This past weekend, we hosted our Grand Opening at the Able Ebenezer Brewing Company. The response to our new venture was far beyond what we all could have imagined, as people by the hundreds came to Merrimack to celebrate with us and our beer. For that, we cannot thank everyone for their interest and support, and are elated to hear that although the wait time was upwards of 45-minutes to an hour, people stated it was more than worth it. I informed the crowd at 15-minutes in that I believed 27' of bar front would be more than enough, but I had obviously underestimated the Merrimack Valley's excitement for Able Eb.
Governor Hassan helped us kick off the festivities. In her speech to the crowd, she referenced the story of Ebenezer Mudgett and his Pine Tree Riot, and stated that the story illustrates the New Hampshire principle of hard work, individualism and liberty. She emphasized the idea that when someone works to create something, it is no one's right (government or not) to strip them of the product of that labor. Value created by your work is yours to share with fellow citizens in the manner you see fit; not that of a King who has never lived your life, experienced your toil, nor even gazed upon the land he claimed to rule. Cheers to Ebenezer.
We broke beer bottles together over the side of the facility to christen it as open, and Governor Hassan immediately proceeded to the bar, ordered a "Burn the Ships" and drank it to its completion. For her public words in support of individual liberty, and excellent taste in beer, I applaud the Governor.
Overall, the day was a success that went far beyond our expectations. We began the day with 2 pallets full of 1-liter and 2-liter growlers; by the day's end we had sold the entirety of our 1-liter's and were left with 24 total 2-liter's in stock (so I apologize in advance to those of you coming in this week). In terms of volume, we poured the equivalent of over 1,300 beers during Saturday alone. Furthermore, we sold out of a number of t-shirts and other merchandise items. Of the two problems a new company could experience during a grand opening, we certainly got the better one.
All of the numbers aside, none of this could be possible without you. Those of you who have followed us these past few months and granted us your time, interest and support; you continually reminded us that we weren't crazy and that this brewery was indeed possible. You went further and shared our story with those in your lives, and this past weekend introduced them to our company. You believed in us...and our work.
Work is not a part of life we endure to pay bills and buy stuff. Work is the creation of value; effort put forth to deliver a product and/or service that did not exist before you chose to dedicate your mind and body to its execution. Most importantly, work makes a positive impact on the life of someone else; fulfilling a need or want that would go unsatisfied without your ability to think and do.
Yes, this is a rather impassioned rant from someone who simply makes beer; typically words one would expect from a statesman or academic. However, this is the work we have chosen; we are proud of it, and believe in the value (however small in the grand scheme of the world) we are creating for those in Southern NH. No matter what your role in this life, you should be proud of your work too. This is what we mean by being Able.
With that, we give you our thanks and are forever grateful. We look forward to seeing you again soon to share a good story and a fresh beer.
Carl
Co-Founder | Accounts & Engineering
