Secrets of Aging Beer in Barrels

I learned some secrets of aging beer in wine barrels.

Kelso Brewery's owners / operators, husband and wife Kelly Taylor and Sonya Giacobbe, gave a tasting of some of their beers at Eastern District in Greenpoint yesterday. Among the beers (now available for your growler) is an IPA that had aged in a Cabernet Sauvignon barrel. I asked master brewer Kelly about the process of bestowing flavor from barrel to brew.

Kelso Brewery's Kelly Taylor (right) and wife Sonya.

As you might know, barrels are used to age various wines and spirits. Whiskey, rye, brandy and wines are stored in wooden barrels for months or years per the recipe. When the beverage is removed, the barrel retains the flavor. (Consider the point of view that the wine was not soaking in a barrel, but the barrel soaking in wine!). Beer brewers experiment with aging their own recipes in these barrel. The beer has already fermented, and is kegged.   It is transported into the barrels via a hose (and returned to the keg also via hose. "There's a lot of hoses involved," said Kelso employee Jess).

Note: it is not yet known by this reporter whether beer can be transferred directly from the fermentation tank into barrels.

Here are my notes from Kelly, told in Q and A format:

Why did you choose to use Cab barrels.. what was the inspiration for this latest experiment?
I'd been looking for cab barrels. A supplier upstate let me know they had 4 available, so I drove up and got them.
And you chose to use them to age an IPA...
We know that our IPA has some citrus elements that blend well with a cab's fruits..
You reuse a barrel for different beers? Does the wood get affected by the beer, or lose its wine character?
Yes you can reuse a barrel. A rule of thumb is to start with a weaker brew and successively use it for stronger beers.
Strong.. as in ABV?
No, the intensity of flavor. For example, our IPA has bitteness, an assertive flavor. You wouldn't want to follow that with a lager, because it would assert itself. Lagers are weaker brews, so you would age them, or wheat beers, first. Your ales and stouts would come later.
How long do you age a beer in a barrel?
Not anywhere near as long as the wine. Usually about a month more or less. A general rule I've come up with, is to double the lengh of time for successive beers. For example, if the first beer sits for three weeks, then the successor should age six weeks.
What's the worst thing that can happen? Can a good brew be ruined?
No, it's not going to get ruined... it might have to evolve. Corrective measures can be taken. If I'm not happy with a result, I can add fresh beer, or move the batch to a different barrel.
Oh, you can have a beer in multiple barrels?
Sure. It's another level of experimentation, of creating new combinations.  For example, our Double Boch (doppelbock), "Recessionator" was aged in bourbon barrels and... (reporter forgot).  I know (regardless of what happens) it will sell.

***

Kelso Brewery is a well-regarded family business turning out innovative, high-quality beers. The brewery's output is in kegs and "sixtels" (one-third the size of a 'regular' keg, which is 1/2 keg) that can be found at quality beer merchants and pubs.

The Brains Behind The Bronx Brewery

Coffee or Beer's Matt Hanley meets the polymaths who are revitalizing the Bronx brewing industry. 

Chris Gallant and Damian Brown of The Bronx Brewery

  Three young, smart professionals have banded together in the Bronx to build a new beer company, The Bronx Brewery (TBB). Native son Steve O' Sullivan founded the company but has stepped away from daily operations due to a job at the State Department*. Damian Brown, a Yale grad, was finishing a program at esteemed brewery science school University California-Davis when O'Sullivan visited to find a brewmaster. Chris Gallant (Bentley, B.S.; M.I.T. MBA) was consulting for Heineken in South America when he decided he wanted to return to New York and start a brewery. His wife saw a Yale alum group posting by Damian seeking investors for TBB and suggested Chris meet "the competition." After a meeting, Chris and Damian agreed they had complementary skills and would partner.

The two have made steady progress turning O'Sullivan's idea for a craft brewery in the Bronx into a going concern with a valuable product. Since producing its first commercial batch of Bronx Pale Ale in August 2011, The Bronx Brewery is on pace to sell 1500 barrels this year, and regularly sells out of its monthly output. In February its production will double as it brings a second fermentation tank online. Its barrels command a premium price and are sold at a growing number of well-regarded bars and restaurants in New York City (and at Whole Foods Markets). Backed by a supportive group of investors that includes family and friends, and drawing from the skills developed at our nation's best schools, it appears The Bronx Brewery is assured of reaching its aspirations to be a regional, and then, national brewery.

Why would smart people leave ideal climates for the Bronx? Beer is a factor...

 And yet the ride thus far has not been without bumps. One day a year ago, TBB's then accountant and business representative declared he was forming his own brewery (Jonas Broncks). Suddenly TBB had a well-informed rival (and had to find a new accountant). Then there's the bruises borne of the brutal beer distributors, who in many cases dictate the entire beer lineup of a bar. In at least once instance, a distributor has forced a bar to remove Bronx Pale Ale. In true indie-fashion, TBB self-distributes from their own truck; driving in NYC itself is a hazard (cue opening chapter of Bonfire of the Vanities).  Let's not also forget that for all the fandom of craft beers, they are a luxury and the U.S. is still mired in an economic "recovery" that has all the power of a 3.2% Utah beer. 

