That old axiom “be careful what you wish for” is true when it comes to award-winning beers and the recognition they attract. Winning a top medal for IPA at the Great American Beer Festival is the dream of many brewers—but such recognition often means making more and more IPA at the expense of other styles. Feeding the demand for a hot beer isn’t easy for a small brewery, and smaller projects and experiments can get put on the back burner. Kros Strain Brewing (https://krosstrainbrewing.com) in La Vista, Nebraska, has faced that challenge, and while they still love hazy, New England-style IPA, they’ve doubled down on a commitment to other styles that excite them, from mixed-culture beers to lagers. Innovation doesn’t come at the expense of tradition—instead, it creates resources that the brewery can apply to building out a well-rounded beer program. Cofounder Bobby Kros is committed to this approach, and in this episode he runs the gamut from IPA to barrel-aged lager. Topics include: Selecting the right yeast strain for hazy IPA Brewhouse practice for good fermentation results, generation after generation Adjusting finishing gravity to track with increased hops loads in DDH IPA Evaluating and selecting Mosaic and Citra Selecting and blending commercially available cultures and Brett blends for the ideal mixed culture “Mock” decoction for mixed-culture farmhouse beers Brewing farmhouse ales to a higher 33-40 IBUs to balance and control acidity Building out a broader sour program with mixed-culture Flanders-style ales and Berliner weisse Barrel-aging lagers And more. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact us at 1.800.374.2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free! Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear. Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.

Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Episode 183: For Bobby Kros of Kros Strain, Innovation and Tradition Go Hand in Hand

Portland, Oregon’s Von Ebert (https://www.vonebertbrewing.com) has built a reputation for quality beer in a city full of great beer. From GABF medals to a Craft Beer & Brewing Beer of the Year (https://beerandbrewing.com/the-best-20-beers-in-2020/) in 2020, peers and critics have been paying close attention. In this episode of the podcast, head brewer Sam Pecoraro talks about a few different styles they focus on, from lagers to IPAs. Along the way, he touches on: Ingredient selection for unique character in lager brewing Blending pilsner base malt for a bit of extra character Adjusting hot side hops timing to broaden the range of hop aromatics The impact of IPA brewing habits on lager brewing techniques Working through the library of lager yeasts before settling on the perfect mix of flavor and brewhouse function Naming sub styles like “Italian” or “French” pilsner based on ingredient origin Brewing Czech-style dark lager Building different expressions of west coast IPA to satisfy the increasing narrow tastes of today’s beer drinkers Creating a new beer by visualizing it, writing the description, and building a recipe to achieve the goal *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt. Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free! Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear. Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.

Episode 182: Sam Pecoraro of Von Ebert Writes the Beer Description Before the Recipe

“Be your authentic self, and they will come to you,” says Burning Beard cofounder Jeff Wiederkehr. It’s not about marketing calculus or cynically appealing to here-today, gone-tomorrow hype chasers. Instead, Burning Beard has built a loyal and rabid fan base by remaining small and embracing fun, all while they quietly work in the brewhouse to refine, tweak, and experiment. With beers that range from spontaneous cool ship beers to traditional-style pilsners (and even IPAs that revisit crystal malts), Burning Beard has positioned themselves as rebels by embracing tradition, not running from it. In this wide-ranging episode, Wiederkehr discusses: - Coolshipping in the warm climate of San Diego county - How poor cellaring techniques ruined early batches of spontaneous beer - Maintaining a through-line from homebrewed spontaneous projects through their commercial batches in the brewery - Creating a San Diego beer that develops with age, inspired by Orval - Embracing 750ml bottles in a current market that avoids the format - Aging and brewing spontaneous beer with higher alpha hops varieties - Developing a Czech-style pale lager recipe from early homebrew days through today - Driving out the Saaz hops character that tastes like DMS through boil addition timing - Recalibrating for subtlety over intensity with lager beers - The evolution of San Diego IPA - Embracing crystal malts in IPA again What kind of brewery would you build if you cared more about authenticity than success or profit? Wiederkehr and Burning Beard strive to live the answer to that question every day. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® (https://www.brewerydb.com) has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account). It’s easy and it’s free! Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear. Clarion Lubricants (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do): When it comes to brewing, nobody has your back like Clarion. Because their food-grade lubricants are formulated to help make your brewing system 100% food safe. That means, when you switch to Clarion, you can put the costly potential of contamination and recall out of your mind. All you need to worry about is brewing great beer. And since you already do that, well, it’s more like focusing on business as usual. Go to clarionlubricants.com (https://www.clarionlubricants.com/Welcome.do) to learn more.

