Munkle Brewing - Charleston, SC12/18/2024   It’s a Southern state of mind @themunklebrewingco.
Award-winning head brewer, Joe Bowden, and owner, Palmer Quimby, have constructed an abbey-like oasis in the heart of Charleston, SC. From their Belgian-style brews to their crushable Lagers, Munkle is your destination for some of the South’s best suds. • Munkle opened its doors on October 19th, 2017. • Palmer started home-brewing in 2009, while Joe began back in 2003. Joe started his professional brewing journey @equinoxbrewing and @cbpottscollindale before settling in as the head brewer at Munkle in 2017. • The first beer brewed at Munkle was their Brugge City Brune, a lovely Belgian-Style Brown Ale (6.2% ABV). • Munkle brews with a 20 BBL Newlands two vessel steam brewhouse. The brewery houses six 40 BBL conical fermenters and four 40 BBL brite tanks. • Joe loves to brew the Munk Pils, their top selling German-Style Pilsner. Palmer believes all their beers are his children, and it’s hard to pick just one. He does look forward to Fest Bier season though. • One of the hardest challenges at Munkle is continuing to evolve and stay relevant in a shrinking market. It’s about making beers they want to drink, and not about chasing trends. • Future plans for Munkle include some delicious beers currently resting in rum, brandy, and bourbon casks. They also have a collaboration coming up with their friends down the street @coastbrewing. • Want another reason to stop in? Munkle has some of the best beer prices in the state. They recently won two 2024 @greatamericanbeerfestival awards for their Lager and their Wit (featured in the photos). • When Joe and Palmer aren’t drinking Munkle brews, you can catch them sipping @pabstblueribbon, @coorsbanquet or @millerhighlife. • Life away from the brewery, for Joe, includes gardening, cooking and golf. Palmer enjoys spending time with his wife and their two pups…and golf too, when he can get a round in. 😉 On your way to Charleston? Looking for a great brewery to quench your thirst? Make Munkle your next destination. #explorecharleston #brewery #visitcharleston #scbeer#belgianbeer
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Grace Weitz - Hop Culture5/16/2024  Get to know Grace, the Senior Content Editor behind some of the juiciest scoops and craft brewing recommendations @hopculturemag and @untappd. • Grace started working for Hop Culture in 2017 while attending grad school at NYU. Answering an ad, placed by founder Kenny Gould, Grace began a career in beer journalism as an intern. Seven years later, it was the best decision Grace made. • Grace began writing and editing in high school. Instead of pursuing a career in sports journalism, Grace started as a brand ambassador for @3sheepsbrewing and eventually worked full time selling beer @5rabbitbrewery. A career at Hop Culture brought it all together—beer and writing. • The first article Grace wrote for Hop Culture was, “The Fermenting Ecosystem: Scratch Brewing in Ava, IL.” With dad in tow, the pair traveled two hours by car to gather the story on @scratchbeer Co-Founder, Marika Josephson. • Juicy beer writing around the world. That’s how Grace describes the ethos of Hop Culture. HC aims to make craft beer more inclusive, positive, accessible, sustainable, and fun by writing and sharing stories about the people, trends, and culture of beer. • Favorite beer? Well, it changes with the season, naturally. But lately, Grace enjoys a Czech Pale Lager or a Munich Dunkel. • The hardest challenge Grace has faced working at Hop Culture has been starting a femme-identifying, and non-binary beer festival called, Beers With(out) Beards. The festival was conceptualized as part of Grace’s grad thesis. Grace has hosted five festivals and started Queer Beer in 2021. • Some future plans for Hop Culture include truly embracing their status as a worldwide publication. Beer didn’t start in Anglocentric cultures. Grace wants to highlight beer cultures globally. • Why check out Hop Culture? Want to know about the best breweries in London? Tokyo? Buenos Aires? How about learning about a certain beer style? If you’re thirsty, and curious, Hop Culture is the magazine for you. • Having grown up in Minnesota, Grace loves @hammsthebeer. Otherwise, it’s @millerhighlife in stubbies. • When not deep in a story, Grace enjoys watching British detective TV, and cheering on the Vikings. Bierstadt Lagerhaus - Denver, CO12/15/2023  Get to know your brewer @bierstadtlager. Meet Ashleigh—head brewer, self-professed Lagerhead, and all around badass. She, and her husband, Bill, are the owners and operators of one of Denver’s most popular breweries: Bierstadt Lagerhaus. • Bierstadt opened its doors in August 2016–bringing you some of the best Lagers in the country. • Ashleigh has been brewing professionally since August of 2011. • The first beer she brewed at Bierstadt was an IPL collaboration with @comradebrewing, in order to test out their brewhouse before making their core beers: the Slow Pour Pils, Helles, and Dunkel. • Bierstadt brews with a 30 bbl system. They utilize eight 100+ bbl horizontal