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Episode 12

It'll Ring Your Bell: The Origin of 547

Gary Ardnt, Bobby Fleshman, and guest Joel Hermansen discuss the creation of and cult behind the beloved West Coast double IPA from McFleshman's: the 547.

From the Toronado Pub in San Francisco to the ringing of the bell and 547 Day, all shall be explained!

Got a question about beer or just want to get social? Join the RtB Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/respectingthebeer

--

Hosts:

Bobby Fleshman

Allison McCoy-Fleshman

Gary Ardnt

Music by Sarah Lynn Huss

Recorded & Produced by David Kalsow

Brought to you by McFleshman's Brewing Co

Transcript
Gary Arndt:

Hello everyone.

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And welcome to another episode

of respecting the beer.

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My name is Gary Arndt and with me as

usual is brewer extraordinaire, Bobby

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Fleshman, and with us again is historian

and beer aficionado Joel Hermansen.

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How are you doing?

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Joel Hermansen: I'm really good.

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I didn't get an extraordinaire though.

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Gary Arndt: No, you did not.

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Joel Hermansen: Noted.

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Gary Arndt: This episode, we're going

to do something a little different.

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We just want to focus on one

product that you guys make.

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It's a beer called 547.

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It is a West coast, double IPA,

and I'm going to leave it at that.

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And I want Bobby to explain where

the origin of this beer came from.

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I don't, I don't think having

a West coast, double IPA is

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in and of itself, a big thing.

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I'm sure a lot of breweries have

something similar to that, but what was

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the Genesis of this particular beer?

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Bobby Fleshman: I used to spend

a lot of time in San Francisco

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when I was an astrophysicist.

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There were a lot of meetings out

there and I found my way to this

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bar called the Tornado, whose

address was 547 Haight Street.

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And I was also homebrewing, I think

this is something like 20 years ago.

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And I went in there and I was like, And I

naively asked for the best West Coast IPA

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and they, if you've been there, you know,

the service is very unique to the tornado

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and they didn't even give me the time of

day or have any dialogue exchanges through

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a bar or a beer across the bar at me.

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I drank it and I said, what was that?

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And it was.

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It was a beer called Pliny the Elder

by Russian River Brewing Company.

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And that was one of those moments

that just changed my life.

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I'm like, this, this is not anything

like anything I've ever had.

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And I went on to, you know, brew

that at home and, and investigate

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more who Russian River was.

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They weren't actually

nationally known at this point.

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Gary Arndt: Explain what

a West Coast IPA is.

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Bobby Fleshman: Yeah, West Coast,

Americans tend to take it to 11

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and this was taking it to 12.

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Cause this was, this was, an IPA that

was well hopped, extremely late hopped.

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And what I mean by late hopped

is putting the boil at the end

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or post fermentation or whatever.

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So you're keeping all the green terpene

grassy, all those flavors in there.

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It was a, it was a style.

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It was really.

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It really came about when Vinny Chalorzo

of Russian River opened the Blind Pig in

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San Diego, he started making these styles

and it just changed the face of beer.

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It made America have its own style

and, Fast forward, and he opens

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Russian River, Northern California.

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His number one bar, his number

one client was a Tornado.

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So if every had one keg of

something, they would get it.

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They had dibs on everything,

and they'd never, ever run out

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of Pliny Dale at the Tornado.

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That will never happen.

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It's their number one seller out

there, and it's like five bucks a pint.

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In San Francisco numbers,

that's like a dollar.

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And yeah, I don't want to flood them.

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They're already busy enough, but make

your way out there if you haven't been.

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So, you know, I got into home brewing.

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I was into it, but I was more into

it for this reason and others, all

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these different experiences I had and

digging into how to make hoppy beers

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led me to grow hops in my backyard.

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And we started making some fantastic,

you know, seasonal harvest ales.

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And I was taking the cues

from what they were doing.

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And we were making sort of, clones of

this beer at some point that recipe gives

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it out because he knows not everyone

can make this beer because just because

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there's a recipe there's all the stuff

in between the lines that he's that he

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can't know to say but he gave the recipe

out so we're brewing it and man was like

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getting a lot of recognition for someone

else's beer this was really good stuff

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and my version was a little different but

it was just so good And then I decided

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when we open this fast forward several

years Allison and I actually were in

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the Toronado and we were, I think maybe

we were brainstorming the brewery.

