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Video Tip: Brewing Beers from the Past with What You Have Today

From sourcing old-fashioned ingredients to aiming for authentic flavor, Our Mutual Friend head brewer Jan Chodkowski outlines an approach to brewing historically inspired beers in a modern craft brewery.

Jan Chodkowski Feb 16, 2024 - 2 min read

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In Denver’s lively RiNo neighborhood, Our Mutual Friend has won fans and accolades by offering a wide range of characterful beers, from hazy IPAs and barrel-aged barleywines to lagers and mixed-culture saisons. Along the way, OMF also has gained a cult following for its interest in traditional, lesser-known, historically inspired styles—many of them brewed with locally smoked craft malts.

In this 49-minute course, OMF head brewer and co-owner Jan Chodkowski shares his approach to brewing smoky and rustic yet highly drinkable beers. Along the way, he covers:

  • finding information about historical beer styles
  • working with the equipment you have and the ingredients you can get
  • making adjustments for modern smoked malts
  • tips on brewing with juniper berries
  • yeast selection for appropriate character
  • specs and tips on smoky stjørdalsøl and grodziskie
  • working with eccentric, deeply smoky Stjørdal-style malt
  • stjørdalsøl’s long-aging potential
  • adapting grodziskie to your modern brewery and ingredients
  • tips on brewing with 100 percent wheat
  • dialing in grodziskie for balance
  • clarifying and carbonating grodziskie
  • bonus tips on brewing smoked helles (including a “turbid decoction”)

And more.

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