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brewhouse etiquette

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  • brewhouse etiquette

    My brewhouse is a hallway between the kithchen & the pub.
    There are pub supplies being stored in my brewhouse, making my space limited. Now they are washing there rubber floor matts in my brewhouse. I voiced my opinion, that this is not a garage. The owner thinks I am over reacting. This has been escalating for 2 years now. Keep in mind my boss has no brewing experience.
    Any input would be appreciatec. Should I put up, shut up. & scrup?

  • #2
    Jim,
    You poor ,underpaid ,scum-scrubbing bastard. You work for piggy vermon I say.
    The kitchen mats would've been the last straw for me...maybe.
    I feel yer pain my brother, but we work in a cynical world of sense-dead people who won't likley notice that you have a rampant bacterial infection in your brewhouse, much less the drooling moose you have to call your boss.
    Remember; nobody really cares about your beer...except you.

    Keep yer' trap shut.
    Keep scrubbin'.
    Keep yer' job.

    Comment


    • #3
      Kitchen louts

      This is one of those fights you might want to take gently.

      The storage problem is common with those who mistake a brewpub for a gold mine and make a minimal investment in sizing a restaurant and brewery. If you ruin supplies to make the point that you also need the space and that the brewhouse is not a storage closet, every one loses.

      The mat problem is more pressing. Depending on the way you run your brewery, you may chance an infection. Most of the time this happens, either it's laziness on the part of kitchen staff or the owner once again undersized. The rest of the staff cannot think of the brewery as a part of the kitchen. That they have to pass through it is just bad planning. Can't they take the mats out back? Is there a personal disagreement or grudge?

      A diagram of your pub would make it easier to make suggestions.

      Just remember, any suggestion or complaint you make may take a while to effect a change.

      If the pay is good and you like the place, work at it. If not, send out your resume and start looking for a new job.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hiya' Jim,
        You know what you should do. However, before you leave, why don't you try storing some spent grain in the kitchen?
        Glacier Brewing Company
        406-883-2595
        info@glacierbrewing.com

        "who said what now?"

        Comment


        • #5
          brewhouse etiquette

          If it were me, I would start taking the bar mats or whatever else they were putting in the brewery area and throw it outside. I have done it at breweries whenever someone puts things in my area that don't belong there. When they ask why you did it, explain to them that the brewery must be kept immaculately clean and if they going to throw "garbage" in there, then you are just gonna have to throw the "garbage" outside.

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          • #6
            Try getting your hands on an agar plate and plating up some of the beasties on the mats. Once they've grown a little, show them to your owner and explain to him why that crap doesn't belong in a brewery.

            Most non-brewers only see dirt and grease on the mats. They don't believe in things they can't see. If you can physically show them the beasties you'll probably win your case. If not, start looking for another job.

            As far as the storage problem. I'm in the same boat.

            Comment


            • #7
              If you were based in the UK, I strongly suspect the local authorities "hygiene police" would have something to day about this as the brewery would be classed as a food production unit, and the kitchen are also classed as a distinctly separate type. However, if you actually invoke a visit from them, you would definitely be kissing your job goodbye. However, it might just be worth making a few enquiries about local / national hygiene standards, with a view to insisting the rest of the establishment also comply with them, e.g. stop storing what to you is rubbish in your work area. One day you may just get a visit .....

              At the end of the day, if it is that intolerable, as previously stated, you only have one option. Good luck with the education.

              Cheers
              dick

              Comment


              • #8
                Jim:

                Unfortunately, the real world of restanteurs can not stand to see the back of the house with any empty uncluttered space. You have to make up your own mind about your future there.

                Unfortunately, my experience of thirty + years tells me that you won't change the individual unless you resort to the biological approach of testing for bacteria. The department of health is the last resort.

                Take the upper road for the time being and simply remove the offending materials and put them back in the kitchen where they belong. Eventually, the cook will bring the issue up with the owner.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Mats

                  Jim,

                  This is a very interesting pickle. I am a former brewer now owner of a brewpub and can see the issues. As it is imperitive to keep your brewhouse clean it is also important to have clean and safe mats for the line and behind the bar. The issue here is where to brew and where to clean. Unfortunately here in Maine the brewery has to have a seperate entrance then the kitchen but on the other hand by health codes there must be a dedicated mop sink. We run our mats through the dish machine at the end of the night or change the water out before using it again. The mats can also be sprayed down out back with a mild detergent. They must not be in your brewery. I do like the agar grow up argument but it must be explained clearly to your boss. If you are responsible for managing the brewery than let him or her know why they cannot be there. A sit down disscussion is the best approach to letting him or her know you aren't over reacting but concerned about the product. Good luck and a fine post!
                  Kai Adams
                  Sebago Brewing Company
                  www.sebagobrewing.com

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Restaurant folk

                    Hey Jim,
                    We, as brewers, have a self interest. Restaurant owners, managers, and chefs also have a self interest in the ongoings of conducting business that we do. It is true that there are times that require compromises that we would not otherwise concede to if the business was "beer only". That said, I see no reason for you to compromise your profession without losing it. Brewers must maintain integrity! This situation demands that you DO NOT GIVE ONE INCH! I'm sorry, but If this is my job I will not subjugate my carreer on some lazy kitchen staff. You must make all involved understand that the brewery is not just a floor drain. It is a living, breathing, and most of all vunerable product! Sorrry if I've gone too far for you, but that's the way it should be!
                    Good luck,
                    Jay
                    I fish, therefore I lie.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      and...

                      Don't open a brewery if you can not keep it clean, try some other business, like making, errr wine! Wine makers are dirty ya know...
                      I fish, therefore I lie.

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