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Even then it was like 2010 or something.

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I looked over her shoulder and I saw

the half door of the tornado open.

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They always have the half

door open because there's only

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1 weather in San Francisco.

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So the door is always open.

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And it said 547.

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I took a picture of her and that

picture is on the wall downstairs.

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And I said, if we ever open a

brewery and we were, I was leaning

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that way at that time anyway.

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we're calling if we make, if we

open a brewery, we're going to make

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a double IPA and we're going to

call it 547 for all the reasons.

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And so when it came time to open

the brewery and I was developing

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recipes for it, I knew I couldn't

just make Pliny the Elder.

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That was, you know, this is an homage.

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This isn't a copy.

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So I sat down and I knew what was in

it, but I try not to think about it.

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And I think this is how musicians may,

may or may not approach a song, but.

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I decided to be in that headspace,

but, but not listen to it.

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So just to make that metaphor

and what came out was this beer.

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And I threw in a couple of hops

that he didn't use, but most of

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the hops are the same ones, but

they're put in different orders.

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And that's in a way, it's

like being the same key.

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And that's been a theme for a lot

of beers we've been doing lately,

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but using the same notes different

ways and it, this beer wasn't on

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brand, but it was on brand for me.

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So we built McFleshman's to be an English

Ale and a German lager brewery, but I am

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a West Coast beer fan and I knew we were

going to make a California common and I

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knew we were going to make at that time.

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I didn't know about a brute,

but we did make a brute and

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we did really well with that.

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And I knew we were going to make this

double IPA and eventually we would make

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pale ales and other lower strength IPAs.

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So we knew this is going to

be a third leg of our chair.

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We would have three legs that

hold up the brand of McFleshman's.

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It would be West Coast styles and

then those other European styles.

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we kind of like, we put it out there as

our number, maybe the seventh or eighth

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year we released and we first opened.

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And it got a warm reception, but I

think they were a little confused by it

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because they were coming for hand pumps.

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They were coming for German lagers and

then the crowd was Wisconsin, right?

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They're not California and a beer

that big and hops 10 years ago.

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And at the time we opened,

that was seven years ago.

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They still weren't.

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They still weren't ready for it.

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I don't think.

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And it's been kind of a slow build.

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And I think now it's about time

I give the mic over because we

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had to get an ambassador in here.

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All right.

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Gary Arndt: So

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Bobby Fleshman: yeah,

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Gary Arndt: so that's

how the beer came about.

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Bobby Fleshman: Yeah.

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Gary Arndt: How did you discover it?

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And what's your background with respect?

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Cause you are, how shall I say

a West coast IPA aficionado?

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Joel Hermansen: I am.

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Yeah.

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That's my, that's my

favorite style of beer.

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Gary Arndt: And when did

you first, so did you have.

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Piney the Elder before a

547 or which came first?

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Joel Hermansen: So my, my

origin story with the, it's, if

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I was out in San Francisco in 2015.

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I was taking a class at

Stanford, that summer.

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And I spent, when I was out there,

three, three different days.

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I was at Russian River for

significant amounts of the day.

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And I, I, I, like you, it was just

like, what, what is happening right now?

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Yeah.

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You know, this, this is unlike

anything that I've ever had.

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And, and at that point we, we had IPAs.

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that, you know, had some

acclaim behind them.

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You know, Bell's Two Hearted Ale

was, was around at that point.

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But this was, you know,

something totally different.

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While in San Francisco in 2015 as, you

know, The resident deadhead here as well.

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I was in front of Jerry Garcia's

old house on Hayden Ashbury, which

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is just a very short walk from

Toronadoz and we went to Toronado

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I was there at Toronado

for a couple of days.

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as well, and it's the most diverse,

incredible place again, not to flood them

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with business, but if you get a chance,

head over there and I had it there again,

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there was no disruption in the quality

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Bobby Fleshman: Perfect

glassware, perfect beer.

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Joel Hermansen: And so I had a

long experience with with that

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before I got here, I first had 547.

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I think it was just before.

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Just pre COVID, in 2019, and I had

that, that kind of that same epiphany

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moment where it's like, wow, you

know, what I'm, what I'm drinking

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right now is, is extraordinary.

