If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
It’s been a while since we’ve written about the Open Source Beer Project, but don’t think that we’ve forgotten about you or our Open Source Beer concept. We’ve been monitoring the blogosphere and people are still talking about this unique project.
Flying Dog has been kicking around a bunch of ideas recently but before we announce anything, we wanted to get your thoughts on what’s next for Open Source Beer. How do you think we should move forward with this project? We really want to involve as many brewers and Open Source enthusiasts as we can before we fully decide which direction to continue in.
Here are a few questions that might help you respond.
• Any ideas on where to start collaborating on a new version of the Open Source Beer Project (v2.0)?
• How would you better involve the brewing/open source community to make this an even more collaborative effort?
• What do you envision as a v1.1 of the Doppelbock?
Nothing is out of bounds here - feel free to praise us, scold us, but please try to keep comments constructive. We look forward to working with everyone towards future releases of the Open Source Beer Project.
in 6-10-2008 @ 08:17:56
• Any ideas on where to start collaborating on a new version of the Open Source Beer Project (v2.0)?
Well, first off - in the spirit of Open-Source-ness, you start with the recipe you used for the last version. Maybe with suggestions for improvements.
Something that I think would be really cool - have different recipes for different styles of beer. Have an open-source stout, an open-source doppelbock, and OS IPA, etc.
You’d obviously limit the ones you actually bottle to those you think stand out the most - but that gives fans of a particular style a good reason to really try and amp up their favorite.
• How would you better involve the brewing/open source community to make this an even more collaborative effort?
Well, for the most part the thing I think you need to keep in mind is: release early, release often. Keep talking about the beer. Have a wiki! Make updates. Encourage updates. Since beer takes a “long” time to make, relatively speaking - and since the ingredients are tangible and increasingly expensive, discussion of the scientific basis behind particular recipe modifications should particularly be encouraged.
It’s important to remember - like Open Source Software, you’re the gatekeepers of the recipe, so what you say goes. But there should be lively discussion about why, how, and what.