This is a long-overdue blog post about one of the most exciting cooperative things that’s happened in Austin in a long time. This post also marks the beginning of a new series of articles your Board of Directors will be writing to discuss the seven co-operative principles and how Black Star takes these principles and acts on them in ways big and small.

The 6th Co-operative Principle is:

We take these principles to heart and work to realize them with the resources we have available to us. About a year ago, we had a great opportunity when we were approached by Rose Marie Klee, the President of the Board of Wheatsville Co-op, to be a part of a discussion on the co-operative principles with members of Wheatsville and A+ Federal Credit Union. After that conversation, we agreed that this is something that should be continued and expanded in scope, and by August of this year we had our first retreat, held at the Austin History Center (the above photo is from the retreat). We’re now an organization that includes representatives from more than 20 co-ops or nonprofits interested in supporting the co-operative movement, and we’re growing all the time. This is truly co-operation among co-operatives!

This year, we’re focusing our efforts into three categories: a mentorship project to connect people with experience in co-ops with people just getting started; a co-op incubator project which will help the support of new co-ops; and an education and outreach effort to help get the message out about co-ops out to the community so that people know all the benefits that co-op businesses produce for the community and beyond.

There’s also some exciting news about 2012: it’s been declared the International Year of Co-operatives by the United Nations (more about that in a future post). We’re hoping to take advantage of this time and really get the message out to everyone about the co-operative movement and tell them that “…it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility,” –Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General.

Interested in joining our group? Please check out our Facebook page. We’ll have a website up soon, so keep an eye out for that, too!

Recently, we have acquired all the supplies to start cask conditioning some of our beers and serving them through a hand-pump, or “beer engine.” Sounds awesome, but what does it mean?! Essentially, we here at Black Star have another avenue to serve our Member-Owners interesting, quality beers. Cask conditioning, much like bottle conditioning, has some fermentation happen inside the container (the cask) that provides carbonation and maturation. Additionally, ingredients are usually added into the cask during this time–typically whole hops. We can even get creative and add cool things like vanilla beans, chili peppers, coffee, etc. The cask is then stored and served at “cellar temperatures,” which usually range between 50F and 55F. CO2 levels at this temperature tend to be lower than usual keg beers. Therefore, you’ll see that the cask conditioned beer will have less carbonation, but when served properly through a beer engine, turbulence is created and a nice, dense, foamy head rests atop the beer. The slightly higher temperature, added ingredients, and proper pour allows the matured beer to be experienced with a much more elegant, refined aroma and flavor that cannot be achieved with higher carbonated kegged beers. The result? Come in and find out!

Also, we would like to announce that we will start filling corney kegs for homebrewers and/or people that have kegerators at home and wish to enjoy our beers over a longer period of time. Generally, it will take 24-48hrs to get your cleaned/sanitized corney filled after it’s dropped off. Not all beers are available at all times, so inquire with your bartender or email us.

Here is, yet another, great interview with Jeff from Austin Beer Week.

Look at us; we’re some of the 25 influential foodies under 35!

Thank you Kathryn. We’re honored to be included in such amazing company.

If you happened to miss Jeff on The Brewing Network a few weeks ago, you can listen to the broadcast here.

According to Draft Magazine, buying shares in a co-operativly owned brewpub is “the gift that keeps on giving.”

We think so too! Buy someone you love their own brewpub for the holidays. You can’t get much better than the gift of co-operation.

Celebrate our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY with us! Saturday, December 10th, from 6:00pm-10:00pm

PARTAKE:
This party is for everyone! Featuring: live music from The Ripe and The Ugly Beats; special kegs of Rebellious Dockhand and 2010 Moontower; $3.00 Rational House beers. We look forward to celebrating with you!

VOLUNTEER:
This will be a big party, and we need your help with check-in tables, exits, merchandise sales, and memberships. If you would like to volunteer your time, contact us today: info@blackstar.coop.

• Facebook Event

It’s a Thanksgiving miracle! $10 growlers fills for Member-Owners the day before Thanksgiving.

Because we love our Member-Owners and our Co-op, we want to give everyone the opportunity to bring some Black Star Co-op beer to their Thanksgiving celebration. We’ll be closed on the 24th, so stop by on the 23rd for all your holiday beer needs.

Keeping with our series of Wednesday Special Taps, tonight we tap a special cask from Jester King, followed by a discussion and Q&A of the new lawsuit with TABC, of which Jester King is a major plaintiff. Cask tapped at 6pm; Q&A at 7pm.

• Facebook Event

Come try the new and improved Stash IPA from one of Austin’s most successful craft breweries. At 7% ABV, the new version features 7 additions of 4 different hops for 100 IBUs of dankness! We’ll also be pouring the next Brewluminati release, their limited release series that explores forgotten styles of past, current trends, and the unknown. Adam, the brewery’s tall, bearded advocate, will be in the house with Independence beer knowledge, swag, and plenty of witty remarks.

Facebook Event