Should be slowing down but...

January is usually a slower month for most microbreweries. It's typically been the time for us to schedule some repairs or upgrade some equipment. Our kettle developed a steam leak last year, and after doing some research I decided it was better to replace it altogether than to try to weld up the leak. So we have a brand new kettle sitting in our back yard, and have been waiting for a good time to install it, hopefully before the old kettle's steam jackets gave out completely. And this is the week I decided to try to install it. We're going to shut down the brewery on Thursday and Friday to try to get the old kettle out and the new kettle in. It's going to be a tight fit, since we have crammed so many tanks into the brewery in the last five years.

We're also launching our beer in Knoxville next week. So the first part of this week has been non-stop bottling and kegging, building the order for our distributor in Knoxville. We're planning on a series of events in Knoxville next week, probably a pub crawl on Tuesday. I'll post more details as we figure out our schedule.

So for all of you hopheads that have been missing the Hop Project series - it's coming back, I swear. We have the hops to do a good bit this year, and after we get through the shutdown to install the new kettle, I plan on brewing a big batch of Hop Project and getting it out around town as well as our taproom. We also plan on bottling a limited run of the Hop Project as the next installment in our Brewmaster's Reserve series.

HOLIDAY TAPROOM HOURS

First of all, thanks for all the great comments about the new beer we have on tap, the Wassail! We blew through a bunch of it this weekend in the taproom, but we should have it on tap through the New Years weekend.

We will be open the following days for the Holidays:

Mon Dec 22 Brewery open, Taproom closed
Tues Dec 23 Brewery open, Taproom closed
Wed Dec 24 Brewery closed, Taproom closed
Thur Dec 25 Brewery closed, Taproom closed

Friday Dec 26 Brewey open, TAPROOM OPEN 4-8 PM
Saturday Dec 27 Brewery closed, TAPROOM OPEN 2-8 PM with tours at 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30 PM

Mon Dec 29 Brewery open, Taproom closed
Tues Dec 30 Brewery open, Taproom closed
Wed Dec 31 Brewery closed, Taproom closed
Thur Jan 1 Brewery closed, Taproom closed

Friday Jan 2 Brewey open, TAPROOM OPEN 4-8 PM
Saturday Jan 3 Brewery closed, TAPROOM OPEN 2-8 PM with tours at 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30 PM

So what the heck does it mean when I say, "Brewery open"? Well, when we are brewing, the back doors by our loading dock are open and you can swing by and pick up whatever you need - t-shirts, hats, growlers, kegs, etc. The same goes for returning kegs - even when the taproom is not open, you can come to the back doors. We may be in the middle of something, and it might take a few minutes, but we'll always be glad to take care of you!

"WASSAIL" ON TAP THIS WEEKEND!

Just in time for the holidays, we brewed a dark, mysterious ale that will warm the cockles of your weary heart. A traditional Wassail brew was a dark ale or mead spiced with ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Our hoppy American brown has a rich caramel and chocolate body, a hoppy bouquet of citrus and pine, and a subtle aroma of Christmas cookie spice. See if you can guess what we spiced it with! It will be on tap for this weekend starting Thursday Dec 18, and if I know all you thirsty Yazooligans, it won't last long. Come down and get a growler or two - I guarantee it will make the present wrapping this weekend more fun!

"The Wassail Song", English traditional, 17th century

Here we come a wassailing

Among the leaves so green,

Here we come a wandering

So fair to be seen.

Our wassail cup is made
Of the rosemary tree,
And so is your beer
Of the best barley.

Love and joy come to you,

And to you your wassail too,

And God bless you and send you a happy New Year.

And God send you a happy New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HOPPY NEW YEAR!

BEST GIFT IDEA EVER!

Get the beer lover in your life something they will really appreciate! I mean, socks and underwear are good and all, but you can't drink your underwear (and savor it). Our gift packs come with four of our Yazoo logo pint glasses, and a growler. You can have the growler filled at the time you buy the gift, or we'll give you a gift card for a refill later. They are only $29.95, and the best part about shopping at Yazoo? You can have a beer while you're shopping! Try that at the mall!

Branching out into Knoxville soon...

We will soon be distributing our beers in Knoxville, through our new friends at Eagle Distributing. We're looking at a throwing some launch parties in early January, so stay tuned!

THANKSGIVING TAPROOM HOURS

Hi gang,

We'll be closed this coming Thursday, Nov. 28 to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families. The taproom will be open normal hours the rest of the week - Friday 4-8 PM and Saturday 2-8 PM. So when you wake from your turkey-induced coma and realize you're out of beer, head down to the taproom and fill up that growler!

Cheers,

Linus

THANK YOU!

Thank you to all who turned out on a chilly November night for our 5th anniversary party! It was a blast, and we got much more of a crowd than even we expected. I hope you enjoyed yourselves - we sure did! (P.S. you know it was a good party when there are still bicycles chained up outside on Monday morning... too much Fresh Hop?)

We drained all of our Organic Ale and Rye Saison kegs. The Organic will probably be back in the spring, maybe as one of our regular offerings. The Saison will be out in bottles, very soon, as soon as we get label approval from the ATF. We still have few Fresh Hop kegs left, and will have it on tap in the taproom for the next few weeks. So if you forgot to get a growler Saturday night, or couldn't because the lines were too long, come on in this weekend and we'll hook you up.