Chance Meeting?

Today was the kind of day that makes you go hmmm. My work plans included a lunch review of our just received preliminary architectural drawings with 5 Seasons' brewmaster Kevin McNerney, our brewery consultant formerly of Sweetwater fame. The drawings were received from our architect yesterday and provided both excitement from the emerging possibilities, and also challenges from the limited space to fit them into. So today's meeting with Kevin was to review and work out necessary adjustments and edits to these early space drawings. We wrapped up the meeting with a review of our new ad for the Three Taverns head brewer position only posted this morning. As we discussed the ad and the job description, Kevin asked how my efforts to advertise in Belgium were coming. You see, I've had a growing vision of finding a trained brewer from Belgium to come to America and help build our new Belgian-inspired brewery.  But I shared with Kevin that I'd had little luck discovering the avenues to look for brewers in Belgium. And suddenly Kevin remembered that New Belgium's brewmaster, Peter Brouckaert, was next door at Taco Mac. A quick call to Fred resulted in a walk next door and a surprise meeting with Peter where he shared invaluable information about Belgian brewers and where to find them, including some personal referrals. After a special bottle of Malheur from Adam and sample tastes of a new Mikkeller, we wrapped up the "chance" meeting at 5 Seasons with  a glass of Kevin's amazingly delicious Saison aged in wine barrels (a must try while it lasts). Surprises such as this are happening frequently enough to make one wonder if they should be surprises at all. No way to know yet where today's discovery will take us, but our search for a head brewer just got more interesting. Stay tuned.