Sacre Brew!
I'm Gwen Sanchirico and I started homebrewing 20 years ago. I'm a passionate, creative, and skilled brewer and I am opening up my own small brewery in Wolverhampton.
I have a background in environmental science and project management, as well as community organizing and performing arts. I'm originally from New York City. This video is a little goofy, low-budget, but straighforward - just like me.
Brewing is both a creative endeavor and a scientific undertaking from start to finish. I make exotic, mainly non-British, styles of beer using only natural, high-quality ingredients. My beers are naturally carbonated and vegan, and never pasteurized, filtered, or tainted by preservatives. So far, I have three "regulars" to offer:
- Man on the Oss: a rye saison ale
- Marsupiale: an Australian-American amber ale made with antipodal hops
- Sirenia: a white beer spiced with coriander seed, citrus peels, and lemongrass
I have an industrial unit rented just outside of Wolverhampton and I've got immediate outlets for my beer, including The Hungry Bistro, where I have been brewing in-house on my pilot system until I get the larger 200L system in the unit.
I'm asking folks to help me raise the capital for the nanobrewery equipment. This is the first step that will lead to some day opening up an American-style brewpub in the city. In the long term, it will be a community hub - not just another pub - which will be a magnificent resource to have here, where I envision a lot of art, education, history, and constructive socializing going on. As a brewer I wish to provide not only awesome beer but an interactive experience for all.
What We Need
For the past year I've been researching and planning to open Sacre Brew and perfecting my beer recipes. I was a finalist in the Wolverhampton Portas Pilot competition but that didn't offer much funding. I need to upgrade to a much larger brewing system to make this a sustainable business. Sadly, I don't qualify for business loans or grants and what I have set aside isn't quite enough.
I'm asking everyone I know to help make Sacre Brew happen. If we can put together £6000 (just under $10,000 USD) through Indiegogo, I can purchase all the equipment I need right away. The list includes:
- 200-liter capacity three-vessel brewing system
- five 240-liter fermentation vessels and two 240-liter mixing/brite tanks
- chilling unit for cooling wort
- Pneumatic bottle capper and quad bottle filler
- kegs with regulators and tanks (not for forced carbonation)
- labelling machine
- yeast plate stirrers
- a hop freezer
- water filters
- a condensate hood, utility sink, and work tables
- hoses and connectors and other miscellaneous doodads
- a crane thing and scissor lifts
You can look through a gallery of these items on my Pinterest page at http://www.pinterest.com/sacrebrew/brewery-equipment/
If I don't meet my goal, I can still use whatever funds that are raised - I'll just have to improvise with less gear. If we raise more than the goal, that's not a problem! But if we reach this minimum goal of £6000, I can definitely get started and survive the vicissitudes of the first six months.
For friends outside of the UK, here's a link to convert GBP into your currency: http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/
What You Get
Everyone who makes a contribution to Sacre Brew will get recognition on the website and on the physical wall at the brewery, as well as my undying gratitude. You will get first dibs on special events and opportunities at the brewery. You will receive invitations to online events and demos. You will have access to special, limited brews that nobody else will be able to get their hands on.
For larger contributions, there are T-shirts, beer subscriptions, brewing experiences, parties - and beer. See the list on the column on the right for details.
If you live in the West Midlands, you will be close enough to be able to enjoy Sacre Brew beers and eventually the brewpub. I think it will make the city a lot more interesting and special. If I may be so bold, I'd say that Sacre Brew will contribute significantly to the regeneration of Wolverhampton. I want this brewery to be part of the vanguard of new, small, independent businesses that are engaged with the community and work with everyone to make this a more engaging and fun place to live or visit.
You'll also have the satisfaction of knowing you helped someone out to start an exciting project that wouldn't be possible otherwise. I know that sounds corny, but read reason #1 in the next section...
Reasons to Contribute
It'll make you feel good! Scientific research shows that altruism is healthy for you. It combats stress, reduces your risk of dying early, and makes you happier.
You'll be helping to fund a cool, inclusive, and totally unique local independent business that will strive to enrich the community it serves by strengthening the local economy and forging personal relationships.
Be a patron of the culinary arts - brewing is half science, half magic. Sacre Brew will raise the bar and expand people's beer horizons, as well as their notions about art and history.
I can get things done with limited resources - such as the civil liberties victories I spearheaded in Idaho and the Sagebrush Variety Show I produced for community radio. I am determined, creative, resourceful, uncompromising, and highly competent.
Most real ale in the UK isn't vegetarian - there's isinglass (fish protein from the swim bladder, usually of sturgeon) or gelatin in them. Not in my beer.
You might be interested in reading the Sacre Brew Manifesto at http://www.sacrebrew.com/manifesto
Other Ways to Help
I know financial donations aren't always possible, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help by getting the word out about this fundraising campaign. Please share the link to this page with friends or anyone you think might want to contribute - every little bit counts, even if all you do is watch the video or leave a comment. If have have your own idea about some other way you can contribute, I'm all ears!
Cheers, everybody - and thanks for reading.
Gwen Sanchirico
sacrebrew.com
