What more can a man need?
- Thread starter Gahr
- Start date
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
The life of a brewer right there!
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
If you like getting up at 04.00, you'll love it!
I get up at 4:00 AM every morning, so I've got that much going for me!
Y'know, I've been pondering that. I'm not a drinker, but I could be TASTER!
Or, I could mix stuff up. I'm good at mixing stuff up.
I'll betcha Gahr could get us jobs! Hey, I already like snow.
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
Hehe, I guess it's an occupational hazard. On a serious note: Most of the people in the business are very aware of the risk. A regular workday at the brewery does not involve any drinking, though. Sure, we taste all our beers all through the production, but we spit. Monday morning is quality control time. Then we taste up to 12 different beers, all of various ages, most of them "stress" aged at high temperatures to check for oxidation or bacterial infections. Hardly social drinking... And again, we spit. When we go to events and tastings, it is, naturally, a different matter, but once again, we are (and need to be) very aware of how much and how often we drink.
Most weekdays I don't drink any alcohol at all, but if I do, it is usually not more than one or two beers. Fridays (like today) I might stick around in the rec room at the brewery and have a beer or two, but I usually have to get home to make dinner for my family. Some of the younger guys at work (at 43 I'm home of the oldest) might party a bit more, but the glamour of working in a craft brewery is just a rumor. Mostly it's hard work, and lots of it. It IS fun, though. I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm good at spitting, too.
Hey, Gahr, I just noticed in your signature block, you have the name "Smith."
Just tell 'em I'm your long-lost, red-headed brother from the US who needs a job!
All Smiths are related, somehow...right?
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
Sure, we're all related!
Actually, the Smith part of my name comes from one of my ancestors (back in the late 1700s) whose father was a blacksmith. At the time last names were not really common; you were either named after your father, the name of your farm or sometimes your occupation. This guy became pretty rich through exporting timber and producing iron (sold cannonballs to Napoleon among other things), but he took the name "Smith" to honor his dad. The Norwegian word for smith is "smed", but to make it look nicer he used the English word (not an uncommon practice at the time).
syscokid
Ambassador of War & Peace
The pic reminds me of "Breaking Bad"
.....hmmmmm!
BGood
Well-Known Member
Mouhahahaahaaa ... I don't think you can blow up a beer lab.
But we'd have to see if there is an old Winnebago parked behind the building.
Careful, now!
There'll be no blowing up Gahr's beer lab...er...brewery.
He's gonna get jobs for me and Sergio!
How's your Norwegian, Sergio?
I'm gonna be the first tee-totalling brewer in history. I'll get to mix stuff and spit!
Sérgio
Ambassador of CaliZilian Affairs
Oh man, I really have to learn some Norwegian.
Anyway I speak Portuguese, Spanish, English, German and some French, so I guess I can try to order a beer and make myself understood in the meantime!
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
Actually, you have no idea how many people have said the same thing!
I speak English well. I mean, I speak it REALLY well! I'm, like, fluent in it!
In a pinch, I can mangle some Spanish.
I wonder if Rosetta Stone has Norwegian?
OP
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
You speak German? If so, Norwegian should be a breeze. Lots of common words, and most of the Norwegian grammar is simpler. I did German in school (from 8th grade through my second year in highschool), but I haven't kept it up. I still read it quite well, but speaking is a lot worse.
To please @Goldmember, I can proudly say that I've done a couple of courses in Dutch. Isn't dat vird?
The first sentence I learned was the following extremely useful phrase: "Ik ben directeur van een rijwielfabriek in Zaandam." Look it up. I'm sure you'll use it LOTS!