Monday, September 21, 2009

Lightning Strikes



Seems we've moved from Summer directly to Fire Season. A series of storms that blew through last week set some fires south of Oakridge, in steep and wooded terrain. The fire info guy drops by the maps and the update every day, and we keep it posted at the pub. Last year it was the fire crews that helped us through a slow first-year October, when the crews of 25 or 30 would drop by on a quiet Tuesday night and stress the kitchen. We've only seen sporadic groups so far - nothing to overwhelm. From what I have been told today, from one of the upper layer people in the Interagency Fire Team, the crews are required to be "well-behaved". Unless they are off duty. It's really hard to be ready for this.




With my main bar staff gone for eight days to Interbike in Las Vegas, I'm on the bar straight through from Sunday to Sunday. I have some sporadic part-time help in the middle of the week, but otherwise the thirsty punters will have to enjoy my good looks and witty banter on a regular basis for the time being. This does cause the problem, though, of getting to the brewery to prepare for when the fire crews DO get their break. I have safely tucked away Tanninbomb in the cellar, to be tapped the first week of December, but I have a bitter in the fermenter that needs to be casked up in a day or two. The tenants upstairs may have to suffer through the sound of a mallet knocking in shives at 1:00 AM. We're also just about out of Union Dew, AGAIN, and I won't be able to tackle the problem until next week.

4 comments:

Joseph said...

Need any help while the bar staff is gone? I was just reading your page after hearing about Local 180 from the Block 15 website! Recently laid off and looking to kill some free time!

Brewers Union Local 180 said...

Too short of a time to train, I'm afraid. I can handle the work, as I have a little help midweek. It's getting the ale into the firkins that is the interesting problem tomorrow. I'll probably do the cask wash in the morning, work the bar all afternoon, attempt to remember some of my lines at play practice until 10:00, and then rack the bitter. The fermenter can be cleaned Wednesday night.

They say I'm Bitter and Cynical, I prefer well Hopped said...

Way to take one for the Team Ted! We are having good times in Lost Wages, though we are all a bit of the Crispy Critter side of sunburnt.

I met a guy on the bus out to the Outdoor Demo area yesterday that had been in Oakridge a few weeks before and thought that the Pub was just an awesome addition to town and that it is a wonderful social space. We are known by people visiting Interbike!

Sweet!

Dave A said...

You know if you need a break....just let me know. Saturday is out, but I am due a distraction after losing my dad a couple weeks ago!!