Master Brewers Podcast

How to tap into the power of consumer testing for even the smallest of breweries. Special Guest: Tessa Schilaty.

A Master Brewers member requested an episode about CO2 systems, CO2 quality, and best practices. Here it is. Special Guests: Dave Thomas, Eric Meyer, Gabriel Dominguez, Jeff Carter, and Mark Fischer.

An update from the fast-moving world of gene editing, as it relates to hops. Special Guest: Chris Willig.

For smaller brewers, yeast management can be a challenging prospect. Many mid-size to small breweries attempt to make a wide range of beer styles that require a plethora of yeast strains. Due to production limitations, brewers are often forced to stretch yeast pitching windows or purchase brand new yeast pitches at a dramatically high cost. A study was performed to evaluate potential media that would allow for adequate dormancy and viability of harvested yeast slurries for long term re-pitching opportunity. Various media were added to decanted yeast slurry and viability was measured over determined time periods to track health of the stored yeast. Results indicate that monopotassium phosphate, standard distilled water, alkaline mineral water, and a solution with sunflower oil all provide varying degrees of health preservation of long storage periods up to one month. Minimal changes were observed with adequate dilutions and these results will be discussed. Special Guest: Matt Couch.

An overview of the options for pasteurizing beer, and how pasteurization works at Goose Island. Special Guests: Gus Grosenbaugh and Michael Owens.

Filling equipment within a brewery is ironically one of the best places for microbial growth to thrive. There are nooks, crannies, and blind spots that beer can sneak into, which are also challenging to clean. Beer filling equipment is also constructed using a variety of different materials that require specifically tailored cleaning chemicals to prevent corrosion while working effectively to remove soil. Every brewery has a different filling operation including equipment, surrounding space, and utilities, therefore different needs for chemicals and cleaning practices. As a brewery optimizes its filler cleaning practices and chemicals, it is also essential to validate that the chemicals and method of cleaning are both working effectively. To avoid having every brewery reinvent the wheel with filler cleaning practices and save the time and money it takes to trial new processes, this presentation will share one brewery’s story of developing a robust cleaning program on both of its canning lines. We will discuss

What's the buzz in omics all about and how can it help you make better beer? Special Guests: Glen Fox, Harmonie Bettenhausen, and Laura Burns.

The Inspiring History and Legacy of American Lager Beer is envisioned to be a nine-volume series of books covering the history of the American lager brewing industry from the 1840s to the 1940s and the evolution of adjunct lager beer as America’s “national beverage.” The “surprising” aspect of this history is that it ever happened at all, given the half-century-long assault on the industry between the 1870s and 1910s to impose an “American Reinheitsgebot.” Unified in this objective were a plethora of the nation’s political, cultural, and agricultural institutions—all seeking to ban to use of rice and corn-based products in the brewing of American ales and lagers. Equally united in opposition to this effort were the brewers and brewing scientists of America. In battles that were passionate, highly public, and intense in nature, these brewing industry advocates successfully defended the right of American brewers to brew with the ingredients of their choice. It is a powerful legacy not only for America’s first r

A deep dive on beer foam with a couple of familiar guests, one of whom literally wrote the book on foam. Special Guests: Ashton Lewis and Charlie Bamforth.

Just when you thought light-struck flavor in beer was permanent... Special Guests: Catherine Villa and Keith Villa.

A couple of experts offer tips to help your brewery beat the summer heat. Special Guests: Nick Donofrio and Rissa Spalding.

Kerry Caldwell suffered severe injuries from an accident in the brewhouse. She was airlifted and overcame the 34% chance of survival calculated by the hospital. This episode is both the story of her accident and a description of a simple, inexpensive device that should be installed in your brewery to prevent similar accidents.  Special Guests: Kerry Bloxham (Caldwell) and Scott Zetterstrom.

If you have the same canning line as Jack, you might want to listen up. Special Guest: Jack Van Paepeghem.

Noise exposure may not be on your brewery's radar, but this is an area in which an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Special Guest: Jonathan Borntrager.

Can chemical analytics be used to predict what a sensory panel will taste? Can machine learning be used to improve a beer? Special Guests: Kevin Verstrepen and Michiel Schreurs.

Specialty malt freshness, roaster technology, flavor development & complexity in specialty malts, and more. Special Guests: Aaron MacLeod, Chris Schooley, and Jeff Bloem.

A unique study of California malting barley and its practical takeaways for brewers. Special Guest: Maany Ramanan.

Three people who know a lot about malting talk about base malt flavor development and the variables driving a lot of creativity in brewing. Special Guests: Aaron MacLeod, Curtis Davenport, and Sebastian Wolfrum.

What is green chemistry? How and why should you apply it in your brewery? Special Guest: Dana Garves.

Beer consumption per capita in the US has declined steadily since 1980; meanwhile, consumption of wine, cider, and spirits has increased. Keith Armstrong (https://community.mbaa.com/network/members/profile?UserKey=c158a3db-642f-4178-af4e-68c787d6316b) joins us to talk about why, as well as what brewers should be doing about it. Special Guest: Keith Armstrong.