Bank Street Brewhouse update: Sidewalk and patio work, and progress on the brewery.

Here's a slight tweaking of the newsletter text that was sent on Thursday.

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As Ohio Valley temperatures rise and we creep steadily closer to the commencement of brewing at the Bank Street Brewhouse, there is a palpable sense of anticipation. For me, it’s bordering on hysteria.

That’s because “Phase One” (don’t ask about “Phase Two”) of the Bank Street Brewhouse is roughly 90% complete, and the final 10% is rather sadistically proving the wisdom of the old adage that the devil’s in the details.

Here’s a status report, with gritted teeth.

Work began last Friday on the sidewalk outside the garage doors, facing Bank Street. The remaining concrete was poured today. When finished, the sidewalk will have been extended into the area formerly taken by three curbside parking spaces, yielding enough square footage for us to put streetside tables, chairs and sunbrellas. There's also space for planting grass and trees. As long as it stays sticky, it’s likely to be irrelevant, anyway.

Build-out of the north patio area is ongoing. The roof was finished today, and during the brief thunderstorm, we sat beneath it and counted the leaks. There are a few, but it should be a quick fix. We're assembling the needed furniture and ceiling fans.

To repeat: In some ways completion is moot, considering the current intensity of the weather, but at least there’ll be a place for smokers to sit and enjoy their pints during the smog alerts. We’re energetically planning a weekly cigar night for the north patio, as well as varied evening entertainment in summertime.

Most important of all is the state of the new brewhouse. Infrastructure work is proceeding. The grain room awaits perhaps two more days of finishing work, there are pipes to insulate, and the electricity will be finalized next Monday, June 29. According to David “Director of brewing Operations” Pierce, the schedule will go as follows:

Order malt, hops and yeast NLT 3 July

Walk-in operational NLT 3 July; turn Chef Josh's walk-in back to a kitchen unit with our thanks and blessings.

Brewing to commence 18 - 23 July, starting with a yeast feeder/dumper batch to make sure everything works

Before brewing can start we have days of internal cleaning and external unwrapping. I would like to have some sort of ceremony prior to the first batch with John performing a blessing with to ward of the ghosts of Rainbow Bakery yeast.

Initial Brew Schedule:

Beak's Best 15 bbl.
Elector 15 bbl.
15 B 15 bbl.
Hoptimus 30 bbl.

The first three will be available 14 days +- after brewing, Hoptimus 21+-.

Don’t forget that the Bank Street Brewhouse will be closed on Saturday, July 4. New Albany’s annual holiday music and fireworks show takes place at the refurbished amphitheater on Friday, July 3, and we’ll keep the bar open later for your convenience. Sunday hours on the 5th are as usual. Looking ahead, there’ll be a special cooperative beer dinner with the Glassworks on July 13 (Monday – details forthcoming) and a Bastille Day Celebration the following day (Tuesday, July 14), the latter featuring a fixed price French dinner menu and imported French Bieres de Garde.