Listen to the podcast for those who make and drink great beer. Every week we talk to professional brewers and industry experts about practical brewing advice, in-depth coverage of brewing trends that matter to you, and tips for getting the most out of your homebrew.
383: Alex Lawes of Whiplash and Grzegorz Ziemian of Stu Mostów Are Recreating Historical Styles While Pushing Craft Beer Forward in Ireland and Poland
This second of two episodes recorded live at 3 Sons Lumberjack Day in September includes two separate interviews. First up is Alex Lawes, cofounder of Dublin, Ireland’s Whiplash (https://www.whiplashbeer.com)—a modern brewery known for progressive styles, but also one that focuses on making those styles in low-ABV form for repeat drinkability. Next up is Grzegorz Ziemian, cofounder of Stu Mostów (https://100mostow.pl/en/), a decade-old brewery in Wrocław, Poland, and one of several in that country that helped usher in a new wave of excitement for craft beer.
Through the discussion, among other topics, Lawes touches on:
using a mash press filter to improve efficiency but also protect delicate flavors
the impact of the mash filter on enzyme availability and mash times
dialing in pressure to suit the needs of specific styles, such as hazy IPA
achieving a more concentrated imperial stout wort without long boils
managing hop creep in low-ABV beers
building a better recipe for dry Irish stout
the beauty of 2.8 percent ABV “micro” IPA
Meanwhile, Ziemian discusses:
recreating historical recipes such as schöps
building a mixed-fermentation brewery in 2022
widening the range of grodziskie via mixed fermentation
Baltic porter in Poland
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants. From cleaning fermenters to kegs, we have a solution for every step of the brewing process.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
FOBAB (https:fobab.com). Sample more than 350 one-of-a-kind barrel-aged beer, cider, mead and perry from 13 style categories and cheer on your favorite breweries as they compete for top honors in the nationally recognized competition. It’s all happening at the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago November 22nd and 23rd. Get your tickets now at fobab.com.
10/18/2024 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 44 seconds
382: Brewlihan’s John Hoolihan Uses Tannin and Acidity to Build Support for Sweetness in Top-Rated Mead
In Oakland Park, Florida, Brewlihan (https://www.brewlihan.com) meadery sits in rarified air atop Untappd's list of top breweries in the world. Their rabid fan base has propelled them to No. 5—as of this recording—a ranking that founder John Hoolihan doesn't take for granted, as he continually applies science and chemistry to balance flavor, acidity, gravity, and tannin. In this episode, recorded live during the 3 Sons (https://www.3sonsbrewingco.com) Lumberjack Day festival, Hoolihan discusses:
growing the meadery from a homebrewing project to a commercial business
designing a base mead for multiple fruit expressions
using carbonation and oak-aging in session mead
flavor contributions of various honey varieties
healthy but low-and-slow fermentation with 14 yeast varieties
scaling mead from homebrew to commercial batch sizes
mead fermentation dynamics
communicating the sweetness levels of finished meads
working with tannin and tartness to balance sweetness
the impact of acidity on aging
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants. From cleaning fermenters to kegs, we have a solution for every step of the brewing process.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
10/11/2024 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 21 seconds
381: Human Robot's Andrew Foss Wants You to Experience "The Wave" When Drinking Their Lager
As Andrew Foss of Human Robot (https://www.humanrobotbeer.com) says in this episode, “Perfection is pretty easy. To make something interesting is hard.”
Those are easy words to say and harder words to brew by, but the Philadelphia brewer strives for character over lager “cleanliness,” eschewing the “crispy” moniker while searching for something more substantial. To accomplish that goal, he uses every tool at their disposal—mash and decoction regimens, a direct-fire brewhouse, a number of different fermentation schedules, and more. Character, after all, requires intention and effort, and not just homogeneity or simplicity.
In this episode, Foss talks about:
using a direct-fire mash-mixer and decoction in concert with an array of different malts to produce characterful European-style lagers
rethinking mash strategies designed for older malts
adjusting the decoction process based on intentions for aroma and flavor
building “the wave” in lager mouthfeel
dialing in pH for expressive but cohesive lagers
differentiating between final gravity and mouthfeel
aroma contributions from direct-fire brewhouses
embracing inconsistent malt for more flavorful European-style lagers
going beyond “clean”
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants. From cleaning fermenters to kegs, we have a solution for every step of the brewing process.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
10/4/2024 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 2 seconds
380: Garrett Oliver and Vinnie Cilurzo are Brewing for Impact With Fonio Grain
While Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery (https://brooklynbrewery.com) and Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River (https://www.russianriverbrewing.com) need little introduction, the grain they’ve grown fond of brewing with—an African millet known as fonio—may be unfamiliar to many brewers. In this episode, these two brewing legends discuss the grain’s background, as well as how and why they’ve used it in a series of new beers produced for the Brewing for Impact (https://brooklynbrewery.com/news/brewing-for-impact-russian-river/) project. Along the way, Oliver and Cilurzo touch on:
the limitations of our industrialized food system
the history and nature of fonio
fonio’s farming and climate benefits
using fonio as a brewing component at various percentages
fonio’s unusual amino acid–like bitterness
its impact on free amino nitrogen (FAN) in finished beer and the implications for potential stability and longevity
a basic step-mash regimen for a Belgian pale ale with fonio
the Sauvignon Blanc–like flavors that fonio can produce
nearly clear beer made from 100 percent fonio
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
9/27/2024 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 38 seconds
379: Cinderlands Builds Full Dynamic Range into Fruit Beer and IPA by Thinking Beyond Purée and Pellets
Paul Schneider of Cinderlands (https://www.cinderlands.com) is an optimist and a realist—but first and foremost he’s an analyst, studying the evolution of consumer trends and working tirelessly in the brewhouse to find creative and process solutions. He’s not afraid to use all the tools at his disposal—pulling solutions from food science, where necessary—while testing, honestly evaluating, and ensuring that everything they produce at Cinderlands meets the expectations of their drinkers.
The Pittsburgh brewery drastically overhauled its fruit beer program for 2024, moving away from sweeter, thicker fruit beers in favor of flavored light lagers and “beyond beer” beverages, but—as Schneider explains in this episode—that shift required significant research in the food-science space. He’s also been an avid adopter of modern hop products, and here he shares their approach to layering hops in a variety of formats to achieve a variety of goals—from value-engineering IPAs for wider distribution to maximizing intensity in brewery-only releases.
Over the course of the episode, Schneider riffs on:
designing fruit beers to hit different value tiers without sacrificing flavor
altering processes and bitterness in base recipes for balance with specific fruit additions
light lager as a base for fruit beer
sourcing juice and purée concentrate for more survivable and ranging fruit flavors and aromas
using natural flavor top-notes in conjunction with other fruit formats
adjusting dosing down in production batches from bench trials
using flavor psychology to bolster fruit flavors without sugar
value-engineering hop flavors and aromas for production IPAs without sacrificing quality
saturating hop notes in the UHD (Ultra Hop Definition) series
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
9/20/2024 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 15 seconds
378: Mark Hunger and Steven Pauwels of Great Lakes Brew Distinctive Craft Lager, Under Pressure
Great Lakes (https://www.greatlakesbrewing.com) in Cleveland is an American craft beer institution—a brewery that got its start in the late ’80s, when the concept of smaller breweries still seemed foreign to most drinkers. Now, 36 years later, the scale is much larger than it was in those early days on the seven-barrel pub system—yet some of those early brands persevere. While those beers inevitably evolve amid shifts in scale and tastes, the core ideas that inform them haven’t changed.
In this episode, longtime brewmaster Mark Hunger and co-CEO Steven Pauwels, the former brewmaster at Kansas City’s Boulevard, talk about that evolution as well as new developments in hop-forward beers. Along the way, they touch on:
brewing lager with proprietary yeast for a signature brewery flavor
using pressurized fermentation and warmer temperatures for faster lagers
using automation while double-checking with human testing
adding a touch of dryness and drinkability through sparge pH adjustment
using sulfur as a tool for flavor and shelf stability
Oregon-grown Mt. Hood hops for American lager character
evaluating Munich malt for their annual Oktoberfest beer
using public variety hops such as Triumph, but not Centennial, in Midwest-style IPA
brewing filtered, clear IPA with London Ale III yeast
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
9/13/2024 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 15 seconds
377: Shaun Yasaki of Noble Beast Makes Quirky and Nuanced Lager Work at Pub Scale
After an early stint at Cleveland staple Fat Head’s, and a brief foray into brewery operation with the now-defunct Platform, Shaun Yasaki set out in 2016 to create a brewpub that reflected his interests as a brewer—well-made beers that don’t chase trends but earn repeat business for both flavor and drinkability. To achieve that goal, he designed a 10-barrel brewhouse that could brew any style of beer without compromise, thanks to its dedicated cereal cooker and decoction vessel. Now, with Noble Beast (https://www.noblebeastbeer.com), he squeezes more beer from every batch using high-gravity brewing methods, and the results have garnered notice—two GABF medals for Baltic-style porter Murder Ballads, plus a number of high scores (https://beerandbrewing.com/search/?search=noble+beast&category=beerReview) from our blind-judging panel at Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®.
In this episode, Yasaki discusses:
designing a 10-barrel brewhouse with flexibility for cereal mashes, decoction, parti-gyle brewing, and more
exploring “weird” mash regimes to optimize flavor and fermentation performance
finding space for expression within traditional lager styles
maintaining foam-positive proteins through mashing and decoction
finding complementary esters in specific lager yeast strains
milling and cooking raw rice to create “negative space” in beer for other flavors to fill
decocting and cereal mashing IPA
using non-diacetyl-producing yeast in IPA fermentation
high-gravity brewing on a small pub system
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
9/6/2024 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 9 seconds
376: Matt Cole of Fat Head's Brings the Best of West Coast IPA Process and Ingredients to Classic American IPA
Over the past 15 years of Fat Head’s (https://fatheads.com) existence, they’ve won 27 GABF medals (14 gold) and a dozen World Beer Cup medals (7 gold), but Brewmaster Matt Cole takes it all in stride with a midwestern humility and sensibility. They love to win, but they do it for the sake of making great beer.
There’s a modern sensibility to their flagship American IPA, Head Hunter, that feels West-Coast-driven but with an almost analog-like warmth that makes it accessible and refined without sacrificing any of its urgency and presence. And their approach to open fermenting German-style wheat beers is a master class in controlling ester and phenol production in the flavorful styles. But ask Cole, and he’ll chalk it up to quality ingredients and sound process. “Good product in, good product out.”
In this episode, Cole discusses:
soft fining to protect bitterness and aroma
brewing American IPA with a strong West Coast vibe
evaluating new-crop-year hops in the brewhouse after selection
selecting hops at the brewery with input from the entire brewing team
tagging hops from different selected lots for different usages in a brew
maximizing natural hop flavor and aroma with whole cone hops in a hop back
the stylistic overlap of West coast and American IPA
dialing in packaging for competition
brewing weissbier with an open-top fermenter
using a flotation tank to clean up brews
the importance of process over recipe
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
8/30/2024 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 40 seconds
375: Murphy Johnson of BlackStack Gets Goosebumps When Talking About Hops
Murphy Johnson of BlackStack (https://www.blackstackbrewing.com) in St. Paul, Minnesota, is an enthusiastic brewer with a big personality. Despite many brewers’ strong opinions on hazy IPA, he’s not afraid to go against the grain and embrace the murky style in all its fruit-forward hop glory. In this almost entirely haze-focused episode, Johnson discusses how they continue to learn while developing beers—often via collabs with other brewers—as they deploy unusual techniques and focus on ingredients that don’t break the bank.
In this episode, Johnson touches on:
altering hazy IPA grain bills for aesthetic reasons
feeding voracious dry hops with additional fermentables, such as Belgian candi sugar
using thiol-boosting products with thiol-optimizing yeast for intensely fruit expressions
how Sabro at low percentages helps to bring out beautiful notes from other hops
building creaminess and mouthfeel with Cashmere and similar hops
achieving modern hop flavors with traditional (and less expensive) American hops
utilizing American Noble hop products in the mash to boost thiols
temperature control and spunding when fermenting hazy IPAs
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
8/23/2024 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 55 seconds
374: Joe Wells of Fair State Brews Lagers, Ales, and More With Texture and Occasion in Mind
Fair State Brewing Collective (https://fairstate.coop) head brewer Joe Wells has a deep love of tradition but no fear of the future, and the brewer’s multiple focuses on everything from pale lager and modern IPA to sparking hemp-derived THC beverages is evidence of such. The point is matching flavor and experience to occasion, and Wells thinks about the entirety of that engagement when designing beers and beverages.
In this episode, recorded on the eve of the World Brewing Congress in Minneapolis, Wells talks about:
brewing classic lager with American grains and ingredients
embracing the cereal mash with corn grits and rice flour for lighter beers that don’t sacrifice character
lager brewing with American Noble hops
using Columbus cryo in lager and IPA
dialing in Tetra for foam retention in adjunct lagers
using the cheapest ingredients as expensively as possible
triple decoction and its place in the certain beers
debunking conical versus horizontal lager fermentation
dank and sticky West coast IPA
layering aromas like perfumers
designing and making interesting hemp-derived THC beverages
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
8/17/2024 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 33 seconds
373: Amplifying Expression in Lager Fermentation with Fermentis, Highland Park, and Boston Beer
Lager yeast and the evolution of expression is the subject of this spotlight podcast, brought to you interruption-free by Fermentis, (https://fermentis.com) the experts in fermentation for more than 160 years. Brewers everywhere depend on Fermentis for yeast that’s consistent, controllable, and high quality—whether you’re brewing an ester-forward Belgian-style beer, your favorite IPA, or a clean lager.
This episode focuses on an evolving subject—using lager yeast for character beyond “cleanliness,” and joining for the conversation are Urs Wellhoener, technical director and brewing R&D for Boston Beer, Grant Lawrence, former professional brewer, active homebrewer, and Southwestern sales rep for Fermentis, and Bob Kunz, founder of Highland Park Brewing in Los Angeles.
Through the podcast, we focus on the why, the what, and the how of using lager yeast to achieve not just neutral, but characterful fermentations, especially as it pertains to hop-forward lager styles. Along the way, the panelists discuss:
the interaction of sulfur compounds derived from hops with the sulfur compounds created through lager fermentation
lager strains’ beta-lyase activity and biotransformation
leaning into hop creep and using it to your advantage
reducing acetaldehyde production by changing diacetyl rest timing
cone angle’s impact on mercaptan formation
testing tried-and-true beers such as Highland Park’s Timbo Pils with alternate yeast strains
And more.
Fermentis, (https://fermentis.com) is a worldwide leader in brewing yeast, and brewers everywhere depend on Fermentis for successful, predictable, and controllable beer fermentation. They’re the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. To learn more about their range of dried brewing yeast and the work they’re doing to help brewers understand how to use them, visit Fermentis.com, (https://fermentis.com)
8/13/2024 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 38 seconds
372: Ian McCall of Ism is Brewing Pint After Pint of West Coast Pleasure
With his new brewery, Ism (https://www.ism.beer), Ian McCall is back in the brewery and taproom that once housed Beachwood in Long Beach, California—a brewery where he was once lead brewer—although he’s in a different position now as founder and owner. Despite the very young age of this new brewery, McCall and team have already made a big splash, landing three World Beer Cup medals earlier this year, two of them gold, and one in the prized West Coast IPA category for their IPA Western Standard Time.
The conversation, of course, turns to West Coast IPA, and stays there, as McCall walks through his award-winning IPA. Along the way, McCall covers:
optimizing the beer lineup to eliminate lower performers
driving leaner malt in West Coast IPA
using group hop selection to his advantage
brewing with wheat to boost body without affecting dryness
moderating chloride levels in West Coast IPA
shaping bitterness to hit strongly and quickly then disappear
using active fermentation dry hopping to push fruitier hop notes
building complexity with hot side hop additions
constantly evolving even award-winning recipes
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
8/9/2024 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 56 seconds
371: Victor Novak of Figueroa Mountain Builds Modern Beers on Traditional Foundations
Victor Novak has been racking up medals at major competitions for decades now. Through stints at significant Philadelphia and southern California breweries, he’s made his mark on the development of contemporary beer styles while also working with a number of younger brewers who’ve done significant work themselves. Now, as director of innovation for Figueroa Mountain (https://www.figmtnbrew.com) in Westlake Village, California, he’s blending the many beer avenues he loves—lager, fruit, and more—to build a robust program with beers that even non-beer-lovers can enjoy.
In this episode, Novak covers:
adjusting chloride-to-sulfate ratios in dark lagers
building easy-drinking dark beers with pilsner malt, rice, and small amounts of roasted malts
limiting Munich malt to avoid astringency
single-infusion mashing with modern malts
managing sulfur production with Augustiner lager yeast
the differentiating factors in award-winning lagers
dialing in pH in either pale and dark lagers to optimize hop or malt expression
biotransformation with lager yeast in West Coast pils
creating a perception of sweetness (without actual sweetness) in tart fruit beers
Choosing Lactobacillus strains for the intended level of acidity
adding top-notes to fruit flavors for aromatic punch
working terpenes into hop-forward and nonalcoholic beers
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
8/2/2024 • 1 hour, 21 minutes, 6 seconds
370: Kari Williams of Snow Capped Cider Explores Terroir and Technique with a Generational Approach to Estate Cider Making
The Williams family has been farming apples and stone fruit on Colorado’s Western slope for over 100 years, and today their Snow Capped Cider (https://snowcappedcider.com) is one of the winningest American cideries, notching big honors at GLINTCAP, the world’s premier cider competition, while cleaning up again at the annual Cidercraft awards. The secret, says owner, creative force, and cider maker Kari Williams, is the quality of their fruit.
Growing apples for cider on their own estate isn’t novel, but doing so at an elevation over 6000’ certainly is, and the extreme growing conditions produce apples with more vivid contours as well as more sugar, which provides Williams a saturated palette to paint with.
In this episode, Williams discusses:
the multigenerational family approach to farming and now cider making
the benefits and challenges of growing apples at high elevation
maintaining tight farming control for perfect apples, while benefitting from the luxury of time
an apple-driven creative process inspired by flavors in that year’s crop
terroir and flavor expression in apples, and the impact of different farming locations
extensive trialing with 200 fermentation tests in any given year
building a perception of sweetness in dry ciders
aging certain apple varieties before juicing
balancing acidity, astringency, and sweetness in fine ciders
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Indie Hops (https:// ) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
7/26/2024 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 35 seconds
369: Yvan De Baets of Brasserie de la Senne and Eric Toft of Schönramer Talk Shop on European Hops
Both Yvan De Baets, cofounder of Brasserie de la Senne (https://www.brasseriedelasenne.be) in Brussels, and Eric Toft, brewmaster at Private Landbrauerei Schönram (https://www.schoenramer.de) in Schönram, Germany, have appeared on the podcast in the past (episodes 162 (https://beerandbrewing.com/podcast-episode-162-yvan-de-baets-of-brasserie-de-la-senne/) and 244 (https://beerandbrewing.com/podcast-episode-244-eric-toft-of-schoenramer-is-fixated-on-consistency/)). However, for this special panel discussion—recorded live at the Senne brewery—we’ve brought them back to discuss a topic that’s increasingly front-of-mind for brewers around the world: the present and future of European hops.
Extreme heat and severe weather events have increased in frequency, often affecting the aroma and alpha-acid content of classic European-grown varieties and making it more difficult to source those of highest quality. Yet both De Baets and Toft have developed and deployed strategies not just to evaluate growers and track the progress of the crop each year, but also to understand the benefits and drawbacks of each new crop while hedging against risks.
In this episode, they discuss:
shifts in European drinking habits
declining contracted hops and hedging with overstock from previous harvest years
positive and negative traits when evaluating hops still on the bine
building deeper relationships directly with growers
avoiding the trap of negotiating on hop price
evaluating irrigation methods and field structure
harvest timing and its increasing impact on certain Noble varieties
testing and sensory for new-harvest hops
maintaining the cold chain from baling and storage through pelletizing
the biggest challenges and the biggest opportunities for European hops in the near term
And more!
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
7/19/2024 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 52 seconds
368: De Dolle’s Kris Herteleer Takes a Natural Approach to High-Gravity Belgian Ales
Beers such as Oerbier, Arabier, and Stille Nacht may not be as familiar to today’s avid beer consumer, but for decades these unusual strong ales have been staples on the menus and cellars of more adventurous beer bars around the world. De Dolle Brouwers (https://www.oerbier.be) got its start in 1980, among the vanguard in a new wave of Belgian brewers who rejected the consolidation and cynical corner-cutting that had come to define the industry there. Cofounder Kris Herteleer was committed to a more natural approach to brewing, using real malt, whole hops, healthy yeast, spring water, and the highly manual mechanical tools of the decades-old brewhouse they purchased in the village of Esen, just outside of Diksmuide, in West Flanders.
Oerbier was, and still is, hard to classify. It limns the space between an overtly acid-forward oud bruin and a strong Belgian dark ale, borrowing from both where and when it needs to. Yet this ambiguity fits Herteleer’s approach; De Dolle isn’t concerned at all about adherence to styles. Herteleer would much rather get you asking questions than provide you with easy answers.
In this episode, recorded at the brewery as we sipped beers from their cellar more than 20 years old, Herteleer discusses:
switching from Rodenbach yeast in 2000, and the five-year process of getting Oerbier back to its intended expression
the prevalence of coloring and backsweeting in 1970s and ’80s Belgian ale
balancing acidity and sweetness in higher-gravity beer
using a coolship, Baudelot cooler, open fermentors, a Lactobacillus reactor, and French wine barrels to produce complex, flavorful beer that’s more than just “sour”
using relatively high IBUs to limit Lactobacillus and Pediococcus activity in mixed-culture fermentation
avoiding the crutch of spices in Belgian ale
barrel-aging in wine barrels rather than spirits barrels, to avoid “dead” barrels
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com/podcast): Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian, and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
7/12/2024 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 48 seconds
367: Humble Sea Sails the Calm, Clear Waters of Modern Lager Through the Fog of Today’s IPA
The Humble Sea (https://humblesea.com) origin story told by cofounder and brewmaster Nick Pavlina is a common one: Avid homebrewer turns pro at the urging of family and friends. Yet that early experience with brewing, brewing, and brewing some more—on a one-barrel system—instilled a discipline for testing, evaluating, and adapting that stays with Humble Sea to this day.
A 2022 World Beer Cup silver medal for Munich-style helles gave them the validation they sought for the nascent lager program—but rather than anchor them in place, that success put more wind in their experimental sails. They continue to tinker with that beer, testing mash-step times and temperatures as well as fermentation parameters, in an ongoing quest to make it as perfect as possible.
Meanwhile, they’ve hitched a ride on the swift current of hazy IPA—or, in their lingo, “foggy IPA”—but they’ve done so in ways inspired by their West Coast locale. The result has been significant growth, and the brewery now has five different ports they call home.
In this episode, Pavlina and brewing operations director Nate Chesser discuss:
developing a house lager style by assembling pieces of various traditions and the practices of brewer peers
changing and adjusting their medal-winning helles despite its success
embracing decoction for both its tangible and intangible benefits
choosing and sourcing Noble hops for helles and pilsner
fermenting lagers with a less common yeast strain
building their initial “foggy” IPA out of a Pliny the Elder–inspired recipe
leaning into their unique water profile
spunding IPA for natural carbonation
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
RSS Maclin (https://rssmaclin.com) offers audits and repairs for can seamers and can integrity training. We provide solutions for can damage, seam training, and help your facility become self-sufficient without relying on OEMs. Questions about your can line? Call us at (330) 299-8210 or email at [email protected]
Brewery & Distillery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com): If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com/podcast): Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian, and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
7/5/2024 • 56 minutes, 26 seconds
366: St. Bernardus Uses Modern Tools and Ingredients to Stay True to Historic and Classic Recipes
Carrying the weight of history and expectation poses a particular challenge for some European brewers, but nowhere is that more apparent than in the world of Belgian brewing. How, in the face of changing technology and consistently variable ingredients, does a brewer stay true to the ideas behind the classic recipes that underpin the core beers that their brewery produces? Over the past two decades, these are exactly the questions that St. Bernardus (https://www.sintbernardus.be) brewmaster Wouter Dely and sales and marketing manager Marco Passarella have had to face.
In this episode, they discuss:
Adjusting classic recipes to today’s modern brewhouse reality
Working with barley that varies year-to-year by adjusting step mash times and temperatures
Using Belgian candi sugar in brewing abbey-style beers
Maintaining healthy fermentations using techniques like drauflassen (https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/KU8vZ0OyWJ/)
Fostering ester production by limiting head pressure in cylindroconical tanks
Using different temperature glycol in fermenter jackets through the course of the fermentation
Time as an ingredient in brewing
The mechanics of bottle conditioning
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://hopandbrewschool.com). The 7th Annual Veterans Blend from Yakima Chief Hops will be available for pre-order June 24th! $3 from every pound sold of Veterans Blend will be donated to this year’s non-profit Stop Soldier Suicide. Plan ahead and pre-order on June 24th!
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
6/28/2024 • 1 hour, 20 minutes, 35 seconds
365: Alex Lippens and the Team at Verzet Are on a Quest to Make the Best Oud Bruin in the World
In Anzegem, Belgium, about 20 miles southwest of Ghent, Brouwerij ’t Verzet (https://brouwerijtverzet.be) is no cover band. Sure, they could make some local waves by brewing up Citra-Mosaic hazy IPAs, but what would that mean to the strong brewing traditions in their corner of Flanders? Rather than play someone else’s tunes, could they instead take the familiar, culturally significant notes that everyone around them knows, and play them with a swagger and attitude that helps people see them in a new light?
Or, as cofounder Alex Lippens muses, could they drink these innovative hazy IPAs from the United States, learn from them, and inject that knowledge back into classic Belgian styles, to help move those traditions forward? Couldn’t they develop their own take on a classic Flemish style such as oud bruin—but instead of making it taste like Rodenbach, make it feel cool and relevant for a younger generation of drinkers?
These are among the questions that Lippens asks throughout this episode. While the answers are still in progress—check back with the Verzet team in 40 years, maybe, when their brewing careers are complete—he also touches on:
pushing the borders of drinkability and excitement
rethinking Michael Jackson’s categorization of oud bruin and Flemish red ale
brewing with a heavy caramel-malt load and 20 percent unmalted barley
using techniques such as cereal mashes and extremely long boils to build flavor and texture
blending parts of seven different barrel-aged base beers into Verzet Oud Bruin
maintaining and using a wild-caught mixed culture
promoting quicker Lactobacillus action by restricting hops and pitching on fully fermented wort
building an impression of fruit flavor without using actual fruit
blending to a total acidity goal
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://hopandbrewschool.com). The 7th Annual Veterans Blend from Yakima Chief Hops will be available for pre-order June 24th! $3 from every pound sold of Veterans Blend will be donated to this year’s non-profit Stop Soldier Suicide. Plan ahead and pre-order on June 24th!
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
6/21/2024 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 49 seconds
364: Lambic is Science, Not Sorcery, for Thomas Vandelanotte of Timmermans
Mythmaking and superstition may play a role in others brewers’ approaches to making lambic, but for Thomas Vandelanotte—brewmaster for Belgian breweries Timmermans (https://brtimmermans.be), Bourgogne de Flandres (https://www.bourgognedesflandres.be), and Waterloo (https://waterloo-beer.com)—science is a far better tool for achieving great-tasting beer that people want to drink over and over again.
“I think it’s important, first of all, to not talk about lambic as a wonder of nature, but it’s something that can be completely scientifically followed-up,” Vandelanotte says.
To that end, he and his team have engaged in deep study of their own brewery environment, the dynamics at play through fermentation and aging, and every barrel or foeder that finds its way into an oude gueuze blend. Their goal is balanced beer—flavorful, citric, not too acidic—and they’re intentional in both adhering to the historical parameters of lambic brewing while also using all the modern abalyticak tools at their disposal.
In this episode, Vandelanotte discusses:
the 118 different yeasts they’ve found in their environment and fermenting beer
growth dynamics over time of different yeasts in lambic
the similarity of young fermenting lambic to New England IPA
using oxidized hop pellets without destroying what’s good about the hops themselves, because “lambic is not the [trash] bin of the hops industry”
avoiding low-oil hop varieties and embracing hops of various origins, including U.S. hops
the origin of barnyard character in lambic
using a variety of barrel sizes and foeders for different fermentation and wood impacts
analysis of foeders and barrels to build statistical basis for a theoretical blend that’s confirmed or adjusted through sensory
flavor differences in types of acid that don’t track to titrations
open fermentation at Bourgogne de Flandres to drive ester production
fermentation dynamics in oud bruin
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at [email protected].
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://hopandbrewschool.com). The 7th Annual Veterans Blend from Yakima Chief Hops will be available for pre-order June 24th! $3 from every pound sold of Veterans Blend will be donated to this year’s non-profit Stop Soldier Suicide. Plan ahead and pre-order on June 24th!
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
6/14/2024 • 1 hour, 32 minutes, 59 seconds
363: Jeremy Pryes of Idyll Forest and Pryes Brewing Explores the Wide Range of Flavors in Everything from Midwest IPA to Spontaneous Beers
At last year’s Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers in Chicago, a relative newcomer grabbed both the silver and bronze medals in the Wild Beer Mixed Culture with Fruit category, immediately sending the crowd to flood the pouring table with requests for tastes. The brewery brand—Idyll Forest Artisan Ales—is the wild, mixed-culture passion project of Pryes Brewing (https://www.pryesbrewing.com) cofounder Jeremy Pryes. The small production facility he’s built about 20 minutes from the main brewery is his culture and flavor laboratory.
Despite founding the brewery over a decade ago, Pryes still spends time on the production brew deck and then makes time for his acid-forward labors of love, but the long days are worth it for Pryes. There are too many ideas to try, too many experiments to work out, and too much to learn to slow down now.
In this episode, Pryes discusses both their classic approach to “Midwest IPA” as well as the wild path he’s forging with Idyll Forest. Along the way, he touches on:
their slow and intentional growth from alternating proprietorship to large beer hall
the fundamental tenets of classic Midwest IPA
challenges in selecting Simcoe with a more classic flavor profile
how drinkers’ palates have evolved over the past decade
changing yeast strains, making drier beers with no caramel malt, and finding balance through lower bitterness
differentiating West Coast–style IPAs from Midwest IPAs through hop choices
building common lanes for Idyll Forest’s wild, spontaneous, and mixed-culture beers
the narrow IBU window between bacterial party time and lockdown
pre-acidifying or not, depending on flavor intentions
decisions and process around fruit additions
using carbonic maceration of grapes to improve flavor expression
articulating beer-blending goals through writing
avoiding vanilla in certain fruited mixed-culture beers
And more. Note: After we recorded this episode, Pryes went on to win a World Beer Cup bronze for Soirée, which had also won bronze at FOBAB.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://hopandbrewschool.com). Interested in all things hops and beer? Join Yakima Chief Hops on Aug. 28-20th for Hop & Brew School, a one-of-a-kind educational experience in Yakima, Washington, the heart of hop country. Register at hopandbrewschool.com. Use code CBB10 for a 10% discount off your tickets.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
6/7/2024 • 1 hour, 23 minutes, 42 seconds
362: Tim Johnson of Barrel Theory Takes a Passion-Driven Approach to Hazy IPA and Fruited Sour Beers
Tim Johnson of Barrel Theory (https://barreltheory.com) in St. Paul, Minnesota, started brewing progressive styles of beer—hazy IPA, fruit beers, barrel-aged stouts, and more—out of necessity. As a beer lover and beer trader, it made sense to try his hand at these things he would trade for, both for the creative thrill of pursuing excellence in these styles, but also for more pragmatic reasons—to have things to trade.
Today, Johnson still loves tasting the wide breadth of beer out there, and he remains active in trading beer with brewer friends. Now, however, he’s more focused on his own brewing—mastering hazy IPA, tart fruit beers, and barrel-aged stouts—and he’s not afraid to let you know that he loves those styles.
In this episode, he discusses:
blending and co-pitching yeast in hazy IPAs
designing double and triple hazy IPAs to taste great at a variety of temperatures
balancing base malts for flavor and color
adjusting water for the perfect hazy IPA profile
using advanced hop products alongside T-90 pellets
choosing the right time and place for certain hop additions
building hazy IPAs that make you want to take another sip
taking advantage of the “Infinity Gauntlet” of hops
pushing hop saturation while still controlling hop burn
using coconut cream to build richness in fruited sours
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://hopandbrewschool.com). Interested in all things hops and beer? Join Yakima Chief Hops on Aug. 28-20th for Hop & Brew School, a one-of-a-kind educational experience in Yakima, Washington, the heart of hop country. Register at hopandbrewschool.com. Use code CBB10 for a 10% discount off your tickets.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
5/31/2024 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 17 seconds
361: Austin’s Meanwhile is Making Bold Bets With Beautifully-Constructed Lagers and IPAs
The world may know Austin’s Meanwhile (https://www.meanwhilebeer.com) for the GABF and World Beer Cup medals they’ve won, including golds for Helles and Pilsner, and silver for Secret Beach IPA. But the locals know it as a great beer garden with a playground for kids, an outdoor concert stage, a wide array of food trucks, and tasty beer that can be either dissected or just digested. It’s a beautiful place to spend time with friends over beer, with beer that’s worth talking about (if that’s your thing).
In this episode, Director of Brewing Operations Robert Fulwiler, himself an alum of Seattle’s Fremont, discusses some of the keys behind Meanwhile’s successful lagers and IPAs, including:
Blending pilsner malts for color and character
Managing mash thickness with a slightly high-gravity brew
Adjusting for the low alpha of the 2022 German hop harvest
Building a range of hop flavor with addition timing and a variety of hops and formats
Using Augustiner yeast and embracing the best side of sulfur
Slow carbonation for more delicate lagers
“San Diego-style IPA” and what it means
Managing hop creep with ALDC
Controlling the expression of funkier hop characteristics through temperature
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://yakimachief.com). YCH 702 is a flowable extract designed to maximize aroma and increase whirlpool yield. YCH 702 is flowable at room temperature, standardized to 20% total oil, and contains high concentration of survivable hop compounds. Contact your Yakima Chief hops rep for more information!
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
5/24/2024 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 6 seconds
360: Joe Lemnah of Burlington Beer Tests, Learns, and Tests Again to Optimize Hazy IPA with Personality
For Joe Lemnah, going to work at a brewery was no reason to stop homebrewing. The same need to explore and understand that drove him to brew at home every week still informs his process of testing and learning, even a decade after opening Burlington Beer (https://www.burlingtonbeercompany.com) in Burlington, Vermont.
In this episode, Lemnah focuses on the evolution and processes behind the style for which they’re best-known—hazy IPA—but their approach differs from other New England stalwarts. From unconventional (yet classic) hop choices such as Simcoe and Chinook, to high-adjunct grists in which each grain serves a specific purpose, the choices that Lemnah and Burlington team make are based on a continuous process of testing, confirmation, revision, and tweaking.
During this conversation, he touches on:
exploring the impact of different grains in hazy IPA
both embracing and avoiding “cheat code” hops
pushing high-adjunct loads of 30 to 40 percent to maximize soft texture
building middle notes through hop blends and process
using less traditional hops for aroma
maximizing various ways to achieve interesting hop flavors and aromas
learning the mechanics of fermentation and yeast harvesting with London Ale III
building character in pub-focused lagers with rye and other grains
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://yakimachief.com). YCH 702 is a flowable extract designed to maximize aroma and increase whirlpool yield. YCH 702 is flowable at room temperature, standardized to 20% total oil, and contains high concentration of survivable hop compounds. Contact your Yakima Chief hops rep for more information!
OPA Design Studio (https://designopa.com): The architects at OPA Design Studio are your partners in developing the unique design you need. With over a decade of experience designing breweries, the folks at OPA are here to serve as your trusted experts from start to finish. Visit designopa.com to set up your no obligation introductory consultation today.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
5/17/2024 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 20 seconds
359: Ryan Miller of Vermont’s Freak Folk Finds Unique Flavors in Layered Fermentations
Ryan Miller and Lillian MacNamara—both experienced brewers and cofounders of Freak Folk Bier (https://www.freakfolkbier.com)—are partners in business and life, making the brewery, as Miller says, “a love story interwoven with brewing.”
Both share a love of saison, and Freak Folk began with a focus on special-release saisons that has since expanded into a broad selection of styles to fill the tap lines of their Waterbury, Vermont taproom. But even the other styles they brew exhibit the same kind of delicate balance and nuanced structure that they honed in saison experimentation.
In this episode, Miller discusses both their approach to saison and hazy IPA, touching on:
- Building and maintaining mixed cultures
- Brewing attenuated saison with a single infusion mash and controlled primary and secondary fermentations
- Controlling acidity in saison through the mash
- Using unusual ingredients in unusual ways in saison
- Building a compelling grain bill in hazy IPA
- Blending base malts for the right balance of flavor and color
- Copitching yeast strains
- Adjusting gravity based on ABV
- Using advanced hop products
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://yakimachief.com). YCH 702 is a flowable extract designed to maximize aroma and increase whirlpool yield. YCH 702 is flowable at room temperature, standardized to 20% total oil, and contains high concentration of survivable hop compounds. Contact your Yakima Chief hops rep for more information!
OPA Design Studio (https://designopa.com): The architects at OPA Design Studio are your partners in developing the unique design you need. With over a decade of experience designing breweries, the folks at OPA are here to serve as your trusted experts from start to finish. Visit designopa.com to set up your no obligation introductory consultation today.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
5/10/2024 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 46 seconds
358: Bill Cherry of Switchback Enjoys the Slow Burn of Learning Through Doing
Innovation in beer has been accelerating for the past decade as breweries—excited by new styles and techniques, and feeding a culture of newness incentivized by social apps—churn out a relentless quantity of new beers in new formats with new labels. However, to hear Bill Cherry tell it, the choices he’s made at Switchback (https://www.switchbackvt.com) over the past two decades have been driven more by slowness than speed.
Packaging in 22-ounce bombers so they could dial in packaging before moving to more popular formats, or pursuing innovation in smoked beer because demand (and competition) in that niche are small, have afforded the brewery time and space to figure it out and build demand organically, always focusing first on the beer and its quality.
The results have paid off over recent years, with 2022 gold and 2023 bronze medals at the World Beer Cup for Katie’s Love Poem, their grodziskie. But that’s just the kindling, as their broader Flynn on Fire series has seen them tackle and learn from a vast array of different smoked beers. Cherry loves smoked beer because they’re harder to sell to consumers—there isn’t a built-in market for them, so they have to create one, and he loves that challenge as well as the runway for lower-stakes experimentation.
In this episode, he talks through that counterintuitive strategy and how it relates to their approach to innovation, including:
designing Switchback Ale based on pieces of other inspirational beers
growing slowly to make sure beer quality is always top priority
packaging draft only for the first 10 years of the brewery until they could afford a quality bottling line
homing in on smoked because because “nobody likes smoked beers, but they should”
creating the smoke-o-meter scale for conveying smokiness to consumers
step-mashing for flavor, not just attenuation
maintaining a living yeast pitch that’s going on 2,000-plus generations
balancing hop flavor and smoke aroma in smoked IPA
And more.
“if you can get people to drink something that they don’t know they want, that’s true craft,” says Cherry.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops Varietees (https://varietees.com). VarieTees Supply Co. offers hop apparel inspired by hop varieties, art, and community. Shop designs from various artists inspired by your favorite varieties including Citra, Simcoe, Sabro, and Mosaic! Shop VarieTees and use promo code CBB20 for 20% off at varietees.com.
OPA Design Studio (https://designopa.com): The architects at OPA Design Studio are your partners in developing the unique design you need. With over a decade of experience designing breweries, the folks at OPA are here to serve as your trusted experts from start to finish. Visit designopa.com to set up your no obligation introductory consultation today.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
5/3/2024 • 1 hour, 20 minutes, 28 seconds
357: Von Trapp Makes Conscious Process Choices For Lager Quality and Drinkability
While popular movies tell finite stories, the real lives of the people they feature don’t stop when the final credits roll. So, it was up to the von Trapp family—whose story was told with huge dramatic license in The Sound of Music—to write their own next chapters. They did so by establishing a popular, Austrian-inspired family lodge in northern Vermont—then, about 15 years ago, they opened a brewery just down the hill.
They launched with the goal of producing finely crafted European-style lagers, befitting the family’s heritage. Craft lagers weren’t exactly lighting up the sales charts at the time, but it was a long-term bet from a family that thinks in generations rather than quarterly returns. Now, with a beautiful automated Rolec brewhouse and an attached beer hall, they’re producing award-winning lagers at scale—including the Oktoberfest that we named one of our Best 18 Beers in 2018 (https://beerandbrewing.com/the-best-18-beers-of-2018/)—all while making very intentional decisions about process and ingredients.
In this episode, brewing operations director Tom Everett and quality manager Jack Van Pappegem talk through their approach to ingredients and process, including:
avoiding decoction of many pale lagers, despite having an automated and dedicated decoction vessel
finishing pale lagers dry, but not too dry
using small amounts of specialty malts to build character
managing the grain crush
keeping a tight focus on pH
strategies to promote healthy fermentations
selecting yeast for the ideal character
lagering in cylindroconical unitanks
brewing Oktoberfest lager as well as dark lagers
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100-600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. Visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops Varietees (https://varietees.com). VarieTees Supply Co. offers hop apparel inspired by hop varieties, art, and community. Shop designs from various artists inspired by your favorite varieties including Citra, Simcoe, Sabro, and Mosaic! Shop VarieTees and use promo code CBB20 for 20% off at varietees.com.
OPA Design Studio (https://designopa.com): The architects at OPA Design Studio are your partners in developing the unique design you need. With over a decade of experience designing breweries, the folks at OPA are here to serve as your trusted experts from start to finish. Visit designopa.com to set up your no obligation introductory consultation today.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
4/26/2024 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 6 seconds
356: House Rules! Cameron Fisher of Crafthaus Is On a Cold (IPA) Streak
Welcome to Las Vegas, craft brewers! In this final of three CBC preview episodes, Crafthaus (https://www.crafthausbrewery.com) head brewer Cameron Fisher joins to discuss their approach to making cold IPA (and more) in the desert of Southern Nevada. Whether it’s Czech-style lager served on a Lukr faucet in their Arts District taproom or a throwback hoppy red ale poured with love from their Henderson taproom at the brewery, the beers Crafthaus makes have earned a reputation for quality, breadth, and accessibility. In this episode, Fisher touches on:
Connecting beers to audiences through familiarity and experience
Using flaked maize and white wheat in cold IPA
Pushing big IBUs in the first wort addition then cool pooling
Layering hop formats with concentrated pellets and T-90’s
Avoiding generic hop flavors by editing down hop blends
Dry hop saturation
Fermenting with characterful lager yeast that leaves more body
Creating coffee beers with different roasters and coffees
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is changing the game at this year’s CBC in Las Vegas. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at [email protected] to schedule time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year’s show.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://yakimachief.com). As a global preferred supplier of NZ Hops, Yakima Chief is the source for the pronounced bright and tropical aromas New Zealand hops are known for, adding a rush of exotic fruits and zesty citrus to your recipes. NZ Cryo is now available, learn more at yakimachief.com
OPA Design Studio (https://designopa.com): The architects at OPA Design Studio are your partners in developing the unique design you need. With over a decade of experience designing breweries, the folks at OPA are here to serve as your trusted experts from start to finish. Visit designopa.com to set up your no obligation introductory consultation today.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
4/19/2024 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 3 seconds
355: RipeLocker Enables a Fresh Approach to Brewing with Wet Hops
This special fresh hop–focused episode of the podcast is brought to you interruption-free by the the freshness experts at RipeLocker. (https://ripelocker.com) RipeLocker has patented a radically innovative storage solution to revolutionize the post-harvest industry with technology to extend the shelf-life of perishables such as fresh hops while preserving quality and taste. The company’s low-pressure chambers prolong freshness after harvest by weeks, often months, and for brewers, this opens up new ways to think about fresh- and wet-hop beers.
This episode focuses on fresh-hop brewing, from harvest through brewing and then marketing them to end consumers. Joining for the conversation are Brendon Anthony, RipeLocker senior director of fruit science, Tyler Sabin, Oasis Farms hops manager, and Bart Gumpert, Coronado Brewing’s R&D and innovation brewer.
There are as many different ways to brew fresh-hop beers as there are brewers doing it, but RipeLocker (https://ripelocker.com) technology opens up some avenues for thinking about fresh-hop brewing in new and fresh ways. Through this conversation, the panel discusses everything from how the hypobaric chamber works to pick windows for fresh-hop varieties, the variability of rates of aging for different hop varieties, brewers’ favorite fresh-hop varieties and combinations, the hub and spoke distribution strategy, innovative ways brewers are taking advantage of the opportunities that RipeLocker allows, and ways that this technology may impact fresh-hop brewing in the future.
Visit https://ripelocker.com (https://ripelocker.com) for more information, or visit https://oasisfarmsfreshhops.com (https://oasisfarmsfreshhops.com) to explore the ways you can use fresh hops from Oasis Farms preserved in RipeLocker chambers in your fresh-hop beers this upcoming harvest.
(Sponsored Content)
4/16/2024 • 45 minutes, 12 seconds
354: Viva Las Vegas! Dave Pascual of Big Dogs Plays His Medal-Winning Cards Close to the Vest
Dave Pascual, head brewer for longtime Las Vegas brewery Big Dog’s (https://www.bigdogsbrews.com), takes a methodical approach to running the brewhouse, even if it doesn’t feel out-of-the-ordinary to this longtime brewer. Running a clean and organized brewery is just how it’s done. Despite how obvious some of these little things may appear, it’s the sum of all those professional details that’s helped cement Big Dog’s legacy as a consistent award winner in categories as diverse as English-Style Brown Ale and Belgian-Style Tripel.
In this episode, Pascual discusses his approach to creating recipes and brewing award-winning beers, including:
brewing light lager with two-row instead of pilsner
tasting and comparing, consistently
dialing in hops in very light lagers
building a full-spectrum malt bill for brown ale
achieving pleasant fermentation notes in Belgian-style beers
changing medal-winning recipes
wood-aging barleywine
building a team that consistently focuses on excellence
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is changing the game at this year’s CBC in Las Vegas. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at [email protected] to schedule time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year’s show.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://yakimachief.com). As a global preferred supplier of NZ Hops, Yakima Chief is the source for the pronounced bright and tropical aromas New Zealand hops are known for, adding a rush of exotic fruits and zesty citrus to your recipes. NZ Cryo is now available, learn more at yakimachief.com
OPA Design Studio (https://designopa.com): The architects at OPA Design Studio are your partners in developing the unique design you need. With over a decade of experience designing breweries, the folks at OPA are here to serve as your trusted experts from start to finish. Visit designopa.com to set up your no obligation introductory consultation today.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
4/12/2024 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 38 seconds
353: Viva Las Vegas! Able Baker's Matt Marino Goes "All In" on Modern West Coast IPA
In this first of a three-episode miniseries on Las Vegas brewers, timed to give you more local knowledge as you head to the desert for this year’s Craft Brewer’s Conference, Able Baker (https://ablebakerbrewing.com) Director of Brewing Matt Marino discusses his evolving approach to modern West coast IPA and hazy session IPA. Through the conversation, he touches on:
brewing oversized batches at high gravity to maximize output from their 15bbl brewhouse
pushing extreme attenuation to hit a 1.4-1.6°P finishing gravity in a 7% ABV IPA
making the move from 2 row malt to pilsner malt
selecting hops and hop formats for survivability and efficiency
fermenting with non-diacetyl-producing yeast
recirculating while dry hopping to maximize extraction in West coast IPA
the constant evolution of recipes for the brewery’s most popular brands
blending to create new beers
the best beer-related (and non-beer-related) things to do while visiting Las Vegas
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is changing the game at this year’s CBC in Las Vegas. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at [email protected] to schedule time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year’s show.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://yakimachief.com). As a global preferred supplier of NZ Hops, Yakima Chief is the source for the pronounced bright and tropical aromas New Zealand hops are known for, adding a rush of exotic fruits and zesty citrus to your recipes. NZ Cryo is now available, learn more at yakimachief.com
OPA Design Studio (https://designopa.com): The architects at OPA Design Studio are your partners in developing the unique design you need. With over a decade of experience designing breweries, the folks at OPA are here to serve as your trusted experts from start to finish. Visit designopa.com to set up your no obligation introductory consultation today.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
4/5/2024 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 15 seconds
352: Chris Lohring of Notch Wants You to Brew More Distinctive Lager
Notch (https://www.notchbrewing.com) founder Chris Lohring loves the fact that more craft brewers are embracing lagers—but he has some strong opinions about the best way to brew them.
“‘Crispy boys’ don’t exist,” he says. “Lagers aren’t dry. Clean lager yeast is boring to me.”
Refinement and distinction are his goals, not minimalism, and he and his team use all the tools in the brewer’s toolbox to achieve them—such as adjusting mash schedules and malt bills to build body in low-ABV beers; moving lager mid-fermentation from quasi-open fermentors to conicals before later moving to horizontal tanks; reducing and timing decoctions to fit the goals of individual beers; and considering the impact of mash rests on fermentability, among many other things. It’s not one thing, after all, that makes a lager distinct—in his words, “there’s no magic bullet.”
In this episode, Lohring discusses:
why Czech pale lager is a category, not a style
how variable processes in the cellar lead to different expressions of diacetyl
manipulating a mash schedule to build body and character with more expressive lager yeasts
what decoctions do and don’t do for lagers
using small percentages of crystal malt in Czech-style pale lagers
fermenting with no head pressure, and skimming to optimize flavor and hop character
the difference between černé pivo and tmavé pivo
using American hops in Czech-style lager
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is changing the game at this year’s CBC in Las Vegas. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at [email protected] to schedule time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year’s show.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com
US Water Systems (https://uswatersystems.com): Depending upon the city and day, water quality can vary 40% to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com (https://uswatersystems.com) for a free expert analysis.
Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you’re a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
3/29/2024 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 55 seconds
351: The Big Friendly Takes A Down-To-Earth Approach to Award-Winning Saisons and Barrel-Aged Stouts
Will and Joe Quinlan, brothers and cofounders of The Big Friendly, just make beer. Will loves saison so they make a few saisons every year. Joe loves barrel-aged stout so they make a few of those every year. Their distribution is minuscule so their production is very small, but they do take a meticulous approach to beer making despite their small size.
In this episode, the brothers each recount their approach to the beers they make, and in the process they discuss:
building mixed fermentation cultures out of separate stock strains
resting and conditioning saison
using flavor- and aroma-forward New Zealand hops in saison
tuning sourdough yeast for beer fermentation
barrel-conditioning saison
editing malts in barrel-aged stouts
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is changing the game at this year’s CBC in Las Vegas. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at [email protected] to schedule time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year’s show.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com
US Water Systems (https://uswatersystems.com): Depending upon the city and day, water quality can vary 40% to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com (https://uswatersystems.com) for a free expert analysis.
3/22/2024 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 53 seconds
Episode 350: Kelly McKnight of New Belgium Highlights the R&D Behind Some of Craft’s Biggest Beers
Kelly McKnight could have done a lot of other things—she was a sponsored pro skateboarder and snowboarder in her younger years, and she studied pre-med at Harvard—but she found such solace and relief in brewing that she changed paths to brew professionally. Now, she’s lead R&D brewer in one of the beer world’s most successful innovation programs, using all of tools at the their disposal to understand flavor and expression in beer.
In this episode, the New Belgium (https://www.newbelgium.com) brewer touches on:
bench testing new ingredients
the process behind reinventing Fat Tire
chemical analysis of hops and hop blends
using natural flavors in IPA
process engineering to move ideas to large-scale production
exacting dry-hop automation
offbeat fruits that work well in beer
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is changing the game at this year’s CBC in Las Vegas. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at [email protected] to schedule time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year’s show.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com
US Water Systems (https://uswatersystems.com): Depending upon the city and day, water quality can vary 40% to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com (https://uswatersystems.com) for a free expert analysis.
3/15/2024 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 7 seconds
Episode 349: Ryan Speyrer of Parish is Building the Future of Hazy IPA on a Foundation of Classic Hops
There is the East Coast and there is the West Coast, but aficionados of hazy IPA know not to sleep on the Gulf Coast, thanks largely to Parish Brewing (https://parishbeer.com) in Broussard, Louisiana. Parish’s Ghost in the Machine has become a juggernaut in the world of hazy IPA, earning accolades such as a 2019 Beer of the Year (https://beerandbrewing.com/the-best-19-beers-of-2019/) from Craft Beer & Brewing and a mention on critic Alex Kidd’s top ten list in 2020 (https://beerandbrewing.com/critics-list-alex-kidds-best-in-2020/). More recently, Parish won a spot in the top 20 small regional breweries (https://beerandbrewing.com/best-in-beer-2023-readers-choice-your-favorite-breweries-by-size/) as voted on by the readers of Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®. Nor is their success limited to IPA—Parish also picked up a silver medal at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival for its top-selling wheat beer, Canebrake.
In this episode, head brewer (and Master Cicerone) Ryan Speyrer joins the podcast to discuss the ways they brew their iconic hazy IPAs, touching on:
the evolution of Ghost in the Machine, from West Coast to hazy
the roles that wheat and oats do (and don’t) play in hazy IPA
balancing specific hop varieties between whirlpool and dry hop to maximize the expression of each
using classic hops such as Cascade along with Simcoe in modern, fruit-forward IPA
the importance of extended cold-conditioning
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is changing the game at this year’s CBC in Las Vegas. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at [email protected] to schedule time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year’s show.”
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com
US Water Systems (https://uswatersystems.com): Depending upon the city and day, water quality can vary 40% to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com (https://uswatersystems.com) for a free expert analysis.
3/8/2024 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 32 seconds
348: Spotlight: Keys to Successful Beer Fermentation with White Labs, Russian River, and Beachwood
This special fermentation-focused episode of the podcast is brought to you interruption-free by the yeast and fermentation specialists at White Labs (https://www.whitelabs.com). If you brew beer, you’re familiar with White Labs, as they’ve been supplying brewers with the highest quality yeast and fermentation aids for many years, and they now serve brewers around the world from outposts in San Diego and Asheville in the United States, as well as Copenhagen and Hong Kong.
Throughout this episode, we focus on the keys to effective fermentations, from yeast health to enzymes and more. Joining for the conversation are Chris White, founder of White Labs; Julian Shrago, co-owner and brewmaster of Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach, Huntington, and Garden Grove, California; and Garrison Fratoni, head brewer for Russian River in Windsor, California.
During the podcast, these three discuss the work they’ve been doing in maximizing yeast health while dialing back on the excessive use of yeast nutrients and enzymes. Increased attenuation and efficiency, despite decreased enzyme and nutrient additions? It’s possible, with the techniques and approaches that these brewers discuss.
White Labs never settles for “good enough,” and their innovative spirit continues to advance the craft of fermentation, guaranteeing products that defy the status quo. They fuel the brewing community by offering new product innovations, educational resources, and a collaborative atmosphere—empowering brewers to make the best beer possible.
To learn more about the range of top-quality yeast, nutrients, and other fermentation solutions that White Labs offers to brewers, visit WhiteLabs.com (https://www.whitelabs.com).
3/5/2024 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 11 seconds
347: Preston Theony of Wren House Embraces Change as a Constant and Flavor Over Style
Black Caddis began as one of Preston Theony’s homebrew recipes, but rather than create a take on an existing style, he started with the flavor he wanted to achieve and built a recipe to realize that. Now, after brewing the beer commercially at Wren House (https://www.wrenhousebrewing.com) for the better part of the past decade, he’s still not done experimenting with changes to not just the recipe, but the core of fermentation itself. More recently, the beer has moved from ale fermentation with a Kölsch strain to lager fermentation with a 34-70 strain, in order to amplify the “clean, cutting characteristic” that Theony sought. It’s dark beer in the 4% ABV range sold in one of the hottest of the United States, and drinkability is paramount.
Similarly, Theony has never stopped tinkering with their hazy IPA recipe, despite core beer Spellbinder’s gold medal in the juicy or hazy IPA category at the 2020 GABF. Note that anything he mentions doing or using in this podcast is subject to change, and this is only a snapshot of where they are at this brewing moment. But with that said, through the conversation, he touches on:
switching to lager fermentation with a shorter lagering time to give Black Caddis porter more edge
layering Carafa, C120, Carafoam, and Chocolate Rye malt for broad flavor in a small beer
hyperfocusing on pH throughout the brewing process
reducing whirlpool hops and boosting dry hops to improve drinkability
using Galaxy as a bridge between Citra and Mosaic
dry hopping early and capping the tank
their approach to awards season as a time to reflect and improve beers
evaluating competition feedback
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has supplied flavored craft juice concentrate blends to over 46 states for the production of fruit-forward beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, and more. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com
US Water Systems (https://uswatersystems.com): Depending upon the city and day, water quality can vary 40% to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com (https://uswatersystems.com) for a free expert analysis.
3/1/2024 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 9 seconds
346: 12 West Finds Success in Simplicity with West Coast Pils and IPA
With taprooms in Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona, 12 West (https://12westbrewing.com/) may boast one of the coolest “home breweries” in the United States. Its production space is in the 6,000-square-foot luxury garage behind one of the founders’ homes, with roll-up doors that open to a patio with a swimming pool, skate ramps, and a moto track in the distance. Meanwhile, the beer that head brewer and co-owner Justin “Gully” Gullickson and assistant brewer Andrew Cooper are making to feed the two taprooms is as compelling as it is consistent.
In this episode, they discuss their West Coast–style pils, Radial Spines—one of our Best 20 Beers in 2023 (https://beerandbrewing.com/the-best-20-beers-in-2023/)—as well as their high-scoring IPAs. Along the way, they touch on:
blending West Coast IPA and pilsner grists for their West Coast pils
setting up successful lager fermentations with a single-infusion mash
whirlpooling with Cryo hops
dry hopping cold for extended periods with Cryo hops
staggering hop-blend percentages between the hot and cold sides, based on individual hop characteristics
grounding new-school hop flavors with old-school classics
brewing IPA with gummi sharks
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has supplied flavored craft juice concentrate blends to over 46 states for the production of fruit-forward beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, and more. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com
US Water Systems (https://uswatersystems.com): Depending upon the city and day, water quality can vary 40% to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com (https://uswatersystems.com) for a free expert analysis.
2/23/2024 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 35 seconds
345: Arizona Wilderness Explores Terroir Through Mobile Coolships, Regenerative Local Grain, and More
Last year, Arizona Wilderness’ (https://www.azwbeer.com) beet-centered saison Jitterbug Perfume scored a perfect 100 with our blind judges, and went on to nab a spot in our Best 20 Beers in 2023. In this episode, head brewer Brad Miles and wood cellar manager Nick Pauley dissect that particular beer, from the blend of wood-aged saisons that form the base, to the way they roasted and processed the beets, and the particular fruit juice and spice additions that rounded it out. They also discuss the Arizona Wilderness approach to spontaneous brewing, using a mobile coolship and wort that they drive out to cooler, higher elevations in the wintertime to capture wild microflora.
Along the way, they touch on:
building a spontaneous process that works in a dry, desert environment
using aged American hops like Crystal, Chinook, and Cascade in spontaneous beer
adding funk character to saison with aged hops
using regenerative certified organic grains in saison
building a base with 5-6 different wood-aged saisons to stand up to strong flavored ingredients
balancing acidity in spontaneous and saison beer
brewing with Kernza grain
partnering with local growers and a local maltster to support a new grain economy
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has supplied flavored craft juice concentrate blends to over 46 states for the production of fruit-forward beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, and more. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com
US Water Systems (https://uswatersystems.com): Depending upon the city and day, water quality can vary 40% to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com (https://uswatersystems.com) for a free expert analysis.
2/16/2024 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 43 seconds
344: Marble Brewery’s Josh Trujillo Finds Success at the Intersection of Hops and Lagers
Josh Trujillo didn’t set out to become a brewer, but after 16 years at Marble (https://marblebrewery.com)—the last eight of which he’s served in the top brewing role—he’s found it to be a perfect vocation given his mix of technical and tasting aptitude. Over the years, Marble has pursued ways other integrating hops into both traditional and modern lagers, and their judiciously dry-hopped Pilsner even won 2014 World Beer Cup gold employing a quarter-pound-per-barrel dry hop at the time. Now, Marble is stretching out in the hoppy lager space with West Coast pils, and mirroring that smaller beer with their approach to cold IPA, while their MavLab R&D brewery continues to rack up medals for both traditional ales and lagers as well as more progressive styles.
In this episode, Trujillo shares their approach to brewing lager, including:
Brewing rice and corn lagers with two row pale malt and a single infusion mash
Managing runoff to avoid astringency
Extending boils to manage DMS production
Designing subtle yet characterful hop blends for dry-hopped Pilsner
Moving hot side hops to the whirpool for more hop expression
Marrying the classic with the contemporary in West Coast pils
Brewing hoppy beers with new twists on classic hops
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has supplied flavored craft juice concentrate blends to over 46 states for the production of fruit-forward beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, and more. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). "Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com"
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com/en/legal-notice): Christian Hansen are the fermentation experts with over 100 years experience in dairy and wine, and are now bringing that knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria.Go to Chr-Hansen.com to learn more.
2/9/2024 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 29 seconds
343: Natalie Rose Baldwin of Wayfinder Paints Hoppy Pictures With a Broad Palette
Over the past number of years, Portland, Oregon’s Wayfinder (https://www.wayfinder.beer) has built a reputation for assertive Pacific Northwest Coast IPAs, balanced and bitter Cold IPAs, and classic renditions of European lagers. Last year, Natalie Rose Baldwin stepped into the Brewmaster position and quickly found herself getting up to speed on their hop-centric beers, but her years of experience at Breakside more than prepared her for the technical and creative challenge.
In this episode, Baldwin focuses on IPA and West Coast pils, with a closing contemplation on one of her favorite styles—gose. Along the way, she covers:
the weight of expectation on Wayfinder cold IPA
developing production yeast strategies around IPA and cold IPA
building a fresh hop West Coast keller pils
thinking about flavor as color
using the Breakside nitrogen-shatter-and-cold-steep fresh hop method
tweaking picking windows to maximize fresh hop expression
using domestic pils base malt for hop-forward West Coast pils
brewing French pils with spelt and Strisselspalt hops
managing healthy fermentations in gose
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has supplied flavored craft juice concentrate blends to over 46 states for the production of fruit-forward beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, and more. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). "Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com"
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com/en/legal-notice): Christian Hansen are the fermentation experts with over 100 years experience in dairy and wine, and are now bringing that knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria.Go to Chr-Hansen.com to learn more.
2/2/2024 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 59 seconds
342: Hazy IPA Now! With Fidens, North Park, Green Cheek, and Russian River
Ten years into the rise of hazy IPA, the brewing world knows far more about how to make this challenging yet enduringly popular style—yet the deeper we push, the more we realize how much more we have to learn. For this extended episode of the podcast, we got the gang from last year’s West Coast IPA Now! episodes back together to discuss hazy IPA, along with a respected East Coast voice in the hazy IPA conversation. Steve Parker of Fidens (https://www.fidensbrewing.com) joins Evan Price of Green Cheek (https://www.greencheekbeer.com), Kelsey McNair of North Park (https://www.northparkbeerco.com), and special guest host Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River (https://www.russianriverbrewing.com) as they dissect varying approaches to medal-winning, crowd-pleasing hazy IPA, including:
choosing soft water over more chloride-heavy approaches
different strategies around pH to balance flavor, function, and food safety
selecting malt for color and flavor contributions
using adjuncts such as unmalted wheat, chit malt, oats with husks, and more, to build pale color yet stable haze
feeding bigger fermentations to offset low efficiency mashes
the impact that certain hop varieties have on haze development and stability
“coolpooling” with concentrated pellets and knockout hopping with advanced hop products
promoting biotransformation during active fermentation without dry hops in the tank
double-batching over two days while under-pitching and over-aerating
closing the tank several days before terminal, and dry hopping under pressure
the impact of pellet density
what to look for in certain varieties at hop selection
balancing bitterness and final gravity
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has supplied flavored craft juice concentrate blends to over 46 states for the production of fruit-forward beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, and more. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). "Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com"
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com/en/legal-notice): Christian Hansen are the fermentation experts with over 100 years experience in dairy and wine, and are now bringing that knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria.Go to Chr-Hansen.com to learn more.
1/26/2024 • 2 hours, 25 minutes, 2 seconds
341: Spotlight: New IPA Malt from Gambrinus and BSG
This special ingredient-focused edition of the podcast is brought to you interruption-free by the brewing-ingredient experts at BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/craft-coast-top-secret-gambrinus-ipa-malt/?utm_source=cbbpodcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=gambrinus+ipa+cbbpodcast&utm_content=malt).
Today’s beer drinker loves pale beer more than ever, and over the course of the past decade, brewers have been feeding this shift by releasing lighter and lighter colored IPAs that pack a similar flavor punch without the heft that specialty malts can bring. To help brewers achieve that flavor without the color, Gambrinus and BSG recently announced IPA Malt (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/craft-coast-top-secret-gambrinus-ipa-malt/?utm_source=cbbpodcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=gambrinus+ipa+cbbpodcast&utm_content=malt), a new domestic malt designed for IPA brewers who crave that low SRM beer color but still want character in the malt that can stand up to today’s big hop bills.
In today’s spotlight episode, Ashton Lewis (Training and Technical Support Manager for BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/craft-coast-top-secret-gambrinus-ipa-malt/?utm_source=cbbpodcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=gambrinus+ipa+cbbpodcast&utm_content=malt)), Ken Smith (Director of Operations for Gambrinus Malting (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/craft-coast-top-secret-gambrinus-ipa-malt/?utm_source=cbbpodcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=gambrinus+ipa+cbbpodcast&utm_content=malt)), and Blake Masoner (Cofounder and Head Brewer for Craft Coast Beer & Tacos (https://craftcoast.co) in Oceanside, California), join the podcast to discuss this new malt. Over the course of the conversation, they cover it from initial brief through development and into brewing, exploring how it works, what it’s capable of, and what else may be in store for brewers who try it. Along the way, they cover:
the domestic malt’s English-like biscuity character that contrasts with the grassiness of Continental malt
agronomic and malthouse details behind the malt
understanding how flavors translate from the malt into finished beer
using the malt at 100 percent while achieving flavor in a low-FG beer
exploring other beer styles IPA Malt (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/craft-coast-top-secret-gambrinus-ipa-malt/?utm_source=cbbpodcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=gambrinus+ipa+cbbpodcast&utm_content=malt) may be suited for
This special spotlight episode is brought to you by BSG & Gambrinus. As every brewer knows, BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/craft-coast-top-secret-gambrinus-ipa-malt/?utm_source=cbbpodcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=gambrinus+ipa+cbbpodcast&utm_content=malt) leads the way in the brewing industry by supplying the finest ingredients and supplies to brewers at competitive prices, and they are trusted by many of the most respected brewers in the craft community. Try the new Gambrinus IPA Malt (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/craft-coast-top-secret-gambrinus-ipa-malt/?utm_source=cbbpodcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=gambrinus+ipa+cbbpodcast&utm_content=malt) today, available exclusively through BSG.
1/23/2024 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 7 seconds
340: Jason Thompson of Calusa Is Brewing Hazy IPAs That Glow
Sarasota, Florida’s Calusa (https://www.calusabrewing.com/) has become a fan favorite in the Sunshine State, focusing on compelling hazy IPAs that capture vivid flavors, consistent drinkability, and a bright, sunny color that cofounder and head brewer Jason Thompson describes as “glow.”
In this episode, Thompson discusses:
managing variable minerality
brewing hazy IPA with flavorful malts such as Weyermann Bohemian Pils
increasing the wheat component of his recipes to aid haze stability
mashing out to improve lautering
ultra-low-temp whirlpooling, to allow greater aromatic contribution without added bitterness
taking care of yeast so they last for 50-plus generations
recirculation and rousing dry hops, to increase contact and extraction post-fermentation
developing interesting hop combinations, such as Saphir and Centennial
making Sabro work in hazy IPA
using barrels for bitterness in barrel-aged stout
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has supplied flavored craft juice concentrate blends to over 46 states for the production of fruit-forward beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, and more. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). "Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com"
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com/en/legal-notice): Christian Hansen are the fermentation experts with over 100 years experience in dairy and wine, and are now bringing that knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria.Go to Chr-Hansen.com to learn more.
1/19/2024 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 12 seconds
339: Ashleigh Carter, Jeff Bagby, and Ryan Brooks Dissect Mexican Lager and More
This week’s episode is a panel discussion on lager brewing, recorded in front of a live audience late one night on the patio of Cerveza Fauna (https://cervezafauna.com) after a full day of judging for the Copa Baja beer festival in Mexicali, Mexico, in late 2023. Joining the discussion are three prominent lager brewers—Ashleigh Carter of Denver’s Bierstadt Lagerhaus (https://www.bierstadtlager.com), Ryan Brooks of San Diego’s SouthNorte (https://southnorte.com), and Jeff Bagby (who, earlier this week announced that he was joining Green Cheek Beer (https://www.greencheekbeer.com) as they acquire Bagby’s brewery in Oceanside, California).
The location in Mexico provides the perfect backdrop for diving into Mexican, Mexican-style, and adjunct lagers, and the discussion also focuses on dark lagers. Along the way, they cover creative and technical points such as:
the challenge of brewing great lager in smaller batch sizes
understanding other brewers’ commercial approaches through lab analysis
priorities for gear and process
techniques for brewing better lager on systems designed for single-infusion ale
understanding the impact of water on lager brewing
selecting yeast for Mexican-style lager
approaches to natural carbonation
brewing with corn via cereal mash versus pre-gelatinized products
making specialty beer with popcorn
clever approaches to building color without intense dark malt flavor
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has supplied flavored craft juice concentrate blends to over 46 states for the production of fruit-forward beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, and more. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). "Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com"
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com/en/legal-notice): Christian Hansen are the fermentation experts with over 100 years experience in dairy and wine, and are now bringing that knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria.Go to Chr-Hansen.com to learn more.
California Craft Beer Summit (https://cacraftbeersummit.com). Everyone’s talking about 2024 California Craft Beer Summit, March 12-14 in Sacramento. Kicking off the Summit as the Keynote speaker is Rob Tod, the pioneer who built Allagash Brewing. Check out the full schedule at the website cacraftbeersummit.com.
1/12/2024 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 4 seconds
338: Anthony Tallman of Burgeon Packs Big Flavor in Lean West Coast Pale Ales, IPAs, and Pils
Lean is all the rage in West Coast-style hoppy beers, from pilsner to India pale ale, and paring beers back to their bare necessities has been a significant focus for Burgeon’s (https://burgeonbeer.com) Anthony Tallman. But the quest for lean and drinkable hoppy beers doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor, and recent experimentation has given Tallman a fresh perspective on the ultra-minimal approach. In this episode, focused on multiple GABF medal-winning international style pale ale Carlsbad Crush, he talks about what has and hasn’t worked with their hop-forward clear beers, including:
the impacts of various pilsner malts on pale ales, IPAs, and lagers
shortening and lengthening boil times for certain beers
achieving significant measured IBUs in a beer with no hot side hops
inadvertently making an intended hazy IPA drop clear via knockout dry hopping
watering back to lower whirlpool temperatures
varying techniques based on the hops in a recipe
focusing on hot side hops for increased package longevity
finding balance in the lower ABV of West Coast pils
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) Turnkey brewery systems. Production line design services. Retro-fitting processing systems. ProBrew™ can do all this and more with any brewery, old or new, small or large. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): You might have heard of Old Orchard, but have you heard of their newest flavors? Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to their lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). "Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com"
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com/en/legal-notice): Christian Hansen are the fermentation experts with over 100 years experience in dairy and wine, and are now bringing that knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria.Go to Chr-Hansen.com to learn more.
California Craft Beer Summit (https://cacraftbeersummit.com). Everyone’s talking about 2024 California Craft Beer Summit, March 12-14 in Sacramento. Kicking off the Summit as the Keynote speaker is Rob Tod, the pioneer who built Allagash Brewing. Check out the full schedule at the website cacraftbeersummit.com.
