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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.
How to enjoy a Beer Festival
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- Written by TheCellarMonk
Summer beer festival season is upon us. From the World Beer Festival to the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the Great British Beer Festival to any number of CAMRA events, there is a festival to be had almost every weekend somewhere in the world. Beer festivals are quite a bit of fun, but that fun can be spoiled if you find that you have drank a bit too much. From past experience, this is easy to do. In order to get the most out of attending a festival, while being responsible and not being annoying the following are some steps that you might keep in mind while attending.
1. Make sure that you eat just prior to entering the festival (but give yourself time to get the flavor of the food out of your mouth or you will be tasting food flavored beer), and continue to seek out food for the duration of the festival. Most festival have pre-arranged agreements with (on-site) food vendors that allow for at least one or two low cost food items to be available for purchase from each vendor. Typical beer festival fare of turkey legs, pizza, nachos and different sandwiches will give your stomach a much needed buffer between beer and alcohol absorption. Take time to enjoy your food. This will also help to cleanse your palette between flights of beer.
2. Try to come close to drinking equal parts water and beer. If you have four two ounce servings of beer, try and drink that same amount of water before moving on to another flight of beer. Most festivals provide either bottled water or some other way of obtaining water specifically for this purpose. You will undoubtedly use the restrooms more frequently, but in the end this will keep you from becoming dehydrated and could help reduce the chance of a hangover later on.
