An Ode to our Pilot Brew System
Part kitchen, part lab, part playground it’s true
Our Pilot Brew System is where all can come brew
We use it to craft our new recipe creations
We use it to brew experimental libations
We use it for teaching and tour narrations
We use it quite often for collaborations
Yes our Pilot Brew System is our heart and our soul
Crafting Five Barrel Batches of love is the goal
So won’t you please join us for a pint glass or two
Of a deliciously hand crafted unique Pilot Brew

Belgian Brewers have never played by the rules of style, so it seems a bit ironic to try to emulate a Belgian “Style” of beer. Luckily we are not emulating, but rethinking and brewing what we think a Strong Belgian Golden represents in liquid form. With each step of the process we learn bits about the beer we want to ultimately brew for release as a 750ml Single Serve. Each step, however, can be as, or even more, interesting than the final product. Those fortunate enough to make it in to our tap room and try the pilot brews for this project will be able to taste, smell, and see small nuances each recipe tries to reveal. Nuances that will ultimately make up the whole of the final beer. Derrideans, or any deconstructionists for that matter, rejoice!

The first pilot brew was not without excitement. Due to some minor problems with malt crush due to our mill, (and losing some malt as a result of a malfunctioning diversion tube) our lautering efficiency and simplicity greatly decreased and made for a much longer runoff time and one stuck mash. The brew was otherwise smooth and in the end we achieved the desired pale color. For this beer we imported all of our base malts from the Belgian Maltster, Castle Malting. The Pilsner Malt we use contributed to the dry earthy farmhouse style finish and kept the beer light and pale in color. Being hopheads we naturally added a generous amount of hops throughout the process; First Gold, Tettnanger, Amarillo in the kettle and a hopback full of spicy Saaz. Each hop addition and variety was selected because of its complimentary quality to the yeast characteristic we were desiring. For yeast, we added 3 different strains (2 Belgian and our House) and developed a fermentation schedule to accentuate particular characteristics from each. Although this particular brew is not a Strong Belgian Golden, it is a dangerously drinkable 7% ABV Belgian inspired Pale Ale we like to refer to as De Oogst – “The Harvest.” Van Gogh Painted-We Brew!

Some photos from the first Strong Belgian Golden Pilot Brew:

Op uw gezondheid! – “Cheers!”

Joe Mohrfeld

It was golden ales not golden shovels on June 9th, as we officially broke ground on our expansion. The project includes an expansion of our existing manufacturing, office, and tap room spaces. While we are expanding capacity, we are really viewing this as an investment in innovation. Not only will we gain much needed space, the expanded brewery will also improve our creative brewing processes with investments such as a single-serve packaging line and a new barrel aging cellar.

We partnered with local businesses RB+B Architects, BHA Designs, Northern Engineering, and Delta Construction for the project. We have also incorporated multiple environmentally friendly installations and “green” considerations in the plans. The design team made a concerted effort to create a facility that is both healthy and efficient.