  I met Damian and Chris at a launch event in New York City's Amity Hall in November 2011. I had a couple follow up interviews via phone and email. I learned how they got together, how they are presently operating,some plans for the future, and examples of their strategy of "project orientation" and  "smart growth."

* Steve is still actively involved, holds a large number of shares, and has a seat on TBB's Advisory Board. 

INTERVIEW WITH DAMIAN BROWN, BREWMASTER

MH:     What other careers did you consider?

DB:      I have worked in two other fields outside of brewing:  I was an outreach paralegal for a legal services office doing farmworker labor law cases in the Southeast US for about 2 years and have spent several years in software sales and business development.
   

MH:     Why and when did you decide to become a brew master?

DB:      I'm pretty sure I made that decision after brewing my first batch of homebrew almost 10 years ago.  I knew it was something I'd want to pour my life, time, energy and focus into.

MH:     How many different beers does The Bronx Brewery produce?

DB:      One, the Bronx Pale Ale. But we have a couple in the pipeline.

MH:     Why did you choose to make a pale ale?

DB:      It’s a ‘big’ beer meaning it has a lot of character but it’s accessible and can be paired with a variety of foods. It’s a year-round beer. While almost everyone produces one, very few breweries actually focus on a pale ale. For our flagship beer, we decided a balanced beer like a pale ale was the way to go.

MH:     Describe your pale ale in a few words.

DB:      Robust, assertive, balanced, a big, malt, dry-hopped American style pale ale.

[ Editors Note: Learn more about the Bronx Pale Ale ]

MH:     Steve (founder) talked about using specific elements of the Bronx in your beers. What does that mean?

DB:      Instead of doing the typical, seasonal beers, like an Oktoberfest, we’re finding ways to collaborate with local organizations to source raw materials and influence a second beer. We’re new, so we have to do things that set us apart. We’re taking a project approach.

MH:     Can you tell us about some of these projects?

DB:      We’re discussing a project with The Bronx Botanical Gardens, where they’d produce some floral ingredients for a beer next spring. We are in talks with a rooftop farm to grow hops for an upcoming beer. A local coffee roaster might provide beans for a beer that has some characteristics of coffee.

The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx will likely provide ingredients for a  Bronx Brewery beer project. 

MH:     That is local. And yet I’ve read that your brewery is in Connecticut. Why is that?

DB:      We are ‘tenant brewing’ at the Cottrell Brewing Co.’s facility.  Our operating mantra is to smartly manage our growth. That affects many of our decisions and actions, such as when and how we raise money, how and where we produce our beer, and how much beer we produce; turning down some accounts because we don’t want to potentially under-deliver to others. It’s a process of incrementally scaling up capacity to provide for growing demand, while being mindful of our capital limitations as a start-up.

MH:     So you're "cooking in Cottrell's kitchen." Is the cookware theirs?

DB:      They have a great facility but they let us enter into our own contracts and use our raw materials. We own the fermentation tank. In fact, we recently purchased a second fermentation tank.

MH:     Can you explain why you bought a new tank and why you chose the particular tank?

DB:      We decided to purchase a second (80 BBL) fermentation tank in order to expand production and distribution of our Bronx Pale Ale.  

Factors we considered in deciding what tank to purchase and where to source it from included volume, timing, quality and pricing.  We decided on an 80 BBL tank in order to maximize production capacity; we'll brew double batches to fill the tank, given that we're brewing in a 40 BBL brewhouse.  Lead time from order to delivery of the tank is 4 - 5 months, so we purchased the tank anticipating where we want our production capacity to be in 5 - 6 months.  Lastly, we purchased our second tank from the same manufacturer as our first 40 BBL tank because we were impressed with the quality of manufacture and pricing.    

[Editors Note: this conversation was in mid-November. The second tank is scheduled to be used in February]

MH:     Is it a long-term arrangement? Will you ever brew in the Bronx?

DB:      Next year, we’ll have a second round of funding that will raise money to begin building a facility here in the Bronx.  Until that’s built, we are happy with the quality and consistency from Cottrell and are glad to have that relationship.

MH:     How often do you work at Cottrell and how do you get there?

DB:      I go up there 2-3 times a month. We have a truck that we use to self-distribute and I drive it up to Connecticut.

MH:     How do you choose a brewery and why did you choose Cottrell?

DB:      It was a three-four month process of investigating a number of breweries in the tri-state area. We chose Cottrell because of its proximity, its available capacity, guarantee of supply, and their willingness to let us be active. 

MH:     You mentioned turning down accounts. Couldn't you just make more?

