I can't believe it's November already. Time is flying by now. As we get closer to the New Year everything is starting to fall into place. We have had the asbestos removed from the building and have had a whole host of quotes for completing the building work.
Equipment has been sourced and is to be fitted in January. The 650 Litre system should produce two brews a week. One of the Dryfe Ale and one of the Dryfe Blonde. This will be enough to fill 32 firkin casks or 64 'pin' casks a week. Alternatively if we bottle the beer we will have capacity to produce almost 4000 bottles a week!
The business is now VAT registered and we will register for beer duty when we get the plant in Lockerbie set up. Beer duty is actually the biggest cost when producing beer! Thankfully as a small brewery there is duty relief.
I have been sourcing labels and bottles, trying to create the perfect look for the beer.
The logo is still in development but it should be decided on soon.
Test batches have been well under way. I have now made 5 batches in the garage at Sunnybrae, two Blonde beers, two ales and an IPA. Brewing beer is a mix between a chemistry experiment and brewing a very large complicated cup of tea! Three of the brews are still fermenting away in the spare bedroom here ready for bottling next week.
The brewing is all preparation for our event next month (December 15th) in Sunnybrae where we will reveal the investor share prospectus along with a music and tapas night. Again if anyone is interested in shares or wanting to be the first to get their hands on some of our beer, email me tom@chefsinscotland.co.uk.
We still have a high number of chefs out working on relief.
We still have some spaces next week if you want to come and meet at our office in Moffat.
We are getting closer to Christmas with only 8 weeks to go.
Please get in touch and let me know if you are available for Christmas Day and New Years Day (double time is payable on both days).
Out just now
Ionel Rizea is at Carfraemill Hotel in the Borders, Dom Kelecius is at The Mustard Seed Restaurant in Inverness, Jenny Quashie is at The Daffodil Hotel in Cumbria, Michael Njororge is at The Bridge Hotel in Buttermere, Steve Nye and Chris Robertson is at The old Mill Inn in Pitlochry, Jason Paxton is at The Kinmount Hotel in Dumfriesshire, Paul Wenbourne is at The Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown on Spey, Marta Konieczka is at The Bungo Bar in Glasgow, Ignas Narijkauskas is at The Links Hotel in Montrose, Dale Paton is at The Lovat Hotel in Beauly, Cameron Brown is at Eatrium in Perth and Stacey Donnelly is at The Garth Hotel in Grantown on Spey.
Thanks Girls and Guys for your hard work and continued support.
Galldachd na h-Alba is hosting a tapas and music night on the 15th of December at Sunnybrae in Moffat. This will kick off with the reveal of the first beers and the investor share prospectus. Research is well under way to develop a unique flavour with the hope that when the brewery opens in January 2018 trading can commence right away. The festive event will allow the locals of Moffat, Lockerbie and the surrounding areas to sample first-hand what the brewery will be producing next year. As well as this they will have the opportunity to be part of a local project that has huge potential to not only boost the local economy but to provide employment opportunities down the line. The investor share prospectus outlines the key areas of the brewery and where it will be in 5, 10 years’ time.
Further details of the event will follow but it is hoped that the interest of locals will be sparked by a fine tasting brew.
Relief remains busy so far but as we get closer to November it will start to quieten down.
The availability and quality of chefs is also better.
If you haven’t already please get in touch with your availability for over the festive period (double time is payable both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day)
Some of the chefs we have had out from 16th September –
Graham Mcleish at The Lovat, Duncan McIntyre at Kings Manor, George McCallum at Summer Isles, Jamie Atkinson at Selkirk Arms, Stuart MacColl at Grey Gull and then Popinjay, Daniel Rothwell at Ballachulish, Craig Brown at Carfraemill, Michael George at Royal An Lochan, Dom Kelecius at Mansion House, Matthew Moorhead at Airds, Donnie Lamont at Cuillin Hills, Sarah Pozzi at Springkell, Lillian Clarkson at Woll Golf, Paul Sellers at Border Hotel and now back at Collingwood David Young at Ferry Inn, Mark Shaw at Cullen Bay, Duncan Campbell at Bungo Glasgow and Steven Beckett at Dunavon.
Lots of excellent feedback - Keep up the good work everyone it is appreciated.
Time has flown by since the start of September when I started at Chefs In Scotland.
The brewery Galldachd na h-Alba takes up a lot of my time. I have been doing a lot to try and make the building good, get the change of use from the council and register the business.
I spend one or two days a week upstairs in the recruitment office throwing myself into the world of chef recruitment. The most difficult part, without a doubt, is getting chefs to answer their phones! So if you're reading this chefs, please pick up. I have had to learn very quickly and have made more than a few mistakes when answering the phone (sorry Lillian!). I am , however, starting to recognise our regulars but there are a lot.
I also spend time organising all of the Chefs In Scotland properties, there are 8! I'm still to see the one in Spain but that might be a tad far for a day trip. We are hoping to have Nether Cottage in Crocketford filled with new tenants soon.
Golfing in Scotland is another project I have been working on. The idea is to replicate CIS in the golf world, promoting golf packages and job vacancies. The site is live now golfinginscotland.co.uk.
Working at CIS is like having four jobs rolled into one, it's great! I guess I should have know that though with the job title 'Director of special projects'.
Tom
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