fermenters for those delicious Lagers. • Ashleigh’s favorite style to brew would be, you guessed it, Lagers. That’s the only style they make at Bierstadt. Their philosophy is, “Do one style, but do it well.” • The hardest challenge she’s faced as the head brewer would be just improving—to get more dialed in every day and not be complacent. Her most challenging skill would be learning packaging. It wasn’t a skill she opened the brewery with and had to learn quickly. • Unlike other breweries, you won’t catch Bierstadt planning on new beers. Ashleigh loves doing collabs with friends, and she emphasizes the importance of Bierstadt getting in a groove and continuing to make their core offerings exceptional. • A great reason to stop by Bierstadt would be the fact they make some of the best Lagers in the business. They are committed to making Lagers traditionally, with patience, and serving it well. She wants one to feel like you haven’t visited Denver without a stop at Bierstadt. • Asleigh’s favorite lawnmower beer would be @coorsbanquetor @theoriginalolympia. • When she’s not brewing, you can catch Ashleigh hanging out with her dog, traveling, drinking Lagers and talking shit. Oh, and she makes some mean tortillas. Next time you’re in Denver, make sure to stop by Bierstadt and savor their excellent array of Lagers. It’s not a trip to Denver without a visit. 😉 Pryes Brewing - Minneapolis, MN8/10/2023  Get to know your brewer @pryesbrewing and @idyllforestartisanales. Meet Jeremy Pryes. He’s the founder, head brewer, and creative genius at Pryes Brewing and Idyll Forest Artisan Ales. • Pryes first opened in Minnetonka in 2012 under a dual proprietorship with Lucid Brewing. This allowed Pryes to use their equipment while supplying their own malt, hops and yeast. They brewed with @badweatherbrew, @inboundbrewco and @badgerhillbeer as a kind of “brewery incubator” program. Four top MN breweries came out of Lucid’s facility! Pryes, as you know it now, opened its doors in 2017. • Jeremy was a home brewer (beer, ciders, mead) for 12 years before getting his brewing degree at the American Brewers Guild. He’s now been brewing professionally for 11 years. • The first beer he brewed at Pryes was Miraculum, their flagship Midwest IPA—first designed at Lucid in 2012. • Pryes Brewing currently operates a 15bbl, three vessel hybrid system. This allows an overlap of turns on a brew day. • Jeremy’s favorite style to brew is what you see above—his Lambic-influenced/mixed culture program: Idyll Forest. He formed Idyll Forest to explore where flavors can go. It embodies a hands-on approach to create these exceptional hybrids—a true farm-to-table or grain-to-glass experience. • The hardest challenge for Jeremy has been raw materials. Ingredients are never the same because Mother Nature doesn’t care about consistency like brewers do. • Future plans at Idyll Forest include releasing a Cider Hybrid series. His custom coolship allows the production of these hybrids with what is in the air at any given time. It’s a celebration of the day, if you will. • A good reason to stop by Pryes is their new expanded taproom—and also their exceptional shows and music acts put together by the wizard, @drewkoe. • Jeremy’s favorite lawnmower beer would be @buschbeer. He once had 13 in an afternoon on a bet, but just ended up very full. Not even tipsy, just full. 😆 • When he’s not brewing, you can catch him with his wonderful wife and two kids at a local park. At night, he’s probably getting primal around a campfire. He doesn’t have an off switch yet, but he’s working on it.  Get to know your brewer @boathouse_bros. Meet Emmett. He’s the owner, head brewer, and resident prankster at Boathouse Brothers Brewing in Prior Lake, MN. • Boathouse Brothers opened their doors on April 20th, 2018. • Emmett started brewing at age 11 (he jokes as he explains his disappointment when he found out his dad’s @mrbeer kit wasn’t producing root beer). Fifteen years later, a session at Vine Park turned him on to the home brewing world. • The first beer Emmett made for Boathouse was the CTZ IPA—a simple smash brew to see how the bigger equipment would work with his recipe designs. • The brewery has a 3bbl brewhouse, and a cellar of four 3bbl and five 7bbl fermenters, for double batches. • Emmett’s favorite style to drink would be a Märzen. His favorite style to brew would be his Pilsners—something about that clean, crisp Lager that makes trickier parts of brewing fun. • The hardest challenge he’s faced at Boathouse has been equipment that seems to break or malfunction at inopportune times. • Future plans for the brewery include expanding to a 7bbl system (but he’s going to have to figure out the logistics of how to raise the ceiling first). • A great reason to stop by Boathouse Brewing this year would be their multiple tap lines and constant rotation. They’ve put around 100 different beers on their menu in the last five years! Emmett isn’t afraid to put different beer styles on nitro either. • Emmett’s favorite crushable lawnmower beer would be Purgatory Pils from @unmappedbrewing. It’s crisp, cold, and