DB:      We are maxed out on our one fermentation tank. It's created a luxury / problem of limited supply --luxury because we can be picky and strategize which accounts to go for and accept. 

MH:      What do you say to an account you have to turn down? 

DB:      That we’re a new company with limited supply, but we’ll revisit the request down the road.

MH:     What accounts are you focused on?

DB:      Two kinds. First, places that are respected for craft beer. [Ed. note: those places that carry a dozen or more craft beers from around the country ]. Second, accounts that are quality establishments, frequented by tastemakers, and only have a few lines (beers on tap), because that’ll lead to high volume / turnover. They’ll go through 2 kegs per week.

MH:     What about bottled beer? How much do you make of that compared to draft?

DB:      It’s all draft for now.

MH:     Why?

DB:      We’ll begin bottling next year.  But for now it’s a benefit for us to gather as much feedback as possible. It being on draft, in bars, gives us more opportunities to interact with the customer.

MH:     Are you thinking of changing the Bronx Pale Ale formula based on feedback? Or is the recipe locked down?

DB:      It’s not going to change. Sure, I have to make adjustments with the raw materials, as a brewer, to achieve the same results. The flavor profile stays the same.

MH:     Do you put much weight on reviews you see online, like at ratebeer.com or beeradvocate.com?

DB:      Those are good for food for thought. The ultimate feedback is sales.

The Bronx Pale Ale is not yet available in bottles. Maybe next year. 

MH:     I noticed at Amity Hall (West Village taproom) that your Pale Ale sells for $7 compared to $6 for a pale ale from Brooklyn. Is that a concern?

DB:      That’s something for Chris (operating manager) to worry about (laughs). It’s an expensive beer to make, and our output doesn’t give us the scale efficiencies yet.

MH:     Steve said that you’ve been surprised at who your customers have turned out to be. Who did you expect your customers to be, and who are they actually?

DB:      Well, obviously, a craft beer drinker is one profile we had in mind. Someone who has a history of favoring quality beer. But the city is diverse, and so customers come from all walks of life. Accounts in the Bronx are different than accounts in Manhattan. We’re very proud to see many locals in the Bronx who were life-long Miller Lite drinkers become regular customers. They gave it a chance because of its name, but they keep drinking it because they’ve come to appreciate quality.

MH:     What new things have you discovered you like to do in the Bronx?

DB:      I really enjoy the diversity of the Bronx.  Every neighborhood offers something unique and interesting.   

MH:     What hobbies that you used to do in Calif. have you had to find a replacement for / or have been more difficult to do here in New York?

DB:      I used to play rugby, both in VA (where I lived before attending the brewing science program at UC Davis) and CA.  It is a sport and culture I love, but I haven't had time to play here in NY given my work at The Bronx Brewery.  

Damian's Tips for Home Brewers

 1. Brew what you like to drink.  This is the best way to stay motivated to make more.

2.  Don't worry so much about style guidelines.  Be creative and make a beer that's truly your own.

3.  Start simple and add complexity as you gain more experience.  Starting with simple recipes and processes will allow you to better grasp the principles of brewing without being overwhelmed.

4.  Share what you make.

5.  Invite people to brew with you.  

INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS GALLANT, OPERATIONS MANAGER

MH:     Is it a concern that your Pale Ale is often $1 more than other pale ales at bars?
CG:      Among craft brews, one dollar is not significant to the customer. We don't offer discounts to bars, and our kegs our 2 and a half times more expensive than say, a Budweiser. We're comfortable with the pricing.

MH:     Damian says you'll be bottling beer next year. What's the plan on that? Will I be able to buy it at a corner store?
CG:      We'll revisit it next year. At first we would focus on selling bottled beer to "on premises" accounts, like the restaurants and bars we now serve. "Off premise" accounts like bodegas require a different set of sales techniques, and that will be further down the line.

MH:     So you get to interact with customers at bars that have Bronx Pale Ale on tap. Why is that important?
CG:      Being able to see someone's expression when they sip a beer is important feedback. And for us, being able to tell our story directly to people, that helps the community know who we are and what we care about… what our beer is like.

MH:     You do a lot of events, yet I notice you don't use those, er, 'beer girls' who go to a bar and hand out samples or encourage you to buy a particular brand.
CG:      That type of marketing works well for the macro beers. A craft beer consumer doesn't respond to that kind of thing, because he's focused on taste.  Still, at some events we'll have our wives, girlfriends as extra hands on deck.

MH:     What is the best compliment you've received?
CG:      Reorders.

MH:     When did you feel you made the right decision to return to New York and forsake Heinken?
CG:      When we sold out of our first batch so quickly.

MH:     How did you manage that, as an unknown brand?
CG:      We'd done a lot of trials, samples.

MH:     Any times when you've regretted leaving Brazil and going into business in New York?
CG:      On a cold day on the truck (laughs).  No, it's hard work but I've no regrets.

