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376: Matt Cole of Fat Head's Brings the Best of West Coast–Style Process and Ingredients to Classic American IPA30 Aug 202401:08:40

Over the past 15 years of Fat Head’s existence, they’ve won 27 GABF medals (14 gold) and a dozen World Beer Cup medals (seven gold), but brewmaster Matt Cole takes it all in stride with typically Midwestern humility. 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—one of our Best 20 Beers in 2023—which 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 fermentation of German-style weissbier is a master class in controlling ester and phenol production for flavorful yet balanced beers. Ask Cole, however, 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 the hopback
  • the stylistic overlap of West Coast and American IPA
  • dialing in packaging for competition
  • fermenting weissbier in an open fermentor
  • 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 contactus@probrew.com 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
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 info@omegayeast.com.
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 service@rssmaclin.com
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.

375: Murphy Johnson of BlackStack Gets Goosebumps When Talking About Hops23 Aug 202401:03:55

Murphy Johnson of BlackStack 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 contactus@probrew.com 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
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 info@omegayeast.com.
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 service@rssmaclin.com
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.

366: St. Bernardus Uses Modern Tools and Ingredients to Stay True to Historic and Classic Recipes28 Jun 202401:20:35

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 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
  • 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 contactus@probrew.com.
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
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 info@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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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.

276: Kyle Carbaugh of Wiley Roots Explores the Outer Limits of Flavor in Fruit Beer and Barrel-Aged Stout26 Nov 202201:29:53

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. 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

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 ContactUs@probrew.com 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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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.

275: Brett Taylor of Brooklyn’s Wild East Runs a Brewery, Not a Museum19 Nov 202201:17:57

Brooklyn’s Wild East 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

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 to learn more about The Alchemator from ProBrew, or shoot them an email to ContactUs@probrew.com 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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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.

274: Best in Beer Brewers’ Perspectives on Hazy IPA and Sweet Molé Stout16 Nov 202201:16:01

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 in Fairbanks, Alaska and John Garcia of King Harbor 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 today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!

BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) We all know how important first impressions are. So put your best…can…forward by partnering with CanCraft. Offering a full-service packaging experience, CanCraft’s design & aluminum specialists are here to support your business from concept through to delivery of ready-to-fill beverage cans. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com/CanCraft to learn how CanCraft can help realize your brand potential!

Clarion (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=). 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. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.

Episode 273: Best in Beer: Top Critics and Writers Discuss Their Best in Beer of 202211 Nov 202201:54:12

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 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 for your complete packaging solution.

Clarion (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=). 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. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.

272: Special Episode! The Best in Beer 202208 Nov 202201:33:25

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), 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

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 ContactUs@probrew.com 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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.

271: Brooklyn’s Grimm Artisanal Ales Apply a Yeast-Driven Approach to Brewing05 Nov 202201:17:40

Joe Grimm of Grimm Artisanal Ales 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

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 ContactUs@probrew.com 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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.

270: Sapwood Cellars Puts Research Into Creative Practice With Hoppy and Wild Beers28 Oct 202201:10:01

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 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

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 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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.

269: GABF Gold! Deadwords and Wye Hill Talk Winning with Light Lager and Hazy Pale Ale25 Oct 202201:03:56

In this special GABF Gold edition of the podcast, Greg Winget of Wye Hill Brewing in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Alex Sarames of Deadwords Brewing 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 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 for your complete packaging solution.

Clarion (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=). 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. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.

268: Garrett Ward of Sideward Layers Hops of Every Form in American and Hazy IPAs22 Oct 202201:01:53

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

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!

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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.

267: GABF Gold! Roadmap and Precarious Share Their Approaches to Gold-Medal-Winning Pilsner and Cold IPA19 Oct 202201:09:50

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 in San Antonio, Texas, and Adrian Garrett, head brewer of Precarious Beer Project 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:

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 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 for your complete packaging solution.

Clarion (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=). 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. Clarion Lubricants. The expert that experts trust.

365: Alex Lippens and the Team at Verzet Are on a Quest to Make the Best Oud Bruin in the World21 Jun 202401:10:49

In Anzegem, Belgium, about 20 miles southwest of Ghent, Brouwerij ’t Verzet 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 contactus@probrew.com.
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
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 info@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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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.

