Beer-articles 930

Pairing drinks with food can often lead you to either delicate wines with intricate floral, herbal, and mineral aromas, or a full-bodied, frothy beer that pairs well with your meal. Particularly with fried food, many people find themselves yearning for a refreshing beer.

Ideally, the beer you choose should echo the flavours of your meal while simultaneously balancing its texture and weight. Jessie Massie, Taproom Executive Chef at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., suggests that a pale ale is an excellent choice of beer to consume with fried food.

Massie explains to the Daily Meal that “A universally suitable choice would be a traditional bar-style beer like a pale ale. A quality English-style or American pale ale can both cut through rich fatty flavors to cleanse the palate and also complement fry batter spices with approachable hoppy aromas.”

Pale ales are medium-bodied, gold or amber-hued beers, closely related to the IPA, that offer a wide array of flavors and fragrances due to their high hop content. They can be somewhat bitter with hints of bread and toast, and usually have significant carbonation. Pale ales are able to find the perfect balance of being adaptable and flavourful without being overpowering, making them the perfect accompaniment for your favourite deep-fried foods.

Read more: 10 Of The Healthiest Beers You Can Drink

Pairing food and drink is an art, not a science, with many different directions one can take. The factors to pay attention to are, of course, the flavors of the food, as well as the mouthfeel and general eating experience. Fried foods like chicken wings or French fries are saturated with oil, which can dominate the palate and make it hard to sense more delicate flavors. When choosing a beer, you’ll want one that has strong enough flavors to stand up to heavy food, and a healthy amount of carbonation to break up the residual fat left on your palate.

American-style pale ales (also known as APAs) tend to be more carbonated than English pale ales (also known as ESBs, or extra special bitters), so if you’re eating something really greasy, you may want to go American to thoroughly cleanse your palate. In either case, the beer’s flavor won’t get lost in the richness of the food, and the carbonation will be extra refreshing between bites.

Massie also advises diners to pay attention to the IBU of a beer, which stands for International Bitterness Units and, as you can probably guess, measures how bitter a beer is. Pale ales typically have an IBU in the range of 30 to 50 (with a score of 120 indicating maximum bitterness), and Massie advises diners to lean toward the lower end of this range.

“Bitterness isn’t all bad, but not all dishes will benefit from a bitter beer,” Massie said. “Generally with fried foods, like classic pub foods, I usually recommend going middle-of-the-road and choosing a beer somewhere in the range of 25 to 45 IBU.” Most breweries don’t print the IBUs on bottle labels, so you might want to do a little research before hitting the store.

The actual flavor notes of both styles of pale ales can vary widely, but English pale ales tend to have a little bit more malty sweetness alongside the hoppy bitterness, offering notes of caramel or toffee. American pale ales typically offer more hops and are known for their more bitter flavor profiles. In fact, the company Massie works for, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., is generally recognized as having invented this style of beer through its incorporation of Cascade hops, which offers a grapefruit-like taste and aroma. American-style pale ales will be predictably easier to find in the U.S. than other kinds, especially if you don’t have access to a solid bottle shop.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.

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A Florida man was arrested after throwing a beer at a vehicle he believed was going too fast in his neighborhood, subsequently leading him to shoot his AR-15 rifle, according to officials.

Eric Proctor told investigators that he threw a beer can at a vehicle because the driver was speeding in the neighborhood and that he then confronted the driver about speeding, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a video posted to social media.

Proctor said he was going to grab his AR-15 and returned to fire his gun, Judd said.

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Eric Proctor said he threw a beer can at a vehicle because the driver was speeding in the neighborhood, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. He later confronted the driver about driving too fast. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)

“He went to his house, and he comes out with his rifle, and the dude shoots three times,” Judd said. “Once in the air and twice on the ground.”

Deputies said Proctor denied the allegations against him, but Judd revealed neighborhood video footage showing a man believed to be Proctor in the act.

FLORIDA MOTHER, SCHOOL-AGED DAUGHTER SURVIVE ‘FREAK ACCIDENT’ AFTER TIRE SMASHES THROUGH WINDSHIELD: POLICE

Neighborhood video footage captured a man believed to be Eric Proctor carrying his rifle back into the house after shooting it at the ground and in the air. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)

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Proctor is facing felony charges of aggravated assault and is being held in the county jail.

“If you’re that stirred up, just call us,” Judd said. “We’ll deal with it, and you won’t end up in jail charged with a felony.”

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One of the Triangle’s most revered and frequented bottle shop brands is scheduled to shut its doors next month.

The proprietor of Sam’s Bottle Shop made the announcement that its South Durham beer haven will cease operations on Feb. 11, marking a decade-long journey.

