Subscribe to the Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast:
Justin Burdt loves hops, and he’s developed a unique and somewhat counter-intuitive approach to selecting them for Ghost Town’s award-winning West Coast IPAs. His focus on tight and lean intensity relies on boosting expression by embracing some hop aroma notes that give other brewers fits, but it’s the push-and-pull that gives the IPAs such compelling dynamic range.
In this episode, Burdt dives deep into hops for the first hour of the podcast before walking us through the rest of their IPA brewing process, and he finishes on the subject of West Coast pils. Along the way, he discusses:
- what makes for “good” hops
- searching for the stinging physical sensation in intense hops
- how Citra with “cat pee” notes can make better IPAs
- focusing on hop-oil quality over quantity
- using certain hops in more concentrated forms, such as Cryo
- the unique characteristics of HBC 586
- choosing lager or ale yeast for fermentation based on a beer’s hop profile
- brewing specific competition batches to increase win percentage
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers
G&D Chillers. The brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling. They are proud of the cool partnerships they have built over the past 30 years. G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, and reliability with 24/7 service and support. Want to maximize efficiency in your chiller? G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are designed for less power draw. They have a lighter weight, and a more compact design using up to 70% less refrigerant means a lower GWP and lower operating costs. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com or call to discuss your next project.
Sponsored by BSG, distributors of Gambrinus Malting, Canada’s original small-batch, artisanal malthouse. If you’ve been searching for the perfect malt that’s not quite Pale and not Munich, you’re in luck. Gambrinus Vienna is the malt you’ve been looking for. This mellow-kilned malt has a balanced bready character with notes of honey, toffee, and caramel baked in. With a gorgeous golden color, it’s ideal for adding depth without too much sweetness. Visit BSGCraftbrewing.com to learn more.
Is your brewery making its own ciders, seltzers, and other beverages beyond beer? If you need a central source for fruit flavor, Old Orchard has you covered. Old Orchard supplies flavored craft juice concentrate blends to beverage brands for the production of beer, cider, seltzer, wine, spirits, kombucha, and more. Flavor your lineup and streamline your sourcing by heading to oldorchard.com/brewer
AccuBrew now monitors specific gravity to ensure consistent results and detect problems before they ruin a batch. The AccuBrew system is designed to give you unprecedented insight into the fermentation process. Monitor gravity, fermentation activity, clarity, and temperature, schedule reminders, and receive alerts anywhere, anytime. AccuBrew’s CIP-ready device is designed to stay out of your way. They know your time and space is precious, and they take up as little of both as possible. No more samples, no cleaning, and no calibration. Set it and forget it! To learn more about AccuBrew head over to AccuBrew.io.
Brewing is currently one of the most innovative, adaptive, and fast-paced industries in the world. With consumer demand shifting to the latest and greatest trend, it can be difficult for production teams to keep up with requirements. The ProFill series of rotary can fillers from ProBrew are accelerating plant production everywhere. These can fillers run at speeds between 100 – 600+ cans per minute while achieving precise and consistent filling volumes not achievable by most inline and mobile fillers. For more information, visit www.probrew.com or email [email protected] to learn exactly how we can take your operations to the next level. ProBrew, brew YOUR beer.
Tabski QR Code Ordering is the future of brewery ordering! With Tabski, your customers can order and pay for their beers right from their phones by scanning a QR Code on the table. Get rid of lengthy lines and increase check size by up to 30%! Tabski is free for operators and integrates seamlessly with popular payment systems like Clover and Square. So why not join the future of brewery ordering and give Tabski a try? Learn how you can get started today at tabski.com.
Are you ready to start canning your craft beverages? Twin Monkeys Beverage Systems is here to help. This troop of engineers, service techs, and microbrew fanatics offers customizable packaging solutions for every craft. Their canning lines are affordable, made in the USA, and engineered to grow alongside the needs of your business. Visit TwinMonkeys.net today and learn just how easy it is to get YOUR craft into cans.
Discover a whole SafLager™ range by Fermentis, covering traditional to modern-style lagers: SafLager™ S-189, for elegant lagers with floral notes, SafLager™ S-23, for fruity and hoppy ones, and SafLager™ W-34/70 for your neutral beers. - Available in 500g, 100g and 11.5g formats.
ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for over 10 years. They are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and small parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! They know the ins and outs of the brewing and installation process and can design the perfect set-up for you, whether you're just starting out or looking to expand. Contact them today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.