MH:     What kind of things do you like to do in New York?
CG:      A lot of food and drink stuff: checking out the newest hot spots and oldest NY standby restaurants, local farmers markets and products, food/wine/beer pairings, self-guided food tours (basically just my wife and i picking a neighborhood in one of the boroughs and grabbing food at the 5 or 6 best restaurants there - our favorite so far is either Arthur Ave in the Bronx or Roosevelt Ave in Queens). Otherwise a lot of running in the city, motorcycle touring in NYC and NY state, hanging out in Central Park with our dog.

MH:     What's been the biggest resistance from potential accounts?
CG:      Some bars only deal with distributors.  We've been kicked out of one bar in The Bronx, when the distributor saw we'd taken up one of "their" draft lines.

MH:     I read that another Bronx brewery, Jonas Broncks, is owned by a former associate of yours. How did you react to the sudden rivalry?
CG:      We're glad to have more brewers in The Bronx. But, we've had to revise our business plan. There are nuances to launching with one beer, and we've tweaked those details.

[Note: The Broncks Brewery now offers two beers and is carried by Union Beer Distributors. Its website parrots The Bronx Brewery's idea by stating: "We want our beer to be about The Bronx. The flavor, the look, the beer is all about The Bronx." ]

If Chris's wife and Damian were not both Yale alum, the two would likely be competitors instead of partners.  Chris was feeling the waters for his own brewery when his wife saw a posting to a Yale alum website seeking investors. He made an appointment to meet Damian, and they discovered their skills / background would work well in tandem. 

MH:     Which other breweries in the country do you see as a good example, that you might emulate in some way, or aspire to be more like?
CG:      Breweries like Dogfish Head that have really pushed the envelope and introduced people the new exotic beers; like Boston Beer that is leading the charge to get craft beer into the hands of new consumers every day; like Brooklyn Brewery who were on the forefront of craft beer in NYC. That being said, I wouldn't say we are aspiring to emulate any of them - we're setting out to do something a little different with our beer and company.

MH:     How about, irrespective of industry, other companies you admire?
CG:      I admire companies big and small that really break the mold of their industry, make a quality product, and have excellent customer service: Apple, Bonobos, Warby Parker, Amazon, PomWonderful, Dropbox. I also love brands and products with solid craftsmanship, strong heritage and a great story: Macallan, Levi's, Red Wing Boots, Ray-ban, NY Times.

MH:     What other careers or industries did you consider?
CG:      When I opted to leave my consulting gig, I looked pretty much exclusively at the beverage industry, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. In the end, I decided on beer because it is the product that resonates most with me and that i enjoy working with best.

MH:     Can you give an example of a big surprise / thing you learned since going into business?
CG:      The real camaraderie in the craft beer industry. It's amazing how much small brewers really help each other out. It's a small industry, especially in NYC, and I really enjoy the people I interact with on a daily basis from our suppliers to our customers to other brewers.

MH:     Any short advice you give to a friend going into business?
CG:      Don't copy what successful beer companies are doing today and assume that will make you successful. Find a undeserved niche that beer drinkers really want and go after it.

** COVERT REPORTING AT A BAR THAT CARRIES BRONX PALE ALE **

In late December, I visited Jimmy 43, a cool European-style basement bar in the East Village that offers a large selection of Belgian and craft beers. Looking at the menu, I asked what the Bronx Pale Ale was like. The young lady bartender said "Everyone likes it. It's one of our most popular beers" but went on to say that she herself found it "bitter" because she is "sensitive to hops." I ordered one, and let my friend try it. He said it was "a good IPA but too bitter." My take was that it was a good beer. I enjoyed it. I only had the one, and I can't recall if I felt that "balanced" means average or that it means "perfect." I was satisfied, and felt it was a winner and just the thing to drink after having had two stronger beers, and seeking to relax but not quit (this was halftime during a NFLgame). 

** CLOSING TIME **

Let us not assume TBB will be the next Boston Beer, based on its pedigree or because 'it should be,' especially since it could be said that it 'shouldn't be.' In theory, naysayers might suggest Brown and Gallant follow O'Sullivan into public service or in some other way improve humanity instead of risking 'good money' to sell a 'vice.' Both attitudes - that TBB is destined to succeed, or that the resources behind TBB should be allocated elsewhere - ignore one key concept: free will.  On paper, things look bright, but if paper was all that mattered, O'Sullivan could have drawn pictures on a napkin while drinking a Brooklyn Brew and left it at that. 

Free will is embodied in actions--and these are very active men. They have made decisions to create a certain thing and to commit their lives to it. They have moved across a continent and hemisphere.

Damian and Chris are equipped to deal with pitfalls and to turn opportunities into advantages. Nevermind the notion of "give brewing a try and then returning to a corporation or non-profit…" or that "hey, if they make it rich, then they can do some real good kind of like Gates, Rockefeller etc" or that "hey this stock in ten years might pay for a new home or education.." Forget all that!!