Episode 181: Jeff Wiederkehr of Burning Beard Believes Authenticity is the Best Policy

For Collin Castore and Colin Vent of Columbus, Ohio's Seventh Son Brewing, (https://www.seventhsonbrewing.com/homepage) the focus has always been on quality and constant improvement over hype, and eight years later the core brands they launched with are still strong performers for the brewery. They haven't locked in those beers and let them languish over time. Instead, they're constantly looking at small ways to increase the quality so that they taste as fresh today as when they launched the brewery in 2013. In this episode, they discuss: Using English ale yeast from day one for IPAs and other ales How their core brands have improved over the years, and what they've focused on improving along the way Articulating an idea of "better" for their established beers Making ingredients like candi sugar Avoiding infection from adjunct ingredients Using a dosing vessel for everything from dry hops to coffee and spices Different flavor impacts from ingredience of differing origins The importance of environment on beer enjoyment Taking a culinary approach to flavor-forward beers and more. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Rahr North Star Pils—a new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer. Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). That’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 180: Colin Castore and Colin Vent of Seventh Son Brewing Balance the Normal With the Weird

Wolf’s Ridge Brewing (https://www.wolfsridgebrewing.com) started as a cramped basement brewpub setup below one of the best-regarded restaurants in Columbus, Ohio. On Chris Davison’s watch since 2014, the brewery grew to add a 30-barrel production brewhouse. Wolf’s Ridge notched its first Great American Beer Festival medal in 2019 with a silver medal for Daybreak, a cream ale with coffee and vanilla—its golden appearance failing to prepare the drinker for an aromatic hit that’s like walking into a roastery. It also happens to be their bestselling beer, outselling their IPA by a sizeable margin. That same beer, Daybreak, returned to GABF last year and won gold, while their smoked beer Buchenrauch won bronze. Meanwhile, several Wolf’s Ridge beers impressed our Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® blind panel reviewers last year, none more than cocoa-laden Double Chocolate Rum Barrel Dire Wolf—which also thrilled our editors and became one of our Best 20 Beers in 2020. That’s all besides a few Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB) medals over the past four years. In this episode, Davison talks about how early experiments with infusing corny kegs with different flavors—just to help fill out the restaurant’s many taps—led to a lot of learning and ulimately some their most successful beers—including Daybreak. Among other things, Davison discusses: The benefits of steeping with whole-bean coffee instead of grounds, plus quantities and steeping times Adding vanilla for just the perception of sweetness, while using cream ale as a canvas for many other flavors, including Vietnamese cinnamon, strawberries, basil, lemons, and more Brewing their Dire Wolf imperial stout for balance and drinkability before barrel-aging, and experimenting with different spirit barrels Evaluating many different malts, intentionally these into their imperial stouts Various adjuncts and flavors for those imperial stouts Growing their barrel program on both the clean and mixed-fermentation sides Focusing on the best ingredients for the beers they want to brew, and implementing sensory training for staff on hedonistic evaluation And much more. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer. Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). That’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 179: Chris Davison of Wolf's Ridge Still Tinkers Like a Homebrewer