266: Barry Chan of Lucky Envelope is Developing a Chinese-American Voice in Craft Brewing15 Oct 202201:04:04

When Barry Chan and his partner started Lucky Envelope, 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

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 to learn more about The Alchemator from ProBrew.

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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.

265: Direct Fire! Firestone Walker Brewmaster Matt Brynildson Takes Listener Brewing Questions11 Oct 202201:04:45

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 podcast@beerandbrewing.com 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 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 for your complete packaging solution.

ZBiotics (https://zbiotics.com/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 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.

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 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.

264: Cannonball Creek’s Relentless Pursuit of Improvement07 Oct 202201:06:18

Golden’s Cannonball Creek 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:

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

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 ContactUs@probrew.com 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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.

Episode 263: Bale Breaker Brewmaster Kevin Smith Lives the Hop Life01 Oct 202201:05:55

Brewers and hop growers are closer today than they ever have been before, but Bale Breaker—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

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

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.

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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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. Samples are complimentary for brewing professionals only.

262: Eric, Claire, and Alex of CLS Farms Discuss the Past, Present, and Future of Hop Farming24 Sep 202201:05:13

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

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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

Fermentis (https://fermentis.com): Hey nano-brewers! Fermentis offers dry ale and lager yeasts in flexible 100g packaging. To learn more about how Fermentis can improve the quality of your fermentation, visit Fermentis.com.

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261: Hop Development Roundtable with Jason Perrault and Michael Ferguson of HBC21 Sep 202201:04:03

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:

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 today, for a no obligation 90 day trial!

BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com) This episode is brought to you by BSG, who invite 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 to learn more.

ZBiotics (https://zbiotics.com/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 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.

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 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.

260: Zach Turner of Single Hill is the Fresh Prince of Yakima17 Sep 202201:19:44

Perhaps no brewery in the world is as dedicated to fresh-hopped beers as Single Hill 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

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

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

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 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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

259: Gabe Fletcher of Anchorage Brewing Deals With The Devilish Details of Barrel-Aged Barleywine15 Sep 202200:55:21

Anchorage Brewing’s 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

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 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

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.

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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

258: Tom Shellhammer of Oregon State Shares Research on Hop Terroir02 Sep 202201:05:22

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. 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

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): 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

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.

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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

257: West Coast Pilsner Roundtable With Firestone Walker, Highland Park, and Humble Sea30 Aug 202201:08:58

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 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 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

364: Lambic is Science, Not Sorcery, for Thomas Vandelanotte of Timmermans 14 Jun 202401:32:59

Mythmaking and superstition may play a role in others brewers’ approaches to making lambic, but for Thomas Vandelanotte—brewmaster for Belgian breweries Timmermans, Bourgogne de Flandres, and Waterloo—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!
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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 info@omegayeast.com.
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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!
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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.

256: Tom Riley and Dane Volek of Anchor Open Up About Steam Beer and Open Fermentation26 Aug 202201:02:55

Anchor 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

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): 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

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.

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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

255: John Harris of Ecliptic Has Learned the Hard Way to Make the Beers That People Want to Drink19 Aug 202201:08:11

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

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): 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

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.

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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

254: Direct Fire! Weldwerks Founder Neil Fisher Takes Listener Brewing Questions16 Aug 202201:05:22

In this first-ever “Direct Fire” episode of the podcast, listeners from around the globe heat things up with spicy brewing questions for Weldwerks 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 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 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

253: Matt Van Wyk and Brian Coombs of Alesong Stay Focused on the Barrel13 Aug 202201:26:11

Science teacher turns brewer. On paper, it makes sense. But Alesong’s 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

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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

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.

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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

252: 10 Barrel’s Tonya Cornett Takes a Layered Approach to Fruit Beer05 Aug 202201:12:15

Tonya Cornett marks her brewing experience in decades, but the head of R&D for 10 Barrel 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

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 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

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.

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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

251: Nick Panchamé of HOMES and Smooj Applies His Chef’s Training to Fruited Hard Seltzer and More29 Jul 202201:07:02

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

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 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

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.

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 to set up a free, customized demo.

250: Breakside’s Ben Edmunds, Great Notion’s James Dugan, and Von Ebert’s Sam Pecoraro Dissect Trendy Beers and Innovation26 Jul 202201:15:56

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—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 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.