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And I, you mentioned that

it's an homage, but it's, it's

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very, very different actually.

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It is.

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Yeah, we're done.

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Bobby Fleshman: The blind tastings

now and it's not even close to blind.

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I mean, you, it's not even close.

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They're very different.

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Gary Arndt: I was actually

going to ask you about this.

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You've done blind tastings,

between 547 and Piney the Elder.

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Yeah.

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Bobby Fleshman: Yeah.

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Gary Arndt: Well, how did this come

about and what were the results?

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Joel Hermansen: That was my fault or idea.

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I had managed to get a bottle of elder

and we decided, well, we're gonna,

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we're gonna put it up against 547.

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We had done it once before with another

bottle that I had secured, but the

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second time we did it, I think we were

a little bit more scientific with it

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because we wanted to make sure that the.

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Pliny, the elder that we had was bottled

at a point that was similar to the 547.

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So we didn't just pull from the tap line.

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Yeah.

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That was going to be

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Gary Arndt: my question.

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Yeah.

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It would be kind of unfair if you had a

fresh beer versus, you know, an older.

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Correct.

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Joel Hermansen: We, we, we tried to

take those variables into account

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and we got, you know, some of our

our, our hop heads from the brewery.

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We had, you know, reached out and

said, hey, we're planning to do this.

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And, and we did a blind tasting,

literally blindfolded people

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with black the old COVID masks.

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Yeah, we had those.

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And I mean, yeah, the results

were, were very, very clear.

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The 547, and if you've ever

come into the brewery, I have a

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tendency to talk it up quite a bit.

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Because I, I just think it's exceptional.

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And I think the, the test data that we

had that day kind of supported that.

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Bobby Fleshman: The, the best data

is it sells top in our volume and

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in our, our revenue in the tap room.

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And this is not a cheap

beer to make or to buy.

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And that says a lot.

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People are voting with their dollar.

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It can't always be Joel behind the bar.

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There's...

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Gary Arndt: So sorry.

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So let's talk about that.

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You're a fan of the beer.

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Joel Hermansen: I am.

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Gary Arndt: You also work here.

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Joel Hermansen: I do

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Gary Arndt: Selling beer.

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And you've developed over time.

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How should I put it?

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Bobby Fleshman: A Cult?

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Gary Arndt: You're a big g promoter of

the 547 so much so that when people come

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in, you will almost always recommend it.

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Whether or not...

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Bobby Fleshman: I always say

don't pause because you'll end

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up with a 547 in front of Joel.

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Gary Arndt: But this has kind of evolved

into a thing, which is why we're kind

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of doing an episode just on this beer.

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The story behind it's interesting, but

it's also kind of how this sort of local

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inside the building cult or mythology

developed around it and explain that.

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Cause I think a lot of

that has to do with you.

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Joel Hermansen: Thank you.

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well, number one, I'm a local guy.

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I mean, I'm from Appleton and I know.

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a huge number of people in town.

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So when people come in I usually have

a level of comfort with whoever here

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and I, and I can, you know, I'm going

to say this, I can be myself and just,

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you know, put my opinions out there

and say that, Hey, if you're here, you

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know, you're probably interested in what

I think is the best beer in the state.

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So I usually, you know, lead with that.

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If they indicate that they don't like

double IPAs, Then I usually lead with it

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again, which, sometimes, you know, works.

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I've had people, and this is a, you've

been here with me when this has happened,

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where there's, you know, someone

that says, well, I don't like IPAs.

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And then you give them a sample

and it's almost like that movie

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Ratatouille where the rat, you know,

eats the cheese and like all the

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lights go off, you know, for people.

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You know, they're like, Oh my

gosh, I have to have one of these.

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And I'm like, yeah, you'd

like double IPA snow.

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Bobby Fleshman: It's amazing.

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The, the spectrum of people that drink

it, there's not a type for this beer.

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Which is kind of surprising,

age or gender or anything.

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There's no way to know who's

going to be one, a drinker of.

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Joel Hermansen: Right.

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And I have a pretty big personality.

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So when people come in, you know, I try

to incorporate that into their experience.

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Because when you come in here,

it should be an experience.

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And if you've not, you know,

You know, Ben, here, we're up in

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the Prohibition Room right now,

which is just a stunning room.

