SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING CLOSELY . . . 

know that Taylor is helping co-found another food-related business. Last summer she gave a snapshot of some of the adventures leading up to building the Suarez Family Brewery. Three full seasons and many moons later, they've finally tapped the first batch. In Taylor's words:

The process was (and is) not without it's challenges. While I eluded to the costs - financial and otherwise - before, I have not divulged the full extent of blood, sweat, tears, lost fingernails, days, nights and weekends devoted to stripping, cleaning, scraping, painting, sanding, oiling, refinishing, paperwork and more paperwork. And fees. Lots of fees.

As I perch on a lounge chair I've set up in the brewery at circa 11:30 PM and watch Dan ready the water and pre-mill the raw grain going into tomorrow's brew, I realize that life was certainly a lot simpler when he just had a job brewing at someone else's brewery. He didn't spend nights up, worrying about how the beers will turn out or how to distribute them, and on weekends he would leave work behind as we went to hang with friends, or leisurely mow the lawn, or wake up late, or take the dog for an impromptu hike.

And sometimes we wonder, 'why are we doing all of this?' We don't have the answer just yet. We are just starting to feel the good parts - wrapping up a slew of projects and putting finishing touches on everything. And getting different batches of beer out to the world.

But if we've learned anything from prior experience, it's that perhaps, someday, even this distress will be a joy to recall. Because there is no replacement for a job well done, or the satisfaction of an accomplishment that you've worked hard to attain.

For a multimedia interpretation of these sentiments, check out this week's blog post with Caitlin Pierce, and the Heritage Radio Network show she produced about NY state beverage producers.

Stay tuned for continued coverage over the next few weeks.

Cheers,

Taylor & Dorothy
Co-Founders, Good Food Jobs