The world needs more brewers, but more than that, it needs more smart people doing what they love to do. It's our privilege in the year 2012 that Damian and Chris have committed their brains to the resurrection of Bronx brewing. They have made some key decisions and actions that have put The Bronx Brewery on healthy footing-and given New Yorkers a tasty pale ale.

** FURTHER READING **

The Bronx Pale Ale on RateBeer.com
The Bronx Brewery Twitter @TheBronxBrewery
The Bronx Brewery on Facebook
Where to Find Bronx Pale Ale on tap

** ABOUT THE AUTHOR **

Matt Hanley is a programmer, beer drinker and music student living in New York. @HanleyCan. He put together the COBTE for CoffeeorBeer.com

Brewmaster Tips for Home Brewers

[The staff has been occupied developing the Coffee or Beer Tendency Exam (COBTE) and will next turn to revising a profile about the partners behind The Bronx Brewery. Here is a bonus section from that article, in which brewmaster Damian Brown gives...]

FIVE TIPS TO HOME BREWERS
****************************************

1. Brew what you like to drink.  This is the best way to stay motivated to make more.

2.  Don't worry so much about style guidelines.  Be creative and make a beer that's truly your own.

3.  Start simple and add complexity as you gain more experience.  Starting with simple recipes and processes will allow you to better grasp the principles of brewing without being overwhelmed.

4.  Share what you make.

5.  Invite people to brew with you.  

*********************************

As told to Matt Hanley by Damian Brown, Brewmaster, The Bronx Brewery 

Stay tuned for an upcoming profile about the brains behind The Bronx Brewery. 

Eric Baker's Balancing Act

Making a Living Room for the East Village

Coffee or Beer's Matt Hanley interviews St. Dymphna's owner to learn why the  NYC bar is such a cool place to drink Guinness.

There's a bar in New York's East Village that my ex and I dubbed 'The Magic Pub' because it never failed to bestow euphoria on our party regardless of how poorly anyone felt going in. We would take  out-of-towners there to assure their trip had at least one glorious night in New York. A typical visit would begin with the guests -- nerves frayed from the day's midtown barkers, rhythm thrown off walking behind weeble wobblers,agitated after allowing  a persistent  pan-handler to get inside their heads -- cautiously following us into  the mustard yellow building east of First Avenue on St. Mark's Place : St. Dymphna's.

Walk Right in... (from St. D's website)

First, a challenge:  finding enough chairs for the party. Some of you will have to stand for a bit. Then… somehow or another, one by one, chairs do appear and this is the first magic of the evening. Everyone seated at the wooden table relaxes, and realizes she can both hear the music AND one another talk. After one round of prime beer, anyone who had been discombobulated is combobulated. After another round within the low-lighted antiquated walls, you feel like holding your mug aloft and moving it in sing-song pendulum fashion. Not that you would, because it is not a truly rip-roaring place for sailors. But you're thinking about it; goddamit, you're thinking about it!

I decided to find out why St. Dymphna's is magical, which meant talking to the owner. After some inquiries, I met him and made an appointment for the interview at the pub. Baker is a tall, clear-headed Californian who seems he would be comfortable both on a snowboard or in a boardroom. His gray hair hints at the responsibilities he's taken on at an early age: marriage, children, entrepreneurial ventures. It was his wife Patricia and his catering business that made it possible to purchase St. Dymphna's in 2008 when the original owner was looking to sell.

"She did the numbers and realized we could afford to buy this place if we continued the catering business and used the facilities here for preparing the food," Baker said.

The couple have been attached to St. Dymphna's for much of its 18 year existence. Baker, already an East Village denizen and St. Dymphna's regular, helped Patricia, newly arrived from Portugal, get a job there. The catering business began a few years ago when Patricia, a fashion model, complained to Eric about the poor quality of food at photo shoots. Baker realized that offering quality food would win them accounts. To deliver on that, they hired a chef away from the restaurant where Patricia worked (she'd moved on from St. Dymphna's).  The couple has a demonstrated knack for seeing opportunity--and seizing it. This ability to observe and adjust  is essential to running St. Dymphna's, which is in the center of a dynamic, diverse neighborhood.

Indeed. After speaking with Eric, I learned that very little actual magic is responsible for the magical feeling at St. Dymphna's. Rather, it's the result of his analytical skills, diplomacy, management and taste. When he bought the place he declared he would make "no changes, only improvements," in contrast with a competing bidder who signaled drastic change. Let us examine some changes or non-changes to learn how a great bar stays special.

