Canning Run

Scott asked if I wanted to help out with canning on Wednesday at Mark's brewery. A new experience with friends? Of course, I said yes! I like learning new things and I like the time-compressed videos of assembly lines or construction that show up in my feed.

Carrie drove up with me to see the brewery herself. Then she went off and took care of some errands like paying off her surgery bill, and grabbing groceries while I worked.

Things I did not know: Many breweries don't have their own equipment to can. There are companies that specialize in canning. Mark's brewery enlists one. They show up, set up the machinery, attach it to the brewery's equipment, and that starts a long day for everyone involved! I thought it was going to be a "set it up and let it run" operation, but there was constant fine-tuning required. 

There were two main jobs the brewery provided while I was there. One person took finished cans off the line, checked to make sure they hit the minimum weight, and put them in a box. The second person slide the box away when full, popped tops on to make six-packs, and then moved it to a pallet for storage and shipping. Rinse, wash, and repeat.

The process continued ad nauseum with as little stoppage as possible. I hung out and talked for the first half an hour, before it was Scott and I's turn. He pulled cans and weighed them while I popped on tops and took them to the pallet. I think we completed a full pallet's worth after an hour and a half.

Any cans that were under the weight limit were turned upside down and collected to the side. I was given a box of 24 underfilled as a thanks for helping. I could've taken more, but that's already a lot at my rate. Carrie used one to make an awesome loaf of bread, though! I'm hoping she'll make a loaf a week for the next 3 months and I'll drink the rest!

Mark took a picture and we made the Facebook page. I might not have wanted my picture up ,but with the mask, hair, and hat I hardly recognized myself.

I'll probably help out again at least once this summer. I have no plans to make a career switch. Scott and I chatted the whole time about work, the Wheel of Time, and whatever else came to mind. It was an excuse to hang out and do something useful.