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Interview with a Head Brewer - Motoring Along
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- Written by TheCellarMonk
From the birthplace of the ubiquitus 'Jeep' we have our latest interviewee. Taking time from his continued climb up the brewing ladder to answer these hard hitting interview questions (ha). Like many we profile here, this individual has made his way from homebrewer to pro. As you'll see though, this didn't happen overnight. The next Head Brewer to sit in the Comfy Computer Chair of Fame, let's welcome Nate Bacher.
Name(s): Nate Bacher
Brewery Name: Recon Brewing (Have a look at the brewery notes for the explanation of the 'Jeep' reference)
How long have you beer head brewer/brewmaster there? 3 years
Any type of formal training in brewing science or art? If not, how did you learn the craft?
No formal training, I was a home brewer for 9 years prior to starting the brewery. I spent a lot of time reading books, researching techniques, attending informal trainings, and honing recipes.
If you will, a brief history of your brewing experience (where have you brewed)?
Prior to starting Recon and brewing commercially, I only brewed at my house. Started with a Mr Beer kit and slowly worked my way up to a 25 gallon all grain system then jumped to our 7 bbl system.
How large is the brewery (# of barrels annually)?
We are a 7 bbl brewhouse. Last year we produced 254 barrels of beer.
Is it automated or is there a lot of exercise involved in your brewery's operation?
There is quite a bit of exercise during a brewday….my excuse for never going to the gym. We do have an integrated manifold between the mash tun and boil kettle with mounted pumps all pre-piped and controlled from the main panel. It’s about as automated as I would like it to be.
Have you ever had a bad batch? If so, how long did it take you to figure out what caused it?
I had a bunch of not so great batches in my homebrew days, usually due to yeast or temperature issues. Knock on wood, since opening our doors we have not had a bad batch to date. I have become very particular about fermentation temps and yeast health.
Is there more pressure put upon you as head brewer in a smallish brewery to try and match other small breweries in offerings?
Absolutely, I try to ignore the urge to put up multiple taps of hazy IPAs and sours even though those sell the best. We decided early on that we would always have a wide selection of styles on tap at any given time. Our offerings usually consist of: stout or porter, west coast, hazy, fruited sour, wheat (hefe or wit), scotch ale, seasonal, lager, and our rotating “Karma Tap” (15% of the sales from our Karma Tap goes to a local charity each quarter).
With all the breweries around you have to offer the popular styles but, in my opinion, you can’t forget the traditional brews too. Traditional, adjunct-free, styles give you a chance to show your brewing capability and win the hearts of transitioning craft beer drinkers. We started out of gate making some great lagers and people have come to know us for them.
Can you give a hint if anything might be coming from your brewery (new brew, special brew, etc.)?
We have our hazelnut white stout “Alabastard” coming out again soon. It has a local cult following and doesn’t last long in the taproom. Also we are going to be doing a large canning run this month and will be distributing cans of “Hit the East Side” a soft juice bomb hazy IPA; “Trail Rated Sour Series – Raspberry” a heavily fruited sour; and a new brew “Meeder Irish Red” in support of our upcoming second location in Cranberry Twp at the Meeder Crossroads.
Interview with a Head Brewer - Step by Step
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- Written by TheCellarMonk
Our return to interviews. Our first interview in a while has us posing questions to someone we can safely say has taken his career in brewing step by step. Incrementally making his way in the brewing industry and at this point achieving the goal of most homebrewers, to be brewing professionally. Come read along of the journey that the latest brewer to sit in the Comfy Computer Chair of Fame took to his current position and please welcome the Head Brewer for Broad Ripple Brewpub, Jonathon Mullen.
Name(s): Jonathon Mullens
Brewery Name: Broad Ripple Brewpub
How long have you beer head brewer/brewmaster there?
I have been the only brewer here 5 years come November.
Any type of formal training in brewing science or art? If not, how did you learn the craft?
No trueformal training hence the reason I did not list myself as a brewmaster in the previous question. I honed my skills as a brewer starting as a home brewer. During that time I became BJCP certified which helped me better understand my mistakes. Counting my homebrewing years, I have been brewing for over 12 years now.
If you will, a brief history of your brewing experience (where have you brewed)?
I started at a brewery called Union Brewing Company when they first opened their doors in 2013 helping with brewing and cellaring part
time while still sitting at a desk during the day. In 2014, I started at a brewery called Flat 12 starting with packaging and cleaning kegs.
Spending a short time of about 5 months there as I was beginning training for the brew deck, I landed the job here at Broad Ripple Brew Pub as the brewer where I do everything from brewing, cleaning, cellaring, selling and deliveries among other odds and ends.
How large is the brewery (# of barrels annually)?
The brewery is a 7 bbl system and we rock about 500 bbls a year.
Is it automated or is there a lot of exercise involved in your brewery's operation?
What’s thisautomation you speak of? Kidding… It’s pretty manual process that needs a lot of attention from start to finish during the lifespan
of the brews. So to answer the question, a lot of exercise is involved and like almost every brewery out there it can be like working in a sauna.
Interview with a Head Brewer - Sole Man
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- Written by TheCellarMonk
We are on somewhat of an English brewer kick at the moment with our head brewer interviews. The latest brewer was recommended to CellarMonk from an avid beer drinker (thanks @broadfordbrewer) and luckily he agreed to sit in the Comfy Computer Chair of Fame (well, somewhat) and hold court on all aspects of his brewing life (well, the exciting bits at least). Please welcome to CellarMonk, the head brewer for Adnams Plc, Mr. Fergus Fitzgerald.
Name(s): Fergus Fitzgerald @Solebear
Brewery Name: Adnams Plc
How long have you beer head brewer/brewmaster there?
I joined in 2004 and became head brewer in 2008.
Any type of formal training in brewing science or art? If not, how did you learn the craft?
I studied Biotechnology in Ireland, which touches on brewing, my formal brewing training then came on the job whilst training and studying for the IBD exams, http://www.ibd.org.uk/qualifications/examinations/ starting with the certificate in brewing, then the diploma and finally the Master brewer Exams.
If you will, a brief history of your brewing experience (where have you brewed)?
I studied Biotechnology in Ireland and then took up a temporary laboratory job at Fullers brewery in London, that was my first real introduction to brewing and it kickstarted my interest in brewing. That led to another temporary lab job in Murphys in Cork, and then back to Fullers for a second time for a permanent job in 1997. I then circled my way around the brewery, going through various quality and production jobs. During this time I'd passed the diploma in brewing exams which gave me the chance to move into the brewhouse. I then moved up to Adnams as assistant head brewer in 2004, working under the then head brewer Mike Powell-Evans.
Mike retired in 2008 having installed a new brewhouse in 2007 and I took over as head brewer.
When did you move to this location, or have you always been there?
I moved up here from London in 2004, we were actually looking to move to the North West, closer to my wifes family but the job at Adnams came up and it was too good to turn down.