1/7/2024 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 26 seconds
337: The Most-Listened-To Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast Episodes of 2023
The final episode of the year is our chance to look back on the year of brewing conversations and highlight those episodes that struck the biggest chords with you, our listeners. Joining Jamie in the co-host chair is Khris Johnson of Green Bench (https://www.greenbenchbrewing.com) in St. Petersburg, Florida, and together they count down the ten most-listened-to episodes while sharing excerpts from each. The top ten include:
Averie Swanson of Keeping Together (https://www.keepingtogether.com/) on farmhouse ale
Mattias Trum of Schlenkerla (https://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.html) on the history of rauchbier in Bamberg
Joran Van Ginderachter and Shawn Bainbridge of Halfway Crooks (https://halfwaycrooks.beer/) on German hops in lager brewing
Joe Mohrfeld of Pinthouse (https://www.pinthouse.com/), Steve Luke of Cloudburst (https://cloudburstbrew.com/), and Zach Turner of Single Hill (https://singlehillbrewing.com/) on evolving products for fresh hop brewing
Travis Fritts of Old Nation (https://oldnationbrewing.com/) on the similarities and differences in lager and hazy IPA brewing
Doug Velicky of Revolution (https://revbrew.com/) on extending brands in a crowded craft beer marketplace
Henry Nguyen of Monkish (https://www.monkishbrewing.com/), J.C. Tetreault of Trillium (https://trilliumbrewing.com/), and Neil Fisher of Weldwerks (https://weldwerks.com/) on brewing hazy IPA
Brian and Mary Rooney of BKS Artisan Ales (https://bksartisanales.com/) on softening the edges of hazy IPA
Justin Burdt of Ghost Town (https://www.ghosttownbrewing.com/) on selecting hops for pungency
and, Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River (https://www.russianriverbrewing.com/), Evan Price of Green Cheek (https://www.greencheekbeer.com/), and Kelsey McNair of North Park (https://www.northparkbeerco.com/) on brewing West Coast IPA Now!
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Looking for a sustainable way to increase fermenter capacity? Try FermCap™ Eco from Kerry, a plant-based alternative to traditional silicon-based products. FermCap™ Eco increases fermenter capacity by reducing foam height to improve beer foam stability and enhance hop utilization.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
California Craft Beer Summit (https://cacraftbeersummit.com). Everyone’s talking about 2024 California Craft Beer Summit, March 12-14 in Sacramento. Kicking off the Summit as the Keynote speaker is Rob Tod, the pioneer who built Allagash Brewing. Check out the full schedule at the website cacraftbeersummit.com.
The American Homebrewers Association (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod): Join the American Homebrewers Association to unlock the 2023 National Homebrew Competition medal-winning recipes! Learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod)
Lotus Beverage Alliance (https://lotusbevalliance.com): Building a brewery requires coordination: equipment, supplies, funding, and more. Lotus Beverage Alliance simplifies the process, offering all the elements for your business in one place. Their team of engineers, brewery consultants, and financial advisors are here to help.
12/30/2023 • 1 hour, 51 minutes, 23 seconds
336: Reimagining London Porter and Stout with the Kernel’s Evin O’Riordain
The Kernel (https://www.thekernelbrewery.com) founder Evan O’Riordain embodies a few interesting contrasts—he’s an Irishman in London committed to shining a light on the city’s own dark beer past, and he’s a brewer in Britain who caught the craft bug after experiencing hop-forward beers in the United States—but it’s this dynamic range that drives and defines Kernel today. History is important, yet no modern techniques or ingredients are off the table, as the beers they make respect and reference the past without dogmatically recreating them. There’s no such thing as textual accuracy when ingredients have changed so much over the past 100 years. Every act of recreating an old recipe from original text is an act of interpretation, and what matters most now is connecting that past to where drinkers are today.
Over the past decade and a half, O’Riordain has focused particular energy on stout and porter, and we focus on that in this episode. Along the way, he covers:
embracing hops as a defining creative angle
helping rekindle London’s dark beer lineage
interpreting historical stout and porter recipes
using brown malt as a main signifier of “London flavor”
debunking the idea that British beers are less bitter
the history of East India porter
using whole-leaf hops for texture in dark and pale beers
fermenting historical styles with London and California ale yeast strains
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG and HVG bring you Amira, the latest from their hop Breeding Program. With its classic hoppy, slightly herbal, and zesty lemon aromas it’s the ideal hop for those looking to capture the traditional flavor of a classic German lager. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
The American Homebrewers Association (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod): Join the American Homebrewers Association to unlock the 2023 National Homebrew Competition medal-winning recipes! Learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod)
Lotus Beverage Alliance (https://lotusbevalliance.com): Building a brewery requires coordination: equipment, supplies, funding, and more. Lotus Beverage Alliance simplifies the process, offering all the elements for your business in one place. Their team of engineers, brewery consultants, and financial advisors are here to help.
12/22/2023 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 58 seconds
335: For Tom Beckmann of Goldfinger, Lager is a Family Affair
Past isn’t necessarily prologue for today’s lager brewers, but it certainly is at Goldfinger Brewing (https://goldfingerbrewing.com) in Downers Grove, Illinois. A family history of brewing lager and manufacturing equipment for brewers in Poland and Czechia was just the kick that Tom Beckmann needed to pursue his dream of building a small, contemporary, lager-focused brewery. Now, as the brewery undertakes its next expansion, Beckmann is committed to widening the lager discourse, to showcasing the potential of both European and domestic ingredients in lager brewing, and to embracing flavor and character across a range of different lager styles. In this episode, Beckmann discusses:
building on his family brewing history in Poland and Czechia
designing and constructing a brewhouse for lager brewing
step-mashing and decoction strategies for various pale lagers
using sterile air rather than pure oxygen to reduce yeast stress
cereal cooking vs. gelatinized adjuncts for certain lagers
blending domestic and imported pils malt for the best flavor, performance, and price
the tactile experience of different malts
selecting Tettnanger hops for pils and Hallertauer Mittlefrüh for helles
the fundamentals of Polish pils
the American Zoigl project in conjunction with Live Oak, Urban Chestnut, and others
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): HS Grove boasts incredible biotransformation qualities, giving you the power to transform your next IPA into a stone fruit powerhouse. Choose HS Grove™ for West Coast IPA, New England IPA, Double IPA, American pale ale, or any beer style where delicious fresh fruit aromatics are desired. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
The American Homebrewers Association (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod): Join the American Homebrewers Association to unlock the 2023 National Homebrew Competition medal-winning recipes! Learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod)
GW Kent (https://gwkent.com): GW Kent are expanding their product range to include many varieties of Ardagh cans, can handles, cleaning chemicals, and quality malts. Now you can shop spare parts for the cellar, ingredients for the brewhouse, and canning supplies for the packaging team all in one convenient location. Start saving today at gwkent.com (https://gwkent.com)!
12/15/2023 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 47 seconds
Episode 334: Hot Takes on Cold IPA with Firestone Walker, Hop Butcher, and Heater Allen
Five years into cold IPA, the arguments still aren’t settled, but one thing is certain—strategic brewers have embraced the style for the unique counterpoint it can provide to more ester-driven IPAs, and the focus on light body has struck a chord with beer drinkers who increasingly want strong hop notes in ever-paler beers. We thought it was time to revisit the subject with three brewers who are no stranger to the podcast, and who each have contributed to the evolution of the style in their own way. Sam Tierney of the Firestone Walker (https://www.firestonebeer.com) Propagator in Venice, California has helped develop some pioneering cold IPAs for the California brewery, like core brand Hopnosis. Jude La Rose of Chicago’s Hop Butcher (http://www.hopbutcher.com) brews plenty of hazy IPAs, but continues to explore what hops can also do within the context of clear and light-bodied cold IPA. And Kevin Davey of McMinnville, Oregon’s Heater Allen (https://heaterallen.com) and Gold Dot created the cold IPA style while at Wayfinder, but today is just starting to brew them again after focusing on lager for most of the past year.
In this episode, the three brewers look at where IPA has come since those earliest days and what it looks like now, with topics that include:
creating the counter-trend to hazy IPA by pushing bitterness alongside low finishing gravity
finding cleaner, more “crystalline” hop expression by fermenting with lager yeast
achieving additional package stability in cold IPA through lower FAN
varying dry hopping temperatures and techniques
managing sulfur production in cold IPA fermentations
blending modern, classic, and Southern hemisphere hops in cold IPA
pushing the lightest of color through ultra-pale malts and adjuncts
controlling oxygenation to avoid overstimulating the lager yeast
why they continue to focus on the style now
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Gambrinus Malting️ combines European-influenced malting practices with the finest barley, wheat, and rye to produce some of the finest Canadian malts available. Visit BSGCraftBrewing.com/Gambrinus to explore their full line of traditionally crafted malts.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
California Craft Beer Summit (https://cacraftbeersummit.com) Don’t miss Keynote Speaker Rob Tod from Allagash Brewing Co. at the 2024 California Craft Beer Summit in Sacramento March 12-14. Buy tickets today and receive the lowest prices.
The American Homebrewers Association (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod): Join the American Homebrewers Association to unlock the 2023 National Homebrew Competition medal-winning recipes! Learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod)
Alpha Brewing Operations (https://alphabrewops.com): When you work with Alpha Brewing Operations, you get unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and service. Now, Alpha Brewing Operations is offering a wider selection of equipment, faster shipping, quality ingredients, and advanced financial tools. Alpha Brewing Operation (https://alphabrewops.com)
12/8/2023 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 6 seconds
333: Future-Proofing Your Brewery, a Conversation Brought to You by Encompass
This special business-focused edition of the podcast is brought to you interruption-free by the transformational beverage-industry technologists at Encompass (https://www.encompasstech.com).
As we head into 2024, the brewing industry is facing serious headwinds that have limited growth for many breweries and accelerated the closure of others. Consumer patterns are changing, product preferences continue to evolve, drinking occasions shift as our rhythms of work and life find different beats, and the playbook on which many businesses relied on no longer produces the same results. However, necessity has always been the mother of invention for craft brewers, and today’s challenges feel a bit familiar to those who experienced a similar contraction in the late ’90s or massive price increases due to the hop shortage of the late ’00s.
To explore how brewers are facing these challenges head-on today—and working to “future-proof” their breweries—we tapped three industry pros to share their viewpoints—Patrick Tickle, CEO of Encompass (https://www.encompasstech.com), Cole Hackbarth, VP of brewing operations for Cincinnati’s Rhinegeist (https://rhinegeist.com), and Dave Thibodeau, president and cofounder of Ska Brewing (https://www.skabrewing.com) in Durango, Colorado. Through the conversation, they discuss:
major challenges for breweries today, such as increasing COGS, lower consumer-pricing thresholds, and the diminishing returns from innovation
strategizing around today’s generational shift in drinkers
developing organic and authentic innovation within the beer space
differences between craft beer and flavored malt beverage (FMB) consumers
focusing innovation around brand strengths rather than untested categories
supporting innovation while maintaining profitability through blended margins
the increasing impact of cash flow on business decision making
changing hospitality habits developed by customers during the pandemic
managing labor costs through cross-training and active owner-operators
And more.
This special industry spotlight episode is brought to you by Encompass
The Encompass (https://www.encompasstech.com) digital platform is designed to connect everyone across the supply chain, from producers to distributors and retailers, so that you have clear real-time visibility into your brewing business with powerful analytics to support your decision making. Collaborate to maximize sales, minimize empty shelves, and eliminate product waste. Visit Encompasstech.com (https://www.encompasstech.com) to learn more about how they can help future-proof your business with modern technology.
12/5/2023 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 56 seconds
332: Chicago’s Dovetail Finds Harmony and Cohesion in their Modern Approach to Traditional Methods
Chicago’s Dovetail (https://dovetailbrewery.com) has earned a reputation for its refined yet flavorful lagers, but the team’s dogged approach to traditional methods is less about religion and more about expression—these techniques and processes allow them to imbue their beers with attributes they want while minimizing those they want to avoid or keep in the background. Each beer they make is like a musical score—a recipe designed to hit the right notes with the orchestra of instruments they’ve assembled. Whether that’s multiple decoctions, dropping temperatures in the coolship before adding whole-cone hops to a hop-forward lager, or how often they skim the open fermentors, they’ve considered the cumulative impact of each of the intermediate notes.
In this episode, cofounder Hagen Dost, production manager Brittany Gedwill, and sales director Dan Modica outline their reverent and rigorous approach to making helles, pilsner, and Kölsch-style ale. Along the way, they also touch on:
creating slushies with aged spontaneous beer
defining parameters around “traditional methods” for lager brewing
the benefits of direct-fire decoction
coolshipping lagers with whole-cone hops for “harmony and cohesion”
the varying impacts of step mashing, single decoction, and triple decoction with thick and thin mashes
the necessity of sulfur and malt character in helles
walking the fine line in timing of Kölsch fermentation
brewing rauchbier with 95 percent smoked malt
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): For over 140 years Weyermann® Specialty Malts has been helping brewers around the world bring authentic German flavor to their brewhouses. Bring a taste of Bavaria to your brewhouse and explore Weyermann’s complete portfolio at BSGCraftBrewing.com/Weyermann
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
The American Homebrewers Association (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod): Join the American Homebrewers Association to unlock the 2023 National Homebrew Competition medal-winning recipes! Learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod)
Lotus Beverage Alliance (https://lotusbevalliance.com): Need an ally for your brewing venture? Lotus Beverage Alliance simplifies the process. Their team of engineers, brewery consultants, and financial advisors are here to help. Lotus Beverage Alliance (https://lotusbevalliance.com).
12/1/2023 • 1 hour, 25 minutes, 53 seconds
331: Jacob Sembrano of Cruz Blanca Makes Technically Challenging Beers with Beautiful Ingredients and Stories to Tell
Jacob Sembrano loves ingredients, and his background as a chef instilled in him a deep love of connecting ingredients and their stories with the dishes he presented to customers. Now, at the helm of the brewhouse at Chicago’s Cruz Blanca (https://cruzblanca.com), he’s forged a similar identity for his beers—connecting through ingredients with stories, and making beers with unusual methods. Their customers may not realize the technical prowess it takes to brew a 100 percent malted-corn grisette with French saison yeast, Brettanomyces, and a Lactobacillus strain cultured from the corn itself ... but they don’t have to—Cruz Blanca’s reverence for corn as an ingredient is apparent and welcome.
In this episode, Sembrano discusses how they brew a range of beers. Along the way, he covers:
making your own luck in the food and brewing worlds
applying a minimal-intervention yet highly technical approach to making a 100 percent corn grisette
pushing fermentation temperatures to reduce esters
brewing a red corn lager with 70 percent corn malt
using significant amounts of black and heavily roasted malts in barrel-aged stouts
building body without excessive sweetness
working with partner breweries to grow the brand
matching brewing profiles between locations across states
And more.
“I want my stout to fight me back a bit,” Sembrano says. “I want to feel it when I drink it.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Want a natural and economical clarification aid? Then you need Kerry Biofine™ Eco—a plant-based fining agent that improves beer clarification by instant flocculation of yeast and trub. Available exclusively from BSG, visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
The American Homebrewers Association (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod): Join the American Homebrewers Association to unlock the 2023 National Homebrew Competition medal-winning recipes! Learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod (https://HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod)
Lotus Beverage Alliance (https://lotusbevalliance.com): Need an ally for your brewing venture? Lotus Beverage Alliance simplifies the process. Their team of engineers, brewery consultants, and financial advisors are here to help. Lotus Beverage Alliance (https://lotusbevalliance.com).
11/24/2023 • 1 hour, 33 minutes, 29 seconds
330: Best in Beer 2023 Critic's List Special: Kate, Stan, Courtney, Alex, and Joe Share Their Favorites
As always, our annual Best in Beer issue includes different perspectives. Our subscribers and listeners—that’s you!—have spoken, and we’ve compiled your votes for the Reader’s Choice lists, including your Top 25 Beers (https://beerandbrewing.com/best-in-beer-2023-readers-top-25-beers-of-2023/). Plus, our Craft Beer & Brewing Best 20 Beers in 2023 (https://beerandbrewing.com/the-best-20-beers-in-2023/) are the culmination of a year of blind tasting by our review panel and then by our editors, achieving an internal consensus on beers of the greatest character and technical excellence.
However, this issue also is a chance for some of our writers and editors to sound off a bit, as we share our favorite beers and highlights of the past year. No blind tasting here—for these hedonistic picks, we fully embrace the contexts in which we enjoyed these beers.
That’s the idea behind our Best in Beer Critic’s Lists, and those are what we explore in this special, once-per-year episode. Featuring thoughtful (and at times heartfelt) takes from Alex Kidd, Kate Bernot, Stan Hieronymus, Courtney Iseman, and Joe Stange—for Jamie’s, be sure to read the print edition—these lists give us the chance to spotlight many more of the most enjoyable beers and drinking experiences of 2023, as well as some thoughts on the state of the brewing industry and beer culture today.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG and HVG bring you Amira. With its classic hoppy, slightly herbal, and zesty lemon aromas it’s the ideal hop for those looking to capture the traditional flavor of a classic German lager. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Colorado Craft Beer Summit (https://cacraftbeersummit.com). Join the craft beer community in Sacramento March 12-14 for the California Craft Beer Summit. Bring your entire team from production to marketing to hospitality–there’s something for everyone. Early bird registration on sale now through Dec 22 at cacraftbeersummit.com
The Perfect Purée (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): The Perfect Purée is offering a free sample box of their frozen fruit purees, concentrates and blends to professional brewers. Choose from 40 plus flavors and build a free sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer. Complimentary to professionals only.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend): The 7th Annual Pink Boots Blend is now available for pre-order! $3 of every pound of the Pink Boots Blend purchased will be donated to the Pink Boots Society, a nonprofit organization that support women and non-binary individuals in the fermented and alcoholic industry through education. Learn more at www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend
11/17/2023 • 2 hours, 19 minutes, 40 seconds
329: Best in Beer 2023 Editor's Picks and Readers' Choice with Jamie Bogner and Joe Stange
It’s been another year of great beers—and we’ve tasted thousands—but they can’t all be “the Best.” What sets certain beers apart, to not only light up our palates and our senses, but also our brains and our conversations? Winnowed down by a year of our review panel’s blind judging, and then selected by more blind judging among our editors and top writers, our Best 20 Beers in 2023 represent the highest levels of excellence, character, and drinkability.
In this special once-per-year episode, Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® cofounder and editorial director Jamie Bogner convenes with managing editor Joe Stange to share results of the annual Readers’ Choice poll—including your Top 25 beers and favorite breweries—as well as their Best 20 Beers in 2023, discussing each beer in turn and what made them shine at the table and in the glass. And, as they do every year, these results represent a snapshot of the best of the craft today—whether we’re brewing them, drinking them, or some of both.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): FermCap™ Eco from Kerry increases fermenter capacity by reducing foam height to improve beer foam stability and enhance hop utilization. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com or contact your BSG Sales Rep to get started.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
The Perfect Purée (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): The Perfect Purée is offering a free sample box of their frozen fruit purees, concentrates and blends to professional brewers. Choose from 40 plus flavors and build a free sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer. Complimentary to professionals only.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend): The 7th Annual Pink Boots Blend is now available for pre-order! $3 of every pound of the Pink Boots Blend purchased will be donated to the Pink Boots Society, a nonprofit organization that support women and non-binary individuals in the fermented and alcoholic industry through education. Learn more at www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend
11/9/2023 • 1 hour, 52 minutes, 39 seconds
328: Art History Brewing is Finding Innovation in Their Focus on Tradition
Geneva, Illinois’ Art History Brewing (https://arthistorybrewing.com) doesn’t want to be everything to everyone, but they’re committed to making traditional beer styles well, while making them relevant to today’s drinkers. That message has resonated in the broader Chicago beer world, and earned them champions among some of the most influential beer bars and retailers in the city. For head brewer Greg Browne, it’s the logical outcome of a career spent brewing these beers in smaller ways at other breweries, and for co-owner Tom Rau, it’s a way to focus on beers they’re personally passionate about while offering something different and beer-focused to the broad community of Chicago beer drinkers.
In this episode, they discuss:
innovation through focusing on traditional styles
achieving the flavor results of decoction through other brewing means
building color in Czech-style pale lager
using the hochkurz (https://beerandbrewing.com/short-and-high-the-hochkurz-mash/) mash and an oversized lauter tun
ingredient selection for North German-style pils and Czech-style dark lager
designing and brewing smoked lagers
choosing yeasts for specific regionally-inspired English ales
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG and their partners HVG bring you the very best in German hops, including Amira. With its classic hoppy, slightly herbal, and zesty lemon aromas it’s the ideal hop for those looking to capture the traditional flavor of a classic German lager. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
ZBiotics (https://zbiotics.com/pages/beerandbrewing) We all have busy lives these days and can’t afford to waste a day stuck on the couch because of a few drinks the night before. ZBiotics is the answer we’ve all been looking for. ZBiotics is the world’s first genetically engineered probiotic invented by PhD scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Give ZBiotics a try for yourself. Go to zbiotics.com/BEERANDBREWING (https://zbiotics.com/pages/beerandbrewing) to get 15% off your first order when you use BEERANDBREWING at checkout. ZBiotics is backed with 100% money back guarantee so if you’re unsatisfied for any reason, they’ll refund your money, no questions asked.
The Perfect Purée (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): The Perfect Purée is offering a free sample box of their frozen fruit purees, concentrates and blends to professional brewers. Choose from 40 plus flavors and build a free sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer. Complimentary to professionals only.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend): The 7th Annual Pink Boots Blend is now available for pre-order! $3 of every pound of the Pink Boots Blend purchased will be donated to the Pink Boots Society, a nonprofit organization that support women and non-binary individuals in the fermented and alcoholic industry through education. Learn more at www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend
11/4/2023 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 11 seconds
327: GABF Gold! Rob Malad of Metazoa Doubles Down on Decocted Scottish-Style Ale
In this GABF Gold! edition of the podcast, the last of our 2023 focus on GABF gold medal winners, Jamie is joined by Rob Malad, director of brewing operations for Metazoa (https://www.metazoabrewing.com) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Metazoa recently won gold for William Walrus, a Scottish-style ale and product of necessity, that employed brewing techniques to overcome ingredient challenges while staying true to the spirit of the style.
In this episode, he touches on:
brewing beers meant to be consumed more than once
using double decoction to build malt character in lieu of a broad range of speciality malt
building a recipe with pale malt, Munich malt, and small amounts of low-Lovibond speciality malts but no English malts
using English ale yeast typically employed in their hazy IPA
brewing with minimal hops but balancing with carbonation
their medal-winning approach to saison
the mouthfeel impression of high Saaz loads
elements that set beers apart in competition
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG invites you to experience one of the newest hops from their Hop Solutions line, HS Grove™. Developed for hop-forward beer styles, HS Grove boasts incredible biotransformation qualities, giving you the power to transform your next IPA into a stone fruit powerhouse. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
ZBiotics (https://zbiotics.com/pages/beerandbrewing) We all have busy lives these days and can’t afford to waste a day stuck on the couch because of a few drinks the night before. ZBiotics is the answer we’ve all been looking for. ZBiotics is the world’s first genetically engineered probiotic invented by PhD scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. Give ZBiotics a try for yourself. Go to zbiotics.com/BEERANDBREWING (https://zbiotics.com/pages/beerandbrewing) to get 15% off your first order when you use BEERANDBREWING at checkout. ZBiotics is backed with 100% money back guarantee so if you’re unsatisfied for any reason, they’ll refund your money, no questions asked.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
The Perfect Purée (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): The Perfect Purée is offering a free sample box of their frozen fruit purees, concentrates and blends to professional brewers. Choose from 40 plus flavors and build a free sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer. Complimentary to professionals only.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend): The 7th Annual Pink Boots Blend is now available for pre-order! $3 of every pound of the Pink Boots Blend purchased will be donated to the Pink Boots Society, a nonprofit organization that support women and non-binary individuals in the fermented and alcoholic industry through education. Learn more at www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend
11/1/2023 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 36 seconds
326: GABF Gold! Saison Mega-Episode with Ratio and Protagonist on Traditional and Carrot-Infused Saison
In this GABF Gold! episode, we dive into the saison category. First up is Jason zumBrunnen, cofounder of Denver's Ratio Beerworks (https://ratiobeerworks.com), recent gold medal winner for their King of Carrot Flowers carrot saison (and 2020 silver medal winner in American-Belgo style ale for their Dear You saison dry hopped with Citra, upon which King of Carrot Flowers is based). He dives into saison standards, like building body despite fermenting with diastaticus saison yeast, single infusion mashing in saison, before drilling down on the particulars of using carrot juice—processing, addition timing, maintaining color and haze, and even the secret ingredient that helps promote the idea of sweetness in the very dry beer.
Next is Jeremy Claeys, head brewer for Charlotte's Protagonist Beer (https://protagonistbeer.com), recent gold medal winner for the Kal-El classic saison (and 2022 gold medal winner in American-Belgo style ale for the dry hopped saison Bizarro, as well as 2021 gold medal winner in Specialty Saison for Air is Beautiful). He talks through their philosophy of brewing classic styles with small twists that make traditional beers their own, building character through grain, simplified step mashing, the benefits of high temperature fermentation, blending saison yeasts, bottle conditioning, and lagering both bottled and kegged saison for a cleaner and smoother beer.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG are distributors of Gambrinus Malting, Canada’s original small-batch, artisanal malthouse. They combine European-influenced malting practices with the finest barley, wheat, and rye to produce some of the finest Canadian malts available. Visit BSGCraftBrewing.com/Gambrinus to explore their full line.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
The Perfect Purée (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): The Perfect Purée is offering a free sample box of their frozen fruit purees, concentrates and blends to professional brewers. Choose from 40 plus flavors and build a free sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer. Complimentary to professionals only.
Yakima Chief Hops (https://www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend): This episode is brought to you by Yakima Chief Hops. The 7th Annual Pink Boots Blend is now available for pre-order! $3 of every pound of the Pink Boots Blend purchased will be donated to the Pink Boots Society, a nonprofit organization that support women and non-binary individuals in the fermented and alcoholic industry through education. Learn more at www.yakimachief.com/pink-boots-blend
10/23/2023 • 1 hour, 43 minutes, 56 seconds
325: Live From the Brewery Accelerator: Westbound & Down, Cerebral, and Odell Dissect Hazy and Clear IPA Today
e recorded this episode of the podcast live from Odell Brewing on Sloan’s Lake as part of our recent Brewery Workshop: New Brewery Accelerator (https://breweryworkshop.com/) event in Denver. The three panel guests—Jake Gardner, director of brewing operations at Westbound & Down (https://westboundanddown.com); Marni Wahlquist, head brewer at Odell (https://www.odellbrewing.com) Sloan’s Lake; and Sean Buchan, owner and head brewer at Cerebral (https://cerebralbrewing.com)—represent a compelling cross-section of IPA from Denver and the Rocky Mountain region. All three are Great American Beer Festival medal winners, and Westbound & Down is fresh off GABF 2023 gold in West Coast–Style IPA and silver in New Zealand IPA (not to mention a bronze for their Coloradan Mexican-style lager).
In this episode, these three panelists cover the gamut of IPA, from hazy to clear, as they discuss the ingredients, techniques, and general approaches that define their IPA brewing programs. Over the course of the discussion, they touch on:
the impact of hazy IPA on West Coast IPA
selecting hop lots to span different IPA styles
maximizing hop saturation with modern hop products
designing malt support in contemporary IPA
drying out West Coast IPA without sacrificing body
avoiding the trap of sweet-on-sweet in hazy IPA
choosing bittering hops for smoothness
maximizing hop quality without participating in hop selection
the reversion to the mean of drinkability in hop-forward styles
And more. While brewing cutting-edge IPA might not be the most profitable thing for a brewery to do, it speaks to why so many brewers and consumers are attracted to craft beer in general. As Gardner says, “Westbound & Down’s history is not a good one to show how hop product can make you more money. They’re just a way we light money on fire to have tons of fun. But that being said, there’s a business strategy in that too. Our customer base is along for the ride.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/):BSG is North America’s exclusive distributor of Weyermann® Specialty Malts. For over 140 years Weyermann® Specialty Malts has been helping brewers around the world bring authentic German flavor to their brewhouses. Bring a taste of Bavaria to your brewhouse and explore Weyermann’s complete portfolio at BSGCraftBrewing.com/Weyermann
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
The Perfect Purée (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): The Perfect Purée is offering a free sample box of their frozen fruit purees, concentrates and blends to professional brewers. Choose from 40 plus flavors and build a free sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer. Complimentary to professionals only.
Yakima Chief Hops Varietees (https://varietees.com): Yakima Chief Hops launched VarieTees Supply Co, their own brand of hop apparel inspired by hop varieties, art and community. Shop designs from various artists inspired by your favorite varieties including Citra, Simcoe, Sabro, and Mosaic! *Use promo code CBB20 *for 20% off at varietees.com
In this special episode, two 2023 gold-medal-winning breweries discuss their methods and approaches to making wood-aged sour beer. First up is Kyle Vetter, founder of 1840 Brewing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose kriek-inspired "I Don't Want To Wait" won gold in the fruited wood- and barrel-aged sour beer category. He hits on the details behind how the beer was made, including:
using oak as an ingredient not just a vessel
building body with alternative brewing grains
selecting barrel stock to best support fruit
preparing fruit and aging over six months
selecting Brettanomyces strains
And more.
Then, we're joined by Joel Stickrod and Spencer Longhurst of Nashville's Barrique, who talk through the methods behind their gold-winning Wet Hop Strata 2023, including:
open-top fermentation in wooden barrels
building a blending library with four schools of wood-aged beer
using high loads of unmalted Tennessee wheat
brewing with aged Cascade hops
long-term aging on wet hops
building compelling blends of old and young beer
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG and their partners HVG bring you the very best in German hops, including Amira. With its classic hoppy, slightly herbal, and zesty lemon aromas it’s the ideal hop for those looking to capture the traditional flavor of a classic German lager. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Roberts PolyPro (https://go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod): Try Roberts PolyPro's multipack can handles, designed for sustainability and cost savings. Grip-Pak rings are biodegradable and average $0.05 cents per unit. Craft-Pak carriers are recyclable and designed with 30% less plastic. Visit go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod to request free samples and start saving today!)
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
10/11/2023 • 1 hour, 32 minutes, 22 seconds
323: Vermont’s Wunderkammer Tells Mixed Culture Stories Beyond the Barnyard
Over the course of his decade-and-a-half, bicoastal brewing career, Vasili Gletsos has brewed a wide range of beer styles on an equal wide range of brewing systems. But after launching Wunderkammer (https://www.wunderkammerbier.com) as a personal brand while serving as head brewer for Hill Farmstead, he ultimately decided to make it his focus, building out a simple brewery with an old dairy tank mash tun and a wood-fired copper kettle to make mixed culture beers that tell stories.
Through foraging and engaging with the landscape around him, he continues to make beer that feels not just rooted and local, but thoughtfully considered and artful. He’s particular about ingredients and fermentation, searching for mixed culture expressions that don’t simply lean on clichés of the genre.
“Part of the power of mixed culture beer is that I find it very transportive,” he says. “It brings you to a time and place—but I don’t always want that time and place to be a barnyard.”
In this episode, Gletsos discusses his mixed culture process, including:
differentiating Wunderkammer from Hill Farmstead’s mixed culture program
choosing Brettanomyces strains for more favorable flavors
brewing on a very simple wood-fired brewhouse
working in layers
blending stainless fermentation and wood puncheon aging
using foraged ingredients like yarrow
cold side versus hot side additions of foraged ingredients
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Developed as a part of part of Kerry’s Eco Brewing range, FermCap™ Eco is a plant-based alternative to traditional silicon-based products. FermCap™ Eco increases fermenter capacity by reducing foam height to improve beer foam stability and enhance hop utilization. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com or contact your BSG Sales Rep to get started.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Roberts PolyPro (https://go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod): Try Roberts PolyPro's multipack can handles, designed for sustainability and cost savings. Grip-Pak rings are biodegradable and average $0.05 cents per unit. Craft-Pak carriers are recyclable and designed with 30% less plastic. Visit go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod to request free samples and start saving today!)
Yakima Chief Hops (https://yakimachief.com/return-growers): Yakima Chief Hops is proud to have an established Return-To-Grower program, which redistributes an average of 75% of their business earnings back to the family farms who grow the hops in your beer. Where you buy your ingredients matters and with Yakima Chief Hops, it’s more than a box of hops. Learn more at YAKIMACHIEF.COM/RETURN-GROWERS
10/2/2023 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 36 seconds
322: Nat West of Reverend Nat's Cider Takes a Craft Brewer's Approach to Cider Making
Reverend Nat’s Cider (http://reverendnatshardcider.com) has helped change peoples’ assumptions about craft cider in the Pacific Northwest, over their past 12 years of operation. The iconoclastic cider maker has adopted a flavor-forward, reverential-but-forward-looking approach to cider making that has ruffled some feathers and changed default narratives, but one thing it’s never been is boring or cautious.
A few weeks ago, West announced that he was winding down operations of Reverend Nat’s Cider. Rather than let that experience and perspective fade into the ether, we engaged with Nat to capture his creative approach to cider making in a way that could be preserved for perpetuity. In this episode, West discusses:
his beer-centric approach to cider making
flavor and innovation within the very locally-focused cider sector
making cider with beer yeast and selecting yeasts that work with the flavors of cider
using hazy IPA yeast in cider making
filtration and stability in cider
achievements and regrets after a dozen years of making cider commercially
approaching the closure with intention and passion
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Developed as a part of part of Kerry’s Eco Brewing range, FermCap™ Eco is a plant-based alternative to traditional silicon-based products. FermCap™ Eco increases fermenter capacity by reducing foam height to improve beer foam stability and enhance hop utilization. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com or contact your BSG Sales Rep to get started.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Roberts PolyPro (https://go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod): Try Roberts PolyPro's multipack can handles, designed for sustainability and cost savings. Grip-Pak rings are biodegradable and average $0.05 cents per unit. Craft-Pak carriers are recyclable and designed with 30% less plastic. Visit go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod to request free samples and start saving today!)
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
9/22/2023 • 1 hour, 22 minutes, 5 seconds
321: Chris Baum of Varietal is Hyperfocused on Hops
When you live and work in Yakima Valley, hops become a way of life. They’re second nature, omnipresent, and a constant topic of conversation—after all, many of the patrons of craft breweries in the Yakima Valley are the same folks who grow, process, study, and sell them. As such, Varietal Beer’s (https://varietalbeer.com) focus on brewing with hops has picked up momentum as fans flock to their taproom—about 30 minutes south of the city of Yakima—to drink their subtle, nuanced, and beautiful IPAs and fresh hop beers.
The industry has noticed, too, with two recent GABF silver medals in juicy strong pale and fresh hop categories circa ’21 and ’22. In this episode, Baum discusses:
designing hoppy beers that aren’t confrontational
brewing IPA with 100% craft malt, and barley varieties that complement certain styles
balancing and achieving bitterness and structure in IPA
manipulating pH to soften bitterness
balancing cryo hops with “American Noble” low-alpha hops
the beauty of Comet hops
differences in brewing with fresh-kilned hops and pelletized T-90’s
fresh hop brewing process
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG and their partners HVG bring you the very best in German hops, including Amira, with its classic hoppy, slightly herbal, and zesty lemon aromas. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
RMS Roller-Grinder (https://rmsroller-grinder.com): Our industry leading mills deliver optimal grind consistency, unlocking the full potential of your grain. Say goodbye to uneven grinds and hello to exceptional flavor extraction. Visit rmsroller-grinder.com to discover how RMS can transform your brewing experience.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Roberts PolyPro (https://go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod): Try Roberts PolyPro's multipack can handles, designed for sustainability and cost savings. Grip-Pak rings are biodegradable and average $0.05 cents per unit. Craft-Pak carriers are recyclable and designed with 30% less plastic. Visit go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod to request free samples and start saving today!)
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
9/17/2023 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 43 seconds
320: Sam Zermeño of Brujos Is Casting Liquid Spells
Based in Portland, Oregon, Sam Zermeño is the brewer behind Brujos—a nomadic brand that’s given him the opportunity to make some intensely flavored, highly regarded beers with friends and favorite brewers from around the country. Yet behind the acclaim and heavy-metal imagery is a mind of real technical know-how and experience. Previously an R&D brewer at Portland’s Great Notion, his accomplishment there include a GABF gold medal last year for their Feniks grodziskie. Nor was that his first GABF gold; in 2018, he won for a hazy double IPA brewed while at Black Market in Temecula, California. Now, Zermeño is embarking on the next phase of Brujos, taking over a now-closed brewhouse which he's transforming into a dark church worthy of the heavy brand.
In this episode, he talks about brewing hazy IPA, with glimpses into his process that include:
building inefficient grain bills with more wheat and oats than barley
brewing with a thick mash, treated gently
finishing gravities that pull the most out of heavy hop loads
boosting calcium chloride
drying out triple IPA for balance
managing giant hop loads
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG invites you to experience one of the newest hops from their Hop Solutions line, HS Grove™. Developed for hop-forward beer styles, HS Grove boasts incredible biotransformation qualities, giving you the power to transform your next IPA into a stone fruit powerhouse. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
RMS Roller-Grinder (https://rmsroller-grinder.com): Our industry leading mills deliver optimal grind consistency, unlocking the full potential of your grain. Say goodbye to uneven grinds and hello to exceptional flavor extraction. Visit rmsroller-grinder.com to discover how RMS can transform your brewing experience.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Roberts PolyPro (https://go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod): Try Roberts PolyPro's multipack can handles, designed for sustainability and cost savings. Grip-Pak rings are biodegradable and average $0.05 cents per unit. Craft-Pak carriers are recyclable and designed with 30% less plastic. Visit go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod to request free samples and start saving today!)
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
9/14/2023 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 58 seconds
319: Upslope’s Alex Meyer Thrives in the High Pressure World of Craft Lager Brewing
Boulder’s Upslope (https://upslopebrewing.com) has been brewing Craft Lager since long before lager brewing was “cool,” and today the small brewery has built a production methodology for the longtime core offering that optimizes both quality and production efficiency. In this episode, head brewer Alex Meyer discusses the way the brewery makes their signature lager with a litany of unconventional ingredients and processes, and shares how they employ similar iconoclastic approaches with their Japanese-style rice lager, and 4-year-barrel-aged Grand Reserve. Along the way, Meyer discusses:
brewing lager with standard two row malt and white wheat
lager fermentation under pressure
managing sulfur production in pressure fermentation
cropping and repitching yeast
using exogenous enzymes to facilitate rice lager fermentation with 55% flaked rice
American lager hop varieties like Sterling and Contessa
feeding healthy high gravity fermentations
managing long-term oxidation in extended barrel aging
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Located in Armstrong, BC, Gambrinus Malting️ combines European-influenced malting practices with the finest barley, wheat, and rye to produce some of the finest Canadian malts available. Visit BSGCraftBrewing.com/Gambrinus to explore their full line of traditionally crafted malts..
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
RMS Roller-Grinder (https://rmsroller-grinder.com): Our industry leading mills deliver optimal grind consistency, unlocking the full potential of your grain. Say goodbye to uneven grinds and hello to exceptional flavor extraction. Visit rmsroller-grinder.com to discover how RMS can transform your brewing experience.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Roberts PolyPro (https://go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod): Try Roberts PolyPro's multipack can handles, designed for sustainability and cost savings. Grip-Pak rings are biodegradable and average $0.05 cents per unit. Craft-Pak carriers are recyclable and designed with 30% less plastic. Visit go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod to request free samples and start saving today!)
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
9/4/2023 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 43 seconds
318: Ex Novo’s Dave Chichura Reflects on the Dynamic Decades of a Brewing Career in Motion
Dave Chichura loves brewing, and loves to work. He's always lived simply, and maintained a lifestyle that allows him to move around. And move he has, from breweries in the Midwest as well as up and down the Rocky Mountains. Now, as Director of Brewing Operations at Ex Novo (http://www.exnovobrew.com) in Corrales, New Mexico, he's putting in practice all the lessons he's learned, building and managing the brewing team as they make beers that have brought home four GABF and World Beer Cup medals over the past two and a half years.
In this episode, Chichura recounts:
The challenges in making beer in rural environments
Scaling medaling-winning Melvin beers from 3bbl to 20bbl
Developing his recipe-writing skill set
Selecting and using hops in West Coast IPA
Dry hopping techniques that do and don't work
Managing hop creep
Asking for help with problems outside of his expertise
Becoming a better manager
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Want a natural and economical clarification aid that doesn’t impact beer flavor? Then you need Kerry Biofine™ Eco—a plant-based fining agent. Available exclusively from BSG, visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
RMS Roller-Grinder (https://rmsroller-grinder.com): Our industry leading mills deliver optimal grind consistency, unlocking the full potential of your grain. Say goodbye to uneven grinds and hello to exceptional flavor extraction. Visit rmsroller-grinder.com to discover how RMS can transform your brewing experience.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Roberts PolyPro (https://go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod): Try Roberts PolyPro's multipack can handles, designed for sustainability and cost savings. Grip-Pak rings are biodegradable and average $0.05 cents per unit. Craft-Pak carriers are recyclable and designed with 30% less plastic. Visit go.robertspolypro.com/CBBPod to request free samples and start saving today!)
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
8/28/2023 • 1 hour, 21 minutes, 19 seconds
317: Averie Swanson of Keeping Together is Envisioning Our Saison Future
If Averie Swanson had her way, saison would outsell IPA among craft beer aficionados. The longtime saison brewer hopes to move beyond stereotypes and romanticized history and show (through beautifully designed and constructed beers) that saison provides a broad palette for brewers to explore flavor. With her Keeping Together (https://www.keepingtogether.com) brand, now based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, she hopes to write a new chapter for saison brewed in the United States.
In this episode, she tackles both the theoretical and the practical, discussing:
building characterful grain bases for saison with everything from smoked malt to oats
designing within constraints
downplaying Brettanomyces in mixed culture fermentation
isolating Saccharomyces and rebuilding a culture around it
testing how new ingredients work in saison
using acidity as an element of structure
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Want a natural and economical clarification aid that doesn’t impact beer flavor? Then you need Kerry Biofine™ Eco—a plant-based fining agent. Available exclusively from BSG, visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
RMS Roller-Grinder (https://rmsroller-grinder.com): Our industry leading mills deliver optimal grind consistency, unlocking the full potential of your grain. Say goodbye to uneven grinds and hello to exceptional flavor extraction. Visit rmsroller-grinder.com to discover how RMS can transform your brewing experience.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Keep your brewery running smoothly with Five Star Chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
8/18/2023 • 1 hour, 28 minutes, 20 seconds
316: Mark Hastings of Überbrew and By All Means Continues to Elevate Black IPA and American Wheat
Montana is known for its grain, and Mark Hastings of Überbrew (https://uberbrew.beer) and By All Means (https://byallmeansbeer.com) is in the thick of it. Wheat is the most-grown crop statewide while barley is third; despite their ubiquity, Hastings steered clear of Montana’s brewing grains for the first two decades of his brewing career. Primarily grown for the needs of macro brewers, these grains never quite nailed the flavor and technical performance he sought. However, recent strides in equipment for craft maltsters have opened the door for higher-quality malt at a smaller scale, and he’s slowly been making shifts.
It’s one thing to change malt in a beer with few expectations, and it’s another to do that in a beer with a long medal-winning pedigree, but that’s exactly what he did with the malt in Überbrew’s White Noise, a American-style wheat beer that’s won two silvers and two golds at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup from 2014 through 2022. He’s won a similar number of accolades for the black IPA Alpha Force Double Tap—GABF golds, bronze, silver, as well as top honors at Alpha King.
In this episode, Hastings discusses:
avoiding darker malt flavors in black IPA
shifting base malts from Maris Otter and Golden Promise to pilsner and Vienna
dialing in recipes using local craft malt
building hop combos using spider plots of flavors and aromas
fermenting everything from wheat to clear IPA with London Ale III
avoiding the “donut effect” in hoppy beers
selecting malt for grassiness in wheat beer
building a stable haze
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Looking for a sustainable way to increase fermenter capacity? Try FermCap™ Eco from Kerry. Developed as a part of part of Kerry’s Eco Brewing range, FermCap™ Eco is a plant-based alternative to traditional silicon-based products.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
RMS Roller-Grinder (https://rmsroller-grinder.com): Our industry leading mills deliver optimal grind consistency, unlocking the full potential of your grain. Say goodbye to uneven grinds and hello to exceptional flavor extraction. Visit rmsroller-grinder.com to discover how RMS can transform your brewing experience.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Keep your brewery running smoothly with Five Star Chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
8/11/2023 • 1 hour, 24 minutes, 7 seconds
315: Jess & Rich Fierro of Atrevida Put Their Values Into Action as They Overcome Trauma and Make Beer for Everyone
This week’s podcast is different from most. A couple weeks ago, I drove down to Colorado Springs to catch up with Jess and Rich Fierro of Atrevida Beer (https://www.atrevidabeerco.com). Jess was the winner of Season One of the Vice TV show Beerland, and they went on to open their small community-focused brewery in 2018. From the start, Atrevida proudly embraced the slogan “Diversity, it’s what’s on tap,” and over the past five years they’ve lived it—women brewers have outnumbered men in their brewhouse by a ratio of about four-to-one. Atrevida would make an interesting case study all on its own, but the night of November 19, 2022, brought them national attention for completely different reasons.
Jess, Rich, their daughter Kassy, her longtime boyfriend Raymond, and other friends were celebrating a birthday at Club Q in Colorado Springs when a gunman attacked the club, killing five and injuring another 19 before Rich—who retired with the rank of major after 15 years in the Army—charged, disarmed, and subdued the gunman. Raymond was one of the five people killed.
That incident isn’t what this podcast is about. In this episode, we discuss what’s happened since then. Jess, Rich, and Kassy all still work at the brewery. It’s a small business, and they’re isn’t any magical mechanism that automatically keeps the brewery going when an unthinkable tragedy strikes. The outpouring of support for them was intense, and the backlash was also intense. Suddenly, they were thrust into a national spotlight while also having to process such a traumatic personal event. Even now, a few who ostensibly wanted to show support have been harassing them over something as trivial as a delay in shipping T-shirts.
However, as you’ll hear in this conversation, Jess and Rich are special people. We cover a range of subjects, from making creative beers that connect through diverse flavors, to running a values-centered business, and on to managing a business through trauma with all the ups and downs that come with it. Their story is an inspiring one.
—Jamie
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG and their partners HVG bring you Amira, the latest from their hop Breeding Program. With its classic hoppy, slightly herbal, and zesty lemon aromas it’s the ideal hop for those looking to capture the traditional flavor of a classic German lager. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Tabski (https://tabski.com): Tabski QR Code Ordering is the future of brewery ordering! With Tabski, your customers can order and pay for their beers right from their phones by scanning a QR Code on the table. Get rid of lengthy lines and increase check size by up to 30%! Learn how you can get started today at tabski.com.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Keep your brewery running smoothly with Five Star Chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
8/7/2023 • 1 hour, 43 minutes, 27 seconds
314: Pinthouse, Cloudburst, and Single Hill Join For a Fresh Hop Brewing Roundtable
The Northern hemisphere hop harvest is just weeks away, and that means one of our favorite times of the year—fresh hop beer season. To help add to the excitement, we invited three experts in the field of brewing with wet and fresh hops—Joe Mohrfeld of Pinthouse (https://www.pinthouse.com), Steve Luke of Cloudburst (https://cloudburstbrew.com), and Zach Turner of Single Hill (https://singlehillbrewing.com)—to join in on a panel discussion on the subject. Over the course of the podcast, they share thoughts on:
the evolution of fresh hop brewing over the past decade and a half
telling the agricultural and growers' stories through beer
riding the fine line between hops' grassy/vegetal flaors and brighter fruit flavors
choosing specific varieties for different brews, and hops that work best in fresh and wet form
using fresh dried hops for dry hopping
layering multiple forms—IQF, 301 Trial, wet, and fresh dried—for more flavor complexity
fermenting with yeast that provides the right sulfur lift
managing the pH increase from fresh hops through varied acid additions
longevity in fresh hop beers
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/Cancraft): BSG invite you to experience one of the newest hops from their Hop Solutions line, HS Grove™. Developed for hop-forward beer styles, HS Grove boasts incredible biotransformation qualities, giving you the power to transform your next IPA into a stone fruit powerhouse. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Tabski (https://tabski.com): Tabski QR Code Ordering is the future of brewery ordering! With Tabski, your customers can order and pay for their beers right from their phones by scanning a QR Code on the table. Get rid of lengthy lines and increase check size by up to 30%! Learn how you can get started today at tabski.com.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Keep your brewery running smoothly with Five Star Chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
7/30/2023 • 1 hour, 32 minutes, 55 seconds
313: Kevin Templin of Templin Family Brewing is Shaving the Edges of Award-Winning Lagers and IPAs
Utah’s beer laws are some of the most anomalous in the country—the state does everything it can to make life hard on brewers—but one byproduct of the laws restricting the sale of beers based on ABV is that Utah brewers have had the commercial incentive to hone their low gravity brewing techniques. Today, at Templin Family Brewing (https://tfbrewing.com) in the granary district of Salt Lake City, you’ll find a dozen or so beers at 5% ABV (or less) on tap at any given time—because anything they make over 5% must be poured from a can. But ask Kevin Templin about it, and he won’t complain—he loves making and drinking low ABV beers, and the beers on their board are perfect for the social focus of their taproom. Come with friends, drink a few, and still get home safely.
That discipline with low gravity beers is paying off—Templin’s Granary Pils, a kellerbier, has won GABF bronze and silver medals every year for the past three years, and recently nabbed a top score of 99 from Craft Beer & Brewing’s blind judging panel. In this episode, Templin discusses his approach to lager brewing, how they lager IPAs, mashing thin and cool for maximum attenuation, shaving the beers each time they’re brewed through a cooperative sensory-driven process, reducing hop matter and contact time for greater hop impact, the importance of a clean brewery, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/Cancraft): The best beers start with the best ingredients. All BSG Hops are hand selected for quality by their expert staff, so you can trust you are getting the very best hops from the very best growers in the U.S. and around the world. Discover BSG’s extensive range of domestic and imported hops at BSGCraftBrewing.com/hops
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Tabski (https://tabski.com): Tabski QR Code Ordering is the future of brewery ordering! With Tabski, your customers can order and pay for their beers right from their phones by scanning a QR Code on the table. Get rid of lengthy lines and increase check size by up to 30%! Learn how you can get started today at tabski.com.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Keep your brewery running smoothly with Five Star Chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
7/24/2023 • 1 hour, 19 minutes, 1 second
312: Pure Project’s Winslow Sawyer Brews With Style, Not to Style
When Winslow Sawyer and his partners launched San Diego’s Pure Project (https://www.purebrewing.org) in the middle of the last decade, they weren’t focused on brewing particular styles. Instead, they began with the tenet of building a brewery focused on sustainability, using natural ingredients from small farmers wherever possible, and lowering their environmental impact while also giving back through the 1% for the Planet program.
IPA wasn’t the initial focus—San Diego already had plenty of great IPAs—but as the hazy IPA trend caught on Sawyer quickly found a way to explore his love of New Zealand hops despite the constraint Pure Project placed on themselves—no reverse osmosis, only municipal water built up, not stripped down. Now, they don’t define their hazy IPAs as “New England-style,” but have coined the term “murky” instead.
In this episode, Sawyer discusses their approach to a range of beers, from IPA to pale lager and even spontaneously fermented acid-forward beer. Along the way, he covers:
consciously choosing single infusion over decoction in their pale lager
balancing flavor intensity with drinkability
altering their approach to hoppy beers over the past number of years
using Mosaic as a base for experimentation with new hops
reducing dankness as beers increase in ABV
brewing spontaneous beers with wet hops
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://Bsgcraftbrewing.com/Cancraft): Stressed about packaging and can supply? Don’t worry, CanCraft’s team of design & aluminum specialists are here to make things easy by supporting you every step of the way. Visit Bsgcraftbrewing.com/Cancraft to get started
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard's new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Tabski (https://tabski.com): Tabski QR Code Ordering is the future of brewery ordering! With Tabski, your customers can order and pay for their beers right from their phones by scanning a QR Code on the table. Get rid of lengthy lines and increase check size by up to 30%! Learn how you can get started today at tabski.com.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Keep your brewery running smoothly with Five Star Chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
7/16/2023 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 8 seconds
311: Shawn McIlhenney is Rebrewing the Family Legacy
Ask most American brewers about their first experience with New Zealand hops, and nine out of ten will probably name one single beer—Alpine Beer’s Nelson. Alpine founder Pat McIlhenney was one of the early ones to import southern hemisphere hops, and it’s hard to speak about the hop now without acknowledging the importance of that singular beer. Son Shawn McIlhenney inherited his dad’s love of hops and experimentation, and today continues to push the limits of ingredients and techniques through McIlhenney Brewing. (https://mcilhenneybrewing.com)
In this episode, McIlhenney touches on:
the evolution of San Diego IPA
using enzymes to manage a flaked rye mash
combining Nelson Sauvin and Nectaron hops for maximum effect
first wort hopping for less aggressive bite
blending whole leaf hops with advanced hop products like Incognito
pushing the fine line between enough and too much
selecting Southern hemisphere hops
recipe considerations when scaling up to double and triple IPA
avoiding the flavor effects of over-aeration
rediscovering the personal joy of making beer
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): BSG is a proud distributor of New Zealand Hops Ltd. and invites you to experience Nectaron®, an aromatic New Zealand hop, drenched by tropical waterfalls of grapefruit, passionfruit, pineapple, and peach. Contact your BSG sales rep with any questions or visit BSGCraftbrewing.com/Hops to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Tabski (https://tabski.com): Tabski QR Code Ordering is the future of brewery ordering! With Tabski, your customers can order and pay for their beers right from their phones by scanning a QR Code on the table. Get rid of lengthy lines and increase check size by up to 30%! Learn how you can get started today at tabski.com.
Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Keep your brewery running smoothly with Five Star Chemicals. Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
7/9/2023 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 13 seconds
310: Ghost Town’s Justin Burdt Boosts Hop Contrast in West Coast IPA and Pils
Justin Burdt loves hops, and has developed a unique and somewhat counter-intuitive approach to selecting them for Ghost Town’s (https://www.ghosttownbrewing.com) award-winning West coast IPAs. His focus on tight and lean intensity relies on boosting expression through embracing some hop aroma notes that give other brewers fits, but it’s the push and pull that gives the IPAs such compelling dynamic range.
In this episode, Burdt dives deep into hops for the first hour of the podcast, before walking through the rest of their IPA brewing process, and finishing on the subject of West coast pils. Along the way, he discusses:
What makes for “good” hops
Searching for the stinging physical sensation in intense hops
How Citra with “cat pee” notes can make better IPAs
Focusing on hop oil quality over quantity
Using certain hops in more concentrated forms like cryo
The unique characteristics of HBC586
Choosing lager or ale yeast for fermentation based on a beer’s hop profile
Brewing specific competition batches to increase win percentage
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): If you’ve been searching for the perfect malt that’s not quite Pale and not Munich, you’re in luck. Gambrinus Vienna is the malt you’ve been looking for. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Tabski (https://tabski.com): Tabski QR Code Ordering is the future of brewery ordering! With Tabski, your customers can order and pay for their beers right from their phones by scanning a QR Code on the table. Get rid of lengthy lines and increase check size by up to 30%! Learn how you can get started today at tabski.com.
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering from traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for the elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. Want to know more about SafLager™ yeasts? Visit www.fermentis.com!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
6/30/2023 • 1 hour, 37 minutes, 24 seconds
309: Firestone Walker, Lawsons, and Breakside Discuss Brewing Modern West Coast-Style IPAs at the Brewer's Retreat
As part of the recent Craft Beer & Brewing Brewer’s Retreat, hosted by Russian River in late May 2023, Jamie moderated panel discussions before a live audience of attendees and featured brewers. This episode is a recording of one such panel on West coast-style IPA, featuring Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker, Ben Edmunds of Breakside, and Sean Lawson of Lawson’s Finest.
Over the course of the discussion, the brewers cover:
using advanced hop products for more hop punch
tucking in small amounts of character-building malts
dry hopping with dosing vessels
mid-fermentation dry hopping with cryo hops for less hop creep and more flavor stability
using ALDC to manage hop creep
top noting in the dry hop with Southern hemisphere hops
managing pH in dry hopping
controlling FAN through dry hopping for longevity
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): As distributors of quality domestic malts like Rahr and Gambrinus, BSG gives you the freedom to explore a world of flavors but at local prices. So, you can cut costs but not quality. Start exploring at BSGCraftbrewing.com
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
US Water Systems (https://USWaterSystems.com): US Water Systems.com has been at the forefront of the craft brewing industry and created American made water treatment systems with brewers in mind. Whether you're a hobbyist or a pro, head on over to US Water Systems.com to learn more.
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering from traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for the elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. Want to know more about SafLager™ yeasts? Visit www.fermentis.com!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
6/26/2023 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 49 seconds
308: Brewer’s Retreat Panel on Wine-Beer Hybrids with Russian River, Side Project, and Hanabi
As part of the recent Craft Beer & Brewing Brewer’s Retreat, hosted by Russian River in late May 2023, Jamie moderated panel discussions before a live audience of attendees and featured brewers. This episode is a recording of one such panel on wine-beer hybrids, featuring two of the leading brewers in that space—Cory King of Side Project and Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River—alongside inspiring winemaker and brewer (and Napa Valley proponent) Nick Gislason of Hanabi Lager.
Over the course of the discussion, the brewers cover:
understanding grapes and tannins
pick timing’s impact on grapes
structuring acids and balancing tannins with acidity
grape pressing methodology and skin contact time
selecting grapes and beers that complement each other in the blend
using Brettanomyces strains to boost flavor characteristics
building harmony in complex beers
finishing and carbonation in wine-beer hybrids
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Is your Pilsner looking flat? Wishing you could show off a mousse like foam stand or looking to boost mouthfeel in a hazy? Then look no further because Rahr Dextrin Malt is here to improve your beer. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
US Water Systems (https://USWaterSystems.com): US Water Systems.com has been at the forefront of the craft brewing industry and created American made water treatment systems with brewers in mind. Whether you're a hobbyist or a pro, head on over to US Water Systems.com to learn more.
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering from traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for the elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. Want to know more about SafLager™ yeasts? Visit www.fermentis.com!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
6/18/2023 • 55 minutes, 21 seconds
307: Brewer’s Retreat Panel on Hazy IPA with Monkish, Trillium, and Weldwerks
As part of the recent Craft Beer & Brewing Brewer’s Retreat, hosted by Russian River in late May 2023, Jamie moderated panel discussions before a live audience of attendees and featured brewers. This episode is a recording of one such panel on hazy IPA, featuring some of the most inspiring brewers in that space—Henry Nguyen of Monkish, (https://www.monkishbrewing.com) JC Tetreault of Trillium, (https://trilliumbrewing.com) and Neil Fisher of Weldwerks. (https://weldwerks.com)
Over the course of the discussion, the brewers cover:
the evolution of yeast in hazy IPA
applying Belgian brewing techniques to hazy IPA
building a common thread in beer families where hop combos change
controlling biotransformation and thiol production
building complexity through different lots of the same hop variety
using specific lots for texture as well as flavor
negative hop selection and bench trialing before selection
dry hopping process and managing hop creep
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): BSG Hops are sourced directly from growers and processed at their FSSC-certified facility. Giving you access to high-quality and unique varieties like Cashmere, Comet, Triumph, El Dorado, plus many more. Discover a whole universe of hop sensory at BSGCraftBrewing.com/hops
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
US Water Systems (https://USWaterSystems.com): Some brewers want their water profile to be that of their city and that sounds great... except for one factor: Depending upon the city and day, the water quality can vary 40 to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com for a free expert analysis.
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering from traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for the elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. Want to know more about SafLager™ yeasts? Visit www.fermentis.com!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
6/12/2023 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 25 seconds
306: Celebrated Hop Breeder Ron Beatson Discusses the Unique Characteristics of New Zealand Hops
New Zealand’s climate, latitude, and singular terroir offers the right environment for hops of unique expression, but it’s their longstanding breeding program that has made possible so many of the signatures aromas and flavors we’ve grown to love. Ron Beatson of NZ Hops (https://nzhops.co.nz) is the plant geneticist behind many of these beloved varieties, and on this episode recorded at the Craft Brewers Conference, he discusses the complex genetics and processes behind developing hops like Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka, Nectarine, Superdelic, and more.
Beatson covers:
The impact of triploid genetics
The evolution of hop breeding with a focus on aroma and flavor
Using a California-grown Late Cluster parent for many popular crosses
Effects of terroir on popular New Zealand hop varieties
Developing new cultivars for early and late season harvest
Impacts of high UV energy on New Zealand hop crops
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): BSG is a proud partner of global hop breeder and merchant Hopsteiner, which has been connecting brewers with the choicest hops and hop products available since 1845. Explore Hopsteiner’s unique and exciting hop varieties at BSGCraftbrewing.com/Hops
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind. Visit AccuBrew.io to learn more!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
US Water Systems (https://USWaterSystems.com): Some brewers want their water profile to be that of their city and that sounds great... except for one factor: Depending upon the city and day, the water quality can vary 40 to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com for a free expert analysis.
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering from traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for the elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. Want to know more about SafLager™ yeasts? Visit www.fermentis.com!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
6/2/2023 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 1 second
305: Matthias Trum of Schlenkerla Isn't Preserving the Ashes, He's Keeping the Rauchbier Fire Burning
Matthias Trum is the sixth-generation brewer at Bamberg’s Heller-Trum Bräu—better known as Schlenkerla—and he is as obsessed with local history as he is with producing world-class smoked lagers via their old-fashioned methods.
Bamberg has a long history of brewing, and Trum is a great student of that history—and his family has played an important role in it. In this episode, he immerses us in that story, discussing:
old family brewing logs that detail strong beers as well as lower-strength ones made from second runnings
the true story of rauchbier, and Schlenkerla’s role in preserving its legacy
details on Schlenkerla’s own wood-fired malting process, and the old practice of using different types of wood
the non-linear intensity of the smoky character in Schlenkerla’s beers
the importance of decoction to fermentation and flavor
the flavor contribution of their direct-fire copper kettles
the trick of balancing smoke and malt with evident hop bitterness
experimenting with malts smoked by different woods and paired with different aroma hops
balancing the non-smoked yet subtly smoky Helles Lagerbier
how hyper-inflation led to the development of the Helles
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): BSG is a proud partner of global hop breeder and merchant Hopsteiner, which has been connecting brewers with the choicest hops and hop products available since 1845. Explore Hopsteiner’s unique and exciting hop varieties at BSGCraftbrewing.com/Hops
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind. Visit AccuBrew.io to learn more!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
US Water Systems (https://USWaterSystems.com): Some brewers want their water profile to be that of their city and that sounds great... except for one factor: Depending upon the city and day, the water quality can vary 40 to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com for a free expert analysis.
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering from traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for the elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. Want to know more about SafLager™ yeasts? Visit www.fermentis.com!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
5/27/2023 • 1 hour, 26 minutes, 3 seconds
304: Adam Brož of Budějovický Budvar Loves Talking About and Brewing Great Lager
The town of České Budějovice in South Bohemia may be better known to North Americans as Budweis, the German name that’s been appropriated by a couple of famous beers. The real Czech pale lager from here is known as Budvar—sold as Czechvar (https://czechvar.com/) in the United States, for legal reasons. It’s an easygoing showcase of light, pure malt flavors and soft, balancing bitterness, nearer in profile to a Bavarian helles than a typical Czech světlý ležák.
Joining us to tell this iconic beer’s story and talk about how it’s made is brewmaster Adam Brož, who is contagiously passionate about all the little details that make a pale lager into something that both tastes great and is addictively drinkable. Along the way, he discusses:
Budvar Original’s unique place in the pale lager spectrum
the importance of soft water to the beer’s profile
why he insists on sticking with whole-cone Saaz hops
how the barley variety and crop matter to the brewing process
why decoction matters, from deeper color and flavor to greater consistency
the benefits of long maturation of at least 90 days in horizontal tanks
a new variety of Budvar with higher bitterness
how the dark lager came to be and what sets it apart
And more.
"Our product is not the beer, but the joy from the beer," says Broz. "And without drinkability, it’s half of the joy."
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): All BSG Hops are hand selected for quality by their expert staff, so you can trust you are getting the very best hops from the very best growers in the U.S. and around the world. Discover BSG’s extensive range of domestic and imported hops at BSGCraftBrewing.com/hops
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind. Visit AccuBrew.io to learn more!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
US Water Systems (https://USWaterSystems.com): Some brewers want their water profile to be that of their city and that sounds great... except for one factor: Depending upon the city and day, the water quality can vary 40 to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com for a free expert analysis.
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering from traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for the elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. Want to know more about SafLager™ yeasts? Visit www.fermentis.com!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
5/20/2023 • 59 minutes, 46 seconds
303: Peter Kiley of Monday Night Brewing Is Creating A Framework That Supports Innovation
Monday Night Brewing has grown from their Atlanta roots into taprooms and breweries in major southern US centers—Birmingham, Alabama and Nashville, Tennessee are two, with Charlotte, North Carolina opening soon. The regional powerhouse has grown on the strength of quality beer, measured risk-taking, and a simultaneous embrace of both modern and classic styles.
In this episode, brewmaster Peter Kiley shares his unvarnished and thoughtful approach to brewing, touching on:
moving to high-gravity brewing to make life easier on the brewing staff
kettle souring high-gravity brews
homogenizing kettle soured component brews pre-fermentation
managing ionic concentration in high-gravity brews
troubleshooting excessive attenuation
understanding acids like succinic acid in kettle-soured beer
the trouble with biotransformation in hoppy beers
extensive cold conditioning to reduce hop burn
the challenge in creating a framework for innovation
the trouble in democratizing creativity
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Experience Nectaron®, an aromatic New Zealand hop, drenched by tropical waterfalls of grapefruit, passionfruit, pineapple, and peach. Nectaron® is in stock and ready to ship—visit BSGCraftbrewing.com/Hops (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com/Hops) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind. Visit AccuBrew.io to learn more!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com/podcast): Indie’s unique varieties—Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, and Meridian—are trusted by brewers worldwide to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Indie Hops — Life is short, let’s make it flavorful!
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Fermentis' beer yeast strain line-up is designed to answer the requirements of all brewers, so release your creativity! Visit www.fermentis.com or explore our app to discover more about yeast behavior and characterization.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
5/13/2023 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 7 seconds
302: Jared Welch of Southern Grist Balances Progression and Intention
Finding space for personality and authenticity in hazy IPA and tart fruit beer these days can pose a challenge for brewers, but for Jared Welch, Cofounder and Production Director for Nashville, Tennessee’s Southern Grist, (https://www.southerngristbrewing.com) that’s no reason to stop pushing. It’s why their popular quick-soured fruit beers are now acidified with a locally-caught Lactobacillus strain, and why they’ve tweaked and increased bitterness in their hazy IPAs while eschewing active fermentation dry hopping. Southern Grist is going to make the beers that customers want from them, but they stand out by making them their way.
In this episode, Welch focuses on hazy IPA and tart fruit beers, covering:
First-wort hopping with Vic’s Secret
Whirlpooling very cool as low as 160°F
Tweaking the grist for hazy IPA to ramp up oats
Building the lightest color via Pilsner malt
Driving London Ale III to a dozen generations through careful fermentation management
Dialing in acidity for specific fruits
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Gambrinus Malting is Canada’s original small-batch, artisanal malthouse. If you’ve been searching for the perfect malt that’s not quite Pale and not Munich, you’re in luck. Gambrinus Vienna is the malt you’ve been looking for. This mellow-kilned malt has a balanced bready character with notes of honey, toffee, and caramel baked in. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com/podcast): Indie’s unique varieties—Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, and Meridian—are trusted by brewers worldwide to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Indie also offers classics that thrive in Oregon terroir such as Chinook, Crystal and Sterling. Visit indiehops.com/podcast and stop by their booth#2131at CBC to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Indie Hops — Life is short, let’s make it flavorful!
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Their canning lines are affordable, made in the USA, and engineered to grow alongside the needs of your business. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Brett is wild, its unpredictable, gives funky notes to beer, evolves in time. Historically it was used without control, but Fermentis harnessed it… Discover SafBrew™ BR-8, the first dry Brett by Fermentis, now available in 100g and 5g.
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for over 10 years. We are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. Going to the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville? Stop by their booth to connect with our brewery consultants and enter for a chance to win a Keg Viking Keg Washer! ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
5/6/2023 • 1 hour, 22 minutes, 41 seconds
301: Zdeněk Rosa of Bohemia Hop Is Bullish on the Future of Czech Hops
When brewers think of Czech hops, they naturally think of Saaz, whose delicate and ethereal character is nearly synonmyous with lager itself. Yet while craft brewers around the world have developed an obsession with punchy New World hops and the character of specific varieties, they often know relatively litle about the hops from this region that’s been growing them for more than a millennium.
In this episode, we sit down in Žatec—the home of Saaz—with Zdeněk Rosa, chairman of Bohemia Hop, the collective of all Bohemian hop growers. Here, Rosa digs into:
the promising overall trajectory of Saaz growth in recent years, despite the disastrous harvest of 2022
how agronomy and growing operations differ in Bohemia compared to the Pacific Northwest
the unlikely specifics of how weather impacted the 2022 harvest
the development of other varieties that offer similar character to Saaz but with better yield and sustainability
newer, more expressive Czech aroma varieties such as Saaz Shine and Saaz Comfort, which offer enticing possibilities for lager and other kinds of beer
leaning into a Czech take on cold IPA using more characterful Czech aroma hops
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): BSG are the exclusive distributors of Rahr Malting Co., producers of quality malt since 1847. Is your Pilsner looking flat? Wishing you could show off a mousse-like foam stand or looking to boost mouthfeel in a hazy? Then look no further because Rahr Dextrin Malt is here to improve your beer. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn how.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com/podcast): Indie’s unique varieties—Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, and Meridian—are trusted by brewers worldwide to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Indie also offers classics that thrive in Oregon terroir such as Chinook, Crystal and Sterling. Visit indiehops.com/podcast and stop by their booth#2131at CBC to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Indie Hops — Life is short, let’s make it flavorful!
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Their canning lines are affordable, made in the USA, and engineered to grow alongside the needs of your business. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Brett is wild, its unpredictable, gives funky notes to beer, evolves in time. Historically it was used without control, but Fermentis harnessed it… Discover SafBrew™ BR-8, the first dry Brett by Fermentis, now available in 100g and 5g. Want to know more? Don’t miss the Fermentis Academy 2023 program in Minneapolis April 11th or Portland April 13th, or meet Fermentis experts at CBC in the BSG Village to answer all your questions. We will also host a SafBrew™ BR-8 barnyard bash on Monday May 8th from 2:00 - 4:30pm. You are cordially invited, don’t miss it!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for over 10 years. We are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. Going to the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville? Stop by their booth to connect with our brewery consultants and enter for a chance to win a Keg Viking Keg Washer! ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
4/30/2023 • 55 minutes, 16 seconds
300: Direct Fire! West Coast IPA Now, Revisited
To celebrate this milestone—the 300th episode of the Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast—we reassembled three leading voices in West coast IPA to discuss questions spurred on by the original panel discussion, and this time they answered your audio questions, Direct Fire!-style. Kelsey McNair of North Park (https://www.northparkbeerco.com) in San Diego, Evan Price of Green Cheek (https://greencheekbeer.com) in Orange and Costa Mesa, and Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River (https://www.russianriverbrewing.com) in Santa Rosa and Windsor dive back into of one their and your favorite subjects—brewing West Coast IPA—and answer your questions along the way.
In this episode, they discuss:
further research into the way that thin and thick mashes impact attenuation
balancing beers in a way that pleases both competition judges and customers
techniques to speed up and control hop creep
more benefits of “shaving the cone” early in fermentation
timing dry hopping to eliminate acetaldehyde
hop variety-specific changes to dry hopping regimens
hop pellet density
reducing dissolved oxygen through the cold side process
Evan’s hot take on Centennial
achieving consistency in hop selection
layering T-90 pellets with advanced hop products
cool pooling whirlpool times and temperatures
using hop extracts for buttering
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): BSG are the exclusive distributors of Rahr Malting Co., producers of quality malt since 1847. Is your Pilsner looking flat? Wishing you could show off a mousse-like foam stand or looking to boost mouthfeel in a hazy? Then look no further because Rahr Dextrin Malt is here to improve your beer. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn how.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com/podcast): Indie’s unique varieties—Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, and Meridian—are trusted by brewers worldwide to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Indie also offers classics that thrive in Oregon terroir such as Chinook, Crystal and Sterling. Visit indiehops.com/podcast and stop by their booth#2131at CBC to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Indie Hops — Life is short, let’s make it flavorful!
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Their canning lines are affordable, made in the USA, and engineered to grow alongside the needs of your business. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Brett is wild, its unpredictable, gives funky notes to beer, evolves in time. Historically it was used without control, but Fermentis harnessed it… Discover SafBrew™ BR-8, the first dry Brett by Fermentis, now available in 100g and 5g. Want to know more? Don’t miss the Fermentis Academy 2023 program in Minneapolis April 11th or Portland April 13th, or meet Fermentis experts at CBC in the BSG Village to answer all your questions. We will also host a SafBrew™ BR-8 barnyard bash on Monday May 8th from 2:00 - 4:30pm. You are cordially invited, don’t miss it!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for over 10 years. We are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. Going to the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville? Stop by their booth to connect with our brewery consultants and enter for a chance to win a Keg Viking Keg Washer! ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
4/23/2023 • 1 hour, 56 minutes, 1 second
299: Lukáš Tomsa of Dva Kohouti Brews the Beer, but the Bartender Makes the Beer
In the trendy Karlín neighborhood of central Prague, the brewpub called Dva Kohouti (https://www.dvakohouti.cz/en/) embodies the merger of the two key elements of Czech beer culture: the brewing and—no less important—the pouring and service. The side-pull taps attached directly to the serving tanks behind the bar are only part of the story.