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The entire McFleshman's brewery

visit should be an experience.

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And, I mean, the way that the building

is structured, the way that the beer

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garden is structured, it's an experience.

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And I think 547 is a part of that.

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Are you going to talk about the bell or I,

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Bobby Fleshman: First of all, I was going

to ask you, what's the best soundtrack?

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What's the best soundtrack?

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Joel Hermansen: Oh, I a hundred percent.

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We actually on my, we have a San Francisco

playlist that we like to tap into.

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And we played this.

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During 547 day last year and

I sprinkle it in periodically.

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Bobby Fleshman: You're in

charge of the playlist this

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year if you want to do it again.

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Joel Hermansen: Yes, it'll be done.

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Gary Arndt: Okay, so let's...

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Bobby Fleshman: Got two subjects now.

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Gary Arndt: Yeah.

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So 547 day, what is 547 day

and how did that come about?

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Joel Hermansen: So the math behind

it, I'm going to attribute to the math

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guy, but I've landed on a good date.

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Right.

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It did.

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I'm always of the opinion

that we need to have.

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You know, we have stout week.

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We have October Fest which Lager Fest?

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Lager Fest.

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I mean, we, we have all of these,

you know, fest and celebratory

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days that highlight a beer,

but we needed a 5 47 day.

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So you chose a unique day.

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Bobby Fleshman: It works out to

be May 47th if you June 16th.

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If, if May had that many days.

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And people they think it's a

typo and they scratch their head.

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They, they, they get it.

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They like it.

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It landed on a Saturday last year.

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There was a first year to do it.

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And this year it's not going.

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So we'll move it around a little bit.

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It's going to actually be June 21st this

year, but we'll still call it 5 47 day.

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It also is the same weekend

that we have our anniversary.

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So we always book in those together.

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It always be 5 47 on Friday.

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And then it'll be about our,

our birthday the next day.

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But yeah, it was a success.

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We thought, is this going to

be a big deal on a Friday?

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And it was an enormous, it was

an enormous day on a Friday.

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I think people all called it in.

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It was great.

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Joel Hermansen: We, we did tie dyed

shirts, you know, we had the theme,

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the music and you know, obviously when

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Bobby Fleshman: We're getting a band this

year, it's going to be a whole thing.

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Joel Hermansen: Yeah.

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When you look at, at the label of the

beer, cause you had mentioned that

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earlier, the, the, the label of the beer.

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It really kind of harkens to that

Haight Ashbury experience of the,

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of the late 60s, which is kind

of a unique snapshot in history.

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And that, that beer kind of, when I,

when I drink that beer and, and I'm

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listening, and I very seldom will drink a

547 when I'm not either listening to the

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Grateful Dead or the Jerry Garcia band.

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It, it's just kind of adds to that whole

ratatouille lights, colors, the holy cow,

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kind of a moment that people have with it.

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Bobby Fleshman: We have other ambassadors.

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Joel's created other ambassadors

now for our brewery and that

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beer, Denny wonky of black gold.

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Yeah.

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He owns a company called black

gold that moves, they're,

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they're an environmental company.

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They're working with food

industry and stuff, but his.

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His company name, I think, is the

name of, Central Waters, one of

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their big releases, Black Coal.

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At long point, long story short, he,

he goes around the state saying now

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that 547 is an important product.

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And he's, he's driving

all the time to get here.

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He might show up today.

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Joel Hermansen: Yeah, hopefully he does.

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Yeah.

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I, we have a lot of people who

are putting that out there and.

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and, and celebrating it, elevating it.

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I don't think a week goes by where I

don't see somebody at the grocery store

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at the Y and they'll say, Hey, 547 guy.

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And yeah, so I, I guess now I'm 547 guy is

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Gary Arndt: those are

worse things to be known.

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Joel Hermansen: I've been

called a lot worse than 547 guy.

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Gary Arndt: So a couple of months ago,

however, you came up with another idea.

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for what to do when

someone orders the 547.

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Explain how that came about.

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Might

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Bobby Fleshman: be a year

now we've been doing this.

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Yeah, I think it's Is it a year?

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Yeah, it's been a long time.

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It's

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Joel Hermansen: been up

there for quite a while.

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Bobby Fleshman: I think it was

up before 547 day, wasn't it?

