2016 Presidents Message
A Very-Belated But VERY Happy New Year Member-Owners!
This time last year we wrote about what an amazing year we had in 2014 and how excited we were for the work ahead of us in 2015. Can you believe how much we have accomplished since then? Our trajectory over the past 12-14 months has truly been remarkable. Everything we have done has been made possible by YOU. Your enthusiasm, your ideas, your volunteer time, your marketing, your sweat, your financial support, and your belief in this cooperative. Your Board of Directors have spent a lot of time and energy ensuring the success of Flying Bike and we wouldn't be where we are today without your support.
At the 2015 Annual Members' Meeting last October I had the pleasure of speaking to many of you about what we had done in 2015. It was an amazing feeling to put check marks next to every single thing we said we were going to do in 2015 at the 2014 Annual Meeting, and one of the proudest moments I have felt as a member of this cooperative. Some of the major accomplishments: we signed a lease, permitted construction, worked long weekend days and long weekday nights, hired fantastic bar staff and an amazing head brewer, purchased and installed equipment, designed and executed the tasting room construction and artwork, brewed beer, and then ... WE OPENED A COOPERATIVE BREWERY!
I hope you have been to the brewery & tasting room by this point. If you haven't, you better live really far away because there's just no other excuse. Our friendly staff (Tess, Scott, and Ryan) behind the bar are always ready to pour you a great pint (or taster, or growler fill) and talk to you about what's on tap. You might also catch head brewer Kevin Forhan for a quick chat about our brewing process and what's bubbling away in the fermenters. Neighbors, friends, members, and strangers all enjoy the company of each other and the beer. I am incredibly proud of the place we have built and the beer we serve.
So far in 2016 we've been busy building up our member and community engagement activities at the brewery. We host Geeks Who Drink trivia every Monday at 7:30pm, Flying Bike Run Club everyWednesday at 6:30pm, #MemberDrivenCommunity non-profit fundraisers every other Thursday, ArtUp Phinneywood the 2nd Friday of every month, Cask Night every Friday, Brewers' Table the 3rd Wednesday of every month, and approximately quarterly brewing competitions to source new beers. There are so many ways to get involved with the cooperative, whether it's simply to drink great beer or to engage with the community!
What do we have ahead in 2016? MORE GREAT BEER. Head brewer Kevin Forhan is a true magician behind the mash paddle and keeps churning out delicious beer after delicious beer. We just released an Abbey Amber which was inspired in part by discussions at our Brewer's Table with members, as well as Pale Hoppy Thing Vol. 4 and a few new stouts for February Stout Month. Our member-brewers are super talented as well! Kim Shields' winter warmer was a huge hit in the tasting room. She won the member homebrew competition last October by vote of the membership with her recipe. Member Eric Blume won our latest competition, for a porter, and will be brewing up his recipe soon with Kevin Forhan. We recently tapped Razryadka, a blend of barrel-aged CDA and Russian Imperial Stout which is AMAZING. There will be a limited run of bottles available soon as well, so keep your eyes out for our communications (not getting our emails? contact us at members@flyingbike.coop).
Your Board of Directors spent a weekend discussing business recently, including goals for 2016. Our major areas of focus are to increase revenues and marketing presence, develop our limited/local distribution process and network, and engage our membership and community through events, education, and fundraisers. With your support we'll be able to achieve a great deal in 2016 and revel in the success of the west coast's FIRST Cooperative Brewery. Spread the word about your co-op! We can't wait to see you and your friends and family in for a pint.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all of the up-to-date happenings at Flying Bike. Here's to a fantastic 2016!
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