In this episode recorded at the brewery, head brewer Lukaš Tomsa explains the ideas behind Dva Kohouti, how they brew their traditional lagers and more internationally inspired ales, and how they ensure that the service end completes the job of creating a great beer. Among other topics, he discusses:
the importance of pouring and service that respects the product
a brewery-taproom concept that gives production and service equal emphasis
comparing single- and double-decocted pale lagers
fermenting a bit warmer than traditional Czech brewers, to keep diacetyl in check
getting natural carbonation by capping the tank during fermentation
using decoctions for tart fruit beers and American-style pale ales and IPAs
using decoction and raw barley to promote foam in a quick-soured fruit beer
paying attention to glassware and draft lines to ensure perfect pours
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): BSG's mission is simple—to help brewers craft the best beer possible. This is why BSG Hops are sourced directly from growers and processed at their FSSC-certified facility, giving you access to high-quality and unique varieties like Cashmere, Comet, Triumph, El Dorado, plus many more. Discover a whole universe of hop sensory at BSGCraftBrewing.com/hops (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/hops)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com/podcast): Indie’s unique varieties—Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, and Meridian—are trusted by brewers worldwide to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Indie also offers classics that thrive in Oregon terroir such as Chinook, Crystal and Sterling. Visit indiehops.com/podcast and stop by their booth#2131at CBC to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Indie Hops — Life is short, let’s make it flavorful!
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Their canning lines are affordable, made in the USA, and engineered to grow alongside the needs of your business. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Brett is wild, its unpredictable, gives funky notes to beer, evolves in time. Historically it was used without control, but Fermentis harnessed it… Discover SafBrew™ BR-8, the first dry Brett by Fermentis, now available in 100g and 5g. Want to know more? Don’t miss the Fermentis Academy 2023 program in Minneapolis April 11th or Portland April 13th, or meet Fermentis experts at CBC in the BSG Village to answer all your questions. We will also host a SafBrew™ BR-8 barnyard bash on Monday May 8th from 2:00 - 4:30pm. You are cordially invited, don’t miss it!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for over 10 years. We are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. Going to the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville? Stop by their booth to connect with our brewery consultants and enter for a chance to win a Keg Viking Keg Washer! ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
4/16/2023 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 34 seconds
298: Aleš Potěšil of Prague’s Břevnov Monastery Brewery Is Perpetually Pushing for Pitelnost
Documents show a brewery at the Břevnov monastery in Prague as early as 993. There have been interruptions over the centuries, but the current Břevnov Monastery Brewery of St. Adalbert (https://www.brevnovskypivovar.cz/) is the third incarnation, founded in 2011. This one has gained local and international fans for aromatic and highly drinkable pale lager, Benedict 12°, a well as for its other beers, including an imperial stout, a monastic IPA, and a 9 percent ABV imperial lager beloved by the Břevnov’s own Benedictine monks.
In this episode, Břevnov brewmaster Aleš Potěšil discusses their approach to these exceptional beers, including:
leaning into Saaz hops and whirlpool additions for distinctive aroma
the meaning of pitelnost, and aiming for great drinkability
the importance of malt specs and protein content in ensuring sufficient body
the benefits of decoction mashing, including both body and higher attenuation
the Břevnov double-decoction process, step by step
adjusting the mash steps and times depending on malt specs
reducing and managing diacetyl to accentuate body
bringing Czech-style drinkability to an IPA
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing CanCraft (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): When planning your next brewing journey, consider travelling domestically with your malt choice. As distributors of quality domestic malts like Rahr and Gambrinus, BSG gives you the freedom to explore a world of flavors but at local prices. So, you can cut costs but not quality. Start exploring at BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com/podcast): Indie’s unique varieties—Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, and Meridian—are trusted by brewers worldwide to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Indie also offers classics that thrive in Oregon terroir such as Chinook, Crystal and Sterling. Visit indiehops.com/podcast and stop by their booth#2131at CBC to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Indie Hops — Life is short, let’s make it flavorful!
Twin Monkeys (https://TwinMonkeys.net): Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Their canning lines are affordable, made in the USA, and engineered to grow alongside the needs of your business. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Brett is wild, its unpredictable, gives funky notes to beer, evolves in time. Historically it was used without control, but Fermentis harnessed it… Discover SafBrew™ BR-8, the first dry Brett by Fermentis, now available in 100g and 5g. Want to know more? Don’t miss the Fermentis Academy 2023 program in Minneapolis April 11th or Portland April 13th, or meet Fermentis experts at CBC in the BSG Village to answer all your questions. We will also host a SafBrew™ BR-8 barnyard bash on Monday May 8th from 2:00 - 4:30pm. You are cordially invited, don’t miss it!
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for over 10 years. We are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. Going to the Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville? Stop by their booth to connect with our brewery consultants and enter for a chance to win a Keg Viking Keg Washer! ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
4/9/2023 • 57 minutes, 32 seconds
Episode 297: Pivovar Proud Brewmaster Lenka Straková Has a Place to Play in Plzeň
Tucked into a corner of the sprawling grounds at Pilsner Urquell in Plzeň, Czechia—the birthplace of pilsner—a new chapter in that story is developing. Now in its third year, Pivovar Proud (https://www.pivovarproud.cz/en/) is Pilsner Urquell’s experimental playground—a beautifully equipped 30-hectoliter kit producing a range of both ales and lagers and other creations less easily categorized. Its head brewmaster Lenka Straková has access to Pilsner Urquell’s resources—including malt from its own maltings—but she also has creative license to dabble in New World hops, various yeasts, barrel-aging, and more.
In this episode, Straková tells us more about what she and her team are up to at Proud, including:
how Pilsner Urquell’s owner, Asahi, agreed to go along with a substantial experimental brewery focused on craft beer
how Proud’s own flagship pale lager, Ventill, is based on Pilsner Urquell and yet markedly its own beer
her approach to diacetyl reduction in Czech lager
brewing with 34/70 yeast—the same used at Gambrinus—and her trials with various new Czech hop varieties combined with traditional lager-brewing methods
brewing ales and craft styles for a Czech audience, with their own spin
adjusting Plzeň’s famously soft water
happy accidents and barrel-aged imperial brut IPAs
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing CanCraft (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): With overtones of honey and sweet bread, flavor and aroma notes of hay and nutty character. Rahr North Star Pils™ is a base malt you can set your compass by! Set a course for BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
PakTech (http://resources.paktech-opi.com/beer-and-brewing-inquiry): 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, and reusable—PakTech handles are the sustainable solution to handle your craft beer. PakTech has been a leading producer of secondary packaging for the craft beer industry for over 30 years. Order your free samples today! Call 541.461.5000.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com): The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order.
3/31/2023 • 54 minutes, 50 seconds
296: Pilsner Urquell’s Václav Berka Tells the Story of Pilsner and Preaches Excellence in Lager Brewing
The sandstone cellars of Plzeňský Prazdroj—better known to us as Pilsner Urquell (https://www.pilsnerurquell.com)—may be the ideal place to wallow in the history of the world’s most popular beer style with brewmaster emeritus Václav Berka. As the brewery’s 13th brewmaster in a line that stretches back to Josef Groll, there are few people better qualified to recount the story of pilsner, discuss the details of how it’s brewed at its birthplace in Plzeň, and offer suggestions on how to brew an excellent and addictive one in your own brewery.
Among other topics, Berka discusses:
Pilsner Urquell’s pivotal role in the history of modern beer
the elements of Pilsner Urquell, from malting their own barley and the city’s famously soft water to generous hopping with Saaz and the house lager yeast
how control over the malting is directly related to the brewery’s traditional triple-decoction mash
about the Pilsner Urquell that is still fermented and matured on oak, to compare to the large-scale commercial batches (and to share on the popular tours)
the overarching importance of drinkability to pilsner and to Czech beer, and thoughts on purusing excellence in lager brewing
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing CanCraft (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com/CanCraft): Need Aluminum Cans? Lids or PakTech Can Carriers? Design Help? Don’t know where to start? Thankfully Cancraft is nearby and ready to deliver your complete packaging solution. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft) to get started.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Scheduling freight carriers should be the last thing on a brewer's mind, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your flavored craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes. To get started, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
PakTech (http://resources.paktech-opi.com/beer-and-brewing-inquiry): 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, and reusable—PakTech handles are the sustainable solution to handle your craft beer. PakTech has been a leading producer of secondary packaging for the craft beer industry for over 30 years. Order your free samples today! Call 541.461.5000.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com): The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order.
3/24/2023 • 1 hour, 11 seconds
295: Barn Town Enjoys Making Hazy IPA and Tart Fruit Beers That People Enjoy
Barn Town (https://www.barntownbrewing.com) popped up on our radar in 2022, with a number of beers across styles that scored well with our blind panel of judges, but the best of the bunch was Neon hazy IPA with an impressive score of 98 (https://beerandbrewing.com/review/barn-town-brewing-co-neon-hazy-ipa-1651076631/). In our upcoming IPA issue, they did it again with another 98 for hazy double IPA Stink, Stank, Stunk, so naturally we felt the need to ask some questions and understand how they’re making consistently impressive beers.
In this episode, founder Pete Faber, head brewer Grant Brower, and brewer Cody Guyer cover a list of topics, including:
updating beer recipes over the past half decade to adapt to changing customer tastes
building stability in hazy IPA with malted oats, wheat, and Pilsner malt
why Citra is “the bacon”—good with everything
chilling the whirlpool and optimizing for survivable
dry hopping after crashing to minimize less desirable flavors
consistency and variability in hop varieties from lot to lot
brewing fruited sour beers without gluten-containing grains
the impacts of thickness and gravity on batch pasteurizing
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Looking for a way to save on freight, reduce waste, all while improving beer quality? Then change your brewing game with TNS Hop Oils. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how TNS Hop Oils can make your beer (and your margins) better.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew announces the addition of Specific Gravity to our suite of brewing tools! AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. Join the AccuBrew community today and experience 24/7 peace of mind! Visit with the developers at booth (#2935) at the 2023 CBC BrewExpo America!
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has always been a dedicated and trusted partner to breweries, especially when they make the leap to canning their product. That is why they only sell rotary can fillers, which significantly reduce product waste and produce higher quality product than an inline can filler. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
PakTech (http://resources.paktech-opi.com/beer-and-brewing-inquiry): 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, and reusable—PakTech handles are the sustainable solution to handle your craft beer. PakTech has been a leading producer of secondary packaging for the craft beer industry for over 30 years. Order your free samples today! Call 541.461.5000.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com): The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order.
3/20/2023 • 1 hour, 12 seconds
294: Jeremy Kosmicki of Founders and Mahou Can Talk About Brewing All Day Long
When Jeremy Kosmicki was promoted off the Founders packaging line to the brewhouse in the early 2000’s, he relished the opportunity to jump from homebrewing to their 30bbl brewhouse. Over the past two decades, he’s overseen the brewing program while the brewery experienced remarkable growth—launching pivotal brands like All Day IPA, scaling production by orders of magnitude—and since Founders was fully acquired and merged into Spanish brewer Mahou San Miguel in early 2023, he’s taken on an even larger role working with the brewing team at Avery.
In this episode, Kosmicki discusses the beers important to Founders, and how they make them. The conversation touches on:
brewing concerns for packaged beers stored in a variety of conditions
developing All Day IPA and building body and expression in a small hoppy beer
implying body and sweetness with strategic use of adjuncts
mash hopping for additional nuance
dry hopping All Day IPA during active fermentation
resisting, then developing a hazy iteration in the All Day family
coming late to Citra hops
balancing flavors in big barrel-aged beers
using coffee in beer
testing advanced hop products
piloting again on a new 1bbl system
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): TNS Hop Oils are a revolutionary hop product that gives your beer all the hop intensity with none of the astringency. Make better beer and get more from each turn with less work. Change your brewing game with TNS Hop oils. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
PakTech (http://resources.paktech-opi.com/beer-and-brewing-inquiry): 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, and reusable—PakTech handles are the sustainable solution to handle your craft beer. PakTech has been a leading producer of secondary packaging for the craft beer industry for over 30 years. Order your free samples today! Call 541.461.5000.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com): The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order.
3/11/2023 • 56 minutes, 54 seconds
293: Old Nation’s Travis Fritts Applies German Training and Precision to Hazy IPA
Travis Fritts didn’t set out to brew hazy IPA. In fact, the initial plan for Old Nation (https://oldnationbrewing.com) was far more conventional—brew traditional American craft beer styles like stout and pale ale, with some European standards like altbier and weizenbock, make the beers good, slap some cool branding on them, and wait for the sales to come. But it was 2015, and craft beer consumers had other ideas.
To survive, Old Nation starting looking at new and evolving styles, while trying to understand (from a technical perspective) how they worked. The project ultimately led to the beer M-43, a hazy IPA that is now a mainstay of Old Nation’s production and which now sees distribution to upwards of twenty states.
In this episode, Fritts recounts that process of reverse engineering as they set out to understand what makes hazy IPA tick, and later touches on his approach to brewing helles. Along the way, he discusses:
why biotransformation isn’t all that important to the style
how the lipids in oats provide an important building block for haze stability
the contribution of London Ale III yeast to mouthfeel
dialing in the perfect water chemistry
nailing a pH of 4.4 for longer stability and to underscore fruit flavors in hops
building just the right “snap” from bitterness
giving each hazy beer small amounts of eccentricity through smaller left-field hop additions
helles passing the "sauf test"
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Navigating the seas of brewing can be a treacherous affair, so let Rahr North Star Pils™ be your guide. With overtones of honey and sweet bread, flavor and aroma notes of hay and nutty character, Rahr North Star Pils™ is a base malt you can set your compass by! Set a course for BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how.
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
PakTech (http://resources.paktech-opi.com/beer-and-brewing-inquiry): 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, and reusable—PakTech handles are the sustainable solution to handle your craft beer. PakTech has been a leading producer of secondary packaging for the craft beer industry for over 30 years. Order your free samples today! Call 541.461.5000.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com): The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order.
3/5/2023 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 23 seconds
292: David Ringler of Cedar Springs is Focused on the “Original” Hazy Beer
There’s more to German-style beer than just lager, and Cedar Springs Brewing Co. is out to preach the gospel of weissbier to anyone who will listen. Their Kusterer Original Weissbier has a couple GABF medals to its name, and their dedication to foundational brewing methods—step mashing, open fermentation—along with a knack for storytelling that’s necessitated by their focus on the weissbier family (they generally have two or three different weissbiers on tap at any given moment) makes for a brewery experience far different from today’s norm.
In this episode, founder David Ringler discusses the Cedar Springs approach to weissbier, from the historical roots of the beer style to the choices they’ve made in process and recipe. Along the way, he touches on:
building balance and subtlety
step mashing everything
designing open fermenters for softer fermentation
working through different weissbier yeasts
tracking down and brewing historical iterations of weissbier
brewing the all-barley take, called dampfbier
adjusting fermentation temperatures for ester production
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Need Aluminum Cans? Lids or PakTech Can Carriers? Design Help? Don’t know where to start? Thankfully Cancraft is nearby and ready to deliver your complete packaging solution. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft) to get started.
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
PakTech (http://resources.paktech-opi.com/beer-and-brewing-inquiry): 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, and reusable—PakTech handles are the sustainable solution to handle your craft beer. PakTech has been a leading producer of secondary packaging for the craft beer industry for over 30 years. Order your free samples today! Call 541.461.5000.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com): The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order.
2/26/2023 • 1 hour, 44 seconds
291: Edwin Collazo of City Built is Evolving Creatively to Meet the Needs of the Business
Edwin Collazo is a natural born salesperson. Yes, he’s a brewer and brewery owner, but the bridge in City Built Brewing (https://citybuiltbrewing.com)’s logo isn’t just a graphic element—connecting customers with beer they love is the entire point of this Grand Rapids, Michigan brewery.
But the focus of the brewery has changed over the years, and COVID presented the crisis that precipitated the brewery rethinking their approach to beer. Now, they’ve embraced progressive styles, from hazy IPA to pastry stout and fruited quick sour beer, and have recently ramped up lager production to feed a growing interest in the taproom. Nothing is off limits, and City Built is watching and listening as their own customers tell them what they want the brewery to be.
In this episode, Collazo recounts the challenges the brewery has encountered along the way, and the ways they’ve addressed them, from an intellectual property issue with hip hop group Run the Jewels through helping staff better explain and sell beer to taproom customers. Building the right team, and managing change in a way that doesn’t create chaos, has presented its challenges, but Collazo is here for this evolution of the beer program and the business itself.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): TNS Hop Oils are a revolutionary hop product that gives your beer all the hop intensity with none of the astringency. Make better beer and get more from each turn with less work. Change your brewing game with TNS Hop oils. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
PakTech (http://resources.paktech-opi.com/beer-and-brewing-inquiry): 100% recycled, 100% recyclable, and reusable—PakTech handles are the sustainable solution to handle your craft beer. PakTech has been a leading producer of secondary packaging for the craft beer industry for over 30 years. Order your free samples today! Call 541.461.5000.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com): The creators of Tropics yeast, which produces massive notes of guava and passionfruit, now bring you Thiol Boost. Berkeley Yeast’s Thiol Boost is pure liquid thiol precursors that take Tropics to the next level. Mention this podcast and get 15% off your next order.
2/18/2023 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 11 seconds
290: Jason Spaulding of Brewery Vivant and Broad Leaf is Getting Comfortable With Less
Jason Spaulding, cofounder of Brewery Vivant (https://breweryvivant.com) and Broad Leaf Brewery, (https://broadleafbeer.com) has been around the block. He cofounded his first brewery, New Holland, in the mid-90’s, and after exiting that brewery and spending time away from the brewing industry, launched Brewery Vivant with his wife Kris about twelve years ago. Operating a brewery with a niche focus comes with benefits as well as challenges, but Vivant has always focused on beer, food, and hospitality with a particular bit of Wallonian-like flair. Their take on Belgian-style beers is a bit more earthy and a touch more subdued than the American norm, but their audience has followed along.
There’s a temptation in every business to chase growth, no matter the cost, and Brewery Vivant followed the same book that everyone followed through the early 2010’s. They put beer into grocery stores through distributors, and when distributors told them which beers to make more of, or make less of, they had no choice but to listen. Rather than dilute the Brewery Vivant brand with styles that didn’t feel germane, they launched a second brewpub out in the ‘burbs (Broad Leaf) dedicated to progressive styles like hazy IPA and fruited kettle sours. Then, through COVID, the bottom all but dropped out. They made it through, but the broader conditions were an existence-level threat.
Now, the Spauldings are rethinking why, and how, they make beer. The larger 60bbl tanks that required three turns on their 20bbl brewhouse, have gone and are being replaced by a pair of 20bbl tanks. Rather than feeding the distribution beast, they’re refocusing on making the beer their customers want in the quantity they want it, and packaging any extra that isn’t earmarked for their own locations. It’s been a tough to scale back the earlier aspirations, but the health of the business requires it, and the ability to be dynamic and creative at this smaller scale is creating a new excitement.
This isn’t a typical episode of the podcast, more business than brewing, but it’s honest look at how this long-time craft brewer is taking on the challenge of the beer business, now.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): TNS Hop Oils are a revolutionary hop product that gives your beer all the hop intensity with none of the astringency. Make better beer and get more from each turn with less work. Change your brewing game with TNS Hop oils. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com): Christian Hansen are now bringing their knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria. Reimagine what your beer can be. Go to Chr-Hansen.com (https://www.chr-hansen.com) to learn more on the SmartBev line of products.
California Craft Beer Summit (http://cacraftbeersummit.com): Join the craft beer community in Sacramento March 19-22 for the California Craft Beer Summit. Access educational sessions on business and technical skills and network with industry leaders all under one roof. Early bird discounts end January 20 visit cacraftbeersummit.com (http://cacraftbeersummit.com) to register.
2/12/2023 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 14 seconds
289: Schramm's Mead is Making Quality Their Legacy
Ken Schramm wants to prove it’s possible to make mead that’s every bit as fine as the finest wine, and over the past decade his eponymously named meadery (https://store.schrammsmead.com/storefront.aspx) has pioneered a number of new processes and approaches to help achieve that goal. From shortening the honey supply chain and eliminating intervention and heat degradation, to hand picking fruit for ripeness from their own estate orchard, Schramm’s has found ways to elevate the production process behind mead while also making rich, developed, and nuanced fruit meads.
In this episode, Schramm and son-in-law James Naeger discuss how the Ferndale, Michigan meadery has elevated the technical processes behind mead making while also searching for the most exquisite and flavorful expression of fruit in their meads. Along the way, they discuss:
mead’s quality problem
pumps versus pails
building a foundation to understand the components of honey, including sugars and acids
how to sample and evaluate honey
carefully managing yeast assimilable nitrogen to end fermentations without sulfites or sorbets
understanding the difference in fruit formats, from fresh to frozen
the ways varietal differences in fruit affect certain meads
harvesting fruit with the same kind of focus and timing and decision making of fine winemakers
what corks do and don’t do
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Navigating the seas of brewing can be a treacherous affair, so let Rahr North Star Pils™ be your guide. With overtones of honey and sweet bread, flavor and aroma notes of hay and nutty character, Rahr North Star Pils™ is a base malt you can set your compass by! Set a course for BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com): Christian Hansen are now bringing their knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria. Reimagine what your beer can be. Go to Chr-Hansen.com (https://www.chr-hansen.com) to learn more on the SmartBev line of products.
California Craft Beer Summit (http://cacraftbeersummit.com): Join the craft beer community in Sacramento March 19-22 for the California Craft Beer Summit. Access educational sessions on business and technical skills and network with industry leaders all under one roof. Early bird discounts end January 20 visit cacraftbeersummit.com (http://cacraftbeersummit.com) to register.
2/5/2023 • 1 hour, 44 minutes, 33 seconds
288: BKS Artisan Ales Softens the Edges of Hazy IPA by Pushing Beyond Common Practice
BKS Artisan Ales (Kansas City, Missouri) is the result of husband-and-wife team Brian and Mary Rooney’s attempt to bring taproom-based rapid innovation to brewing in their hometown, and their GABF silver medal in 2021 for Clouds hazy double IPA, GABF gold in 2022 for Rockhill & Locust dark mild, and great scores from the Craft Beer & Brewing blind judging panel have confirmed that they’ve been able to achieve it. They started small and still remain small relative to may breweries of similar volume, choosing to brew more batches more often into more fermenters so that they can keep the taproom lineup fresh and constantly evolving.
In this episode, they discuss the brewery background and philosophy, before diving into hazy beer approaches that include:
developing soft processes for soft beers that aren’t blocky, angular, or harsh
using the “terroir” of local water while still achieving very low total dissolved solids numbers
taking a conscious approach to pre-boil, kettle, and knockout pH for softer hop character
selecting hops and hop formats for softer bitterness
evaluating hop COAs to ballpark desirable (and undesirable) hop oil content in lots
aging Mosaic for better expression in hazy IPA
fermenting with Conan yeast in an unconventional way
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country along the way, and they’re proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Need Aluminum Cans? Lids or PakTech Can Carriers? Design Help? Thankfully Cancraft is nearby and ready to deliver your complete packaging solution. Plus, with low minimums and full-service support from design through delivery, reaching your brand potential has never been easier. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com/CanCraft (bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft) to learn how.
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com): Christian Hansen are now bringing their knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria. Reimagine what your beer can be. Go to Chr-Hansen.com (https://www.chr-hansen.com) to learn more on the SmartBev line of products.
1/29/2023 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 19 seconds
287: Revolution’s Doug Veliky Predicts the Future of Craft Beer
You may be more familiar with Doug Veliky through his BeerAficionado (https://www.instagram.com/beeraficionado/) social presence, but through his Beercrunchers.com (https://www.beercrunchers.com) blog and his work as chief financial officer, chief strategy officer, and now chief marketing officer for Chicago’s Revolution Brewing (https://revbrew.com), he’s gained a reputation for smart, strategic, and data-driven takes on what’s happening and what will happen in craft beer’s near term.
In this episode, Doug walks us through the current craft beer landscape, offering thoughts on everything from New Belgium’s reformulation of Fat Tire, their success with imperial IPA, the rise of retro lagers, the slow-growth nature of fruited sour beer, the plateau of session IPA, the promise of cold IPA, building and extending brand families, the uptick in churn within this increasingly hospitality-driven industry, and the opportunities presented by the dynamic year ahead.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Want to maximize efficiency in your chiller? G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are designed for less power draw. They have a lighter weight, and a more compact design using up to 70% less refrigerant means a lower GWP and lower operating costs. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): TNS Hop Oils are a revolutionary hop product that gives your beer all the hop intensity with none of the astringency. Make better beer and get more from each turn with less work. Change your brewing game with TNS Hop oils. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn how.
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com): Christian Hansen are now bringing their knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria. Reimagine what your beer can be. Go to Chr-Hansen.com (https://www.chr-hansen.com) to learn more on the SmartBev line of products.
1/22/2023 • 1 hour, 18 minutes, 19 seconds
286: West Coast IPA Now! with North Park, Green Cheek, and Russian River
This week’s podcast is a roundtable discussion with three leading voices in West Coast IPA—Kelsey McNair of North Park, Evan Price of Green Cheek, and Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River. Over the course of two hours, these three discuss the ins and outs of brewing modern West Coast IPA today, including:
simplifying malt bills to pilsner or two row pale
building body with water chemistry to support hop flavor despite the light malt bill
lower starting and finishing gravities to reflect a more dry modern approach
adjust liquor to grain ratios to boost attenuation
using ALDC as well as new yeasts to reduce hop creep and diacetyl production
lowering knockout and fermentation temperatures for cleaner fermentations with ale yeast
managing pH through the hot and cold side for better technical performance and hop expression
the impact of lower-pressure and open-top fermentation on imperial IPA fermentation in Pliny the Younger
rethinking hop blends with each new crop year
cold side hop strategies for quality extraction and clarity in hop flavor and aroma
using modern hop products on the cold side for greater hop intensity
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Want to maximize efficiency in your chiller? G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are designed for less power draw. They have a lighter weight, and a more compact design using up to 70% less refrigerant means a lower GWP and lower operating costs. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com) or call to discuss your next project.
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): TNS Hop Oils are a revolutionary hop product that gives your beer all the hop intensity with none of the astringency. Make better beer and get more from each turn with less work. Change your brewing game with TNS Hop oils. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn how.
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew is a game changing fermentation monitoring system that gives you unprecedented insight into your yeast’s health and activity. The AccuBrew sensor, mounted through your tank’s sample port, creates a record of sugar conversion, clarity, and temperature for every batch run. Something BIG is coming, find out more at accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com): Christian Hansen are now bringing their knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria. Reimagine what your beer can be. Go to Chr-Hansen.com (https://www.chr-hansen.com) to learn more on the SmartBev line of products.
1/20/2023 • 1 hour, 58 minutes, 33 seconds
285: Little Fish Brew Mixed Culture Beers With Subtlety and Grace
Sean White, cofounder of Athens, Ohio’s Little Fish, is committed to mixed culture sour beer. It’s not the only thing that they brew, but it’s part of the soul of the brewery and a founding pillar that they’ve continued to develop (and improve) over the past eight years. Over those years, they’ve been recognized a number of times for the beers from this program—gold and bronze World Beer Cup medals in 2016 and 2018, silver and gold GABF medals in 2020 and 2022—but if you ask White, he’ll tell you that they’re still figuring it out. They haven’t settled, and they’re still learning.
In this episode, White discusses how they brew these compelling beers, from timing ingredient additions to parameters around their spontaneous beer program. Along the way, he discusses:
maintaining multiple cultures via solera and brink
minimizing beer waste to promote sustainability by reducing failure
balancing acidity in award-winning beers
neutralizing aged hops to manage funky flavor components
sourcing and processing local fruit
fruiting in the barrel
bottle conditioning with an acid shock starter to reduce yeast stress
topping up barrels to prevent the development of off flavors
not drinking beer for the past eight months, while still brewing it
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country. They know brewing doesn’t stop at 5 o’clock and nor do they. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG Craft Brewing (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com): Let Rahr North Star Pils™ be your guide. With overtones of honey and sweet bread, flavor and aroma notes of hay and nutty character. Rahr North Star Pils™ is a base malt you can set your compass by! Set a course for BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://BSGCraftbrewing.com) to learn how
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io) AccuBrew gives brewers, like you, unprecedented insight into your fermentation process. You can remotely monitor sugar conversion, temperature, and clarity to ensure consistency by quickly detecting out-of-range conditions. AccuBrew helps you monitor, document, and manage your fermentation process in real-time.
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) At ProBrew, we believe that your brewery deserves equipment as unique as the drinks that you craft. ProBrew’s customizable equipment empowers breweries to expand operations at their own pace. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com).
Christian Hansen (https://www.chr-hansen.com): Christian Hansen are now bringing their knowledge of microbes to brewers with their SmartBev range of frozen liquid yeast and freeze-dried bacteria. Reimagine what your beer can be. Go to Chr-Hansen.com (https://www.chr-hansen.com) to learn more on the SmartBev line of products.
California Craft Beer Summit (http://cacraftbeersummit.com): Join the craft beer community in Sacramento March 19-22 for the California Craft Beer Summit. Access educational sessions on business and technical skills and network with industry leaders all under one roof. Early bird discounts end January 20 visit cacraftbeersummit.com (http://cacraftbeersummit.com) to register.
1/7/2023 • 1 hour, 19 minutes, 48 seconds
284: Atlanta’s Inner Voice Embraces Modern Hop Flavors and Formats
Over the past decade of working professionally in beer, Inner Voice cofounders Rhett Caseman and Josh Johnson have brewed beers of every style, on systems of very different scales. But when they envisioned a brewery of their own, they knew they wanted to keep it small and taproom focused, with a balance between thoughtfully executed classic beer styles, and leading edge experimentation in hop-driven hazy and juicy styles.
The brewery, now fifteen months old, has been turning heads in the metro Atlanta market with both, offering everything from helles and Kölsch to hazy double IPA with high finishing gravities (alongside some of the best pizza in town from Glide located right in the taproom). In this episode, Caseman and Johnson discuss the steps that brought them here, and how they construct beers on the front edge. Along the way, they cover:
understanding the hyperlocality of specific styles and the way they sell
achieving maximum hop flavor density through advanced hop products such as Spectrum for dry hopping
dialing in the lighted possible color with Pilsner malt and kettle tweaks
eliminating boil hops and using minimal whirlpool hops to manage bitterness
mixing Incognito and T-90 pellets to improve extraction
using sea salt in water adjustments for body and punch
maximizing thiol expression with thiolized yeasts
brewing with new-ish hops like Nectaron
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions and use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has the equipment, systems, and technology to take your brewery to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Twin Monkeys (https://twinmonkeys.net): Twin Monkeys has helped hundreds of breweries around the world tailor packaging solutions that meet the unique needs of each brewery. Find out more at www.twinmonkeys.net (https://twinmonkeys.net). Financing options are available.
12/31/2022 • 1 hour, 16 seconds
283: Your Favorite Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast Episodes of 2022
In this year-end episode, we look back at the past year of podcasts, and count down your favorites, with excerpts that include:
Sapwood Cellars on dry hopping technique, lowering temperature for dry hopping, using an aggressive rousing regimen, and the masking effect of other dry hop flavors on thiols
Sam Tierney of the Firestone Walker Propagator and Bob Kunz of Highland Park on selecting malt for West coast pils
Raf Souvereyns of Bokke discussing the challenges that new blenders face, as well as his research on the toxicity off apricot and peach stones (both sources of the chemical that gives almond its flavor, Benzaldehyde)
Jean Van Roy of Cantillon on brewing with aged hops
Barrett Tillman of Blackman Brewing on his career-defining DUI and changing gears for healthier living as a brewer
Kyle Harrop of Horus Aged Ales on technique for getting the best results with coffee
Zach Frasher of Slice on selecting different pilsner base malts depending on the hop focus of a specific beer
Eric Toft of Schönramer on selecting and defining noble hops
Kelsey McNair of North Park on using hazy IPA techniques to make better west coast IPA (as well as dry hopping with Incognito)
And
Ben Smith of Surly on building a malt bill for thiol-forward IPA, thinking about bitterness beyond IBU, and reducing dry hopping with thiolized yeasts
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is an analytical tool designed to collect and compare the information brewers need to produce consistent results and continuously improve the process of fermentation. AccuBrew is more than a progress bar and early warning system. It is an ever evolving piece of technology tailored to you and your process. Save time and turn tanks faster. Monitor and compare batch progress in real-time. Enter notes, set custom reminders and temperature alerts. And detect process issues before a batch is ruined. Quality, consistency, and confidence. That is what AccuBrew delivers! Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) Looking for a way to save on freight, reduce waste, all while improving beer quality? Then change your brewing game with TNS Hop Oils. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) to learn how TNS Hop Oils can make your beer (and your margins) better.
Clarion (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dctrkaid=537328070;dctrkcid=177806075;dclat=;dcrdid=;tagforchilddirectedtreatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Balancing barley and hops is your expertise. Food-grade lubricants is ours. Clarion Food Grade Lubricants meet stringent standards of purity and performance for food and beverage processing, food packaging, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. All Clarion Lubricants are backed by the Clarion warranty, and we work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your operation. To learn more, visit ClarionLubricants.com/foodgrade (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dc_trk_aid=537328070;dc_trk_cid=177806075;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
12/29/2022 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 10 seconds
282: Shawn Bainbridge and Joran Van Ginderachter of Halfway Crooks Balance Expression and Control in Lager and Belgian Pale Ale
Halfway Crooks (https://halfwaycrooks.beer) cofounders Joran Van Ginderachter and Shawn Bainbridge may love the wide world of craft beer, but with their Atlanta, Georgia brewery the goal was to create a space and beers that would let drinkers find a beer they like, and drink the same beer all night. If you arrive with the goal of maximizing check-ins to the widest number of beers, you’ll quickly find you’re in the wrong place.
The same design principles inform the space and the beer itself—equal parts recontextualized nostalgia, funky creativity, wry humor, and dry deadpan delivery. The bathrooms feature illustrations of chickens from the late 1800’s, floral patterned wallpaper, and a separate soundtrack from the main taproom (Bladerunner and Twin Peaks soundtracks). A video screen at the door plays low-fi digital animations. They embrace our digital present with a bit of warm vacuum tube analog glow. And the same can be said of the beers—they’re fresh and current, but with tweaks of nostalgia and fuzz.
The brewery may be best known for their lagers, which center around separate hop varieties.
“You go to a taproom sometimes and see seven different IPAs,” said Bainbridge. “You come to this taproom and you see seven German pilsners.”
They source hops from some of the most sought-after farms in Germany, and build beers around them, yet there’s also an American mentality—boosting aroma through later additions and whirlpooling, using modern enzymes to ensure fermentation proceeds on schedule. They use a brewhouse not optimized for lagers, but have figured out how to get the most from it. There’s no decoction and just single infusion mashes, but the beers are tight and structured.
In this episode, Bainbridge and Van Ginderachter talk extensively about their approach to lager brewing, as well as the creative and technical process behind their Belgian pale ale Sanguine—a Craft Beer & Brewing beer of the year in 2022, which they say is the one beer in their lineup they’re least happy with.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions and use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has the equipment, systems, and technology to take your brewery to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Twin Monkeys (https://twinmonkeys.net): Twin Monkeys has created the Eagle: an expandable nano-canner that can grow as your business grows. Find out more at www.twinmonkeys.net (https://twinmonkeys.net). Financing options are available.
12/23/2022 • 1 hour, 23 minutes, 17 seconds
281: Three Taverns Applies a Belgian-Inspired Creativity to Traditional and Evolving Styles
Brian Purcell may have founded Atlanta’s Three Taverns nine years ago to focus on Belgian-style beers, but today it’s the spirit of that brewing tradition that informs their approach more than a purely stylistic expression. Creativity balanced with drinkability still drives their brewing decisions, whether that’s brewing an American-hopped modern pils expression in conjunction with the team from Pivovar Proud (the experimental brewery of Pilsner Urquell), or tackling the expressive fermentation of hazy IPA.
In this episode, Purcell and head brewer Neal Engleman break down these beers, from the knockout-hopped Pils Liberation collaboration (with Citra and Cascade), to their popular hazy IPA. Along the way, they discuss:
brewing the collaborative pils with Citra, Cascade, and Saaz hops
knockout hopping the 34/70 fermentation
impacts on lager fermentation from the aggressive hopping
applying lessons learned to other lagers they brew
brewing their 9th anniversary English-style barleywine
ingredient selection for better mashing with hazy IPA
active versus post-fermentation dry hopping
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements that make the beer great! Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer):Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Twin Monkeys (https://twinmonkeys.net): Twin Monkeys has created the Eagle: an expandable nano-canner that can grow as your business grows. Find out more at www.twinmonkeys.net (https://twinmonkeys.net). Financing options are available.
12/21/2022 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 40 seconds
280: Jon Shari of Little Cottage Makes Big Beers in a Small Way
Jon Shari of Little Cottage, (https://www.littlecottagebrewery.com) just east of Atlanta, was an avoid homebrewer who built a reputation for his big dessert-focused imperial stouts, and built on that momentum to launch the small, taproom-focused brewery in 2021. But brewing for the taproom is still a small affair, with a very manual 3.5 bbl brewhouse that makes some difficult-to-brew beers even harder.
In this episode, he discusses the process behind his stouts, from recipe to adjunct ingredient additions, including:
dealing with difficult high gravity fermentations
selecting flavorful base malts and specialty malts
dialing in finishing gravity to accentuate ingredient flavors
taking an ingredient-specific approach to additions
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements that make the beer great! Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer):Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Twin Monkeys (https://twinmonkeys.net): Twin Monkeys has created the Eagle: an expandable nano-canner that can grow as your business grows. Find out more at www.twinmonkeys.net (https://twinmonkeys.net). Financing options are available.
12/17/2022 • 57 minutes, 11 seconds
279: Tomme Arthur is "Growing Down" Port and Lost Abbey to Prepare for a More Sustainable Business Future
2022 has been rough on craft beer. From the macroeconomic forces hitting the entire economy—rising rents, rampant inflation in raw materials and logistics costs, shortages, rising labor costs—to the industry-specific challenges like changing consumer interest in packaging formats, shifting beer styles, distributor focuses, changing draft beer landscape, and more, it's become increasingly difficult to operate brewing businesses successfully.
For Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey cofounder Tomme Arthur, the solution is to "grow down," or get comfortable being smaller. For so many breweries, planning for future growth has always informed every decision, from branding to brewhouse, but after 17 years of constant reinvestment into future growth that now looks like an unreachable horizon, Arthur is having second thoughts.
In this episode, recorded initially for a written Q&A in the latest issue of our Brewing Industry Guide, Arthur shares his perspective on topics like:
dealing with brewery square footage that isn't generating revenue
challenges in shallow and wide distribution
distributor consolidation and changing priorities
the hidden cost increases in triple net commercial leases
rising raw materials costs
the shift in consumer interest in sour beer
revamping the existing brewhouse to be more attuned to proper inventory levels
the hidden costs of operating more taproom locations
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is an analytical tool designed to collect and compare the information brewers need to produce consistent results and continuously improve the process of fermentation. AccuBrew is more than a progress bar and early warning system. It is an ever evolving piece of technology tailored to you and your process. Save time and turn tanks faster. Monitor and compare batch progress in real-time. Enter notes, set custom reminders and temperature alerts. And detect process issues before a batch is ruined. Quality, consistency, and confidence. That is what AccuBrew delivers! Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) This episode is sponsored by BSG, distributors of TNS Hop Oils. A revolutionary hop product that gives your beer all the hop intensity with none of the astringency. Make better beer and get more from each turn with less work. Change your brewing game with TNS Hop oils. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) to learn how.
Clarion (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dctrkaid=537328070;dctrkcid=177806075;dclat=;dcrdid=;tagforchilddirectedtreatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Balancing barley and hops is your expertise. Food-grade lubricants is ours. Clarion Food Grade Lubricants meet stringent standards of purity and performance for food and beverage processing, food packaging, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. All Clarion Lubricants are backed by the Clarion warranty, and we work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your operation. To learn more, visit ClarionLubricants.com/foodgrade (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dc_trk_aid=537328070;dc_trk_cid=177806075;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
12/14/2022 • 49 minutes, 9 seconds
278: Sweetwater’s Ryan Joy is Dialing in Iconic Alpine and Green Flash IPA Brands… In Colorado
Green Flash’s 2018 bankruptcy rocked the beer world and threw the future of their iconic brands into doubt. Earlier this year, those brands were acquired by Sweetwater, and head brewer Ryan Joy was tasked with figuring out how to brew them on a different brewhouse, with vastly different water, and for an audience with a much different context for beer.
In this episode, he discusses:
matching the unique, and salt-heavy water of San Diego
using unusual chlorides, in large amounts
changing up the yeast to achieve greater haze stability
adjusting for the efficiencies and increased utilization of the new brewhouse
shifting hops from the boil to the whirlpool for more aroma expression
working with crystal malt in West Coast IPA to maintain the classic appeal
the classic to modern West Coast IPA range
using terpenes to build unique flavors and aromas in hop-forward beer
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer):Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Twin Monkeys (https://twinmonkeys.net): Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems has helped hundreds of breweries around the world tailor packaging solutions that meet the unique needs of each brewery. See our lineup at www.twinmonkeys.net (https://twinmonkeys.net).
12/2/2022 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 37 seconds
277: Randy Booth of Twin Barns Tells a Story With Belknap Pils in this Best in Beer 2022 Brewer Perspective
It’s possible to make great lagers with a single-infusion mash and cylindroconical fermenters—just ask former sportswriter turned brewer Randy Booth. At the taproom-focused Twin Barns (https://www.twinbarnsbrewing.com) brewery, on the shores of vacation destination Lake Winnipesaukee, he’s used the quieter winter season for the time and tank space to hone their lager program. The result earlier this year was a blind-review panel score of 99 for the German-style Belknap Pils (https://beerandbrewing.com/review/twin-barn-brewing-company-belknap-pils-1644852559), which earned it a spot on our Best 20 Beers in 2022 (https://beerandbrewing.com/best-20-beers-in-2022/).
In this episode, Booth shares his lager brewing process. It’s nothing fancy or especially complex, but it focuses instead on coaxing the best from high-quality ingredients. Along the way, he discusses:
rebalancing Saaz and Hallertauer in the boil and whirlpool to achieve the right aroma and flavor
mashing low for dryness
producing clear, high-quality wort through a longer vorlauf step
splitting the hop additions between a mid-boil and whirlpool addition
tasting, evaluating, and taking notes through the entire lifespan of the beer on draft, from the first kegs to the last
differentiating pilsner styles
taking beers from good to great
working with craft malt
telling a compelling story through beer
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is a revolutionary fermentation analysis tool unlike anything else on the market, giving brewers unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. AccuBrew helps brewers confirm consistency and avoid problems from batch to batch. From your smart device you can track and compare sugar conversion, temperature, and clarity, and use that information to continuously improve your process. AccuBrew goes beyond a simple measurement tool. With the AccuBrew system, managing your process and people has never been easier.Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) BSG invites you to get funky with Fermentis SafBrew™ BR-8, the first dry Brettanomyces bruxellensis culture available to brewers. BR-8 offers the distinctive flavor of Brett brux combined with the shelf stability and consistency of dry yeast. BR-8 delivers fruity notes early on but with aging the bass starts to slap as BR-8 brings the funk. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) to learn more.
Clarion (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dctrkaid=537328070;dctrkcid=177806075;dclat=;dcrdid=;tagforchilddirectedtreatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Balancing barley and hops is your expertise. Food-grade lubricants is ours. Clarion Food Grade Lubricants meet stringent standards of purity and performance for food and beverage processing, food packaging, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. All Clarion Lubricants are backed by the Clarion warranty, and we work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your operation. To learn more, visit ClarionLubricants.com/foodgrade (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dc_trk_aid=537328070;dc_trk_cid=177806075;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
12/1/2022 • 56 minutes, 35 seconds
276: Kyle Carbaugh of Wiley Roots Explores the Outer Limits of Flavor in Fruit Beer and Barrel-Aged Stout
If you’re going to make a kettle-acidified fruit beer, make it well. For Wiley Roots cofounder and head brewer Kyle Carbaugh, that means everything from using rustic unmalted wheat from a farmer friend to creating their own fruit pureés from fresh whole fruit. After all, you can’t drive novel, engaging fruit flavor that stands out if you do things the exact same way as every other brewer out there.
In this episode, Carbaugh discusses their fruit beer program as well as their barrel-aged stout program, which produced one of Craft Beer & Brewing’s Best 20 beers in 2022 (https://beerandbrewing.com/best-20-beers-in-2022/). Along the way, he also touches on:
moving past “if you brew it, they will come”
creating transition beers to get people into more “advanced” styles
developing the fruit-beer category with different brands that explore everything from leaner fermented fruit profiles to sweeter smoothie approaches
designing a brewhouse with kettle-acidification in mind
blending purée and juice concentrates for well-rounded fruit flavors
creating purée from whole fruit with a commercial food processor and masticating juicer
stabilizing fruit beers at various pH levels
building heft in stouts with additional fermentables
adjusting during the aging process for better barrel-aged results
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProFill can fillers use rotary, true-counter-pressure-gravity filling and seaming technology to run at speeds of 100 to 300 cans per minute with less than 30 parts per billion DO pickup and less than 1% product waste at the filler. Email ProBrew at [email protected] today!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer):Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Twin Monkeys (https://twinmonkeys.net): For a special offer from Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems, simply mention the CBB Podcast when you contact Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems to get a special discount on a brand new canning line through March of 2023.
11/26/2022 • 1 hour, 29 minutes, 53 seconds
275: Brett Taylor of Brooklyn’s Wild East Runs a Brewery, Not a Museum
Brooklyn’s Wild East (https://www.wildeastbrewing.com) is a brewer’s brewery. It’s the kind of place that other local brewers go for a beer when they’re not working. The lagers are exceptional, characterful more than crispy, and their best-selling IPA is a West coast-style iteration—a stark contrast to the hazy and juicy IPAs that make up the bulk of the offerings from neighbors Other Half or Finback.
Cofounder and head brewer Brett Taylor has some strong opinions about brewing lagers—decoction isn’t optional, water is very important, and the imperfection of more “rustic” malt offers a tension that makes for more interesting beers. In this episode, Taylor discusses those approaches to lager, as well as their techniques behind West coast IPA and mixed fermentation farmhouse beers, and along the way, he covers:
leaning into Czech-style lagers due to the similarity in water between New York and Pilsen
designing a brewhouse with decoction methodology in mind
treating lagers gently in every step of the process to preserve the delicate flavors
using the same yeast in different ways across the lager program
brewing West coast and New England IPAs with Conan yeast
modernizing West coast IPA recipes
the challenges of scaling up farmhouse brewing cultures
optimizing for light Brett character and very gentle acidity in foeder saisons
achieving juicy yet dry notes in everything from IPA to mixed culture beer
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) to learn more about The Alchemator from ProBrew, or shoot them an email to [email protected] today!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Twin Monkeys (https://twinmonkeys.net): For a special offer from Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems, simply mention the CBB Podcast when you contact Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems to get a special discount on a brand new canning line through March of 2023.
11/19/2022 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 57 seconds
274: Best in Beer Brewers’ Perspectives on Hazy IPA and Sweet Molé Stout
You’ve heard from us, and you’ve heard from our writers and critics, but in this episode of our Best in beer trilogy, you’ll hear from brewers behind two of our Best 20 Beers in 2022—Carey Fristoe of Black Spruce (https://www.blacksprucebeer.com) in Fairbanks, Alaska and John Garcia of King Harbor (https://www.kingharborbrewing.com) in Redondo Beach, California.
Fristoe discusses the design and brewing of Aromadome hazy IPA, a mashup of east and west approaches with unconventional choices like its use of dry yeast. Along the way, he touches on:
Using Vienna malt for color while achieving stable haze with just 10% wheat
S-04 dry yeast for hazy IPA fermentation
Lower temperature whirlpooling to reduce isomerization
Single stage dry hopping with longer contact time and aggressive rousing
Selecting hops for more cantaloupe and honeydew melon character
Paying attention and reducing oxygen pickup throughout the brewing and cellar process
Pushing both chloride and sulfate levels higher than typical rates
And more.
Garcia walks us through Choco-Latte, a coffee, oats, and molé-spiced sweet stout that’s decadent and drinkable, while discussing:
Building a spectrum of malt flavor from Simpsons maris otter base malt through midnight wheat
Hot side whirlpool additions of cocoa powder, lactose, cinnamon, and toasted ancho chiles
Sourcing and selecting the right, high quality ingredients
Fermenting with US-05 dry yeast
Adding coffee through a concentrated cold brew
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is a revolutionary fermentation analysis tool unlike anything else on the market, giving brewers unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. AccuBrew helps brewers confirm consistency and avoid problems from batch to batch. From your smart device you can track and compare sugar conversion, temperature, and clarity, and use that information to continuously improve your process. AccuBrew goes beyond a simple measurement tool. With the AccuBrew system, managing your process and people has never been easier.Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
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Clarion (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dctrkaid=537328070;dctrkcid=177806075;dclat=;dcrdid=;tagforchilddirectedtreatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Balancing barley and hops is your expertise. Food-grade lubricants is ours. Clarion Food Grade Lubricants meet stringent standards of purity and performance for food and beverage processing, food packaging, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. All Clarion Lubricants are backed by the Clarion warranty, and we work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your operation. To learn more, visit ClarionLubricants.com/foodgrade (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dc_trk_aid=537328070;dc_trk_cid=177806075;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
11/16/2022 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 1 second
Episode 273: Best in Beer: Top Critics and Writers Discuss Their Best in Beer of 2022
Our core writing team spends an inordinate amount of time every year talking to brewers, hop growers, maltsters, suppliers, distributors, publicans, and other leaders in the brewing industry. Our goal is to make sure we’re bringing you the very best in actionable insight in every story we write.
In our critic’s lists every year, we share what gets us excited—brewers, beers, and anything that exemplifies the very best in creative and technical prowess. This episode captures that energy and thoughtfulness, as five of the very best in beer reporting and insights share their thoughts on what’s best in craft brewing, right now.
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is a revolutionary fermentation analysis tool unlike anything else on the market, giving brewers unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) Need cans? CanCraft has you covered. Get blank, sleeved, and printed aluminum beverage cans with low minimums plus full-service support from design through delivery. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft) for your complete packaging solution.
Clarion (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dctrkaid=537328070;dctrkcid=177806075;dclat=;dcrdid=;tagforchilddirectedtreatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Balancing barley and hops is your expertise. Food-grade lubricants is ours. Clarion Food Grade Lubricants meet stringent standards of purity and performance for food and beverage processing, food packaging, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. All Clarion Lubricants are backed by the Clarion warranty, and we work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your operation. To learn more, visit ClarionLubricants.com/foodgrade (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dc_trk_aid=537328070;dc_trk_cid=177806075;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
11/11/2022 • 1 hour, 54 minutes, 12 seconds
272: Special Episode! The Best in Beer 2022
It’s that time again: Our blind review panelists and editors at Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® have tasted through thousands of beers, winnowing them down to what we believe are the very best. That yearlong process culminates in our annual Best in Beer issue (available now (https://beerandbrewing.com/profile/subscription/)), featuring your Readers’ Choice picks and our Best 20 Beers in 2022.
In this special episode of the Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast, we share the results of our reader survey—in which you voted on the top beers, breweries, homebrew gear, and more—and we share the stories and thought process behind the selection of these 20 pinnacles of craft brewing.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProFill can fillers use rotary, true-counter-pressure-gravity filling and seaming technology to run at speeds of 100 to 300 cans per minute with less than 30 parts per billion DO pickup and less than 1% product waste at the filler. Stop wasting perfectly good beer. Email ProBrew at [email protected] today!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Perfect Puree (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer (https://perfectpuree.com/beer). Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
11/8/2022 • 1 hour, 33 minutes, 25 seconds
271: Brooklyn’s Grimm Artisanal Ales Apply a Yeast-Driven Approach to Brewing
Joe Grimm of Grimm Artisanal Ales (https://grimmales.com) would like to dispel some myths about hazy IPA. “No matter what some brewers say, hazy IPA is one of the hardest styles to make, because it’s never good enough. I’m never happy with the beer.”
That never-satisfied attitude has driven the husband-and-wife brewing duo to explore different methods of making compelling hazy beer, from top-cropping yeast to employing a Brasserie de la Senne–inspired approach to tank geometry, and pushing their yeast strain far, far past normal generation limits (they were on the 275th generation at the time the podcast was recorded). In this episode, they discuss that thoughtful approach to fermentation in hazy IPA as well as their less-conventional approach to spontaneous inoculation, and their evolving method for using fruit in wild and spontaneous beers.
Along the way, the two discuss:
the challenge of opening with extremely limited funds, contract brewing at places around the Northeast
learning from the design of various breweries in which they brewed
applying lessons on tank geometry for Belgian beer to their tanks for IPA
top-cropping London Ale III for healthy yeast
adjusting recipe parameters as yeast evolves
maintaining haze while minimizing astringency
brewing spontaneous beer without a coolship
blending wild and spontaneous beer
using carbonic maceration in fruit for better flavor in fruit beers
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProFill can fillers use rotary, true-counter-pressure-gravity filling and seaming technology to run at speeds of 100 to 300 cans per minute with less than 30 parts per billion DO pickup and less than 1% product waste at the filler. Stop wasting perfectly good beer. Email ProBrew at [email protected] today!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Perfect Puree (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer (https://perfectpuree.com/beer). Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
11/5/2022 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 40 seconds
270: Sapwood Cellars Puts Research Into Creative Practice With Hoppy and Wild Beers
What do you get when Michael Tonsmiere, aka The Mad Fermentationist, and author of the book American Sour Beers joins forces with Scott Janish, author of The New IPA, to start a brewery in a Maryland suburb somewhere between Baltimore and Washington DC? Pretty much what you’d expect—a brewery that tends to focus on creative expressions in the pale ale and IPA space, as well as progressive approaches to wood-aged wild, funky, and sour beers. But Sapwood Cellars (https://sapwoodcellars.com) has done much more than just meet expectations over their first four years of existence—they’ve also honed approaches to both of these focuses, while creatively blending the two with smart mash-ups in the liminal space between them.
In this episode, the founders of Sapwood discuss:
the evolutionary “royal rumble” process behind their wild and sour beer program
building intensity of flavor and points of difference for more broad experiences
controlling acidity through processes like co-pitching sacch when adding fruit, dry-hopping finished sour beer
multi-step fermentations with wine yeasts
employing more potent hops to hold flavor at lower pH levels
avoiding oxidized hop flavors in sour beer through careful barrel preparation
aggressive rousing despite cold dry hop temperatures in hoppy beers
using hops with high survivables on the hot side
maximizing thiols with new yeasts
finding synergies in hops that produce more than just “generic” tropical flavors
the problem with Galaxy hops
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Perfect Puree (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer (https://perfectpuree.com/beer). Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
10/28/2022 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 1 second
269: GABF Gold! Deadwords and Wye Hill Talk Winning with Light Lager and Hazy Pale Ale
In this special GABF Gold edition of the podcast, Greg Winget of Wye Hill Brewing (https://wyehill.com) in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Alex Sarames of Deadwords Brewing (https://www.deadwords.com) in Orlando discuss their specific (and often unconventional) approaches to their respective gold medal–winning beers.
Winget and Wye Hill won gold with Luminous Beings, a hazy pale ale that uses a variety of current techniques to maximize flavor expression. He discusses:
brewing with 100 percent craft malt
mash-hopping for thiol precursors, character, and as a pH buffer
employing an unusually long whirlpool spin and soak cycle
fermenting at cooler temps with Cosmic Punch
two-stage dry hopping to avoid over-saturation
slow and measured transfers
the importance of soft water
packaging on a very small but low-DO canning line
Meanwhile, Sarames and Deadwords won gold with Bridge, an American light lager with an unusual hop choice. He discusses:
selecting Rahr North Star Pils for its light character
single-infusion mashing
using Vista as the sole hop in the beer
120-minute boils to drive off DMS precursors
switching to BSI’s Andechs Lager strain for fermentation
using the RO system to strip down and rebuild water
maintaining a clean facility
And more!
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is a revolutionary fermentation analysis tool unlike anything else on the market, giving brewers unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) Need cans? CanCraft has you covered. Get blank, sleeved, and printed aluminum beverage cans with low minimums plus full-service support from design through delivery. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft) for your complete packaging solution.
Clarion (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dctrkaid=537328070;dctrkcid=177806075;dclat=;dcrdid=;tagforchilddirectedtreatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Balancing barley and hops is your expertise. Food-grade lubricants is ours. Clarion Food Grade Lubricants meet stringent standards of purity and performance for food and beverage processing, food packaging, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. All Clarion Lubricants are backed by the Clarion warranty, and we work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your operation. To learn more, visit ClarionLubricants.com/foodgrade (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/trackclk/N510001.2032703CRAFTBEERANDBREWI/B28313912.342967708;dc_trk_aid=537328070;dc_trk_cid=177806075;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;tfua=;ltd=). Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
10/25/2022 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 56 seconds
268: Garrett Ward of Sideward Layers Hops of Every Form in American and Hazy IPAs
Garrett Ward of Sideward Brewing in Orlando, Florida loves to tinker and experiment with new hop formats, and whether it’s hazy and juicy IPAs or their fruit-forward-but-structured American iterations (often now fermented with lager yeast), he’s constantly searching for ways to use these concentrated hop products to boost flavor and intensity.
In this episode, he discusses:
Using hazy IPA technique with American IPAs, and vice versa
Adding layers of hop flavors with classic “C” hops in combination with modern citrus and tropical fruit-forward hops
Maximizing the mix of flowable hop products in the whirlpool
Dry hopping with a hop cannon in multiple stages
Building hop blends high in survivable compounds
Maximizing thiols with yeast like Cosmic Punch
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Perfect Puree (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer (https://perfectpuree.com/beer). Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
10/22/2022 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 53 seconds
267: GABF Gold! Roadmap and Precarious Share Their Approaches to Gold-Medal-Winning Pilsner and Cold IPA
In this special episode of the podcast, we brought together segments with two brewers who both won gold medals at the recent Great American Beer Festival—Dustin Baker of Roadmap Brewing (https://www.roadmapbrewing.com) in San Antonio, Texas, and Adrian Garrett, head brewer of Precarious Beer Project (https://www.precariousbeer.com/home) in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Baker of Roadmap discusses:
adjusting the malt bill to build malt flavor in despite brewhouse limitations
brewing award-winning pilsner with a single infusion mash and no decoction
building appropriate sulfur character with L28 yeast
slowing down transfers to be gentle with the beer
the importance of fresh ingredients
and more.
Garrett of Precarious discusses:
design inspiration for cold IPA
the flavor contribution of puffed jasmine rice
cool pooling for smoother hop flavor and aroma notes
blending old and new with CTZ, Cascade, Mosaic, and Amarillo
overcoming hop creep with ALDC enzyme
dry hop biotransformation with 34/70 yeast
the importance of packaging and transportation of competition beers
This episode is brought to you by:
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10/19/2022 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 50 seconds
266: Barry Chan of Lucky Envelope is Developing a Chinese-American Voice in Craft Brewing
When Barry Chan and his partner started Lucky Envelope (https://www.luckyenvelopebrewing.com), they were concerned with appearing “too Chinese.” The craft beer world at the time wasn’t ready for that, they thought; they wanted to fit in and not alienate their core clientele. Today, with a GABF medal under their belts in the Munich-style helles category, they’re more comfortable knowing they make classic styles in a compelling way. They’re also exploring more deeply how to connect their Chinese-American heritage—and its culinary traditions—with the broader world of craft beer.
In this episode, Chan discusses how they’ve approached that, including:
locking down base styles before embarking on experimentation
building “smoked” beers using smoked tea as an ingredient
finding effective ways to extract flavors from challenging ingredients
searching for inspiration in unexpected places
ingredients that don’t work in beer
risking failure with ingredients such as durian
creating nuanced beers with habañero and shishito peppers
pushing into European styles such as Czech dark lager
working to increase diversity in craft beer
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
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Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Perfect Puree (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer (https://perfectpuree.com/beer). Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
10/15/2022 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 4 seconds
265: Direct Fire! Firestone Walker Brewmaster Matt Brynildson Takes Listener Brewing Questions
In this “Direct Fire” episode of the podcast, listeners pepper Firestone Walker's Matt Brynildson with questions across the brewing spectrum, including:
The process behind blending recipes for collaborations
Brewing into the "sweet spot" of most styles
Choosing and implementing a lager mashing regimen
How Firestone Walker employs low-oxygen methods in the brewhouse
Key takeaways from Matt's time spent brewing in Belgium
Strategies for selecting and optimizing hops
Managing dry hop timing in hoppy beers
"Neurotically" dry hopping only at night to avoid lightstruck character
The impact of climate change on hop selection and usage
Exciting new hops on the Firestone Walker radar
Using lager yeast to make IPA
And more.
Who would you like to hear on the next direct fire episode? Email [email protected] and let us know!
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is a revolutionary fermentation analysis tool unlike anything else on the market, giving brewers unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. AccuBrew helps brewers confirm consistency and avoid problems from batch to batch. From your smart device you can track and compare sugar conversion, temperature, and clarity, and use that information to continuously improve your process. AccuBrew goes beyond a simple measurement tool. With the AccuBrew system, managing your process and people has never been easier. Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) Need cans? CanCraft has you covered. Get blank, sleeved, and printed aluminum beverage cans with low minimums plus full-service support from design through delivery. No matter the size of your business, CanCraft’s design & aluminum specialists are here to guide you every step of the way. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft) for your complete packaging solution.
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Arryved (https://Arryved.com/CBB). Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. Arryved is streamlining business operations for the makers of craft with an all-in-one solution that was built with love by hospitality professionals. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Plus, they’re offering a special deal to our listeners: Get 25 percent off all hardware!To redeem, you must launch with Arryved before December 1st, 2022. Go to Arryved.com/CBB (https://Arryved.com/CBB) to request a free, customized demo. That’s A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com forward slash-C-B-B. A different kind of P-O-S has Arryved.
10/11/2022 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 45 seconds
264: Cannonball Creek’s Relentless Pursuit of Improvement
Golden’s Cannonball Creek (http://www.cannonballcreekbrewing.com) has won a GABF medal every year since they opened in 2013, and they’ve done so across a wide range of styles—from German-style pils to Belgian-style blonde, stout, and cream ale. But the thing they’re most passionate about, and have won the most medals for, is lower ABV hop-forward beers. Their American pale ale, Featherweight, and session IPA, Trump Hands, have together collected five GABF medals and three World Beer Cup medals (including four golds), but if you think Cannonball Creek is content to rest on their success, you’d be mistaken.
Instead, Hutchinson and Lee employ a practice of constant improvement, and take it to quite the extreme. They’re constantly tweaking recipes, no matter how many accolades a beer has earned, and that change isn’t driven by a lack of performance in competition—winning beers are just as likely to see changes as any other.
In this episode of the podcast, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Great American Beer Festival, Hutchinson and Lee discuss:
finding balance in small hoppy beers
staying intentionally small to brew beers they’re passionate about
modernizing malt bills over the past decade of brewing
the gap between hop utilization calculations, lab tested IBUs, and perceived bitterness
making winning beers without selecting hops
evolving recipes as ingredients and contexts change
mitigating hop creep with ALDC
the traits of highly effective award-winning brewers
And more.
“We are constantly changing our beers, including those that have been successful in competition,” says Hutchinson. “We have beers that have won gold medals, that we have changed significantly, almost completely, and they’ve won again after that, too.”
This episode is brought to you by:
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American Canning (https://americancanning.com): American Canning provides packaging supplies at competitive prices in order quantities catered to craft. For a smooth packaging experience, also consider their ultra-compact, single operator canning machines. Learn more about their ecosystem of solutions at americancanning.com (https://americancanning.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Perfect Puree (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer (https://perfectpuree.com/beer). Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
10/7/2022 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 18 seconds
Episode 263: Bale Breaker Brewmaster Kevin Smith Lives the Hop Life
Brewers and hop growers are closer today than they ever have been before, but Bale Breaker (https://balebreaker.com)—in the Yakima valley town of Moxee—takes that proximity to a level rarely seen in beer. The brewery literally sits on the Loftus Ranch, in the middle of a hop field, with trellises and bines surrounding the production brewery and taproom. Trellises surround the taproom patio. Trellises stretch out from the parking lot. Hops are everywhere, so it’s no surprise that Bale Breaker focuses on hop-forward beers.
Brewmaster Kevin Smith started his brewing career on the other side of the cascade range, in Seattle, before returning to the family farm and joining with his sister and brother-in-law to launch the brewery. But through Bale Breaker, he’s been able to showcase a hop-forward identity that embraces the crop he grew up around. Hoppy West coast and hazy beers are the brewer’s forté, and in this episode, Smith stays focused on hops. In it, he discusses:
building a new approach to West coast IPA and pale ale
understanding the impact of cohumulone levels on bittering
creating unexpected hop blends with underutilized hops like Loral
the sensory range driven by pick time in popular hop varieties like Citra and Mosaic
dry hopping methods that maximize hop flavor and minimize vegetal matter
building a common sensory language in the brewing team
selecting and processing hops from the farm
and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Check out www.probrew.com for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7–50bbl brewhouses and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://Fermentis.com).
ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is a full-service brewery outfitter, proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, and small parts to brewers across the country. Contact one of their brewery consultants today at [email protected] to discuss your brewery project.
Perfect Puree (https://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer (https://perfectpuree.com/beer). Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
10/1/2022 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 55 seconds
262: Eric, Claire, and Alex of CLS Farms Discuss the Past, Present, and Future of Hop Farming
The current hot market for hops that has persisted for about a decade now is a bit of a historical blip. From the 60’s through the 00’s, the hop market experienced structural decline as reduced demand for bittering hops and increased alpha acid levels and extraction methods hit growers from both sides. But the craft brewery acceleration around 2012 ushered in a new set of demands and opportunities for hop growers. In the ten years since, growers have planted roughly 18,000 new acres of hops in Washington State, higher prices mean growers finally have the resources to make significant upgrades to farm operations, and the outlook is far different than it appeared just a decade and a half years ago.
But with this comes challenges. The lifespan of fields has shortened dramatically, the cost involved with turning over fields has increased, and the market has become more dynamic than its ever been.
In this episode, Eric Desmarais, his daughter Claire Desmarais, and technical advisor Alex Nowell, discuss the state of the farm right now, including:
changes in harvest timing strategy
the impact of picking time on aroma and flavor
evaluating hop readiness for harvest
the challenging state of the 2022 harvest and what that means for brewers
managing risk in planting new varieties
dialing back speculation on new varieties like Sabro
how to be effective as a brewer when selecting hops
getting through the lag between initial brewer experiments with new hops and sustainable farming volumes
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
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9/24/2022 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 13 seconds
261: Hop Development Roundtable with Jason Perrault and Michael Ferguson of HBC
HBC, the Hop Breeding Company, is responsible for developing some of the most compelling hop varieties in contemporary beer—Mosaic, Citra, Talus, and Sabro are just a few of the aroma hops that they’ve developed. But how does a new hop variety come into being, and what drives its development? In this episode, Jason Perrault of Yakima Chief Ranches and Michael Ferguson of John I. Haas, two leading hop breeders in Yakima Valley and the driving forces behind the two-pronged HBC program, talk about what it takes to develop a new hop variety.
They discuss:
the typical decade-long timeline for developing a new hop variety
defining objectives for new hops, from agronomic efficiency and yield to aromatic potency
taking plants from seeds crossed from two promising parents, through single plant, 7 plant, and larger field plantings
positive and negative selection for desirable and undesirable traits
evaluating new hops using a consistent base recipe in test brewing
achieving elite status and finding brewer champions for new varieties
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
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9/21/2022 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 3 seconds
260: Zach Turner of Single Hill is the Fresh Prince of Yakima
Perhaps no brewery in the world is as dedicated to fresh-hopped beers as Single Hill (https://singlehillbrewing.com) in Yakima, Washington. Led by cofounder and head brewer Zach Turner, the Single Hill team leans into vibrantly hopped IPAs all year long—and their Mind Plant double IPA was first runner-up at last year’s Alpha King Challenge—but harvest time is when their strengths and expertise really get to shine. That’s when Turner shifts focus to fresh-hopped beers, driving to farms around the Yakima Valley to see which varieties are freshly picked, rushing the wet cones back to the brewery to pour into the mash tun-turned-hopback, and gathering freshly kilned (but not yet baled) whole-cone hops that they pelletize themselves for the whirlpool and dry hop. The running event throughout the season is the Fresh Hop Rodeo, when Single Hill collaborates with brewers across the country on a series of fresh-hopped beers that compete for the love of local customers.
Single Hill’s singular fresh-hop focus is succeeding: Their Energy Cone IPA was the gold medal–winning fresh-hop beer at last year’s Great American Beer Festival, and their fame and respect for these beers is growing beyond the region.
In this episode, Turner opens the book on his process and approach to fresh-hopped beers, including:
flexibility and serendipity in pick windows and varieties
pelletizing their own hops at the brewery
utilizing lower temperatures for wet-hop contact, to limit vegetal flavors
fermenting fresh-hop IPAs with a variety of yeasts
brewing both hazy and West Coast fresh-hop iterations
their experimenter system that splits a 15-barrel brew into three different fermentations
new and exciting hop varieties on the horizon
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements—like flavor and color—that make the beer great! Learn more at www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, now offers an expanding range of dry bacteria for the production of sour beers. Visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com) to learn more.
Brewmation (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod): Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. Visit them at brewmation.com/cbbpod (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod) to get started.
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Get 25 percent off all hardware when you launch with Arryved before December 1st, 2022. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
9/17/2022 • 1 hour, 19 minutes, 44 seconds
259: Gabe Fletcher of Anchorage Brewing Deals With The Devilish Details of Barrel-Aged Barleywine
Anchorage Brewing’s (https://anchoragebrewing.company) Gabe Fletcher has been turning heads with barleywine since he brewed his first one 24 years ago, but that long-standing respect hasn’t dulled his sense of exploration. Today, he’s pushing limits with barrel aging by double- and triple-casking beers over long conditioning times. It takes a hardy beer to stand up to that much age, and Fletcher builds his barleywine to last.
In this episode, taken from an interview earlier this year for a story in Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, Fletcher outlines the various problems in brewing high-ABV beers, and shares the creative solutions he’s developed. Along the way, he discusses:
Fermentation strategy via overpitching and aggressive step-up batching
Embracing simple but flavorful malt
Using decoction to build flavor in more basic malts
Building a high-gravity wort
Selecting hops for flavor and not just bitterness
Utilizing multi-stage barrel aging for more depth of character
Finishing and packaging barleywine for maximum effect
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Looking for a good lager yeast? Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, provides brewers large and small with the most complete portfolio of dry lager yeast available anywhere. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Brewmation (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod): Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. Visit them at brewmation.com/cbbpod (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod) to get started.
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
9/15/2022 • 55 minutes, 21 seconds
258: Tom Shellhammer of Oregon State Shares Research on Hop Terroir
Tom Shellhammer’s research work in the brewing field has been crucial for helping brewers, as well as barley and hop growers, gain deeper understanding of brewing ingredients and how they actually work. As a food science professor at Oregon State University, he’s led critical studies, including a well-known study on hop creep. His latest project is a wide-ranging, multi-year study to understand the impact of terroir on hops, and the results of the first year of the study have just been released (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03610470.2022.2089010). In this episode, Shellhammer discusses the study—what they studied, how they studied it, what the results show, and what we have yet to understand.
Along the way, Shellhammer discusses:
what hop terroir is (weather, soil, latitude), and what it isn’t (geomorphology)
the impact of farming management practices
the goals and parameters of the project
measuring compounds, but also expression through sensory, to understand terroir impact
how hop growers measure maturity on the bine
the logic behind the focus on cascade and mosaic varieties
the compounds at play, including monoterpene alcohols and thiols
clustering of groups of flavor and aroma compounds based on location
how the chemical compound analysis translates into finished beer
magnitude of the differences in terroir and the potential for impact
impact of microbiome in soil
the scale of difference in the qualitative and measured factors in the study
And more.