Alstadt Brewery (https://www.altstadtbeer.com) is a remarkable creation—a gleaming brewery, taproom, restaurant, and event space designed in the form of a European-style chateau, plopped down in the German-American community of Fredericksburg, Texas, amidst wineries and farms. No expense was spared, and it’s quite possibly the most costly build-out of a 12,000-barrel-per-year brewery in the recent history of brewing. It could be written off as a vanity project for a wealthy father and son if the beer didn’t hold its own. But in 2019, under the leadership of head brewer Craig Rowan, the brewery took two gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival (for helles and Kölsch) and put Texas lager contemporaries on notice that they meant business. Rowan’s career began at Louisiana’s Abita Brewery, where he started in packaging and (over a decade) worked his way up to the brew deck and into the pilot brewery before leaving for the opportunity at Altstadt. But Rowan’s focus on precision made him well suited to take the reins of the brewery in 2018 when the previous brewmaster departed. In this episode, he walks through the steps they took in honing the earlier iterations of their core beers—a process of testing and improvement that ultimately yielded serious rewards. For Rowan, the goal was riding that line of approachability and character, keeping the beers on the lower side of accepted ABV ranges, but ensuring that they remained convincing. From malt selection and mash technique to yeast and fermentation process to water treatment and finishing, he outlines the small things that they tweaked. While they don’t have the ability to employ some of the more difficult and time-consuming lager-brewing processes, they do sweat the details, and it shows in the beer. “I’m a big believer in the work you put into a product shows to a customer,” says Rowan. “So if you’re decocting your beer, and you’re doing it well—you’ve studied how to do it, and you really understand why you’re doing it and what you’re doing it for–that’s going to show up in the final product. Working hard for something is always going to make it a better product.” *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million brewery visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In just a few weeks, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and increase your tap room traffic, setup your account on MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). That’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 178: Altstadt Brewery’s Craig Rowan Can Taste the Hard Work in His Beer

In today’s brewing world, big and bold flavors tend to attract drinkers with an an endless thirt for what’s next. But for Austin’s St. Elmo Brewing, (http://www.stelmobrewing.com), those aren’t the beers that are going to get people coming back week after week to enjoy a sunny afternoon in their beer garden. Instead, they focus on optimizing quality that whispers rather than screams, making beers that don’t need to tell you how great they are. It may take a pint or two for that “aha” moment to happen, but that’s their ultimate goal—for consumers to realize the beer is good without having to focus intently on the beer itself. With a core Kölsch-style ale whose yeast feed a number of other beers in their lineup (from hazy IPA to kettle sours), they’ve systematically built a production strategy that works for their small, pub-style brewhouse, creating efficiencies but also opening the door to experimentation. In this episode, Winslow talks about that Kölsch, which they call Carl, and the details that go into it—such as malt selection, the infusion mash, plus the yeast strain and its expression at different temperatures. The same strain ferments their hazy IPA, and Winslow discusses biotransformation with that yeast, dry hopping at cooler temperatures, how pH affects the hop expression, and more. The conversation finishes on fruited kettle sours and then hard seltzers—a category the brewery has started to embrace, to fulfill its mission to be a destination for groups of varying tastes. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 177: St. Elmo’s Bryan Winslow Embraces the “A-Ha” Moment

Great lagers require commitment and focus, and it’s no surprise that the Austin Beer Garden Brewery (https://theabgb.com) has been so successful at making them—with three-plus decades of lager-brewing experience between them, cofounders Brian “Swifty” Peters and Amos Lowe have put in the time and learned through brewing thousands of batches of pils, helles, and more. The accolades they’ve accumulated together under the ABGB banner have been impressive as well—seven GABF medals in five years (including six golds), plus 2016, 2017, and 2018 GABF Large Brewpub of the Year honors. The ABGB approach is a dedication and focus on doing all the little things right—there are no off-days, there are no shortcuts, there is no “good enough.” There are, however, the realities of production, budget, and business that every small brewery has to face. Over the years of brewing lagers for other Texas breweries, Lowe and Peters have devised ways to work around every type of challenge. Brewing is problem-solving, and Swifty has made lagers in everything from horizontal fermenters to unjacketed Grundy tanks. Today, the ABGB uses conicals, but it employs a multi-stage tank transfer process to sequentially clear and lager their beers. In this lager-focused episode, the brewing minds of the ABGB discuss: Designing a hybrid, pub-focused lager brewery Why decoction isn’t necessary, but extended lagering is The importance of great ingredients Brewing to a sense-memory standard informed by memories of great lagers The yeast and fermentation magic necessary for perfect lager brews Optimizing “elegance” in lagers Editing lagers through filtration The impact of water chemistry on everything from fermentation to hop character Finishing lagers with natural carbonation They’re unabashed traditionalists, but firmly focused on those techniques and elements that directly impact flavor. From decoction (“It’s just too much work for an everyday [thing]”) to lagering time (“People are proud to say ‘I have a four-week lager,’ and for us it’s like, ‘Whoa, that’s pretty young’”), they both embrace and reject lager dogma, leaning into their own experience to make lagers that taste exactly how they want them to. But for the ABGB, the key to making great lagers is doing all of the little things, every single time. Not some of the time, not most of the time—all of the time. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 176: The Austin Beer Garden Brewery Is Committed to All the Little Things that Make Great Lagers

