Podcast Episode 374: Joe Wells of Fair State Brews Lagers, Ales, and More with Texture and Occasion in Mind

The Twin Cities’ Fair State Brewing Cooperative both heralds the adjunct-driven history of Upper Midwest lager brewing and pushes the craft-beverage conversation forward with an honest approach to hemp-derived THC drinks.

Jamie Bogner Aug 16, 2024 - 6 min read

Podcast Episode 374: Joe Wells of Fair State Brews Lagers, Ales, and More with Texture and Occasion in Mind   Primary Image

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Fair State Brewing Collective head brewer Joe Wells has a deep love of tradition but no fear of the future, as evidenced by his multiple foci on everything from pale lager and modern IPA to sparkling THC drinks. For him, the point is matching flavor and experience to the occasion, and Wells says he thinks about the entirety of that engagement when designing beers and other beverages.

In this episode, recorded on the eve of the World Brewing Congress in Minneapolis, Wells talks about:

  • brewing classic lager with American grains and ingredients
  • embracing the cereal mash with corn grits and rice flour, for lighter beers that don’t sacrifice character
  • lager brewing with American Noble hops
  • using Columbus Cryo in lager and IPA
  • dialing in Tetra for foam retention in adjunct lagers
  • using the cheapest ingredients as expensively as possible
  • triple decoction and its place in certain beers
  • debunking myths around conical versus horizontal lager fermentation
  • dank and sticky West Coast–style IPA
  • layering aromas like perfumers do
  • designing and making interesting hemp-derived THC beverages

And more.

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Jamie Bogner is the Cofounder and Editorial Director of Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®. Email him at [email protected].

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