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Yeah.

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Last year.

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Cause

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Joel Hermansen: the, the logo on

the shirt, it'll ring your bell.

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It'll ring your bell.

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So it's over

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Bobby Fleshman: a year now, I think.

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Joel Hermansen: Yep.

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We needed a bell.

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And when I broached the subject

the answer was pretty simple.

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I said, we, we need a bell because we

need a spectacle that comes along with it.

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Pavlov's

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Bobby Fleshman: dog.

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Joel Hermansen: Right.

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And it actually does.

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It, it acts almost like

operant conditioning because

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somebody will be in the bar.

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Yeah.

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This happens.

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Every time I work here, I will pour

someone a 547, I will give our bell

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an enthusiastic, ring, and invariably

somebody within the next 30 to 90 seconds

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will wander up and say, why, what was

the story, why did that bell ring?

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And I said, well, that's,

that's our 547 bell.

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And they said, why do you have a 547 bell?

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And I said, why not?

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It's just an opportunity

to have a spectacle.

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And then they

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Bobby Fleshman: do know it

elicits, clapping and cheering.

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Yes.

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And then someone that wasn't

thinking about another beer might

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now be or whatever, the 547, yeah.

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Joel Hermansen: Yep.

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And you know, you can hear it

resonate all throughout the brewery.

377

:

You can hear it up in

the prohibition room.

378

:

You can hear it outside.

379

:

Bobby Fleshman: It would be perfect

if someone ordered one right now.

380

:

It would.

381

:

Yeah.

382

:

Yeah, it really would.

383

:

The timing.

384

:

Joel Hermansen: So, it's, I, I guess in a,

in a way I know that the, the last episode

385

:

you guys were talking about marketing, in

a sense it's a, it's a marketing, activity

386

:

that's, that's kind of unintentional.

387

:

I, I wanted to do it because

it's fun and I enjoy a spectacle.

388

:

And people we've had, you know,

people that we're so, you know,

389

:

impressed and they're like,

would I be able to ring the bell?

390

:

And I'm like, absolutely.

391

:

It's like the wheel and price.

392

:

So we've had countless people that,

you know, came back, rang the bell.

393

:

They got, took a picture,

you know, of them.

394

:

But...

395

:

Bobby Fleshman: Are you kidding me?

396

:

Joel Hermansen: There it is.

397

:

There it is.

398

:

Gary Arndt: well, the reason why we're

doing a full episode on this is because

399

:

A lot of this happened organically.

400

:

Like this wasn't a business plan

where it's like, okay, we're

401

:

going to brew this beer and we're

going to do all these things.

402

:

It was just.

403

:

You know, you had an ambassador and

Joel and these things kind of happened

404

:

and it ended up becoming, you know,

your bestselling beer, as a result.

405

:

Bobby Fleshman: In a lot of ways.

406

:

Yeah.

407

:

I tried to not put focus on it so I could

put it on the other ones that were in

408

:

wholesale and may have a wider footprint.

409

:

So yeah, you're right.

410

:

It's organic.

411

:

Joel Hermansen: It actually resulted

in a new job title for me as well.

412

:

Which is, yeah, I'm the 547

demand coordinator, keeps

413

:

Bobby Fleshman: us running

our asses off in the back.

414

:

He's the supply coordinator.

415

:

We brewed it again yesterday.

416

:

We brewed it like two weeks before that.

417

:

So we're, we're chasing our tail back

there as, as the quote supply coordinator.

418

:

Joel Hermansen: And you've

seen this in distribution too.

419

:

Bobby Fleshman: Yeah, we're seeing that.

420

:

And, and we've, we've had, we

had to increase prices a little

421

:

bit and concern that the sales

would drop and they went up.

422

:

So we're going to roll with it.

423

:

We're going to see where this goes.

424

:

Gary Arndt: This is something

you can't do for every beer.

425

:

You can only do this for, I think, for

a set number of things and probably

426

:

a very small number, maybe one.

427

:

Bobby Fleshman: As in a day for the beer?

428

:

No, I mean,

429

:

Gary Arndt: like, not

in a day for the beer.

430

:

You could do more of those, but like

for having a bell, like I think you

431

:

guys try to do a different bell and

that just, well, we joke about it

432

:

a little, but yeah, you're right.

