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Dave Chichura loves brewing, and he loves to work. He’s always lived simply and maintained a lifestyle that allows him to move around—and move he has, from breweries in the Midwest as well as up and down the Rocky Mountains. Now, as director of brewing operations at Ex Novo in Corrales, New Mexico, he’s putting in practice all the lessons he’s learned, building and managing the brewing team as they make beers that have brought home four Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup medals over the past two and a half years.
In this episode, Chichura recounts:
- the challenges of making beer in rural environments
- scaling medal-winning Melvin beers up from three to 20 barrels
- developing his recipe-writing skill set
- selecting and using hops in West Coast IPAs
- dry-hopping techniques that do and don’t work
- managing hop creep
- asking for help with problems outside of his expertise
- becoming a better manager
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers
For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country. They are proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built over the past 30 years. They know brewing doesn’t stop at 5 o’clock and nor do they. G&D uses quality components, expert craftsmanship and constant innovation. With 24/7 service and support your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need – providing you with the peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com or call to discuss your next project.
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If you hear Old Orchard mentioned in the brewing community, don't be surprised: the flavored craft juice concentrate blends from Old Orchard have shipped to over 46 states. Their new brewing customers often mention discovering Old Orchard through the word-of-mouth recommendation of another brewer. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer.
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