(Brunswick, ME) - Greg Koch’s central theme at the recent Craft Brewer’s Conference was collaboration. A month later, one of the great ongoing beer collaborations of our time has come to an end. Word of out of Maine and Belgium today is that the partnership between Chris Lively of Ebenezer’s Pub and Struise is done. Struise will not be part of the new pub that Chris is opening in Brunswick, ME, (aka the project formerly known as The Pannepot Cafe) and will not be attending this year’s Belgian Beer Fest in Maine. At the same time, Struise has announced that it will be opening up its own brewery in Oostvleteren in Belgium.
Chris Lively posted the dish on Facebook today:
“In the last year The Struise team threatened to pull the name on us three times for ridiculous reasons. On top of that, they wanted to franchise the Pannepot Cafe as well, which Jeni and I could and would not agree to, especially when the Struise team had no money invovled. When the final contract stated this after monthes of … Read Morenegotiations, Jen and I decided to let someone else open up the McDonalds Cafe and we would continue what we do best, serving great beer as a mom and pops joint. We will still open, and we have yet another world class brewer brewing with us, and we will have plenty of guests for our Belgian Fest too.
You say franchise…I say French Fries! I will still have an incredible opening tap and bottle list at the Cafe, including lambic from the 70’s and 80’s and some nice American Rarities!”
Urbain Coutteau of Struise responded:
“Hanging out dirty laundry is not our thing, and is very bad for image & business, Chris should know better. As in all stories where Struise is involved, we have the task to inform our clients and fans about the reality around this or any other project. We know too, that we do not have any responsibility in the negative outcome of this project.
Today, we wish Jennifer & Chris good luck with their business and future goals.”
And in responding to someone on BA:
“Judging Struise today is your right! The only thing we can add is, we played it more than nice… Struise has never been unfair to nobody or to anyone, that is the whole philosophy behind Struise.”
The famed Black Albert was first brewed for Chris and was quickly named one of the best beers in the world; the Struise guys have been an integral part the Belgian Beer Fest at Ebenezer’s each August. Time will tell how Chris manages the new pub, still to be named though potentially opening this summer, and the BBF without Struise, named by RateBeer as best brewers in the world in 2008, on board. Beer Advocate has crowned Lively’s bar as the world’s best over these last couple years.
First hints may have surfaced on Wednesday when Chris announced that “we are going to have to change our name, and our format as well.” On the same day, as it turned out, Struise announced on the Zythos board that it’d be opening a microbrewery |
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well, too bad to hear as we all heard/read plenty on this effort. Only two parties know the real story, everything else is rumor and innuendo.... |
According Urbain at Zythos forum
http://tinyurl.com/lxbr9g
Quote: "Het cowboy gehalte van onze partner aldaar lag ons net iets te hoog..."
Translated: "The cowboy contents of our partners was just that little bit too high for us ...
Cheers, |
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Sounds like a gentelmen’s agreement went south. |
Originally posted by Trappistenbier
According Urbain at Zythos forum
http://tinyurl.com/lxbr9g
Quote: "Het cowboy gehalte van onze partner aldaar lag ons net iets te hoog..."
Translated: "The cowboy contents of our partners was just that little bit too high for us ...
Cheers,
I really wanted this to read something like "Our partners’ cowboy hats were bigger than ours were." Still has potential to be a clash of cultures of some kind.
What does the actual translated quote mean? |
Struise is opening their own brewery.
Another really kick ass craft beer bar is opening in Maine.
That’s what I took out of all of this. All the other stuff would have been cool, but it didn’t work out. These things happen. |
Originally posted by theisti
Struise is opening their own brewery.
Another really kick ass craft beer bar is opening in Maine.
That’s what I took out of all of this. All the other stuff would have been cool, but it didn’t work out. These things happen.
well said. too much cowboy. |
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Originally posted by Bhops
Originally posted by theisti
Struise is opening their own brewery.
Another really kick ass craft beer bar is opening in Maine.
That’s what I took out of all of this. All the other stuff would have been cool, but it didn’t work out. These things happen.
well said. too much cowboy.
too much cowboy, not enough cowbell... |
Originally posted by JAXSON
What does the actual translated quote mean?
Hmm... maybe Urbain should answer that question, after all it’s him who wrote this on Zythos forum.
One thing is sure, speaking here in Belgium about "cowboy gehalte" towards the person you talk about doesn’t seem quite flattering.
Cheers, |
Urbain shouldn’t do nothing but brewing beers, that is what he does best! For the rest Urbain knows everything will work out, and everybody should believe so too.
Pannepot Café is no more, it was decided that way. Who is to blame for, that is Urbain’s and Chris’s problem. The dice were played, and that is the outcome.
The business at 122 Pleasant Street will come with another name, if you ask me, a better one. The mission statement did not change, so all in all, and when all the last pieces will fit the puzzle, this place will have a fantastic opening.
Cheers, Urbain
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