SOUND EXPERIENCE

 Sound Clarity:

The reason you can hear conversations and the music is the result of installing new speakers Sound Absorption panels. A neighbor / friend who is a sound engineer fixed and built upon the existing setup. Sounds from the stereo and other customers and employees --sound waves that normally bounce off walls or out into the street-- are instead contained within the walls. The effect is a true Surround Sound experience, if we take that term to mean where sound resides, not just originates. With interference minimized, patrons can 'magically' hear one another without straining their ears. Preventing the sounds from escaping into the street also appeases the neighbors. Currying the favor of the 'Community Board' is a recurring necessity for Baker. More on that later…

 Good Tunes:

  "Musicians work here, not actors," Baker said, explaining why the song selection is consistently cherry. He didn't set out to hire musicians, but once you have a few, and if you normally fill openings with friends of staff, well, it leads to more musicians, each of whom contribute playlists for the bar's iPods, along with Baker and select regulars.  The bar has introduced weekend "iPad DJs," in which a deejay friend of the bar will "spin" tracks from his or her own iPad.

 "The good thing of course is the deejay can make adjustments based on what's going on, and the feedback they're picking up," Baker said, practically describing just what he does as an active owner.

 With the bar  so conducive to music appreciation, it's no wonder many of its regulars are  professional musicians. On Sunday nights, some of them step up to play in a new feature Baker installed: live acoustic sets. There's a different  act, often two, on most Sundays at 9pm. Recent lineups have included Willy Mason, Greg Kavanogh, and Todd Baker. If it's an act that's broken big, the info will only be publicized last minute, a la "secret show." 

It's another positive feedback loop: good music attracts good musicians, who come and make good music. The customers benefit from the variety of musical sources; the friendly competition among the playlist creators delivers innovation and high quality.

Music Moves You:

 "Dancing does happen," Baker says, "Friday and Saturday night" but technically it's illegal. Yes, roll your eyes and compare it to Footloose. In New York City, a bar needs a cabaret license in order to host dancing. It's one of those laws on the books that is rarely and subjectively enforced. The possibility that it could be invoked is one of the ways the Community Board influences general compliance and behavior… more on that later. 

  

Half of the taps.

BEER

 Baker's policy is to offer a balance of "what's good and what's popular." This led him to make room in the bar's formerly European-only lineup of drafts  to accommodate the surging popularity of microbrews. Still, he enforces standards. Although the national fad is hoppy India Pale Ales, Baker deems them unfit for the casual environment of St. Dymphna's. 

"This is a place for hanging out awhile, sitting down and having conversations. For most of us here it's like a living room," Baker said, alluding to the small living quarters of the locals.

"Our customers want to relax over two or three pints without getting shit-faced or full. It has to be drinkable, more balanced," Baker said. 

The top-seller remains Guinness.

Freshness

 Whatever  brew you choose will be fresh because Baker regularly cleans the lines that connect the basement kegs to the bar's taps. Yeast builds up in the pipes if unchecked, giving the drafts a yeasty taste; Baker's bi-weekly washings assure that won't happen. "It's surprising how many bars don't take the time to clean the pipes," Baker said. "It makes such a difference." The high turnover of kegs also promotes freshness. 

"Nothing's sitting there for a week or so. Some of the bars that offer a lot of different drafts but don't have volume (traffic)… you wonder how that beer's going to taste sitting there for a month." 

Then there's the temperature of the lines. Properly-cooled lines produce cleaner pours, less head. Baker has the pipes insulated with Glycol coolant, the highest level of insulation possible. 

Size

St. Dymphna's serves beer in Imperial size pints--20 ounces compared to 16. Baker did not change that quantity, thinking it a good value that customers appreciate. He did regret, though, not making note of it on the new menus he had just gotten printed. It doesn't seem like a big mistake; the people who appreciate it and expect it already know about it. This type of info is self-evident or passed along among friends. If ever St. Dymphna's  had to create an advertisement mentioning 'big / beer specials,' well, it may as well shut its doors and reopen as a $2/shot sinkhole such as Down the Hatch.  As it is, St. Dymphna's marketing is mostly done via a Facebook page, through which word of music happenings is piped to the regulars.

COCKTAILS

 "Ten years ago I wouldn't have believed there would be a cocktail list here, but the new crowd demands it," Baker says, referring to the younger, affluent peeps populating the East Village. Latter day anthropologists will have a field day scrutinizing the contradictions of American life circa 2011: that during an economic downturn, college students will be seeking to pay more for drinks. But then, there will always be affluent students at NYU, and lately, they've discovered the East Village. St. Dymphna's maintains a list of about ten cocktails.

LIQUOR

St. Dymphna's offers the stand-by popular liquors. The top shelf is an improvement: containing fine tequilas, whiskeys, single-malts that Baker selects.

FOOD

By purchasing the place, Baker inherited a much-loved recipe list. By installing his chef, Steve,  he has improved the quality of the ingredients, introduced new dishes, and improved the profitability of the kitchen. Chef Steve directs the kitchen staff and handles administrative functions such as food ordering.

"He's great at what he does. He knows what to order and how much to order for each week. That's very important. There's very little waste now."