Kevin Davey doesn’t understand why Wayfinder’s “Cold IPA” has gone viral in brewing circles. This proponent of genre bending approaches to brewing that respect tradition but recombine elements of tradition in curious ways has been vocal in the past about what they’re doing—making “IPA” in a way that respects the flavor while twisting the technique. They haven’t been hiding anything, so why the hubbub now? The beer that seems to be the center of the brewing internet’s latest furor is Relapse, a beer they’ve dubbed a “Cold IPA” (much to the chagrin of those IPL advocates and style guide purists who insist nothing of the sort can exist). It’s definitely not “traditional”—mashed with a grist of 30% rice, fermented with 34/70 lager yeast, and krausened with pils or helles wort when dry-hopped, it doesn’t appear on paper to be connected to the broader school of west coast IPA. But taste it and you’ll understand how these curious methods produce a beer that feels perfectly aligned with the conceptual ideas that have driven west coast IPA for the past two decades. It's worth noting, of course, that the beer in question—Relapse Cold IPA—was a Craft Beer & Brewing beer of the year for 2020. The quality and technical execution of the beer is beyond reproach, and the creativity in process is, of course, just icing on the cake. In this genre-busting episode, Davey discusses: The impact of step mashing on yeast health and effective fermentation Using American malt for higher enzyme component to work with rice and corn adjuncts when cereal mashing The benefit of brewing with rice Importance to flavor and aroma of boiling hops (and not just dry hopping) Balancing fruitiness and bitterness in hoppy beers Fermenting during dry hopping to encourage hop creep and to dry out the beer, and krausening with pilsner or helles Finding language that does justice to the intent of a beer in a way that connects with consumers “I loved California West Coast IPA when I first started in the industry,” says Davey. “And so I’m like ‘What if we just take that further? Let’s make it even clearer. Let’s make it even less caramel-y. Let’s make it even dryer.’ That’s why—on the can—we say it’s ‘wester than west coast,’ because we’re taking all the things that are already west coast and we’re just pushing them a little bit further.” *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Rahr North Star Pils—a new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer. Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 175: Kevin Davey of Wayfinder Sets the Record Straight on “Cold IPA”

“If it’s a pain in the ass, we usually do it,” says Live Oak (https://liveoakbrewing.com) head brewer Dusan Kwiatkowski. Brewing the hard way has been a core tenet of the brewery since their start in the mid ’90s. While most breweries launched around the time focused on ales (to distinguish themselves from the “macro” beer of the time), Live Oak committed to craft lager from its earliest days. Its Czech-inspired pale lager, Pilz, has been one of their core beers for more than two decades. Today, Live Oak maintains that focus by pushing lager even further, through the pre-Prohibition-style pils they call Pre-War Pils, and by brewing and advocating for Grodziskie, which they brew as a lager with oak-smoked malt from a small Czech maltster. In this episode, Kwiatkowski discusses everything from the ways they’ve sourced ingredients for the Grodziskie to the process behind the cereal mash necessary with corn grits in the Pre-War Pils. Along the way, he discusses the impact of smoked malt in recipes, brewing Grodziskie as a lager rather than an ale, polishing pils so that it sparkles in the glass, spunding tanks for proper finishing, and more. Live Oak is fond of referring to its Austin, Texas, location as “Bamberg on the Colorado,” referencing the German city’s reputation for smoked beer from breweries such as Schlenkerla and Spezial. While smoked beer is a niche in today’s wider beer world, Live Oak’s passion and focus on the approach are second to none. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Rahr North Star Pils—a new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer. Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 174: Live Oak Turns Back the Clock with Historical Lagers and Smoked Beers