One takeaway? Leaning on hop variety alone is a not a perfect measure. As Shellhammer said, “The variation between these two regions was as large as the variation between the two hop varieties.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7–50bbl Brewhouses and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, provides brewers large and small with the most complete portfolio of dry lager yeast available anywhere. To learn more, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Brewmation (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod): Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. Visit them at brewmation.com/cbbpod (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod) to get started.
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
9/2/2022 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 22 seconds
257: West Coast Pilsner Roundtable With Firestone Walker, Highland Park, and Humble Sea
West Coast pilsner is the subject of this month’s roundtable, and we’ve assembled a talented cast of brewers to further the discussion. From the Firestone Walker Propagator brewhouse in Venice, California, Sam Tierney returns to the podcast. Highland Park Brewery founder Bob Kunz joins from their location in Los Angeles. And from Santa Cruz, California’s Humble Sea Brewery, cofounder Nick Pavlina rounds out the panel.
The topic is West Coast pilsner, and each make excellent examples the style, from Highland Park’s award-winning Timbo Pils to Firestone Walker’s Welcome to LA and Humble Sea’s Santa Cruz Pils. Here, the brewers discuss:
the challenge in building body and structure to balance hop loads in the lean beer
simplifying malt bills and using domestic pilsner malt for higher attenuation
finding better hop expression through restraint in the dry hop
avoiding excessive malt complexity to allow the hops to shine
layering in lower-alpha hops to build texture and support the fruitier modern hop notes
selecting aroma hops for cohesion
managing hop creep
distinguishing West Coast pilsner from cold IPA and Italian-style pilsner
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is an analytical tool designed to collect and compare the information brewers need to produce consistent results and continuously improve the process of fermentation. AccuBrew is more than a progress bar and early warning system. It is an ever evolving piece of technology tailored to you and your process.
Save time and turn tanks faster.
Monitor and compare batch progress in real-time.
Enter notes, set custom reminders and temperature alerts.
And detect process issues before a batch is ruined. Quality, consistency, and confidence. That is what AccuBrew delivers! Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) Brought to you by CanCraft and BSG. Whether you need a full-service packaging experience, from design to delivery, or you just need some aluminum cans, CanCraft can do. CanCraft’s design & aluminum specialists are here to support your business every step of the way. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft) to learn how CanCraft can help realize your brand potential.
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
8/30/2022 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 58 seconds
256: Tom Riley and Dane Volek of Anchor Open Up About Steam Beer and Open Fermentation
Anchor (https://anchorbrewing.com) Brewmaster Tom Riley has been working on steam beer for a long time—38 years, in fact. He started at Anchor in 1984, decades before craft beer was considered a viable career choice, and has watched the entire industry grow up alongside Anchor. He’s a company man, and in 38 years of brewing, this is the only place he’s brewed. Assistant Brewmaster Dane Volek started at Anchor 14 years ago and, like Riley, has only worked at Anchor. He leads the R&D side of the brewery now, making beers on the smaller brewhouse across the street from the production brewery at Anchor Public Taps, but he shares a similar love of the company and their unique brewing culture. There’s a pride in craft, in the workmanship, and a genuine love of the brewery’s history and sense of place.
The beer they focus on, of course, is the ubiquitous Anchor Steam—brewed with pitched lager yeast, but fermented relatively warm in shallow open top fermenters in a temperature-controlled room but without temperature control in the vessels. It echoes the 1800’s approach to steam beer, but with a focus on sanitation and consistency that those earlier brewers could only dream of. Today, the brewery on the corner of De Haro and Mariposa Streets in the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco looks much like it did when Fritz Maytag was actively running the business, strategic production upgrades notwithstanding. And while the neighborhood around it has changed measurably over the past 50 years, the brewery’s flagship beers have not. Some things ought to change, and some things should not.
In this episode, Riley and Volek talk about style, history, and process for the flagship beers that Anchor focuses on—Steam, Porter, and Liberty Ale. Along the way, they discuss:
the historical significance of Steam
mechanics of open fermentation
employing house yeast across a range of styles and ABVs
fermenting with the same yeast under head pressure
brewing blended batches with open and closed fermentation
the value and importance of the story behind the beer
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7–50bbl Brewhouses and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, provides brewers large and small with the most complete portfolio of dry lager yeast available anywhere. To learn more, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Brewmation (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod): Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. Visit them at brewmation.com/cbbpod (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod) to get started.
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
8/26/2022 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 55 seconds
255: John Harris of Ecliptic Has Learned the Hard Way to Make the Beers That People Want to Drink
John Harris has been around. From his start at the McMenamins Hillsdale brewpub in 1986 (where they brewed with extract and fermented without temperature control in open-top fermenters), through stints launching Deschutes, the Full Sail pub in Portland, Oregon, and now the past nine years at his own brewery Ecliptic, he’s been eyewitness to a myriad of change in the craft beer world.
In this episode, Harris recounts the early days and the challenges they faced in trying to create what we now know as the craft beer industry. These stories from the early days of craft illustrate just how far the brewing world in the United States has come over the past few decades. Along the way, Harris discusses:
brewing commercial batches in the mid-80’s while scavenging yeast from Sierra Nevada Pale Ale bottle dregs
launching the original Deschutes brewpub in Bend with founder Gary Fish
heading the Full Sail Portland brewpub for two decades
the development of the PNW strain of West Coast IPA
using color to tell a story in beer
working with Strata hops
embracing fruit in brewing and making quick-sour fruit beers
beers that made sense in his head but never connected with an audience
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7–50bbl Brewhouses and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, provides brewers large and small with the most complete portfolio of dry lager yeast available anywhere. To learn more, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Brewmation (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod): Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. Visit them at brewmation.com/cbbpod (https://brewmation.com/cbbpod) to get started.
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
8/19/2022 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 11 seconds
254: Direct Fire! Weldwerks Founder Neil Fisher Takes Listener Brewing Questions
In this first-ever “Direct Fire” episode of the podcast, listeners from around the globe heat things up with spicy brewing questions for Weldwerks (https://www.weldwerks.com) founder Neil Fisher. From IPA to hefeweizen, pastry sour, and stout, every style is fair game as you ask and Neil answers questions around:
ideal pH in hoppy beers for aroma and flavor expression
achieving pie-crust flavor in kettle sours
using vanilla in bean and extract form
building mouthfeel in stout with oats, wheat, and even flaked corn
yeast choice and fermentation concerns with hefeweizen
controlling ester production in hefeweizen through temperature and pitch rate
optimizing chocolate flavors in barrel-aged stout
orienting the brewery around community service
employing hazy IPA techniques in West Coast-style IPA
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is an analytical tool designed to collect and compare the information brewers need to produce consistent results and continuously improve the process of fermentation. AccuBrew is more than a progress bar and early warning system. It is an ever evolving piece of technology tailored to you and your process.
Save time and turn tanks faster.
Monitor and compare batch progress in real-time.
Enter notes, set custom reminders and temperature alerts.
And detect process issues before a batch is ruined. Quality, consistency, and confidence. That is what AccuBrew delivers! Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) Brought to you by CanCraft and BSG. Whether you need a full-service packaging experience, from design to delivery, or you just need some aluminum cans, CanCraft can do. CanCraft’s design & aluminum specialists are here to support your business every step of the way. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft) to learn how CanCraft can help realize your brand potential.
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
8/16/2022 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 22 seconds
253: Matt Van Wyk and Brian Coombs of Alesong Stay Focused on the Barrel
Science teacher turns brewer. On paper, it makes sense. But Alesong’s (https://www.alesongbrewing.com) Matt Van Wyk made the career transition long before many in the current generation of brewery owners made similar leaps. With two decades of professional brewing under his belt, Van Wyk has observed, and brewed through, many trends, but the love of barrel-aged beer led him and his partners (including Alesong production director Brian Coombs) to create Alesong with a deep focus on three threads—Farmhouse-style beers fermented with Brettanomyces, mixed-culture sour beers, and spirits-barrel-aged “clean” fermentations.
The results have been impressive, with industry recognition through medals, and a club-based customer base that supports their boundary-pushing work. But this brewery that looks and feels like a winery (and is, in fact, located on a small parcel next to one of the area’s largest and most significant wineries) is less concerned with creating hype and more focused on the slow, iterative process of making compelling and flavorful beer.
In this episode, Coombs and Van Wyk discuss:
learning fruit fermentation techniques from wineries
building complexity in stout malt bills with smaller amounts of a vast array of malts
creating the perception of sweetness in stouts with relatively low (8-8.5° P) finishing gravity
selecting barrels for flavor over marketing potential
tank cleaning regimen for working with both sour and clean beer
oxygenating Brett fermentations over three days
blending strategy for sour fruited beer
creating a perception of body in 0° P sour fruited beer
And more.
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Still emptying those overflowing wastebins full of low-fills, crushed and damaged cans, or under carbonated beer every canning day? It’s time to Fill Like a Pro. Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) for more information on ProFill Can fillers from ProBrew.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Hey nano-brewers! Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, is soon offering our dry ale and lager yeasts in flexible 100g packaging. To learn more, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com/the-brewdeck-podcast/): The secret is out and Canada Malting Co.'s newest malt is here! Introducing Euro-Pils, made from the finest overseas low-protein barley available. Contact Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com/warehouse-sales-team/) to try Euro-Pils in your next brew.
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
8/13/2022 • 1 hour, 26 minutes, 11 seconds
252: 10 Barrel’s Tonya Cornett Takes a Layered Approach to Fruit Beer
Tonya Cornett marks her brewing experience in decades, but the head of R&D for 10 Barrel (https://10barrel.com) in Bend, Oregon, isn't resting on any laurels. She’s earned every right to cruise, with many GABF and World Beer Cup medals under her belt—including three at the World Beer Cup earlier this year—but she continues to challenge herself and her team to find new and better ways to express flavor in beer.
One of her favorite styles, and one she’s earned wide acclaim for, is quick-soured fruit beer. Under their Crush brand, 10 Barrel now sells these beers across the country, and Cornett’s small brewery and R&D team are constantly working ahead, creating new iterations with different fruits and ingredients for 10 Barrel’s pubs in Bend. In this episode, she discusses how she’s made this “simple” style much more difficult to make, from varying grain bills based on the fruit, to using different yeasts, and including one fruit in multiple forms to capture all of its flavor.
Along the way, she covers:
the change over time in their Lacto culture
brewing quick-soured beers in two stages as blender batches
using wheat, oats, and dextrin malt to build mouthfeel and keep the beers from drying out
varying pitch rate based on the current state of the culture and production calendar
carefully measuring total acidity rather than just pH
using hops that complement fruit and acidity
managing sulfur production and controlling diacetyl
layering purée, freeze-dried fruit, juice, concentrate, extracts, and more to build a whole fruit picture
using adjacent fruits as well as spices to amplify the expression of a primary fruit
And more.
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) The Alchemator from ProBrew uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) to learn more.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Working on a new sour beer? Fermentis is now offering an expanding range of dry bacteria for the production of sour beers. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com/the-brewdeck-podcast/): Three new roasted malts from BestMalz: Chocolate, Black, and Black Malt eXtra! Roasted in a gentle fluidized bed process to create smooth de-bittered flavors. BestMalz products are available exclusively through Country Malt Group, contact CMG (https://countrymaltgroup.com/warehouse-sales-team/) to try a free sample today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
8/5/2022 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 15 seconds
251: Nick Panchamé of HOMES and Smooj Applies His Chef’s Training to Fruited Hard Seltzer and More
Smooj, the heavily-fruited smoothie-like hard seltzer produced by the brewing team at HOMES brewery in Ann Arbor, Michigan, may draw the ire of certain brewing purists, but its approach is captivating consumers across its growing footprint. It flies in the face of conventional logic around hard seltzer, embracing more rather than less—more calories, more flavor, more body. And the novel approach has inspired a growing subcategory of the hard seltzer market as more craft brewers try their hand at similar beverages. But one thing sets Smooj apart—Panchamé and the brewing team are just as passionate about making fruited sour beer (from coolshipped spontaneous brews to pitched mixed culture beers and quick-sour iterations) and that broad-based love of fruit and flavor finds its way into many of their different product expressions.
In this episode, HOMES and Smooj head brewer Nick Panchamé shares the brewery's approach to hard seltzer, from fermenting seltzer base to acidity, sweetness, flavor development, and maintaining product integrity in the can. Along the way, Panchamé discusses:
taking a culinary approach to flavor development in sour beer and hard seltzer
fermenting clean high-gravity seltzer base
paying attention to water chemistry in hard seltzer
building complex flavors with all real and natural ingredients
targeting natural levels of residual sugar and acidity to complement fruit flavor
balancing intensity with drinkability in hard seltzer
exploring thiol-optimized yeast in hoppy beers
brewing with Michigan Chinook and Michigan Copper hops
taking a creative approach to lagers with New Zealand hops
And more.
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling and seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7–50bbl Brewhouses, and more!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Looking for a good lager yeast? Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, providing brewers large and small with the most complete portfolio of dry lager yeast available anywhere. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com/the-brewdeck-podcast/): The BrewDeck Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
7/29/2022 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 2 seconds
250: Breakside’s Ben Edmunds, Great Notion’s James Dugan, and Von Ebert’s Sam Pecoraro Dissect Trendy Beers and Innovation
How do you as a brewer identify trends, evaluate their potential resonance with your customers, then develop and deploy your own beers in response? This panel discussion with leading Portland brewers Ben Edmunds of Breakside, James Dugan of Great Notion, and Sam Pecoraro of Von Ebert—recorded at Great Notion as part of our most recent New Brewery Accelerator workshop (https://www.breweryworkshop.com/)—explores that very question.
Along the way, they discuss:
separating the signal from the noise in feedback data
maintaining a brewery identity despite changing trends
considering the consumer and leading with enthusiasm
technical processes around developing and testing new ideas
developing a palate and means of understanding and deconstructing other beers
the arc of imitation and adaptation
TTB challenges in using atypical ingredients
staff and consumer feedback processes
the importance of great front of house staff to explain and promote trendy beers
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): Step into the modern era of brewing. AccuBrew presents a game changing fermentation monitoring system giving brewers unprecedented, real-time insight into yeast health and activity. By simply mounting a sensor to a port, brewers get real-time information through the AccuBrew app, tracking sugar conversion, temperature, and clarity. And just one AccuBrew sensor protects every tank in the event of a glycol system failure. Get your hands on a tool that will help you deliver your best brew every batch! AccuBrew has your back because it was designed for you, the brewer, by brewers. Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) This episode brought to you by Rahr Malting Co., celebrating 175 years of the “malt of reputation.” Since 1847, Rahr malt has been a benchmark of quality and consistency for brewers everywhere. Now offering dextrin malt to help you boost mouthfeel and haze in your IPA, or to show off a jiggly foam stand on a pils. Available exclusively through BSG at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com).
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
7/26/2022 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 56 seconds
249: Andy Hooper, Former Seismic Brewmaster, is Taking Light Lager Back for Craft
Light lager may not be the style most brewers are passionate about, but it’s one that many people drink. Long dominated by macro brewers and beers lightened by corn and rice adjuncts, it’s a competition category that fewer craft brewers have found success in. But for Andy Hooper, former brewmaster of Seismic Brewing in Santa Rosa, California, the beer style was ripe for craft reinvention.
A very technically-minded brewer, Hooper had built out the brewhouse and cellar to allow for a fine degree of control, but the process of dialing in light lager using organic malt that was grown and malted in California by craft maltsters required quite a bit of fine tuning. In this episode, Hooper discusses:
designing a brewery with wastewater reclamation and sustainability at its core
connecting with craft maltsters and modifying stock malting processes for lightness and flavor
committing to minimalist brewing with a focus on ingredients
hot side process and constantly monitoring pH
specific lautering parameters geared toward clean light lager
gentle ingredient handling to minimize any distracting flavors
controlled aeration
developing a nitrogen-based process for breaking up hop cones for fresh-hopped lager
And more.
_Note- after this episode was recorded, Andy resigned from Seismic Brewing, hence the designation as "former" Seismic brewmaster. _
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Still emptying those overflowing wastebins full of low-fills, crushed and damaged cans, or under carbonated beer every canning day? It’s time to Fill Like a Pro. Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) for more information on ProFill Can fillers from ProBrew. Probrew is a subsidiary of TechniBlend, now a ProMach brand.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Hey nano-brewers! Fermentis will soon be offering our dry ale and lager yeasts in flexible 100g packaging. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com/the-brewdeck-podcast/): The secret is out and Canada Malting Co.'s newest malt is here! Introducing Euro-Pils, made from the finest overseas low-protein barley available. Contact Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com/warehouse-sales-team/) to try Euro-Pils in your next brew.
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
7/22/2022 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 20 seconds
248: This episode is nuts. Bob Slack and Justin Teff of Pulpit Rock Share Their Adjunct Experience
Pulpit Rock (https://www.pulpitrockbrewing.net) co-head brewers Bob Slack and Justin Teff have built a reputation for creative “pastry” beers in both the stout and quick sour realms. In this episode, they discuss in depth their process for achieving great results with such adjunct-forward and barrel-aged beers, from managing increased viscosity and extended barrel-aging times, to their focus on ingredient freshness.
The conversation covers:
- removing roasted barley from the base recipe and replacing with other malls to build more chocolate character
- triple mashing with a focus on first runnings
- driving “plushness” through relatively low attenuation
- toasting raw nuts and coconut immediately before maceration to improve flavor
- matching tank size to the volume of adjuncts rather than the volume of beer, to maximize surface area and extraction
- employing multiple rounds of maceration for certain ingredients
- adjunct addition horror stories
- using offbeat ingredients like granola and sheet cake
and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) The Alchemator from ProBrew uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) to learn more about The Alchemator from ProBrew.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, is now offering an expanding range of dry bacteria for the production of sour beers. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com/the-brewdeck-podcast/): New roasted malts from BestMalz, Chocolate, Black, and Black Malt eXtra, are roasted in a gentle fluidized bed process to create smooth de-bittered flavors. BestMalz products are available exclusively through Country Malt Group, contact CMG (https://countrymaltgroup.com/warehouse-sales-team/) to try a free sample today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer’s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo.
7/15/2022 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 50 seconds
247: Allagash, Cantillon, and Russian River Weigh in at the Spontaneous Brewing Roundtable
This roundtable discussion with Allagash, Cantillon, and Russian River kicks off a new series of Tuesday episodes to be released every other week—in different formats, including roundtables and Q&As featuring your questions for the pros.
Recorded in the coolship room at Russian River the morning of their Wild Friendship Blend event, the conversation among Rob Tod and Jason Perkins of Allagash, Jean and Florian Van Roy of Cantillon, and Natalie and Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River explores both bigger picture questions about spontaneous brewing and particular implementations and adaptations employed by the American breweries in making compelling beers using the traditional process.
Topics include:
stories from the earliest days of American spontaneous brewing
sensory differences between spontaneous beer made at Allagash, Russian River, and Cantillon
the challenge in building a blend with “characterful” base beers
creating environments that support better spontaneous brewing results
tuning coolship rooms for more consistent and reliable production
the dynamics of spontaneous fermentation through a season
reducing opportunities for failure
the various (and very different) ways each brewery ages and uses hops
connecting spontaneous beer to consumers through experience
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Accubrew (https://accubrew.io): AccuBrew is a revolutionary fermentation analysis tool unlike anything else on the market, giving brewers unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. AccuBrew helps brewers confirm consistency and avoid problems from batch to batch. From your smart device you can track and compare sugar conversion, temperature, and clarity, and use that information to continuously improve your process. AccuBrew goes beyond a simple measurement tool. With the AccuBrew system, managing your process and people has never been easier. Visit accubrew.io (https://accubrew.io) today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) This episode brought to you by Rahr Malting Co., celebrating 175 years of the “malt of reputation.” Since 1847, Rahr malt has been a benchmark of quality and consistency for brewers everywhere. Now offering dextrin malt to help you boost mouthfeel and haze in your IPA, or to show off a jiggly foam stand on a pils. Available exclusively through BSG at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com).
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
7/12/2022 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 54 seconds
246: Zack Frasher of Slice Brews West Coast and Hazy IPAs that Rip
Zack Frasher loves hoppy beers about as much as he loves exploring new techniques for maximizing their expression. His past decade and a half of brewing—first as a homebrewer then as a pro—has been marked by research and testing in the hoppy genre, dialing in recipes and processes for clean and tight hop presentation. Over the past year at Slice (https://www.slicebeer.com/home)—in Lincoln, California, just north of Sacramento—that determined work has borne fruit: a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival and a gold at World Beer Cup, both for juicy or hazy strong pale ales. Frasher is no stranger to winning; his beers also won four GABF medals in five years at his last brewery, nearby Moonraker (https://beerandbrewing.com/breakout-brewery-moonraker-brewing-co/) in Auburn.
In this episode, he dives deep into brewing hop-forward beers, both West Coast and hazy, and discusses:
water treatment for IPAs and the benefit of keeping dissolved solids low
building simplified and leaner but structured West Coast IPA
varying malt bases depending on the hop recipe
changing recipes when moving from steam to direct fire
taking a hop variety–specific approach to IBUs
blending yeast in hazy IPA
the small things that elevate beers from good to great
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com for info on patented ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew, a subsidiary of TechniBlend, now a ProMach brand, offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for more info!
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Looking for a good lager yeast? Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, providing brewers large and small with the most complete portfolio of dry lager yeast available anywhere. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com/the-brewdeck-podcast/): I recently came across The BrewDeck Podcast from our friends at Country Malt Group, and I had to share it with you all. They cover topics from selecting and sourcing raw materials, to innovative new products, plus entertaining stories and insights. The BrewDeck Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Subscribe today! (https://countrymaltgroup.com/the-brewdeck-podcast/)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. Arryved is streamlining business operations for the makers of craft with an all-in-one solution that was built with love by hospitality professionals. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo. Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved.
7/8/2022 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 34 seconds
245: Jaega Wise Lowers the Barriers to Making Great Pale Ales and Mixed-Culture Beers
Wild Card (https://www.wildcardbrewery.co.uk) head brewer Jaega Wise loves breaking down difficult problems with no-nonsense solutions. An early career in chemical engineering gave her the understanding of brewing mechanics that she uses today to hone processes and simplify the brewery’s approach to beer making, yet she remains constantly pragmatic and encouraging.
In this episode, she joins the podcast on the occasion of the U.S. release of her new book, Wild Brews. Through the conversation, she discusses:
growing up and attending university just down the road from Burton-on-Trent
the challenges of brewing a 2.7 percent ABV, hop-forward, New England–inspired table pale ale
differences in British and American drinking culture
tackling similar hop flavors and body in a nonalcoholic IPA
the delicate handling and food-safety concerns of NA beer
good haze vs. bad haze
fundamental questions all brewers should ask themselves
combining different yeast strains to ferment hazy beers
using dried yeast
making wild beer accessible
working with various fruits
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode brought to you by BSG and Rahr Malting Co., the home of fossil-free malt. Rahr’s headquarters in Shakopee, Minnesota is powered by renewable electricity. Malthouses and kilns are fed by an electrostatic boiler fueled by agricultural byproducts, much of which is waste from the malting process. By eliminating the use of natural gas, Rahr Malting Co. reduces CO2 emissions by 260,000 tons per year while filling 25% of the US brewing industry’s malt needs. Put the power of Rahr Malt in your beer at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. Arryved is streamlining business operations for the makers of craft with an all-in-one solution that was built with love by hospitality professionals. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com (https://www.arryved.com/cbb), forward slash CBB to set up a free, customized demo. That's A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com, forward slash CBB (https://www.arryved.com/cbb). A different kind of P-O-S has Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
7/1/2022 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 54 seconds
244: Eric Toft of Schönramer Is Fixated on Consistency, Drinkability, and Character
The Private Landbrauerei Schönram is one of the most lauded breweries in Germany over the past 15 years, with a tall stack of European Beer Star and World Beer Cup medals to show for its excellence across styles, and for the respect it has earned from peers. Perhaps its most celebrated beers are its Hell—a local staple that accounts for three-fourths of production—and its acclaimed, hop-forward Pils.
Its brewmaster since 1998 has been Eric Toft, who has carefully and gradually fine-tuned each of the brewery’s beers into its current form. In this episode, he focuses especially on his approach to perfecting and brewing a great helles. Among other topics, he discusses:
the glacial yet intentional pace of fine-tuning
blending hop varieties and harvest years for year-to-year consistency
the ins and outs of German hop varieties ideal for lager brewing
brewing test batches of single-hopped lager to better know the hops
working with smaller, family-run maltsters to get desired specs and hedge risk
using less-modified malt to have more control over conversion in the mash
employing a decoction mash for higher efficiency and attenuation
adjusting mash steps depending on barley specs
open fermentation, and powering the brewery’s fermentations with kräusen from the helles
finding the perfect lagering time
water treatment for helles and other lagers
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support from this episode comes from BSG and The Malt Haus by Rahr. The Malt Haus is your online source for cool and exclusive Rahr Malting Co. gear that you can’t get anywhere else. T-shirts, hoodies, hats, socks, glassware, and even gear for your pets. Rep the malt you brew with and look sharp doing it! Take the tradition home at themalthaus.com (https://themalthaus.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer’s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. With a full suite of craft-specific features, no contracts, and no monthly fees, Arryved provides the necessary tools to help your brewery grow. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo. Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
6/24/2022 • 1 hour, 32 minutes, 36 seconds
243: Wild Fields Share Their Winning Ways in Everything From Brown Ale to Mixed Cultures
Winning medals isn’t everything in brewing, but it sure can help. Seeking out that external validation from a panel of peer judges is often more frustrating than it is rewarding, but that’s by design. It’s hard to win, and it should be.
For Ryan and Jacque Fields of Wild Fields Brewhouse, (https://wildfields.com) their hyper-focus on improving their odds of winning paid off big at the 2022 World Beer Cup, and the young brewery walked away with four gold medals. In this episode, they share some of the background and philosophy behind their competition strategy, including how they choose categories to enter, and optimizing individual beers to appeal to the widest range of judges.
In addition, the Fieldses discuss:
building a family-friendly brewery taproom
the ins and outs of American and English-style brown ale
malt selection for brown ales
optimizing water chemistry to take beers from good to great
employing contemporary techniques such as whirlpool hopping in classic styles
the approach to making funky wild ales that Fields developed at Beachwood Blendery
unlocking the funk with aged hops
building a hop-tolerant mixed culture that develops acidity slowly
packaging for competitions
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode is brought to you by BSG, exclusive distributors of Rahr Malting Co. Since 1847, Rahr malt has been a benchmark of quality and consistency for brewers, from the 19th century through today’s craft beer pioneers. Whether you’re creating classic lagers, resin-clouded hazies, or barrel-aged behemoths, inspired malts like Rahr North Star Pils, Malted Oats, and more are here to make your brewing dreams a reality. Get in touch today at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer’s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. With a full suite of craft-specific features, no contracts, and no monthly fees, Arryved provides the necessary tools to help your brewery grow. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo. Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
The carrot dog was good, wasn't it Jim?
6/17/2022 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 55 seconds
242: Jos Ruffell of Garage Project and Phantasm Muses on New Zealand Hops, Thiol Expression, and Dramatic Festival Experiments
New Zealand’s population is smaller than the state of Colorado, but country’s exports have had an outsized impact on craft beer over the past decade. From hops such as Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and Riwaka, to the cutting-edge thiol-optimized Phantasm powder, New Zealand has made undeniable contributions to the flavor evolution of American IPA over the past decade.
Jos Ruffell, cofounder of the Wellington-based Garage Project, has had a front seat for his country’s evolution from craft beer follower to craft beer influencer. An avowed geek whose pivotal beer experience involved Pliny the Elder, Ruffell and partner Pete Gillespie founded the brewery with Pete’s brother Ian in 2011. Their goal was to tap into the creative energy they felt from influential independent breweries half a world away.
Today, they’ve become creative drivers, pushing exploration with their local hops, developing new ways of creating signature Southern Hemisphere thiol-driven flavors, and embracing dramatic service strategies in public-facing events.
In this episode, cofounder Jos Ruffell discusses:
engaging with ingredients as any chef or brewer should
bringing transformational growth to the NZ hop industry through the Hāpi Research center
using less glamorous but incredibly important supporting hops in blends
maximizing for thiols using a variety of brewing techniques
thiol stability and expression in fermentation
phantasm powder and the variety of ways to use it in the brewing process
the entourage effect between thiols and terpenes
the outsized impact of thiol optimization in combination with other hops
considering texture and time in beer flavor experience
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/). Support for this episode comes from Hop Solutions by BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/). The Hop Solutions portfolio is a joint effort between the brewers, hop specialists, and brewing scientists of BSG and the Rahr Technical Center that takes a flavor-first, application-specific approach to hops. Whether you’re seeking biotransformation in a juicy IPA or dialing in a classic West Coast profile, BSG has a Hop Solution for that. Get in touch with the hop nerds at BSG by emailing [email protected] for samples, spots, and contracts.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. Arryved is streamlining business operations for the makers of craft with an all-in-one solution that was built with love by hospitality professionals. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com (https://www.arryved.com/cbb), forward slash CBB to set up a free, customized demo. That's A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com, forward slash CBB (https://www.arryved.com/cbb). A different kind of P-O-S has Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
6/10/2022 • 1 hour, 3 seconds
241: Edward Slingerland Argues that Beer is an Evolutionary Adaptation, not an Accident
The human brain is an amazing piece of machinery. It’s uniquely adapted to success in the world we live in, and the result of that success is evidenced by the population spread of humans across the planet. Yet one element of the brain that provides a particular evolutionary benefit—the prefrontal cortex—also has a habit of getting in the way of “softer” tasks, such as building social relationships and creative problem-solving. As tool-using primates, early humans discovered a rather effective way to overcome the occasional limitations of the prefrontal cortex—low-strength alcohol produced via fermentation.
In this episode, author and professor Edward “Ted” Slingerland (https://www.edwardslingerland.com) walks through that evolutionary history, explaining how prior theses about alcohol—that it was an evolutionary mistake or shortcut for the brain’s pleasure circuits, like junk food—got it all wrong. Instead, alcohol has played a crucial role in the development of the human species, allowing evolutionary advantages not enjoyed by other primates by creating space for social trust and creative problem-solving. By down-regulating the prefrontal cortex in managed, time-limited ways, it has allowed us to develop the deep, trusting social relationships necessary for widespread community.
In this episode, Slingerland discusses:
the evolutionary tension in the brain between linearity and lateral thinking
the communal need for social trust
how the standard story about alcohol as an accident that hijacks the brain’s reward network is entirely wrong
the origins of alcoholic drinks that predate organized agriculture
optimal blood-alcohol concentration and the beverages that get one there
the importance of social regulation on alcohol consumption, throughout human history
how beer is an ideal beverage (better than wine or distilled spirits) for promoting the positive benefits of alcohol with fewer negatives
sociological differences between Northern and Southern European drinking cultures
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/). Did you know that BSG sources hops directly from growers and processes them in their FSSC-certified facility in the Yakima Valley? From Azacca to Zappa, BSG’s hops are pelletized for optimal dispersion in the boiler or FV, and packaged in nitrogen-flushed bags to preserve all those tasty and enticing aromatics. To learn more about how your hops go from farmer to fermenter, get in touch with BSG at [email protected]
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer’s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. With a full suite of craft-specific features, no contracts, and no monthly fees, Arryved provides the necessary tools to help your brewery grow. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo. Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
6/3/2022 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 3 seconds
240: Eric Larkin of Cohesion Approaches Lager Expression Through Limitation
Eric Larkin enjoys constraints. Through his brewing career, he’s been drawn to breweries that have set up their own guardrails around the styles of beer they brew—Allagash’s Belgian style focus, or the hazy IPAs of Odd13—and with Cohesion (https://www.cohesionbeer.com) in Denver, he and his wife have fully embraced Czech-style lager. The presentation is top notch, with a focus on foam and a variety of beers and pour styles, but narrowing down the beer approach has given Larkin a tight range to work with in, and that challenge is one he thrives on.
Don’t call them “authentic,” though—these beers are traditional, and reverent, even, but they don’t need to lean on that difficult “A” word to be worth drinking. Instead, the experience of drinking them at the brewery clearly expresses their intentionality. The presentation and care is evident in every pour.
In this episode, Larkin discusses their approach to brewing Czech-style lagers, including:
The importance of dialing in soft water
Developing an under-modified pilsner malt with a local craft maltster
The necessity of decoction, and levels of decoction for specific beers
Adjusting for mash temperature impacts of decoction
Working with lower-attenuating Czech yeast in open fermenters
Whole cone versus pellet hops
The range of possibility within the seemingly narrow style
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode is sponsored by BSG CraftBrewing. Explore a whole universe of hop sensory with unique varieties like Cashmere, Comet, Triumph, El Dorado, and many more. Sourced directly from growers and processed at BSG’s FSSC-certified facility in Yakima to bring you only the very best hops, from farmer to fermenter. For contracting, spot sales, and more info, reach out to us at [email protected].
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. Arryved is streamlining business operations for the makers of craft with an all-in-one solution that was built with love by hospitality professionals. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com (https://www.arryved.com/cbb), forward slash CBB to set up a free, customized demo. That's A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com, forward slash CBB (https://www.arryved.com/cbb). A different kind of P-O-S has Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
5/28/2022 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 9 seconds
239: Roaring Table Brews For Elegance, Simplicity, and Texture in Hazy IPA, Pilsner, and Mixed Fermentation
Sometimes success comes quickly, and sometimes it’s the result of years and years of working, training, and improving. In the case of Roaring Table (https://roaringtable.com), founded by husband-and-wife team Beth May and Lane Fearing northwest of Chicago, it’s a bit of both.
Their recent string of successes—including a Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine beer of the year and a World Beer Cup medal—may seem sudden, but Fearing started laying the groundwork back in 2007 when he attended the Siebel Institute. He worked for another Chicago-area brewery for nearly a decade before he and May felt they were ready to tackle the brewery challenge on their own. Today, he approaches their beers with an earnest energy, enthusiasm, and humility that’s refreshing to see in someone who has worked a brew deck for so long.
In this episode, May and Fearing discuss their approach to brewing and business, including:
building a specific water profile for hazy IPA that optimizes mouthfeel
dialing back non-barley grains for ease of brewing without sacrificing haze
cooler fermentation in hazy IPA to reduce esters and improve hop expression
considering the difference between final gravity and perceived sweetness
patient fermentation with longer lag times
using modern hop products like Incognito and Lupomax pellets at various stages of brewing
employing IPA whirlpool-hopping techniques for lagers
taking a pragmatic approach to lager brewing without sacrificing quality
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode is brought to you by our friends at BSG. We all know that the best brewing results come from the best ingredients. BSG offers the largest variety of quality ingredients to create outstanding beers. BSG brings the best malt, hops and additives from around the world to your brewhouse. Their knowledgeable and dedicated staff comes from the brewing industry and can assist you in product consultation for your recipe formulation. Contact your dedicated sales or customer support rep, or become a customer at BSGcraft.com/BeACustomer (https://bsgcraft.com/become-a-customer/)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer’s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. With a full suite of craft-specific features, no contracts, and no monthly fees, Arryved provides the necessary tools to help your brewery grow. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo. Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
5/21/2022 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 55 seconds
238: Laura Burns of Omega Yeast Offers an Expert Approach to Stable Beer Haze
Brewing isn’t a typical career path for research scientists with doctorate degrees, but for Laura Burns it was a practical way to apply academic learning in a creative environment. After finishing her doctorate, she worked in brewhouses from Tennessee to Chicago before landing at Omega Yeast, where she’s assumed the title of director of research and development. There, she’s helped develop new yeast products to solve problems for brewers, and she’s worked diligently to understand why and how yeast create certain flavors and textures in beer.
In this episode, Burns follows up on her recent presentation at the Craft Brewers Conference with an in-depth discussion of haze. There are plenty of myths surrounding haze in beer, and Burns cuts through the anecdotes and assumptions with direct results from extensive bench testing to help brewers create more stable haze in their beer. Burns covers:
creating stable colloidal haze without yeast in suspension
understanding the haze-positive yeast phenotype
yeast evolution that has led certain strains to develop haze-positive qualities
strains beyond London Ale III that exhibit haze-positive characteristics
the chemical makeup of the protein-polyphenol reactions that constitute stable haze
dry-hop timing strategies to maximize or minimize haze
hop variety impact on haze
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Get back to the future with Weyermann® Isaria 1924®. Made from the oldest German malting barley variety, Isaria shows malty-sweet flavor and a soft, biscuit-like aroma. This heirloom malt makes amazing traditional Bavarian-style lagers, not to mention modern craft lagers and malt-forward ales. For more info, samples, and orders please visit go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. Arryved is streamlining business operations for the makers of craft with an all-in-one solution that was built with love by hospitality professionals. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo. A different kind of P-O-S has Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
5/14/2022 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 17 seconds
237: Less is More as Surly’s Ben Smith Pursues Bigger Hop Flavor in Hazy IPA and a Refined Approach to West Coast IPA
Minnesota's Surly Brewing (https://surlybrewing.com) has cultivated a brand image that's bold and in-your-face, but the next chapter of Surly's approach to brewing will be defined by achieving more with less, if head brewer Ben Smith has anything to say about it. From thiol-maximizing yeast in hazy IPAs that achieves big flavor with less hops, to refined and softer bitterness in new West coast IPAs, every assumption about how things "should be done" is under consideration.
In this episode, Smith shares what they've learned from brewing a new thiol-focused beer with Other Half, Phantasm, and thiol-centric yeast from Omega Labs. But it wouldn't be a proper Surly episode without a discussion of West coast IPA and the ways they're tweaking and refining the classic approach to find new expression and connection.
In this episode, Smith discusses:
Maximizing their three pillars of quality, consistency, and stability
Achieving more hop flavor with less hops and thiolized yeast
Thinking about bitterness in terms beyond IBU
Hopping methods to achieve flavorful and efficient results
Deconstructing and reconstructing West coast IPA
Managing hop creep at a production scale
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode brought to you by BSG and Rahr Malting Co., the home of fossil-free malt. Rahr’s headquarters in Shakopee, Minnesota is powered by renewable electricity. Malthouses and kilns are fed by an electrostatic boiler fueled by agricultural byproducts, much of which is waste from the malting process. By eliminating the use of natural gas, Rahr Malting Co. reduces CO2 emissions by 260,000 tons per year while filling 25% of the US brewing industry’s malt needs. Put the power of Rahr Malt in your beer at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer’s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. With a full suite of craft-specific features, no contracts, and no monthly fees, Arryved provides the necessary tools to help your brewery grow. Go to Arryved.com to set up a free, customized demo. Arryved.com. A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com. Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved. Arryved.com (https://arryved.com/cbb).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Mettler Toledo, Inc. (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html): Are you looking for the tools to make your next improvements in process and quality control? The Mettler Toledo InPro 8630i is the ideal sensor for combined color and turbidity measurement in lautering, filtration and phase shift operations. Robust, compact and easy to handle, it supports consistency in beer processing. The InTap portable oxygen meter gives you readings wherever you need them. Flexible in production for verification, while purging, or for troubleshooting - your perfect helping hand. Contact us (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html) today to find out more!
5/6/2022 • 1 hour, 19 minutes, 36 seconds
236: Forager’s Austin Jevne Embraces Nuanced Flavor in Fruited Seltzers, Sours, and Barrel-Aged Stouts
In Rochester, Minnesota, the Forager (https://foragerbrewery.com) brewpub that Austin Jevne founded with life and business partner Annie Henderson continues with its mission to provide compelling beer and food to the community. However, Jevne’s Humble Forager brand has set a more far-reaching goal to bring their authentic, grounded approach to flavorful beer to a wider national market.
While Forager brews on a seven-barrel system for local fans, Humble Forager works produces 100-barrel batches at partners such as Octopi in Madison, Wisconsin, or Fair State Collective in Minneapolis. A through-line that spans all their production is a focus on real ingredients and real fruit, used in thoughtful and expressive ways, no matter what the style. Whether it’s fruit beer, hard seltzer, or stout, the approach is the same: no extracts, high-quality ingredients, and a progressive approach to technique to drive the best possible expression from the chosen ingredients.
In this episode of the podcast, Jevne discusses their approach to recipes and process, including:
creating real fruit hard seltzers that are shelf stable for up to 18 months
using a three-stage pasteurization process to temper and stabilize fruit in quick-sours and hard seltzer
layering fruit flavor with other herbal and tea notes to create flavors that evolve through the sip
searching for the best quality fruits from a variety of sources
finding the best sources for flavorful vanilla
working with high-pectin fruits
accounting for expression of acidity in both fruited hard seltzers and tart beers
building a library of stout recipes and barrel types to create options when blending
employing an ingredient-by-ingredient method of concentrated infusion to carefully add flavor to stouts
deploying blended methods of coffee infusion using both whole bean and ground coffee for different flavor contributions
And more.
“A lot of people are assuming that fruited sours have a shelf life similar to hazy IPAs,” Jevne says. “And absolutely they do, from certain breweries. But if you have a process that changes that—we have a shelf life of 18 months with flavor stability in our fruited sours, and people look at our shelf life on the bottom of the cans and get a little worried sometimes. But we’ve done multiple tests about the longevity of where that flavor’s stable, and because of that [multi-step pasteurization] process, our beers are great and can sit in the back of your trunk on a hot Texas summer day, and they’re not going to explode.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode is brought to you by BSG, exclusive distributors of Rahr Malting Co. Since 1847, Rahr malt has been a benchmark of quality and consistency for brewers, from the 19th century through today’s craft beer pioneers. Whether you’re creating classic lagers, resin-clouded hazies, or barrel-aged behemoths, inspired malts like Rahr North Star Pils, Malted Oats, and more are here to make your brewing dreams a reality. Get in touch today at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. Arryved is streamlining business operations for the makers of craft with an all-in-one solution that was built with love by hospitality professionals. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com/cbb (https://arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo. A different kind of P-O-S has Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Mettler Toledo, Inc. (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html): Are you looking for the tools to make your next improvements in process and quality control? The Mettler Toledo InPro 8630i is the ideal sensor for combined color and turbidity measurement in lautering, filtration and phase shift operations. Robust, compact and easy to handle, it supports consistency in beer processing. The InTap portable oxygen meter gives you readings wherever you need them. Flexible in production for verification, while purging, or for troubleshooting - your perfect helping hand. Contact us (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html) today to find out more!
4/29/2022 • 1 hour, 26 minutes, 57 seconds
235: Barrett Tillman of BlackMan Brewing Tells Stories Through Beer
Barrett Tillman’s love affair with yeast started innocently enough—as his small group of homebrewing friends divided up brewday tasks, he arbitrarily chose yeast duty. Little did he know that choice would turn into a passion that would define his brewing career for the past decade.
Homebrewing led him to pursue brewing professionally, and over the course of a few years and a few different positions, he eventually landed at Deep Ellum Brewing in Dallas, where he became head brewer. Sour beer has long been his passion, and even in this commercial environment, he was able to bring his fermentation experience to bear, launching the brewery’s first kettle-soured beer.
However, a series of events led Tillman to question the systemic culture of craft beer and the toll it can take on individuals. The social requirement to be chief party officer led him to do things that he ultimate didn’t feel comfortable doing—from leading bar-wide beer chugs to drinking in an unhealthy way. Those behaviors ultimately led to a crux moment where Tillman was arrested for DWI while parked in his own driveway.
In this episode, Tillman recounts those experiences—the pressure to conform to a brewing culture that privileged the party (and beer sales) over people; the downside of compounding factors that led to him questioning his future in brewing; and the sabbatical and realization that caused him to search for new ways of working in the brewing world, to satisfy his need for authenticity and connection.
Today, Tillman runs his own brewing project, BlackMan Brewing (https://www.blackmanbrewing.com), via contract-brewing arrangements with brewer friends in Costa Rica. On top of that, he’s working on projects stateside to extend the brand, and the philosophy of beermaking, in meaningful ways. Sour beer and complex fermentations remain his first loves and focus, but connecting people to beers with backstory is his newfound passion.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from Hop Solutions by BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/). The Hop Solutions portfolio is a joint effort between the brewers, hop specialists, and brewing scientists of BSG and the Rahr Technical Center that takes a flavor-first, application-specific approach to hops. Whether you’re seeking biotransformation in a juicy IPA or dialing in a classic West Coast profile, BSG has a Hop Solution for that. Get in touch with the hop nerds at BSG by emailing [email protected] for samples, spots, and contracts.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer’s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. With a full suite of craft-specific features, no contracts, and no monthly fees, Arryved provides the necessary tools to help your brewery grow. Go to Arryved.com to set up a free, customized demo. Arryved.com. A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com. Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved. Arryved.com (https://arryved.com/cbb).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Mettler Toledo, Inc. (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html): Are you looking for the tools to make your next improvements in process and quality control? The Mettler Toledo InPro 8630i is the ideal sensor for combined color and turbidity measurement in lautering, filtration and phase shift operations. Robust, compact and easy to handle, it supports consistency in beer processing. The InTap portable oxygen meter gives you readings wherever you need them. Flexible in production for verification, while purging, or for troubleshooting - your perfect helping hand. Contact us (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html) today to find out more!
4/22/2022 • 1 hour, 39 minutes, 42 seconds
234: Pierre Tilquin of Gueuzerie Tilquin Makes Lambic and Gueuze with Lively Spirit and Mathematical Precision
Passionate people tend to have exacting ideas of how to do things, and Pierre Tilquin is no exception. The founder of Gueuzerie Tilquin (https://gueuzerietilquin.be/en/) has spent more than a decade now buying lambics from classic houses such as 3 Fonteinen, Cantillon, Boon, Lindemans, and Girardin, aging them in his own facility, and finally blending them in carefully considered ratios. A perfect blend isn’t solely based on taste. For example, making sure that the blend has the perfect amount of residual sugar to re-ferment in the bottle to the appropriate carbonation is of utmost importance.
But some of the assumptions about lambic—such as the idea that young lambic provides the fermentable sugar for bottle-conditioning—has not always proven true in Tilquin’s experience. Certain producers tend to produce lambic that finishes at higher or lower gravities. Some years, weather and culture conditions can alter the expected fermentation arc. That leaves Tilquin to do what blenders have done for centuries: use the tools at their disposal to build blends that are not only artful and inspired, but also functional.
In this episode, Tilquin discusses:
the characters of each of the brewers’ lambics he uses
using specific barrel sizes for lambics with different aging goals
maintaining the terroir of the producer with a strict barrel-cleaning regimen
temperature control in the barrel facility
developing a signature Tilquin style of gueuze
using trace amounts of certain “off” flavors in blends
trialing different unusual fruits for addition to lambic
brewing his own lambic on premises for the first time
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/). Did you know that BSG sources hops directly from growers and processes them in their FSSC-certified facility in the Yakima Valley? From Azacca to Zappa, BSG’s hops are pelletized for optimal dispersion in the boiler or FV, and packaged in nitrogen-flushed bags to preserve all those tasty and enticing aromatics. To learn more about how your hops go from farmer to fermenter, get in touch with BSG at [email protected]
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): Arryved mobile point of sale powers places with personality. Arryved is streamlining business operations for the makers of craft with an all-in-one solution that was built with love by hospitality professionals. No contracts and no monthly fees make Arryved a no brainer for your craft business. Go to Arryved.com (https://www.arryved.com/cbb) to set up a free, customized demo. A different kind of P-O-S has Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Mettler Toledo, Inc. (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html): Are you looking for the tools to make your next improvements in process and quality control? The Mettler Toledo InPro 8630i is the ideal sensor for combined color and turbidity measurement in lautering, filtration and phase shift operations. Robust, compact and easy to handle, it supports consistency in beer processing. The InTap portable oxygen meter gives you readings wherever you need them. Flexible in production for verification, while purging, or for troubleshooting - your perfect helping hand. Contact us (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html) today to find out more!
4/15/2022 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 25 seconds
233: Urbain Coutteau of Struise Brouwers Shares Some “Peasant Intelligence”
Struise Brouwers (http://struise.beer) is scrappy, in the best sense of the word. Small and underfunded from the start, they’ve always made the best of what they have, and figured out no-cost solutions to brewing problems. After all, you can’t spend money you don’t have.
Today, the brewery operates with a brewhouse that is as unique as their beers—two mash tuns, with internal vessels and screens that lift and drain the mash, to feed three separate kettles. The team brews four turns per day on the system, filling a fermentor one-quarter full as fermentation starts. Over the following days, subsequent brews fill the tank as the carefully controlled fermentation progresses. By adjusting the mash temperatures of each day’s brews, they’re able to approximate a step-mash regimen without tight temperature control and automation in the brewhouse.
In this episode, cofounder Urbain Coutteau discusses the creative and the technical, including:
building a bridge to stout for Belgian beer enthusiasts with Pannepot
controlling the use of simple sugars to avoid astringency
rebuilding the Pannepot recipe without spices but with a wild Saccharomyces strain
the conceptual framework for their unique brewhouse setup
designing a brewhouse to achieve specific flavor goals
controlling fermentation to allow multi-day tank fills without stressing yeast
relying on ingenuity more than investment
the brewery’s best-in-class water treatment system that nearly eliminates water waste
clever use of automation to create water profiles, reducing staff time
using a familiar ale yeast strain to ferment big Belgian beers
And more.
Launched on a shoestring budget, the Struise team has always had to rely on clever problem-solving—what Coutteau refers to as “peasant intelligence.” That spirit is alive and well at the brewery today, scaled to address bigger challenges, in bigger ways.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Explore a whole universe of hop sensory with unique varieties like Cashmere, Comet, Triumph, El Dorado, and many more. Sourced directly from growers and processed at BSG’s FSSC-certified facility in Yakima to bring you only the very best hops, from farmer to fermenter. For contracting, spot sales, and more info, reach out to us at [email protected]
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer’s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. With a full suite of craft-specific features, no contracts, and no monthly fees, Arryved provides the necessary tools to help your brewery grow. Go to Arryved.com (https://www.arryved.com) to set up a free, customized demo. Arryved.com (https://www.arryved.com). Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Mettler Toledo, Inc. (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html): Are you looking for the tools to make your next improvements in process and quality control? The Mettler Toledo InPro 8630i is the ideal sensor for combined color and turbidity measurement in lautering, filtration and phase shift operations. Robust, compact and easy to handle, it supports consistency in beer processing. The InTap portable oxygen meter gives you readings wherever you need them. Flexible in production for verification, while purging, or for troubleshooting - your perfect helping hand. Contact us (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html) today to find out more!
4/8/2022 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 52 seconds
232: Raf Souvereyns of Bokke Is Blending Lambic with Fruit and New Perspective
Last year, Raf Souvereyns produced virtually no beer. A debilitating and still-mysterious illness kept him largely out of his Bokke blendery and often in the hospital. Now he must live with the condition, without knowing if or when it will strike again. Yet he is back in his blendery, working, upbeat, with a refreshed outlook and plenty of ideas for what he wants to do with his life and his beer.
In this episode of the podcast, he discusses:
The challenge of running a small-scale, palate-dependent blendery when also facing difficult personal health issues
Rethinking the blendery's production processes by investing in equipment to reduce manual labor wherever that labor doesn't improve the beer
Working less, but at higher quality
Searching and developing local sources for heirloom fruit varieties that create better flavor in fruit beers
Timing fruit picking to maximize ripeness, at the expense of timing and flexibility
Utilizing underappreciated elements of fruit, like skin, pits, and leaves, that make valuable flavor contributions
Refermentation strategies for limiting oxidation and maximizing flavor in fruit beers
Thinking about lambic and gueuze as "low-intervention" more than "natural" beers
Aging and blending strategies to improve texture and mouthfeel
And more.
"Making a product that’s different—everyone can do that," says Souvereyns. "Everyone can piss in a bottle. But making a product that’s different and also very tasty, not just unique but also something new and refreshing—that’s something different. That’s what I’m aiming for, of course."
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Get back to the future with Weyermann® Isaria 1924®. Made from the oldest German malting barley variety, Isaria shows malty-sweet flavor and a soft, biscuit-like aroma. This heirloom malt makes amazing traditional Bavarian-style lagers, not to mention modern craft lagers and malt-forward ales. For more info, samples, and orders please visit go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Mettler Toledo, Inc. (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html): Are you looking for the tools to make your next improvements in process and quality control? The Mettler Toledo InPro 8630i is the ideal sensor for combined color and turbidity measurement in lautering, filtration and phase shift operations. Robust, compact and easy to handle, it supports consistency in beer processing. The InTap portable oxygen meter gives you readings wherever you need them. Flexible in production for verification, while purging, or for troubleshooting - your perfect helping hand. Contact us (https://www.mt.com/global/en/home/products/Process-Analytics.html) today to find out more!
4/2/2022 • 1 hour, 39 minutes, 21 seconds
231: Cameron Owen of The Eighth State Can’t Afford to be Average
The Eighth State (https://eighthstatebrewing.com) is small—very small. The three-barrel, open-vessel brewhouse sits adjacent to the taproom, with brewing gear spilling over on days when they’re not open. Barrels are packed into every inch of unused space, while an assortment of plants help to create a more comfortable vibe in the small ground-floor space. It feels cluttered yet relaxed—in that way that suggests creative minds are at work—and cofounder/head brewer Cameron Owen is determined to have some serious fun.
This tiny brewery has earned an outsized reputation for their flavorful beers—from tart fruit beers to ingredient-heavy barrel-aged stouts. Despite the limited capacity, Owens is committed to doing things his way—even if that means more tank time and slower turns—to get the exact flavors he wants.
In this episode of the podcast, focused on tart fruit beers and ingredient-laden stouts, he discusses:
using a solera process with Lacto and Sacch cultures to create the base for fruit beers
packing tart fruit sours with live cultures, but including sulfites to prevent refermentation
achieving “wild” flavors and minimizing sulfur expression without Brettanomyces
making complex beers more accessible to customers
blending fruits for contrast and juxtaposition, finding counter-notes while creating tension
achieving vegan-friendly results without lactose
building multiple layers of flavor in big barrel-aged beers
adjusting the multi-day brew schedule for bigger beers, to aid fermentation
using a two-step process for certain ingredient additions, to increase impact
And more.
At The Eight State, their goal is to stand out. They want to be exclusive but not impossible to get. Most importantly, for a brewery their size, they aim to keep excitement high and keep people coming through that door. As Owens says, “I really can’t afford to just be average.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support from this episode comes from BSG and The Malt Haus by Rahr. The Malt Haus is your online source for cool and exclusive Rahr Malting Co. gear that you can’t get anywhere else. T-shirts, hoodies, hats, socks, glassware, and even gear for your pets. Rep the malt you brew with and look sharp doing it! Take the tradition home at themalthaus.com (https://themalthaus.com/ecommerce/)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Hop Revolution (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz): If you’re looking for a direct partnership with an independent hop grower who is as fanatical about flavour and quality as you are, join the revolution! Hop Revolution’s only reason for being is sustainably farming and processing New Zealand’s most flavoursome hops. They get that great beer is not brewed to a past or a future ideal. It’s an ongoing journey of fresh thinking. Hop Revolution really is only here for your beer. Let them flavour your thinking stateside directly from Hop Revolution, or through Crosby Hops or Mill95. Learn more @ HopRevolution.co.nz (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz).
3/26/2022 • 1 hour, 22 minutes, 40 seconds
230: The Bitter Truth About Belgian Beer With Nino Bacelle of De Ranke
When Nino Bacelle and Guido Devos started homebrewing together in the 80’s, Belgian beer was in the midst of a sea change. Consolidation was afoot as larger industrial breweries swallowed up smaller concerns, while an earlier generation of brewers had reached retirement age with few of the younger generation interested in carrying on the brewing tradition. The beers that they loved and grew up drinking were disappearing—subsumed by a wave of sweeter mass-produced crowd-pleasing beers. To be fair, there were (and continue to be) some historical holdouts. But generally speaking, bitterness was slowly leaving the lexicon of Belgian brewing.
Bacelle, who grew up around beer (his father was a guezesteker, or blender, but did not brew), longed for the beers he had tasted growing up. Together with homebrewing partner Devos, he decided to launch a beer brand, De Ranke (https://www.deranke.be), to address the opportunity they saw in the market for beer that embraced bitterness. First was their Guldenberg Tripel, followed closely by what is now considered a paragon of hop-forward beer, the aptly named XX Bitter.
Today, these beers feel familiar, but they were groundbreaking in their time and remain somewhat unique today due to the peculiarities of De Ranke’s process. In this episode, Bacelle explains that process and more, including:
The challenges of buying and brewing with whole cone hops
Working with growers to source local Belgian hops
Understanding the qualitative difference between whole cone and pellet hops
Brewing with a kettle purposely designed for whole cone hops
Using closed fermentation vessels to mimic open fermentation
Two-stage cellaring with a free-rise fermentation followed by a cooler secondary fermentation then bottle conditioning
Stylistic changes over time in classic Belgian abbey styles
Differences in hop terroir
De Ranke’s blended approach to acid-forward beer
And more.
“The Belgian public is so used to sweetness from all the industrial beers they know,” says Bacelle. “Sweetness is easy selling, and bitterness needs a public that is more aware … and is willing to experience other tastes.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode brought to you by BSG and Rahr Malting Co., the home of fossil-free malt. Rahr’s headquarters in Shakopee, Minnesota is powered by renewable electricity. Malthouses and kilns are fed by an electrostatic boiler fueled by agricultural byproducts, much of which is waste from the malting process. By eliminating the use of natural gas, Rahr Malting Co. reduces CO2 emissions by 260,000 tons per year while filling 25% of the US brewing industry’s malt needs. Put the power of Rahr Malt in your beer at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Hop Revolution (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz): If you’re looking for a direct partnership with an independent hop grower who is as fanatical about flavour and quality as you are, join the revolution! Hop Revolution’s only reason for being is sustainably farming and processing New Zealand’s most flavoursome hops. They get that great beer is not brewed to a past or a future ideal. It’s an ongoing journey of fresh thinking. Hop Revolution really is only here for your beer. Let them flavour your thinking stateside directly from Hop Revolution, or through Crosby Hops or Mill95. Learn more @ HopRevolution.co.nz (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz).
3/18/2022 • 59 minutes, 58 seconds
229: Au Baron’s Xavier Ballieux Carries on the Family Farmhouse-Brewing Tradition
It’s a striking spot for a brewery—the site of a former mill on a winding stream, with the village church looming overhead. Out behind Brasserie Au Baron (http://www.brasserieaubaron.com/) in Gussignies, you can literally throw a rock and hit Belgium in the neighbor’s front yard. Yet this is a French brewery, officially, even if its influences are many—the traditions of Hainaut saison and French bière de garde mingle in beers such as Cuvée des Jonquilles and Saint-Medard, leaning into a distinctive heirloom yeast strain and locally grown ingredients.
Brewing runs in the Ballieux family; while Xavier Ballieux represents the second generation to run Brasserie Au Baron, his grandfather Roger brewed in Belgium, France, and the Congo, moving from brewery to brewery as 20th century industry consolidation shuttered one after another. In his later years he advised his son Alain on setting up a brewhouse at the family restaurant in Gussignies. Their idea was to brew beers like those farmhouse ales that Roger remembered from his younger days in Hainaut.
In this episode of the podcast, recorded at the brewery in Gussignies, Xavier Ballieux shares the story of their family trade and approach to brewing rustic ales. Among other topics, he also discusses the character and temperamental nature of their house yeast culture, which was originally sourced by his grandfather; his own perspective on the difference between saison and bière de garde; the use of elderberries in the darker version of the Saison Saint-Medard; and much more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode is brought to you by BSG, exclusive distributors of Rahr Malting Co. Since 1847, Rahr malt has been a benchmark of quality and consistency for brewers, from the 19th century through today’s craft beer pioneers. Whether you’re creating classic lagers, resin-clouded hazies, or barrel-aged behemoths, inspired malts like Rahr North Star Pils, Malted Oats, and more are here to make your brewing dreams a reality. Get in touch today at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Hop Revolution (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz): If you’re looking for a direct partnership with an independent hop grower who is as fanatical about flavour and quality as you are, join the revolution! Hop Revolution’s only reason for being is sustainably farming and processing New Zealand’s most flavoursome hops. They get that great beer is not brewed to a past or a future ideal. It’s an ongoing journey of fresh thinking. Hop Revolution really is only here for your beer. Let them flavour your thinking stateside directly from Hop Revolution, or through Crosby Hops or Mill95. Learn more @ HopRevolution.co.nz (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz).
3/11/2022 • 57 minutes, 12 seconds
228: Paula Yunes and Valéry De Breucker of Brasserie Atrium Are Shaking Things Up in the Famenne
She’s a native Brazilian, beer sommelier, and former reality TV host. He’s a Brussels native who has worked in every aspect of the industry, including the brewhouse at Fantôme. Together, Paula Yunes and husband Valéry De Breucker launched a brewery in Belgium’s Luxembourg province. Now, Brasserie Atrium (https://en.brasserieatrium.be), is turning heads with fresh takes on saison and other classics while turning up the heat with trendier styles such as hazy IPA and barrel-aged stout.
It’s no small task to launch a new brewery in Belgium and gain acceptance for it there. Belgian beer lovers have their established brands, and their brewing community is relatively slow to change. However, the small town of Marche-en-Famenne, near Rochefort, was the right place for them to launch—the street they’re on is Rue de Brasseurs (Brewer’s Street), after all. And grabbing a European Beer Star gold medal for their saison, The One, is the kind of thing that tends to get people’s attention.
In this episode, Yunes and De Bruecker discuss:
building a more expansive idea of beer in a conservative beer market
their cooperative process of developing recipes together
creating a local, small-town brewery with cosmopolitan influences
the business-driven need to break from tradition
brewing a noteworthy, award-winning saison in a country known for them
using local water and yeast with glucoamylase enzyme toward the end of fermentation, to get their saison to full dryness
brewing hazy IPA with the Belgian twist of house abbey yeast
using high mash temperatures along with wheat and oats to build body
the challenge of using Brazilian woods such as amburana and cumaru for barrel-aging
breaking down the gender barrier in Belgian brewing
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from Hop Solutions by BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/). The Hop Solutions portfolio is a joint effort between the brewers, hop specialists, and brewing scientists of BSG and the Rahr Technical Center that takes a flavor-first, application-specific approach to hops. Whether you’re seeking biotransformation in a juicy IPA or dialing in a classic West Coast profile, BSG has a Hop Solution for that. Get in touch with the hop nerds at BSG by emailing [email protected] for samples, spots, and contracts.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Hop Revolution (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz): If you’re looking for a direct partnership with an independent hop grower who is as fanatical about flavour and quality as you are, join the revolution! Hop Revolution’s only reason for being is sustainably farming and processing New Zealand’s most flavoursome hops. They get that great beer is not brewed to a past or a future ideal. It’s an ongoing journey of fresh thinking. Hop Revolution really is only here for your beer. Let them flavour your thinking stateside directly from Hop Revolution, or through Crosby Hops or Mill95. Learn more @ HopRevolution.co.nz (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz).
3/4/2022 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 10 seconds
227: Tom Jacobs of Antidoot Is Searching For Simplicity
Antidoot’s (https://www.antidoot.be) Tom Jacobs didn’t set out with the goal of launching a brewery. It was more a natural outgrowth of his and his brother’s homebrewing, which grew too large to remain just a hobby. Still, Jacobs pursues every one of the small batches they brew with the exploratory zeal that informed their homebrewing days.
The brewery and batches are small, intentionally, for two reasons. First, Jacobs is not willing to compromise their creative vision to achieve the scale necessary for a larger corporate entity. Second, they prefer to use the fruit and herbs from their own trees, grapevines, orchard, and gardens—something only viable at their minuscule size.
Despite their self-imposed guardrails, Antidoot forgoes other mainstream brewing conventions such as style categories because, as Jacobs says, “It’s hard for people to appreciate things without a concept, but if you give them a concept, they judge against the concept.” Moving beyond preconceived notions of what a beer should be, and encouraging drinkers to approach the beer on its own terms, with an open mind, is Antidoot’s raison d’être.
In this episode, Jacobs discusses:
building a self-sufficient, agriculture-driven lifestyle with a seasonal approach to brewing and growing
finding a brewing mode between ester-forward Belgian beers and too-acidic sour beers
foregoing the one-dimensional term “sour”
blending acidity with bitterness
using diverse herbs for bittering, such as gentian and wormwood
selecting for wild Saccharomyces over Brettanomyces to preserve terroir flavors and nuance
brewing wild cider without losing apple character
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/). Did you know that BSG sources hops directly from growers and processes them in their FSSC-certified facility in the Yakima Valley? From Azacca to Zappa, BSG’s hops are pelletized for optimal dispersion in the boiler or FV, and packaged in nitrogen-flushed bags to preserve all those tasty and enticing aromatics. To learn more about how your hops go from farmer to fermenter, get in touch with BSG at [email protected]
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Hop Revolution (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz): If you’re looking for a direct partnership with an independent hop grower who is as fanatical about flavour and quality as you are, join the revolution! Hop Revolution’s only reason for being is sustainably farming and processing New Zealand’s most flavoursome hops. They get that great beer is not brewed to a past or a future ideal. It’s an ongoing journey of fresh thinking. Hop Revolution really is only here for your beer. Let them flavour your thinking stateside directly from Hop Revolution, or through Crosby Hops or Mill95. Learn more @ HopRevolution.co.nz (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz).
2/25/2022 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 25 seconds
226: For Cantillon’s Jean Van Roy, Brewing Comes Naturally
History can be a heavy weight to bear. Being caretakers for a legacy and advocates for a tradition can win you credibility in small circles, but such victories seem inconsequential in the face of an industry and consumer tide that rolls toward simpler tastes. Cantillon, founded in 1900, survived the industry consolidation and shifting consumer tastes of the 20th century, when the number of Brussels lambic breweries dwindled from dozens to just one. While a cadre of diehards appreciated their adherence to tradition, it was the Jean-Pierre Van Roy’s decision to open as a tourist-focused museum that actually kept the business afloat.
When interest in craft brewing began to rise toward the end of the century, Cantillon saw ripples that broke into serious waves over the past couple of decades. Today, they stand at the pinnacle—not just as one of Belgium’s most respected lambic breweries, but also as one of the finest examples of artful brewing anywhere in the world.
In this episode, recorded in Cantillon’s second-floor tasting room, fourth-generation brewer Jean Van Roy recounts that storied past while discussing how the brewery has adapted to the current environment, embracing an energetic, winery-like approach to making beer. He discusses:
the necessity of keeping an active hand in the production of every beer
brewing in a living building that actively impacts the beer
following the vision of his family while discovering his own natural way to work
the turbid mash process using two boil kettles in the vintage 1800s brewhouse
picking up blending skills without learning them
utilizing long boils to decrease the cheesy flavors in aged hops
hop varieties used in Cantillon lambic
embracing the natural microflora
allowing Pediococcus to work by not pre-acidifying the wort
the ideal temperature range for lambic brewing and impacts of climate change
sustainability measures at the historic brewery
fruit philosophy and techniques
mixing wine lees and lambic in barrel-aged beers such as La Vie Est Belge
their sensory approach to fruit maceration
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG and Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. SafBrew LD-20 is a new all-in-one Saccharomyces Pastorianus yeast and enzyme blend designed to produce lower-carb, dry lager beers. SafBrew LD-20 is capable of high attenuation at low temperatures, making it the perfect choice for clean lagers with very low residual sugars. To harness the power of SafBrew LD-20, or to learn more about Fermentis’s range of fermentation solutions, get in touch with BSG at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Hop Revolution (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz): If you’re looking for a direct partnership with an independent hop grower who is as fanatical about flavour and quality as you are, join the revolution! Hop Revolution’s only reason for being is sustainably farming and processing New Zealand’s most flavoursome hops. They get that great beer is not brewed to a past or a future ideal. It’s an ongoing journey of fresh thinking. Hop Revolution really is only here for your beer. Let them flavour your thinking stateside directly from Hop Revolution, or through Crosby Hops or Mill95. Learn more @ HopRevolution.co.nz (https://www.hoprevolution.co.nz).
2/18/2022 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 20 seconds
225: 3 Fonteinen’s Next Generation Is Going from Grain to Gueuze
Groomed by retired master blender Armand Debelder, a new generation has assumed the stewardship of the 3 Fonteinen lambic brewery and blendery in Beersel and Lot, Belgium. Their focus is on preserving their mentor’s approach to brewing, blending, and passion for the lambic tradition, while also looking for ways to root that product more deeply in its history and in its region.
Led by managing director Werner Van Obberghen and brewer Michaël Blancquaert, the 3 Fonteinen team has been navigating the rough seas of the pandemic, looking ahead to ambitious plans for expansion while working to maintain the reputation of 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze. One project, now under way, is to brew lambic using heirloom wheat and barley varieties grown in the region by Pajottenland farmers.
In this episode recorded amongst the barrels of the famed lambic cellar, Van Obberghen and Lukas Van den Abeele—who has done extensive research on the grains—discuss that program as well as how it fits into Debelder’s vision for the future of 3 Fonteinen.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode is brought to you by our friends at BSG. We all know that the best brewing results come from the best ingredients. BSG offers the largest variety of quality ingredients to create outstanding beers. BSG brings the best malt, hops and additives from around the world to your brewhouse. Their knowledgeable and dedicated staff comes from the brewing industry and can assist you in product consultation for your recipe formulation. Contact your dedicated sales or customer support rep, or become a customer at BSGcraft.com/BeACustomer (https://bsgcraft.com/become-a-customer/)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Are you involved in your local Homebrew Club? Want to receive even more benefits? Sign up today for Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Homebrew Club Program. It’s free, and you could have the chance to test out new products before they hit the market, receive exclusive swag, and enjoy discounts on brewing cleaners and sanitizers. Head on over to their website to sign up. You won’t want to miss it.
2/11/2022 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 48 seconds
224: Julia Herz of the American Homebrewers Association Connects the Dots Between Beer and Flavor
Julia Herz is only a couple months into her new role as Executive Director of the American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org), but she's long been a craft beer voice and advocate with deep experience in the realm of food and beer pairing. As the former Craft Beer Program Director for the Brewers Association, she developed a library of resources to help brewers understand the nexus of beer and food, and to increase the number and quality of occasions for beer drinking. Now, in her new role as head of the world’s largest association of homebrewers, she starts her next chapter thinking about how homebrewing, and craft beer in general, can mean more to even more people than it has in the past.
In this episode, Herz discusses:
The immediate challenges to homebrewing and long term goals
Connecting the professional and amateur sides of brewing
Thinking about flavor in a way that’s externally relatable
Understanding the food flavor triangle
Pairing strategies with bridges, links, hooks, and echoes
Developing a mind-palate connection and articulating a language of flavor
Overcoming flavor bias
Making brewing more relevant to those from all walks of like
And more.
“So many brewers are world-class sensory experts when it comes to beer, but I still want to see brewers come along and understand how to describe flavor and what their beers go with,” says Herz. “Winemakers do know how to do that. Winemakers are in that arena, day in and day out.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Get back to the future with Weyermann® Isaria 1924®. Made from the oldest German malting barley variety, Isaria shows malty-sweet flavor and a soft, biscuit-like aroma. This heirloom malt makes amazing traditional Bavarian-style lagers, not to mention modern craft lagers and malt-forward ales. For more info, samples, and orders please visit go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Have you heard of PBW Tablets? Yeah, that’s right, the PBW powder you’ve known and trusted is now in tablet form from Five Star Chemicals. In two sizes-1 per 32 oz and 1 per gallon of water to optimize your cleaning. Simply add one per gallon for all stainless equipment, growlers, kettles, or carboys. Purchase on their website or your favorite homebrew supplier.
2/5/2022 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 49 seconds
223: Matt Sampson of Hacienda Believes in Flavor Over Style
Matt Sampson, director of brewing operations for Hacienda Beer (https://www.haciendabeerco.com) and Door County Brewing (https://www.doorcountybrewingco.com) in Wisconsin, never set out to be a brewer. The PhD chemist figured on life in a lab—but life had something else in store. He found his way into brewing through the side door—vaulting from a somewhat unique position as brand manager and QC tech. That led to cellar and brewing work. Now, years later, Sampson still manages the Hacienda brand while overseeing all brewing for both Hacienda and Door County.
Door County focuses on the reliable, tried-and-true craft standbys. Hacienda, meanwhile, is their hub of experimentation—where flavor and exploration are priorities—and their Milwaukee taproom is the best place to experience it.
In this episode, Sampson focuses on the Hacienda approach, where a focus on tropical flavor spans beer styles, from their high-volume hazy IPAs to their mixed-culture and spontaneous beers. Along the way, he discusses:
focusing on tropical Brettanomyces flavors over “barnyard”
fermenting directly in oak with Brett primaries
transitioning from grown and dreg cultures to commercial pitches
brewing spontaneously with a coolship in the Upper Midwest
foregoing aged hops to allow more tropical hop flavors to emerge
using hops directly in the coolship
understanding Michigan- and Wisconsin-grown hop flavors
taking a fruit-first approach to choosing blending stock
prepping cherries for beer maceration with a carbonic process
controlling THP in finished beer
the importance of dry-hopping every mixed-fermentation beer
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support from this episode comes from BSG and The Malt Haus by Rahr. The Malt Haus is your online source for cool and exclusive Rahr Malting Co. gear that you can’t get anywhere else. T-shirts, hoodies, hats, socks, glassware, and even gear for your pets. Rep the malt you brew with and look sharp doing it! Take the tradition home at themalthaus.com (https://themalthaus.com/ecommerce/)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Are you involved in your local Homebrew Club? Want to receive even more benefits? Sign up today for Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Homebrew Club Program. It’s free, and you could have the chance to test out new products before they hit the market, receive exclusive swag, and enjoy discounts on brewing cleaners and sanitizers. Head on over to their website to sign up. You won’t want to miss it.
