Opening Day

Clay was very busy, of course, but I followed
as he was removing an empty keg so we could
chat a bit.

Saturday was the grand opening of Wood Ridge Farm Brewery where Clay is now working. It was a hot day but a good one and by the time I got there in the evening it was beginning to cool down nicely. They had a good day. The crowd exceeded anyone's expectations and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, very much.

That's Madison checking out the sound equipment. Yes, those
are palm trees. They overwinter in one of the greenhouses.
They plan to grow their own lemons and limes next year.

The beer is good. They have six on tap now, something to satisfy the taste of any craft beer drinker, including a shandy (a sweet, lemon/lime light beer concoction that would make a good mixer for vodka).

I didn't take Maya with me and I'm glad. The crowd would have been overwhelming for her. She had been there last weekend and I had taken her for a good hike Saturday morning, so I didn't feel bad leaving her at home. There were several other dogs present, however, including a beautiful ridgeback and a little chihuahua sitting on a woman's lap wearing a "service dogs" vest (don't get me started on that topic). Madison, the resident mutt was around of course, soaking up all the activity and attention. She seemed to disappear later, however, and I expect she took herself out of the crowd and went someplace peaceful to sleep. She's very sociable but she's not a young dog and I expect she was worn out from the event, I know that Clay was by the time it was all over.

There are two levels of porches that wrap three sides of the
taproom/brewery, so you can adjust your exposure to sun
and wind as you see fit.

I took several group photos for various folk on their own cell phones so I know that word will spread on Facebook about the brewery. No one expect every day to be as busy as the grand opening, but I would expect they will have another busy day today and any weekend day with good weather. I was standing on the second floor porch overlooking the scene and listening in on people's conversations. One remark was that it wasn't full of yuppies like many other breweries they had visited. It was described as "very Nelson County" which I took to mean very country and very local. If you build a brewery, beer drinkers will come and ultimately it will be weekend beer tourists that sustain the place, but it will always have a very country, very local, very Nelson County look and feel.

There was music, corn hole boards, and a food truck. The food
truck was gone by the time I got there, because they ran out
of food, but there were plenty of peanuts to eat at the bar.

Inside, upstairs. This is envisioned as an event room, but there
were tables and chairs and all were occupied by drinkers.

This may have been when Madison was calling
it a day and went off to find someplace quiet.

The farm has been in the owner's family for over 200 years.
It is, and always will be, a working farm, but now it's growing
grain for brewing beer.

Stand, with hand on wallet, and repeat after me:
  I pledge allegiance to the satellite dish of corporate America,
 and to the consumer culture for which it stands,
one economic market, infinitely ravenous,
with decadent excess for the few.

The parking lot was way overfull, and this was in the evening
after the crowd had died down.

The taproom was a happening place right up to closing time.