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

249: Andy Hooper, Former Seismic Brewmaster, is Taking Light Lager Back for Craft22 Jul 202201:08:20

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

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 ContactUs@ProBrew.com 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

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.

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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

248: This episode is nuts. Bob Slack and Justin Teff of Pulpit Rock Share Their Adjunct Experience15 Jul 202201:11:50

Pulpit Rock 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

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 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

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.

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 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 to set up a free, customized demo.

247: Allagash, Cantillon, and Russian River Weigh in at the Spontaneous Brewing Roundtable12 Jul 202201:02:54

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 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.

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

363: Jeremy Pryes of Idyll Forest and Pryes Brewing Explores the Wide Range of Flavors in Everything from Midwest IPA to Spontaneous Beers07 Jun 202401:23:42

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 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 contactus@probrew.com.
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
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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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.

246: Zack Frasher of Slice Brews West Coast and Hazy IPAs that Rip08 Jul 202201:15:34

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—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 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

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 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.

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.

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!

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 to set up a free, customized demo. Remember, there is no “i” in Arryved.

245: Jaega Wise Lowers the Barriers to Making Great Pale Ales and Mixed-Culture Beers01 Jul 202201:05:54

Wild Card 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

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

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

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, forward slash CBB to set up a free, customized demo. That's A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com, forward slash 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

244: Eric Toft of Schönramer Is Fixated on Consistency, Drinkability, and Character24 Jun 202201:32:36

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

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

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

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 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

243: Wild Fields Share Their Winning Ways in Everything From Brown Ale to Mixed Cultures17 Jun 202201:14:55

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, 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

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

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.

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 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

The carrot dog was good, wasn't it Jim?

242: Jos Ruffell of Garage Project and Phantasm Muses on New Zealand Hops, Thiol Expression, and Dramatic Festival Experiments10 Jun 202201:00:03

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

BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG. Support for this episode comes from Hop Solutions by BSG. 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 LetsTalkHops@bsgcraft.com 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

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, forward slash CBB to set up a free, customized demo. That's A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com, forward slash 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

241: Edward Slingerland Argues that Beer is an Evolutionary Adaptation, not an Accident03 Jun 202201:07:03

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 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

BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG. 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 LetsTalkHops@bsgcraft.com

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

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 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

240: Eric Larkin of Cohesion Approaches Lager Expression Through Limitation28 May 202201:11:09

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 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.

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 LetsTalkHops@bsgcraft.com.

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.

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, forward slash CBB to set up a free, customized demo. That's A-r-r-Y-v-e-d dot com, forward slash 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

239: Roaring Table Brews For Elegance, Simplicity, and Texture in Hazy IPA, Pilsner, and Mixed Fermentation21 May 202201:08:55

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, 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

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

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

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 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

238: Laura Burns of Omega Yeast Offers an Expert Approach to Stable Beer Haze14 May 202201:02:17

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

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

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

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 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

237: Less is More as Surly’s Ben Smith Pursues Bigger Hop Flavor in Hazy IPA and a Refined Approach to West Coast IPA06 May 202201:19:36

Minnesota's Surly Brewing 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

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

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.

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

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 today to find out more!

362: Tim Johnson of Barrel Theory Takes a Passion-Driven Approach to Hazy IPA and Fruited Sour Beers31 May 202401:10:17

Tim Johnson of Barrel Theory 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 contactus@probrew.com.
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
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 sales@abs-commercial.com 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.

236: Forager’s Austin Jevne Embraces Nuanced Flavor in Fruited Seltzers, Sours, and Barrel-Aged Stouts29 Apr 202201:26:57

In Rochester, Minnesota, the Forager 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

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

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

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 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

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 today to find out more!

235: Barrett Tillman of BlackMan Brewing Tells Stories Through Beer22 Apr 202201:39:42

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, 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

BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from Hop Solutions by BSG. 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 LetsTalkHops@bsgcraft.com 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

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.

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

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 today to find out more!

234: Pierre Tilquin of Gueuzerie Tilquin Makes Lambic and Gueuze with Lively Spirit and Mathematical Precision15 Apr 202201:12:25

Passionate people tend to have exacting ideas of how to do things, and Pierre Tilquin is no exception. The founder of Gueuzerie Tilquin 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

BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support for this episode comes from BSG. 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 LetsTalkHops@bsgcraft.com

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 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

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 today to find out more!

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