2/1/2022 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 4 seconds
222: Good Word’s Todd DiMatteo Goes Big on Little Beers
Todd DiMatteo never intended to head up the production side of Good Word Brewing and Public House (https://goodwordbrewing.com) in Duluth, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. However, after a rocky start with a previous brewer forced him to quickly step up to the brewdeck, he embraced the role with verve. Thankfully, his homebrew experience plus more than a decade serving beer at Atlanta’s legendary Brick Store Pub provided a palate and a point of view—two things that he’s leaned into while further developing Good Word’s beer program.
Small beers are a big deal for DiMatteo. Through collaborations and core brews, he routinely plays across the beer map—from “petite IPA” to Czech-style dark lager and English-style bitter. In this episode, he talks about the challenges and techniques to brewing small beers, including:
sharpening critical faculties to focus on constant improvement
finding inspiration in source material for beer styles
staying respectful of style and naming conventions, in part to keep styles alive and vibrant
key points for maximizing character and minimizing detracting notes in small beers
the value of decoction in low-ABV beers
evaluating ingredients and selecting them for flavor
using multiple lager and ale strains while remaining efficient from a production standpoint
spunding for natural carbonation
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG and Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. SafBrew LD-20 is a new all-in-one Saccharomyces Pastorianus yeast and enzyme blend designed to produce lower-carb, dry lager beers. SafBrew LD-20 is capable of high attenuation at low temperatures, making it the perfect choice for clean lagers with very low residual sugars. To harness the power of SafBrew LD-20, or to learn more about Fermentis’s range of fermentation solutions, get in touch with BSG at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Supply chain challenges are here to stay for a while, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more of concentrate from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes from various carriers and can stay up-to-date on the status of your shipment. To get started on a freight quote for craft concentrates today, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Have you heard of PBW Tablets? Yeah, that’s right, the PBW powder you’ve known and trusted is now in tablet form from Five Star Chemicals. (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Available in two sizes so you can use just one tablet in either 32 ounces or one gallon of water, to optimize your cleaning. Forget measuring, just add a tablet to water and quickly clean all stainless equipment, growlers, kettles, or carboys. Purchase on their website or your favorite homebrew supplier.
1/27/2022 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 31 seconds
221: Jan Chodkowski of Our Mutual Friend Embraces Both the Bold and the Sublime
Denver’s Our Mutual Friend (https://www.buyomfbeer.com) might be better known in brewing circles for their commitment to mixed-culture beers, but ask head brewer Jan Chodkowski, and he’ll admit to being a hophead. It’s no surprise, then, that the case of “palmares” on the brewery wall showcasing their GABF, World Beer Cup, and Craft Beer & Brewing awards is evenly split between funky farmhouse takes such as Saison Trystero and hoppy beers such as Inner Light, their Australian-style pale ale. However, their interest in experimentation doesn’t end there, and they’ve found an enduring customer base that goes along for the ride as they regularly play in polarizing styles such as smoked beer.
In this episode, Chodkowski discusses how they “toss customers into the deep end” with brash but deeply respectful takes on the farmhouse oeuvre from Northern Norway (such as their recent Stjørdalsøl dark smoked beer), a vast array of beers made with a variety of different mixed cultures, and a commitment to ingredient sourcing that informs everything they make.
Chodkowski specifically addresses:
Using alder wood to custom-kiln and smoke malt
Mixing smoked malts for depth in smoked beer
The impact of malt more than yeast in smoked farmhouse beer
Shifting to pils malt to let hops shine
Dry hopping just before terminal for brightness and polish
Evaluating and adjusting beers as regular practice
Fermenting colder with Chico yeast
Using various Brett strains to build layers of flavor
Using multiple commercial mixed-culture pitches for diverse blending stock, rather than a house culture
Using aged hops in farmhouse beers
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode brought to you by BSG and Rahr Malting Co., the home of fossil-free malt. Rahr’s headquarters in Shakopee, Minnesota is powered by renewable electricity. Malthouses and kilns are fed by an electrostatic boiler fueled by agricultural byproducts, much of which is waste from the malting process. By eliminating the use of natural gas, Rahr Malting Co. reduces CO2 emissions by 260,000 tons per year while filling 25% of the US brewing industry’s malt needs. Put the power of Rahr Malt in your beer at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the purée box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area—also known as Beer City, USA—and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Are you involved in your local Homebrew Club? Want to receive even more benefits? Sign up today for Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Homebrew Club Program. It’s free, and you could have the chance to test out new products before they hit the market, receive exclusive swag, and enjoy discounts on brewing cleaners and sanitizers. Head on over to their website to sign up. You won’t want to miss it.
1/19/2022 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 53 seconds
220: Kyle Harrop of Horus Aged Ales Pushes the Edges of Adjunct Technique
If there was a Guinness world record for most beer collaborations, Kyle Harrop of Horus Aged Ales (https://horusbeer.com) would surely hold it. The 400-plus beers Harrup has brewed with other breweries are even more impressive when you consider that brewing is still a side hustle for the full-time accountant.
Today, Horus Aged Ales is known as much for its collaborations as for the beers he brews and releases to club members from his small fermentation warehouse in Oceanside, California. However, one thing that defines all Horus beers is an aggressive yet nuanced approach to using adjunct ingredients.
In this episode, Harrop discusses the myriad of ways he and his collaborators employ adjunct ingredients in the pursuit of flavor, including:
building base beers with eventual ingredient additions in mind, for better balance
brewing barrel-aged beers to high finishing gravities for more robust aging
the best bourbon barrel ages and sources
developing a family of base recipes for aging and blending
developing Cryst-Ale, a barrel-aged beer made with 100 percent crystal malt
ingredient methods and variety selection for coffee, vanilla, and coconut
using difficult adjunct ingredients, such as nuts
pasteurizing for better longevity and flavor
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks along with lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, while developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) This episode is brought to you by BSG, exclusive distributors of Rahr Malting Co. Since 1847, Rahr malt has been a benchmark of quality and consistency for brewers, from the 19th century through today’s craft beer pioneers. Whether you’re creating classic lagers, resin-clouded hazies, or barrel-aged behemoths, inspired malts like Rahr North Star Pils, Malted Oats, and more are here to make your brewing dreams a reality. Get in touch today at go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Is your brewery struggling to source or afford berry ingredients? Historic heatwaves devastated U.S. berry crops, causing supply to dwindle and prices to skyrocket. That’s why brewers are switching over to Old Orchard’s craft concentrate blends, which mimic straight concentrates but at a better price point—and with more reliable supply. Is it any surprise that Old Orchard’s best-sellers are Raspberry and Blackberry flavors? Reclaim your margins and order your craft concentrates at oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Precision Fermentation (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing): BrewMonitor, from Precision Fermentation, is the first real-time, comprehensive fermentation monitoring solution. It works with your existing fermentation tanks to track dissolved oxygen, pH, gravity, pressure, temperature, and conductivity in real-time, from any smartphone, tablet, or PC. BrewMonitor provides detailed insight into your fermentations that helps improve beer consistency, reduce tank-time, and increase overall efficiency–saving your brewery time and money. Get started for 30 days, risk-free. Visit precisionfermentation.com/brewing (https://precisionfermentation.com/brewing).
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com)
Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Have you heard of PBW Tablets? Yeah, that’s right, the PBW powder you’ve known and trusted is now in tablet form from Five Star Chemicals (https://fivestarchemicals.com). Available in two sizes so you can use just one tablet in either 32 ounces or one gallon of water, to optimize your cleaning. Forget measuring, just add a tablet to water and quickly clean all stainless equipment, growlers, kettles, or carboys. Purchase on their website or your favorite homebrew supplier.
1/11/2022 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 30 seconds
219: For Firestone Walker Cofounder David Walker, Innovation and Collaboration Are in Craft Beer’s DNA
For this final episode of 2021, David Walker of Firestone Walker (https://www.firestonebeer.com) (Paso Robles, California) joins the podcast to talk about the brewery’s remarkable evolution—from the earliest days of making pale ale to getting lucky with 805 (and not screwing it up), and accelerating the innovation process in recent years with hop-forward series such as Luponic Distortion and Mind Haze. Walker shares his thoughts on everything from capital investment to risk management, fostering a culture of creativity and quality, and more.
As the brewery continues to grow toward their goal of a million barrels by the end of this decade, they continue to follow concurrent paths that might seem contradictory on the surface, yet they reflect the love, respect, and connection with the idea of craft beer and those fellow brewers who make it. From their small-scale club delivering beers to diehard customers in California to their annual Invitational festival, they continue to sweat the small stuff. Still, scale brings the ability to make bold, values-driven decisions like investing in environmental sustainability, and Walker talks about their moves to reduce water consumption and replace grid power with solar.
“American craft brewers brought flavor and innovation and disruption to a monolithic beer industry worldwide, and they changed the world of beer, and they changed the consumer,” Walker says.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/) This episode is sponsored by BSG CraftBrewing. Explore a whole universe of hop sensory with unique varieties like Cashmere, Comet, Triumph, El Dorado, and many more. Sourced directly from growers and processed at BSG’s FSSC-certified facility in Yakima to bring you only the very best hops, from farmer to fermenter. For contracting, spot sales, and more info, reach out to them at [email protected]
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): What if you could take your favorite recipe and make a nonalcoholic version without sacrificing the flavor, color or beer quality? N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements—like flavor and color—that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? The Alchemator from ProBrew. NA? No Problem! Email [email protected] for more info.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of any and all orders with the code “craftbeer10”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
1/1/2022 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 12 seconds
218: Broken Strings’ Charles Frizzell Believes That More is More in Flavor-Forward Beers
Brewing is in the family for Broken Strings (https://www.brokenstringsbrewery.com) founder Charles Frizzell. His grandfather spent the better part of his brewing career at Puerto Rico’s Corona, and he grew up hearing the stories. Today, Frizzell brews very different beer, and at a very different scale, than his grandfather did. Yet doing it right is a matter of family pride.
Like many Florida breweries, Broken Strings is unapologetic about brewing flamboyant, flavor-forward beers, indexing first and foremost for customer happiness. Still, Frizzell is guided by a primary directive, no matter what style he’s brewing: to make beer that he’s proud of.
That mission gets tested when he brews their house Kölsch—via three decoctions—on their small three-barrel system. It’s tested even more when brewing creative “soda sour” beers based on soft drinks. Figuring out how to reconstruct the flavors—but with natural ingredients and in a way that works with the acidity, alcohol, and malt inherent in beer—is a true culinary challenge.
In this episode, Frizzell discusses how he builds and brews these flavor-forward beers, including:
strategically balancing extracts with fruit and purée, to maximize intensity without tasting and smelling synthetic
kettle-souring for clean and accessible acidity
how to get the most from pricey fruit and spices
using hop products to maximize yield on a small system
brewing like a chef
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks and lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (go.bsgcraft.com/T-45) Support for this episode comes from BSG CraftBrewing. Announcing a cool new product offering…T-45 lupulin enriched hop pellets. More efficient than T-90s, T-45 hop pellets contain a higher concentration of aromatic oils and bittering resins, with a reduced level of polyphenols and plant material. This means a big delicious hop flavor with fewer pounds per barrel, creating a more cost-efficient and sustainable beer production thanks to reduced wort losses. Supplies are limited – secure your order today at go.bsgcraft.com/T-45 (https://go.bsgcraft.com/T-45)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery production to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for more info!
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of any and all orders with the code “craftbeer10”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
12/22/2021 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 49 seconds
217: North Park Beer’s Kelsey McNair Is Making Better West Coast IPA By Tinkering with Hazies
Kelsey McNair of San Diego’s North Park Beer (https://www.northparkbeerco.com) still can’t quite fathom how the brewery walked away with two medals in IPA categories in the 2021 Great American Beer Festival—a silver for their Art Is Hard hazy IPA, and a bronze for their imperial IPA, Army of the Kinda Dead-ish.
On the surface, it looks improbable—while they’re both IPAs, their executions are very different. However, McNair says their exploration of hazy-IPA brewing techniques that made the medal for their imperial West Coast IPA possible. Specifically, he says it’s the reduction in heat and their move to minimize the amount of boiled hops that has led to marked change in the quality of their IPAs, regardless of style.
On the hazy side, Art is Hard doesn’t see hops until the fermentor (and when it does, they’re not your standard T-90 pellets). On the West Coast side, extensive use of late hopping and advanced hop products mean less vegetal matter and less cooked-hops flavors.
In this episode, McNair outlines their medal-winning approach, touching on:
- building a better platform for hop flavor with pilsner malt
- the benefit of lower-temperature hop stands
- recirculating while dry-hopping with a whirlpool arm inside the fermentor
- using Cryo, Lupomax, and Incognito to increase hop saturation
- building hop blends
- the non-linear nature of hop loads in relation to gravity
- increasing bitterness in canned IPAs to extend their shelf life
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by our friends at BSG. We all know that the best brewing results come from the best ingredients. BSG offers the largest variety of quality ingredients to create outstanding beers. BSG brings the best malt, hops and additives from around the world to your brewhouse. Their knowledgeable and dedicated staff comes from the brewing industry and can assist you in product consultation for your recipe formulation. Contact your dedicated sales or customer support rep, or become a customer at BSGcraft.com/BeACustomer (https://bsgcraft.com/beacustomer)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Still emptying those overflowing wastebins of crushed, low-fills or under carbonated cans every canning day? It’s time to Fill Like a Pro. ProFill Can fillers from ProBrew use rotary, true-counter-pressure-gravity filling and seaming technology to run at speeds of 100 to 300 cans per minute with minimal DO pickup. Stop wasting perfectly good beer. Email ProBrew at [email protected] today!
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of any and all orders with the code “craftbeer10”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
12/13/2021 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 38 seconds
216: Lars Marius Garshol Is Doing the Research and Shifting the Paradigms
Few people have been as influential in adding to what we know about traditional brewing and changing how we think about fermentation and farmhouse brewing than Lars Marius Garshol. On his blog and in his books, the Norwegian author of Historical Brewing Techniques: The Lost Art of Farmhouse Brewing (https://beerandbrewing.com/editors-pick-historical-brewing-techniques/) has embraced an obsession with learning more about traditional techniques and heirloom yeasts, and that has led to some major shifts in how we understand brewing and fermentation. Besides being largely responsible for introducing kveik (https://beerandbrewing.com/brewing-with-kveik-what-have-we-learned-so-far/) and its dynamic properties to the wider world, his research has forced a needed correction in the meaning of “farmhouse brewing.”
In this episode, Garshol discusses:
- The rich farmhouse brewing traditions of Norway, the Baltics, and Russia
- Understanding the difference between cultures and the commercially cultivated single strains
- Sensory impacts of different kveik yeasts
- The beers that Norwegian farmhouse brewers make with kveik
- How common technology like the oven has impacted farmhouse brewing through the centuries
- The vast work that's left to do in fully covering the subject of farmhouse brewing
and more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks and lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is sponsored by BSG CraftBrewing. Explore a whole universe of hop sensory with unique varieties like Cashmere, Comet, Triumph, El Dorado, and many more. Sourced directly from growers and processed at BSG’s FSSC-certified facility in Yakima to bring you only the very best hops, from farmer to fermenter. For contracting, spot sales, and more info, reach out to us at [email protected] (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/).
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): What if you could take your favorite recipe and make a nonalcoholic version without sacrificing the flavor, color or beer quality? N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com). NA? No Problem! Email [email protected] for more info.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of any and all orders with the code “craftbeer10”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
12/6/2021 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 30 seconds
215: Browar Pinta’s Paweł Maslowski and Bart Ociesa Apply Modern Creativity to Classic Styles
American brewers have long been influenced by European brewing traditions, but what happens when European brewers take some of those American twists and apply them to their own beers? Poland’s Browar Pinta (http://www.browarpinta.pl/en/) answers that question, as the 10-year-old brewery puts a Pacific Northwest hop spin on Baltic porter while embraces hazy New England-style IPAs and barrel-aged imperial stout.
In this episode, managing director Paweł Maslowski and head brewer Bart Ociesa explain the inspirations that have led to dynamic growth for the small brewery, founded in 2011. Along the way, they discuss:
Hopping strategy for Baltic porter with American hops
Dialing in water with the perfect chloride ratio
Keeping pH in the right range to avoid astringency
Brewing Grodziskie
Balancing bitterness in a sub-3 percent ABV beer with 100 percent smoked malt and 25 IBUs
The importance of carbonation
The importance of freshness in smoked malt
Smoked malt’s flavor impact as a function of overall amount, not percentage
Barrel-aging stout and barleywine
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Support for this episode comes from BSG CraftBrewing. Announcing a cool new product offering…T-45 lupulin enriched hop pellets. More efficient than T-90s, T-45 hop pellets contain a higher concentration of aromatic oils and bittering resins, with a reduced level of polyphenols and plant material. This means a big delicious hop flavor with fewer pounds per barrel, creating a more cost-efficient and sustainable beer production thanks to reduced wort losses. Supplies are limited – secure your order today at go.bsgcraft.com/T-45 (https://go.bsgcraft.com/T-45)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery production to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for more info!
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of any and all orders with the code “craftbeer10”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
11/29/2021 • 57 minutes, 28 seconds
214: Special Episode: Our Craft Beer & Brewing Writers Share Their Personal Bests of 2021
Whether they’re out there talking to brewers, publicans, distributors, scientists, hop growers, or other experts to learn whatever they can for our magazine articles, or whether they’re more focused on tasting and critiquing the latest creations and trends, our contributing writers and editors spend a disproportionate and extravagant amount of time simply thinking about beer.
Every now and then, it’s fruitful to ask their thoughts.
In our Best in Beer 2021 issue, out now (https://beerandbrewing.com/profile/subscription/), you can find our complete Critic’s Lists in addition to your Readers’ Choice picks, our 20 Best Beers in 2021, and much more. In this special, one-a-year episode of the podcast, we let our writers share their top beers of the past year, their thoughts on wht they loved them, plus some added observations on the latest trends and what ought to come next.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks and lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by our friends at BSG. We all know that the best brewing results come from the best ingredients. BSG offers the largest variety of quality ingredients to create outstanding beers. BSG brings the best malt, hops and additives from around the world to your brewhouse. Their knowledgeable and dedicated staff comes from the brewing industry and can assist you in product consultation for your recipe formulation. Contact your dedicated sales or customer support rep, or become a customer at BSGcraft.com/BeACustomer (https://bsgcraft.com/beacustomer)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Still emptying those overflowing wastebins of crushed, low-fills or under carbonated cans every canning day? It’s time to Fill Like a Pro. ProFill Can fillers from ProBrew use rotary, true-counter-pressure-gravity filling and seaming technology to run at speeds of 100 to 300 cans per minute with minimal DO pickup. Stop wasting perfectly good beer. Email ProBrew at [email protected] today!
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of any and all orders with the code “craftbeer10”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
11/19/2021 • 1 hour, 51 minutes, 2 seconds
213: Special Episode: The Best in Beer 2021
It’s been another challenging year for hospitality, for get-togethers, for travel, and thus for beer—yet despite it all, our blind review panel, editors, and writers at Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® have tasted through thousands of beers, meticulously cataloguing our opinions to arrive at what we believe are the very finest. That yearlong process culminates in the December-January issue, which features the Best 20 Beers in 2021. (It’s available now (https://beerandbrewing.com/profile/subscription/).)
In this annual special edition of the podcast, we share the stories behind the selection of these 20 pinnacles of craft brewing, and we walk through the results of our reader survey in which you shared your thoughts on the top beers and breweries right now.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is sponsored by BSG CraftBrewing. Explore a whole universe of hop sensory with unique varieties like Cashmere, Comet, Triumph, El Dorado, and many more. Sourced directly from growers and processed at BSG’s FSSC-certified facility in Yakima to bring you only the very best hops, from farmer to fermenter. For contracting, spot sales, and more info, reach out to us at [email protected] (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/).
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): What if you could take your favorite recipe and make a nonalcoholic version without sacrificing the flavor, color or beer quality? N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com). NA? No Problem! Email [email protected] for more info.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of any and all orders with the code “craftbeer10”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
11/11/2021 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 55 seconds
212: Primitive Beer’s Lisa and Brandon Boldt Apply Science to the Romance of Spontaneous Fermentation
Launching any brewery is difficult, but launching one that only makes spontaneously fermented beer means total committment to a process that takes years from brew day to beer release. Still, Lisa and Brandon Boldt of Primitive Beer (https://primitive.beer) in Longmont, Colorado, inspired by Belgian lambic brewers and blenders, made the conscious choice to focus exclusively on spontaneously fermented beer. Why not add something else to the repertoire? Because they’re afraid they might be successful at it, and that success would distract them from that core focus.
That patience and commitment have paid off. The brewery is in the process of moving from part-time project to full-time livelihood for Brandon, as maturing barrels finally reach the point where sales volume might justify a full-time employee. In 2019, a Great American Beer Festival silver medal for Experimental Beer was a powerful suggestion that they were on to something interesting—despite the high and dry Colorado conditions that aren’t especially favorable to spontaneous fermentation. That challenging environment has led them to tinkering and lessons learned that should expand the time-worn canon of spontaneous brewing technique. They’re not bucking tradition; they’re using additional tools to set up their fermentations with the best chance of success.
In this episode of the podcast, they discuss:
giving the business a runway and time for the beer to mature before it can be sold at scale
adjusting brew volumes to offset changing evaporation and volume loss in the coolship
the significant impact of hopping rate on fermentation development
their ambient culture’s growing strength and tolerance for higher hopping rates
the arc of fermentation, as bacteria and yeast work in different phases
customizing brewhouse vessels to facilitate turbid mashes and fast transfers
the impact of knockout temperature on the flavors of spontaneously fermented beers
barrel selection in the dry environment
blending methodology, and the use and selection of fruit
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): What if you could chill your beer with a more efficient chiller? The Answer? G&D Chillers new Micro Channel Condensers! G&D’s Micro Channel Condensers are highly efficient in hotter regions, use a fraction of the refrigerant over traditional chillers which provides less opportunity for leaks and lower global warming potential. G&D Chillers’ Engineers are committed to green technology design, developing a more energy efficient chiller for the brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Support for this episode comes from BSG CraftBrewing. Announcing a cool new product offering…T-45 lupulin enriched hop pellets. More efficient than T-90s, T-45 hop pellets contain a higher concentration of aromatic oils and bittering resins, with a reduced level of polyphenols and plant material. This means a big delicious hop flavor with fewer pounds per barrel, creating a more cost-efficient and sustainable beer production thanks to reduced wort losses. Supplies are limited – secure your order today at go.bsgcraft.com/T-45 (https://go.bsgcraft.com/T-45)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery production to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for more info!
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Hey nano-brewers! Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, soon offering our dry ale and lager yeasts in flexible 100g packaging. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com)
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
11/8/2021 • 1 hour, 28 minutes, 10 seconds
211: Central Standard’s Ian Crane and Nathan Jackel Create Big Flavor in Small Farmhouse Beers
With GABF gold and silver medals for their mixed-culture grisette, Standard Issue, plus gold for Norwegian-style raw ale Pushing Trees, the brewers at Central Standard (https://www.centralstandardbrewing.com) have established themselves not only as risk-takers but also as disciplined practitioners on the more obscure fringes of the craft. Their accolades have not arrived by accident—they are a product of deep study, practice, repetition, and iteration.
In this episode, Ian Crane and Nathan Jackel discuss:
Building and maintaining their mixed culture
Adjusting IBUs to control acidity, and blending aged and newer hops for the perfect flavor
Spurring momentum in mixed fermentations
Building recipes connected to place using local grains
Balancing more intensely flavored grains such as toasted buckwheat
Reinvigorating the mixed culture with doses of Saccharomyces yeast every few years
Successfully harnessing kveiks
Brewing no-boil raw ale
Maximizing the impact of atypical ingredients through long steeping
Increasing yields in hoppy beers with modern hop products
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Even the best yeast deserves a helping hand with seltzer fermentation, which is why Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient ensures reliable and complete fermentation of a seltzer base, while providing a clean, neutral fermentation profile. Not to mention it provides all the essential nutrients required by yeast for production of hard seltzer bases fermented from those sweet refined sugars. Give your seltzer yeast a boost by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) and searching for Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient, or call BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Still emptying those overflowing wastebins of crushed, low-fills or under carbonated cans every canning day? It’s time to Fill Like a Pro. ProFill Can fillers from ProBrew use rotary, true-counter-pressure-gravity filling and seaming technology to run at speeds of 100 to 300 cans per minute with minimal DO pickup. Stop wasting perfectly good beer. Email ProBrew at [email protected] today!
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Working on a new sour beer? Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, now offering an expanding range of dry bacteria for the production of sour beers. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
10/28/2021 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 28 seconds
210: Lacie Bray and Andy Coates of Ozark Beer Prove Accessibility Doesn’t Mean Sacrificing Character
When Lacie Bray and Andy Coates, the founders of Ozark Beer (https://www.ozarkbeercompany.com) in Rogers and Bentonville, Arkansas, began planning their brewery, it wasn’t yet legal to sell beer in Benton County and you could count the number of breweries in the state on one hand. But cultural and business changes were underway in the home of retail giant Walmart, and over the past decade they’ve grown in concert with the population and the culinary/hospitality world around them.
In this episode, Bray and Coates discuss:
Designing beer for a market new to craft beer
Working through the challenges of difficult alcohol laws
Dialing in flavors that are attractive and interesting without being overwhelming
Ingredient choices for longevity in packaging
Using the Edinburgh strain as their house ale strain
The value of Chinook in amplifying the character of other hops
Creating craft lager that’s distinctive without referencing European styles
Finding language that makes craft styles appealing to broad audiences
The construction of BDCS (Bourbon Double Cream Stout), their annual barrel-aged stout
The importance of fresh barrels
and more.
For more on Ozark Beer, see the cover story in the Fall 2021 issue (https://brewingindustryguide.com/ozark-beer-is-a-blue-collar-business-rooted-in-the-natural-state/) of the Brewing Industry Guide.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): What if you could take your favorite recipe and make a nonalcoholic version without sacrificing the flavor, color or beer quality? N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com). NA? No Problem! Email [email protected] for more info.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Looking for a good lager yeast? Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, providing brewers large and small with the most complete portfolio of dry lager yeast available anywhere. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).”
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
10/22/2021 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 16 seconds
209: Kelvin Kolheim of Beale Street Connects Through Flavor
Beale Street Brewing (http://bealestbrewing.com) founder Kelvin Kolheim has always been a flavor enthusiast. From coffee and tea to different culinary traditions, he’s spent his life sampling and filing away those memories of flavor. Today, with his small beer brand—soon to have a brewery home of its own—Kolheim pulls from that vast mental library as he designs beers to connect with a variety of people, from adventurous drinkers to those who might not consider themselves craft beer fans at all. The common thread, of course, is flavor.
In this episode, Kolheim discusses:
his process of reverse-engineering flavors
the creative process from start to finish—or finish to start, in some cases
lowering bitterness and warming up the tone with elements such as honey malt
brewing hazy IPAs with modern hop products on the hot side and traditional dry hopping
building acid-forward fruit beers without a Lacto souring process
the additive method for finding the right balance of ingredients
Among other topics, he also dives into the ways in which the brewery connects with the community by honoring influential public figures—such as musicians, sports stars, and more—but always respectfully and with permission. From soul to blues to hip hop, Beale Street Brewing connects legendary music to great beer.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery production to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for more info!
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Hey nano-brewers! Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, soon offering our dry ale and lager yeasts in flexible 100g packaging. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com)
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
10/17/2021 • 55 minutes, 50 seconds
208: Scratch’s Marika Josephson and Aaron Kleidon Brew with the Seasons
“People who visit the space, they understand and get that there’s this intimate quality to the beer,” says Aaron Kleidon, cofounder of Scratch Brewing in Ava, Illinois. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a desire to add weird things to a beer just for the sake of adding weird things.”
In the context of American beer today, Scratch (https://www.scratchbeer.com) is decidedly weird. From their focus on various ingredients foraged from the property to their intensely manual brewing process, it’s clear that Scratch is an exercise in exploring a different idea about beer—one rooted in place and time.
You don’t find many breweries whose yeast choice is determined by the ambient temperature of their water or the ambient temperature of the fermentation cellar, but that’s how Scratch works. That often means pitching their house sourdough culture (https://beerandbrewing.com/editors-notebook-brewing-with-sourdough-culture-at-scratch/)—the same culture they use for their bread and pizza crust—in the warmer months, while turning instead to brewing lagers in the colder months. You also don’t find many brewers that change up their brewing schedule because a storm took down a tree, and suddenly they have access to a different bark. Indeed, it’s a different way of thinking about brewing ingredients altogether.
In this episode, cofounders Marika Josephson and Kleidon explore the many facets of their brewing program, including:
building their own “spice kit” of foraged ingredients from the brewery property
the learning process behind pushing ingredients further up in the boil, rather than thinking about all ingredients like they would hops
methods of evaluating new or unfamiliar ingredients
brewing with tree bark and understanding the tannin contribution of foraged ingredients
channeling sense memory in drinkers by using ingredients that trigger memory
brewing with the ingredients in season, and yeasts that work in different seasonal temperature ranges
the challenge of brewing in a wood-fired kettle with open puncheon mash tuns
finding “tropical” fruit flavors in local Midwestern ingredients
prizing drinkability despite disparate ingredient lists
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Even the best yeast deserves a helping hand with seltzer fermentation, which is why Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient ensures reliable and complete fermentation of a seltzer base, while providing a clean, neutral fermentation profile. Not to mention it provides all the essential nutrients required by yeast for production of hard seltzer bases fermented from those sweet refined sugars. Give your seltzer yeast a boost by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) and searching for Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient, or call BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Still emptying those overflowing wastebins of crushed, low-fills or under carbonated cans every canning day? It’s time to Fill Like a Pro. ProFill Can fillers from ProBrew use rotary, true-counter-pressure-gravity filling and seaming technology to run at speeds of 100 to 300 cans per minute with minimal DO pickup. Stop wasting perfectly good beer. Email ProBrew at [email protected] today!
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Working on a new sour beer? Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, now offering an expanding range of dry bacteria for the production of sour beers. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): As a brewery owner, you know how important it is to keep your machines running so you don't have to deal with the hassle caused by contamination, recalls and downtime. Clarion makes food-grade lubricants to protect your equipment from the wear and tear that results in breakdowns that cut into your bottom line. Clarion gives you peace of mind so you can focus on what you do best: pouring out great-tasting beverages. Learn more at www.clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do)
10/10/2021 • 1 hour, 18 minutes, 38 seconds
207: Nick Mader of Alma Mader Balances Lager with Two Sides of Hazy IPA
For Alma Mader (https://www.almamaderbrewing.com), combining lager brewing with a broad approach to hazy IPA provides the best of both worlds—a dogmatic approach to technical brewing synergized with a ranging program to squeeze every last ounce of flavor from their hops. Founder and head brewer Nick Mader studied and worked with industry-leading breweries before heading back home to Kansas City, Missouri, to open the eponymously named brewery with wife Tania Hewett-Mader. That studied, nuanced approach to beer design is evident no matter which style you order.
In this episode, Mader first discusses lager, including:
Quality, consistency, and expression in Saaz hops
Dialing in utilization of Noble hops in lagers
Utilizing later hop additions in lager
Balancing bitterness and malt character
Manipulating pH to achieve proper expression
Keeping minerality in check
The significant differences in lager yeasts strains
Then, the discussion turns to hazy IPA, and Mader covers:
Their two-pronged approach to hazy IPA, with drier and sweeter veins
Boil additions in hazy IPA for mid-palate hop flavor
The impact of specific hop varieties on expression of “juicy”
The benefit of using gypsum
A West Coast–style approach to hazy IPA
“Cool-pooling” for better hop aroma
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) …brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): What if you could take your favorite recipe and make a nonalcoholic version without sacrificing the flavor, color or beer quality? N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? The Alchemator from ProBrew. NA? No Problem! Email [email protected] for more info.
Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Looking for a good lager yeast? Fermentis, the obvious choice for beverage fermentation, providing brewers large and small with the most complete portfolio of dry lager yeast available anywhere. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://fermentis.com).
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
10/2/2021 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 12 seconds
206: Shaun Berns of Phase Three Brewing Prefers the Pragmatic to the Romantic
Breweries making barrel-aged beer tend to lean heavily on romance. From name-checking the origins of their barrels to weaving stories of long, laborious boils and careful searches for the perfect ingredients, there’s no story today’s brewers can’t embellish. But for Shaun Berns and Phase Three Brewing (https://www.phasethreebrewing.com) in Lake Zurich, Illinois, it’s the quality of the end-product—and not the romanticized mysteries of barrel-aged beer production—that matter.
In this episode, Berns walks us through their barrel-aged stout process, from base malt through barrel selection. Along the way, he touches on contrarian choices such as using dried malt extract in lieu of long boils, fermenting with dried yeast, weaning off higher finishing gravities, and not overthinking barrel selection. He discusses the challenge of forecasting consumer trends several years out, the benefit of debittered malts such as Carafa Special II, using malted oats more than flaked oats, selecting lighter crystal malts to control the expression of dark fruit flavors, the challenge of scaling when using low-efficiency ingredients, and more.
“It’s not romantic, it’s the truth,” Berns says, while behind the curtain of a market niche full of fancy beers. These stouts don’t need fantastic tales to sell. The proof is in the glass.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery production to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for more info!
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
9/24/2021 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 1 second
205: Jeremy Grinkey of The Bruery Puts His Faith in the Blend
Jeremy Grinkey worked in wine for the better part of a decade before joining The Bruery (https://www.thebruery.com) in Orange County, California. That winemaking background still informs the way the director of brewing operations and the Bruery itself make beer. From their club-focused sales approach—with special access for their best customers—to the focus on blending and the use of wine grapes as an ingredient, the influence is palpable.
In this episode, Grinkey discusses:
Their process of developing new beers and growing them as they move through the various “tiers,” from special events through smaller and then larger clubs
Putting faith in barrels and the aging process
Developing a sensory-based understanding of how barrel-aged beer will evolve with time
The freedom to let things go and to make beers what they can and should be
The difficulty in forecasting brewing for barrel-aged stock years before a beer’s release
Leaving space and place for sweetness in beer design
The technical process behind wine-beer hybrids
Using fermentation aids as well as heat to your advantage
Bottle-conditioning to amplify funk
The changing tastes for high-gravity beers
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Even the best yeast deserves a helping hand with seltzer fermentation, which is why Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient ensures reliable and complete fermentation of a seltzer base, while providing a clean, neutral fermentation profile. Not to mention it provides all the essential nutrients required by yeast for production of hard seltzer bases fermented from those sweet refined sugars. Give your seltzer yeast a boost by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) and searching for Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient, or call BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Still emptying those overflowing wastebins of crushed, low-fills or under carbonated cans every canning day? It’s time to Fill Like a Pro. ProFill Can fillers from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) use rotary, true-counter-pressure gravity filling and seaming technology to run at speeds of 100 to 300 cans per minute with minimal DO pickup. Stop wasting perfectly good beer. Email ProBrew at [email protected] today!
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
9/17/2021 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 46 seconds
204: For Julian Shrago of Beachwood Brewing, There Are No Additives, Only Ingredients
Julian Shrago is not afraid to ruffle feathers. The outspoken brewmaster for Beachwood Brewing (http://beachwoodbrewing.com) (Long Beach, California) has cultivated an intense persona, but that passion and focus is evidenced in the beers they brew and the awards they’ve racked up over the past ten years, including 19 GABF medals and 9 World Beer Cup medals.
In this episode, he discusses:
Beachwood’s flavor-first creative process
Building predictive sensibilities around recipe development
The evolution of West coast IPA in general, and the particular evolution of Beachwood’s IPAs
The cross-pollination between New England and West coast IPA brewing techniques
Bittering contribution from dry hopping
Creating a saturated wall of flavor in IPA
Using acidity to temper bitterness
Setting up biotransformation precursors through hop choice and terpenes
Building expressive balance in dark beers with coffee
and more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): What if you could take your favorite recipe and make a nonalcoholic version without sacrificing the flavor, color or beer quality? N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com). NA? No Problem! Email [email protected] for more info.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): Your beer deserves all your attention. Clarion makes that a little easier. Their food-grade lubricants will help keep your system running smooth, while also safeguarding your product from costly contamination and recall. Because then you’ll be in full compliance with food safety standards. And it’s all thanks to a simple switch to Clarion. A food-safe system that lets you focus on your craft? We’ll drink to that. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
9/11/2021 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 10 seconds
203: Sam Tierney of Firestone Walker Takes the Dynamic Approach to Flavor
Firestone Walker (https://www.firestonebeer.com) doesn’t rest on its laurels. Innovation and new product development are constants within the creative boundaries of flavor that define the brewery. Underpinning all of that is an expectation of quality—i.e., it’s Firestone Walker, so it has to be great.
Sam Tierney, who heads up Firestone Walker’s Propagator brewery in Los Angeles, has carved out space in this high-performance organization, earning respect for flavor-driven experimentation that continues to feed into the evolution of Firestone Walker beers.
In this episode, Tierney discusses:
The parameters of the innovation process
Triangulating experimental beers with new hops against existing brewery knowledge
The consumer-focused tasting and evaluation process using Firestone taprooms
Mind Haze and hop evaluation in the world of hazy beer
The influence of Bavarian hefeweizen and Belgian witbier on hazy IPA
How appearance affects flavor perception
Moving to malted more than flaked ingredients
How ABV affects hop expression
Pushing beers to the “ester breaking point”
Tailoring base recipes to ingredient approach in IPA
Exploring hoppy lager and the impact of sulfur on hop expression
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Born in the Pacific Northwest from a lot of hard work and singular goal, G&D has become the best damn chiller company in the world. Like you, G&D never settles—they are relentless and strive to be better every single day because they take pride in the work they do. They are craftsmen who know that "good enough" just won’t cut it. Visit G&D Chillers at the CBC, Booth #3011! Or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery production to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for more info!
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): Your beer deserves all your attention. Clarion makes that a little easier. Their food-grade lubricants will help keep your system running smooth, while also safeguarding your product from costly contamination and recall. Because then you’ll be in full compliance with food safety standards. And it’s all thanks to a simple switch to Clarion. A food-safe system that lets you focus on your craft? We’ll drink to that. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
9/7/2021 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 53 seconds
202: Brandon Capps of New Image Brews Better IPAs Through Chemistry
For Brandon Capps of New Image Brewing (https://www.nibrewing.com) (Arvada, Colorado), the question of how to push more hop intensity in beer flavor and aroma, despite the inherently inefficient process of extracting those vital hop compounds in the weak alcohol solution of beer, pushed him down the rabbit hole of brewing with extracted terpenes. And the deeper he gets, the more excited he becomes about its prospect for reducing environmental impacts while also achieving intense and vibrant flavors.
In this episode of the podcast, Capps discusses:
Using terpenes to overcome limits to saturation in hop extraction through dry hopping
The impact of hop variety on the extraction process
Singular terpene extraction versus full spectrum extract
Improving solubility of extracted terpenes
The upsides and downsides of hyper-efficient supercritical CO2 extraction
The value of short and cold dry hopping
Reducing vegetal matter in the dry hop to limit reabsorption of hop compounds
Maximizing Thiol expression
Malt choices that benefit hop expression
and more.
While the science is evolving and initial results are mixed, Capps has found some clear preferences, and offers his thoughts for brewers intrigued by this scientific approach to brewing.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Born in the Pacific Northwest from a lot of hard work and singular goal, G&D has become the best damn chiller company in the world. Like you, G&D never settles—they are relentless and strive to be better every single day because they take pride in the work they do. They are craftsmen who know that "good enough" just won’t cut it. Visit G&D Chillers at the CBC, Booth #3011! Or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Even the best yeast deserves a helping hand with seltzer fermentation, which is why Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient ensures reliable and complete fermentation of a seltzer base, while providing a clean, neutral fermentation profile. Not to mention it provides all the essential nutrients required by yeast for production of hard seltzer bases fermented from those sweet refined sugars. Give your seltzer yeast a boost by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) and searching for Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient, or call BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery production to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com for ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 – 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com for more info!
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): Your beer deserves all your attention. Clarion makes that a little easier. Their food-grade lubricants will help keep your system running smooth, while also safeguarding your product from costly contamination and recall. Because then you’ll be in full compliance with food safety standards. And it’s all thanks to a simple switch to Clarion. A food-safe system that lets you focus on your craft? We’ll drink to that. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
8/31/2021 • 1 hour, 34 minutes, 7 seconds
201: Michael Messenie of Dutchess Ales Loves to Keep Ale Real
For cofounders Michael Messenie and Tim Lee, the idea behind Dutchess Ales (https://www.dutchessales.com) in Wassaic, New York, was to recreate the kinds of cask-conditioned ale they loved when living in Britain. If you’ve enjoyed a proper pint of cask ale in New York City in recent years, there’s a good chance it came from Dutchess.
Today, the brewery is branching out, brewing beer for distribution at a host brewery on Long Island, and even making forays into lagers (such as Ketzer Helles (https://beerandbrewing.com/review/dutchess-ales-ketzer-helles-lager-1614187707/), which scored a 98/100 with our blind panel). But their first love is, and always will be, cask ale.
These are no historical reenactors. Messenie blends just a touch of inspiration from his Southern California roots with this British focus, resulting in beers that aren’t slavish renditions but exhibit a flash of personality (within proper context). That same fusion with a heavy dose of tradition informs newer beers such as GB Pale Ale, where seven malts and a copitched blend of three yeast strains lends it notes of past and present.
In this episode, Messenie discusses:
Cask ale roots, history, and inspiration
How pale ale speaks in a more compelling way than IPA
Brewing GB Pale Ale with blended yeast and an evolving malt bill
Tilting pub ales toward a drier finish
Blending malts to build character
Finding interesting notes in lesser-known English hops
Working collaboratively through contract brewing
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Born in the Pacific Northwest from a lot of hard work and singular goal, G&D has become the best damn chiller company in the world. Like you, G&D never settles—they are relentless and strive to be better every single day because they take pride in the work they do. They are craftsmen who know that "good enough" just won’t cut it. Visit G&D Chillers at the CBC, Booth #3011! Or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): What if you could take your favorite recipe and make a nonalcoholic version without sacrificing the flavor, color or beer quality? N/A? No Problem! The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) uses proprietary membrane technology to strip the alcohol from the beer without sacrificing all the elements – like flavor and color - that make the beer great! Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? The Alchemator from ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com). NA? No Problem! Email [email protected] for more info.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): Your beer deserves all your attention. Clarion makes that a little easier. Their food-grade lubricants will help keep your system running smooth, while also safeguarding your product from costly contamination and recall. Because then you’ll be in full compliance with food safety standards. And it’s all thanks to a simple switch to Clarion. A food-safe system that lets you focus on your craft? We’ll drink to that. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
8/23/2021 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 6 seconds
200: Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Is Obsessed with Innovation and Quality
Sierra Nevada (https://sierranevada.com) founder Ken Grossman has been working on “innovation” beers since the brewery’s first days in the early ’80s. Beers we all know and love, such as Celebration and Bigfoot, were once “innovation” beers. That culture of trying new things while brewing traditionally inspired beers that speak to audiences today is written into the very DNA of the company. It’s no surprise that they continue to lead even now, as they move into their fifth decade.
But creating new products comes with challenges in everything from creative approach to technical performance and connecting with drinkers. It’s not easy to find that perfect mix of compelling beer and brand, and even today Sierra Nevada has to approach branding and marketing with focus and discipline.
In this episode, Grossman explains how Sierra Nevada approaches innovation and quality, touching on:
How online shopping and beer pickup and delivery have changed the industry
Creating beers that delight, excite, and mean something to somebody
Marrying the creative process with the technical development process
The approach to small-scale piloting and R&D brewing
Maintaining and promoting consistency and creativity between Sierra Nevada’s two breweries with weekly taste panels
The brewery’s relationship with growers on the agricultural side of beer
Underwriting investments by growers in new hop varieties
Imbuing the company with a culture of quality
Developing new beer ideas, as well as beyond-beer product lines
And more.
Ken Grossman has earned his reputation as a brewer’s brewer through an unyielding focus on quality. Here, you’ll understand why.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com): Are you ready to Brew Like A Pro? ProBrew has the equipment, systems and technology to take your brewery production to the next level. Check out www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for ProCarb inline carbonation technology, ProFill rotary filling & seaming can fillers, the Alchemator inline alcohol separation system, 7 to 50bbl Brewhouses and more! ProBrew offers the craft beer industry innovative solutions to help you Brew Like A Pro! Go to www.probrew.com (https://www.probrew.com) for more info!
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): There’s nothing easy about brewing beer. It’s an intricate, time-consuming art. The last thing you need to face is a recall or contamination that can hurt your pride and your pocketbook. Clarion lubricants meet strict purity and performance standards to help make your system 100% food safe. That’s protection for your equipment and your beer. So, make the switch to Clarion, and ensure your system is running smooth and safe. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
8/13/2021 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 1 second
199: Alex Flores of Urban South Kettle-Sours the Hard Way
Kettle sours get a bad rap in some brewing circles, but Urban South’s (https://urbansouthbrewery.com) Alex Flores would love to change your mind. Recalibrating and considering these beers as their own thing—rather than some faster approximation of other sour traditions—and you just might see the in a new light.
They’ve definitely grown on the fans of Urban South, who’ve fallen hard for the tart beers. The brewery has nurtured a range of beers within the broader family. On one end, beers such as Cucumber Lime Gose strike a crisp and refreshing pose with light salinity, freshly juiced cucumber, and subtle tartness. On the other, heavily fruited beers thick with purée scratch that fruit-smoothie itch. Adjacent to those are more creative expressions, such as the Drip line of fruited coffee sours. Urban South is committed to exploring this particular expression of acid and fruit in beer.
In this episode, Flores discusses:
The importance of vigorous lactic fermentations for better-tasting beer
Avoiding hop cross-contamination in the kettle
Controlling oxygen when kettle souring
Managing water and salinity in delicate tart beers
Dialing in sweetness to highlight fruit flavors
Homogenizing flavors through the mash, souring, boil, and fermentation
Adjusting and tweaking flavors
Processes for getting punchy natural fruit and vegetable expression
Blending whole bean and ground coffee in beer additions for better results
And more.
In Flores’ words, “You can’t kettle-sour your way into a Cuvée de Tomme,” but that’s not the point—they shouldn’t be viewed as contemporaries with traditional, funk-forward mixed-fermentation beers. When approached with the right frame of mind, and a buttoned-up process, brewers can make exciting beers that customers love.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Born in the Pacific Northwest from a lot of hard work and singular goal, G&D has become the best damn chiller company in the world. Like you, G&D never settles—they are relentless and strive to be better every single day because they take pride in the work they do. They are craftsmen who know that "good enough" just won’t cut it. Visit G&D Chillers at the CBC, Booth #3011! Or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Even the best yeast deserves a helping hand with seltzer fermentation, which is why Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient ensures reliable and complete fermentation of a seltzer base, while providing a clean, neutral fermentation profile. Not to mention it provides all the essential nutrients required by yeast for production of hard seltzer bases fermented from those sweet refined sugars. Give your seltzer yeast a boost by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) and searching for Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient, or call BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From a half barrel to thirty barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): There’s nothing easy about brewing beer. It’s an intricate, time-consuming art. The last thing you need to face is a recall or contamination that can hurt your pride and your pocketbook. Clarion lubricants meet strict purity and performance standards to help make your system 100% food safe. That’s protection for your equipment and your beer. So, make the switch to Clarion, and ensure your system is running smooth and safe. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
8/6/2021 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 30 seconds
198: Lisa Allen of Heater Allen Takes the Patient Approach to Lager and Business
From their small outpost in McMinnville, in Oregon wine country, Heater Allen (http://heaterallen.com) has flown the lager flag for its 14 years of their existence—long before it was “cool.” The father-daughter duo of Rick and Lisa Allen have embraced lager with dogged determination, convincing drinkers of its place in the craft canon, and doing so while growing slowly and organically.
In this episode of the podcast, Lisa Allen goes into detail on their approach to cold fermentation, touching on:
Her path from wine production to brewing
Embracing the small influences of lager yeast
Lager cellaring in a very small brewhouse
Dialing in yeast process to ensure successful results
Foregoing diacetyl rests in favor of longer conditioning and more time on yeast
Achieving the flavors of decoction without the decoction step
Championing smooth but strong bitterness with first-wort hopping
Their creative process for creating new beers inspired by European influences
And more.
“You make the beer you can with the system that you have,” Allen says. But for Heater Allen, that doesn’t mean accepting what you get. It means evaluating and tweaking every choice along the way, to keep honing their lagers into exactly the beers they want them to be.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Born in the Pacific Northwest from a lot of hard work and singular goal, G&D has become the best damn chiller company in the world. Like you, G&D never settles—they are relentless and strive to be better every single day because they take pride in the work they do. They are craftsmen who know that "good enough" just won’t cut it. Visit G&D Chillers at the CBC, Booth #3011! Or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From a half barrel to thirty barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): There’s nothing easy about brewing beer. It’s an intricate, time-consuming art. The last thing you need to face is a recall or contamination that can hurt your pride and your pocketbook. Clarion lubricants meet strict purity and performance standards to help make your system 100% food safe. That’s protection for your equipment and your beer. So, make the switch to Clarion, and ensure your system is running smooth and safe. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
8/2/2021 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 27 seconds
197: Nick Gislason of Hanabi Lager and Screaming Eagle Wines Admires the Beauty of Grains Through the Canvas of Lager
Hanabi Lager Company’s (https://hanabilager.com) Nick Gislason has always been a builder, and that same DIY sensibility drives his lager-focused brewery project today. For the past decade, he’s been head winemaker for Screaming Eagle, a small estate winery that makes some of the most coveted wines in California. But before wine, he was a brewer, and Hanabi is his way to stay connected with this parallel passion.
Crossover stories are ripe for criticism—Michael Jordan playing baseball was not the success he might have envisioned—and it’s easy to assume that a winemaker dabbling in the beer world is nothing more than a dilettante. The Hanabi story is different. Years of piloting, years of hand-building a bespoke brewhouse, and an intense focus on the equipment to make the beer set a different background for the Hanabi story.
Notably, Hanabi is a lager brewery. Gislason’s affinity for exploring the flavors of grains led him to focus on lager brewing, as the delicate structure of lager allows for clearer malt expression. Hanabi releases only one beer per quarter, which they brew then patiently lager before releasing as a one-time event. Each beer is an event and an exploration.
In this episode, Gislason discusses this somewhat unique structure and focus, while also touching on:
Building the brewhouse from scratch, welding their own vessels, and designing the brewhouse specifically for lager brewing
The Hanabi beer development process
Brewing with heirloom barley varieties
Searching for historical barley to brew with
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Born in the Pacific Northwest from a lot of hard work and singular goal, G&D has become the best damn chiller company in the world. Like you, G&D never settles—they are relentless and strive to be better every single day because they take pride in the work they do. They are craftsmen who know that "good enough" just won’t cut it. Visit G&D Chillers at the CBC, Booth #3011! Or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From a half barrel to thirty barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): There’s nothing easy about brewing beer. It’s an intricate, time-consuming art. The last thing you need to face is a recall or contamination that can hurt your pride and your pocketbook. Clarion lubricants meet strict purity and performance standards to help make your system 100% food safe. That’s protection for your equipment and your beer. So, make the switch to Clarion, and ensure your system is running smooth and safe. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
7/25/2021 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 36 seconds
196: Kevin Ashford of Figueroa Mountain Does More by Using Less
For Kevin Ashford, brewmaster of Figueroa Mountain Brewing (https://www.figmtnbrew.com) in Buellton, California, every beer can always be improved. After winning two medals for their Danish Red Lager, Ashford and team made the difficult decisions to simplify the malt bill, dry it out a touch, and add a decoction step—significant moves for a beer that had a following and had wowed judges. But for Ashford, truly great beers are created through a process of subtraction—iterating and eliminating anything that doesn’t need to be there, while using all the tools in the brewing playbook to maximize the expression in what’s left.
In this episode of the podcast, Ashford shares his optimization strategies, primarily in the lager realm. These include:
Decocting Mexican-style lager to build malt character and create “weight” in light lagers
Using Contessa hops for a classic but fresh feel
Employing multiple lager yeast strains in the production brewhouse
Cellaring with a combo of cylindroconical fermenters and brite tanks to optimize clarity
Understanding the importance of time in lager brewing
Using contemporary hops like El Dorado and Strata in lagers
The benefit of cold fermentation on retaining hop aromas
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28 degrees without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery – big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Even the best yeast deserves a helping hand with seltzer fermentation, which is why Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient ensures reliable and complete fermentation of a seltzer base, while providing a clean, neutral fermentation profile. Not to mention it provides all the essential nutrients required by yeast for production of hard seltzer bases fermented from those sweet refined sugars. Give your seltzer yeast a boost by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) and searching for Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient, or call BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From a half barrel to thirty barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): There’s nothing easy about brewing beer. It’s an intricate, time-consuming art. The last thing you need to face is a recall or contamination that can hurt your pride and your pocketbook. Clarion lubricants meet strict purity and performance standards to help make your system 100% food safe. That’s protection for your equipment and your beer. So, make the switch to Clarion, and ensure your system is running smooth and safe. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
7/18/2021 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 37 seconds
195: East Brother’s Paul Liszewski Has a License Plate that Says “LAGER”
East Brother Beer in Richmond, California, makes its living by nailing classic styles, including an oatmeal stout in the core range. Naturally they also brew IPA—Gold or Red, take your pick—but their top two sellers are Bo Pils and Red Lager. Their seasonal lager series includes a maibock, Baltic porter, pre-Prohibition lager, and festbier—no wonder head brewer Paul Liszewski’s customized California license plate says “LAGER.”
While its sneakily hop-forward yet balanced Bo Pils is beloved by local drinkers, it also gets respect from peers—including a Great American Beer Festival silver medal in 2019. Chris Coomber and Rob Lightner founded East Brother in 2016; Liszewski joined up in 2017. He says that Bo Pils is still essentially the homebrew recipe that Coomber perfected in his own kitchen—any changes since then have mainly been process tweaks and fine-tuning. (For more about brewing that beer, see Liszewski’s Brewer’s Perspective (https://beerandbrewing.com/brewers-perspective-brewing-bo-pils-with-east-brother/).)
In this episode, Liszewski digs further into the brewery’s lager program and its approach to brewing consistent crowd-pleasers. Among other topics, he goes deep on Bo Pils—which accounts for about 40 percent of the brewery’s production—as well as Pre-Prohibition Lager, whose classic recipe includes six-row craft malt from Admiral Maltings in Alameda, California, in conjunction with flaked maize. As with the Bo Pils, they didn’t forget the hops—it gets a helthy portion of Cluster to the tune of 38 IBUs.
Tune in for lager talk and much more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Born in the Pacific Northwest from a lot of hard work and singular goal, G&D has become the best damn chiller company in the world. Like you, G&D never settles—they are relentless and strive to be better every single day because they take pride in the work they do. They are craftsmen who know that "good enough" just won’t cut it. Visit G&D Chillers at the CBC, Booth #3011! Or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From a half barrel to thirty barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): There’s nothing easy about brewing beer. It’s an intricate, time-consuming art. The last thing you need to face is a recall or contamination that can hurt your pride and your pocketbook. Clarion lubricants meet strict purity and performance standards to help make your system 100% food safe. That’s protection for your equipment and your beer. So, make the switch to Clarion, and ensure your system is running smooth and safe. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
7/14/2021 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 51 seconds
194: Ryan Crisp of Alesmith is Wired on Coffee Stout
Can we spend an entire hourlong episode talking about one beer? You bet we can. In this week’s episode, Alesmith (https://alesmith.com) Director of Brewing Operations Ryan Crisp takes us for a few hot laps around the track as we discuss their iconic Speedway Stout. From building a malt base to complement coffee additions, to validating and substituting ingredients and maximizing hop and coffee additions, Crisp walks us through the the vision, ingredients, and techniques that make Speedway (https://beerandbrewing.com/review/speedway-stout/) such a revered modern classic.
While the recipe hasn’t changed much over the years, the techniques behind the beer certainly have, and the Alesmith pit crew is always looking for ways to improve the beer. “If we weren’t tinkering, we wouldn’t be good brewers,” Crisp says. “We don’t want to change everything, but we want to maintain it.”
With whole-leaf hops, a multi-continent coffee blend, and an unexpected process for adding the coffee, Speedway definitely isn’t your average coffee stout. This episode explores what Alesmith has learned while pushing that red line.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Like your flagship beer, you can rely on G&D Chillers for the same quality and consistency. G&D guarantees that every chiller they build will hit 28°F (-2°C) without breaking a sweat. They never stop. They draft, they craft, they service each and every brewery–big or small. All in an effort to build one hell of a chiller. For nearly 30 years, G&D's been committed to cold. Reach out for a quote today at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to hazy and juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From a half barrel to thirty barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): There’s nothing easy about brewing beer. It’s an intricate, time-consuming art. The last thing you need to face is a recall or contamination that can hurt your pride and your pocketbook. Clarion lubricants meet strict purity and performance standards to help make your system 100% food safe. That’s protection for your equipment and your beer. So, make the switch to Clarion, and ensure your system is running smooth and safe. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
7/2/2021 • 1 hour, 47 seconds
193: Adam Cieslak of Maplewood Puts A Gentle Spin on Classic Styles
Five years ago, Chicago’s Maplewood Brewing brewed 1,000 barrels of beer per year and were small upstarts in a crowded Chicago beer market. This year, they’re on track to brew over 16,000 barrels of beer—a rapid growth trajectory made possible by their twin focus on quality and ingenuity. While they’ve embraced current styles like hazy IPA and all manor of flavor-addled imperial stouts, they’ve placed equal emphasis on staple beers like Charlatan APA and Fat Pug oatmeal milk stout—beers where subtle expressions of creativity and quality matter.
In this episode of the podcast, cofounder and head brewer Adam Cieslak discusses their approach to these classic styles, touching on everything that makes these simple beers stand out:
- Fermenting with highly attenuative yeast
- Utilizing small amounts of wheat to bring beer together
- The big impacts from small whirlpool temperature adjustments
- Short dry hopping with fast crashes for maximum hop aroma
- Eliminating oxygen to improve beer brightness and longevity
- Using lactose strategically in sessional stouts
- Building a full spectrum flavorful malt base
- Selecting malts to maximize pleasurable flavors
and more.
Maplewood is proof that contemporary creativity can coexist with classic consistency.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Born in the Pacific Northwest from a lot of hard work and singular goal, G&D has become the best damn chiller company in the world. Like you, G&D never settles—they are relentless and strive to be better every single day because they take pride in the work they do. They are craftsmen who know that "good enough" just won’t cut it. Visit G&D Chillers at the CBC, Booth #3011! Or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Even the best yeast deserves a helping hand with seltzer fermentation, which is why Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient ensures reliable and complete fermentation of a seltzer base, while providing a clean, neutral fermentation profile. Not to mention it provides all the essential nutrients required by yeast for production of hard seltzer bases fermented from those sweet refined sugars. Give your seltzer yeast a boost by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) and searching for Pathfinder N-Pure Seltzer Nutrient, or call BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): There’s nothing easy about brewing beer. It’s an intricate, time-consuming art. The last thing you need to face is a recall or contamination that can hurt your pride and your pocketbook. Clarion lubricants meet strict purity and performance standards to help make your system 100% food safe. That’s protection for your equipment and your beer. So, make the switch to Clarion, and ensure your system is running smooth and safe. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
6/29/2021 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 14 seconds
192: Burke-Gilman Brewing is Your Friendly Neighborhood Alpha King Winner
“I’m anti-consistency,” says head brewer Phil Pesheck. “If you’re pro-consistency, you’re anti-advancement. I want to continuously improve the beer, batch after batch.”
Improve they have, and Seattle’s Burke-Gilman Brewing pulled off quite a feat in 2020 with a win at the Alpha King Challenge and a gold medal in the juicy/hazy IPA category at the Great American Beer Festival. It was a bold statement for a new brewery that had won no major awards before, but it wasn’t just luck—Pesheck was focused on winning, and the brewery supported his fanatical, R&D-driven approach.
In this episode of the podcast, cofounder Kenneth Trease, Pesheck, and brewer Julia Astrid Davis discuss the individual and collaborative ways this very small, taproom-focused brewery has made a big splash with hoppy beers:
Going “full send” on competition entry beers
Visualizing hop combinations, and exploring the small ways to drive maximum impact
Optimizing the flavor of bitterness
Maximizing yield despite excessive hop loads
Fermenting and dry-hopping approaches for enticing aroma
Hops that work as “stars,” and those that boost the performance of other hops
Getting great results with spot hops
Taking an iterative, taste-driven approach to dry hopping rather than following a set regimen
And more.
IPA isn’t the only thing Burke-Gilman brews, however. The tagline on their website reads, “IPA in the streets, lager in the sheets,” and the conversation concludes with discussion of their lager program and practices.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
6/18/2021 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 57 seconds
191: Nick Berger and Phil Camarano of Good Society on the Ups and Downs of Launching in 2020
We first met Good Society (https://www.goodsocietybeer.com) cofounder Phil Camarano in 2018 at our Brewery Workshop: New Brewery Accelerator event in San Diego as he and partner Nick Berger found a location for their brewery and started the hard work to get it open. That launch finally happened in February of 2020—just weeks before COVID restrictions forced breweries into entirely new and unexpected ways of doing business. It was a challenging time, figuring out how to run the business and respond to customers in this strangest of years. Then lightning struck—a beer they made on a whim, a Belgian-style grisette, won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival, and along with that they secured Small Brewpub of the Year honors.
In this episode, Camarano and Berger discuss:
- The hard work of getting a brewery off the ground
- Overcoming the numerous challenges in launching the new business
- Dealing with the unsavory subject of wastewater
- Designing a beer program for a non-geek audience
- Keeping momentum going through the early days of the pandemic
- The planning and design focus for their gold medal-winning grisette
- The impact of the medal and small brewpub of the year honors on the growth of the brewery
- Forecasting and planning through such an anomalous year
- Rethinking the brewpub model after the events of this past year
and more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt. Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): Food-grade lubricants are not your top concern. Your beer is. Lucky for you, Clarion has a passion for protecting your beer by helping to make your brewing system 100% food safe. When you switch to Clarion food-grade lubricants, you’re reducing the risk of costly contamination and recalls to virtually zero. All while extending the life of your equipment. And that leaves you with the peace of mind to think about what really matters. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
6/14/2021 • 53 minutes, 58 seconds
190: Brian Thiel and Greg Reichel of Ghostfish Make Great Beer Without Barley
Ten years ago, if you asked any beer drinker what they thought of gluten-free beer, they’d wrinkle their nose and express severe displeasure at the thought of choking down one of the lackluster sorghum-based beers on the market at the time. Times have changed. A relatively quiet gluten-free revolution is underway, as a new generation of gluten-free maltsters has emerged alongside upstart brewers who experiment with their malts. The result? Gluten-free beer has never tasted so good.
One of the breweries leading the charge is Seattle’s Ghostfish (https://ghostfishbrewing.com). With four Great American Beer Festival medals for their gluten-free beers (plus a few rather impressive scores from the judges at Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®), the brewery has proven that it doesn’t just make good gluten-free beer—it makes good beer that happens to be gluten-free.
In this episode, cofounder Brian Thiel and brewer Greg Reichel discuss how their gluten-free brewing process is similar to, and different from, brewing with malted barley. Along the way, they touch on:
The rise of gluten-free ingredients for brewing
Applying experience with barley brewing to gluten-free recipe development
Working with enzymes to make fermentation possible, and selecting yeast
Understanding how to use grains like millet that aren’t in any brewing software
Rebuilding the components that barley brings to beer, such as starch, dextrins, and proteins, by using multiple grains
Style-specific approaches to gluten-free brewing
Gluten-free sourcing and maintaining a supply chain that’s entirely gluten free
The positive aspects of gluten-free brewing, with reduced off-flavors such as DMS and diacetyl
And more.
“Our goal has been the same from the beginning,” Thiel says. “Make the highest quality beer possible that everybody can enjoy, with the added benefit that those who need the safety of a gluten-free beer can rest assured that they’re going to get that in Ghostfish beer.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by BSG Hop Solutions. Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): Food-grade lubricants are not your top concern. Your beer is. Lucky for you, Clarion has a passion for protecting your beer by helping to make your brewing system 100% food safe. When you switch to Clarion food-grade lubricants, you’re reducing the risk of costly contamination and recalls to virtually zero. All while extending the life of your equipment. And that leaves you with the peace of mind to think about what really matters. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
6/4/2021 • 48 minutes, 48 seconds
189: Amber Watts and Ron Extract of Garden Path Fermentation Bottle the Flavors of the Skagit Valley
Amber Watts and Ron Extract didn't land in Washington's Skagit Valley by chance. Their brewery, Garden Path Fermentation, (https://gardenpathwa.com) was a concept in search of a home, but the farming community between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia provided exactly what they were looking for—locally grown and malted barley, a variety of fruits and berries, and a perfect climate for the kind of unstructured, non-temperature-controlled fermentations they wanted to explore. They planted roots in 2016, and have since embarked on a creative approach to fermentation that is quintessentially Washington.
While some wild brewers set the pieces in motion and let the beers land where they may, Garden Path takes an editorial or curatorial approach, focusing on flavors and the means to produce them, given the self-imposed restrictions they've embraced. 98% of their ingredients come from the surrounding valley (the rest are hops, a huge crop in another Washington valley a few hours away). But rather than adhere to consistency, Garden Path revels in brewing as live performance. Each beer is akin to a band's live set—never exactly the same, despite similar frameworks—and no performance can be reproduced note-for-note a second time. The result is a series of one-time experiences, as they balance idealism and creativity with practical concerns.
In this episode, they discuss:
Balancing fruit flavors in complex, layered, and dry beers, some with smoke
Mouthfeel and flavor contributions of whole fruit
Capturing, evaluating, and building a mixed culture of wild and native yeast
Distinctions between their spontaneous and non-spontaneous processes
The benefits of open fermentation
Bottle conditioning with honey
Blending wild beers
and more.
Brewing wild beer with intention involves risk, but the reward can be huge. For Garden Path, the proof is in the glass, and it tastes like the Skagit Valley that they call home.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
5/29/2021 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 39 seconds
188: Steve Luke of Cloudburst Brews with a Methodical Approach to Hops
Steve Luke loves hops, and over a decade and a half working in the industry he’s learned quite a bit about brewing with them. Cloudburst (https://cloudburstbrew.com) is, effectively, his second act—a brewery built for the love of brewing after a career spent at larger breweries like Allagash, Captain Lawrence, and Elysian. Today, Luke blends the discipline and production precision he learned from larger-scale production with his passion for creating new hop-driven beers.
In this episode of the podcast, Luke dives into his technical and creative approaches to designing hoppy beers. Along the way he discusses:
The four components that define balance
Creating dryness and drinkability without sacrificing hops punch
Brewing different IPA expressions (hazy or West Coast) with a single yeast strain
Approaching IPA design from both directions, backwards from a visualized flavor or forwards from an ingredient inspiration
Minimizing flaked ingredients for longer stability
Chasing lower dissolved oxygen levels in packaged beer
Categorizing hops by flavor components and creating blends using his own visualization tools
The five or six hops that can make or break an IPA
The importance of contracting, and the imperfect science of selection
Building layered hop character with more hot-side additions
Water impact on hop expression
Dry-hopping strategy to speed up reduction of diacetyl precursors
And more.
This second act is a labor of love for Luke. Cloudburst isn’t just a business, it’s a way to insure he has control over the creative process in what he brews, and that he can stay involved in doing what he loves—actually making the beer. The brewhouse team is two people, Zach Kornfeld and Luke, and they’re focused on remaining small and hands-on.
“Why I started a brewery was because my passion is brewing,” Luke says. “Creating beers, making the beers. That’s something I don’t ever want to push myself out of. As far as growth goes, there’s only so big we can be. We’re in this happy spot of about 2,000 barrels per year, and we don’t see much more volume growth than that.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt. Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): Food-grade lubricants are not your top concern. Your beer is. Lucky for you, Clarion has a passion for protecting your beer by helping to make your brewing system 100% food safe. When you switch to Clarion food-grade lubricants, you’re reducing the risk of costly contamination and recalls to virtually zero. All while extending the life of your equipment. And that leaves you with the peace of mind to think about what really matters. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
5/22/2021 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 51 seconds
187: Mari and Will Kemper of Chuckanut Brewery Approach Lagers with Scientific Precision and Creative Spark
Mari and Will Kemper love lagers, but the locals haven’t always loved their lagers back. When they returned to the Pacific Northwest and opened the doors to Chuckanut Brewery (https://chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.com) in 2009, craft fans at the time wondered why they didn’t just make IPAs like everyone else. But they had a focus and determination to brew the finest quality craft lagers they could (despite their small size), and 24 GABF medals later, their approach has been validated many times over.
In this episode, they discuss:
Building a brewhouse and developing the ideal process for lager brewing
Optimizing the mashing routine for full attenuation
Treating lager with sensitivity and reducing stresses throughout the brewing process by reducing transfers
Taking a size-specific approach to brewing and fermentation
Asymetric boil heating and better whirlpooling
Producing great lagers in cylindroconical usnitanks
Middle cropping yeast
Extremely slow crashing with automated tank temperature control
Lager filtration
Spunding and finishing lagers
A former chemical engineer in his days before brewing, Will Kemper tackles brewing problems with an analytical gaze, dissecting and understanding the purpose before building a process. Here, he offers a glimpse into that clever problem solving approach. The locals today love and embrace their lagers, and a new generation of lager brewers has trained under the Kempers' tutelage. But the Kempers aren't resting on their laurels—there's more lager to brew, and more minds to change.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by BSG Hop Solutions. Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): Food-grade lubricants are not your top concern. Your beer is. Lucky for you, Clarion has a passion for protecting your beer by helping to make your brewing system 100% food safe. When you switch to Clarion food-grade lubricants, you’re reducing the risk of costly contamination and recalls to virtually zero. All while extending the life of your equipment. And that leaves you with the peace of mind to think about what really matters. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
5/17/2021 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 13 seconds
186: Matt Katase of Brew Gentlemen Has a Bridge to Sell You
Matt Katase and partner Asa Foster of Brew Gentlemen (https://www.brewgentlemen.com) (Braddock, Pennsylvania) started writing the business plan for their brewery a decade ago, before they were of legal drinking age. They weren’t homebrewers when the idea gripped them, but they became homebrewers as they pursued the idea, creating batches and iterating recipes from the garage of their fraternity house at Pittsburgh science and engineering powerhouse Carnegie-Mellon University.
They launched in 2014, at a time when soft and hazy IPAs were of growing interest in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. And while they embraced the hazy IPA trend, they never let it consume them—their flagship IPA General Braddock’s includes some hops in the blend that would be more common in 90’s and 00’s West coast IPAs than in the hazy IPAs of their peers. For Katase, the idea isn’t to throw out the past and start over, it’s to build a bridge, and create a continuity between old and new. The effort has been successful, too—over the years, Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®’s blind review panel has tasted a number of their beers, and four of those IPAs scored 96 or above. Ten of the twelve beers this magazine has reviewed scored a 92 or higher. There’s beauty in the connections they’ve made.
Like most brewers, you’ll hear Katase use the word “balance” many times, but struggle to define it. Yet, for Brew Gentlemen, another key axis in the quest for balance is time and inspiration. While they’ve committed the brewery to making beers that are soft and balanced, they’ve also committed to making beers that feel as comfortable and classic as they feel new.
In this episode, Katase discusses how they do that, from leaning on old school American hops in IPA blends to knocking down ABV in their barrel-aged beers, to perfecting their mixed culture feeder-aged table beer. He also discusses the impact of this past year of COVID on how they think about retail, and why they’ve chosen to keep the taproom closed while they reimagine a brewery experience that makes sense now.
For Katase, integrity matters and slow growth with intention is far better than rapid expansion. They’re committed to putting in the work, and the work is never done.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
5/13/2021 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 6 seconds
185: Ryan Wibby of Wibby Brewing Explores the Possibility in Traditional Lagers
Cacao nibs in dunkel? American hops in helles? Oats in schwarzbier? For Ryan Wibby, cofounder of the eponymously named brewery in Longmont, Colorado, lager dogma is just the starting point for a flavor-forward approach to brewing that’s inspired by tradition but doesn’t copy it.
