Monday, November 19, 2012

Meet April

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm April. I'm the wife in this husband and wife adventure. I do most of our social media, meaning I write the blog and I update the Facebook page. Unless there are spelling errors. Then Brandon did it.

I'm kind of a newbie to the world of craft beer. I've only been a fan for about three years. A lot of people find it funny that the first beer I fell in love with was Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. Not exactly a gateway beer, if you know what I mean. But if you know me, and you know that beer, you're probably not surprised at all.

I'm bold. I'm loud. I like things that are detailed and ornate. I don't do bland or plain. And I really don't do simple or minimal. I'm totally over the top, sequins blazing, jazz hands extended all the time. I jump in head first. There's usually no hesitation once I make up my mind. Go big or go home. Right?

So when Brandon said to me "I want to start a brewery," I just looked at him and said "Okay. Let's do this." And there has been no turning back. When people said we were crazy, I said "So?" And when they asked what we knew about running a brewery, I said "We'll bust our asses and learn." And when they asked what will happen if it doesn't work out, I said "That's not an option. It will."

I believe in us. I believe in Brandon and his talents and abilities. I believe in his passion for this industry. I believe in our concept for this brewery. And I believe with my whole heart and soul it will bring amazing things to our community. I can't wait to get to know our regulars, to build this Mischief family, and to support this community with charitable events.

We are really looking forward to being a part of your lives, and we are so appreciative of your patience and support. We are always so overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity shown by the people who have been following our story. If you can in anyway contribute to our CraftFund, which will give us that last little bit needed to bridge the gap to opening, we will be eternally grateful.

And these jazz hands will always reach out to squeeze you. (Did I forget to mention I'm a hugger? You have been warned.)

Monday, November 12, 2012

We put the fun in funding!

We've had a lot of people asking us what's going on with the brewery. They want to know where we are in the process and what kind of a time line we are looking at. Rome wasn't built in a day, my friends. Breweries take time to build. Yes, we thought we would be open by now. Yes, we have faced many hurdles we never anticipated. And yes, this is so much harder than we ever dreamed it would be. But rest assured, we are more determined than ever to make Mischief happen.

When our Kickstarter proved unsuccessful, we took two giant steps back to reevaluate our priorities. We were emotionally, physically and mentally exhausted. It had been a very long and difficult thirty eight days. Even though it didn't turn out as we had hoped, we were so glad it was over. We were tired of the waiting, the wondering, and most of all, begging people for money. We were over it.

The funds we would have raised from Kickstarter were never essential. It wasn't going to make or break us. That money would have allowed us to go bigger as far as purchasing more equipment and start us out on a larger scale than originally planned. It is so easy when you're starting a business to allow your imagination to run wild. This experience made us realize we needed to get back to the basics. Back to what got us into this business. Back to what fueled our passion and drove us to take this risk in the first place.

The beer.

We began to focus on our recipes and develop new ones. We brewed. We sampled. We tweaked and tested and experimented. And we got excited about making beer all over again.

In September, we were contacted by the people at Craft Fund, a new Crowd Funding company specializing in fund raising for the craft beer industry, about possibly doing another fundraising campaign. We winced and politely declined. But they were persistent. And then one of our very good friends and supporters reminded us of all the people who kept asking how they could still give us the money they pledged through Kickstarter. People still wanted to help. Our community still wanted to be a part of bringing this brewery to Peoria. We reluctantly allowed ourselves to be talked into it.

This time, the major difference is we are only hoping to raise $15,000 in 45 days. Every pledge is still rewarded with an appreciation gift, and every pledge gets us one step closer to opening our doors and bringing amazing craft beer to a very thirsty Peoria.

So check it out. You can find us here. We are so thankful for your support and generosity. We can't wait to celebrate our grand opening with you!