It Started on the Back Porch

2020 Early September, here on a back porch - the crisp Chicago fall air, Martini and I separated by 6 feet and a bottle of his newest home brewed mead. "Do you want to start a cidery with me?".

I had been pondering a career transition for a while now but I wasn't expecting anything this soon…or sudden…or a brewery! Martini had been making private brews for a few years now, and I'm sure I had mentioned a budding interest in learning about brewing, but to be honest, I was a little blindsided. But I was in good hands, Martini had over 10 years of home brewing experience as well as growing up in a bar owning family, and we've worked together multiple times in the past running events so I was confident we would be a good fit for each other.

I needed some time to sleep on this. How do you say "yes" to start a career path change to something you know little about, but excites you to no end? Hitting the bar with some buds is a little different than a procedural tasting surrounded by enormous fermentation tanks; notepad in one hand, your hopes that this brew will be a sensation on the other. But I knew I couldn't say "no".

My decision came to one big thing: a passion for seeing people light up at parties & events I've hosted, all while enjoying my culinary creations; something Martini & I both have in common. When I'm in a room full of old and new friends -- even people I don’t even know -- and I see them all having a great time there, I know I've done something right. Seeing those folks all having a blast because of the effort I put into every bit of that event really makes me feel great. So why the hell would I NOT do that for a living?

Fast-track to today: I've been in more meetings & brew sessions than I can count; I've two different meads that I've made at home that I need to back-sweeten and bottle; and together, Martini and I are putting the finishing touches on the first ever mead we've made together in a small yet professional conical fermenter. I still have a few more steps until we are ready to debut, but I'm a few steps closer than I've ever been to anything like this in my life.