Drinkin' on the Job
Recently, the Trampoline crew set off on several photo shoots at breweries across the north country. The crew found themselves calling barrooms “offices” and adding “taste tester” to their job descriptions. These are their stories.
TUESDAY | Big Slide Brewery | Lake Placid, New York
9:00 AM - We arrive at the brewery bright and early to meet spunky brewmaster Kevin Litchfield (a Paul Smith's alum, to boot!) He takes us on a tour among the gleaming tanks and kegs emblazoned with the branding we created earlier this year (pretty darn cool). They even turned our custom type into a neon sign.
11:15 AM - Kevin fields questions from the crew. Our resident beer geek and home brewer, Staci is eager to tap into the Brewmaster’s knowledge and expertise. His pride in craft is infectious and inspiring.
1:00 PM - Kevin seems impressed by our interest in craft beer and shares the not-yet-released Bourbon Barrel-Aged Ubu Ale. It would be rude not to sample the offerings after hearing about all the hard work and dedication that went into each beer. *Hiccup*
WEDNESDAY | Druthers Brewing Company | Saratoga Springs, New York
9:30 AM - With cards purged and batteries charged, we pack up for another full day of shooting at Druthers Brewing Company in Saratoga. It’s the day after the election; a chilly, drizzly hump day that has us all feeling emotionally hungover. Spending the day in a warm, cheery brew pub turns out to be the perfect remedy. Sampling the goods doesn’t hurt, either.
12:00 PM - We fight off the sobering election results with liquid courage and prepare for the next interview. Brian Van Derlofske, Saratoga’s Head Brewer, tells us what sets the brewing process apart at Druthers. We honor his devotion to the craft with a cheers, or two.
4:30 PM - As the bar fills up, we breakdown the set and toast to another suss- sucsess- successful day of shooting!
THURSDAY | Druthers Brewing Company | Albany, New York
10:00 AM - After a couple of coconut waters and some strong coffee, we embark for the capital and Druthers’ newest brewpub.
11:15 AM - We start by setting up shots at the bar. Wait. Let me rephrase that. We stage the bar area to begin taking photos. Yea, that sounds better.
2:30 PM - It’s time for George De Piro’s closeup. Druthers’ Brewmaster General shows us around the gleaming facility and even teaches us some neat forklift tricks. It is made clear that we are not allowed to operate heavy machinery. Probably a good call.
5:45 PM - We’re sooooo HAppy with the res- *hiccup* results from our uh, camera thing. It’s gonna be like sooo good. You don,t even know. OMG we can’t wait to st art editing!!!! Wait…where/s my phoen? HAbe you seen it?! Ok. BYE.
Editor’s note: The Trampoline crew successfully made it through their bar crawl of a week. Rest assured they were safe and responsible throughout. Cheers!