That is important. If a cool bar - or anything -  is going to thrive, it must have money, and sometimes that money comes from savings and efficiencies. 

Some of the new recurring dishes include a Guinness Stout pie, a Shepherd's pie, and Steak & Pepper, written in the French 'Steak au Poivre ' a small reminder of St. Dymphna's authenticity and style.

Among the carryovers is the raisin-less Irish Soda Bread, served with each dish. It is awesome. They've begun to offer it in their catering business as well.  And there's the St. Dymphna's burger, underrated both as a top New York burger and St. Dymphna's menu item. I've added it to my list of 'destination burgers.'  Another case of those who know know.  If ever they had to put up an awning with a picture of a burger and beer.. Well, they may as well shut down, move to Broadway and start selling cupcakes as well.

Chef Steve also stewards over the Mulled Cider, kept in a casket on the corner of the bar. It's a tasty concoction and often just the thing to seek in the winter. (If you are having 'beer or coffee' ambiguity, you would be wise to have a cup of the cider and move on from there). Keeping it fresh and assuring there's enough on hand is another case of the monitoring and effort that's the bread and butter for Baker and staff.

EXTENDED HAPPY HOUR

 Another Baker improvement has been starting Happy Hour when the bar opens at noon. It ends at 7pm. This extension had been adopted by some bars in New York, and it makes sense for St. Dymphna's.  It pleases the regulars, and makes brunch very affordable. All drafts are $3. Yes. Three bucks for an Imperial pint of fresh Guinness. An affordable brunch indeed.

ATMOSPHERE

Coffee available during brunch.
Blackboards with menu are written by a staffer who has good handwriting.

Aside from the good vibrations, what makes St. Dymphna's so enchanting? Lighting has much to do with it. Generally, it's "low in the evening, bright in the afternoon." It's generated from a combination of the tables' votive candles, oil lamps, and random bulbs from what they call the "bar decco" arrangement of fixtures.  Readability of the menu suffers. Patrons raise a candle to see the text. Baker's aware of the drawback, and is exploring some technical solutions. Some ideas he had off the top of his head are having a text message with the menu items sent to people as soon as they enter the doors; and, building out the homepage of the WiFi network to contain all the drink and food menus and specials. If he pulls it off, it would be another example of technology enabling intimacy and romance. Fortunately for now, the sound absorption borne 'hearability' between staff and guests gets the info across. 

BUSINESS STRUCTURE

Baker and his wife have an active partner in her sister Raquel. Having a partner is beneficial even aside from relative talents and resources brought to the operations; it allows them to take time away. By staggering their schedules, the team is able to continuously have a vested manager available while making vacations (and other business trips) possible.

WHAT COMPETITION?

There are now six bars on the block, but Baker does not deem them as competition. "The more, the merrier," he says. This attitude is healthy for the owners. They are able to help each other in cases when one is short a barrel or bottle. They can also provide support when debating issues with the Community Board. But more on that.. right now! Yes, the next section, a lengthy study of the interplay of business and residents in the East Village. 

MISTAKE! AN IMPROVEMENT GONE WRONG .. AND THEN MADE RIGHT.. UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

Ecosystems are complicated. The environment and the inhabitants are intertwined in myriad ways. Actions indirectly impact all or any; often unexpectedly, sometimes immediately. Sometimes only after years are effects known. Yes, yes, we know this. Well the East Village is a Hyper Ecosystem - there's a lot going on, and the participants feel passionately about what they do and what they deserve.  People are defensive of what they have, but also creative and open-minded. So we find a lot of people innovating, trying new things, things that seem just the right thing to do.  Sometimes it is just the thing, sometimes it only seems that way, and can't hold up against a different wave of action, and it crumbles.  Baker is skilled at accommodating trends and imprinting his own taste to make St. Dymphna's a popular, profitable bar. But he and the bar are but one of many objects in the system. He and the bar are impacted by other actors, of the past and present.

It owes its existence to a desire of the community 20 years ago, when the area was unsafe and unpoliced, to have a lighted business to encourage non-drug-related commerce. St. Dymphna's became the first bar on the block. There are now 6, and the neighborhood has prospered into a lively area. Many folks in the community measure happiness by the level of noise. It is a very important factor in their lives. Sound, sound, sound. Is an activity being introduced? Well, how much sound does it make? What kind of sounds? Hmmm. Oh, you want to build a what? Will the construction make noise? Why is it being built? What kind of noise will be going on inside? Will you keep it inside?

These noise-aware residents are not the same people they were twenty years ago. Mostly because they are NOT the same people (who have since left or died). But even the longtime residents are of different disposition due to age, having children.. Many in the community are affluent and simply want a quiet place in the most creative, active part of the world's greatest city.. Is that too much to ask? Didn't they pay to have it 'all?' Taken as a whole, these people, then and now, are The Community. The Community got what it wished for: action on the street, an increasingly safe street, more action, more safety, and now.. It's too noisy. Be careful what you wish for indeed. So, who is the target of the Community's ire? St. Dymphna's and the newer bars. Success breeds success, but success is noisy.