The terminus symbolizes the end of an even more extended saga for the Sam’s brand, an influential figure in inciting the Triangle’s fondness for artisanal beer, through its entities Sam’s Quik Shop and Bottle Shop.

“The last 40 years, out of the total 80 years of our family business, have been an enormous blessing for me,” expressed owner John Boy in a video release on the Sam’s Bottle Shop Facebook page. “Over these years, I’ve become acquainted with countless customers, industry insiders and struck up many friendships. The layers of love and support from all of you have been heartwarming. Taking leave is proving to be a profound challenge.”

Sam’s Bottle Shop was established in 2014 and despite its closure after 10 years, its commitment to advocating for craft beer in the Triangle remains as part of its heritage.

Back in 1947, Carl Boy and his family began a gas station business on Erwin Road in Durham, which eventually transitioned into the Blue Light Restaurant.

Upon the restaurant’s closure in 1974, it was transformed into Sam’s Quik Shop, functioning as a convenience store.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, according to John Boy, his mother Gerry ensured a variety of beer options that extended beyond typical American brands. Under her influence, the Quik Shop highlighted imported beers and, to the extent possible at the time, craft beers.

John Boy indicated that as the demand for craft beer rose, the Quik Stop’s business model gradually transitioned from a traditional convenience store model to resemble that of a bottle shop more closely.

In recent years, Sam’s Quik Shop, under the management of John Boy, the grandson of Carl, shifted its focus onto craft beer from the United States and the rest of the world. It was one of the select locations in Triangle where enthusiasts of beer could consistently locate the latest west coast IPA, unique Belgian lambics, and much more.

In a telephonic conversation, Boy commented, “Its popularity continued to grow exponentially. As the demand increased, other sections of the store were gradually phased out and replaced with craft beer. It is important to note that this transformation would never have been possible if my mother had not started selling the then-available beer. At that time, no other store was venturing into this.”

John Boy sold the property situated on Erwin Road to a real estate developer named Wilmorite Construction in 2018. The deal was valued at $5 million. Subsequently, Sam’s Quik Shop had to shut down towards the year’s end. Presently, a seven-story student housing complex named Blue Light Living occupies that site, which pays homage to the previous occupant Blue Light Restaurant.

In closing Sam’s Quik Shop, Boy noted the property’s legacy and various forms in Durham.

“I would like to thank the generations of customers and employees that have walked through the doors of The Blue Light and Sam’s Quik Shop,” Boy said in the Facebook post on Dec. 31, 2018. “Thank you for your support, loyalty and your neighbor-like spirit. This is not an easy decision to come to and I thought about so many things, my parents, me growing up in this store, the changing times from when it was a diner & drive-in to a convenience store with movie rentals and a large beer selection to the premier beer store in North Carolina it has become today.”

Sam’s Bottle Shop continued on for the last five years, offering a larger retail and drinking space and a rooftop bar. Boy owns the Bottle Shop building and said there isn’t yet another business lined up to take it over.

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On a recent trip, I met a bartender named Nick who hailed from Belgium. Having never been there, I grilled him about certain Belgian beers and how they were viewed in his homeland.

We covered a wide span of topics, but what found most interesting about our chat was Nick’s combination of semi-surprise and minor confusion – let’s call it puzzlement – over the seemingly endless plethora of beer choices outside his country.

Belgium is known for some of the best beers going, but Nick said he was amazed about how many variations of the same styles can be found even in one bar. He said that in Belgium, most bars might have between five and eight taps, but also more bottled beer than in many other countries he’s been to.

It certainly didn’t seem like a complaint. Likewise, I sometimes ruminate on the cornucopia of beer choices with at least a small bit of bemusement. And like Nick, my thoughts don’t represent any sort of criticism. But I do wonder if the seemingly endless parade of variety is necessary. There doesn’t seem to be any downside: “the more, the merrier” and all that sort of thing, right?

And people love having choices and options. I know I do.

But Nick mentioned one problem with having so many options in one bar.

“It would be hard to control myself and not try them all,” he said, tongue in cheek.

This led me to wonder if there is such a thing as too many choices.

I’m sure we’ve all faced decisions where the options seemed overwhelming and we wished for a narrower field of choices. Sometimes certain details of a decision aren’t that important to us, and we’d just rather not have to deal with them.

With beer, I have seen customers walk into a bar with dozens of beers on tap and look a bit bewildered. Maybe they’re new to craft beer or maybe they’re just casual fans. Now, let’s assume that they know they like IPAs in general, but aren’t overly familiar with all the nuances the style has to offer.