433

:

That you can, so here's

my, here's my question.

434

:

Let's say some point in the

future, several years from now,

435

:

you open up another public house.

436

:

Would that public house have a 547 bell?

437

:

Bobby Fleshman: I think so, yeah.

438

:

Gary Arndt: Is this something that is, I.

439

:

A McFleshman's thing now, or is it just

something that would be in this facility?

440

:

Bobby Fleshman: I think it's a 547 thing.

441

:

I think it's some, in some ways

it's separate from McFleshman's.

442

:

It's a parallel, it's a

parallel brand in some ways.

443

:

In fact, we've been making beers

under its label for a while.

444

:

There's, we have a red IPA, which has

a whole story we can talk about another

445

:

day, but it, we call it stepchild.

446

:

It's a sister of 547.

447

:

It's the same likeness on the label.

448

:

and then we have a new one

we just made for people.

449

:

They want to drive home after

three and, it's Toronado actually.

450

:

So in reference to the, the bar

again, it's a true West coast.

451

:

So where, where this one's a

double, this is a true West coast.

452

:

It's a little drier, a

little crisp, but it smells.

453

:

Anyway, it's fantastic.

454

:

I'm about to have one in a minute, I

think, but that's going to have a label.

455

:

So it's all, it's, it's going to

look like that it's inspired by 547.

456

:

We're having a whole line

of these beers come out.

457

:

And I think that

458

:

Gary Arndt: was a good idea because.

459

:

Every time I come in here, Joel tries to,

you know, he's a pusher and he tries to

460

:

get me to order a 547 every single time.

461

:

Right.

462

:

And it's not that I don't like 547.

463

:

Yeah.

464

:

But it's a really high alcohol content.

465

:

Yeah.

466

:

And, you know, you can maybe,

I can maybe have one of those.

467

:

Yeah.

468

:

You know, two, forget it.

469

:

Yeah.

470

:

Especially if I have to go

home and do work or something.

471

:

So having an alternative like

that I thought was great.

472

:

Bobby Fleshman: Yep.

473

:

Gary Arndt: Is it possible?

474

:

Yep.

475

:

And if possible, would you consider

a non alcoholic version of it?

476

:

Bobby Fleshman: 100%.

477

:

The, the non alcoholic game is heating up

and we've been working on it for probably

478

:

four or five years behind the scenes.

479

:

I think we're, we're doing a good job

with developing our own IP, our own NAs.

480

:

But the answer is yes.

481

:

And we got some names in mind.

482

:

Oh, there you go.

483

:

There you go.

484

:

Yeah.

485

:

We got ideas for a

family pack, an IPA pack.

486

:

It's going to involve stepchild and we

have other names that will riff on that.

487

:

So yes, in a, yeah, in a IPA that's,

that's inspired by West Coast style

488

:

would be a logical progression.

489

:

Joel Hermansen: Can I, can

I go to naming for a second?

490

:

Bobby Fleshman: Yeah.

491

:

Joel Hermansen: Cause I don't, and I don't

know if you talked about this earlier, but

492

:

the amount of thought and creative energy

that goes into the naming of beers here

493

:

in particular, and I I've never worked in

the, in the beer industry other than here.

494

:

but is astonishing.

495

:

Yeah.

496

:

You and I probably exchanged.

497

:

300 different names for the new Tornado.

498

:

And we had some fabulous conversations.

499

:

Gary, you were a part of those,

you know, having a couple of the

500

:

conversations about what a good

name for the, for the beer would be.

501

:

It's both fun and creative.

502

:

Yeah, it is.

503

:

Bobby Fleshman: It's stressful

because now that's the name.

504

:

I mean, we have changed names before, but.

505

:

This one, this one I

had a lot of pressure.

506

:

I don't mean to talk about another

beer, but Tornado is a sibling.

507

:

Whatever a kid's sister

of another name of 547.

508

:

And we knew we had to nail

it because we've been asked

509

:

to make this beer for years.

510

:

People have been asking for 6

percent West coast for years.

511

:

And this one's got to land

and we got to have the name.

512

:

We got to go out the gate with this one

and we're working on the label now too.

513

:

So yeah, that's a good side note.

514

:

We didn't talk about that in

the last episode, but it's part

515

:

of the marketing and branding.

