Buzzard's Brew - A Family Tradition

Buzzard's Brew - A family tradition since February, 2012. Our beer is brewed using only the easiest to find mail-order ingredients and fresh Bloomington tap water.

(This is my prototype "Brewery" logo - I'll work on this to clean is up and select a better font/color combo.)

Vienna Lager Bottled

The Vienna Lager (BB-IV) was bottled yesterday, joining the Irish Stout (BB-III) in the conditioning cabinet. Today, I am brewing the Belgian Dubbel (BB-VI, "Farty Monk") which will join the Czech Pilsner (BB-V) in the fermentation cabinet. That's 8 gallons of beer in the pipeline now!

Current Inventory:
BB-I Angry Weasel Pale Ale - last quart being enjoyed now
BB-II Comfy Chair Nut Brown Ale - 2 quarts left
BB-III Dark Epiphany Irish Stout - Bottled, 1 week of conditioning left
BB-IV Shaved Amadeus Vienna Lager - Bottled, 2 weeks left
BB-V New World Czech Pilsner - In Keg, 1 week of fermentation left
BB-IV Farty Monk Belgian Dubbel - Keg, 2 weeks left

Some Prototype Labels

Here are the prototype labels I'm working on for my next two beers. BB-VI is a Belgian Dubbel I'm calling "Farty Monk", and BB-VII will be named "Original Sin" Blonde Ale.

Discussion:

• Urraca Y: Maybe the blonde ale should have a woman who looks blonde or at least some blonde color in the snake. The Farty Monk label just doesnt do anything for me. The rest of your labels have been very attractive, but this just doesnt say "Beer" or "Fun" or "Tasty" or anything.
• Me: The Monk label was originally in the style I used for my Irish Stout - the only fundamental change there was in terms of color. I decided recently that I want a unique looks for each type of beer, so I struck out in a new direction. I guess this one was just a little too generic. Perhaps if I add little fart clouds under the tails of the lions? Naaah. Will keep on working on that.
• Me: I came across the art for Sin a couple of days ago and am eager to get it onto a label, but perhaps waiting for a dark beer would be more appropriate. I have a Dopplebock I'll be making, but that's scheduled to be BB-XII... I'm not even halfway there yet!

 

• Me: Here's an alternate name/design for the Blonde ... "Nimblejack"
• Urraca Y: I like it.
• Me: And an alternate for the Dubbel... not sure about the palette yet but you get the idea about where I'm going.

From The New World...

New World Czech Pilsner (BB-V) was brewed today and is currently in the fermenter. That means I have some of 5 different batches currently in the pipeline.

Pale Ale (1Q) and Nut Brown Ale (3Q) available to drink, Irish Stout (8Q) was bottled yesterday and is carbonating... will be ready to drink in 3 weeks, Vienna Lager (8Q) will finish fermenting next weekend and will be drinkable in 4 weeks, and the Czech Pilsner (8Q) is 5 weeks away. That's 7 gallons of beer!

Now I gotta decide when to brew the Belgian Dubbel.....

Pretty Bottles

Man, I sure hope the beer tastes good, because these are some great-looking bottles! P and I will be bottling the Dark Epiphany Irish Stout this weekend, then 17 more days before I can crack one open.

• Mark O: Yes. Great looking bottles. A long way from the days of Blatz and Maxx beer at the Oldham castle/

Angry Weasel Label

The Teal color template was the winner, and I fixed the drop shadow and the "BB-1" legibility issue. Can't get the kerning to take, but I can fix that later. The only major change I've made is to swap "Buzzard's Brew" and "Bloomington, Indiana" from top to bottom. I think it's more balanced this way. What do you think?

• Cynthia D: Nice, except I don't like the swap of BB and B,I. The BB is part of the name/brand and should be given the prime space at the top of the label, while the location is more appropriate with the other details at the bottom.
• Me: Concur.  I will swap them back for the new "Final" version.

Label Options

Though I never expect to ACTUALLY slap any labels onto my beer bottles, I need some help because I'm not all that artistically inclined. Which of these two possible labels for my first beer, the Pale Ale, do you prefer?

Discussion:

• Urraca Y: I like the color scheme on the right better. I think you should move the drop shadow under "Angry Weasel" closer to the main words (as in the label on the left) so the the "y" shadow is not touching the "L" in "PALE". Is it "BB-L" or "BB-J" ? Blackletter caps make it hard to tell. Bold block letters might be better. You might also consider tightening the kerning on each side of the apostrophe in "BUZZARD'S".
• Mike W: Will there be any left in July
• Me: Not of this batch of Weasel, but I plan to make another before then. I actually plan to make several other batches of different styles before I get back to the Pale Ale
• Me: @Urraca: good tips, all. I'll go with the right label, but will fix the drop shadow and the kerning. The "BB" element is the batch number, in roman numerals. It should read BB-I but with that font I can make it BB-1 and have it appear as I want it.