In this episode, Wibby walks us through the brewery’s award-winning approach to amber and dark lagers, such as their Moondoor Dunkel and Volksbier Vienna—beers with slight Wibby twists that feel in character for the styles but achieve that result through different means.
Along the way, he discusses:
Pushing ABV higher in lagers
The contribution of German malts to yeast health
Step mashing for effective and clean fermentations
Substituting bitterness from cacao nibs for hop bitterness
Tactically using vanilla to amplify flavors in imperial lagers
Lagering to produce beautiful beer without filtration
Playing on the hoppier side of lagers with IPL
And more.
Why should ale brewers have all the fun? Wibby is proving that a flavor focus to lager brewing can make compelling beers, with ingredients and techniques that serve that ultimate goal of flavor rather than drive it.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt. Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
5/3/2021 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 57 seconds
184: Annie Johnson Embraces the Homebrewer’s Sense of Exploration
“I always figured if the professional killed the spirit to do it at home, then I would never do it professionally, but luckily that didn’t happen.”
Annie Johnson loves homebrewing. The award-winning homebrewer has worked professionally in brewing, but despite turning her passion into a career, she's never given up that sense of creative fulfillment and excitement that comes with each new batch. The self-described “snob” may refer to herself as the “queen of decoction,” but she’s also quick to embrace time-saving methods such as brewing with malt extract.
Learning is a constant for Johnson, and whether it’s unlocking the key to historical brewing problems through a process of reverse engineering, or exploring the flavor and color impacts of wild foraged ingredients, she’s always following an idea or chasing a particular flavor memory in her brewing projects.
In this episode, she discusses:
Concepting beers with a special-ingredient-first approach
Brewing with foraged ingredients and herbs like bay leaf, nettles, and mushrooms
Building subtlety and restraint into ingredient-forward beers
Achieving positive effects with ingredients by adding at high krausen
Taking a cautious approach to toxicity in foraged ingredients
Adhering to traditional methods for traditional beers
Considering visual impact in recipe design
How the process of studying to become a beer judge improved her brewing
An inspirational voice in the world of brewing, Johnson serves as a great reminder to all of us that success in brewing isn’t about scale or profit, it’s about passion and personal fulfillment.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by BSG Hop Solutions. Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
4/25/2021 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 6 seconds
183: For Bobby Kros of Kros Strain, Innovation and Tradition Go Hand in Hand
That old axiom “be careful what you wish for” is true when it comes to award-winning beers and the recognition they attract. Winning a top medal for IPA at the Great American Beer Festival is the dream of many brewers—but such recognition often means making more and more IPA at the expense of other styles. Feeding the demand for a hot beer isn’t easy for a small brewery, and smaller projects and experiments can get put on the back burner.
Kros Strain Brewing (https://krosstrainbrewing.com) in La Vista, Nebraska, has faced that challenge, and while they still love hazy, New England-style IPA, they’ve doubled down on a commitment to other styles that excite them, from mixed-culture beers to lagers. Innovation doesn’t come at the expense of tradition—instead, it creates resources that the brewery can apply to building out a well-rounded beer program.
Cofounder Bobby Kros is committed to this approach, and in this episode he runs the gamut from IPA to barrel-aged lager. Topics include:
Selecting the right yeast strain for hazy IPA
Brewhouse practice for good fermentation results, generation after generation
Adjusting finishing gravity to track with increased hops loads in DDH IPA
Evaluating and selecting Mosaic and Citra
Selecting and blending commercially available cultures and Brett blends for the ideal mixed culture
“Mock” decoction for mixed-culture farmhouse beers
Brewing farmhouse ales to a higher 33-40 IBUs to balance and control acidity
Building out a broader sour program with mixed-culture Flanders-style ales and Berliner weisse
Barrel-aging lagers
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
4/16/2021 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 3 seconds
182: Sam Pecoraro of Von Ebert Writes the Beer Description Before the Recipe
Portland, Oregon’s Von Ebert (https://www.vonebertbrewing.com) has built a reputation for quality beer in a city full of great beer. From GABF medals to a Craft Beer & Brewing Beer of the Year (https://beerandbrewing.com/the-best-20-beers-in-2020/) in 2020, peers and critics have been paying close attention. In this episode of the podcast, head brewer Sam Pecoraro talks about a few different styles they focus on, from lagers to IPAs. Along the way, he touches on:
Ingredient selection for unique character in lager brewing
Blending pilsner base malt for a bit of extra character
Adjusting hot side hops timing to broaden the range of hop aromatics
The impact of IPA brewing habits on lager brewing techniques
Working through the library of lager yeasts before settling on the perfect mix of flavor and brewhouse function
Naming sub styles like “Italian” or “French” pilsner based on ingredient origin
Brewing Czech-style dark lager
Building different expressions of west coast IPA to satisfy the increasing narrow tastes of today’s beer drinkers
Creating a new beer by visualizing it, writing the description, and building a recipe to achieve the goal
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt. Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
4/12/2021 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 19 seconds
181: Jeff Wiederkehr of Burning Beard Believes Authenticity is the Best Policy
“Be your authentic self, and they will come to you,” says Burning Beard (https://burningbeardbrewing.com) cofounder Jeff Wiederkehr. It’s not about marketing calculus or cynically appealing to here-today, gone-tomorrow hype chasers. Instead, Burning Beard has built a rabid fan base by remaining small and embracing fun, all while quietly working in the brewhouse to refine, tweak, and experiment. From spontaneous coolship beers to traditional-style pilsners (and even IPAs that revisit crystal malts), Burning Beard has positioned itself as insurgent by embracing tradition, not running from it.
In this wide-ranging episode, Wiederkehr discusses:
Coolshipping in the warm climate of San Diego county
How poor cellaring techniques ruined early batches of spontaneous beer
Maintaining a through-line from homebrewed spontaneous projects to commercial batches in the brewery
Creating a San Diego beer that develops with age, inspired by Orval
Embracing 750 ml bottles in a market that avoids the format
Aging and brewing spontaneous beer with higher-alpha hop varieties
Developing a Czech-style pale lager recipe from early homebrew days through today
Driving out Saaz hop character that tastes like DMS through boil addition timing
Recalibrating for subtlety over intensity with lagers
The evolution of San Diego IPA
Re-embracing crystal malts in IPA
What kind of brewery would you build if you cared more about authenticity than success or profit? Wiederkehr and Burning Beard strive to live the answer to that question every day.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free!
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.
4/5/2021 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 54 seconds
180: Seventh Son’s Collin Castore and Colin Vent Balance the Normal with the Weird
For Collin Castore and Colin Vent of Seventh Son Brewing (https://www.seventhsonbrewing.com/homepage) in Columbus, Ohio, the focus has always been on quality and constant improvement over hype. Eight years on, the core brands they launched with are still strong performers for the brewery. They haven’t locked in those beers and let them languish over time. Instead, they’re constantly looking for small ways to increase quality, so that they taste as fresh today as when they launched the brewery in 2013.
In this episode, they discuss:
Using English ale yeast from Day One for IPAs and other ales
How their core brands have improved over the years, and what they’ve focused on improving along the way
Articulating an idea of “better” for their established beers
Making ingredients like candi sugar
Avoiding infection from adjunct ingredients
Using a dosing vessel for everything from dry hops to coffee and spices
Different flavor impacts from ingredients of different origins
The importance of environment on beer enjoyment
Taking a culinary approach to flavor-forward beers
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Rahr North Star Pils—a new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer.
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). That’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
3/27/2021 • 1 hour, 10 minutes
179: Chris Davison of Wolf's Ridge Still Tinkers Like a Homebrewer
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing (https://www.wolfsridgebrewing.com) started as a cramped basement brewpub setup below one of the best-regarded restaurants in Columbus, Ohio. On Chris Davison’s watch since 2014, the brewery grew to add a 30-barrel production brewhouse. Wolf’s Ridge notched its first Great American Beer Festival medal in 2019 with a silver medal for Daybreak, a cream ale with coffee and vanilla—its golden appearance failing to prepare the drinker for an aromatic hit that’s like walking into a roastery. It also happens to be their bestselling beer, outselling their IPA by a sizeable margin.
That same beer, Daybreak, returned to GABF last year and won gold, while their smoked beer Buchenrauch won bronze. Meanwhile, several Wolf’s Ridge beers impressed our Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® blind panel reviewers last year, none more than cocoa-laden Double Chocolate Rum Barrel Dire Wolf—which also thrilled our editors and became one of our Best 20 Beers in 2020. That’s all besides a few Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB) medals over the past four years.
In this episode, Davison talks about how early experiments with infusing corny kegs with different flavors—just to help fill out the restaurant’s many taps—led to a lot of learning and ulimately some their most successful beers—including Daybreak.
Among other things, Davison discusses:
The benefits of steeping with whole-bean coffee instead of grounds, plus quantities and steeping times
Adding vanilla for just the perception of sweetness, while using cream ale as a canvas for many other flavors, including Vietnamese cinnamon, strawberries, basil, lemons, and more
Brewing their Dire Wolf imperial stout for balance and drinkability before barrel-aging, and experimenting with different spirit barrels
Evaluating many different malts, intentionally these into their imperial stouts
Various adjuncts and flavors for those imperial stouts
Growing their barrel program on both the clean and mixed-fermentation sides
Focusing on the best ingredients for the beers they want to brew, and implementing sensory training for staff on hedonistic evaluation
And much more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer.
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). That’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
3/19/2021 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 22 seconds
178: Altstadt Brewery’s Craig Rowan Can Taste the Hard Work in His Beer
Alstadt Brewery (https://www.altstadtbeer.com) is a remarkable creation—a gleaming brewery, taproom, restaurant, and event space designed in the form of a European-style chateau, plopped down in the German-American community of Fredericksburg, Texas, amidst wineries and farms. No expense was spared, and it’s quite possibly the most costly build-out of a 12,000-barrel-per-year brewery in the recent history of brewing.
It could be written off as a vanity project for a wealthy father and son if the beer didn’t hold its own. But in 2019, under the leadership of head brewer Craig Rowan, the brewery took two gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival (for helles and Kölsch) and put Texas lager contemporaries on notice that they meant business. Rowan’s career began at Louisiana’s Abita Brewery, where he started in packaging and (over a decade) worked his way up to the brew deck and into the pilot brewery before leaving for the opportunity at Altstadt. But Rowan’s focus on precision made him well suited to take the reins of the brewery in 2018 when the previous brewmaster departed.
In this episode, he walks through the steps they took in honing the earlier iterations of their core beers—a process of testing and improvement that ultimately yielded serious rewards. For Rowan, the goal was riding that line of approachability and character, keeping the beers on the lower side of accepted ABV ranges, but ensuring that they remained convincing. From malt selection and mash technique to yeast and fermentation process to water treatment and finishing, he outlines the small things that they tweaked. While they don’t have the ability to employ some of the more difficult and time-consuming lager-brewing processes, they do sweat the details, and it shows in the beer.
“I’m a big believer in the work you put into a product shows to a customer,” says Rowan. “So if you’re decocting your beer, and you’re doing it well—you’ve studied how to do it, and you really understand why you’re doing it and what you’re doing it for–that’s going to show up in the final product. Working hard for something is always going to make it a better product.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). That’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
3/15/2021 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 48 seconds
177: St. Elmo’s Bryan Winslow Embraces the “A-Ha” Moment
In today’s brewing world, big and bold flavors tend to attract drinkers with an an endless thirt for what’s next. But for Austin’s St. Elmo Brewing, (http://www.stelmobrewing.com), those aren’t the beers that are going to get people coming back week after week to enjoy a sunny afternoon in their beer garden. Instead, they focus on optimizing quality that whispers rather than screams, making beers that don’t need to tell you how great they are. It may take a pint or two for that “aha” moment to happen, but that’s their ultimate goal—for consumers to realize the beer is good without having to focus intently on the beer itself.
With a core Kölsch-style ale whose yeast feed a number of other beers in their lineup (from hazy IPA to kettle sours), they’ve systematically built a production strategy that works for their small, pub-style brewhouse, creating efficiencies but also opening the door to experimentation.
In this episode, Winslow talks about that Kölsch, which they call Carl, and the details that go into it—such as malt selection, the infusion mash, plus the yeast strain and its expression at different temperatures.
The same strain ferments their hazy IPA, and Winslow discusses biotransformation with that yeast, dry hopping at cooler temperatures, how pH affects the hop expression, and more. The conversation finishes on fruited kettle sours and then hard seltzers—a category the brewery has started to embrace, to fulfill its mission to be a destination for groups of varying tastes.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
3/6/2021 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 20 seconds
176: The Austin Beer Garden Brewery Is Committed to All the Little Things that Make Great Lagers
Great lagers require commitment and focus, and it’s no surprise that the Austin Beer Garden Brewery (https://theabgb.com) has been so successful at making them—with three-plus decades of lager-brewing experience between them, cofounders Brian “Swifty” Peters and Amos Lowe have put in the time and learned through brewing thousands of batches of pils, helles, and more.
The accolades they’ve accumulated together under the ABGB banner have been impressive as well—seven GABF medals in five years (including six golds), plus 2016, 2017, and 2018 GABF Large Brewpub of the Year honors. The ABGB approach is a dedication and focus on doing all the little things right—there are no off-days, there are no shortcuts, there is no “good enough.”
There are, however, the realities of production, budget, and business that every small brewery has to face. Over the years of brewing lagers for other Texas breweries, Lowe and Peters have devised ways to work around every type of challenge. Brewing is problem-solving, and Swifty has made lagers in everything from horizontal fermenters to unjacketed Grundy tanks. Today, the ABGB uses conicals, but it employs a multi-stage tank transfer process to sequentially clear and lager their beers.
In this lager-focused episode, the brewing minds of the ABGB discuss:
Designing a hybrid, pub-focused lager brewery
Why decoction isn’t necessary, but extended lagering is
The importance of great ingredients
Brewing to a sense-memory standard informed by memories of great lagers
The yeast and fermentation magic necessary for perfect lager brews
Optimizing “elegance” in lagers
Editing lagers through filtration
The impact of water chemistry on everything from fermentation to hop character
Finishing lagers with natural carbonation
They’re unabashed traditionalists, but firmly focused on those techniques and elements that directly impact flavor. From decoction (“It’s just too much work for an everyday [thing]”) to lagering time (“People are proud to say ‘I have a four-week lager,’ and for us it’s like, ‘Whoa, that’s pretty young’”), they both embrace and reject lager dogma, leaning into their own experience to make lagers that taste exactly how they want them to. But for the ABGB, the key to making great lagers is doing all of the little things, every single time. Not some of the time, not most of the time—all of the time.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
2/25/2021 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 59 seconds
175: Kevin Davey of Wayfinder Sets the Record Straight on “Cold IPA”
Kevin Davey doesn’t understand why Wayfinder’s “Cold IPA” has gone viral in brewing circles. This proponent of genre bending approaches to brewing that respect tradition but recombine elements of tradition in curious ways has been vocal in the past about what they’re doing—making “IPA” in a way that respects the flavor while twisting the technique. They haven’t been hiding anything, so why the hubbub now?
The beer that seems to be the center of the brewing internet’s latest furor is Relapse, a beer they’ve dubbed a “Cold IPA” (much to the chagrin of those IPL advocates and style guide purists who insist nothing of the sort can exist). It’s definitely not “traditional”—mashed with a grist of 30% rice, fermented with 34/70 lager yeast, and krausened with pils or helles wort when dry-hopped, it doesn’t appear on paper to be connected to the broader school of west coast IPA. But taste it and you’ll understand how these curious methods produce a beer that feels perfectly aligned with the conceptual ideas that have driven west coast IPA for the past two decades.
It's worth noting, of course, that the beer in question—Relapse Cold IPA—was a Craft Beer & Brewing beer of the year for 2020. The quality and technical execution of the beer is beyond reproach, and the creativity in process is, of course, just icing on the cake. In this genre-busting episode, Davey discusses:
The impact of step mashing on yeast health and effective fermentation
Using American malt for higher enzyme component to work with rice and corn adjuncts when cereal mashing
The benefit of brewing with rice
Importance to flavor and aroma of boiling hops (and not just dry hopping)
Balancing fruitiness and bitterness in hoppy beers
Fermenting during dry hopping to encourage hop creep and to dry out the beer, and krausening with pilsner or helles
Finding language that does justice to the intent of a beer in a way that connects with consumers
“I loved California West Coast IPA when I first started in the industry,” says Davey. “And so I’m like ‘What if we just take that further? Let’s make it even clearer. Let’s make it even less caramel-y. Let’s make it even dryer.’ That’s why—on the can—we say it’s ‘wester than west coast,’ because we’re taking all the things that are already west coast and we’re just pushing them a little bit further.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Rahr North Star Pils—a new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer.
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
2/25/2021 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 52 seconds
174: Live Oak Turns Back the Clock with Historical Lagers and Smoked Beers
“If it’s a pain in the ass, we usually do it,” says Live Oak (https://liveoakbrewing.com) head brewer Dusan Kwiatkowski. Brewing the hard way has been a core tenet of the brewery since their start in the mid ’90s. While most breweries launched around the time focused on ales (to distinguish themselves from the “macro” beer of the time), Live Oak committed to craft lager from its earliest days. Its Czech-inspired pale lager, Pilz, has been one of their core beers for more than two decades.
Today, Live Oak maintains that focus by pushing lager even further, through the pre-Prohibition-style pils they call Pre-War Pils, and by brewing and advocating for Grodziskie, which they brew as a lager with oak-smoked malt from a small Czech maltster.
In this episode, Kwiatkowski discusses everything from the ways they’ve sourced ingredients for the Grodziskie to the process behind the cereal mash necessary with corn grits in the Pre-War Pils. Along the way, he discusses the impact of smoked malt in recipes, brewing Grodziskie as a lager rather than an ale, polishing pils so that it sparkles in the glass, spunding tanks for proper finishing, and more.
Live Oak is fond of referring to its Austin, Texas, location as “Bamberg on the Colorado,” referencing the German city’s reputation for smoked beer from breweries such as Schlenkerla and Spezial. While smoked beer is a niche in today’s wider beer world, Live Oak’s passion and focus on the approach are second to none.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Rahr North Star Pils—a new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer.
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
2/19/2021 • 59 minutes, 15 seconds
173: Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Souls Brews Beautiful Stouts
It’s been a busy and momentous year for Marcus Baskerville. The co-owner and head brewer of San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing made national news with his Black Is Beautiful initiative in 2020. To date, more than 1,200 breweries in all 50 states and 22 countries have patrticipated in the open-source collaboration to raise funds and awareness for diversity and racial justice. However, well before that initiative, Baskerville already had developed a strong reputation among fellow brewers and Texas drinkers for his characterful stouts and other beers.
In this episode, Baskerville lays out his approach to brewing, including:
Developing a distinct flavor point-of-view when brewing established styles
Building stout grists that minimizes roast and smoke flavors
Counterintuitive balancing of base stouts with adjuncts
Building caramel midtones in stouts while keeping specialty malts under control
Creating body with high mash temps and flaked oats, plus long boils and maltodextrin (but no lactose)
Managing fermentation in imperial stouts
Adjunct processing for vanilla, marshmallow powder, coconut, and more
The impact of various bourbon flavors on barrel-aged stouts
Best barrel preparation practices, including soaking to rehydrate
Baskerville also reflects on how the Black Is Beautiful project has evolved over the past months, how to help brewers be relevant to Black drinkers, creating allies within the industry, and the importance of positivity.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information – and responsible for mapping millions of visits to breweries all across the United States. In early 2021, BreweryDB® will reveal a whole new platform with all new marketing features for breweries to attract craft lovers to their unique brewery experience. To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
2/12/2021 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 56 seconds
172: Zack Adams of Fox Farm Takes an Iterative But Exacting Approach Across Traditional Styles
For Zack Adams of Connecticut’s Fox Farm Brewery (http://www.foxfarmbeer.com), the reward in brewing is found in working and reworking a smaller lineup of beers, over and over again, until he gets them just right. While they make and love IPAs, they’ve focused their other brewing energy on simple and small beers—think German-style pilsner, Kölsch, English-style dark mild, and Belgian-inspired mixed culture farmhouse beers. They’re a country brewery, and comfortable with that approach.
In this episode of the podcast, Adams discusses:
Getting the hang of lager fermentation
A sensory approach to brewer feedback and improvement
Developing malt character despite infusion mashing
Using different Noble hops to bring out varyingcharacteristics in lagers
Creating balanced smoked beers, and bringing their audience along on the journey
Brewing classic English-style ales
Preparing and carbonating beer before nitrogenating
Creating a distinct approach to mixed culture farmhouse ales
Brewing with craft malt
Wine-beer hybrids using New England grape varieties
(Accidentally) using winemaking techniques for softer tannin extraction
Learning from four seasons of spontaneous brewing (without releasing a single spontaneous beer)
and more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
2/6/2021 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 3 seconds
171: Firestone Walker’s Matt Brynildson is Relentless in Pursuit of Quality
For many brewers, winning a medal at the Great American Beer Festival or World Beer Cup is a career-defining accomplishment. Winning two or three establishes a reputation. Win a dozen and it’s a legacy. Yet Matt Brynildson, the brewmaster and creative force behind so many now-classic Firestone Walker (https://www.firestonebeer.com) beers, counts more than 90 such medals over his brewing career, now stretching into its third decade.
For analogues in the sports world you’d have to consider names like Brady, Messi, or Jordan—but unlike them, Brynildson plays just about every position. The medals he’s won cross a breadth of styles, from helles to IPA to barrel-aged stout and mixed culture Brett beer. Under Brynildson’s brewing leadership, Firestone Walker has won GABF medals for the past 18 years straight, taking home four Mid-Size Brewery of the Year honors along the way.
Sports hyperboles aside, there’s a method to these winning ways, and it all comes back to quality and constant improvement. With a background in chemistry, Brynildson has matched a technician’s perfectionism to the soul of an artist, absorbing and deploying technical processes to make the best beer possible, while also exploring the creative edge of differentiation and expression that helps his beers stand apart from the crowd.
In this extended episode, he discusses:
The knowledge he recently gained spending a year brewing in Europe with Duvel-Moortgat
The importance of the 162°F (72°C) rest when mashing less-modified malts
Takeaways from the 2020 Hops Growers of America annual conference
How the Hops Quality Group has worked to close the loop between farmers and brewers
The necessity of foam
Evaluating new hops, from selecting away from negative traits to running parallel trials
Why Citra doesn’t figure heavily in the brewery’s approach to hops
Coaxing punchier results out of German varieties like Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon
Differences in practices between German and US hop farming
The key indicators of quality in hops
Creating the 805 blonde ale and building a brewery to handle it
Firestone Walker’s entrance into the hazy IPA world, with Mind Haze
Current R&D with fruited iterations of hazy IPA
Building quality into the DNA of the brewery, so that it lasts for generations
While Matt loves hops, he’s particularly fond of swimming against the tide, and finding creative ways of building compelling flavors without resorting to more common default approaches.
“We actually have a harder time integrating a high percentage of hops like Citra and Mosaic into our beers,” says Brynildson. “We’re probably one of those rare West coast IPA brewers [where] Citra isn’t a major deal. I sell more Citra to Duvel to make Duvel Triple Hop than I use in this brewery, if that tells you anything. Over time, we’ve found that rather than it being the main player—because everybody else’s beer kinda tastes and smells that way—it has found its way into more of a niche of enhancing, amplifying, not being the star.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils, a new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information – and responsible for mapping millions of visits to breweries all across the United States. In early 2021, BreweryDB® will reveal a whole new platform with all new marketing features for breweries to attract craft lovers to their unique brewery experience. To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
1/31/2021 • 1 hour, 28 minutes, 54 seconds
170: Jonathan Moxey of Rockwell is a Friend of the Foeder
Jonathan Moxey cut his teeth at St. Louis craft trailblazer Perennial Artisan Ales before leaving in 2018 to head the brewing program at Rockwell Beer (https://www.rockwellbeer.com). Over the years, he's developed a love for finely tuned mixed-fermentation, wood aging, session beer, and lager—all things for which he’s developed different but equally compelling takes in his new digs.
In this episode, Moxey discusses:
Designing Baltic porter for aging and conditioning in a foeder
The clearing effect of fermenting in wood
Building bigger beers while downplaying ethanol expression
Yeast choices in high-gravity lagers
Maintaining proper fermentation health
Building complex malt layers in big, dark beers
Developing unique beer character by using unique Brett strains
Building and developing a culture
Foam retention in tart and sour beer
The beauty of Michigan Crystal hops
Hopping regimens for mixed-fermentation beers
And more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) BSG is partnering with Leopold Bros. to bring a new line of small-batch, handmade malts to brewers and distillers. Leopold Bros. is a family owned floor malting operation and distillery and 2020 James Beard Award Finalist, located in Denver, Colorado. Since brothers Scott and Todd Leopold first opened their doors in 1999, they have created everything from classic unfiltered lagers to a number of spirits, including a wide array of whiskey styles. Learn more about the upcoming malt line by going online to BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
1/21/2021 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 41 seconds
169: Fair Isle’s Andrew Pogue and Nick Pauley Push the Farmhouse Paradigm with Mixed Cultures, Foraged Ingredients, and Creative Grains
For Fair Isle Brewing (https://www.fairislebrewing.com) in Seattle, Washington, the founding concept was simple—focus on a narrow niche of the beer world, and do it really, really well. It’s one thing to state an audacious goal, and it’s another to actually deliver on it, but the tightly executed saisons they’ve produced over the past year exude a confidence and class that belie their young age.
In this episode of the podcast, cofounder Andrew Pogue and head brewer Nick Pauley walk through the brewery’s creation and their thoughtful approach to developing and corralling the house culture that the brewery uses to ferment every one of its beers. They discuss how to manage the cultural drift toward acid production, creating different environments that push the culture in different flavor directions, and the ways that initial fermentation flavors and aromas change and develop over the 90-day fermentation schedule.
Grain plays a big role in the brewery’s experimentation, and they discuss using heirloom barley varieties such as Purple Egyptian, as well as newly developed perennial grain Salish Blue.
They’ve also focused intently on brewing with native ingredients from the region—working with a licensed ethnobotanist who harvests foraged ingredients. They discuss their process of learning how to best use new-to-them ingredients—from foraged fireweed to wild elderberry, hawthorne, and yarrow, they’ve been learning as they go. They then discuss the re-pitching process for their culture, and how they re-use spent hops for certain beers.
Creating a saison-focused brewery in hops-loving Seattle is clearly a labor of love—but the Fair Isle team wouldn't have it any other way.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Haze for days in your IPAs! Kerry BioHaze from BSG adds that perfect stable cloudy appearance for your hazy recipe. Made with all-natural materials, BioHaze is a free-flowing microgranular powder that binds with protein molecules in beer that form polyphenol-protein complexes to produce a cloudy haze. This unique product can be added to final beer to give your beer that famous haze. Find out more about BioHaze at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information – and responsible for mapping millions of visits to breweries all across the United States. In early 2021, BreweryDB® will reveal a whole new platform with all new marketing features for breweries to attract craft lovers to their unique brewery experience. To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com, that’s MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
1/17/2021 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 41 seconds
168: Andrew Bell of Radiant Beer Co. Opens Up on Ingredient Successes and Failures
If you’ve had a beer from Placentia, California’s The Bruery at a festival or in their taproom over the past half-decade, there’s a good chance that Andrew Bell designed it or brewed it. The longtime innovation brewer has developed a reputation amongst industry peers as one who has tried just about anything that can be legally added to beer—from powdered cream cheese to obscure spices and fruit in every form imaginable.
In mid-2020, he joined former Bruery colleagues Jonas Nemura and Cambria Griffith to launch Radiant Beer Co. (https://www.radiantbeer.com) in Orange County, and now he’s tackling a new type of innovation problem—designing a brewing program and identity from scratch.
In this episode, Bell discusses lessons learned from brewing more than 300 new beers per year, including:
setting and adhering to stylistic guard rails
breaking down familiar flavors like oatmeal raisin cookie, and rebuilding them in beer
using sub-threshold spicing to build flavor that evokes an emotional connection
the challenge of scaling ingredients up from the pilot batches to production batches
processing nuts and improving their extract efficiency
pasteurizing for safety and to improve flavors
the ways that different fruit-processing methods (purée, juice, dehydrated, fresh) affect flavor expression
brewing “clean” beer with wine grapes
managing ultra-high-gravity fermentations with unusual yeast
brewing low-bitterness West Coast-style IPAs with high aromatic and tropical elements
subtle spicing in traditional styles like witbier
And much more.
If you’ve ever brewed with a new ingredient and suffered spectacular failure, welcome to Bell’s world. Through a long process of research, ingredient sourcing, and brewhouse testing, he’s figured out ways to make difficult ingredients work—and also found ingredients that he’ll never use again.
In this episode, he delves into both the success and the failures, with tips that anyone can use to achieve better outcomes with difficult ingredients.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com).
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt. Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer).
Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com, that’s MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). It’s easy and it’s free!
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!
1/13/2021 • 1 hour, 19 minutes, 18 seconds
167: Adam Robbings of Reuben’s Brews Reflects on the Brewing and Business Impacts of 2020
Reuben’s Brews’ (https://reubensbrews.com) Adam Robbings has always been a thoughtful and mission-driven brewer, who focuses as much on building a business that delivers on the promise of “craft” as he does on compelling beers that fit within the craft category. That approach to brewing has been a successful one, with GABF and FOBAB medals and a Craft Beer & Brewing Beer of the Year earned all in the space of the past year.
In this episode, Robbings dives into the theory and practice around popular Reuben’s beers like Three Ryes Men barrel-aged rye barleywine and Triple Crush hazy triple IPA. Along the way, he touches on:
The growth and importance of “variants”
This year’s developed “No man’s land” in ABV
The growth of interest in west coast IPA
Reuben’s approach to their award-winning Three Ryes Men barleywine
How barrel age impacts finished beer
Choosing competition categories for barrel-aged beers based on flavor gestalt rather than production methods
Building specialty beers with a consumer focus for drinking occasions
The resurgence of pumpkin beer
Scaling recipes to different sized brewhouses
Bench testing new hops crops to gauge changes year over year
“There’s a whole lot of game theory behind competitions,” says Robbings. “It’s not just ‘the best beer wins.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Quantiperm (https://quantiperm.com): Tired of the trial-and-error carbonation processes? Then look at our innovative automated carbonation systems for precise carbonation. These systems handle wide flow ranges to accommodate all your beer, wine, soda, or cider styles. You can even carbonate and directly send the product to a packaging line without tankage! Besides carbonation, QuantiPerm offers robust and economical systems for nitrogenation and water deoxygenation. All our systems have an easy-to-use graphical user interface with reports and graphs that you can pull up on your mobile device. Visit quantiperm.com (https://quantiperm.com) for more information.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, and gave away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE this past December 7th. Congratulations to Lazy Horse Brewing & Winery in Nebraska who are the new proud owners of a Keg Viking! To make sure you’re on the list for future giveaways, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contact form to stay in the know!
1/1/2021 • 1 hour, 21 minutes, 51 seconds
166: Josh Grenz of Verboten on Designing Stouts and Barleywines for Barrel Aging
Anyone can put beer in a barrel, but brewing compelling (and award-winning) barrel-aged beers requires a more conscious approach to design, brewing, and fermentation. Verboten (https://verbotenbrewing.com)’s Josh Grenz knows a thing or two about the subject, having won bronze at both GABF and the World Beer Cup, as well as 2018 and 2020 golds at the Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers (FOBAB), for three separate barrel-aged beers. In this episode, Grenz talks through their process around brewing barrel-aged stouts and barleywines, from the earliest considerations of recipe design for complexity and interest to their intense hopping regimen that helps the aging process, and using flavorful malts like Special B to insure that aging and oxidation occur in pleasant ways that develop compelling flavors.
He discusses successful high gravity fermentation (from yeast choice to mash strategies and enzyme assistance), adjusting base recipes for different finishing barrels, and designing adjunct strategies for subtlety.
It took years for Grenz to attempt to brew barrel-aged beers, as the deep respect he had for the category intimidated him. But by carefully planning the approach through nuanced choices to ingredients and process, he’s found a winning strategy.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG is partnering with Leopold Bros. to bring a new line of small-batch, handmade malts to brewers and distillers. Leopold Bros. is a family owned floor malting operation and distillery and 2020 James Beard Award Finalist, located in Denver, Colorado. Since brothers Scott and Todd Leopold first opened their doors in 1999, they have created everything from classic unfiltered lagers to a number of spirits, including a wide array of whiskey styles. Learn more about the upcoming malt line by going online to BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Quantiperm (https://quantiperm.com): Tired of the trial-and-error carbonation processes? Then look at our innovative automated carbonation systems for precise carbonation. These systems handle wide flow ranges to accommodate all your beer, wine, soda, or cider styles. You can even carbonate and directly send the product to a packaging line without tankage! Besides carbonation, QuantiPerm offers robust and economical systems for nitrogenation and water deoxygenation. All our systems have an easy-to-use graphical user interface with reports and graphs that you can pull up on your mobile device. Visit quantiperm.com (https://quantiperm.com) for more information.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, and gave away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE this past December 7th. Congratulations to Lazy Horse Brewing & Winery in Nebraska who are the new proud owners of a Keg Viking! To make sure you’re on the list for future giveaways, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contact form to stay in the know!
12/28/2020 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 53 seconds
165: Bret Kollman Baker of Urban Artifact is Fastidious About Quick Sour Beers
When approached with creativity, passion, and clarity of purpose, any beer style can be great. Quick sours—in the hands of Urban Artifact’s (https://www.artifactbeer.com) Bret Kollman Baker—are an object lesson in this intense approach, which transcends style basics to achieve a high level of sophistication and nuance. Urban Artifact only make sour beer, and that singular approach means they have no choice but to make them well.
In this episode of the podcast, Kollman Baker gets into the fine points of brewing quick-soured beers, including:
Kettle-souring without the kettle
Temperature impacts on kettle-souring
Pasteurizing puréed fruit in the brewhouse for ideal fruit expression
Designing different base beers to bring out the best traits in each fruit
Adjusting water chemistry to maximize fruit expression
Yeast management in acidic beers
Winemakers’ tricks applied to fruit beers
Contextual approaches to different fruit processing
Avoiding off-flavors in difficult fruits like strawberries
Managing actual versus perceived acidity
Massaging consumer expectations through descriptions
And much more.
Kollman Baker isn’t afraid to speak his mind, believing deeply in the artful approach they’ve adopted. Making great quick-soured beer is not a fluke—it’s the product of thoughtful people optimizing processes to achieve the best possible outcome. Just because their souring process is faster than longer mixed-culture methods doesn’t mean it’s less valid, less flavorful, or a shortcut. On the contrary, Kollman Baker embraces techniques that produce the better tasting beer, adjusting brewhouse workflow to optimize for this end product.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Haze for days in your IPAs! Kerry BioHaze from BSG adds that perfect stable cloudy appearance for your hazy recipe. Made with all-natural materials, BioHaze is a free-flowing microgranular powder that binds with protein molecules in beer that form polyphenol-protein complexes to produce a cloudy haze. This unique product can be added to final beer to give your beer that famous haze. Find out more about BioHaze at BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Quantiperm (https://quantiperm.com): Tired of the trial-and-error carbonation processes? Then look at our innovative automated carbonation systems for precise carbonation. These systems handle wide flow ranges to accommodate all your beer, wine, soda, or cider styles. You can even carbonate and directly send the product to a packaging line without tankage! Besides carbonation, QuantiPerm offers robust and economical systems for nitrogenation and water deoxygenation. All our systems have an easy-to-use graphical user interface with reports and graphs that you can pull up on your mobile device. Visit quantiperm.com (https://quantiperm.com) for more information.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, and gave away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE this past December 7th. Congratulations to Lazy Horse Brewing & Winery in Nebraska who are the new proud owners of a Keg Viking! To make sure you’re on the list for future giveaways, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contact form to stay in the know!
12/24/2020 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 2 seconds
164: It's Funk First for Shawn Johnson and New-Old School Birds Fly South
Shawn Johnson of Birds Fly South (https://bfsbeer.com) dreams about brewing. In fact, their solera system for fermenting farmhouse beers came to him one night in a vision of sorts—as Jolly Pumpkin’s Ron Jeffries appeared in a dream with a command to “keep the beer moving.” Funk is always on Johnson’s mind, awake or asleep, and five years in, the brewery continues to adhere to their mantra of “Funk First!”
In this episode, Johnson discusses:
- Developing and managing their house culture
- Maintaining the balance between Brett and Sacch expression in the culture
- How different grist bills and mash processes affect the expression of the culture
- Pushing higher bitterness (25-35 IBUs) in mixed-culture beers
- Using hyped hops in farmhouse beers as a bridge to today’s drinkers
- Embracing a bit of lightstruck character by using green bottles
- Brewing for different barrel-aging strategies
- Exploring flavors in barrel-aged stouts with Belgian yeasts
Brewing today means balancing one’s creative vision with consumer demand, educating drinkers, and creating a market rather than simply creating products for an existing one. Birds Fly South has stuck to their guns, building a bridge between classic expression and modern innovation.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Quantiperm (https://quantiperm.com): Tired of the trial-and-error carbonation processes? Then look at our innovative automated carbonation systems for precise carbonation. These systems handle wide flow ranges to accommodate all your beer, wine, soda, or cider styles. You can even carbonate and directly send the product to a packaging line without tankage! Besides carbonation, QuantiPerm offers robust and economical systems for nitrogenation and water deoxygenation. All our systems have an easy-to-use graphical user interface with reports and graphs that you can pull up on your mobile device. Visit quantiperm.com (https://quantiperm.com) for more information.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, and gave away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE this past December 7th. Congratulations to Lazy Horse Brewing & Winery in Nebraska who are the new proud owners of a Keg Viking! To make sure you’re on the list for future giveaways, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contact form to stay in the know!
12/12/2020 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 2 seconds
163: Julie Verratti of Denizens Discusses Political and Operational Ways Breweries Can Survive the COVID Wave
As an attorney who, earlier in her career, worked for the US federal government's Small Business Administration, Denizens Brewing cofounder and Chief Brand Officer Julie Verratti has a working knowledge of mechanisms of government that brewery owners and operators everywhere can learn from as they chart a course through this difficult and heartbreaking second wave of COVID. In this special episode, she offers a crash course in how to work with elected officials to lobby for the support that breweries need (from the federal down to the local level), and takes a deep dive into the operational shifts the brewery has put in place to continue serving customers while keeping staff safe.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Haze for days in your IPAs! Kerry BioHaze from BSG adds that perfect stable cloudy appearance for your hazy recipe. Made with all-natural materials, BioHaze is a free-flowing microgranular powder that binds with protein molecules in beer that form polyphenol-protein complexes to produce a cloudy haze. This unique product can be added to final beer to give your beer that famous haze. Find out more about BioHaze at BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Quantiperm (https://quantiperm.com): Tired of the trial-and-error carbonation processes? Then look at our innovative automated carbonation systems for precise carbonation. These systems handle wide flow ranges to accommodate all your beer, wine, soda, or cider styles. You can even carbonate and directly send the product to a packaging line without tankage! Besides carbonation, QuantiPerm offers robust and economical systems for nitrogenation and water deoxygenation. All our systems have an easy-to-use graphical user interface with reports and graphs that you can pull up on your mobile device. Visit quantiperm.com (https://quantiperm.com) for more information.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
11/29/2020 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 29 seconds
162: Yvan de Baets of Brasserie de la Senne Is a Selfish Brewer
For Yvan de Baets of Brasserie de la Senne, (https://www.brasseriedelasenne.be) what’s old is new again. All brewing styles shift and develop over time, as tastes change and things come into and fall out of fashion. But for this student of Belgian brewing history, the lack of hops in contemporary Belgian beers was a stylistic travesty that he needed to remedy. Enter Brasserie de la Senne, which—when it officially opened in Brussels in 2010—doubled the number of operating commercial breweries in the city (the only other one at the time was Cantillon).
Over the past decade and a half, the Senne brewery has made a mark not just on drinkers but on fellow brewers the world over, with thoughtful, nuanced, unapologetic takes on Belgian beer styles. From classic extra-pale Taras Boulba to hoppy triple Jambe de Bois, they’ve followed a different path than Belgian compatriots, developing a thumbprint of assertive Noble hopping and multiple forays into mixed fermentation—all driven, de Baets says, by the selfishness of brewing only what they want to drink.
In this episode, de Baets discusses how they think about and employ hops in their beers, from selection to timing. He dives deep into the impact of tank geometry on ester production, and credits their squat, wide fermenters with creating a lower-stress environment for their yeast—thus favoring subtlety and reducing higher alcohols. His approach to mixed fermentation, acidity, a new pilsner (influenced by the inimitable Eric Toft of Brauerei Schönram), and science-driven takes on traditional brewing techniques all enter the conversation.
De Baets, however, is not a “purist” in any sense of the word, happy to give credit where due and celebrate those who brew with a sense of purpose to keep traditions alive.
“American brewers and consumers have saved many traditional Belgian styles that were simply dying in Belgium, because the Belgians didn’t care about them any more, which is a shame and extremely sad,” he says. “Some of the Belgian-style saisons made in the US are better than most of the saisons we have in Belgium. Some Flemish reds are the same. I will not say, of course, that some lambic-like American beers are better than the best of Belgium now, but some are approaching them and extremely, extremely close.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG is partnering with Leopold Bros. to bring a new line of small-batch, handmade malts to brewers and distillers. Leopold Bros. is a family owned floor malting operation and distillery and 2020 James Beard Award Finalist, located in Denver, Colorado. Since brothers Scott and Todd Leopold first opened their doors in 1999, they have created everything from classic unfiltered lagers to a number of spirits, including a wide array of whiskey styles. Learn more about the upcoming malt line by going online to BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Quantiperm (https://quantiperm.com): Tired of the trial-and-error carbonation processes? Then look at our innovative automated carbonation systems for precise carbonation. These systems handle wide flow ranges to accommodate all your beer, wine, soda, or cider styles. You can even carbonate and directly send the product to a packaging line without tankage! Besides carbonation, QuantiPerm offers robust and economical systems for nitrogenation and water deoxygenation. All our systems have an easy-to-use graphical user interface with reports and graphs that you can pull up on your mobile device. Visit quantiperm.com (https://quantiperm.com) for more information.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
11/23/2020 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 20 seconds
161: For Matt Lincoln of Fremont, Brewing Fresh Hop Beers is a Labor of Love
Seattle’s Fremont Brewing (https://www.fremontbrewing.com) is known for fresh hop beers, and over the past decade they’ve engaged in a level of problem solving (on both the logistical and technical sides) that is relatively unparalleled. What started as a small organic experiment with a well-established hop farm has turned into a yearly logistical dance, as harvesters, trucks, and brew staff work in concert to pick hops at the right time, transport them at the right temperature, and get them into batches at just the right moment. In this episode, Director of Brewing Operations Matt Lincoln (who has been with the brewery since day one) explains both the operational challenges the brewery faces to tackle such an ambitious fresh hop program, and how they manage fresh hops through the brewing process. Whether it’s planning their brewing volume based on the season’s yield, using their lauter tun as a hop back with moving rakes to aid extraction, or tweaking temperatures to insure the best outcomes, Fremont has learned much the past decade of brewing these beers at scale.
The conversation also moves through how the brewery’s approach to hoppy beers has evolved, pushing more and more hot side hops into the whirlpool to retain aromatics while still achieving the right amount of isomerization for their unapologetically bitter IPAs. Yeast expression is of particular importance, as is managing hop creep, and Lincoln discusses both in depth. Later, he pivots to discuss their approach to barrel aging and blending beers like B-Bomb that have earned the brewery much acclaim.
Fresh hop beers are expensive to make with difficult challenges to overcome as brewers and growers manage tricky constraints in time and temperature, but few breweries brew them as well as Fremont does. When you listen to Lincoln explain it, you’ll understand why.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Quantiperm (https://quantiperm.com): Tired of the trial-and-error carbonation processes? Then look at our innovative automated carbonation systems for precise carbonation. These systems handle wide flow ranges to accommodate all your beer, wine, soda, or cider styles. You can even carbonate and directly send the product to a packaging line without tankage! Besides carbonation, QuantiPerm offers robust and economical systems for nitrogenation and water deoxygenation. All our systems have an easy-to-use graphical user interface with reports and graphs that you can pull up on your mobile device. Visit quantiperm.com (https://quantiperm.com) for more information.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
11/14/2020 • 1 hour, 19 minutes, 25 seconds
160: Brick West’s Sam Milne Takes an Exacting Approach to Pilsner and Gose
Brick West (https://www.brickwestbrewingco.com) head brewer Sam Milne is fanatical about process and technique, and it’s this love of fine tuning small details that stoked his love of brewing lagers years ago. After moving up the ranks at Kulshan Brewing in Bellingham, Washington, he received a full scholarship from the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation to study at the World Academy of Brewing at the Siebel Institute (Chicago) and Doemans Academy (Munich)—an experience that cemented this passion for lagers—and returned to the states to join and launch Brick West. They’ve thrown out the typical brewery playbook, and focused intently on German-style beers like pilsner, helles, hefeweizen, and gose (along with a smattering of west coast IPAs that nod to their proximity to hops-growing regions in Yakima to their west and Idaho to their east).
In this conversation, Milne gets into the details that make their beers interesting despite their simplicity—deriving complexity from simple malt bills, carefully tuning mash protocols to achieve finishing gravities that will accentuate the best character of the beer, pH testing mash conversion at each step so as not to linger longer than necessary, managing whirlpool temperatures to achieve proper aroma and bitterness, cone-to-cone pitching for lower yeast stress, krausening and spunding for quality carbonation, and avoiding pumps to minimize oxygen pickup through the brewing and packaging process.
Milne’s respect for tradition is paramount, but he pairs that with a tinkerer’s mentality of always finding small ways to make things a little bit better. This episode explores those small things that can have big impact on finished beers.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG is partnering with Leopold Bros. to bring a new line of small-batch, handmade malts to brewers and distillers. Leopold Bros. is a family owned floor malting operation and distillery and 2020 James Beard Award Finalist, located in Denver, Colorado. Since brothers Scott and Todd Leopold first opened their doors in 1999, they have created everything from classic unfiltered lagers to a number of spirits, including a wide array of whiskey styles. Learn more about the upcoming malt line by going online to BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Five Star Chemicals & Supply (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Five Star Chemicals & Supply Inc. is your leading provider of cleaning, sanitizing and adjunct chemicals for breweries, throughout North America and internationally. All products have been formulated with safety, equipment material, and quality in mind. Interested in trying our products? Contact [email protected] to inquire about a free Craft Brew Sample Pack and only pay the shipping. Cheers to Beer!
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
11/8/2020 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 46 seconds
159: Best in Beer 2020: Writers and Critics Stan Hieronymus, Kate Bernot, Alex Kidd, Samer Khudairi, and Joe Stange Share Their Personal Bests
In the second of our two-episode Best in Beer podcast extravaganza, Jamie and Joe talk with beer writers Kate Bernot, Samer Khudairi, Stan Hieronymus, and Alex Kidd about their top ten beers of 2020, trends in brewing, impacts of COVID-19 on the beer world, other outstanding breweries, and more. From their outposts in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Missoula, Montana, these respected writers offer thoughtful insights on breweries to watch, trends you can't ignore, and what makes beers and styles compelling today.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Haze for days in your IPAs! Kerry BioHaze from BSG adds that perfect stable cloudy appearance for your hazy recipe. Made with all-natural materials, BioHaze is a free-flowing microgranular powder that binds with protein molecules in beer that form polyphenol-protein complexes to produce a cloudy haze. This unique product can be added to final beer to give your beer that famous haze. Find out more about BioHaze at BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Five Star Chemicals & Supply (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Five Star Chemicals & Supply Inc. is your leading provider of cleaning, sanitizing and adjunct chemicals for breweries, throughout North America and internationally. All products have been formulated with safety, equipment material, and quality in mind. Interested in trying our products? Contact [email protected] to inquire about a free Craft Brew Sample Pack and only pay the shipping. Cheers to Beer!
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
10/31/2020 • 1 hour, 34 minutes, 46 seconds
158: 2020 Best in Beer Podcast Special!
2020 was a challenging year for trying new beer, but like everyone has done over the past eight months of shutdowns and socially distancing, we persevered. We were able to taste thousands of beers over the past year at Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®, between our blind-panel reviews, those sent to us to consider for general coverage, those tasted at various festivals (remember festivals? Yes, we did get to some in the earlier months of this year), and those shared when we visited breweries—not to mention all the ones we bought and enjoyed at home.
Once a year, we put our collective heads together and create our Editors' Picks for the Best Beers of the Year. We also poll you, our readers and listeners, for your favorite beers, as well as your favorite breweries of various sizes. In this exhaustive episode, Cofounder and Editorial Director Jamie Bogner and Managing Editor Joe Stange walk through the best beers and breweries of 2020 and the stories behind them.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Five Star Chemicals & Supply (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Five Star Chemicals & Supply Inc. is your leading provider of cleaning, sanitizing and adjunct chemicals for breweries, throughout North America and internationally. All products have been formulated with safety, equipment material, and quality in mind. Interested in trying our products? Contact [email protected] to inquire about a free Craft Brew Sample Pack and only pay the shipping. Cheers to Beer!
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
10/23/2020 • 1 hour, 45 minutes, 33 seconds
157: Finback Cofounder Kevin Stafford Strives For Harmony in Creative, Boundary-Pushing Beers
For Kevin Stafford, Head Brewer and Cofounder of New York’s Finback Brewery, (http://www.finbackbrewery.com) exploration and creative expression has always been the brewery’s goal, as they wholeheartedly embrace the new. But there’s a certain cohesiveness to the range of their experimentation that grounds it. They’re not purists and don’t subscribe to the artificial limitations imposed by style—what matters is that it tastes good, and evokes a spirit of playfulness.
In this episode, Stafford talks about their approach to hazy IPA, unexpected hops combinations, using ingredients like coconut in flavored IPAs, and tracking customer feedback loops like Untappd scores to help understand customers’ tastes. With their rich dessert stouts, he discusses adjunct processes around ingredients with high fat content such as nuts, which can pose challenges in the brewhouse, and he discusses additions of high-sugar ingredients (such as Froot Loops cereal) while fermentation is still active. Body in big stouts is very important, and he walks through how they build it without some of the sweetness inherent in lactose approaches.
“If that imperial stout coats the glass—when you rotate the glass a little bit—as long as it sticks and makes the glass brown, and stays there for a while—that makes me happy,” says Stafford. “I don’t care if there’s no head.”
What does matter to Stafford is maintaining a spirit of weirdness and creativity, putting coconut in everything, and constantly challenging themselves to find new possibilities in the beer they make.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG is partnering with Leopold Bros. to bring a new line of small-batch, handmade malts to brewers and distillers. Leopold Bros. is a family owned floor malting operation and distillery and 2020 James Beard Award Finalist, located in Denver, Colorado. Since brothers Scott and Todd Leopold first opened their doors in 1999, they have created everything from classic unfiltered lagers to a number of spirits, including a wide array of whiskey styles. Learn more about the upcoming malt line by going online to BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Five Star Chemicals & Supply (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Five Star Chemicals & Supply Inc. is your leading provider of cleaning, sanitizing and adjunct chemicals for breweries, throughout North America and internationally. All products have been formulated with safety, equipment material, and quality in mind. Interested in trying our products? Contact [email protected] to inquire about a free Craft Brew Sample Pack and only pay the shipping. Cheers to Beer!
Yakima Valley Hops (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp): Yakima Valley Hops is your hop source whether you are brewing 5 gallons or 5 barrels. Get all the hops you want, when you want them. We source the highest quality hops from the Yakima Valley and premium growing regions around the world so that you have access to the largest hop portfolio possible—even the hard to find varieties like Citra®, Nelson Sauvin, and Galaxy®. Homebrewers: YakimaValleyHops.com (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp) // Wholesale: SpotHops.com (https://www.spothops.com/Default.asp)
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
10/20/2020 • 54 minutes, 19 seconds
156: Levi Funk of Untitled Art and Funk Factory Aims to Create New Styles
For Madison, Wisconsin-based entrepreneur/blender/iconoclast Levi Funk, the apparent conflict in philosophies between his two brands isn’t a conflict at all.
While his blendery and passion project, Funk Factory Gueuzeria (https://geuzeria.square.site), is focused exclusively on spontaneously fermented and wild ales, the more recent launch of his Untitled Art (https://drinkuntitled.com) brand is a radical departure, with its focus on cutting-edge current styles like hazy IPA, heavily fruited kettle sours, and even hard seltzer. Still, for Funk, these two approaches aren’t as divergent as they may seem. As one of the earlier spontaneous brewers in the United States, he took risks to test a concept and develop a practice that could work. Untitled Art continues that experimentation and risk-taking in beers that he also enjoys drinking—even if they are very different than the spontaneous beers that put him on the map.
In this episode, Funk discusses both, talking through his approach to spontaneous brewing and blending, from breaking rakes in the breweries that make his wort, to understanding which flavors will and won’t age out of wild and spontaneous barrels. He discusses blending strategies, his own palate and how it impacts the beers, their methods for adding fruit, and more.
As the conversation turns to Untitled Art, Funk focuses more on business than brewing, delving into the unusual business structures he’s developed with distributors in their 23-state footprint. He’s built a brand by breaking all the rules, with no appeal to geography or locality, no personally identifying elements in the brand, no salespeople, and no marketing budget. Yet the brand’s lack of communication has become a selling point, as consumers engage and enjoy the beers on their own merits.
Untitled Art has embraced hard seltzer with open arms, working to overcome the disdain that a number of brewers have for the segment.
“It’s the most recent iteration of an evolution in beer that a certain group of breweries are going to write off and say ‘this is not beer,’” says Funk. “But I bet you that 90 percent of the beer that brewery makes, at some point in history there was a group of brewers who said, ‘That is not beer.’”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Haze for days in your IPAs! Kerry BioHaze from BSG adds that perfect stable cloudy appearance for your hazy recipe. Made with all-natural materials, BioHaze is a free-flowing microgranular powder that binds with protein molecules in beer that form polyphenol-protein complexes to produce a cloudy haze. This unique product can be added to final beer to give your beer that famous haze. Find out more about BioHaze at BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Five Star Chemicals & Supply (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Five Star Chemicals & Supply Inc. is your leading provider of cleaning, sanitizing and adjunct chemicals for breweries, throughout North America and internationally. All products have been formulated with safety, equipment material, and quality in mind. Interested in trying our products? Contact [email protected] to inquire about a free Craft Brew Sample Pack and only pay the shipping. Cheers to Beer!
Yakima Valley Hops (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp): Yakima Valley Hops is your hop source whether you are brewing 5 gallons or 5 barrels. Get all the hops you want, when you want them. We source the highest quality hops from the Yakima Valley and premium growing regions around the world so that you have access to the largest hop portfolio possible—even the hard to find varieties like Citra®, Nelson Sauvin, and Galaxy®. Homebrewers: YakimaValleyHops.com (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp) // Wholesale: SpotHops.com (https://www.spothops.com/Default.asp)
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
10/9/2020 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 47 seconds
155: Zebulon's Mike Karnowski Sees the Future in Beers of the Past
"I’ve become a traditionalist. I’m more interested in going backwards,” says Mike Karnowski, founder of Zebulon Artisan Ales (http://www.zebulonbrewing.com). “As I see what craft beer is turning into, I’m turning around and running back to the 1800s.”
Karnowski loves exploring the rich history of brewing, working together with brewing historian Ron Pattinson to re-create recipes from the forgotten brew logs of the past three centuries. At a time when “innovation” tends to mean jumping on the latest trend, Zebulon instead looks backward, creating engaging beers that tell stories and shine light on periods in brewing history. It’s an unusual approach to “innovation,” but it's one that has found a growing audience, as a subset of beer fans pivot from the pop hits of today and seek connection to brewing’s past.
To realize that creative vision, Karnowski has kept Zebulon purposefully small—a seven-barrel brewhouse produces limited runs of each beer, and the brewery employs just Mike and his wife Gabe. Together, they do it all, from brewing to packaging to compliance to taxes, and even manning the bar for the limited taproom hours every week. They may be focused, but they’re not crazy; they understand that the key to being free to explore these pathways in brewing is to keep the overhead low.
In this episode, Karnowski talks about his experience brewing a number of historical beers, from imperial-strength 19th century “mild” that bears little resemblance to its current definition, to 1750s beers with smoked malt, an extremely low-ABV WWI-era beer that resembles beer-flavored seltzer, and post-war IPA that would be unrecognizable to IPA drinkers today.
Along the way, he discusses producing diastatic brown malt, how to create invert sugars necessary to brew historic English styles, using black malt without the associated off flavors, and more.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Five Star Chemicals & Supply (https://fivestarchemicals.com): Five Star Chemicals & Supply Inc. is your leading provider of cleaning, sanitizing and adjunct chemicals for breweries, throughout North America and internationally. All products have been formulated with safety, equipment material, and quality in mind. Interested in trying our products? Contact [email protected] to inquire about a free Craft Brew Sample Pack and only pay the shipping. Cheers to Beer!
Yakima Valley Hops (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp): Yakima Valley Hops is your hop source whether you are brewing 5 gallons or 5 barrels. Get all the hops you want, when you want them. We source the highest quality hops from the Yakima Valley and premium growing regions around the world so that you have access to the largest hop portfolio possible—even the hard to find varieties like Citra®, Nelson Sauvin, and Galaxy®. Homebrewers: YakimaValleyHops.com (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp) // Wholesale: SpotHops.com (https://www.spothops.com/Default.asp)
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
10/6/2020 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 10 seconds
154: Jake Gardner of Westbound & Down Breaks Down Complex Brewing Challenges
For Jake Gardner, Head Brewer of Westbound & Down (https://westboundanddown.com) (Idaho Springs, Colorado), brewing means defining goals for a beer and mapping out the way to achieve those goals, naming the challenges and articulating solutions at each step of the process. Proceeding in a thoroughly planned and detailed manner brings clarity to the process, and the methodical approach has served Gardner well over his past decade in professional brewing.
After chasing a medal in the hotly contested Imperial IPA category at GABF and World Beer Cup, Gardner’s patience and approach was rewarded in 2019 with a silver medal. But the Westbound & Down approach is anything but conventional—with English yeast strains and specific bittering hops that scrub off the palate quickly, the brewery has carved out a soft and fruity yet bright and tightly controlled niche in the broader world of West Coast IPA. They continue to expand that niche with creative explorations of contemporary hops, yeast experimentation, and focusing on the minutiae of brewing that make a big impact on the finished beer.
In the barleywine category, Gardner has called upon his background in brewing English-style ales at Hogshead in Denver, and discusses the various design concerns for these barrel-aged beers designed to age. From managing free amino nitrogen to double mashing and dialing back oxidative malts, Gardner discusses the ways they’ve built their medal-winning Louie barleywine to taste great not only when fresh, but also with a few years under its belt as it ages and oxidizes gracefully.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): BSG is partnering with Leopold Bros. to bring a new line of small-batch, handmade malts to brewers and distillers. Leopold Bros. is a family owned floor malting operation and distillery and 2020 James Beard Award Finalist, located in Denver, Colorado. Since brothers Scott and Todd Leopold first opened their doors in 1999, they have created everything from classic unfiltered lagers to a number of spirits, including a wide array of whiskey styles. Learn more about the upcoming malt line by going online to BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of your first order with the code “craftbeer10”.
Yakima Valley Hops (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp): Yakima Valley Hops is your hop source whether you are brewing 5 gallons or 5 barrels. Get all the hops you want, when you want them. We source the highest quality hops from the Yakima Valley and premium growing regions around the world so that you have access to the largest hop portfolio possible—even the hard to find varieties like Citra®, Nelson Sauvin, and Galaxy®. Homebrewers: YakimaValleyHops.com (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp) // Wholesale: SpotHops.com (https://www.spothops.com/Default.asp)
ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. ABS wanted to do something fun for the craft beer industry, so they are giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer LIVE on December 5th, which happens to be national repeal day. To enter, go to www.abs-commercial.com (https://www.abs-commercial.com), click on “Keg Viking” page and fill out the contest form for your chance to win!
9/29/2020 • 1 hour, 22 minutes, 40 seconds
153: Grains of Wrath Head Brewer Mike Hunsaker Strives For Quality That Fellow Brewers Respect
Grains of Wrath’s (https://gowbeer.com) Mike Hunsaker has never been afraid to work for his success, and that journey of working and learning has led him to brewing gigs from Virginia to Cleveland and Oregon. Today, as Cofounder and Head Brewer for Grains of Wrath (Vancouver, Washington), he’s focused not just on commercial success, but also on making beers that his peers respect.
“I’m happy with making a little less money, but having more respect, as far as what we’re doing here and how we go about our business,” says Hunsaker.
In this episode, Hunsaker discusses both his approach to new-school West coast IPAs, and his approach to lagers like his twice GABF medal-winning Vienna Lager. The conversation covers:
Tweaking the malt blend in IPAs based on the oil content of hops
Regional variations in approaches to malt in IPA
The impacts of Munich, Vienna, and Carablonde when blended in West coast IPA
Blending hops for maximum impact
Hot and cold side hopping regimens
Planning for hops creep and adjusting recipes and techniques
With each new crop year, testing varieties for hops creep culprits
Bittering lagers with low-alpha hops
And much more
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Haze for days in your IPAs! Kerry BioHaze from BSG adds that perfect stable cloudy appearance for your hazy recipe. Made with all-natural materials, BioHaze is a free-flowing microgranular powder that binds with protein molecules in beer that form polyphenol-protein complexes to produce a cloudy haze. This unique product can be added to final beer to give your beer that famous haze. Find out more about BioHaze at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of your first order with the code “craftbeer10”.
Yakima Valley Hops (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp): Yakima Valley Hops is your hop source whether you are brewing 5 gallons or 5 barrels. Get all the hops you want, when you want them. We source the highest quality hops from the Yakima Valley and premium growing regions around the world so that you have access to the largest hop portfolio possible—even the hard to find varieties like Citra®, Nelson Sauvin, and Galaxy®. Homebrewers: YakimaValleyHops.com (https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/Default.asp) // Wholesale: SpotHops.com (https://www.spothops.com/Default.asp)
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com): ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
9/21/2020 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 26 seconds
152: Matt Riggs of Riggs Beer Goes Grain-to-Glass With Estate-Grown Ingredients and Six-Row Malt
For Matt Riggs, the drive to open a brewery (http://www.riggsbeer.com) on their family farm in central Illinois was driven by two passions—a desire to sustain the farm into future generations by adding value to their crops beyond typical commodity pricing, and a love of the German brewing tradition fostered by years spent there studying brewing (and brewing professionally). As farmers, the Riggs family has a special love for the agricultural side of brewing, and now grows 60 acres of barley, wheat, and corn that they malt nearby and use in their various beers.
In this episode, Riggs discusses:
the ins and outs of six row barley, and how they use it in their American lager
the origins of their low-oil corn variety, and the gelatinization process necessary when brewing with unprocessed corn
yields and varieties for their various brewing crops
how they efficiently accommodate out-of-spec grains in the brewing process
the cost, challenge, and philosophical background to vertical integration
brewhouse strategies for achieving classic characteristics like head retention in American lager
supplementing with two-row barley when seasonal variations require it
and much more
From field to fermenter, Riggs Beer Company has focused on a tight integration between agronomics, farming, beer design, and brewing technique. In this detailed conversation, Matt Riggs explores the various ways each impacts each other.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Third in the new BSG Hops Solutions portfolio, HS-1228 takes you all the way to the heart of the West Coast. HS-1228 is bursting with pronounced tropical fruit like mango, pineapple, citrus, and pine characteristics that bring out a classic West Coast hop character. Designed for late kettle or dry hop for various hop-forward styles. Learn more about BSG Hop Solutions online at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), and look for more BSG Hop Solutions releases coming soon!
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of your first order with the code “craftbeer10”.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com): ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
9/14/2020 • 1 hour, 23 minutes, 43 seconds
151: Author Chris Colby on How to Make (Good) Hard Seltzer
Chris Colby has been writing about brewing process and techniques for the better part of two decades. His new book from Brewers Publications, (https://www.brewerspublications.com/products/how-to-make-hard-seltzer-refreshing-recipes-for-sparkling-libations) How to Make Hard Seltzer, sheds light on the rapidly evolving practice of making this fermented sparkling beverage. More akin to meadmaking than brewing, the process of making hard seltzer will be familiar to most brewers, but with notable key differences that can make or break the finished product.
In this episode, Colby walks through the basics—water, sugar, yeast selection, fermentation process and nutrients, clean up, flavoring, and carbonating—with insights from professional brewers on what does and doesn't work. He digs into worst-case scenarios and how to troubleshoot issues that arise through the process, from stalled fermentations to sludge after fining.
Love 'em or hate 'em, hard seltzers are a trend that brewers should at least understand. Making them poses challenges both new and familiar, even for experienced brewers.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Brewers seeking amplifying malt and distillers hunting down delicious base options welcome Gambrinus Rye Malt as their malt choice. This Rye Malt gives spicy, grainy, and bready notes with suggestions of vanilla and sweet dough. It strengthens mouthfeel, viscosity, and head retention combined with flaked oats or wheat for IPAs, and is a solid base for a wide range of distilled spirits. Learn more about Gambrinus Rye Malt at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of your first order with the code “craftbeer10”.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com): ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
9/7/2020 • 1 hour, 8 minutes
150: Christian DeBenedetti of Wolves and People is Bringing Brewing Back to His Roots
Wolves and People (https://www.wolvesandpeople.com) founder Christian DeBenedetti wrote about beer for years as a journalist before taking the leap and founding the brewery on the family farm where he grew up in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. While the brewery is small—they produced fewer than 400 barrels of beer in 2019—they’ve focused on beers that reflect place from the very start.
One of their most active focuses is yeast, and they’ve captured and developed multiple yeast strains from the property—first from a plum tree, and later from the hive of bees that DeBenedetti brought to the farm for honey and pollination as well as yeast cultivation. Here, he discusses the process of capturing then testing and isolating the strains, one of which is now available as a beta yeast from The Yeast Bay.
The next big project underway now involves estate-grown barley, to be planted next year on a plot next to the brewery. He talks about the progress of that program, from variety selection to soil prep, farming strategies, and malting process.
Closing the loop between brewing and agriculture is on many brewers’ minds, and Wolves and People is bringing the two ever closer.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of your first order with the code “craftbeer10”.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com): ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
8/28/2020 • 1 hour, 18 minutes, 14 seconds
149: KC Bier's Karlton Graham and Steve Holle Brew Lagers With Reverence
For KC Bier Company (https://kcbier.com) Founder Steve Holle and Head Brewer Karlton Graham, the goal is to make lagers that just “taste right.” As students who’ve studied in German brewing programs and who’ve traveled widely through the country tasting beers and picking brewers’ brains, they set about to create that experience of German beer for their hometown market in Kansas City. Their precision and devotion has won them accolades and fans who appreciate their attention to detail in ingredient selection and process.
In this lager-focused episode, the two discuss the ways they build just enough, but not too much, character in their delicate lagers. From dialing in ideal gravities to reducing trace notes of vegetal character by using type 45 hops, they’ve found small ways to make the beers better. They decoct, of course, and spund tanks for natural carbonation—all part of today’s standard lager playbook.
However, they offer a vivid reminder that lager brewing isn’t about making beers disappear, it’s about that precarious balance between flavor, simplicity, and drinkability. Their home state is known for its large-scale production of American light lager, but don’t confuse their helles for one of these minimal flavor domestic lagers.
“There’s such a mindset that a pale lager has to be really light in body—people compare it to a domestic lager and there’s something wrong with it if it has any flavor at all,” says Holle. “But helles is my favorite beer that we make, and I like it because it’s a malty beer. It’s pale malt, and a pale beer can be malty and round and full and flavorful.”
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of your first order with the code “craftbeer10”.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com): ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
8/21/2020 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 20 seconds
148: Stan Hieronymus on New Developments in the World of Hops
Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® contributor Stan Hieronymus, author of For the Love of Hops and Brewing Local, joins the podcast for an in-depth look at the hop industry, trends in hop use, new hops entering the commercial market, and more. Along the way, he covers:
Hop agricultural trends past and present, and their impact on the overall hop market
Lessons from the hop crash of 2007-08
New and forthcoming varietals from various breeding programs around the world
Current research on hop creep and factors influencing it
Alternate kilning routines to minimize hop creep
The impact of hop varieties and years on hop creep
Reusing hops in the brewhouse
Essential oil and alpha/beta acid impact when reusing hops
The historical tradition of hop reuse
New Southern Hemisphere hops development and new releases
This may be the hoppiest episode we’ve ever recorded—quadruple-hopped for intense hop character, but soft and juicy and never bitter.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com): This episode is brought to you by Mountain Rose Herbs, purveyors of the highest quality, organic herbs, spices, and teas. Whether you want to add depth to your next golden tripel with classic notes of cinnamon, pepper and clove, or artfully layer exotic, zesty grains of paradise into a perfect ale, adding botanicals to your brewing is an easy way to customize a delicious flavor profile. Mountain Rose Herbs has been providing organic herbs and spices to chefs, herbalists, and dedicated brewers for more than three decades. Learn more at mountainroseherbs.com (https://mountainroseherbs.com) and get 10% off of your first order with the code “craftbeer10”.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com): ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
8/14/2020 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 12 seconds
147: Resident Culture's Chris Tropeano Gets Honest About Hazy IPA, Berliner, and Craft Lager
Chris Tropeano, known to friends as "Tropes," dislikes more of his beer than he likes. It's not that it's not good beer, but as the head brewer for Resident Culture (https://residentculturebrewing.com), he can't not focus on the small things that he should have done better. There are always things to improve, or tweaks that could produce a more characterful or cohesive beer. But it's that constant focus on improvement that has helped catapult Resident Culture to a respected position among fellow Southeastern craft brewers over their relatively short three years of existence.
In this episode, Tropes discusses honestly evaluating beer, fixing the problems that often arise when brewing hazy IPAs, dealing with harsh hops astringency from high hopping loads, building brewhouse and cellar processes to deal with variances in hops quality, structuring hazy IPAs with edgy notes for contrast, and managing "hop stank."
“The cool dry hop works really well if you have great hops and you’re sure that they’re going to produce a really good beer," says Tropes. "But if you’re ever unsure, we’ve found that a little active fermentation dry hopping can really transform hops that might not really speak to you out of the bag. It’s an insurance policy on hops that you’re not 100% on.”
The conversation turns to traditional Berliner weisse, as Tropes explains their mixed culture approach to Berliner and the benefits—like incredible head retention—along with ways they speed up and pump the brakes on developing acidity. Later, the conversation turns to lagers, and he shares the ways their processes have evolved from spunding to krausening, along with the way they've incorporated seasonally-available malts into their lagers for the best possible flavor.
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jacks Abby, Samuel Adams, and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com/): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From ½ barrel to 30 barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit them at Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com): ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
8/7/2020 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 11 seconds
146: The Nuances and Complexities of Malt, with Richard Simpson of Simpson's Malt
The story of malt—from seed to field and harvesting, through the malting and kilning process, and into the tuns of brewers—is far more rich and varied than one might expect when looking at a bag of grain. In this episode, the fifth generation head of family-owned Simpsons Malt, (https://www.simpsonsmalt.co.uk) Richard Simpson, sheds light on that story, discussing malt's life cycle in depth.
From the agronomic development of barley varieties to the background of popular varieties such as Golden Promise and Maris Otter, Simpson talks about what it takes to make barley varieties work (from farmer to malthouse to brewer), the ways in which they support agronomic diversity and brewing history, the impacts of specific malts in finished beers, the importance of sustaining heritage barley varieties that would otherwise fall out of favor with a purely agronomic-focused industry, and more.
The malting process itself is more involved and complex than most realize—like brewing, it’s more than just pushing buttons on a machine and taking whatever comes out the other side. Simpson discusses the unique ways in which they’ve designed and built their malthouse to accomplish certain goals. He celebrates the art and craft of master maltsters as they make process decisions that depend on crop year or differences in terroir, or they blend smaller batches of specialty roast malts for greater consistency.
In every brewing tradition, ingredients impact the development of beer styles, and that’s true whether the locale is Germany, Belgium, the UK, or the US. Here, Simpson talks about the ways that the unique flavors inherent in British malts have led to British beer tasting the way it does, and how brewers everywhere can use that in their own creative brewing pursuits.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Third in the new BSG Hops Solutions portfolio, HS-1228 takes you all the way to the heart of the West Coast. HS-1228 is bursting with pronounced tropical fruit like mango, pineapple, citrus, and pine characteristics that bring out a classic West Coast hop character. Designed for late kettle or dry hop for various hop-forward styles. Learn more about BSG Hop Solutions online (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/hops), and look for more BSG Hop Solutions releases coming soon!