a reliable old friend. When he’s not brewing, you can catch Emmett playing Legos with his “assistant” brewer son, Soren. Emmett and his wife do a fantastic job with charity beers, and have organized some fun and philanthropic events in the taproom. If you’ve never made your way to Prior Lake before, stop on in to Boathouse Brothers. You never know what delicious styles will be on tap next! Zilker Brewing - Austin, TX5/25/2023   Get to know @zilkerbeer. Meet Dan and Marco. Dan’s the Chief Brewing Officer, aka head brewer, and Marco is the Director of Brewing Operations, one of the principal owners (along with Patrick and Forrest Clark) of Zilker Brewing in Austin, TX. • Zilker opened its doors in 2015, after years of Marco, Patrick and Forrest dialing in their award-winning beers. Dan came on board as head brewer in January 2021. • Dan’s first commercial brewing job came @gordonbiersch in San Diego. Later, he worked as the head brewer @rockbottombrewery in La Jolla, CA, before opening the brewpub, Puesto Cerveceria. Marco volunteered @jesterkingbrewery for three years, being a jack of all trades (bottling, cleaning, milling) and even some koelschip work before plying his trade creating beers for Zilker. • The first beer Dan brewed at Zilker was Parks & Rec Pale Ale. The first beer he designed was a Czech Style Pilsner. Marco’s first beer was, you guessed it, the beer that became Marco IPA. • Zilker utilizes a 15bbl two-vessel brewhouse, with five 15bbl, seven 30bbl, and three 60bbl fermenters. • Dan’s favorite style to make at Zilker is any seasonal Lager or clear IPA. • Production demands are the biggest challenge at Zilker. Making as much beer as possible seems straightforward, but it’s a multifaceted challenge. “Good problems,” but problems nonetheless. • Future plans for Zilker include a packed schedule of seasonal releases and one-off collaborations. Keep an eye out for new collabs dropping! • A great reason to stop by Zilker would be their super fresh hoppy beers of all clarity levels. And don’t forget their expanded patio with @spicyboyschicken! • Dan’s favorite crushable lawnmower beer would be Budweiser. Otherwise, you can catch him sipping Hans Pils by @realalebrewing, with Marco apparently, because it’s his favorite crushable beer as well! • When he’s not working, you can find Dan going to shows, playing guitar, and hanging out with his wife…and designing new beers. Marco enjoys cooking brisket, exercising, and recently took up classes in Español. Lotus Beverage Alliance - Lincoln, NE5/17/2023  Get to know the CEO of @lotusbevall. Meet John Ansbro, Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed Lotus Beverage Alliance. This $100 million merger of six different craft beverage entities— @automatedextractions, @brewmation, @gwkent_equipment, @stouttanks, @alphabrewops and @twinmonkeysbeveragesystems—will allow manufacturers, and breweries of all sizes, access to the most comprehensive array of products for every step of the craft brewing process. And we’re not just talking about beer. Lotus covers wine, hard cider, spirits, cold brew coffee, kombucha, sake and CBD/THC-infused beverages as well. John has had over 30 years of equipment manufacturing and infrastructure experience and was tabbed to lead this joint venture. The five founders of the six merged companies will also remain in senior leadership positions in order to keep years of relationships and product knowledge within the company. It’s important to Lotus, as John says, “To go the extra mile for our customers. Most of our sales people are craft brewers themselves, or have brewery experience.” Lotus also offers financing in as little as 24 hours, so that breweries can get on their feet, or secure the equipment they need. Although 80% of their business focuses on the beer and wine space, Lotus is pushing into other markets to assist brewers in the fields of kombucha, specialty coffees, ready-to-drink cocktail beverages, and more. Lotus is an end-to-end supplier—a one stop shop. Beyond hardware, they also specialize in consumables. Their vast network includes the ability to secure malt and specialty ingredients, or even cleaning agents. Brewers can rest easy knowing they can connect with Lotus for all of their brewing needs. Lotus is driven by continued innovation, growth, and expert end-to-end customer service and support. They are an employee-owned company with a bold vision to both facilitate, and simplify, the business of brewing. So, the simple question is, could Lotus be the next Amazon for brewing? Hayes' Public House - Buffalo, MN3/10/2023  Get to know your brewer @hayespublichouse. Meet Pugs. He’s the owner, head brewer, and flat cap extraordinaire at Hayes’ Public House in Buffalo, MN. The only place with SIX beer engines in the state! Together, with his right hand man, Jake, they make some of the best traditional ales in MN. • Hayes’ opened its doors on November 19th, 2013. • Prior to the brewery opening, Pugs had been home brewing for about seven years. • The first beer he brewed at Hayes’ was their Irish Stout, still his go-to beer. It is simply one of