It’s been a busy and momentous year for Marcus Baskerville. The co-owner and head brewer of San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing made national news with his Black Is Beautiful initiative in 2020. To date, more than 1,200 breweries in all 50 states and 22 countries have patrticipated in the open-source collaboration to raise funds and awareness for diversity and racial justice. However, well before that initiative, Baskerville already had developed a strong reputation among fellow brewers and Texas drinkers for his characterful stouts and other beers. In this episode, Baskerville lays out his approach to brewing, including: Developing a distinct flavor point-of-view when brewing established styles Building stout grists that minimizes roast and smoke flavors Counterintuitive balancing of base stouts with adjuncts Building caramel midtones in stouts while keeping specialty malts under control Creating body with high mash temps and flaked oats, plus long boils and maltodextrin (but no lactose) Managing fermentation in imperial stouts Adjunct processing for vanilla, marshmallow powder, coconut, and more The impact of various bourbon flavors on barrel-aged stouts Best barrel preparation practices, including soaking to rehydrate Baskerville also reflects on how the Black Is Beautiful project has evolved over the past months, how to help brewers be relevant to Black drinkers, creating allies within the industry, and the importance of positivity. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt is the workhorse of many a brewery and is at home in a variety of beer styles. Crisp sources the lowest-nitrogen spring barley from farmers in Fife up to Moray. During malting, high cast moistures and a balance of optimal germination time and temperature results in an even, well-modified malt with a rich color and balanced sweet, malt flavor which is ideally suited to ale brewing. Visit bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) for more information on Crisp Scottish Pale Ale Malt, or call 1-800-374-2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information – and responsible for mapping millions of visits to breweries all across the United States. In early 2021, BreweryDB® will reveal a whole new platform with all new marketing features for breweries to attract craft lovers to their unique brewery experience. To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 173: Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Souls Brews Beautiful Stouts

For Zach Adams of Connecticut’s Fox Farm Brewery (http://www.foxfarmbeer.com), the reward in brewing is found in working and reworking a smaller lineup of beers, over and over again, until he gets them just right. While they make and love IPAs, they’ve focused their other brewing energy on simple and small beers—think German-style pilsner, Kölsch, English-style dark mild, and Belgian-inspired mixed culture farmhouse beers. They’re a country brewery, and comfortable with that approach. In this episode of the podcast, Adams discusses: Getting the hang of lager fermentation A sensory approach to brewer feedback and improvement Developing malt character despite infusion mashing Using different Noble hops to bring out varyingcharacteristics in lagers Creating balanced smoked beers, and bringing their audience along on the journey Brewing classic English-style ales Preparing and carbonating beer before nitrogenating Creating a distinct approach to mixed culture farmhouse ales Brewing with craft malt Wine-beer hybrids using New England grape varieties (Accidentally) using winemaking techniques for softer tannin extraction Learning from four seasons of spontaneous brewing (without releasing a single spontaneous beer) and more. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Meet the latest in the BSG Hop solutions portfolio, Citiva. Strong expressions of stone fruit, floral, and resinous/pine flavors and aromas define this blend, crafted specifically for use in hazy IPAs, and other hop-forward beers. Citiva is ideal for aroma, whirlpool, and dry hop additions to Hazy and Juicy IPAs, or for any other hoppy styles where a combination of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine aromatics are desired. Go to bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) to learn more, or call 1-800-374-2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com/request_account), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 172: Zack Adams of Fox Farm Takes an Iterative But Exacting Approach Across Traditional Styles

