OUR STORY ( On Going )
From humble beginnings in the heartland of Central California grew an idea. "Produce a product from local resources that could be sold to benefit everyone"..."Bring it Home" This idea resonated in my mind daily as I interacted with the people around me. I found that this idea alone wasn't paying the bill.
So like everyone else and though I would have liked to stay in an altruistic state of philosophical contemplation, I needed to work! Work for farmers is what I found, honest work, protecting crops, harvesting, preparation for marketing, adding value and processing. Every night I slept well and with the success I found in the work I took on. The dream became more realistic with the experience I gained. With the reinforcement and insight I found in my family and the people I worked for it seemed meant to be and natural; manage, create and produce what I like to do!
Developing
After a lot of work I built a space of my own, nothing much but it allowed me to expand on my hobbies....well not only mine, my Fathers, my Grandfathers, my Great Grandfathers! Fermentation; a science, an art. I had some Pomegranate trees, I used those I had equipment handed down I used that almost totally DIY. In any case this work became a part of me not just something to keep busy but a passion.
Time ticked by money started being spent on bottles, grain, help...Ect. My Mother, a Business Woman, and entrepreneur in real estate saw how much of my time money and effort was going into my work and hobbies. So much so that she had to say "Its not what you make its what you keep you need to start a business". Years went by and the words rang in my head as I started to accumulate equipment.
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Growing
Working in my shop I was able to brew many different types of brew from wine to meed, from ales to lagers. I developed a fascination with the fermentation process. I dabbled in quite a variety of brewing even kombucha, and natural pickling in crocks. What they all had in common was; given controlled fermentation and strict procedures, good brews were much more consistent.
This was a challenge in the shop, a lot of DIY and extra effort went into everything including heart. I rationalized my efforts as hundreds of dollars and precious hours of time went into jars and recycled bottles. I was basically going to school and and I had to eat and drink my grades. With this perspective I developed routines and recipes and the work became a pastime. "This work is my pastime" epiphany!
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Tragedy
After a long night of work making and pressure canning a rather large batch of beef stew I was awoken in the middle of the night. The Man who started this passion in me had passed away.....this hit me hard and I was left feeling robbed.
I probably could have handled myself better but I buried myself in work for a while. Fixing, painting, building things that I thought he might have wanted to do. I took over some work on an old building that my family had rented out for a while but it was left with a lot of junk and in disrepair. Since it wasn't in shape for rental the family started using it fore storage. It was full of old bikes, furniture, exercise equipment, clothes, Etc.. Just packed full of things.
It was in my head to do something there as it was I'm sure in other family members head to do something there but it turned out to be just an overflow spot that was dry. I wasn't to sure what I was doing there I had glimmers of Ideas for it but for then it was just a spot to occupy myself and do some needed repairs that I believed he'd wanted to do.
Hope
On my way to visit my Mom one day driving up California St. I was greeted with a rather bright rainbow. It was a nice one but not significant until I noticed it ended or should I say started right at that old building. I thought, was this a sign? Some sort of communication from heaven? Could it be directed at me or just a coincidental happening that had no significance?
I was endowed a new hope, one that now rang significant with all that has occurred in my life. Born in Dos Palos Just in the path of the rainbow and right where I initially saw it. A new epiphany shuttered down my spine! Was all this meant to be? Could it?
Inspiration
How does one develop inspiration to build a brewery? Why a brewery in Dos Palos?
From early on I was surrounded by business people. It was just something we talked about at our family get together. I distinctly remember my Grandpa Marcel Doucette talking about his business Don's Frosty. He worked that place day and night for years to support his large family after supporting the U.S. Army during the Korean war. He took this war into his business when he got back and fought for his family through the survival of his livelihood. In so doing he beat a path for his family to follow.
Marcel was an advocate of his family and of Dos Palos. He helped to create a model in Dos Palos that protected local businesses from big outside companies. From them infiltrating into the local economy and sucking the livelihood out of local business and sending the proceeds out of town. He advocated growth of Dos Palos from inside out not by outside companies farming our people for every nickle and dime and sending all the proceeds to New York. The idea to to pull ones self up from the boot straps and succeed and form a foundation that others could walk upon.
This man was the first person I worked for, it was at the original Locker as he called it. He was a great inspiration and even then I wanted to follow in his foot steps and form a business. Then it was an ice cream shop; it hasn't came to pass as of yet but I still remember the hybrid of our surnames. Doukee's Ice cream, I could probably add an emoji here but I'll refrain for now:)
Back to the inspiration...I was lucky enough to work for a number of business creators along the way. Each of whom was an unknowing mentor of mine and I made it a point to pick their brains each chance I had. People with the last names of Doucette, Kee, Sparks, Zelinski, Meyers, Smittcamp, and Seasholtz will always be dear to my heart and of whom I can attribute credit to my inspiration.
Why a brewery? Many would say why not? Others have said "whoa there are a lot of established ones out there". My ideas of a brewery are similar to others but as it was new to them it is new to me. With that said I will dance with their theirs cause I'm cutting in! I'm holding this dance in town and I'm all about doing business in DP.
I've always wanted to do something in town and as stated before and my ideas of "bringing it home" it really seemed like a win/win when I find an outlet for local crops, a potential use for some of the unused facilities, potential local job growth for the people and boost in the economy, added sports sponsorship to contribute to local events and charities, Etc. Still one could ask "why though specifically a brewery?" I say because it is a good money maker, it will be ran well, it will be central to the town, it will be different than anything else that is going on around and it will be better ran by someone from the inside who grew up into it and has lived it and studied it for 20 plus years.