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Great Lakes in Cleveland is an American craft beer institution—a brewery that got its start in the late ’80s, when the concept of smaller breweries still seemed foreign to most drinkers. Now, 36 years later, the scale is much larger than it was in those early days on the seven-barrel pub system—yet some of those early brands persevere. While those beers inevitably evolve amid shifts in scale and tastes, the core ideas that inform them haven’t changed.
In this episode, longtime brewmaster Mark Hunger and co-CEO Steven Pauwels, the former brewmaster at Kansas City’s Boulevard, talk about that evolution as well as new developments in hop-forward beers. Along the way, they touch on:
- brewing lager with proprietary yeast for a signature brewery flavor
- using pressurized fermentation and warmer temperatures for faster lagers
- using automation while double-checking with human testing
- adding a touch of dryness and drinkability through sparge pH adjustment
- using sulfur as a tool for flavor and shelf stability
- Oregon-grown Mt. Hood hops for American lager character
- evaluating Munich malt for their annual Oktoberfest beer
- using public variety hops such as Triumph, but not Centennial, in Midwest-style IPA
- brewing filtered, clear IPA with London Ale III yeast
And more.
G&D Chillers
At G&D Chillers we always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with us as you Build Great Beer. Andy Joynt of Big Grove Brewery says, “We have been using G&D Chillers from the beginning. From our original 3.5-barrel pub system to our production brewery, we have been able to rely on G&D to provide a high-quality chiller, help us with design and layout, and provide support whenever we need it.” Choose G&D Chillers on your next expansion or brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote Control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller!
ProBrew is excited to now offer 2–4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. These models are available in 100–300 can per minute filling speeds and are built with a focus on scalability and low dissolved oxygen pickup. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at [email protected] or call us at 262-278-4945. 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.
Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V (pronounced “five”). Using their Lumina technology, Omega genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Perfect for modern West Coast IPAs. Learn more at [email protected].
Seam defects caused by minimal overlap may not be immediately apparent, but they can become problematic during distribution, leading to leaky pallets. Just because you're not experiencing leaks at your facility doesn't mean you're entirely safe. RSS MACLIN offers training to help you understand not only what is happening with your can seams but also what you can do to fix it. Our comprehensive training ensures that you are equipped to identify and make proper corrective actions before they escalate. Visit us at RSSMACLIN.com or email [email protected].
If you’re a brewery or distillery in planning, or interested in adding a brewery or distillery to your existing craft-beverage business, visit breweryworkshop.com now and secure your spot in our upcoming Brewery and Distillery Workshop, this September in Fort Collins, Colorado. Opening or purchasing a brewery or distillery today is rife with challenges, and the things you don’t know that you don’t know could be the difference between failure and success. Invest in the success of your business with this four-day intensive filled with panel discussions, small group sessions, technical tours, and more. Learn more at breweryworkshop.com.
Indie Hops breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties—Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian, and Audacia—to modernize, brighten, and diversify their beer lineup. Indie also offers classics that thrive in Oregon terroir such as Chinook, Crystal, and Sterling. Thoughtfully crafted and selected hops to meet your brewing needs. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Indie Hops—Life is short, let’s make it flavorful!
Berkeley Yeast. Founded by bioengineers. Yeast that’s designed to improve flavor, quality, and consistency; increase efficiency; and save you money. If you’ve been following yeast, you’ve heard about our strains: Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest Southern Hemisphere hops. And, we just dropped new strains that are even more futuristic. Nationwide free shipping. Mention this podcast for 20 percent off your first order.