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At last year’s Festival of Barrel-Aged Beers in Chicago, a relative newcomer grabbed both the silver and bronze medals in the Wild Beer Mixed Culture with Fruit category, immediately sending the crowd to flood the pouring table with requests for tastes. The brewery brand—Idyll Forest Artisan Ales—is the wild, mixed-culture passion project of Pryes Brewing cofounder Jeremy Pryes. The small production facility he’s built about 20 minutes from the main brewery is his culture and flavor laboratory.
Despite founding the brewery more than a decade ago, Pryes still spends time on the production brew deck and then makes time for his acid-forward labors of love, but the long days are worth it for Pryes. There are too many ideas to try, too many experiments to work out, and too much to learn to slow down now.
In this episode, Pryes discusses both their classic approach to “Midwest IPA” as well as the wild path he’s forging with Idyll Forest. Along the way, he touches on:
- their slow and intentional growth from alternating proprietorship to large beer hall
- the fundamental tenets of classic Midwest IPA
- challenges in selecting Simcoe with a more classic flavor profile
- how drinkers’ palates have evolved over the past decade
- changing yeast strains, making drier beers with no caramel malt, and finding balance through lower bitterness
- differentiating West Coast–style IPAs from Midwest IPAs through hop choices
- building common lanes for Idyll Forest’s wild, spontaneous, and mixed-culture beers
- the narrow IBU window between bacterial party time and lockdown
- pre-acidifying or not, depending on flavor intentions
- decisions and process around fruit additions
- using carbonic maceration of grapes to improve flavor expression
- articulating beer-blending goals through writing
- avoiding vanilla in certain fruited mixed-culture beers
And more. Note: After we recorded this episode, Pryes went on to win a World Beer Cup bronze for Soirée, which had also won bronze at FOBAB.
G&D Chillers
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ProBrew is the industry partner that brewers trust to take their operations to the next level, especially when it comes to canning their product for distribution. By partnering with ProBrew, brewers can fill and seam their canned product at ranges from 100–600 cans per minute. Our unique filling process also ensures low dissolved oxygen pickup and focuses on product quality during the entire process. For more information, visit probrew.com or email us at [email protected]. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.
You might have heard of Old Orchard, but have you heard of their newest flavors? Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to their lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. Old Orchard’s R&D team can also formulate custom blends unique to your needs. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer.
Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of eight familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Available now for made-to-order pitchables at any volume. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for more than 10 years. We are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! We 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 us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
This episode is brought to you by Yakima Chief Hops. Interested in all things hops and beer? Join Yakima Chief Hops on Aug. 28-20th for Hop & Brew School, a one-of-a-kind educational experience in Yakima, Washington, the heart of hop country. Experience the thrill of hop harvest, tour multi-generation hop farms, walk through processing facilities and attend panel sessions with industry leaders. Register at hopandbrewschool.com. Use code CBB10 for a 10% discount off your tickets.
If you’re a brewer who’s also interested in distilling, subscribe now to the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast, available on all of your favorite podcast platforms. Hosted by Sydney Jones, head distiller for FEW Spirits in Chicago, and Molly Troupe, master distiller for Freeland Spirits in Portland Oregon, this podcast explores the technical and creative processes behind great spirits, through conversations with some of the leading distillers working today. It’s everything you love about the Craft Beer & Brewing podcast, but focused on distilling. Click on the link in the show notes and give it a listen!