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com/): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From ½ barrel to 30 barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit them at Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179) to see what’s trending.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com): ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
7/31/2020 • 1 hour, 18 minutes, 17 seconds
145: Stephen Kirby of Hogshead Has Some Strong Opinions on Cask Ale
“When we opened, everyone said ‘You can’t open a brewery with three beers,’” says Hogshead founder Stephen Kirby. “And I think the answer to that is ‘You can if they’re good ones.’ I think the truth’s out—I only make three beers. You’ve got guys who want to make everything. I make bitter, I make porter, I make mild.”
That approach of doing only a few things but with an obsessive focus is highly unusual in today's beer market, where everyone seems to want everything, all the time. But Kirby is straightforward about his motivations—he’s in it to brew the beer that he loves and wants to drink. True to his British roots, that beer is what he grew up with—traditional cask ales. Kirby doesn’t hold back, sharing his views on a wide range of subjects, including:
Why brewers should have the “bollocks” to name beers what they are
Selecting hop varieties for balance in flavor and aroma
Underpitching English strains at slightly lower temperatures for proper yeast flavors
Innovation versus tradition
British versus American takes on IPA
How carbonic acid impacts hops bitterness
Building small beers with big body while avoiding the impression of sweetness
How water chemistry affects English beer styles
Mash regimens to benefit head retention
Using controlled oxidation through the life of a beer to tell a story
“I brew the beer that I love, and I invite you come come over and have a pint,” Kirby says. “As a business model, it sucks, but it’s good for the soul. If you’re not making the beer you love, why the fuck are you doing it?”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Third in the new BSG Hops Solutions portfolio, HS-1228 takes you all the way to the heart of the West Coast. HS-1228 is bursting with pronounced tropical fruit like mango, pineapple, citrus, and pine characteristics that bring out a classic West Coast hop character. Designed for late kettle or dry hop for various hop-forward styles. Learn more about BSG Hop Solutions online (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/hops), and look for more BSG Hop Solutions releases coming soon!
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com/): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From ½ barrel to 30 barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit them at Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Spike Brewing (https://spikebrewing.com/craft):
Born out of a basement in Milwaukee a decade ago, Spike has grown to become a leading manufacturer of premium-quality brewing equipment. So, if you’re looking for a reliable system for home or a commercial-grade Nano for your brewery, this is the time to buy! Spike is offering CB&B listeners a special 10% off all three-vessel system purchases, while supplies last. Visit spikebrewing.com/craft (https://spikebrewing.com/craft) and enter the code CBB at checkout. Spike Brewing—pursue what’s possible.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com):
ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
7/24/2020 • 57 minutes, 10 seconds
144: Cellarmaker’s Tim Sciascia and Connor Casey Discuss Evaluating Hops, Brewing Hazy West Coast IPA, and More
Connor Casey and Tim Sciascia of San Francisco’s Cellarmaker Brewing (https://cellarmakerbrewing.com) have a well-earned reputation among peers as savants when it comes to hops. From the colorful descriptive language they’ve developed for describing hop attributes, to the tightly iterated processes around blending hops lots, they’ve developed ideas and techniques around hops use that has influenced the way other brewers now brew.
In this episode, they share some of that hard-earned hops knowledge, touching on a wide range of subjects including:
* Approaching brewing like certain chefs approach cooking, with inspiring ingredients that value quality and experience over consistency
* Building beers around unique lots of hops, with specific and unrepeatable flavors
* Selecting hops for “grit” that will punch harder in a beer
* Understanding how stored hops evolve and change throughout the year, even under cold storage, never producing the same beer twice
* The impact of hops processing on the expression of hops flavors
* Understanding “bag appeal” and how it’s not a perfect indicator of hops flavors in finished beer
* Working with challenging Southern hemisphere hops
* The all-or-nothing nature of Sabro
* Making difficult decisions to throw away expensive hops that don’t meet expectations
* and more
“The beer you drink in March with all the hops that were harvested six months ago—you will never experience that exact flavor even with those same lots of everything, same brewer, same system,” says Casey. “If you [make and] drink that same beer in September, it is not the same. [Hops] are evolving. Some varieties might get better, some just get different. That moment is fleeting, so enjoy that experience.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Gambrinus Rye! Brewers seeking amplifying malt and distillers hunting down delicious base options welcome Gambrinus Rye Malt as their malt choice. This Rye Malt gives spicy, grainy, and bready notes with suggestions of vanilla and sweet dough. It strengthens mouthfeel, viscosity, and head retention combined with flaked oats or wheat for IPAs, and is a solid base for a wide range of distilled spirits. Learn more about Gambrinus Rye Malt at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739.
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com/): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From ½ barrel to 30 barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit them at Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Spike Brewing (https://spikebrewing.com/craft):
Born out of a basement in Milwaukee a decade ago, Spike has grown to become a leading manufacturer of premium-quality brewing equipment. So, if you’re looking for a reliable system for home or a commercial-grade Nano for your brewery, this is the time to buy! Spike is offering CB&B listeners a special 10% off all three-vessel system purchases, while supplies last. Visit spikebrewing.com/craft (https://spikebrewing.com/craft) and enter the code CBB at checkout. Spike Brewing—pursue what’s possible.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com):
ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
7/17/2020 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 56 seconds
143: New Anthem's Aaron Skiles on Learning Through Problem Solving with Hazy IPA
Wilmington, North Carolina’s New Anthem Beer Project (https://newanthembeer.com) has become a force in the world of hazy IPA through their creative and meticulous approach to ingredient quality and process integrity. In this episode, Aaron Skiles breaks down their approach, from ingredient sourcing and evaluation, working with vendors to improve ingredient quality and pinpoint ideal hops lots, building a muscle memory in the team’s olfactory systems for consistency when rubbing hops, making the difficult decision to not make beloved brands when a season’s hop quality isn’t up to expectation, mixing different lots of the same hop to build depth and character, and more.
The conversation turns to process, as Skiles discusses the challenges of Australian hops like Galaxy and Vic’s Secret, why they’ve moved away from cryo hops, using unusual hops for bittering, why higher IBUs make for better hazy IPAs, their move to later dry hopping at cooler temperatures in more frequent additions of smaller amounts, hops creep horror stories, and the haze stability that comes from pushing lower mash and boil pH levels.
New Anthem is making some of the most captivating hazy IPAs in the world right now, and this episode is a glimpse into what makes them special.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Haze for days in your IPAs! Kerry BioHaze from BSG adds that perfect stable cloudy appearance for your hazy recipe. Made with all-natural materials, BioHaze is a free-flowing microgranular powder that binds with protein molecules in beer that form polyphenol-protein complexes to produce a cloudy haze. This unique product can be added to final beer to give your beer that famous haze. Find out more about BioHaze at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com/): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From ½ barrel to 30 barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit them at Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Spike Brewing (https://spikebrewing.com/craft):
Born out of a basement in Milwaukee a decade ago, Spike has grown to become a leading manufacturer of premium-quality brewing equipment. So, if you’re looking for a reliable system for home or a commercial-grade Nano for your brewery, this is the time to buy! Spike is offering CB&B listeners a special 10% off all three-vessel system purchases, while supplies last. Visit spikebrewing.com/craft (https://spikebrewing.com/craft) and enter the code CBB at checkout. Spike Brewing—pursue what’s possible.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com):
ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
7/11/2020 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 55 seconds
142: Drekker's Mark Bjornstad on Balancing Tart, Thick, Envelope-Pushing Fruit-Smoothie Ales
Drekker Brewing (http://drekkerbrewing.com) in Fargo, North Dakota, has grabbed the attention of enthusiasts across the country with funky, smoothie-thick, highly fruited beers such as their Chonk and Braaaaaaaains series.
Here, Mark Bjornstad, the brewery's president and cofounder—not to mention, part-time nurse anesthetist—talks about building maximum character and body into those beers while maintaining balance via acidity, sweetness, mouthfeel, and strength. He also discusses careful selection of Lactobacillus strains for complexity, acidity, and souring time, to prepare the wort for large additions of fruit, hops, lactose, and other flavorings.
Drekker's flagship Irish red, Broken Rudder, is popular locally, but is now contract-brewed so that they can focus on the weirder stuff in their own brewhouse. That's the evolution of their original plan to win the trust of local drinkers while gradually rolling out weirder beers.
"If we could get people into these beers, and we could introduce them into what craft beer was and what style diversity was, then they might trust us—and then we might try some weird things. ... We could immediately challenge them on what beer could be."
"When we were coming up with those things, we were scared—whether they were going to be too weird, whether anyone would follow us with this," Bjornstad says. "Now that I look back at it, those are some of the tamest things we do now, what we thought was crazy 10 years ago."
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Crisp Flaked Maize! Shake up your beer recipe with an easy-going adjunct from BSG. Crisp Torrefied Flaked Maize from BSG is a ready-to-mash, pre-gelatinized adjunct. Crisp Flaked Maize provides a subtle flavor and mouth feel without a significant color contribution. It has 80% extract, does not require milling, and is a non-GM certified ingredient. Learn more about Crisp Torrefied Flaked Maize at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739.
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com/): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From ½ barrel to 30 barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit them at Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Spike Brewing (https://spikebrewing.com/craft):
Born out of a basement in Milwaukee a decade ago, Spike has grown to become a leading manufacturer of premium-quality brewing equipment. So, if you’re looking for a reliable system for home or a commercial-grade Nano for your brewery, this is the time to buy! Spike is offering CB&B listeners a special 10% off all three-vessel system purchases, while supplies last. Visit spikebrewing.com/craft (https://spikebrewing.com/craft) and enter the code CBB at checkout. Spike Brewing—pursue what’s possible.
ABE Beverage Equipment (https://ABEequipment.com):
ABE Beverage Equipment provides complete brewing and packaging solutions worldwide. Whether you are just starting out or are looking to expand, ABE offers brewhouses, tanks, canning lines and more for small to medium sized brewers. ABE has equipped over one thousand breweries worldwide and has the best customer service in the industry. Call ABE Beverage Equipment at 402-475-BEER or visit ABEequipment.com to learn more. That’s ABEequipment.com (https://ABEequipment.com) for complete brewing and packaging solutions.
7/3/2020 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 39 seconds
141: Chris Harris of Black Frog Just Brews What He Likes to Drink
The way Chris Harris caught the brewing bug will be familiar to many: It all started with a Mr. Beer kit. From there it evolved into a 20-gallon garage nanobrewery, and later the 2.5-barrel system he fires up twice a week for his neighborhood taproom, where he also pours the beers.
At Black Frog (https://blackfrogbrewery.com), Harris is a one-man show, and at times he sounds like an embodiment of the craft ethos. He's not following the latest trends, but he brews what he likes to drink—especially the classic American styles—pale ale, brown ale, cream ale. “My beers tend to be a little maltier, and a little bit sweeter, than most beers. It’s done on purpose because that’s just my taste.”
“When I’m brewing beer, I get into a zen thing,” Harris says. “It’s just me and the beer, and there’s nothing else going on. Before I know it, my brew day is over with, because I’m so in tune to making beer.”
As a black brewer and entrepreneur, Harris also shares his thoughts on getting more people of color interested in craft beer. In his view, that starts with getting more of them into the brewhouses, via apprenticeships or other means.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Spike Brewing (https://spikebrewing.com/craft):
Born out of a basement in Milwaukee a decade ago, Spike has grown to become a leading manufacturer of premium-quality brewing equipment. So, if you’re looking for a reliable system for home or a commercial-grade Nano for your brewery, this is the time to buy! Spike is offering CB&B listeners a special 10% off all three-vessel system purchases, while supplies last. Visit spikebrewing.com/craft (https://spikebrewing.com/craft) and enter the code CBB at checkout. Spike Brewing—pursue what’s possible.
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com), publishers of “Gose: Brewing a Classic German Beer for the Modern Era” by Fal Allen. Gose explores the history of this lightly sour wheat beer style, its traditional ingredients and special brewing techniques. Learn about salinity, spices, and lactic acid as you experiment with Gose recipes from some of the best-known craft brewers of our time.
6/26/2020 • 47 minutes, 26 seconds
140: Jeff Herbert of Superstition Meadery on Envisioning and Making Best-in-Class Craft Beverages
While technically considered wine, mead has long had a stronger affinity with the world of beer and home brewing than it has with the wine world, and the growth of flavor-forward ingredient-laden meads has in many ways mirrored the rise of similarly-designed craft beers. Superstition Meadery, in Prescott, Arizona, has been one of the leaders in that new-school approach, stretching the definition of mead and widening the relevance of one of the world’s oldest fermented beverages. Inspired by innovation in the craft beer space, and in the culinary world, they’ve brought flavors and approaches to the mead world that excite and delight, from white chocolate-inspired fine bottled meads to milkshake meads in cans.
In this episode, Jeff Herbert (who founded and owns the brewery with his wife Jennifer) walks through the steps that brought them to where they are today—early homebrewing, mead inspiration, technical evolution, and current innovation. He walks through their approach to quality, testing concepts, solving the mead making problem of time, healthy fermentations, honey flavor and mechanics, yeast management in the meadery, methods of adding fruit, improving extraction efficiency, fine tuning fruit expression for complexity, the impact of aging, and more.
As brewers and craft beverage drinkers stretch out and explore adjacent fermentations, mead is increasingly finding its place in their repertoire. Herbert makes a great case for its relevance, driven by a creativity, enthusiasm, and ambition that you can hear in his voice.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Spike Brewing (https://spikebrewing.com/craft):
Born out of a basement in Milwaukee a decade ago, Spike has grown to become a leading manufacturer of premium-quality brewing equipment. So, if you’re looking for a reliable system for home or a commercial-grade Nano for your brewery, this is the time to buy! Spike is offering CB&B listeners a special 10% off all three-vessel system purchases, while supplies last. Visit spikebrewing.com/craft (https://spikebrewing.com/craft) and enter the code CBB at checkout. Spike Brewing—pursue what’s possible.
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com), publishers of “Gose: Brewing a Classic German Beer for the Modern Era” by Fal Allen. Gose explores the history of this lightly sour wheat beer style, its traditional ingredients and special brewing techniques. Learn about salinity, spices, and lactic acid as you experiment with Gose recipes from some of the best-known craft brewers of our time.
6/21/2020 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 30 seconds
139: Andy Farrell, Brewing Innovation Manager for Bell's Brewery, on the Delicate Design of Low-Cal IPAs
Making a great low-ABV, low-calorie beer is a lot more work than just scaling down a larger recipe, so when Bell’s Brewery decided to enter the very hot low-calorie category with a lighter riff on their popular Two Hearted Ale IPA, Brewing Innovation Manager Andy Farrell knew he had his work cut out for him.
In this conversation, he leads with a general discussion of the hops selection and validation process—from building a common lexicon in the team around aroma and flavor notes, to selection process/scoring and testing then integrating new crop years into the production cycle. The conversation then turns to bitterness, where Farrell mentions that Bell’s has always dry hopped mainstay Two Hearted during active fermentation. When translating that signature Two Hearted character into the smaller format of Light Hearted, the team made clever choices, like adding a bit of Australian-grown Galaxy hops to the mix, and he explains the testing and design process behind that small but bold choice. In light IPAs, body is a big concern, and Farrell dives into the specific ways they fill in the otherwise hollow middle, only using traditional brewing ingredients—hops, water, yeast, and malt.
While exploring this new territory is always a process of iteration, Farrell believes that the idea drives the product, rather than the process resulting in a product. “You want to build a beer with the destination in mind,” says Farrell, “and the recipe being the map. Not with the destination unknown.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com):
Ska Fabricating is excited to introduce the newest player in their all-star lineup of canning line automation: The Magic Bus, a fully automatic can depalletizer with pallet management. No more pouring time and labor into the manual handling of pallets, top frames and tier sheets on your canning line - packaging teams can simply load cans, deband, and press start. To learn more, contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com (https://skafabricating.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Historical Brewing Techniques: The Lost Art of Farmhouse Brewing” by Lars Marius Garshol. Equal parts history, cultural anthropology, social science, and travelogue, “Historical Brewing Techniques” describes Northern European farmhouse brewing and fermentation methods that are vastly different from modern craft brewing. Order your copy of Historical Brewing Techniques today at BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com).
6/17/2020 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 4 seconds
138: Jeremy Tofte of Melvin: Learn From Mistakes, Focus on Improvement
Dickens’ opening paragraph for “A Tale of Two Cities” provides an appropriate metaphor for the past few years of Melvin Brewing’s existence—best and worst, wisdom and foolishness, belief and incredulity, light and darkness, despair and hope. The highs have been sky-high, with eight GABF medals (six gold), four World Beer Cup medals (two gold), and two first- and one second-place finish in the Alpha King challenge. But the lows have been equally low—a high profile incident in Bellingham, Washington that led to the closure of the expansion brewpub, and the closure of their second expansion brewpub in San Diego.
Rather than throw in the towel, founder Jeremy Tofte paused the party and dove into problem solving mode, knowing that the way the company had been cast didn’t reflect the values he and the staff held. Today’s Melvin still loves to have fun, but is more self-conscious and aware, more disciplined, and lets their values power the party.
The impact of Melvin on the IPA style has been significant—their early use of whirlpool hopping and high dry hopping levels were once considered absurd by fellow brewers, but are now de rigueur and a core element of today’s hazy and soft IPA. Here, Tofte recounts that innovation process that led them to exploring new techniques to achieve flavors outside of the mainstream. Along the way, he discusses the parameters they change and the ones they keep consistent, the impact of mash temp on recipe scaling, pushing the brewing team to embrace hazy beers, and designing beers for a national palate while still retaining the soul of Melvin.
Today, Melvin is a better company for the challenges they’ve been through, and they continue to deliver innovative beer for excited drinkers.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com):
Ska Fabricating is excited to introduce the newest player in their all-star lineup of canning line automation: The Magic Bus, a fully automatic can depalletizer with pallet management. No more pouring time and labor into the manual handling of pallets, top frames and tier sheets on your canning line - packaging teams can simply load cans, deband, and press start. To learn more, contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com (https://skafabricating.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Historical Brewing Techniques: The Lost Art of Farmhouse Brewing” by Lars Marius Garshol. Equal parts history, cultural anthropology, social science, and travelogue, “Historical Brewing Techniques” describes Northern European farmhouse brewing and fermentation methods that are vastly different from modern craft brewing. Order your copy of Historical Brewing Techniques today at BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com).
6/6/2020 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 28 seconds
137: Odell Brewing's COO Brendan McGivney Believes IPA Can Always Be Better
It’s one thing to make great beer, it’s another thing to do it consistently, and it’s another thing entirely to maintain such a high standard for three decades. But take a look at Odell Brewing’s (https://www.odellbrewing.com) medal history at the Great American Beer Festival, and one thing is apparent—they started strong, and never let off the gas. From their first medal in 1991 (their second year of business) through their most recent in 2019 (20 medals total), they’ve built a reputation for making quality beer, and Chief Operating Officer Brendan McGivney has been there for much of that history.
Today, McGivney oversees the brewing side of the business, and has earned a reputation for his hops savvy—a useful skill set for a brewery with a flagship IPA that remains its best-seller today, thirteen years after it won its first GABF gold medal in the IPA category.
In this episode, McGivney steps up to the mic for the first time, sharing thoughts on hops choices, blending, iteration, shipping, selection, processing, and agriculture.
“One of the reasons we’ve been so successful with some of our hoppy beers is that we’re not so stringent on [recipe],” says McGivney. “IPA started with three hops, and [now] IPA has nine hops in it. Every year we’re fading some in and out, based on the performance of that crop year. You want to maintain the flavor profile of the brand. And you can do that with lots of different hop varieties. If you’re a good brewer, you don’t need to rely on the two that you built your recipe on.”
McGivney dives into Odell’s approach to building recipes that connect with the agricultural interests of hops growers, for relationships that benefit everyone. He discusses their finicky approach to getting the most out of hops, from cold shipping through fresh grinding (“Oxidation comes down to temperature and time, so if you can keep your temp down, you can extend your time. It’s that simple.”) The discussion turns to hops varietal interaction, and the way smaller amounts of certain hops highlight and balance the big characters of others. He also delves into hopping techniques, from the “cool pool” to hopback to hammer mill, and how those processes impact the flavor of finished beer.
The conversation closes by touching on pandemic drinking and brewing trends—beer drinkers’ shrinking appetite for rampant experimentation, and the search for comfort in familiar, trusted brands.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com):
Ska Fabricating is excited to introduce the newest player in their all-star lineup of canning line automation: The Magic Bus, a fully automatic can depalletizer with pallet management. No more pouring time and labor into the manual handling of pallets, top frames and tier sheets on your canning line - packaging teams can simply load cans, deband, and press start. To learn more, contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com (https://skafabricating.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Historical Brewing Techniques: The Lost Art of Farmhouse Brewing” by Lars Marius Garshol. Equal parts history, cultural anthropology, social science, and travelogue, “Historical Brewing Techniques” describes Northern European farmhouse brewing and fermentation methods that are vastly different from modern craft brewing. Order your copy of Historical Brewing Techniques today at BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com).
5/31/2020 • 1 hour, 7 minutes
136: Doug Constantiner of Societe Brewing on Aroma-Forward West Coast IPA and a Methodical Approach to Funky and Wild Beer
Societe’s (https://societebrewing.com) Doug Constantiner wants to make beer you can drink a lot of. Not excessively, of course, but consistently.
“The holy grail of beer is not the beer that there’s a hundred bottles of, and every 25 bottles were aged in a different barrel,” he says. “The holy grail of beer is the beer that you can drink every single day. That you can buy on the shelf at the store. And you can have a couple of them every day and not get sick of it.”
The terms “drinkable” and “balanced” get thrown around often in brewing parlance, but for Constantiner and the team, they’re core principles informing every style of beer they make—from IPA to wild ale to imperial stout. Societe has generally resisted the current trend of fruit and adjunct additions in everything, in favor of building a classic brewery brand respected for thorough execution and timelessness. Fellow brewers have noticed, and two GABF gold medals for their session IPA are validation for the quality in their approach.
In this episode, Constantiner gets into the details of these aroma-forward West coast IPAs—pushing malt out of the way while timing additions for better balance of aroma and bitterness, strategically layering hops for complexity despite their “overspiced” nature, building body without malt flavors that get in the way of the hops, and considering unique flavor aspects to hops varieties that can set their beers apart.
“For the hoppy stuff, what do we love about hoppy beers?” says Constantiner. “Well it’s the aroma. It’s not the bitterness, which is why we’ve never published our IBUs. The IBU race of the mid-oughts had nothing to do with hoppiness, it was just bitterness. So we just thought ‘let’s make these hoppy beers as hoppy as we can, and make them a delivery vehicle for that aroma, and get it into your face as quickly as possible, but it has to be balanced too.’”
With their wild beers, Societe takes a similar approach to complexity and nuance, eschewing acidity for Brett-driven funk while carefully adjusting variables in their blending stock.
“Creating acidity is easy. It’s ‘how do we create this incredibly complex layered beer?’ And I think that’s time, blending, and a lot of experimentation.”
Constantiner discusses how they pitch cultures, growing each of their lactic acid bacteria and Brett strains separately then timing additions and amounts to achieve specific results. Cell counts, timing, and temperatures all have big effects on the finished beers, and Societe aims to control and understand the variables.
At the end of the episode, Constantiner recounts the critical move they made earlier this year, moving from a model of taproom sales and distributed draught beer only to canning.
“On Feb 2nd, 100% of our revenue came from on-premise sales,” says Constantiner. “That’s 8% from our tasting room, and 92% from wholesale. Feb 3rd, we started canning. By the time the shelter in place orders and restaurants were shut down in California, we were at about 84% on-premise.”
A couple months later, the brewery’s production is at full speed, brewing at a higher volume than 2019, with new tanks on the way to support more production.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com):
Ska Fabricating is excited to introduce the newest player in their all-star lineup of canning line automation: The Magic Bus, a fully automatic can depalletizer with pallet management. No more pouring time and labor into the manual handling of pallets, top frames and tier sheets on your canning line - packaging teams can simply load cans, deband, and press start. To learn more, contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com (https://skafabricating.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Historical Brewing Techniques: The Lost Art of Farmhouse Brewing” by Lars Marius Garshol. Equal parts history, cultural anthropology, social science, and travelogue, “Historical Brewing Techniques” describes Northern European farmhouse brewing and fermentation methods that are vastly different from modern craft brewing. Order your copy of Historical Brewing Techniques today at BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com).
5/24/2020 • 1 hour, 37 minutes, 34 seconds
135: For Noah Bissell of Bissell Brothers, Less is Definitely More
The conversation about hazy, New England-style IPAs invariably includes Portland, Maine’s Bissell Brothers Brewery (https://bissellbrothers.com). From the early days of the nascent style, they embraced the possibility of expressive yeast, and helped cement the style’s place in the canon of modern craft beer. But unlike other contemporaries, they’ve shied away from the model of brewing a nonstop stream of new releases, and have taken a more traditional approach to brewing—constant, nonstop iteration and improvement of the selection of brands they brew.
Cofounder Noah Bissell explains the strategy in a sensible way, with the perpetual dissatisfaction of a committed creator. Why create new beers, when you’re not entirely happy with the ones you make already? Dialing in beers is an ongoing, never-ending process, and the best way to improve those beers is to go all-in.
"I don’t think you could ever even hope to reach that hypothetical nirvana zone for any given idea in beer form, if you don’t really, really commit to it," says Bissell.
In this episode, Bissell discusses the brewery’s dogged focus on improvement: managing for shifting palates, focusing deeply on the bitterness component in soft and hazy beers, dialing in carbonation to heighten the experience, adjusting whirpool parameters, using new advanced hop aroma products, and more. Along the way, he also tackles subjects including cryo vs. traditional pellet, their methodical approach to hops blending, how they select hops for the platonic ideal, and favorite new hops like Sultana.
Bissell built their hazy house IPA, Substance, from a blend that doesn’t include Citra—a bold choice in today’s beer world. But for the brewery, it was both a response to the reality of the hops world when they started, and a solid focus on outlasting short-term beer trends, where “sweet” as a descriptor offers less longevity.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com):
Ska Fabricating is excited to introduce the newest player in their all-star lineup of canning line automation: The Magic Bus, a fully automatic can depalletizer with pallet management. No more pouring time and labor into the manual handling of pallets, top frames and tier sheets on your canning line - packaging teams can simply load cans, deband, and press start. To learn more, contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com (https://skafabricating.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Historical Brewing Techniques: The Lost Art of Farmhouse Brewing” by Lars Marius Garshol. Equal parts history, cultural anthropology, social science, and travelogue, “Historical Brewing Techniques” describes Northern European farmhouse brewing and fermentation methods that are vastly different from modern craft brewing. Order your copy of Historical Brewing Techniques today at BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com).
5/18/2020 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 5 seconds
134: Eric Wallace of Left Hand Brewing Co. Shares Perspective and Advice for Brewers Navigating the COVID-19 Shutdown
This isn’t the first time in his 26 years in the craft beer industry that Eric Wallace, Cofounder and President of Left Hand Brewing Co. (https://www.lefthandbrewing.com) and former Chairman of the Brewers Association Board of Directors, has had to deal with adverse business conditions. The late 90’s and early 00’s were a period of net contraction for craft beer, as tepid consumer reaction failed to deliver the growth that many over-leveraged breweries expected. Today, the pandemic poses a different sort of challenge—a widely felt social, health, and economic event that was as unexpected as it has been severe—but lessons learned from craft beer’s early period are still apropos.
In this special industry-focused episode, Wallace weaves through the granular operations issues facing the brewery, from the challenge and necessity in furloughing employees (“furlough is not a moral issue—it’s surviving; It’s a requirement; If you’re going to survive, you have to cut your expenses to match whatever you’re lucky enough to have coming in”) to the utter collapse in sales (“In March, [draft beer] sales dropped to $1700, from six figures [last year]. We’re a stout brewery, and we ended up getting shut down on the… day before St. Patrick’s Day”). Wallace discusses the government tools they’ve been able to secure, such as a loan through the PPP program, and the challenge in any kind of long-term planning. IRI data may suggest that craft beer sales are up in the grocery channel, but that’s a small consolation at best for breweries like Left Hand.
“I’ve read the IRI data, and I’m like ‘Really? That’s what’s happening? Because it doesn’t feel like it,’” says Wallace.
The conversation also turns toward a macro view, with Wallace discussing the shared responsibility of all craft brewers, and all in the hospitality world, to ensure the safety of customers and staff.
“To take the short-term view, right now with all the largesse that the government is raining on our heads, just because philosophically you disagree and your freedom is being imposed upon… that’s bullshit,” says Wallace. “I want to open as bad as anybody, but I also feel an obligation to be a responsible citizen, business owner, member of society.”
What will the future look like? Wallace and Left Hand are planning on two years of severely limited business, as the world grapples with the disease while working to find a vaccine. But that won’t be the end of it. Expect 3-5 years after that to “dig out,” pay off debt incurred in the survival process, and get back on any sort of sound economic footing. There is no quick bounce-back from this pandemic and the ripple effect it is having throughout the economy. This episode is a sobering and honest look at the reality facing the world’s craft brewers.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com):
Ska Fabricating is excited to introduce the newest player in their all-star lineup of canning line automation: The Magic Bus, a fully automatic can depalletizer with pallet management. No more pouring time and labor into the manual handling of pallets, top frames and tier sheets on your canning line - packaging teams can simply load cans, deband, and press start. To learn more, contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com (https://skafabricating.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Small Brewery Finance” by Maria Pearman, “How to Brew” by John Palmer, and the forthcoming “Historical Brewing Techniques” by Lars Marius Garshol. Established in 1986, Brewers Publications has published more than 50 books of enduring value for amateur and professional brewers alike. Visit BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com) today to browse the complete catalog of books and ebooks.
5/10/2020 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 10 seconds
133: New Belgium’s Ross Koenigs Takes an Analytical Approach to Hops and Cannabis
Hazy IPA is all the rage, but what’s actually going on when brewers pile many pounds per gallon of dry hops into a tank still in active fermentation? It’s one thing with a homebrew-scale fermenter to take a flyer and do it, and it’s riskier to do it in a typical craft brewery’s 15-, 30-, or even 60-bbl fermenter. But what happens when you fill a 2000 hectoliter (1700 bbl) fermenter with hazy wort and an enormous pitch of London Ale 3, then dry hop with pellets that measure as much as a ton?
New Belgium Brewing (https://www.newbelgium.com) reduces the guesswork and risk by taking a highly analytical approach, looking at how compounds in hops undergo transformation through the fermentation and dry hopping process. In this episode, Brewing Innovation Specialist Ross Koenigs dives deep into what the brewery has learned by extensive quantitative testing throughout the hopping and biotransformation process. Additionally, he discusses everything from their innovation process, to the challenging of scaling for production, the impacts of lesser-known hops compounds (such as polyfunctional thiols) on hops flavor and aroma, how biotransformation impacts specific hops like Citra, Mosaic, and Chinook, how California ale yeast makes for the perfect biotransforming yeast, and much, much more.
Koenigs is currently at work on a book on using Cannabis in brewing (that’s “Big ‘C’ Cannabis” including industrial hemp, not just the psychoactive kind), and teases some of what New Belgium learned through the development process for their groundbreaking beer The Hemperor. The episode then closes with a discussion of New Belgium’s new Sour IPA and the process behind designing a juicy and hazy IPA that is then blended with a component of golden sour from New Belgium’s famed foeder forest. Timing and acidity levels are crucial in achieving ideal hops expression in these beers.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Fermentis (https://Fermentis.com):
Fermentis is the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. They’ve provided the beer industry, from large and small breweries to homebrewers, with the best fermentation yeasts since 2003. Their yeasts are easy to use— just pitch your Fermentis yeast directly into your wort, no rehydration necessary. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://Fermentis.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Small Brewery Finance” by Maria Pearman, “How to Brew” by John Palmer, and the forthcoming “Historical Brewing Techniques” by Lars Marius Garshol. Established in 1986, Brewers Publications has published more than 50 books of enduring value for amateur and professional brewers alike. Visit BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com) today to browse the complete catalog of books and ebooks.
5/3/2020 • 1 hour, 20 minutes, 44 seconds
132: Dino Funari of Vitamin Sea Brewing on Creating Trendy Styles That Stand Out From the Crowd
You’d have to be confident, or crazy, to open a brewery focusing on New England IPA right smack dab in the turbid heartland of the style, but that’s what Dino Funari, and his partners Peter Kiley, Joshua Sherman, and Richard DiBona, did in early 2019. The brewery got its start, as many do, in the partners’ homebrewing, and they built a reputation over years of give and take, where friends (and friends of friends, and then their friends, too) would swing by Funari’s house and drop off a four pack of beer in exchange for a four pack of homebrew. Eventually, the demand grew to the point where they had to go commercial to keep up, and Vitamin Sea was born. Now, not quite a year and a half in, fans line up for can releases and their crowdsourced ratings put them in the top 50 breweries in the country—big accolades for a crew with modest goals.
In this episode, Funari talks about the challenges of operating a brewery through the COVID-19 shutdown and the implications for guest and staff safety, sculpting a unique approach to brewing New England-style IPAs, using classic C-hops in progressive IPAs, their aggressive pilot brewing schedule on a fully customized homebrew-scale system, approaches to pastry stouts, and more.
Even though they’re brewing on a much larger production-scale brewhouse now, Vitamin Sea still approaches innovation like homebrewers, constantly looking for the tweak that will make the next batch better.
“Every one of our beers is a work in progress,” says Funari. “We’ll release a beer, and people will love it, and we’ll say ‘This is OK, this is good, but what could we do better next time?’”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Fermentis (https://Fermentis.com):
Fermentis is the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. They’ve provided the beer industry, from large and small breweries to homebrewers, with the best fermentation yeasts since 2003. Their yeasts are easy to use— just pitch your Fermentis yeast directly into your wort, no rehydration necessary. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://Fermentis.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Small Brewery Finance” by Maria Pearman, “How to Brew” by John Palmer, and the forthcoming “Historical Brewing Techniques” by Lars Marius Garshol. Established in 1986, Brewers Publications has published more than 50 books of enduring value for amateur and professional brewers alike. Visit BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com) today to browse the complete catalog of books and ebooks.
4/25/2020 • 58 minutes, 58 seconds
131: Sensory Expert Lindsay Barr Wants You to Become a Better Beer Taster
Taste. It’s a hard subject to quantify but there’s nothing more important in the world of beer. We spend hour after hour talking about the minute details of brewing process and technique, but how much time and energy do we spend focusing on developing the most important analytical tool we have—our own palates?
In this episode, sensory expert Lindsay Barr, the former head of the New Belgium Brewing sensory program and cofounder of Draughtlab sensory software, walks through the nuances of tasting beer and the fundamentals of palate development. The conversation ranges from basics like building a ritual around tasting for evaluation and breaking down beer modalities to more advanced elements like tying emotional experience to language, moving past binary definitions, breaking through flavor assumptions, and more.
Tasting and evaluating beer is far more than just identifying off flavors, yet so many beer tasters train and focus on these negative elements without considering the need to spend equivalent (or greater) energy on the “on” flavors of beer that help a brewer understand if they’re really achieving the goal of their brew.
The conversation then turns to the challenges in tasting—variances in anosmias and sensitivities, and the changes that tasters experience over time. Palates are not static, and are constantly changing and shifting as a result of everything from life events to exercise to contextual inputs. Consumers change too, and every brewery can benefit from paying attention to that shift in the palates of the people who buy their beer.
“It is important to revisit brand flavor profiles as they change and evolve according to consumer preference, and I do think that brands really should evolve,” says Barr. “I’m not a believer that brands should just maintain as they are out of some kind of philosophical reason. I do think they need to be updated, and incremental changes should be made based on the palate of your consumers, because it is changing and developing.”
Every brewer does sensory on their own beer, every time they taste it. Admitting that we’re doing it is the first step toward developing a more thorough analytical process around it.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Fermentis (https://Fermentis.com):
Fermentis is the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. They’ve provided the beer industry, from large and small breweries to homebrewers, with the best fermentation yeasts since 2003. Their yeasts are easy to use— just pitch your Fermentis yeast directly into your wort, no rehydration necessary. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://Fermentis.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Small Brewery Finance” by Maria Pearman, “How to Brew” by John Palmer, and the forthcoming “Historical Brewing Techniques” by Lars Marius Garshol. Established in 1986, Brewers Publications has published more than 50 books of enduring value for amateur and professional brewers alike. Visit BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com) today to browse the complete catalog of books and ebooks.
4/18/2020 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 40 seconds
130: Destihl Founder Matt Potts on Developing Your Voice with Sours and Hazy IPAs
In the midst of the last Great Recession, Potts felt the itch to turn his brewing hobby into a profession. While preparing and studying at the Siebel Institute, he fell in love with sour beer. He set out to brew it at his own brewery in an unlikely place for sour beer—smack dab in the middle of the agricultural heartland of Illinois. After seeing the demand at the Great American Beer Festival in 2011, Destihl (https://www.destihl.com) committed to expanding its sour beer production. That has led them on a trajectory they’ve followed to the current day, where 50 percent of the beer they brew is of the sour variety.
Quick-sour beers are a large part of that volume, but unlike typical kettle sours, Destihl doesn’t just push a fast Lactobacillus fermentation. Instead, they use their own mixed culture built from a spontaneous capture in the brewery—an approach that gives them flavors they can call their own. Developing a process to scale their quick-sour program was not easy, and Potts walks us through the successes and setbacks along the way.
That process of innovation is one that they’ve applied with similar force to evolving styles like hazy IPA, and Potts also talks about how they developed their own take on the style—one that’s shelf-stable and capable of tasting great in their far-flung retail markets. They’ve done it without sacrificing elements they find crucial to the style, such as dry hopping during active fermentation to achieve bio-transformative effects.
Location is no impediment to brewing great sour beer, as long as you seek out your own process and your own creative voice. Destihl is proof of that.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Fermentis (https://Fermentis.com):
Fermentis is the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. They’ve provided the beer industry, from large and small breweries to homebrewers, with the best fermentation yeasts since 2003. Their yeasts are easy to use— just pitch your Fermentis yeast directly into your wort, no rehydration necessary. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://Fermentis.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Small Brewery Finance” by Maria Pearman, “How to Brew” by John Palmer, and the forthcoming “Historical Brewing Techniques” by Lars Marius Garshol. Established in 1986, Brewers Publications has published more than 50 books of enduring value for amateur and professional brewers alike. Visit BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com) today to browse the complete catalog of books and ebooks.
4/10/2020 • 57 minutes, 49 seconds
129: Kate Lee and Brian Nelson of Hardywood Park Get Dark and Spicy
In this conversation with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery's (https://hardywood.com) Kate Lee, vice president of operations and quality, and Brian Nelson, vice president and head brewer, they dive into a variety of brewing challenges. Their flagship Gingerbread Stout starts the conversation, as they work through their process of establishing and maintaining a brand standard for something that is difficult to quantify, then talk about compensating for year-to-year changes in key ingredients, such as the fresh ginger they source from a local farm. Scaling the recipe up for their new brewhouse was a particular challenge, and they recount, they learned the hard way.
Sometimes, however, mistakes turn into hunches which pay dividends later on, as with a batch of base stout in the new brewery that started at 40°P (1.179)—much higher than they expected the first time around, but which has since become a go-to blending beer for their barrel-aged releases.
One beer they’re particularly known for is their Raspberry Stout, and here they talk about the challenges of adding whole fruit to the beer—from pasteurizing the fruit before conditioning using a small jacketed fermenter, to de-seeding the fruit for best results.
Lager is big for Hardywood Park, and they discuss both Hardywood Pils and Richmond Lager—beers that easily outsell the small-batch hazy IPAs which with they also experiment.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): This episode is brought to you by Hopsteiner–your premium hop supplier dedicated to delivering quality hops and hop products in every package. Visit Hopsteiner.com (https://www.hopsteiner.com) for a complete list of offerings or select “shop hops” to start ordering today.
Fermentis (https://Fermentis.com):
Fermentis is the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. They’ve provided the beer industry, from large and small breweries to homebrewers, with the best fermentation yeasts since 2003. Their yeasts are easy to use— just pitch your Fermentis yeast directly into your wort, no rehydration necessary. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com (https://Fermentis.com).
Brewers Publications (https://www.brewerspublications.com):
This episode is brought to you by Brewers Publications, publishers of “Small Brewery Finance” by Maria Pearman, “How to Brew” by John Palmer, and the forthcoming “Historical Brewing Techniques” by Lars Marius Garshol. Established in 1986, Brewers Publications has published more than 50 books of enduring value for amateur and professional brewers alike. Visit BrewersPublications.com (https://www.brewerspublications.com) today to browse the complete catalog of books and ebooks.
4/3/2020 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 34 seconds
128: Matt Tarpey of The Veil Will Brew With Anything
The Veil Brewing Company’s (https://www.theveilbrewing.com/home) Matt Tarpey has never been afraid of risk. From early career moves that took him around New England to brew with some of the country’s more influential brewers, to a stint interning at Cantillon on a trip that was ostensibly also his honeymoon, he has constantly sought out new opportunities to learn, no matter how challenging that might be. In 2015, the itinerant brewer settled down back in his home state of Virginia to launch The Veil Brewing Co., and brought that same spirit of constant learning with him. Today, The Veil isn’t afraid to get weird, while also paying deep respect to tradition—a dramatic tension that isn’t lost on Tarpey. They will use, and have used, just about any ingredient you can think of, in a beer—both to create exciting experiences for their customers who expect it, and to push themselves as brewers.
In this episode, Tarpey discusses that brewing history and the experience of working with everyone from Tod Mott to Jean Van Roy and Shaun Hill, brewing with non-traditional ingredients like Oreos, Nutella, and activated charcoal, how they learn and experiment and dial in processes around strange ingredients, spontaneous fermentation in an urban setting, the impact on ingredients in wild beers, building a house flavor through blending a single stock of aged hops, letting palates drive the blending ship, using fruit in sour beer, and more.
“Life’s too short to just be serious. We’re focused on everything we do—even the Oreo beers—we’re super focused and constantly tasting and trying to incorporate the character with different ratios. We’re focused on everything that we do, but… it’s balancing the serious and the fun. We love the delicate beers, but we also love the wild and crazy beers.”
Note: Even at an hour and a half run time, this episode is an abridged version of the entire conversation. Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine® subscribers have access to a bonus portion of the conversation where Tarpey discusses the mental anguish of customer feedback, building an approach to lager brewing that isn’t tied to traditional styles, The Veil’s multifaceted approach to brewing IPAs, and more. Subscribe now for access at beerandbrewing.com (https://beerandbrewing.com).”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Fermentis (https://Fermentis.com):
Fermentis is the obvious choice for beverage fermentation. They’ve provided the beer industry, from large and small breweries to homebrewers, with the best fermentation yeasts since 2003. Their yeasts are easy to use— just pitch your Fermentis yeast directly into your wort, no rehydration necessary. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, and for the latest on their exciting new product releases, visit Fermentis.com.
3/27/2020 • 1 hour, 31 minutes, 35 seconds
127: Kyle Matthias of Deschutes on their “All-In” Approach to Innovation Brewing
If you visit the Deschutes Brewery (https://www.deschutesbrewery.com) taproom in Bend today, you can’t miss the innovation brewhouse. It’s right there in the front window to your left as you walk in, tucked beneath the towering fermentors that produce the brewery’s best-known brands. The system itself is remarkable—a seven-vessel automated system with two kettles and two whirlpools, so the brewers can split the wort stream after the mash. That is supported by a cellar of 13 nano-scale fermentation vessels and seven tiny brite tanks, all built with geometries that mimic the production brewhouse’s full scale vessels. Managing it all is Matthias, our guest on the podcast this week.
In this episode, Matthias discusses the range of approaches to innovation employed by Deschutes, as well as some of the important lessons they’ve learned over the past year and a half of brewing intensively on the pilot system. The conversations includes:
brewing low-calorie but flavorful IPAs
dry hopping during versus after active fermentation
the impact of pH on hops expression
head-to-head hops tests
the development process for beers such as King Crispy pilsner
Deschutes’ cocktail-inspired approach to hard seltzer and its development process
using alternative acids (besides lactic) in tart and sour beer
the right applications for fruit juice, puree, and whole fruit
And much more.
“To commit to an expense as large as the pilot brewery definitely sends a message that we’re not just going to rest on our laurels,” Matthias says. “We know we need to continue to do things differently. We are continuing to deliver new products, and coming out with them faster and faster every year. [We] rely on emotion, passion, and gut instinct to come up with what could be the next disrupter in the industry.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Captain Pabst Seabird IPA (https://captainpabst1864.com):
Out of the west a storm surprised, swept down on Captain Pabst,
That mariner and gentleman, his actions swift and fast,
He sailed the seabird against the throes, routing twain wind and fear,
He took haste to protect his kin, but the port aas far from near,
Pabst’s intuition proved him right, and bore a friendly coast,
The mighty seabird crashed aground, and to that we raise a toast,
For while the seabird indeed was lost, safe were kin and crew,
And without this mighty ship to steer, Captain Pabst... began to brew.
CAPTAIN PABST SEABIRD IPA. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN & CHICAGO.
3/20/2020 • 51 minutes, 55 seconds
126: Ben Edmunds of Breakside Brewery on Optimizing for “Pleasantness”
For Portland, Oregon’s Breakside Brewery (http://breakside.com), beer should offer maximum enjoyment without losing its character and sense of identity. Dual core IPAs Wanderlust and Breakside IPA scratch different hoppy itches, Salted Caramel Stout satisfies those with a sweet tooth, Pilsner offers a slightly less “austere” drinkable option, and the sour and wild beer program gives brewers the chance to play and discover. In this episode, Cofounder and Brewmaster Ben Edmunds discusses the inception and development of their now-classic IPAs, how gravity adjustments impact hops flavors, the “je ne se quoi” of award-winning beers, designing hoppy beers to hit their sweet spot in the time frame when consumers will drink them, hops with greater shelf life, anchoring hops blends with familiar flavors, the vast differences between the core West Coast-style and evolving hazy IPAs that Breakside brews, and more.
“The thing I like about competition is… the beers that win, are the beers that are the most pleasant,” says Edmunds. “They’re the most pleasant to a most discriminating group of judges. If you can shave your beers in ways that are optimizing for the most pleasant, you’re going to do well.”
Beyond hoppy beers, Edmunds discusses brewing lagers like their year-round Pilsner, their sour process, the challenges brewers face in naming and describing beers for consumers, and the need for brewers to take risks while honoring tradition.
“When we put 60 barrels of Marzen out into the trade, we’re taking a withdrawal from our customers, asking them to trust us. But I think that’s how you move the needle. You have to have breweries (who have the brand equity) be willing to spend a little of that [equity] to push the needle with consumers to see if things work. They don’t always work, but if no one is doing that and we’re just giving people more IPA and more IPA, it may be better business, but to me it’s a lot less interesting and I don’t know that it’s good business over the long haul.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Captain Pabst Seabird IPA (https://captainpabst1864.com):
Out of the west a storm surprised, swept down on Captain Pabst,
That mariner and gentleman, his actions swift and fast,
He sailed the seabird against the throes, routing twain wind and fear,
He took haste to protect his kin, but the port aas far from near,
Pabst’s intuition proved him right, and bore a friendly coast,
The mighty seabird crashed aground, and to that we raise a toast,
For while the seabird indeed was lost, safe were kin and crew,
And without this mighty ship to steer, Captain Pabst... began to brew.
CAPTAIN PABST SEABIRD IPA. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN & CHICAGO.
3/13/2020 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 58 seconds
125: Brad Clark of Private Press Discusses Intention, Quality, and Expression in Brewing and Blending Barrel-Aged Stouts and Barleywines
Leaving a senior-level job (overseeing brewing operations for a 14,000 barrel per year brewery) to launch a small startup brewery with a tightly focused approach to brewing and an extremely limited sales model, is a big risk. But it’s one that Brad Clark has embraced. Private Press Brewing (http://www.privatepressbrewing.com) launches early summer and will release only barrel-aged stouts and barleywines, sold only through a membership program. It’s a focused approach to making tightly edited, bespoke beers for discerning customers, but it’s only possible thanks to the reputation he built making such beers for more than a decade at the Athens, Ohio stalwart (https://jackieos.com).
In this episode, Clark discusses the challenge of moving from big to small, the gravity arms race in imperial-strength beers, choices for building body in big beers, designing component recipes for blending stock, how to use dark malts to guide oxidation in favorable directions, building a language to describe flavors and sensations while blending, defining the “pocket” for a blended beer, discovering emotion in exceptional barrels, being present and focused while tasting, and brewing and packaging lessons learned the hard way.
“Happy accidents don’t happen anymore,” says Clark. “There’s intent, there’s vision, there’s palate, there’s this drive behind them. It’s not just an afterthought. It’s not a couple barrels in the corner. This is identity. Avoid happy accidents. Don’t even use that word. Think about what you’re doing and set it up for success.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Captain Pabst Seabird IPA (https://captainpabst1864.com):
Out of the west a storm surprised, swept down on Captain Pabst,
That mariner and gentleman, his actions swift and fast,
He sailed the seabird against the throes, routing twain wind and fear,
He took haste to protect his kin, but the port aas far from near,
Pabst’s intuition proved him right, and bore a friendly coast,
The mighty seabird crashed aground, and to that we raise a toast,
For while the seabird indeed was lost, safe were kin and crew,
And without this mighty ship to steer, Captain Pabst... began to brew.
CAPTAIN PABST SEABIRD IPA. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN & CHICAGO.
3/6/2020 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 11 seconds
124: Tony Lawrence of Boneyard on Balance, Hops Selection, and Resisting Consumer Whims to Stick with What Works
Tony Lawrence, founder and brewer at Boneyard Beer (http://boneyardbeer.com) in Bend, Oregon, has had a distinguished career—from his start at early-days Deschutes to the cobbled-together brewery he launched in 2010. Even in the past decade since Boneyard opened, the industry and market have swollen and mutated, but Lawrence and his team have stuck with what they know and like, eschewing the idea that they need to keep growing, being content at their size and trusting in their tried-and-true methods.
In this podcast, Lawrence discusses the Boneyard approach to brewing, including prizing clean and balanced flavor, and not necessarily chasing the shifting winds of consumer tastes. Citing their highly regarded flagship, RPM IPA, he talks about carefully balancing malt sweetness with dryness and hop-bitterness, selecting hops for aroma and to buffer for changes in the crop from year to year, experimenting with different hop formats, and their approach to dry hopping (and double dry hopping). He also talks about assembling their award-winning, labor-of-love, foeder-aged and blended lambic-style and Flemish-style beers.
“It’s been fun the whole time, but it’s even becoming more fun for us right now,” Lawrence says. “This may not be the most wise thing to say on the radio, but I feel like I’m being more of a brewer right now than I have been in years.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Captain Pabst Seabird IPA (https://captainpabst1864.com):
Out of the west a storm surprised, swept down on Captain Pabst,
That mariner and gentleman, his actions swift and fast,
He sailed the seabird against the throes, routing twain wind and fear,
He took haste to protect his kin, but the port aas far from near,
Pabst’s intuition proved him right, and bore a friendly coast,
The mighty seabird crashed aground, and to that we raise a toast,
For while the seabird indeed was lost, safe were kin and crew,
And without this mighty ship to steer, Captain Pabst... began to brew.
CAPTAIN PABST SEABIRD IPA. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN & CHICAGO.
2/28/2020 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 1 second
123: Blake Tyers of Creature Comforts on Wood-Aging Beer
It takes a huge leap of faith to abandon a linear production model to embrace the chaos and uncertainty of a blending-focused wood cellar. But Athens, Georgia’s Creature Comforts Brewing (http://www.creaturecomfortsbeer.com) is unburdened by the past and unafraid when it comes to turning typical brewing practice on its head. Their process of continuous improvement is reflected in a number of other shifts to the way they operate, like jettisoning their negative approach to blending (eliminating bad barrels and blending the rest) and replacing it with a positive one (building a blend that accomplishes a specific flavor goal). In this episode, Wood Cellar and Mixed Fermentation Director Blake Tyers walks through that and more. He discusses how they construct different blending stock recipes to provide contrasts in the blending process, when to adjunct ingredients, preparing barrel-aged beers for the journey of time, designing “loud” beers that are nonetheless balanced, creating locally relevant approaches to popular styles, structuring a program that nudges customers toward more complex and time-consuming wood-aged beers, low-temp fruit maceration for tightly controlled flavor expression, and much more.
“There’s the old adage, ‘Brew what’s for yourself and sell whatever you’ve got left over,’ and I think that doesn’t necessarily always work,” says Tyers. “There’s a fine line there. The integrity and the fun comes from the pursuit of excellence within the framework that may be palatable or accessible to your consumer. You don’t have to love every single thing to the max that you make. But you should find joy, and pride, and excitement, in what you are making.”
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Captain Pabst Seabird IPA (https://captainpabst1864.com):
Out of the west a storm surprised, swept down on Captain Pabst,
That mariner and gentleman, his actions swift and fast,
He sailed the seabird against the throes, routing twain wind and fear,
He took haste to protect his kin, but the port aas far from near,
Pabst’s intuition proved him right, and bore a friendly coast,
The mighty seabird crashed aground, and to that we raise a toast,
For while the seabird indeed was lost, safe were kin and crew,
And without this mighty ship to steer, Captain Pabst... began to brew.
CAPTAIN PABST SEABIRD IPA. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN & CHICAGO.
2/21/2020 • 1 hour, 10 minutes
122: Jeff Bagby of Bagby Beer on a Historical Approach to Brewing for the Future
“Innovation” is a beer-world buzzword, as more and more drinkers seek out new breweries, beers, experiences, and flavors. But for Southern California brewing stalwart Jeff Bagby of Bagby Beer, (https://www.bagbybeer.com) that constant focus on the new is more dangerous than his traditional approach.
“I’m more scared of… making beers that are flash-in-the-pan styles,” Bagby says. “These things can leave just as fast as they came, and if you don’t have something to fall back on—you can’t make a core beer, you can’t make something that someone wants to come into your place and have three glasses of—what are you going to do? There are only so many flashy new toys that you’re going to be able to come up with.”
Bagby's long and award-filled journey took him from Stone to Pizza Port to Oggi's before he launched his own brewery. After two decades of brewing professionally he took the plunge, launching his eponymous brewpub in 2014 in Oceanside. In this episode, Bagby recounts lessons learned during that storied career—engaging in the brewing feedback loop, the importance of experience on brewing expression, learning the ins and outs of the brewhouse, evaluating inspirational beers, and more. Along the way, he discusses everything from brewing Czech-style dark lager, to pilsner, to the beers he’s most well-known for—West coast IPAs.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
Captain Pabst Seabird IPA (https://captainpabst1864.com):
Out of the west a storm surprised, swept down on Captain Pabst,
That mariner and gentleman, his actions swift and fast,
He sailed the seabird against the throes, routing twain wind and fear,
He took haste to protect his kin, but the port aas far from near,
Pabst’s intuition proved him right, and bore a friendly coast,
The mighty seabird crashed aground, and to that we raise a toast,
For while the seabird indeed was lost, safe were kin and crew,
And without this mighty ship to steer, Captain Pabst... began to brew.
CAPTAIN PABST SEABIRD IPA. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN & CHICAGO.
2/14/2020 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 15 seconds
121: Transient Artisan Ales Founder Chris Betts Talks Dry Hazy IPAs, Michigan Hops, and Spontaneous Fermentation
To hear Chris Betts tell it, the founding concept of Transient Artisan Ales (https://transientartisanales.com) is rooted in change. It’s in the name of the brewery and that responsive, adaptive approach to making beer that’s of its place. It's a core principle that runs through everything they brew—from hazy and hoppy styles through their mixed-fermentation farmhouse beers and, of course, their spontaneously fermented beers. This conversation delves into that principle, from what they’ve learned over the years of brewing and blending spontaneous beer (homogenization, blending, hopping rates, consistency, and more) to their relatively dry approach to hazy and juicy IPAs (balancing base malts, employing oats and wheat, blending yeast strains for better results, and employing local Michigan hops for unexpected flavors). While inspired by broader brewing traditions, Betts is hellbent on putting his own locally relevant spin on everything. This episode explores both why and how he does it.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
2nd Kitchen (https://2ndkitchen.com): Did you know breweries that serve food see an increase in revenue of 1.8X? 2ndKitchen is a food-tech startup that connects local breweries to iconic neighborhood restaurants to help provide your brewery with food experiences to keep customers in your taproom longer. 2ndKitchen provides the technology, support, custom menus, and more all at no cost to your brewery.
2/7/2020 • 47 minutes, 40 seconds
120: Urban Chestnut's Florian Kuplent on Brewing Lagers, Selecting Ingredients, and the Importance of Fermentation
Florian Kuplent, brewmaster and cofounder of Urban Chestnut Brewing Company (http://urbanchestnut.com) in St. Louis, Missouri, got his start brewing helles and weissbier at a small, traditional brewery in Bavaria. In this podcast, he talks about what he learned from that experience and the other stops in his career, including Meantime in London and Anheuser-Busch. Founded in 2011, Urban Chestnut has stuck to its approach of showcasing both Old World traditional beers—its Reverence series—and more experimental, New World playthings—its Revolution series. Since then it's grown to three breweries in St. Louis, including one with a beer hall of Munich-like proportions, and a fourth brewery in the Hallertau region of Bavaria. Kuplent also talks about the URB—Urban Research Brewery—which features a "consumer research bar" where visitors can evaluate pilot beers and provide feedback, and about how that concept has informed their recipes at Urban Chestnut.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
2nd Kitchen (https://2ndkitchen.com): Did you know breweries that serve food see an increase in revenue of 1.8X? 2ndKitchen is a food-tech startup that connects local breweries to iconic neighborhood restaurants to help provide your brewery with food experiences to keep customers in your taproom longer. 2ndKitchen provides the technology, support, custom menus, and more all at no cost to your brewery.
2/1/2020 • 56 minutes, 56 seconds
119: Bell's Brewery's John Mallett on Ingredient Quality, Understanding Malt, and Designing Brewing Workflows
“We’re yeast farmers. We’re trying to set up a party that our guests are just going to rage at,” says John Mallett, VP of operations for Bell’s Brewery (http://www.bellsbeer.com). Of course, the reality is far more complex than that, but his flippant tone belies the deep knowledge that this longtime brewing veteran brings to the industry. Mallett joined Bell’s in 2001 after stints as a brewer and brewery design consultant, back when Bell’s produced a now-relatively-modest 30,000 barrels of beer. He’s helped the brewery grow in phases to their current production of about a half million barrels per year, by taking a thoughtful approach to everything from ingredient selection and sourcing to designing the brewhouse for expansion. In this episode, Mallett covers a wide range of subjects, from evaluating hops and controlling the pelletizing process to inspecting malt houses, evaluating barley varieties, reading between the lines on malt spec sheets, understanding what numbers like Kolbach index mean in practical terms, the fundamentals of haze stability in beer, sourcing and evaluating the incredible amount of Centennial hops used in their flagship IPA Two Hearted, and designing and engineering production workflows and brewhouses for future expansion. It’s a thorough, technical conversation packed with the sense of humor for which he’s known.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
2nd Kitchen (https://2ndkitchen.com): Did you know breweries that serve food see an increase in revenue of 1.8X? 2ndKitchen is a food-tech startup that connects local breweries to iconic neighborhood restaurants to help provide your brewery with food experiences to keep customers in your taproom longer. 2ndKitchen provides the technology, support, custom menus, and more all at no cost to your brewery.
1/24/2020 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 52 seconds
118: The Ale Apothecary's Paul Arney on Brewing Naturally and Artfully
Most brewers launch a brewery with the goal of producing specific types of beers. For Paul Arney of The Ale Apothecary (https://thealeapothecary.com), the founding principle was different—he knew how he wanted to make beer, and the style of beers he would make flowed from that focus on specific process. The result, of course, was “wild” beer with an acid component, but that was less important to Arney than brewing as close to nature as he could. Local ingredients, overnight mashes, no chemical cleaners or sanitizers, and wood vessels wherever possible, are some of the signatures of Arney’s production process that serve his goal of making “Locally-sourced, barrel-aged, natural beer.”
For Arney, the concept of “natural” isn’t a broad excuse for lazy practices. To the contrary, he’s built a time- and work-intensive process to take what he learned from a decade of large-scale production brewing and apply it to this brewing business. Learning from the process has been key for Arney and The Ale Apothecary, and here he discusses everything from the flavor and texture impact of his overnight mash process, corralling wild cultures and staggering pitches to achieve intentional results, the challenges of single-stream brewing in this style and achieving great results without blending, finding joy and success in “mistakes,” working with nature in a push and pull to create good-tasting natural beer, and the changing dynamics in the market for wild and sour beer.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
2nd Kitchen (https://2ndkitchen.com): Did you know breweries that serve food see an increase in revenue of 1.8X? 2ndKitchen is a food-tech startup that connects local breweries to iconic neighborhood restaurants to help provide your brewery with food experiences to keep customers in your taproom longer. 2ndKitchen provides the technology, support, custom menus, and more all at no cost to your brewery.
1/17/2020 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 56 seconds
117: 3 Sons Brewing's Corey Artanis on Maximum Impact from Flavor Ingredients
3 Sons Brewing (https://www.3sonsbrewingco.com) was a proof of concept a long time coming. They started slowly and deliberately, brewing one barrel at a time at a licensed commercial brewery, while focusing on honing recipes, ingredients, and process along the way. The early praise—best beer and best brewery awards at Cigar City Hunahpu's Day festival—convinced founder Corey Artanis that the brewing business had legs, but rather than rushing in, he took his time and finally opened their production brewery and brewpub in Dania Beach, Florida in 2018. The unassuming warehouse exterior houses a gorgeous and airy modern brewery and restaurant with pizza kitchen, and the tap list delivers on the styles their fans expect—culinary ingredient-laden stouts, but balances those with a deliberate lineup of traditional German-style lagers.
In this episode, Artanis walks through their award-winning approach to big and flavorful beers, from creating a canvas that lets ingredients shine, to specific ingredient selection and process.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
2nd Kitchen (https://2ndkitchen.com): Did you know breweries that serve food see an increase in revenue of 1.8X? 2ndKitchen is a food-tech startup that connects local breweries to iconic neighborhood restaurants to help provide your brewery with food experiences to keep customers in your taproom longer. 2ndKitchen provides the technology, support, custom menus, and more all at no cost to your brewery.
1/10/2020 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 45 seconds
116: Green Bench Brewing's Khris Johnson Talks Lager Brewing, Mixed Culture Fermentation, and more
St. Petersburg, Florida's Green Bench Brewing toes a delicate line with sophisticated beers in a still-developing beer state, but from the looks of the crowds, they're on to something big. In this conversation, cofounder and head brewer Khris Johnson talks shop on their emerging lager program as well as their firmly entrenched mixed fermentation cellar.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. (https://gdchillers.com)
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer)
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
2nd Kitchen (https://2ndkitchen.com): Did you know breweries that serve food see an increase in revenue of 1.8X? 2ndKitchen is a food-tech startup that connects local breweries to iconic neighborhood restaurants to help provide your brewery with food experiences to keep customers in your taproom longer. 2ndKitchen provides the technology, support, custom menus, and more all at no cost to your brewery.
1/3/2020 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 42 seconds
115: Cycle Brewing’s Doug Dozark on the Choices That Matter When Barrel-Aging (and Pasteurizing) Beer
Over the past decade, Cycle Brewing (https://www.cyclebrewing.com) (St. Petersburg, Florida) has made a name for themselves with big barrel-aged stouts. These stouts make up more than half of the brewery’s yearly production, and are so important to the brewery that they custom-designed a brewhouse with a massively oversized mash tun (more than twice the capacity of the kettle) in order to brew they efficiently. In this episode, owner and head brewer Doug Dozark walk through everything from recipe design to blending process, touching on hot-button subjects like using sugars in high gravity beers (“If you can get over some of the preconceived notions about adding sugar, and just think of these as materials, and different colors on your palette to paint with, it opens up a lot.”) to caramel components in the malt bill, to the ideal age for bourbon barrels, temperature for barrels, and one of the most controversial positions of all—his love of pasteurization.
Many factors impact the flavors and stability of high gravity, adjunct-laden beers, and here Dozark shares his experience, and dispels the myths, surrounding the dark art of barrel-aging imperial stouts.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Oktober Can Seamers (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast): Whether you’re a full-scale production brewery, a taproom, or a homebrewer striving for the ultimate setup, Oktober Can Seamers has THE small-scale canning solution. They’ve proven that breweries increase revenue through to-go sales with Oktober Can Seamers, and everyone loves to sell more beer. You’re only a few clicks away from selling more beer, just head over to oktoberdesign.com/podcast (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast) and use offer code “jamie” to save $50 on any can seamer purchase.
12/28/2019 • 1 hour, 37 minutes, 31 seconds
114: Phil Joyce of Amalgam and Westbound & Down on What Does (and Doesn’t) Matter in Mixed Culture Farmhouse and Sour Beer
There are as many ways to make sour and funky beers as there are brewers, but for Phil Joyce of Amalgam Brewing (Denver, Colorado) and Westbound & Down Brewing (Idaho Springs, Colorado), the things some brewers focus on have less impact on the finished beer than the things they tend to overlook. In this episode, Joyce tackles some misconceptions, and shares the things that make their sour and funky beer successful:
» Water chemistry has one of the biggest long-term impacts on texture and mouthfeel
» The first 7-14 days of fermentation are far more important then the following 6-18 months
» Stacking and staggering yeast pitches, while incorporating yeasts typically used in other styles, can create building blocks for the mixed culture to work on
» A slow start tends to produce more nuanced beer over the long run
» Most fruit is one dimensional, but ingredient and process tweaks can produce far more complex and interesting beers.
Toward the end of the episode, Joyce moves past sour beer and delves into their process around ingredient additions in their highly regarded Underground Breakfast barrel-aged imperial stout.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Oktober Can Seamers (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast): Whether you’re a full-scale production brewery, a taproom, or a homebrewer striving for the ultimate setup, Oktober Can Seamers has THE small-scale canning solution. They’ve proven that breweries increase revenue through to-go sales with Oktober Can Seamers, and everyone loves to sell more beer. You’re only a few clicks away from selling more beer, just head over to oktoberdesign.com/podcast (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast) and use offer code “jamie” to save $50 on any can seamer purchase.
12/21/2019 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 37 seconds
113: John Rowley of Rowley Farmhouse Ales on Nuance and Character in Sour Beer
Three years ago, homebrewer and professional chemist John Rowley and his partner (chef Jeffrey Kaplan) launched Rowley Farmhouse Ales as a brewpub with a particular focus on sour beer. This past October, they brought home three medals (gold, silver, and bronze) in different sour beer categories at the Great American Beer Festival, and that medal count locked up Small Brewpub of the Year honors for the young brewpub. In this episode, Rowley details their signature brewing process, from live Lactobacillus souring (no boil) to their unexpected Saccharomyces selection, water treatment and composition, building an maintaining a house sour culture, understanding pH and titratable acidity, and more. The methods they use are sometimes unconventional, such as pre-acidifying the mash of their gold medal-winning Gose “Meier” with cut up lemons, but Rowley isn’t afraid to tackle labor-intensive processes if they yield better-tasting beer. From the high desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Rowley continues to produce small batches of thoughtfully constructed, and this episode dives into those elements that make their beers stand apart.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Oktober Can Seamers (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast): Whether you’re a full-scale production brewery, a taproom, or a homebrewer striving for the ultimate setup, Oktober Can Seamers has THE small-scale canning solution. They’ve proven that breweries increase revenue through to-go sales with Oktober Can Seamers, and everyone loves to sell more beer. You’re only a few clicks away from selling more beer, just head over to oktoberdesign.com/podcast (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast) and use offer code “jamie” to save $50 on any can seamer purchase.
12/13/2019 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 18 seconds
112: Tim Matthews of Canarchy and Oskar Blues Dives Deep on Brewing With Malt and Hops
An 11 year veteran of Oskar Blues, Tim Matthews now holds the lofty title of VP of Global Brewing for the Canarchy Craft Brewery Collective, where he's hyper focused on improving everything from product innovation to ingredient sourcing and grower/broker relationships. In this episode, he discusses their process of reinvention for popular beers, and what they've learned about the impacts of various ingredients and processes in the brewhouse.
From the four year process of retooling Mama's Little Yella Pils to protein content shifts in barley (“Don’t get romantically involved with barley varieties") to how flavors expressed in raw hops reflect in finished beers, Matthews gets technical and nuanced in discussing beer ingredients. Along the way, he touches on important cultural trends such as breweries pursuing exclusive hops (“What brewers should not look for is their own special hop. Don’t do that. It’s too much pressure on yourself. You want a hop that works for everybody, and that means the growers, the brokers, and the brewers. And that’s plural ‘brewers.’ Not just you, not just Canarchy, but all of craft beer. You want it to be proliferated across the entire industry so it’s sustainable.”)
He also discusses the way their yeast program is evolving, and offers up thoughts about next trends in beer (“Big, dark, and malty is next"). There's a lot to unpack in this information-dense episode, so grab a beer and listen in.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Oktober Can Seamers (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast): Whether you’re a full-scale production brewery, a taproom, or a homebrewer striving for the ultimate setup, Oktober Can Seamers has THE small-scale canning solution. They’ve proven that breweries increase revenue through to-go sales with Oktober Can Seamers, and everyone loves to sell more beer. You’re only a few clicks away from selling more beer, just head over to oktoberdesign.com/podcast (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast) and use offer code “jamie” to save $50 on any can seamer purchase.
12/7/2019 • 1 hour, 8 minutes, 45 seconds
111: Brewmaster Peter Bouckaert on Brewing With Wood, Creativity in the Brewhouse, and the New Belgium Sale to Kirin
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more bombastic, opinionated brewer than Purpose Brewing & Cellars’ Peter Bouckaert. But with decades of experience in both Europe and the US, leading the brewhouse for iconic breweries, he’s earned the right to speak his mind. In this episode, he shares thoughts on a range of technical brewing subjects, from using wood as a spice, to malt biotransformation, using yeast to unlock the flavors of ingredients, his decision process behind ingredient additions, toxicology screening when using new ingredients, and more. But the conversation really heats up when Bouckaert hops on his soapbox and delves into the philosophy behind brewing, from style constrictions to inspiration from the culinary world and the ways brewing is far superior in a creative sense to winemaking or distilling.
“I love the brewing process and think we should treat [brewing] as more important than any winery,” says Bouckaert. “Opus One? That’s a joke. That’s a marketing ploy. Compared to Purpose? There’s way more happening here, flavor-wise.”
Throughout, Bouckaert remains committed to the new. Moving things forward, trying new ingredients and processes, and building a better, higher touch experience for beer consumers. In this episode, he discusses the hows and whys of this different approach.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Oktober Can Seamers (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast): Whether you’re a full-scale production brewery, a taproom, or a homebrewer striving for the ultimate setup, Oktober Can Seamers has THE small-scale canning solution. They’ve proven that breweries increase revenue through to-go sales with Oktober Can Seamers, and everyone loves to sell more beer. You’re only a few clicks away from selling more beer, just head over to oktoberdesign.com/podcast (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast) and use offer code “jamie” to save $50 on any can seamer purchase.
11/29/2019 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 42 seconds
110: Comrade Brewing's David Lin and Marks Lanham on Brewing New School West Coast IPAs
With two gold medals in hotly contested categories and Small Brewing Company and Small Brewer of the Year accolades at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival, Denver's Comrade Brewing firmly established their credentials as one of the most important new school IPA producers in the country. Here, they discuss philosophy and techniques behind their hoppy beers before delving into brewing thoughts on a range of styles from chili beer to milk stout.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Oktober Can Seamers (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast): Whether you’re a full-scale production brewery, a taproom, or a homebrewer striving for the ultimate setup, Oktober Can Seamers has THE small-scale canning solution. They’ve proven that breweries increase revenue through to-go sales with Oktober Can Seamers, and everyone loves to sell more beer. You’re only a few clicks away from selling more beer, just head over to oktoberdesign.com/podcast (https://oktoberdesign.com/podcast) and use offer code “jamie” to save $50 on any can seamer purchase.
