated in an invitation for him to become a regular contributor to Brülosophy, and I’m really excited to say he accepted! A homebrewer of 3 years, Jake shares our passion for the more science-y side of brewing and enjoys testing things out with the goal of learning more about this beverage we all love so much. Initially, Jake will be taking on responsibility for The Hop Chronicles, a project we’ve had difficulty keeping up with due to time limitations and our commitment to publishing weekly xBmt results. We’ve got some other fun ideas we plan to introduce down the road that Jake will also be helping out with, stay tuned!

So, back to this camping trip. It’s attended by a group of over 50 friends, many for whom it’s the only time of year we get to see each other, so naturally, there’s a ton of catching up that occurs. Since I’m connected with most of these folks on social media, they’re all fairly well aware of my brewing and this website, so it wasn’t surprising that most of the questions I fielded revolved around Brülosophy. Hey, I love talking beer and science and beer science, but I struggled to respond to a particular question I was asked quite often…

What do you plan to do from here?

I don’t really know. I’ve got a steady job, the site is doing pretty good, and I’m having fun with this whole thing. What else is there? It was suggested multiple times that I should consider opening a brewery (no thanks!), writing a book (about what?), or starting a podcast (hmm…). As cool as it sounds, that all requires time and money, neither of which I’ve currently an abundance of. But it did get the gears turning.

Thanks to the support of readers who choose to use our affiliate links as well as our awesome sponsors, a decent portion of Brülosophy associated costs are covered, just not to the point where we can add new projects as quickly as we’d like. We’re making do without complaint, but we’ve definitely got some cool ideas we’d be able to employ sooner with adequate resources. A few people have recommended we run a crowdfunding campaign, but for whatever reason I’m uncomfortable with that idea, I want people to feel more invested while also getting something worthwhile in return for their support.

Enter Patreon.

I’ve been asked by numerous readers over the last year to start a Patreon account, which is a platform that allows supporters to pledge a monthly donation in the amount of their choosing in exchange for a reward. I was hesitant due to my presumption it was a typical crowdfunding platform, then I learned Patreon is unique in that each pledge goes toward a larger goal, which if reached can lead to more substantial rewards that are site-wide. For example, a $1 pledge will get patrons access to a unique and unpublished recipe designed by a Brülosophy contributor every month, patrons pledging at the $5 level will receive a special discount from Love2Brew.com that will almost certainly be worth more than the pledged amount, and those who pledge $10 will be invited to join the crew for a monthly video chat to talk about xBmts and other nerdy things.

The goals we’ve set are pretty cool too! Are you a lover of Brülosophy but a hater of ads (like that one you just scrolled past)? Help us get to a point where they can be removed by pledging your support. If you’re one of the many people who has been asking for a Brülosophy podcast, you can show how much you want it because that’s what you’ll get if we reach our highest level goal.

I crunched the numbers and found that if only half of the people who read only the Monday xBmt articles pledged $2 per month, we’d be halfway to the podcast goal,we would publish an additional xBmt results article plus another extra article every month, and all ads on the site would be eliminated. With Patreon, the stuff we end up doing is, to a large degree, controlled by those who want to see it most. We’re happy with what everything the way it is, but if you want to see (and potentially hear) more, consider becoming a Brülosophy patron!

MERCHANDISE

Based on a survey I put out a few weeks ago and the emails I respond to daily, it’s clear people are interested in Brülosophy merch beyond just t-shirts. The problem with this is that I’m anxious about storing and shipping products. While I continue looking into options (any suggestions are very much appreciated), I do have a few things I’d like to share.

The Brü Bottler

I’d originally planned to dedicate an entire article to this idea, but given the response I’ve gotten after alluding to it in just a few comments, I sort of put it on the back-burner out of fear of being unable to keep up with demand. I thought I’d introduce this here as a way to gauge interest, the response will determine how I’ll proceed with this project. So, what is it?

Kegging is great, but traveling with bottles is easier. Over the years, many contraptions have been invented to allow those who keg their beer to transfer some to bottles for sharing with friends, entering in competitions, etc. The problem with these “solutions” is they almost all require more work than I’m interested in, from changing CO2 pressure to cleaning and sanitizing a bunch of small parts. Not my bag. A few years ago, I stumbled on a product a dude was making that allowed users of a specific faucet to bottle directly from the tap without requiring any pressure changes. I bought one and used it to package hundreds of beers, some that even scored well in competitions. Then I lost it. I hit the web to order a new one only to discover it was no longer being made. Somewhat obsessed with this idea, I began reaching out to manufacturers of all the parts required to construct versions of this bottler, but I discovered it was going to cost more than I expected. That’s when I got the crazy idea to buy the parts in bulk so that I might be able to sell them to other interested brewers for less.

It took a surprising degree of coordinating, but I was finally able to get a limited supply of the parts necessary for Perlick 500 and 600 series faucets as well as Vent-Matic faucets (which I’ve been told work with Perlick 400 series and Intertap faucets). The concept is insanely simple, and while I take absolutely no credit for inventing it, I’m referring to this as The Brü Bottler, because I like the way it sounds.

How Does It Work?

The unit connects directly to the faucet then utilizes counter-pressure to allow for bottle/growler filling with a controlled flow rate and reduced foaming. Once the bottler is connected, place the stainless wand into the bottle or growler, making sure the stopper is securely sealed, then control the flow rate by applying pressure to the side of the stopper. Once the package is full, turn the faucet off, remove the stainless wand, cap, and you’re good to go!

What Does It Cost?

Prices include shipping and a Brülosophy sticker:

Perlick 500 Series | $30

*SOLD OUT* Perlick 600 Series | $30 *SOLD OUT*

Vent-Matic/Perlick 400 Series | $35

How Do I Get One?

If you’d like to buy a Brü Bottler, please complete this form and make sure to select the style of faucet you have, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Brülosophy Stickers

*Stickers are currently sold out, I’ll announce when I get more* I’ve got some stickers I usually give to tasters as compensation for their participation. Many people have asked if they are available for purchase, so I figured I may as well offer them up. The cost for each sticker is $1 plus shipping ($0.47 in US), I can squeeze up to 10 in a single envelope. If you want stickers, please contact me and indicate how many you’d like, I’ll get back to you about payment soon thereafter.

Brülosophy T-Shirts

I plan to keep on using Teespring while I continue searching for the best non-time limited way to sell t-shirts. We’ve got some fun ideas that’ll be going live in the next month or so, but for now we’re running a campaign for our “standard motto” t-shirt, it’ll go for 3 weeks and ends on June 23, 2016, so reserve yours now if you want one!

Thanks again for all of the support, we look forward to learning more about beer and brewing with you all. Cheers!

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| Read More |

18 Ideas to Help Simplify Your Brew Day

7 Considerations for Making Better Homebrew

List of completed exBEERiments

How-to: Harvest yeast from starters

How-to: Make a lager in less than a month

| Good Deals |

10% Off Chapman Equipment ThermoBarrels using code: THINKBEERDRINKBEER03

Brand New 5 gallon ball lock kegs discounted to $75 at Adventures in Homebrewing

ThermoWorks Super-Fast Pocket Thermometer On Sale for $19 – $10 discount

Sale and Clearance Items at MoreBeer.com

If you enjoy this stuff and feel compelled to support Brulosophy.com, please check out the Support Us page for details on how you can very easily do so. Thanks!

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