the best beers they have, especially on the hand-pull. • Hayes’ brews off of a 7 bbl system by @pdxkettleworks, artfully engineered to brew high-gravity beers (it can be pushed to 8 bbls, if needed). They have four 7 bbl fermenters and one 15 bbl fermenter. • The hardest challenge for Pugs has been staying relevant in a world of ever-changing beer trends. Staying on top of your creative game is vital. • Future plans for the brewery include expanding into different packaging sizes for customers. They would love to be able to expand the taproom to accommodate more seating as well. • Reasons to stop by Hayes’ are their six traditional hand pulls, live music, and a patio that overlooks Buffalo Lake. Also, they plan on having a three day event for St. Patrick’s Day next weekend. 🍀 • His favorite lawnmower beer would be either @hammsthebeer or @oldstylebeer. • When he’s not brewing, you can catch Pugs at car shows, music events, or even swing dancing with his lady. He loves to cruise around in his 1946 Chevy Coupe. If you get the chance, pick a day next weekend to go visit one of the most authentic Irish taprooms in Minnesota for St. Paddy’s. That Irish Stout on the beer engine will be worth it.  Get to know your brewer @heavyrotationbrewing. Meet Josh. He’s the head brewer, and henchman of Hazies, at Heavy Rotation Brewing in Brooklyn Park, MN. • Construction of HRB started in November of 2021, and they opened their doors April 8th, 2022. Their one year anniversary is coming up! • Josh first began home brewing in 2010. He’s had recent stints @wickedwortbrewingcompany and later, in packaging, with the good folks @utepilsbrewing. • The first beer Josh brewed at HRB was their Zwickelbier—a fresh, sessionable, slightly hoppy Pilsner. • HRB uses a 3.5 bbl, three vessel electric brewhouse by @blichmannengineering. They also have eight 3.5 bbl stainless @ssbrewtech unitanks. • Josh loves to brew what he likes to drink. And for him, that’s definitely his Vienna Lager and the English Dark Mild. • There haven’t been too many hiccups at HRB, thankfully. Josh says he leaned pretty heavily on @brewermichaels at Venn Brewing and @tombergmpls at Falling Knife. Both guys were excellent resources for HRB. Proper carbonation in a fermentation vessel can also be a finicky leaning curve too. • Heavy Rotation just started offering four-packs of 12 oz bottles from their taproom. They’ll be starting a small barrel-aging program this year. HRB just recently teamed up with Minnesota legend, @gablesteveson. Check the beer out! • HRB always has 16 different beers on tap. Their smaller system allows them to consistently put out new beers. They also have a free arcade! • Josh’s favorite lawnmower beer would be @modelousa, both Especial and Negra. • When he’s not brewing, you can catch Josh spending time with his partner, Jessi, and their two dogs, Bogart and Jimmy. He loves to cook, camp, and kayak. ABV Technology - St. Paul, MN1/30/2023  Get to know the head of NA craft beer pioneer, @abvtechnology. Meet Ben, CEO of ABV Technology in St. Paul, MN. ABV has been turning your favorite craft beer into delicious nonalcoholic beverages, from Stouts to Cold IPAs. They’ve ramped up the inclusivity game in the national craft beer scene. • ABV Technology incorporated in 2017, spending the first three years developing their Equalizer: a dealcolyzer that removes the ethanol from regular craft beer. In 2020, they also came up with their Analyzer: their ABV% measuring device for craft beverage manufacturers. • ABV services over a third of Minnesota’s craft breweries. Currently, you can find their NAs on tap at 36 breweries across the state! • The first NA beer they produced for sale was the Helles from @bauhausbrewlabs. Bauhaus has been a leader in the MN craft NA scene for five years, with five distinct Nah beers both on tap and in cans. • Their Equalizers allow producers to make 32 gallons of NA beverages per hour. They can process approximately 6000 bbls of craft NA beer per year. The added benefit is nearly the same amount of clear, filtered alcoholic beverage is produced (used as a base for most seltzers around town). • Ben enjoys a clean, crisp NA Lager the most. Right now he’s drinking a ton of the NA Cream Ale from @ursa_minor_brewing. • The biggest challenge ABV has faced has been the turbulent market during this nascent NA scene. ABV was a pioneer in the craft NA world. Navigating the early years of the pandemic with a nonalcoholic beverage business was difficult, but now the tide has swung and NAs are one of the largest growing beer options. • ABV is looking forward to expanding their offerings to craft wineries, cideries, and more. They’ve established a presence on both coasts and in Canada as well. • A good reason to enjoy an NA is that their craft NAs always start as a fully fermented beverage. The flavors, aromas, and experience of your favorite beer styles are carried over to an ABV NA. • Ben enjoys crushing crisp Lagers, especially the Kellar Pils from @summitbeer. • When he’s not working, you can catch Ben gardening, running, cooking or procrastinating home repairs. |