For many brewers, winning a medal at the Great American Beer Festival or World Beer Cup is a career-defining accomplishment. Winning two or three establishes a reputation. Win a dozen and it’s a legacy. Yet Matt Brynildson, the brewmaster and creative force behind so many now-classic Firestone Walker (https://www.firestonebeer.com) beers, counts more than 90 such medals over his brewing career, now stretching into its third decade. For analogues in the sports world you’d have to consider names like Brady, Messi, or Jordan—but unlike them, Brynildson plays just about every position. The medals he’s won cross a breadth of styles, from helles to IPA to barrel-aged stout and mixed culture Brett beer. Under Brynildson’s brewing leadership, Firestone Walker has won GABF medals for the past 18 years straight, taking home four Mid-Size Brewery of the Year honors along the way. Sports hyperboles aside, there’s a method to these winning ways, and it all comes back to quality and constant improvement. With a background in chemistry, Brynildson has matched a technician’s perfectionism to the soul of an artist, absorbing and deploying technical processes to make the best beer possible, while also exploring the creative edge of differentiation and expression that helps his beers stand apart from the crowd. In this extended episode, he discusses: The knowledge he recently gained spending a year brewing in Europe with Duvel-Moortgat The importance of the 162°F (72°C) rest when mashing less-modified malts Takeaways from the 2020 Hops Growers of America annual conference How the Hops Quality Group has worked to close the loop between farmers and brewers The necessity of foam Evaluating new hops, from selecting away from negative traits to running parallel trials Why Citra doesn’t figure heavily in the brewery’s approach to hops Coaxing punchier results out of German varieties like Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon Differences in practices between German and US hop farming The key indicators of quality in hops Creating the 805 blonde ale and building a brewery to handle it Firestone Walker’s entrance into the hazy IPA world, with Mind Haze Current R&D with fruited iterations of hazy IPA Building quality into the DNA of the brewery, so that it lasts for generations While Matt loves hops, he’s particularly fond of swimming against the tide, and finding creative ways of building compelling flavors without resorting to more common default approaches. “We actually have a harder time integrating a high percentage of hops like Citra and Mosaic into our beers,” says Brynildson. “We’re probably one of those rare West coast IPA brewers [where] Citra isn’t a major deal. I sell more Citra to Duvel to make Duvel Triple Hop than I use in this brewery, if that tells you anything. Over time, we’ve found that rather than it being the main player—because everybody else’s beer kinda tastes and smells that way—it has found its way into more of a niche of enhancing, amplifying, not being the star.” *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils, a new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information – and responsible for mapping millions of visits to breweries all across the United States. In early 2021, BreweryDB® will reveal a whole new platform with all new marketing features for breweries to attract craft lovers to their unique brewery experience. To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 171: Firestone Walker’s Matt Brynildson is Relentless in Pursuit of Quality

Jonathan Moxey cut his teeth at St. Louis craft trailblazer Perennial Artisan Ales before leaving in 2018 to head the brewing program at Rockwell Beer (https://www.rockwellbeer.com). Over the years, he's developed a love for finely tuned mixed-fermentation, wood aging, session beer, and lager—all things for which he’s developed different but equally compelling takes in his new digs. In this episode, Moxey discusses: Designing Baltic porter for aging and conditioning in a foeder The clearing effect of fermenting in wood Building bigger beers while downplaying ethanol expression Yeast choices in high-gravity lagers Maintaining proper fermentation health Building complex malt layers in big, dark beers Developing unique beer character by using unique Brett strains Building and developing a culture Foam retention in tart and sour beer The beauty of Michigan Crystal hops Hopping regimens for mixed-fermentation beers And more. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) BSG is partnering with Leopold Bros. to bring a new line of small-batch, handmade malts to brewers and distillers. Leopold Bros. is a family owned floor malting operation and distillery and 2020 James Beard Award Finalist, located in Denver, Colorado. Since brothers Scott and Todd Leopold first opened their doors in 1999, they have created everything from classic unfiltered lagers to a number of spirits, including a wide array of whiskey styles. Learn more about the upcoming malt line by going online to BSGCraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact BSG at 1.800.374.2739 Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): A brewery might have 99 problems, but your fruit supplier shouldn't be one. Old Orchard is already known for their quality concentrates, but they also pride themselves on consistent product and reliable supply. When brewers need assistance, Old Orchard is just an email, phone call, or even a text away. Based in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan—better known as Beer City, USA—Old Orchard is core to the brewing community. To join their fruit family, learn more at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer) Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information. In 2019, over one million tap room visits were made by craft fans searching for breweries on BreweryDB.com! In early 2021, BreweryDB® will unveil an all-new experience to help craft lovers get back on the brewery trail! To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com), that’s MarketMyBrewery.com. It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 170: Jonathan Moxey of Rockwell is a Friend of the Foeder

