Well aren't you surprised!
Two blogs in as many months, this just might be a new trend but I wouldn't bet on it.
We're looking at the start of a new year and naturally turn our gaze back to the previous 12 months. We had another incredible year at O'Dempsey's which is evidenced to me by how fast it went by. We started 2011 at the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting with our first ever Firkin and if you missed it, our second ever Firkin is going to be at this years' Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting on Saturday, January 28th at the Prado. This year we're pouring Your Black Heart Russian Imperial Stout and I for one can't wait to taste this cask conditioned version.
2011 saw Georgia getting several Growler Walls and Sunday Sales and O'Dempsey's would like to thank everybody who had anything to do with both of these amazing accomplishments! Great work and nicely done, cheers to all. We would also like to thank everybody who poured our beers especially those who hosted beer dinners and food pairings -- two of my personal favorite things to do. You know who you are and we thank you very much. Let's do it again in 2012.
In the summer of 2011 we started the process of moving production from Atlanta to Thomas Creek in Greenville, SC in order to keep up with a growing demand for O'Dempsey's beer to die for. At TC we found not only an increase in production but also an increase in quality control and consistency but most importantly for us, we found a great group of new friends to share good times and even better beers with. You guys and gals at TC are awesome to work with and we look forward to seeing more of you in the New Year. As part of moving production to TC we decided to secure our own O'Dempsey's branded cooperage and if I do say so myself, they look great!
During all of this we also made great friends at Jailhouse Brewing in Hampton, GA and over the course of the first half of the year, Glenn Golden and I formulated "Community Service", a Scotch Wee Heavy collaboration between Jailhouse Brewing and O'Dempsey's beer to die for. We brewed it in the fall and it turned out to be one of the best beers either of us has ever made! We hope to do another collaboration ale with Glenn in 2012.
We would also like to thank all the volunteers and organizers of the various Craft Beer Festivals we participated in this past year, which reminds me we built our own Jockey Boxes this year. I would like to thank Kevin McNerney at 5 Season's Brew Pub for his advice and Bob Carlton from Beer Necessities for helping me assemble these little wonders. Thank you both, they work great. Thanks also to Savannah Distributing for the loaners up until then. While we're thanking Savannah Distributing, we have to mention our on-going gratitude to everybody at SD who helped represent O'Dempsey's this past year. You guys rocked it again in 2011.
Near the end of 2011 we released Your Black Heart Russian Imperial Stout and shipped our beer into North Carolina for the first time. Both of these accomplishments created a lot of smiles in both states and come to think of it, I'm smiling right now! I've been enjoying this beer since the mid-'90s and seeing more and more people getting to enjoy it is heart-warming indeed.
In closing out the year, we just got approved for placement in Kroger, so you should be seeing O'Dempsey's beers at your local Kroger early in the New Year! So thanks again to everybody who lent us a hand and to anybody who enjoyed our beer, thanks for getting it and please enjoy responsibly. Have a safe and happy New Year.
Randy Dempsey