516

:

Naming is.

517

:

Exhausting.

518

:

And it takes a lot of effort if I pull my

phone out and show you where I keep all

519

:

my ideas for names is it will floor you.

520

:

There might be what I like.

521

:

And a lot of people don't

522

:

Gary Arndt: even know it when they

come in here, but there's a story

523

:

Bobby Fleshman: behind every behind

524

:

Gary Arndt: every name.

525

:

Bobby Fleshman: Yeah,

526

:

Gary Arndt: like I had no idea

because I didn't live in this

527

:

community for like 30 years.

528

:

Bobby Fleshman: Yeah.

529

:

Gary Arndt: The name

of pirates code, right?

530

:

Which is our other flagship.

531

:

Bobby Fleshman: Yeah.

532

:

Gary Arndt: You know, a bar that was where

your beer garden is now that burned down.

533

:

Bobby Fleshman: Oh yeah.

534

:

And everyone that lives here did

at that time absolutely knows

535

:

that name and that's, that was

chosen for good for that reason.

536

:

Joel Hermansen: Well, that's one of the

things that makes this place very special.

537

:

Everything is intentional.

538

:

The naming, the branding, the artistic

license that goes into the labeling,

539

:

the craftsmanship that goes into the, to

the, you know, the brewing of the beer.

540

:

You, you are.

541

:

Never satisfied with anything.

542

:

Never.

543

:

And you're always, you know,

pushing all of those elements,

544

:

which is one of the reasons why, you

know, you're as great as you are.

545

:

Bobby Fleshman: Let's give Alex

Schultz, some credit for the labels.

546

:

He does all of that.

547

:

So he's, he's not the, the

artist, but he's the guy that

548

:

brings the artist to the table.

549

:

He makes it match.

550

:

He works with an artist that matches.

551

:

Where we want to go with that, with

the feel, look and feel of a label.

552

:

And then he does all the layout stuff.

553

:

And that is non trivial that that's

an art in all of it in and of itself.

554

:

He's also a perfectionist, you

know, he's got that artist brain

555

:

and he does so much for us on

our, on that side of the equation.

556

:

For sure.

557

:

I get people telling me, bring me

some more posters at these bars

558

:

that I deliver beer to because

people keep stealing your posters.

559

:

Like that is such a compliment

that tells you how awesome the

560

:

graphics are, that people want them.

561

:

Gary Arndt: Would you feel the same

way about people stealing your beer?

562

:

Bobby Fleshman: Oh, I mean, if

they're just rebuying it from,

563

:

you mean from me or from them?

564

:

Yeah,

565

:

Gary Arndt: no, I, no, a lot of

your in line, a lot of your, the,

566

:

the posters I've seen, and they're

not actually everywhere here.

567

:

They're kind of just in your bathrooms.

568

:

Bobby Fleshman: They're not anywhere.

569

:

Yeah.

570

:

Except if I get maybe a couple in there.

571

:

Gary Arndt: They're kind of snarky.

572

:

Bobby Fleshman: We probably should do a

little more with getting them on the wall.

573

:

Yeah.

574

:

Gary Arndt: All right.

575

:

Any, any last words on 547?

576

:

We've devoted an entire

episode to just one beer

577

:

Joel Hermansen: Well, I'm glad we did.

578

:

This was a great conversation.

579

:

And I, and for those of you

that are listening, come

580

:

on in on a Wednesday night.

581

:

Wednesday night is kind

of the unofficial 547.

582

:

Bobby Fleshman: Yep.

583

:

Joel Hermansen: Night and

we have a wonderful time and

584

:

Bobby Fleshman: When I when I

sell beer out in the wild, I'm

585

:

delivering beer all over the place.

586

:

I will tell people come on the weekend.

587

:

Of course, that's going to

be fun or Mile of Music.

588

:

But if you really want to experience this

tap room, come on a Wednesday night, it

589

:

absolutely will make the best impression.

590

:

Gary Arndt: All right.

591

:

Well, that wraps up another

episode of Respecting the Beer.

592

:

Thank you for listening and make sure

to subscribe to the show and check out

593

:

our Facebook group and Patreon page to

receive updates about future episodes.

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Respecting the Beer
A podcast for the science, history, and joy of beer

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