For Fair Isle Brewing (https://www.fairislebrewing.com) in Seattle, Washington, the founding concept was simple—focus on a narrow niche of the beer world, and do it really, really well. It’s one thing to state an audacious goal, and it’s another to actually deliver on it, but the tightly executed saisons they’ve produced over the past year exude a confidence and class that belie their young age. In this episode of the podcast, cofounder Andrew Pogue and head brewer Nick Pauley walk through the brewery’s creation and their thoughtful approach to developing and corralling the house culture that the brewery uses to ferment every one of its beers. They discuss how to manage the cultural drift toward acid production, creating different environments that push the culture in different flavor directions, and the ways that initial fermentation flavors and aromas change and develop over the 90-day fermentation schedule. Grain plays a big role in the brewery’s experimentation, and they discuss using heirloom barley varieties such as Purple Egyptian, as well as newly developed perennial grain Salish Blue. They’ve also focused intently on brewing with native ingredients from the region—working with a licensed ethnobotanist who harvests foraged ingredients. They discuss their process of learning how to best use new-to-them ingredients—from foraged fireweed to wild elderberry, hawthorne, and yarrow, they’ve been learning as they go. They then discuss the re-pitching process for their culture, and how they re-use spent hops for certain beers. Creating a saison-focused brewery in hops-loving Seattle is clearly a labor of love—but the Fair Isle team wouldn't have it any other way. *This episode is brought to you by: * G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com (https://gdchillers.com). BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) Haze for days in your IPAs! Kerry BioHaze from BSG adds that perfect stable cloudy appearance for your hazy recipe. Made with all-natural materials, BioHaze is a free-flowing microgranular powder that binds with protein molecules in beer that form polyphenol-protein complexes to produce a cloudy haze. This unique product can be added to final beer to give your beer that famous haze. Find out more about BioHaze at bsgcraftbrewing.com (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/), or contact them at 1.800.374.2739. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The most common complaint about hard seltzers? They need more flavor. Extract alone is a weak flavoring agent and can leave a chemical aftertaste. But there's a better way. The craft concentrate blends from Old Orchard are packed with REAL FRUIT FIRST, no added sugars, and just enough natural flavor. Breweries are turning to Old Orchard concentrates for seltzer with more body, color, and aroma. Turn seltzer skeptics into supporters with seltzer that drinks like a beer. Get started at www.oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Brewery DB® (https://www.marketmybrewery.com): For years, BreweryDB® has been the industry’s only professionally curated source of brewery and beer information – and responsible for mapping millions of visits to breweries all across the United States. In early 2021, BreweryDB® will reveal a whole new platform with all new marketing features for breweries to attract craft lovers to their unique brewery experience. To take full advantage of the enhanced marketing power of BreweryDB® – and to increase your tap room traffic, visit MarketMyBrewery.com, that’s MarketMyBrewery.com (https://www.marketmybrewery.com). It’s easy and it’s free! ABS Commercial (https://www.abs-commercial.com): ABS Commercial is excited to be a part of today’s Podcast! ABS is a full brewery outfitter offering brewhouses, tanks, keg washers and small parts. As a part of ABS Commercials on going give back campaign, they will be giving away an ABS Keg Viking Keg Washer in June, so make sure to periodically check the ABS Commercial Facebook page to find out when the contest opens up and how you can enter to win a Keg Viking!

Episode 169: Fair Isle’s Andrew Pogue and Nick Pauley Push the Farmhouse Paradigm with Mixed Cultures, Foraged Ingredients, and Creative Grains

Listen to the podcast for those who make and drink great beer. Every week we talk to professional brewers and industry experts about practical brewing advice, in-depth coverage of brewing trends that matter to you, and tips for getting the most out of your homebrew.