11/22/2019 • 58 minutes, 28 seconds
109: Troubadour Maltings’ Chris Schooley on Understanding the Fine Details of Malt and the Process Behind It
Malt is subject most take for granted—a commodity that is generally fungible and often overlooked. But for Troubadour Maltings’ (http://www.troubadourmaltings.com) Chris Schooley, it’s a subject of endless fascination and professional obsession. In this deep dive into the subject, Schooley expounds on the value of thinking about malt beyond extract numbers, explores the history of malt and why certain malt styles are what they are today, defines great malting grain while discussing new developments in the agriculture that has helped craft maltsters produce better raw materials, and more. In the brewhouse and in the malt house, consistency may be overrated, but quality is not—the malting process and role of the maltster is to add value to the agriculture and the brewing process, since the power in malt is not intrinsic… someone has to unlock it. But the things that really make a difference in malt quality may not be the things you suspect, and as specialty malts get darker, certain factor like freshness play a larger role in the flavor of the end beer. It’s a fascinating episode for anyone who has every pondered why and how malt does what it does in the brewing process…
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com): With over 200 years of combined experience in the craft beverage industry, Country Malt Group’s dedicated sales and support staff understand the importance of excellent ingredients, product knowledge, and expertise in making great beer. Country Malt Group’s mission is to provide the products and services you need while making the process of ordering ingredients easy – the focus is to inspire your best craft! Order online at shop.countrymalt.com (https://shop.countrymalt.com) | @CountryMalt
11/15/2019 • 1 hour, 23 minutes, 48 seconds
108: Civil Life Brewing's Dylan Mosley on Brewing Flavorful Small and Sessionable Beers
Civil Life Brewing is a brewer's brewery. The biggest beers on the menu top out around 6.5%, the taproom is comfortable and pubby, and everything across the board is finely crafted with character and intention. It's wonderful space in which to drink beer, staffed by folks intensely passionate about what they do, serving beer confidently unflashy yet thoroughly satisfying. To build such character and expression into small beers, head brewer Dylan Mosley has spent the past eight years fine tuning every element of their beers, and in this episode, he walks through the various ways they amplify flavor without hiking up the ABV. Carefully selecting malt not just for color but for flavor, is first and foremost. While some brewers prefer broad ranges of malt, Mosley operates in a tighter range, often using similar malts from different malt houses in the same beer to provide shades of nuance. His goal, of course, is to move past the specificity of individual ingredients, so that everything hangs together as a whole. "You don't want the end of the story before you start it," says Mosley. "You need a little something else there. I spend more time thinking about what's in the middle of the beer rather than base malt or finishing touches." From malt to yeast, water, hops, and even finishing processes like filtration, Mosley runs through the things that make Civil Life beers beloved by drinkers, and brewers, in their native St. Louis.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com): With over 200 years of combined experience in the craft beverage industry, Country Malt Group’s dedicated sales and support staff understand the importance of excellent ingredients, product knowledge, and expertise in making great beer. Country Malt Group’s mission is to provide the products and services you need while making the process of ordering ingredients easy – the focus is to inspire your best craft! Order online at shop.countrymalt.com (https://shop.countrymalt.com) | @CountryMalt
11/8/2019 • 1 hour, 43 seconds
107: The Best 19 Beers of 2019 Special Edition!
We taste thousands of beers per year at Craft Beer & Brewing, between beers our blind panel reviews, beers sent to us to consider for general coverage, beers tasted at various festivals, and beers shared when we visit breweries. Once a year, we put our collective heads together and create our Editors' Picks for the Best Beers of the Year. In addition, we poll our readers and listeners for your favorite beers of the year, favorite breweries of various sizes, and favorite breweries within certain styles. In this special episode of the podcast, Cofounder and Editorial Director Jamie Bogner, and Managing Editor Joe Stange, walk through the background and stories behind these best beers and breweries of 2019.
Read the full story at https://beerandbrewing.com/editors-picks-the-best-19-beers-of-2019/
11/1/2019 • 1 hour, 27 minutes, 30 seconds
106: Mitch Steele of New Realm Brewing on Designing Characterful IPAs, Pilsners, and Hard Seltzers
If you brew IPA, you’ve probably read Mitch Steele’s book on the subject. His storied brewing career has taken him from from positions as Brewmaster at Anheuser-Busch and Stone to his newest venture as Brewmaster at Atlanta’s New Realm Brewing. This latest chapter has posed one of the biggest creative challenges he’s faced—designing an entire beer program from scratch. In this episode, Steele discusses creating beers to style that still contain unique character, explores the structure of their hoppy lager, admits to goofing on their first IPA releases and discuses how they made recipe and brand changes to satisfy their customers, cracks the code on hazy IPA and discusses the ways they’ve designed and brewed that style, delves into the resurgence and reinvention of West Coast IPA, shares their innovation process from small scale evaluation brews on up, and talks about their latest tests in the hard seltzer space with what works and what doesn’t.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Brew Guru (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/brew-guru/): Brew Guru, the free mobile app that alerts you to local discounts on beer, food, and homebrewing supplies! Created by the American Homebrewers Association, Brew Guru is your essential guide to brewing and drinking great beer. Start a 30-day free trial, no credit card info required, when you download Brew Guru for iPhone or Android.
10/25/2019 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 55 seconds
105: August Schell's Jace Marti on Creating Distinctive Lagers and Historically-Inspired Berliner Weisse
August Schell is not a new brewery, and sparking attention from today’s craft beer consumer is more difficult than ever. But in this conversation, Jace Marti (Assistant Brewmaster and 6th generation of the Schell family) dives deep into the storied lager brewer’s evolution of recipe and technique for marquis beers like their Pilsner, explains how they develop and change beers over time, and outlines the thorough way they went about launching a sour program that feels germane to the Schell brand (while also making great beer). Their craft Pilsner is on version 4.0, and has seen many changes since its launch in the 1980’s. Today, they even borrow techniques from IPA brewers, like dry-hopping during active fermentation, and apply them to their lager process—adding hops at 24 hours to the cold lager fermentation. Other moves, like shifting hot side hops to a middle addition rather than early addition, changing up the base malt, and embracing “modern” noble hops have helped them build a Pilsner that’s both to style and distinctly theirs. On the sour side, Marti recounts the deep historical research into Berliner Weisse that led to them building house cultures for mixed fermentation, and touches on everything from maintaining and selecting cultures to cleaning process and fruit usage. How does a 160-year-old brewery balance the weight of tradition with the need to be innovative? Listen in…
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Brew Guru (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/brew-guru/): Brew Guru, the free mobile app that alerts you to local discounts on beer, food, and homebrewing supplies! Created by the American Homebrewers Association, Brew Guru is your essential guide to brewing and drinking great beer. Start a 30-day free trial, no credit card info required, when you download Brew Guru for iPhone or Android.
10/18/2019 • 54 minutes, 50 seconds
104: Evan Price of Green Cheek Beer Co.: Creatively Evolving West Coast IPA (and Winning!)
Since their founding in June 2017, Green Cheek Beer Co. has pulled off an impressive list of awards—a silver medal in American-style IPA at the 2018 World Beer Cup, two bronze medals at the 2018 GABF, and most recently a silver and gold (in American-style IPA and Australian-style Pale Ale) at the 2019 GABF. In this conversation, recorded a few days before Price and Green Cheek collected those 2019 medals, he goes deep on the subject of the evolving style of West coast-style IPA. From malt shifts (“Crystal malt ends up tasting like an old beer right when you make it”) to the impacts of water profiles to selecting low cohumulone hops for less aggressive bitterness, every choice matters. Price covers developing skills like translating hops aromas while rubbing into an idea of how they’ll express in a finished beer, their hops evaluation procedures, lowering whirlpool temperatures for better hot side hops character, and even discusses their strategy toward brewing for and entering competitions. If you’re not smiling by the end of this episode, you’re doing it wrong.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Hops Direct (https://hopsdirect.com): Five generations of hops grown in Yakima Valley, Washington, sold directly from our farm to you. Skip the middleman, go for the farm fresh green! Our hops are harvested, processed and kept in cold storages here on our farm until shipping straight to you. Find 100+ domestic and imported varieties in Pellet and Leaf year-round on our website by the pound at wholesale pricing. Thanks for supporting family-owned - shopping small is a BIG deal. www.hopsdirect.com | [email protected] | @hopsdirect
10/11/2019 • 1 hour, 4 minutes
103: Beachwood Blendery's Harrison McCabe: Creating the Right Environment for Spontaneous and Pitched Culture Wild and Sour Beers
When Long Beach, California's Beachwood Brewing set out to create a wild and sour beer program years ago, they did it with an intentionality one would expect from a brewery that has racked up so many accolades over the years. In this episode, Beachwood Blendery head brewer and blender Harrison McCabe walks through the various ways they've controlled environmental factors in the brewhouse for optimal spontaneous brewing in the non-traditional climate of Southern California, while maintaining parallel programs producing both spontaneous and pitched culture sour and wild beer. To McCabe, the key is using hops, temperature, and mash to slow the lactic acid production process, allowing for more characteristic funk to develop before acidity completely takes over. He talks about how they've embraced a single infusion high-temperature mash, bumped up the amounts of aged hops, and carefully created "seasons" in the barrel warehouse through temperatre control, before discussing everything from blending to fruiting process. Great wild, sour, and spontaneous beer can be made anywhere—it's just a matter of creating a process and environment that favors great flavors.
10/5/2019 • 55 minutes, 21 seconds
102: Blue Moon & Ceria Beverage Founder Keith Villa: Exploring Uncharted Territory in Beer With Cannabis
Keith Villa is an unlikely advocate for cannabis-infused non-alcoholic beer. The cerebral PhD with a molecular biology background spent more than three decades working for Coors, with two decades focused on creating and building the Blue Moon brand, and today he approaches the subject of cannabis beer with a scientist’s rigor and a marketer’s soul. In this conversation, he lays the groundwork for his current exploration, discussing the ins and outs of brewing Belgian-style witbiers (from grist composition to mash regimens that lock in stable haze and substantial head), the value of ritual and drama in beer service, and thinking beyond style strictures when envisioning beers. From there, he delves into the new opportunities that blending beer with cannabis provides—utilizing terpenes common to both hops and cannabis to promote certain physiological effects—before finishing with a primer in the process and technical concerns around de-alcoholizing beer.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com): With over 200 years of combined experience in the craft beverage industry, Country Malt Group’s dedicated sales and support staff understand the importance of excellent ingredients, product knowledge, and expertise in making great beer. Country Malt Group’s mission is to provide the products and services you need while making the process of ordering ingredients easy – the focus is to inspire your best craft! Order online at shop.countrymalt.com (https://shop.countrymalt.com) | @CountryMalt
9/29/2019 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 43 seconds
101: Off Color Brewing's John Laffler: Turn Down the Volume, Focus on the Harmony
"If we’re just going to come out and make the same beers as everybody else, what’s the whole point of this?" says Off Color Brewing Cofounder John Laffler. "I could make more money working somewhere else, and work a lot less, if we’re just going to make the same pale ale as a brewery down the street. I don’t get the point of doing all this if you’re not doing it for a reason, and for us it was to make the beers we think should be made. if you’re into Pale Ale, that’s great—you all do you. For us, that wasn’t it."
Risk is in the DNA of Chicago, Illinois' Off Color Brewing, and for Laffler, that means charting new territory in mixed-fermentation beer, focusing on subtlety and nuance over intensity and strength, and playing the long game in building an artistic brand that is not meant to appeal to everyone. In this sprawling conversation, he shares his thoughts on why more brewers should be dumping beer ("If you're not taking enough risks... you're not trying hard enough"), using malt bill and fermentation techniques to tweak yeast ester expression in farmhouse ales like their flagship Apex Predator, how American brewers have all but ruined the Gose style ("It does not make a bit of difference what type of sale you use"), corralling and developing wild cultures using selective pressure to bring out desired traits, rustic sake fermentation, and much more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour is the tastiest way to explore the world from the comfort of your home. Select delicious craft beers on the Tavour app that you cannot find in your area and get them delivered right to your door. It's not a beer of the month club where you end up with lagers you have to give to your grandpa. Download the free Tavour app today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com): Ska Fabricating is excited to announce the new and improved “Half Pint OD” mobile depalletizer. The OD is made up of stainless steel and lightweight aluminum, with a new patent-pending rotary table design that provides accumulation and natural backpressure to help cans flow smoothly and consistently into your filler. This machine can run up to 80 cans per minute, features over 180 degrees of flexibility for rinse cage placement, and has an even smaller footprint than the original Half Pint. It is a breakthrough design for breweries in search of a fully automated solution that fits a tight space and budget. To learn more, contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
9/20/2019 • 1 hour, 14 minutes, 55 seconds
100: A Quick Look Back, Plus Neil Fisher and Cory King Talk Barrel-Aged Stouts
In this special 100th episode of the podcast, we take a quick look back at your favorites of the first 100 episodes, before Side Project Brewing's Cory King and Neil Fisher of Weldwerks take over the podcast in a previously subscriber-only conversation recorded at the Firestone Walker Invitational earlier this year.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): Hopsteiner is a vertically integrated global hops supplier dedicated to delivering the finest hops and hop products available. For six-generations Hopsteiner has partnered with breweries of all sizes, offering unique hop varieties and innovative hop products designed to enhance flavor, aroma, consistency, and flexibility for brewing and beyond. Learn more at https://www.hopsteiner.com.
9/13/2019 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 55 seconds
99: Alarmist Brewing’s Gary Gulley: Brewing for Gold With Hazy and Juicy IPAs
Ask ten brewers about the secret to brewing a great hazy IPA, and you’ll likely get ten different answers. For Gary Gulley and Alarmist Brewing, the answer is “threading the needle”—riding that delicate line between hops intensity, bitterness, sweetness that brings out the hops character, and dryness for drinkability. Achieving that elusive balance is no small feat, and in this episode Gulley discusses just how they do it. From yeast selection and treatment to dry hopping timing and techniques, employing lactose with a soft touch, and more, it’s a deep dive into the things that made Le Jus number one on the tastebud’s of last year’s GABF judges. Winning the medal has changed everything for Alarmist, and this episode delves into why.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
PakTech (https://paktech-opi.com): PakTech delivers the highest quality and most environmentally responsible packaging handles to the craft beer industry. PakTech handles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled material and are repurposed from recycled milk jugs. In addition, they are also 100% recyclable. PakTech recently launched its own recycling program to ensure PakTech handles are properly recycled and repurposed. They are easy to apply by hand or increase your packaging efficiency with their robust line of automated applicators. PakTech’s packaging solutions deliver better market presence, enhanced consumer value, environmental awareness, and improved sales. PakTech handles are the smart and sustainable packaging choice. Contact PakTech today at 541.461.5000 and visit at https://www.paktech-opi.com.
9/6/2019 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 9 seconds
98: Revolution Brewing’s Jim Cibak and Marty Scott: Intentional Brewing and Aging for Blended Barrel-Aged Beers
Once upon a time, brewing barrel-aged stouts was a simple case of putting one batch into a barrel then pulling it out and releasing it. But for Revolution Brewing, a happy accident led to a new way to think about blending stocks of barrel-aged beers in order to achieve more depth and complexity. Today, the brewery now intentionally brews to replicate that effect, and has extended the concept behind it across the various styles of barrel-aged beers they brew. In this episode, they discuss the details of this process—manipulating mash temperatures to produce sweeter and drier versions of each of their base recipes, aging those different versions for different lengths of time, and blending percentages of beer at different ages and sweetness levels to create beers that achieve the metrics they’ve developed for “balance value” and “malt complexity value.”
“[By having] all these barrels with extended aging and different finishing gravities, it allows us to put a metric on it and create and design a beer rather than just having it go into a barrel and then emptying it every year," says Scott.
In addition to barrel-aging, Cibak discusses their approach to the newly released Hazy Hero IPA, including their counterintuitive approach to hops—bittering with hops extract in the whirlpool and dry hopping the yeast pitch—and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com): With over 200 years of combined experience in the craft beverage industry, Country Malt Group’s dedicated sales and support staff understand the importance of excellent ingredients, product knowledge, and expertise in making great beer. Country Malt Group’s mission is to provide the products and services you need while making the process of ordering ingredients easy – the focus is to inspire your best craft! Order online at shop.countrymalt.com (https://shop.countrymalt.com) | @CountryMalt
8/30/2019 • 1 hour, 13 minutes, 25 seconds
97: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant's Mark Edelson: Getting out of Your Comfort Zone to Be Truly Successful
The brewpub model might be seen by some as a relic of craft beer's past, but it's actually a helpful barometer of what is happening among customer preference. This week Mark Edelson, one of the cofounders of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, now with nearly 20 locations in the east, talks about why staff training is important, a useful path towards a brewing career, and how sometimes you need to get out of a comfort zone to be truly successful and grow a business.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour makes it possible to access and discover the highest-rated craft beers from all over the world through the free mobile app. Twice a day you get access to a new limited beer from an independent craft brewer. Imagine sipping a Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brewing in Georgia or Juicy Bits IPA from WeldWerks in Colorado. Join the independent beer community today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Hops Direct (https://hopsdirect.com): Five generations of hops grown in Yakima Valley, Washington, sold directly from our farm to you. Skip the middleman, go for the farm fresh green! Our hops are harvested, processed and kept in cold storages here on our farm until shipping straight to you. Find 100+ domestic and imported varieties in Pellet and Leaf year-round on our website by the pound at wholesale pricing. Thanks for supporting family-owned - shopping small is a BIG deal. www.hopsdirect.com | [email protected] | @hopsdirect
8/23/2019 • 56 minutes, 26 seconds
96: Narrow Gauge Brewing Co.‘s Jeff Hardesty: Exploring Individuality and Expression in Hazy and Sour IPAs
The cofounder of St. Louis’ most popular brewer of progressive hazy styles shares the techniques and philosophy behind their sought-after beers, and debunks some misperceptions in the process.
Creating a sense of unique character and difference within a popular beer style like hazy IPA can be a challenge for brewers, but for Jeff Hardesty and Narrow Gauge Brewing, the answer is nonstop experimentation and testing on their small 6 bbl brewhouse. In this episode, he discusses how they move beyond the “easy button” hops (Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy) and blend hops for unique flavor expressions, how trial and error led them to ditch expensive hops in the whirlpool in favor of less expensive bittering hops, using a less-common British ale strain for fermentation that provides an alternate to more standard London Ale III or Conan flavors, the ways they use different base malts to achieve flavor goals and create differentiation, how they construct complex recipes that delicately balance acidity, sweetness, hops, and fruit in sour fruited IPAs, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Turn your fridge into the best craft beer bar around with the Tavour app. Get access to hard-to-find, 100% independent craft beer from 47 states. Only buy the beers you want and skip the ones you don’t. Ship any amount of your hand picked beer to your doorstep for one flat fee (yep, any amount). Download the free Tavour app today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Brew Guru (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/brew-guru/): Brew Guru, the free mobile app that alerts you to local discounts on beer, food, and homebrewing supplies! Created by the American Homebrewers Association, Brew Guru is your essential guide to brewing and drinking great beer. Start a 30-day free trial, no credit card info required, when you download Brew Guru for iPhone or Android.
8/16/2019 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 45 seconds
95: The Referend's James Priest: Process, Pitfalls, and Methodology When Brewing with a Mobile Coolship
The Referend Bier Blendery uses its own mobile coolship and other people's breweries to create spontaneously fermented beers. In this episode, founder James Priest talks about process, pitfalls, and working in the elements and his relationship with farmers to secure the best produce possible. From pre-acidification methods, to using the right wood, Priest dives into his methodology.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour is the tastiest way to explore the world from the comfort of your home. Select delicious craft beers on the Tavour app that you cannot find in your area and get them delivered right to your door. It's not a beer of the month club where you end up with lagers you have to give to your grandpa. Download the free Tavour app today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Hops Direct (https://hopsdirect.com): Five generations of hops grown in Yakima Valley, Washington, sold directly from our farm to you. Skip the middleman, go for the farm fresh green! Our hops are harvested, processed and kept in cold storages here on our farm until shipping straight to you. Find 100+ domestic and imported varieties in Pellet and Leaf year-round on our website by the pound at wholesale pricing. Thanks for supporting family-owned - shopping small is a BIG deal. www.hopsdirect.com | [email protected] | @hopsdirect
8/9/2019 • 55 minutes, 36 seconds
94: Main & Mill Brewing Co.‘s Denny Foster & Brandon Bischoff: Building Compelling But Drinkable Imperial and Barrel-Aged Stouts
The brewing duo behind Festus, Missouri’s local brewpub-turned-stout factory share their thoughts on adding adjuncts to stouts, blending batches, parti-gyle brewing, and more.
When he launched the business in 2011, Main & Mill cofounder Denny Foster had no idea they’d be bottling barrel-aged stouts that would be shipped around the country by zealous traders. The goal at that point was a standard local brewpub with great beer and great food—a place for locals to enjoy some pints and each others’ company. But by the time they opened in 2014 (delayed by a painful three year renovation of a historic building), the market had already changed. Foster, and head brewer Brandon Bischoff embarked on a two-pronged strategy of lower ABV beers on tap for their local audience and bigger, bolder bottled beers for a metro Saint Louis audience that craved imperial stouts. Here, they discuss what they’ve learned over the past few years fo brewing big beers on a very small pub system—building base recipes for big stouts, adding adjunct ingredients by using a keg as brink for high-intensity infusions then dosing the blend back into the main tank to achieve the perfect balance, using small-scale blending and beer specifically brewed for characteristics like body to tweak other batches, making the most of a small brew system by using the parti-gyle process to get more beers out of each mash, the importance of naming and descriptions in selling beer, using natural extracts along with natural ingredients to heighten aroma in flavored beers, and the arms race around stout body that’s forcing brewers to rethink the balance of drinkability.
“We’re still trying to find that happy medium,” says Foster, “where people in the industry don’t say it’s thin, but it’s still able to be drinkable where you can also enjoy it, share, and not feel like your eyes are blown back because it’s essentially just a few points away from Hershey’s syrup. We’re always trying to figure that out.”
Note- at approximately the 23 minute mark, Foster intended to say that Ethiopian coffee was more prototypical “coffee” flavor, as opposed to the more fruity and acidic Guatemalan coffee.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour is the tastiest way to explore the world from the comfort of your home. Select delicious craft beers on the Tavour app that you cannot find in your area and get them delivered right to your door. It's not a beer of the month club where you end up with lagers you have to give to your grandpa. Download the free Tavour app today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com):Ska Fabricating is the craft industry’s leading choice for packaging line automation. Specializing in depalletizing, repalletizing, conveyance, rinsing, drying, fill detection and date coding, Ska Fab has over 600 installations in breweries, wineries, and distilleries worldwide. With a reliable team of engineers dedicated to fast, reliable customer service, you can count on us to provide systems custom tailored for your specific needs. Contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
8/2/2019 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 40 seconds
93: Batch Brewing's Chris Sidwa: Keeping the Creative Spark Alive in Australia
When you’re more than 2,000 miles from the nearest country there’s a tendency to rely on all things local. That’s what Batch Brewing Co., a Sydney, Australia brewery has in mind when it is creating recipes. From supporting local maltsters to getting the pick of Southern Hemisphere hops, cofounder Chris Sidwa talks about why he’s happy to stay local and what that can mean for the overall health of his business.
An American who moved down under a decade ago and is now back on his native soil, he talks about brewery growth, burnout, and how owning a business can take a toll on creativity. How can brewery owners keep that creative spark alive among all the paperwork? It might be a return to their roots.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour is the tastiest way to explore the world from the comfort of your home. Select delicious craft beers on the Tavour app that you cannot find in your area and get them delivered right to your door. It's not a beer of the month club where you end up with lagers you have to give to your grandpa. Download the free Tavour app today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
PakTech (http://www.paktech-opi.com): PakTech delivers the highest quality and most environmentally responsible packaging handles to the craft beer industry. PakTech handles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled material and are repurposed from recycled milk jugs. In addition, they are also 100% recyclable. PakTech recently launched its own recycling program to ensure PakTech handles are properly recycled and repurposed. They are easy to apply by hand or increase your packaging efficiency with their robust line of automated applicators. PakTech’s packaging solutions deliver better market presence, enhanced consumer value, environmental awareness, and improved sales. PakTech handles are the smart and sustainable packaging choice. Contact PakTech today at 541.461.5000 and visit at www.paktech-opi.com
Troy Casey has built a reputation for his eponymously-named brewery by crafting gorgeously nuanced mixed-fermentation farmhouse ales and thoughtfully edited wild and sour beers (many with fruit sourced from local growers and processed by hand). In this conversation, he discusses his approach to open fermentation, using hops to control acidity in mixed culture and sour beers, the seasonal impacts of temperature on his brewing process, acid production in smaller versus larger vessels, blending and selecting barrels of base beer for fruit additions, working with local growers to secure not just the highest quality but the most characterful fruit, the processes by which he selects and macerates fruit, and even how the trauma of processing fruit has impact his own fruit consumption. With a new-ish brewhouse now fully operational and a second (downtown) taproom on the way, he’s making the inverse leap of many brewers by adding non-sour styles to their brewing lineup, and discusses that development as well.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour is the tastiest way to explore the world from the comfort of your home. Select delicious craft beers on the Tavour app that you cannot find in your area and get them delivered right to your door. It's not a beer of the month club where you end up with lagers you have to give to your grandpa. Download the free Tavour app today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
Country Malt Group (https://countrymaltgroup.com): With over 200 years of combined experience in the craft beverage industry, Country Malt Group’s dedicated sales and support staff understand the importance of excellent ingredients, product knowledge, and expertise in making great beer. Country Malt Group’s mission is to provide the products and services you need while making the process of ordering ingredients easy – the focus is to inspire your best craft! Order online at shop.countrymalt.com
7/19/2019 • 1 hour, 16 minutes, 1 second
91: Outer Range Brewing’s Lee Cleghorn: Troubleshooting Cross-Contamination in the Brewhouse and Designing Progressive IPAs
It’s been a tough week for Frisco, Colorado’s Outer Range Brewing. Less than a week ago, customers notified the brewery of an unexpected Belgian-ish flavor in the week’s IPA release. After testing and confirming cross-contamination by one of their aggressive saison yeast strains, the brewery notified customers of a voluntary recall and dumped almost 4,000 gallons of beer fermenting in tanks, then cleaned the brewhouse and cranked up the brewing schedule to fill those tanks again. In this candid conversation, cofounder and head brewer Lee Cleghorn discusses their challenges in troubleshooting the cross-contamination and the aggressive steps they’ve taken to recover from the setback. The conversation then turns to their creative process on IPA design and brewing, yeast choice, driving attractive esters from New England-style IPA yeasts, blending unexpected Noble hops into progressive IPA hops blends, the effects of warm dry hopping temperatures on their dry hopped saisons, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour is the tastiest way to explore the world from the comfort of your home. Select delicious craft beers on the Tavour app that you cannot find in your area and get them delivered right to your door. It's not a beer of the month club where you end up with lagers you have to give to your grandpa. Download the free Tavour app today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
7/12/2019 • 51 minutes, 54 seconds
90: Root Down Brewing's Steve Bischoff: Developing the Great American Beer Festival American IPA Gold Medal Winner
Steve Bischoff, lead brewer at Root Down Brewing Co. knows a thing or two about traditional American IPA. Last year he won gold at the Great American Beer Festival in the category and nabbed best mid-side brewer and mid-size brewery in the process. He talks about developing the Bine recipe, layering hop flavors, and why the usual boil times and addition don’t work for him.
Bischoff, a long-time brewer in Eastern, Pennsylvania for places including Sly Fox, opens up on keeping the creative process top-of-mind and how it’s led to experimentation with new ingredients and processes.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way with innovative solutions for the craft brewing industry. Contact G&D Chillers today at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com. Mention Craft Beer and Brewing podcast and you’ll receive up to $1000 worth of glycol with the purchase of any new G&D chiller unit.
Tavour (https://about.tavour.com): Tavour is the tastiest way to explore the world from the comfort of your home. Select delicious craft beers on the Tavour app that you cannot find in your area and get them delivered right to your door. It's not a beer of the month club where you end up with lagers you have to give to your grandpa. Download the free Tavour app today and get $10 in beer money with code “brewing”.
Ska Fabricating (https://skafabricating.com):Ska Fabricating is the craft industry’s leading choice for packaging line automation. Specializing in depalletizing, repalletizing, conveyance, rinsing, drying, fill detection and date coding, Ska Fab has over 600 installations in breweries, wineries, and distilleries worldwide. With a reliable team of engineers dedicated to fast, reliable customer service, you can count on us to provide systems custom tailored for your specific needs. Contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com.
Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com): Clarion Lubricants, balancing barley and hops is your expertise, food-grade lubricants is ours. The team at Clarion knows that when it comes to making great beer, you’re the expert, and when it comes to supplying food-grade lubricants backed by service-oriented professionals, they're the experts. Clarion will work with you to create an efficient lubrication program that helps protect your brewery. To speak with an expert dial 1-855-MY-CLARION (855-692-5274) or visit clarionlubricants.com. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.
7/5/2019 • 45 minutes, 13 seconds
89: Modern Times' Jacob McKean: Growing a Brewery and a Brand Takes Patience and Determination
The founder of Modern Times Beer talks about how his homebrewing hobby led him into the beer industry and different jobs before starting his own company. Now, with a growing number of breweries and tasting rooms, he advocates for opening in well-saturated and savvy beer areas because the friction of competition keeps his brewery sharp.
This episode is brought to you by:
CraftBeer.com (http://craftbeer.com): This episode is brought to you by CraftBeer.com, whose mission is to tell the stories behind America’s small and independent breweries and the cities and businesses that support them.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
6/28/2019 • 54 minutes, 17 seconds
88: Allagash Brewing’s Jason Perkins: Belgian Tradition Meets American Creativity in Everything from Wit to Spontaneous and Funky Beers
Over his two decade tenure at Allagash, Jason Perkins has made a mark on the world of brewing. The Portland, Maine brewery is best known for their Belgian-style beers, from the iconic witbier Allagash White to their groundbreaking forays into spontaneous fermentation with the Coolship Resurgam series. In this episode, Perkins discusses mash and process regimens for haze stability, the impact of various inputs on ester production in Belgian yeasts, controlling time and temperature for more consistent results in spontaneous beer, blending strategies for sour beer, adding fruit in horizontal tanks to improve contact and extraction, working with Brettanomyces, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
CraftBeer.com (http://craftbeer.com): This episode is brought to you by CraftBeer.com, whose mission is to tell the stories behind America’s small and independent breweries and the cities and businesses that support them.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
6/21/2019 • 53 minutes, 15 seconds
87: Modist Brewing’s Keigan Knee: Brewing Otherwise Impossible Beers Using a Mash Filter
Mash filters are common in commercial brewing—most large-scale commercial breweries use them—but they’re far, far less common in craft brewing. While most breweries use them to maximize efficiency, Modist Brewing (Minneapolis, Minnesota) cofounder and head brewer Keigan Knee has pushed in a different direction, using them to produce IPAs with no barley (only wheat and oats) or pushing the percentage limits on alternate grains like spelt. The result is unique-tasting beers that surprise and delight. In this episode, Knee discusses the mash filter process and unique design considerations, the finer points of malt in designing hoppy beers, layering cryo and T-90 hops of the same variety on top of each other for heightened effect, locking in flavors using cryo hops on the hot side, designing fruited beers to finish at the same gravities as that fruit, and wood prep processes for foeder-aged lagers.
This episode is brought to you by:
CraftBeer.com (http://craftbeer.com): This episode is brought to you by CraftBeer.com, whose mission is to tell the stories behind America’s small and independent breweries and the cities and businesses that support them.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
6/14/2019 • 54 minutes, 25 seconds
86: Russian River Brewing’s Vinnie Cilurzo: Brewing Sour Beer with Old World Tradition and Contemporary Innovation
In part two with Vinnie Cilurzo, he discusses the story of Simcoe, open fermentation for everything from Pliny the Elder to STS Pils, the impact of tank geometry, the origins and stages of their sour and spontaneous brewing program, de-barreling sour beer without worry about oxygen exposure, the impacts of aged hops, controlling acidity with temperature, macerating with dried fruit, grape processing methods for their wine-beer hybrids, his secret stash of not-commercially-available Brettanomyces strains, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, an orgnization dedicated to homebrewing and the worldwide community of homebrewers.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
6/7/2019 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 2 seconds
85: Russian River Brewing’s Vinnie Cilurzo: Sweating the Small Stuff When Brewing Hoppy Beers
Vinnie Cilurzo is a brewer who needs no introduction. The cofounder of Russian River Brewing Company has been pushing the limits of hoppy beers for the better part of three decades, developing innovative techniques along the way while defining styles like “Double IPA” with ubiquitous beers like Pliny the Elder. In this conversation, he discusses the early days of C-hops, the origins and design approach to Blind Pig IPA and Pliny the Elder DIPA, adjusting recipes for iconic brands as tastes shift and ingredients vary, tracking polyphenol levels batch by batch, accurately measuring total packaged oxygen, the impact of brewhouse equipment on beer recipes, how they’reeliminating whirlpool hopping in favor of hopping with a hop back, the impact of hops creep while dry hopping, getting faster extraction by mixing tanks while dry hopping, the variance in hops picking windows and the effect of picking time on hops flavors, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
CraftBeer.com (http://craftbeer.com): This episode is brought to you by CraftBeer.com, whose mission is to tell the stories behind America’s small and independent breweries and the cities and businesses that support them.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
5/31/2019 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 56 seconds
84: Hop Butcher For the World’s Jude La Rose, Jeremiah Zimmer, and Justin Miller: Unlocking The Magic Inside Hops
The brewers behind Hop Butcher For the World haven’t lost the zeal for exploration that defined their homebrewing days. If there’s a method for adding hops to beer, they’ve tried it, learned from it, and added it to their ever-expanding repertoire. They started small, and have remained relatively small, in order to stay focused on getting fresh beer to their fans while retaining the ability to experiment. In this episode, they discuss building malt bills that accentuate hops, designing hops bills to avoid the dreaded “green” notes, various dry-hopping methods to maintain aroma in heavily dry-hopped beers, hops oil composition and overall levels as a method for understanding hops combinations, how hops present differently at different ABV levels, boosting and employing hops flavors with cry hops, differentiating between hops varieties with wide and narrow flavor and aroma swings, unlocking the hazy IPA potential in traditional American varieties like Chinook, and the promise of new hops cultivars like Triumph. “All hops are good,” says La Rose. “Our challenge is to be able to unlock what’s there. The onus is on us to find the right combination of things.”
This episode is brought to you by:
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, an orgnization dedicated to homebrewing and the worldwide community of homebrewers.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
5/24/2019 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 33 seconds
83: Brewers Association’s J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham: Making Craft Beer (and Brewing) Relevant and Accessible to Wider Audiences
Diversity in the craft beer industry still has a long way to go, but steps are being taken to make the beverage more inclusive. J. Nikol Jackson-Beckham, Ph.D. is the Brewers Association diversity ambassador and is used to having what some consider a difficult conversation with anyone who will listen. The takeaway is that beer should be enjoyed by all, and there are small but significant steps we can all take to make it more accessible.
This episode is brought to you by:
CraftBeer.com (http://craftbeer.com): This episode is brought to you by CraftBeer.com, whose mission is to tell the stories behind America’s small and independent breweries and the cities and businesses that support them.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
5/17/2019 • 46 minutes, 22 seconds
82: pFriem Family Brewers’ Josh Pfriem: Nuance and Subtlety is the Key in Everything from Pilsner to Wood-Aged Sours
For Josh Pfriem of pFriem Family Brewers, every beer they make—from Pilsner to wood-aged sour—expresses a brewing philosophy that prizes nuance and depth. Still, he’s amazed that craft beer today is embracing lagers to the degree that it is. “If you had told me back in 2011 that pFriem Pilsner in 2019 was going to be our flagship beer, I probably would have passed out from excitement or never believed that would have happened. It’s awesome to be at this point.” In this multifaceted conversation, Pfriem discusses how they build character with malt in pale lagers, how their goal for hops in Pilsner is to taste “like springtime running through a field of wildflowers,” balancing tradition with contemporary techniques like whirlpool hopping, how carbon dioxide is the under appreciated fifth ingredient in beer, why brewing wood-aged sours is more akin to winemaking, targeting acidity levels and controlling acidity to make better sour beers, timing specific styles for stages in a barrel’s life cycle, fruit additions for sour beers, the beauty of blending, and the benefit of constant iteration and improvement. “If we brew Pilsner 200-300 times over the course of the year, we can make incremental changes that make it better and better and better,” says Pfriem. “Making beer is great. But making it better is even more great.”
This episode is brought to you by:
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, an orgnization dedicated to homebrewing and the worldwide community of homebrewers.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
5/10/2019 • 53 minutes, 37 seconds
81: Exhibit 'A' Brewing's Matthew Steinberg: Creating Character Within Classic Styles
When he finally opened his own brewery, Matthew Steinberg knew exactly what he wanted Exhibit 'A' Brewing Co. to be. This week he talks about lessons learned along the way and the relationship that exists with the brewery down the street – Jack’s Abby. Steinberg is also the brewer behind one of the country’s best Kölsch recipes and he talks us through what goes into making the celebrated but difficult to master style.
This episode is brought to you by:
CraftBeer.com (http://craftbeer.com): This episode is brought to you by CraftBeer.com, whose mission is to tell the stories behind America’s small and independent breweries and the cities and businesses that support them.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
5/3/2019 • 47 minutes, 36 seconds
80: Moksa Brewing’s Derek Gallanosa and Cory Meyer: Designing and Brewing Flavorful and Rich Ingredient-Forward Stouts
Derek Gallanosa doesn’t apologize for making ingredient-laden, flavor-forward beers that may send old school purists into fits—he’s focused on giving his customers rich experiences full of flavors they’re familiar with. In this episode recorded recently on the floor of the Craft Brewers Conference, Gallanosa and head brewer Cory Meyer discuss building base recipes to complement adjunct treatments, designing beers for barrel aging, how to maximize ingredient extraction through recirculation and other additions strategies, working with fellow respected brewery peers to mutually raise the profile of small breweries, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, an orgnization dedicated to homebrewing and the worldwide community of homebrewers.
4/26/2019 • 51 minutes, 7 seconds
79: Randy Mosher: The Importance of Homebrewing and What It Means for the Future of Beer
Randy Mosher is an authoritative voice in beer but he’s still a student at heart. As an author, brewer, and consultant, he’s continuously looking to work with new ingredients, reconsider off-flavors, and try new brewing methods. In a wide-ranging conversation, Mosher talks about the importance of homebrewing and what it means for the future of beer as well as what many of us miss when tasting.
This episode is brought to you by:
CraftBeer.com (http://craftbeer.com): This episode is brought to you by CraftBeer.com, whose mission is to tell the stories behind America’s small and independent breweries and the cities and businesses that support them.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
4/19/2019 • 42 minutes, 18 seconds
78: La Cumbre's Jeff Erway: Another Way to Think About Hops
With six GABF medals and four World Beer Cup medals under his belt (in categories ranging from Pilsner to stout to IPA), La Cumbre Brewing Company’s Jeff Erway has built a reputation as a perfectionist and outspoken proponent of brewing quality. He’s both a traditionalist and an iconoclast, depending on the style, occasion, or issue—not afraid to break a few eggs, but deeply respectful of the history and tradition of brewing. In this conversation, he discusses building a malt base for IPAs, creating color with malts other than caramel malts, promoting stability of hops aromas through whirlpool and hop back hopping, the impacts of lower temperatures in hops processing on hops performance in the brewhouse, managing refermentation after dry hopping, hops evaluation and blending, and his joy in beating some of the world’s biggest lager producers at their own game with his gold-medal-winning BEER light lager. “There are some styles that I’ll take a great deal of artistic license with, and there are those that I will not,” says Erway. “I’m going to take a lot more artistic license with an 8% alcohol hazy double IPA than I am with a Pilsner.”
This episode is brought to you by:
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, an orgnization dedicated to homebrewing and the worldwide community of homebrewers.
4/12/2019 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 28 seconds
77: Adam Avery: Laying a Foundation for the Future and Focusing on Quality and Innovation
Adam Avery of Avery Brewing has seen a lot of cycles in craft beer over his past 26 years in business, and is bullish on the future. “There’s still a lot of blue sky out there.” Still, the best he can do is react to where he is and what the market is, right now. “Who would have thought that there would be 7500 breweries. If you had told me that five years ago, would I have built this brewery? I don’t know. I can’t go back in time. My crystal ball was cloudy on that aspect.” In this conversation, he candidly discusses issues of authenticity and production in a brewing world where shared resources are on the rise, the drastically shortened reaction time to market cycles and trends, the rise of non-alcoholic and “better for you” beer, their shifting approach to barrel-aged beers, how he defines the idea of “craft” in a way that differs from some others, and more. “Your beers are alive, and they should always be changing for the better.”
This episode is brought to you by:
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
CraftBeer.com (http://craftbeer.com): This episode is brought to you by CraftBeer.com, whose mission is to tell the stories behind America’s small and independent breweries and the cities and businesses that support them.
4/6/2019 • 46 minutes, 19 seconds
76: BraufactuM's Marc Rauschmann: Think You Know German Beer? This Conversation Might Challenge Those Notions
We’re catching up with Marc Rauschmann the brewmaster of Germany’s BraufactuM, talking about the misconceptions of and pushing the boundaries of the Reinheitsgebot. The craft beer renaissance was late coming to Bavaria, but now brewers are mixing old traditions with new ones and the results are surprising. There’s even the novel concept (in Germany at least) of putting IPA in a can. Think you know German beer? This conversation might challenge those notions.
This episode is brought to you by:
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, an organization that celebrates the hobby of homebrewing, protects the rights of homebrewers, and provides members with worldclass brewing resources.
Ska Fabricating (https://www.skafabricating.com): Ska Fabricating is the craft industry’s leading choice for packaging line automation. Specializing in depalletizing, repalletizing, conveyance, rinsing, drying, fill detection and date coding, Ska Fab has over 600 installations in breweries, wineries, and distilleries worldwide. With a reliable team of engineers dedicated to fast, reliable customer service, you can count on us to provide systems custom tailored for your specific needs. Contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973 or reach out online at Gdchillers.com
3/29/2019 • 43 minutes, 44 seconds
75: Odd13 Brewing’s Ryan and Kristin Scott: Iterating and Improving the Hazy Hops-Forward Pale Ale, IPA, and Double IPA
Lafayette, Colorado’s Odd13 was one of the first breweries west of the Mississippi to take hazy IPAs into the world of production and distribution, launching Codename Superfan in 2015. In the years since, they’ve continued to experiment with variations on the style, and have learned much in the process. In this episode, they discuss effective ways of using cryohops, controlling polyphenol burn from high dry hopping loads, the impacts of certain hops varieties on the expression of burn, the impact of specific hops on dry hops-induced additional fermentation (aka hops creep), building base malt grist bills for pale ales, IPAs, and double IPAs, and lessons learned while kettle souring.
This episode is brought to you by:
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (https://www.craftbrewersconference.com): This episode is brought to you by the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, America's largest craft brewing industry gathering. Join your peers in Denver, April 8th through 11th. Details at CraftBrewersConference.com
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): Hopsteiner is a sixth-generation global hops supplier dedicated to delivering the finest hops and hop products available. As a vertically integrated hop supplier, Hopsteiner advances the industry as one of the foremost international growing, breeding, trading, and processing firms in the world. Hopsteiner ships hops globally and partners with breweries of all sizes, offering unique hop varieties and innovative hop products designed to enhance flavor, aroma, consistency, and flexibility for brewing and beyond. Learn more at Hopsteiner.com.
3/23/2019 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 17 seconds
74: Deschutes Brewery's Veronica Vega: Creation, Trial, Error, and Eventual Completion of New Beers
When it comes to making a low calorie beer that will appeal to the craft beer drinker, there's a lot to consider. Veronica Vega, the head brewer at Dechutes Brewing Co. in Bend, Oregon walks us through the creation, trial, error, and eventual completion of the brewery's new light pilsner. The low numbers matter, but so do the hops and marketing.
This episode is brought to you by:
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (https://www.craftbrewersconference.com): This episode is brought to you by the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, America's largest craft brewing industry gathering. Join your peers in Denver, April 8th through 11th. Details at CraftBrewersConference.com
PakTech (https://www.paktech-opi.com): PakTech delivers the highest quality and most environmentally responsible packaging handles to the craft beer industry. PakTech handles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled material and are repurposed from milk jugs and similar containers. Our easy to carry and remove handles feature a minimalistic design that perfectly complement your beverage artwork eliminating the need for secondary packaging. Apply by hand or by our automated applicators. Our packaging solutions deliver better market presence, enhanced consumer value, environmental awareness, and improved sales. PakTech handles are the smart and sustainable choice. Contact us today at 541.461.5000 and visit our website at https://www.paktech-opi.com
3/15/2019 • 50 minutes, 9 seconds
73: Lazy Magnolia’s Leslie Henderson: Brewing the Flavor of the South
Even with all the progress craft beer has made over the decades there are still boundaries to break and stigmas to change. Lazy Magnolia Brewery in Mississippi has been on the forefront of those fights in the south since it first opened. Cofounder and brewer Leslie Henderson talks about changing perspectives, brewing with nuts, and how harnessing rain water might be one of the next big advancements in beer.
This episode is brought to you by:
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (https://www.craftbrewersconference.com): This episode is brought to you by the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, America's largest craft brewing industry gathering. Join your peers in Denver, April 8th through 11th. Details at CraftBrewersConference.com
3/8/2019 • 47 minutes, 16 seconds
72: Cerebral Brewing’s Sean Buchan: Building a Traditional Foundation for Constant Progression
Cerebral Brewing’s Sean Buchan knows what he likes to brew, and isn’t afraid to say it. The Denver, Colorado brewer’s approach to progressive styles like hazy and sour IPA, fruited kettle sour, and pastry stout would seem purely trendy if it weren’t for their equal love of Brettanomyces-fermented saison and wood-aged lager. In this episode, he discusses everything from designing processes around hops creep to the rise of Sabro hops to fermenting lagers in foeders and their embrace of the nascent tiki IPA style.
This episode is brought to you by:
Ska Fabricating (https://www.skafabricating.com): Ska Fabricating is the craft industry’s leading choice for packaging line automation. Specializing in depalletizing, repalletizing, conveyance, rinsing, drying, fill detection and date coding, Ska Fab has over 600 installations in breweries, wineries, and distilleries worldwide. With a reliable team of engineers dedicated to fast, reliable customer service, you can count on us to provide systems custom tailored for your specific needs. Contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (https://www.craftbrewersconference.com): This episode is brought to you by the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, America's largest craft brewing industry gathering. Join your peers in Denver, April 8th through 11th. Details at CraftBrewersConference.com
3/1/2019 • 56 minutes, 53 seconds
71: Other Half Brewing’s Sam Richardson: Building Exciting Beers that Delight Drinkers
Tucked away in an industrial corner of Brooklyn, New York’s Other Half Brewing has become known as a leader of the brewing new-school with intensely flavorful and creative beers that crowds turn out for on a weekly basis. But cofounder Sam Richardson takes a methodical approach to these genre-bending flavor explorations, employing a discipline learned from years of paying his dues at production breweries from West coast to East. In this conversation about everything from hazy IPAs to pastry stouts, Richardson discusses the importance of aroma, how ingredient quality impacts finished beer, the impact of time on beer character, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, who invites you to attend Homebrew Con, this June 27th to June 29th in Providence, Rhode Island.
PakTech (https://www.paktech-opi.com): PakTech delivers the highest quality and most environmentally responsible packaging handles to the craft beer industry. PakTech handles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled material and are repurposed from milk jugs and similar containers. Our easy to carry and remove handles feature a minimalistic design that perfectly complement your beverage artwork eliminating the need for secondary packaging. Apply by hand or by our automated applicators. Our packaging solutions deliver better market presence, enhanced consumer value, environmental awareness, and improved sales. PakTech handles are the smart and sustainable choice. Contact us today at 541.461.5000 and visit our website at https://www.paktech-opi.com
2/22/2019 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 50 seconds
70: Hudson Valley Brewing's Jason Synan and Mike Renganeschi: Acidity, Hops, and Botanicals
Thinking about most of their beers as a triangle, Jason Synan and Mike Renganeschi the brewers behind Hudson Valley Brewery, want to focus on acidity, hops, and botanicals. However, each characteristic doesn’t play the traditional role in their beers that one might expect, and that’s exactly how the brewers want it. Here they discuss their IPAs and how they blend down from an acidic beer base, going strong with botanicals, and using hops that convey more than just bitterness.
This episode is brought to you by:
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (https://www.craftbrewersconference.com): This episode is brought to you by the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, America's largest craft brewing industry gathering. Join your peers in Denver, April 8th through 11th. Details at CraftBrewersConference.com
2/15/2019 • 49 minutes, 42 seconds
69: Boston Beer’s Jennifer Glanville: From Utopias to Sam 76, the Secret is in the Blend
Every two years beer lovers get excited for the release of Samuel Adams Utopias. As the 2019 edition gets closer to our glasses, Jennifer Glanville, the director of brewing operations for Boston Beer sits down to talk about what goes into making a beer so boozy it might as well be a spirit. Plus, scaling up recipes for a full production run isn't always easy. Hear what has worked for Sam Adams and what she wishes she could do over.
This episode is brought to you by:
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, who invites you to attend Homebrew Con, this June 27th to June 29th in Providence, Rhode Island.
Hopsteiner (https://www.hopsteiner.com): Hopsteiner is a sixth-generation global hops supplier dedicated to delivering the finest hops and hop products available. As a vertically integrated hop supplier, Hopsteiner advances the industry as one of the foremost international growing, breeding, trading, and processing firms in the world. Hopsteiner ships hops globally and partners with breweries of all sizes, offering unique hop varieties and innovative hop products designed to enhance flavor, aroma, consistency, and flexibility for brewing and beyond. Learn more at Hopsteiner.com.
2/8/2019 • 41 minutes, 38 seconds
68: Fonta Flora Brewery’s Todd Boera: Getting Creative With Ingredients While Staying Grounded
Fonta Flora Brewery’s Todd Boera is known for creative yet grounded mixed culture botanical beers, and their new production brewery out on a farm 30 minutes from Morganton, North Carolina puts an even finer point on the connection between the brewery and the agriculture that supports it. In this conversation, he opens up about the way they think about and brew with offbeat ingredients, how they apply an ingredient focus to more conventional beers like IPAs, the challenge of opening a production brewery in a dry county (that is no longer dry), how the pace of change in the brewing world has forced them to throw out business plans and quickly adapt, and more. Y’all listen in.
This episode is brought to you by:
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (https://www.craftbrewersconference.com): This episode is brought to you by the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, America's largest craft brewing industry gathering. Join your peers in Denver, April 8th through 11th. Details at CraftBrewersConference.com
Ska Fabricating (https://www.skafabricating.com): Ska Fabricating is the craft industry’s leading choice for packaging line automation. Specializing in depalletizing, repalletizing, conveyance, rinsing, drying, fill detection and date coding, Ska Fab has over 600 installations in breweries, wineries, and distilleries worldwide. With a reliable team of engineers dedicated to fast, reliable customer service, you can count on us to provide systems custom tailored for your specific needs. Contact Ska Fab today at (970) 403-8562 or reach out online at skafabricating.com.
2/1/2019 • 57 minutes, 55 seconds
67: Mikerphone's Mike Pallen: Using Unconventional Ingredients to Maximize Flavor
Mike Pallen paid his dues as a homebrewer and after helping some other breweries get off the ground all while working on his own recipes, he's busted out onto the national beer scene. The owner and head brewer of Mikerphone talks about collaborations, finding ways to use unconventional ingredients to maximize flavor, and why a healthy work and life balance is more important than ever before.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
*American Homebrewers Association *(https://www.homebrewersassociation.org): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, host of Homebrew Con, publisher of Zymurgy magazine, and organizer of the National Homebrew Competition.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
1/25/2019 • 50 minutes, 54 seconds
66: Dogfish Head’s Bryan Selders: Innovating With Beers Both Big and Small
The Delaware craft stalwart’s “Brewing Ambassador” and former head brewer talks through everything from the process of innovation to brewhouse key performance indicators, building beers from the simplest Pilsner to giant high-gravity beers, evaluating ingredients, reducing diacetyl, his career foray into graphic design and back to brewing, overlooked considerations while brewing, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Perfect Puree (http://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. Picked at the peak of ripeness, the fruit is pureed and packed for optimal fresh flavor and color. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer. That’s perfect P-U-R-E-E dot com forward-slash beer. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (https://www.craftbrewersconference.com): This episode is brought to you by the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, America's largest craft brewing industry gathering. Join your peers in Denver, April 8th through 11th. Details at CraftBrewersConference.com
1/18/2019 • 59 minutes, 25 seconds
65: Highland Park's Bob Kunz: Building Unique Beers That Are True to Your Environment
Just because Bob Kunz has moved his Highland Park Brewery into a larger space doesn't mean he plans to max it out capacity wise. The Los Angeles brewer talks about his plan for modest growth, how he looks for international inspiration beyond just Germany and the Czech Republic when it comes to pilsner, and shares his advice for creating a wild yeast culture that will develop overtime ensuring your beers can only taste like your beers.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Perfect Puree (http://perfectpuree.com/beer): Craft the perfect pour with superior fruit from The Perfect Purée. Picked at the peak of ripeness, the fruit is pureed and packed for optimal fresh flavor and color. But don’t just take our word for it, experience flavor first-hand by curating your own complimentary sample box at perfectpuree.com/beer. That’s perfect P-U-R-E-E dot com forward-slash beer. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org): This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association, a community of homebrewers and an essential source of brewing tips, recipes, and homebrewing culture.
1/11/2019 • 45 minutes, 12 seconds
64: Fort George's Dave Coyne: The Constant Evolution of Recipes
Dave Coyne of Fort George Brewery holds the title of “Barrel Baron,” and manages everything from R&D brewing to the barrel program of the powerhouse Pacific Northwest brewery. In this conversation, he talks about recipes and considerations for their annual collaborative 3-Way IPA, building barrel-aged beers and adjunction them, barleywines, the constantly evolving nature of their recipes, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
* G&D Chillers (http://www.Gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com
Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America (https://www.craftbrewersconference.com): This episode is brought to you by the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, America's largest craft brewing industry gathering. Join your peers in Denver, April 8th through 11th. Details at CraftBrewersConference.com
BSG (http://bsgcraftbrewing.com): Great beers are made from select ingredients. With BSG, you’ll bring the world to your brewhouse with an unparalleled and diverse selection of ingredients, from across the globe to just down the road. Our dedicated customer service team and industry experience provides you with the assistance you need in every step of the way. Let BSG be your supplier of choice for products essential to making great artisanal beverages, so you can stay focused on your craft. For more information, visit us as bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
1/5/2019 • 53 minutes, 6 seconds
63: Three Weavers Brewing's Alexandra Nowell: An Appreciation for Ingredients
Alexandra Nowell, the brewmaster at Three Weavers in Los Angeles talks about what she learned as she worked her way up the brewing career ladder, especially an appreciation for ingredients. Part of the fun of being a brewer, she says, is the chance to experiment with not only new styles and recipes, but existing ones. From how to cultivate a relationship with farmers for the best ingredients, to getting your hands messy by processing them yourself, she shares tips for creating vibrant beers that can have mass appeal.
This episode is brought to you by the Brewers Retreat (http://brewersretreat.com).
12/28/2018 • 45 minutes, 39 seconds
62: Falling Rock's Chris Black: Blurring the Lines of the Three-Tier System
Falling Rock Taphouse cofounder Chris Black is known for his strong opinions and bombastic style—befitting for one of America’s most influential publicans. In this conversation, Black expounds upon his recent fiery blog post taking to task breweries who expand taprooms and retail locations in ways that blur the lines of the three-tier systems. Host Jamie Bogner plays devil’s advocate in a spirited debate about the increasing direct-to-consumer nature of the beer business and how deeper relationships between brewers and their customers impact the traditional roles that retailers have played in getting great beer to consumers.
This episode is brought to you by the Brewers Retreat (http://www.brewersretreat.com).
12/21/2018 • 1 hour, 11 minutes, 18 seconds
61: Trillium's JC Tetreault: Owning It and Moving Forward
It’s been three weeks since an internet post where issues of wages, beer service, and recipes were leveled against Trillium Brewing Co. Co-owner and founder JC Tetreault sits down to discuss his reaction, response, and what the brewery is doing to preserve and evolve its culture.
This podcast is brought to you by CraftBeer.com
12/14/2018 • 59 minutes, 29 seconds
60: Neighborhood Restaurant Group's Greg Engert: Building the Best Drinking Experience
There’s more to running a successful beer bar than just having a killer tap list. This week on the podcast is Greg Engert, the beer director and managing partner for Neighborhood Restaurant Group in Washington D.C. which includes The Sovereign, Churchkey, and Birch and Barley, among others. From proper care and respect for cask ale, to what bars need to do to adapt to a brewery taproom dominated market, to why commitment is more than just talking the talk.
This episode is brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org).
12/8/2018 • 46 minutes, 18 seconds
59: Jack’s Abby Brewing's Jack Hendler: The Ins and Outs of Their Lager Brewing Techniques
When he and his two brothers founded Jack’s Abby Brewing in Framingham, Massachusetts in 2011, Jack Hendler thought their craft brewery making only lagers might grow to brew 3000 bbl of beer per year in the first decade. Fast forward to 2018, where they’ll finish the year around the 50,000 bbl mark, and lagers are a bona fide trend with Jack’s Abby as one of the leaders of the charge. In this episode, Jack discusses the ins and outs of their lager brewing techniques, from yeast management to spunding, recipe design, ingredient selection, designing lager recipes for barrel-aging, and more.
“I think recipe formulation is a bit overrated,” says Hendler. “There’s only four ingredients, and unless you’re trying to brew a Helles with roasted barley, you’re probably going to be close, plus or minus 3% of one malt versus another malt or one hop versus another hop. You can make great beer as long as you’re in the ballpark on the recipe. It really comes down to process, and for us, our process is what makes us unique. I don’t care about telling people what we put in our beer—what our recipe is—because I know there’s not a lot of people who are going to try to replicate what we do, because what we do is really hard.”
11/30/2018 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 22 seconds
58: Hopworks Urban Brewery's Justin Miller: The Important Relationship Between Farm and Brewery
There's a lot to like about brewing in Portland, Oregon but for Justin Miller the Head Brewer of Hopworks Urban Brewery having access to terrific hop growers just a short drive away tops the list. On this episode he discusses the important relationship between farm and brewery, why all brewers and drinkers need to be more focused on environmental concerns, and why the Cascadian dark ale is a style with substance.
11/17/2018 • 39 minutes, 37 seconds
57: Triple Crossing's Jeremy Wirtes: Throw Away the Rule Book and Trust Your Tastebuds
Jeremy Wirtes, cofounder and head brewer for Triple Crossing Beer in Richmond, Virginia, may never be completely happy with the beer he makes. “We can always be better, and it’s a constant pursuit of that,” he says. But for this two-location brewery in the burgeoning craft beer city of Richmond, things are going right thanks to a philosophy of constant improvement and experimentation, and smart strategies for using their small scale as an asset rather than a hinderance. In this conversation, Wirtes talks about the steps they took to arrive at their current ester- and haze-forward IPA approach, hops blending techniques such as blending lots of the same variety from multiple vendors and farms to achieve more depth in single-hop beers, and how they grew comfortable leaving hazy double IPAs with high finishing gravities.
“In my head, I couldn’t stand it. It drove me nuts. But then I would taste them, and they’re great. They sound sweet on paper, but then you have them, and they just don’t feel that way. They feel plush, they feel full. They feel delicate. No matter what the final gravity and the hydrometer was saying, our palates and minds are saying ‘this is what we want them to be.’”
11/9/2018 • 59 minutes, 59 seconds
56: Founders' Dave Engbers: Is Founders the Last of the One Million Barrel Breweries?
Dave Engbers, the cofounder at Founders Brewing Company has learned a lot about brewing from both the beers he likes to drink, and how it's evolved to the way to keep the lights on. In this podcast he talks about walking back from the brink of bankruptcy to the runaway success of All Day IPA and how at heart, even with foreign investment, the brewery remains craft at heart. Is Founders the last of the one million barrel breweries in the U.S. maybe. And Dave explains why.
11/2/2018 • 55 minutes, 3 seconds
55: Crooked Stave's Chad Yakobson: Geek Out On Sour (and “Clean” Beer)
From his pioneering masters thesis on fermenting with Brettanomyces to his current role running a 10,000 BBL per year brewery and artisan-focused craft distributorship in Denver, Colorado, Chad Yakobson has made his mark on the world of brewing. In this conversation with Jamie Bogner, he discusses his early days of Brett research, myths about mixed culture fermentations, the brewhouse feedback loop with sensory and lab components that work in sync, the importance of water chemistry on beer color, optimizing brewhouse processes to improve the longevity and shelf stability of beer, shaping acidity with hops in mixed culture beers, and more.
“Craft beer for so long has been a muscle flexing contest,” says Yakobson. “Sour beer is not meant to be aggressive. This is not the sour arms race. Nobody wants the most sour beer—that’s gross. We want to make the most complex beer.”
10/26/2018 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 9 seconds
54: The Best 18 Beers of 2018: A Peek Behind the Curtain on How Beers Are Selected
There's a lot of beer that comes through the Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine office each year, and even more tasted at festivals, breweries, and with friends. Our staff, columnists, reviewers, and readers all got together and selected our picks for the top beers of 2018. In this special edition of the podcast be among the first to hear the breweries who made the list and why, and get a peek behind the curtain on how beers are selected.
Read the full story at https://beerandbrewing.com/the-best-18-beers-of-2018/
This episode is brought to you by Big Beers, Belgians, & Barleywines (https://bigbeersfestival.com).
10/19/2018 • 1 hour, 33 minutes, 34 seconds
53: J. Wakefield Brewing: Staying on the Cutting Edge of Brewing
What fruits work best when it comes to brewing a Florida-weisse? J. Wakefield has the answer in this week's podcast. The celebrated homebrewer turned pro also talks about his love of stouts, the art of collaboration and the connection between geek and beer culture.
10/12/2018 • 41 minutes, 37 seconds
52: Aslin Brewing Founders: Outspoken with a No-Holds-Barred Approach
Northern Virginia’s Aslin Brewing are brash and outspoken with a no-holds-barred approach that’s reflected in their progressive take on brewing. They’ve been tinkerers and experimenters from their earliest days brewing on a 2 bbl system, and this year they’re on track to brew over 5,000 barrels of beer on a small 8.5 bbl system, almost all of which is canned and sold from their dock because the brewery doesn’t currently have a taproom. In this conversation with Jamie Bogner, cofounders Kai Leszkowicz and Andrew Kelley discuss everything from their collaborative approach to competition (“As much as it’s sad, we look at Untappd every day”), to their processes using hops, adding adjuncts, rousing tanks, and even their pricing strategy with margins that support employees, allow them to grow with little debt, and prepare for a shakeout in the brewing industry, if it ever comes.
“We say that we’re competitive, and it sounds intimidating, but at the same time it doesn’t mean that we’re not going to be friends. That we can’t work together. That we don’t have something to learn from you, or you from us. We’ve never said ‘no’ to anybody. We’re still good people and nice. We’re just ‘if this is the field of play, we’re in a game right now, we’re going to win.’ We would like to win. We’re out here to do our best and be the best at what we do. We’ve definitely not achieved that yet, and there are tons of critics that are willing to tell us [so], which is great, because we’re using that as jet fuel to continue our search.”
10/5/2018 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 51 seconds
51: Anderson Valley's Fal Allen: Lessons Learned from Brewing Goses
From the best kinds of salts to use to how it can mess up some brewing equipment, there's no one better to talk about gose than Fal Allen. This week he talks about his new book that focuses on the style, what he's learned brewing them at Anderson Valley Brewing Co. and how gose almost disappeared.
This episode brought to you by CraftBeer.com, home of the most powerful brewery locator in the universe. Whether you’re traveling in a new city or planning your next beer-cation—head to CraftBeer.com and explore the wide world of American craft beer. Want to support small and independent breweries? Look for the independent craft brewer seal when you search.
9/28/2018 • 55 minutes, 29 seconds
50: Pinthouse Pizza's Joe Mohrfeld: Selecting and Using Hops In Your Brewing
Pinthouse Pizza Director of Brewing Joe Mohrfeld joins Jamie for a hop-centric conversation that touches on everything from hop trends in the 2018 crop year, hot and cold-side hopping methods, their small-scale approach to production brewery-style blending, building relationships with hops growers, using cryo-hops to achieve different flavors, yeast harvesting despite dry-hopping during active fermentation, learning from peer brewers, and more. Beer is agriculture. Listen in.
9/21/2018 • 59 minutes, 49 seconds
49: Stone's Greg Koch: The Challenge of Keeping the Art in Brewing as the Business Grows
Greg Koch, Executive Chairman and co-founder of Stone Brewing, joins Jamie Bogner for a conversation about their challenge in launching a brewery in a difficult market, their experience launching a distribution business to connect their beer with retailers, the importance of lean business practices in helping brewing businesses weather the cyclical storms of the beer business, the challenge of keeping the art in brewing as the business grows, the impact of a death by a thousand cuts that cost-cutting corporate brewers face today, and the constant drive to iterate and improve even the most sacred of brewery cows—mainline core brands.
9/14/2018 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 15 seconds
48: Equilibrium's Ricardo Petroni and Peter Oates: Using Mathematics to Get the Most out of Hopping
Equilibrium Brewing's co-owners Ricardo Petroni and Peter Oates talk about using mathematics to get the most out of hopping, the benefits and worries of "Line Life" and what they've learned from homebrewing and measured growth to help strengthen their business today.
This episode is brought to you by American Homebrewers Association (https://www.homebrewersassociation.org).
9/7/2018 • 48 minutes, 24 seconds
47: Kane Brewing's Michael Kane: Adventures in Barrel-Aging
When you put quality first in your beer, your employees will follow suit with all the other aspects of the business, says Michael Kane, founder and brewer at Kane Brewing Co. In this week's podcast he talks about a brewers love for lager, why attending festivals around the country helps his New Jersey-only distribution brewery, and adventures in barrel-aging.
8/31/2018 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
46: Bolero Snort's Bob Olson: The Struggles and Joy of Small Brewery Ownership
Bull puns, flavored IPA, and the challenges of contract brewing at three separate locations are just a few of the ways Bob Olson of Bolero Snort Brewery spends his day. From talking about when the moment was right to go pro and then eventually break ground on his own brewery, to using odd ingredients to achieve dessert flavors in his beers, Olson shares the struggles and joy of small brewery ownership.
Subscribe to Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine at https://beerandbrewing.com/subscription
8/24/2018 • 47 minutes, 22 seconds
45: Fifth Hammer's Chris Cuzme: Keeping the Homebrewing Spirit Alive
Keeping the homebrewing spirit and inspiration alive and top of mind is paramount for Chris Cuzme of Fifth Hammer in New York. This week he discusses brewing seasonally and with special ingredients, how music can impact beer, and the benefits and limitations of brewing in a major city.
8/17/2018 • 53 minutes, 29 seconds
44: Bierstadt Lagerhaus Founders: A Methodical Approach to Traditional Techniques
Ashleigh Carter and Bill Eye of Denver’s Bierstadt Lagerhaus are quintessential brewers’ brewers, and their singular focus on lagers along with their exacting and methodical approach to traditional techniques has earned them deep respect from their peers. In this episode of the podcast, they discuss everything from the Weyermann base malt they use in their pale lagers, to the importance of decoction mashing, the value of technique over recipe, their novel glassware and pricing strategies, broader trends in the brewing industry, the boom and bust cycle, and why beer should not be the focus of the conversation.
8/10/2018 • 49 minutes, 1 second
43: Wallenpaupack Brewery's CJ Penzone: The Brewery's Story in Four Beers
A brewery's story in four beers. CJ Penzone, the head brewer at Wallenpaupack Brewery in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains talks about making beers for locals, responding to seasonal spikes, and how one classic style has captured a new generation of drinkers.
8/3/2018 • 51 minutes, 52 seconds
42: Firestone Walker's Jeffers Richardson: The Evolution of Sour and Wild Beer
7/27/2018 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 58 seconds
41: Suarez Family Brewery’s Dan Suarez: A Recipe is Never Finished
7/20/2018 • 57 minutes, 56 seconds
40: Great Notion’s Andy Miller: The Only Brewing Technique Constant is Change
7/13/2018 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
39: Boulevard’s Steven Pauwels: From Tank 7 to Brut IPAs
6/29/2018 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 10 seconds
38: The Bruery’s Patrick Rue: Bringing New Flavors to Beer
6/22/2018 • 49 minutes, 36 seconds
37: Lawson’s Finest Liquids’ Sean Lawson: Delivering a Clear and Expressive Hops Experience from Brewhouse to the Consumer
6/15/2018 • 50 minutes, 14 seconds
36: The Lost Abbey's Tomme Arthur: The Future, The Past, and Creating Beers
6/8/2018 • 53 minutes, 12 seconds
35: Maine Beer Co.’s Dan Kleban: Growing in a Smart and Purposeful Way
6/1/2018 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 42 seconds
34: Yazoo's Brandon Jones: When Is Wild Beer Not Truly Wild?
5/25/2018 • 30 minutes, 1 second
33: Toppling Goliath's Mike Saboe: A Perfectionist Vision for Brewing Recipes and Processes
5/18/2018 • 45 minutes, 54 seconds
32: Rodenbach’s Rudi Ghequire: Tradition, Time, and What’s Wrong With Some of Today’s Sour Beers
5/11/2018 • 46 minutes, 2 seconds
31: Jester King's Jeffrey Stuffings: Creating a Deeper Sense of Authenticity
5/4/2018 • 46 minutes, 30 seconds
30: Perennial's Phil Wymore: What Goes into Abraxas?
4/27/2018 • 42 minutes, 48 seconds
29: Monkish Founders: The Techniques Behind Their IPAs
4/20/2018 • 53 minutes, 19 seconds
28: De Garde’s Trevor Rogers: The Evolution of Their Spontaneous Process
4/13/2018 • 54 minutes, 48 seconds
27: Blind Enthusiasm Founder Greg Zeschuk: The Brewery Growth in Alberta, Canada
3/30/2018 • 43 minutes, 3 seconds
26: Sierra Nevada Founder Ken Grossman: The Latest Trends and Remember to Embrace Science
3/23/2018 • 54 minutes, 40 seconds
25: Burial Beer Founders: Growing with Intention
3/16/2018 • 51 minutes, 44 seconds
24: Two Roads' Phil Markowski: What's Next in the World of Wild Beer
3/9/2018 • 44 minutes, 57 seconds
23: Kathinka's Floris Delée: The Challenges of Maintaining Quality in Craft Brewing
3/2/2018 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 16 seconds
22: The Current State of Lager in the U.S. with Notch Brewing Founder/Brewer Chris Lohring
2/23/2018 • 46 minutes, 26 seconds
21: New Belgium's Wood Cellar Director & Blender Lauren Limbach
2/16/2018 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 3 seconds
20: Long-Time Brewer Fred Bueltmann Joins John Holl
2/9/2018 • 44 minutes, 20 seconds
19: WeldWerks Co-Owner/Head Brewer Neil Fisher Joins Jamie Bogner
2/2/2018 • 1 hour, 17 minutes, 19 seconds
18: Captain Lawrence Founder Scott Vaccaro Joins John Holl
1/26/2018 • 45 minutes, 17 seconds
17: Jolly Pumpkin Founder Ron Jeffries Joins John Holl
1/19/2018 • 45 minutes, 48 seconds
16: Bell's Brewery Founder Larry Bell Joins John Holl
1/12/2018 • 58 minutes, 33 seconds
15: Angry Chair Brewing Joins Jamie Bogner
1/5/2018 • 54 minutes, 45 seconds
14: TRVE Founder Nick Nunns Joins Jamie Bogner
12/29/2017 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 50 seconds
13: Bonn Place Brewing's Sam Masotto Joins John Holl
12/22/2017 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 35 seconds
12: Black Project Founders James and Sarah Howat Join Jamie Bogner
12/15/2017 • 1 hour, 24 minutes, 7 seconds
11: Yards Brewing Founder Tom Kehoe Joins John Holl
12/8/2017 • 47 minutes, 25 seconds
10: Neshaminy Creek Head Brewer Jeremy Myers Joins Jamie Bogner (Part 2)
12/1/2017 • 25 minutes, 35 seconds
9: Melvin Brewing Sales Director Ted Whitney Joins John Holl
11/24/2017 • 46 minutes, 24 seconds
8: Neshaminy Creek Head Brewer Jeremy Myers Joins Jamie Bogner (Part 1)
11/17/2017 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 39 seconds
7: Dogfish Head Founder Sam Calagione Joins John Holl
11/10/2017 • 54 minutes, 35 seconds
6: Alvarado Street Co-owner/Head Brewer JC Hill Joins Jamie Bogner
11/3/2017 • 48 minutes, 9 seconds
5: Industrial Arts Owner Jeff O'Neil Joins John Holl
10/27/2017 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 34 seconds
4: Reuben’s Brews Founder Adam Robbings Joins Jamie Bogner
10/20/2017 • 51 minutes, 5 seconds
3: Freetail Brewing Founder Scott Metzger Joins John Holl
10/13/2017 • 52 minutes, 30 seconds
2: Side Project Founder/Brewmaster Cory King Joins Jamie Bogner
10/11/2017 • 52 minutes, 14 seconds
1: Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster Garrett Oliver Joins John Holl