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Message |
    
Nephalist
Member
Username: Nephi
Post Number: 211
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 71.129.38.180
| | Posted on Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 07:11 am: | 
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I went to the tasting room at the Bruery tonight. There was a huge crowd outside (it's in an industrial strip mall, quiet every time I've been). There was a long line for a lunch truck (aka roach coach). I thought the brewery owner arranged for a food vendor since he doesn't have a permit for serving food.
Turns out it was this outfit:
http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-kogi11-2009feb11,0,30078 69.story
I couldn't believe how many people were waiting in line over an hour to get food. When the line died down I ordered some tacos. They were tasty. Somehow the cat-and-mouse nature of not knowing where the trucks would show up at entices a following. I thought of Pink's hot dogs in Hollywood, too.
In the end, the lunch truck owner walked out of the brewery with a case of fine Belgian beer bottles. There was some customer exchange between the two establishments. I'm sure they brought some food in to the Bruery owner. I also talked to the owner of the Bruery. I said it looked like he had made it over the hump where most start up microbrewers fail. He said he was hardly making a profit, or something to that effect.
Should I buy a roach coach and dash my dreams of brewing for the masses? |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 10854
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.141.103.148
| | Posted on Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 11:47 am: |
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It sounds like the flavor of the month. In Toronto it's not a roach coach with Korean/Tex-Mex fusion food, but roving one-night stands in warehouse lofts and empty storefronts where those in the know, alerted by text and tweet, gather for $100 per person gourmet "mystery meals."
I'd say timing is everything here. If you want to get on board, better do so quickly before this is yesterday's news and as current as the dance raves of the 1990s.
(Message edited by BillPierce on October 24, 2009) |
Tim Polster
Intermediate Member
Username: Bassman
Post Number: 295
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.95.249.239
| | Posted on Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 05:43 am: |
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I saw a piece on TV about this truck.
I thought it looked like a fad, but I guess it is in. What do I know, I do not tweet.
Maybe you could sneek around town and hold secret homebrew tastings. |
Nephalist
Member
Username: Nephi
Post Number: 212
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 71.136.21.67
| | Posted on Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 09:24 am: |
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Yeah, the thrill is over for me. I don't tweet, but I guess it's fun for those who do. It must add a layer of exclusivity, like Bill's mystery meals. They'll fade away eventually, but good beer is here to stay. |
Dan Listermann
Senior Member
Username: Listermann
Post Number: 6846
Registered: 03-2004
Posted From: 70.210.97.176
| | Posted on Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 12:47 pm: |
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We used to call the roach coach "the garbage truck," |
Steve Ruch
Member
Username: Rookie
Post Number: 200
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 65.55.67.171
| | Posted on Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 03:09 pm: |
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Isn't Tweet the little yellow bird in Looney Tunes? |
PaulK
Advanced Member
Username: Paulk
Post Number: 876
Registered: 02-2003
Posted From: 68.63.203.31
| | Posted on Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 09:41 pm: |
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I'd rather make my money off a food truck than the musty, wallpaper paste flavors of the Bruery's beers. They started out with "OK" beers that were a bit marred by a bad house yeast. Their venture into barrel aging beers has been horrific IMO. Not a good one in the bunch. |
gregory gettman
Advanced Member
Username: Gregman
Post Number: 709
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 71.234.74.219
| | Posted on Monday, October 26, 2009 - 02:10 am: |
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We have one in New Haven called the Cup cake truck. There is kind of a cult following for their over priced home made stuff.
But every time they show up there's a line around the block. Must be good too, but I can't wait that long to find out. |
Paul Hayslett
Senior Member
Username: Paulhayslett
Post Number: 2290
Registered: 02-2002
Posted From: 71.234.45.166
| | Posted on Monday, October 26, 2009 - 11:36 am: |
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If I was going to go the roach coach route, I'd do it this way: http://www.biggreentruckpizza.com/. No hanging around on corners, hoping that people buy your stuff. Just party catering, prepaid and scheduled weeks or months in advance.
People around here LOVE this guy. I don't know if the pictures do it justice, but it's an honest-to-God brick pizza oven and espresso bar on a truck. Makes good pizza and the business plan involves far less reliance of whims and fads. |
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