Baker is aware of the sensitivities of the residents. He tries to satisfy them. That's one of the reasons he had the Sound Insulation tweaked. He answers their phone calls. 

"Everyone in the neighborhood has my number and they know they can call me." 

Even if the source of a given noise issue is generic or from another location, Baker is the go-to guy they call to complain. Due to his accessibility he's become somewhat of the businesses' ambassador to the Community Board. He's tuned into the board members' concerns, he can empathize, and yet he's also a builder, a doer, who might do things that unintentionally reduce the happiness of the neighbors. That's just what happened when he decided to improve the patio area of St. Dymphna's.

The patio was a cool courtyard area in the back of the pub with a stylistic Euro-type mural. It was kind of a secret. It was another example of regulars finding it on their own and telling friends. On warm nights, it was an ideal spot, a de facto beer garden.  Baker decided to make it better. He had it cleaned and replaced the furnishings.  He added a telescoping tent and new plants. The improvements attracted more and more patrons. It became the place to be. It was groovy, it was active .. It was … incredibly noisy. The neighbors were displeased. Their happiness was reduced time and again. They had an answer: they would re-read the zoning permit for the establishment. Yes, those malleable, unevenly enforced zoning rules of New York. Ah-ha! Establishments in the middle of the block cannot have an outdoor garden St. Dymphna's, in the middle of the block, cannot have the garden.  Baker had to shut it off to patrons, and the patrons were not pleased. Their happiness reduced,  many of them went elsewhere. Their exodus contributed to a 30% decline in year-to-year revenue.  Unintended consequences. A simple twist of fate that bit Baker in the ass.  But soon enough he would be rewarded for his instincts.

Unable to head out back to the patio, the regulars who came by would stick to the front of the bar near the window, which attracted passers-by. Activity leads to activity. Success breeds success. "It was almost a blessing that the garden closed, because it used to be everyone was in the back, so someone walking by would think it was an empty bar," Baker says. An empty bar of course, stays empty.

 Baker's instinct to improve and beautify created a popular garden that had to shut down because of its popularity. But to make up for lost business he continued to find improvements such as the extended happy hour. The increased traffic up front, and the success of the new happy hours has more than made up for the loss from the garden.

So, what is to become of the garden? Baker researched the possibilities, and discovered that the patio could be altered and encased to come up to code. But, for now, he is putting off any such work. It will be a costly improvement and he wants to line up more ducks, especially his landlord, to share the load. Plus there was no reason to rattle the neighbors. Every two years his license must be renewed, and it could have been held up if a community member protested it. In this case of the 'Forbidden Garden,' Baker has proven to be lucky, resourceful, and wise. Sometimes the smartest move is no move. Keep things cool, get all the facts, and make some improvements every now and then. And yet.. There is a continuous force acting upon St D's. Maybe it is not magic. Probably it can described, as Al Davis, deceased Oakland Raider owner, would call a "Commitment to Excellence." That’s basically what Baker seeks to do. Says he: 

“I offer quality and make it accessible.” 

******

St. Dymphna's is easily accessed and is entering its busiest season, as winters go hand in hand with "cozy." You'll meet people from many walks of life, most of them artistic, a large number of materialists on weekends. It's pleasantly boisterous but can get a wee crowded when an NYU infusion maxxes out capacity (and makes a trip to the loo a journey). If you're looking for an Irish bar, there are many hackneyed  Harp purveyors around midtown whose bratty hostesses will give you a large plastic, easy-to-read menu and that have a team of terrible vest-wearing bartenders to adequately pour $7 pints. They are the spiritual siblings of Dunkin' Donuts. If you want something different, if you choose to be a New Yorker through and through and open yourself up to magic, then you will feel at home at St. Dymphna's. It can be your living room.

*******

St. Dymphna's is at 118 St. Mark's Place in New York, NY. It was opened in 1994 and has had the current management since 2008. It is open 7 days per week. 
Official Website: http://www.saintds.com 


A note about the name: 
St. Dymphna is the patron saint of mental and emotional illness. She was the daughter of a 7th century pagan Irish king and widower, who wished to marry her. Baptized a Christian, she fled  with a priest and two servants to Gheel, Belgium, where she was tracked down by the king. In his fury, he had the whole party killed (heads rolled). She became revered as a beautiful martyr. In the 13th century, when she was canonized, the investigating agent of the bishop wrote that "a persuasive history of inexplicable and miraculous healings of the mentally ill." An infirmary known for its compassion was built in Gheel at the site of her death. 

Born in the land of Guinness and killed in the land of Duvel, St. Dymphna, a healer of mental cases, is a proper namesake for a bar catering to the creative spirits of the East Village, where often the line between insanity and brilliance is blurred.