They stare at the beer menu or lineup of tap handles and see four or five different IPAs (which isn’t unusual these days). While a lot of beer bars gladly give out samples, Nick winced a little about dealing with this type of situation.

“I can see giving two or three tastes, but not five,” he said.

And even for me, having a surfeit of choices can give me pause. Sometimes it’s just difficult to make up your mind. What if you choose wrong?

Well, the good thing about beer is that you can always choose again. And that’s better than having restricted options, right?

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The real reason root beer was invented wasn’t for the creation of root beer floats, although these delightful ice cream based drinks are a wonderful fringe benefit. It was actually a result of colonial settlers’ innovation to attempt beer production without hops. Despite not becoming a true beer, this beverage has developed its own unique place in our assortment of drink choices over time. Root beer has earned its position in the cooling box full of soda for outdoor gatherings, but interestingly, it also has a place in your favourite pot of chili. This seemingly odd inclusion may actually be a secret weapon to make this well-loved dish enjoyable for both children and adults.

The addition of root beer provides the chili with both a subtle sweetness and a sharp, herbal spice that gastronomy enthusiasts will find tantalizing on the palate. This fizzy drink incorporates flavours extracted from sassafras root, licorice, wintergreen, vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, molasses, and sugar. These are all flavours that perfectly complement a bowl of chili. The soda’s sweetness is well-balanced and helps to alleviate some of the spiciness of the chili recipe. Simply replace some of your tomato juice with root beer or use it instead of the beer that you would normally add.

Read more: Tips You Need When Cooking With Ground Beef

However, it’s important to remember to add your root beer to your chili slowly due to the carbonation. Bubbles will fizz and sizzle when exposed to heat. As the root beer cooks along with your ingredients, its flavour is going to intensify, and it will assist in tenderizing the meat in your hearty winter dish.

Be careful about being heavy-handed when you pour. Root beer, by its nature, is sweet, so it may take some trial and error to discover just how much of it you want to add. Some recipes call for a single can while others suggest using more. Just remember, chili is about balance. You want to make certain the sweet, the savory, and the heat are all aligned. If one is out of sync, it throws the whole pot off. So, if you find your chili is teetering towards too sweet, reach for a little squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar to smooth it out. Try this root beer trick the next time you make Texas red chili or live on the wild side and give your classic Cincinnati chili a new take.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

Carmen Wilson, Will (the can designer), and Joe Gow take a picture together with the “Hot for Chancellor” sour ale at 608 Brewing Co.

The UW-La Crosse Chancellor, Joe Gow, who was recently dismissed because he was sharing adult content videos with his wife, is now being made fun of through a new beer that was released on Tuesday at a brewing company in La Crosse.

The sour ale which comes from 608 Brewing Co is titled “Hot for Chancellor” to hint at Van Halen’s famous song “Hot for Teacher”. The sour ale has a variety of fruity flavors including cherries, apricots, peaches, and vanilla. It also has an alcohol content of 5 percent.

The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents dismissed Gow on December 27. The reason for his dismissal was because he starred in and shared online explicit movies that featured himself, his wife, and other adult actors. Despite the circumstances, Gow defended his actions by claiming it fell under protected speech.

General Manager at 608 Brewing Co. Justin Kotlarz pours a glass of the brewery’s “Hot for Chancellor” beer on Thursday, Jan 11. The limited edition beer cans sold out in 30 minutes, and the remaining brew will be available on tap until it runs out.

Key developments in the firing of UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow for appearing in pornographic films

608 Brewing Co. owner Phil Humphrey said the sour beer was already on hand as the Gow story was coming to light. Normally, it would take two to three weeks to get a new beer going.

The 608 Brewing staff came up with the can design on a whim, knowing the sour beer was available for a new design. The presentation came together more quickly than most of ideas as the process took off.

“We don’t get a whole lot of things in La Crosse that go national in a way that’s not highly political. We prefer to steer clear from the intense political dramas. So, it happened rather unexpectedly I guess,” Humphrey articulated. “There isn’t a concrete reason or precedent of how it occurred, we were merely tossing around ideas.”

An exemplar can of 608 Brewing Company’s “Hot for Chancellor beer,” boasts an artistic rendering of the former UW-L Chancellor Joe Gow, who was dismissed from his role in December.

Gow and his wife made a visit to the brewery on Wednesday and posed for a photo with the creative mind behind the can design. Humphrey indicated that the couple appeared to be enjoying the playful design and were supportive of the concept.

“They didn’t appear to interpret it as a form of slander or anything of that sort — which it clearly was not. We were simply making light of the entire situation. They expressed their fondness of the beer and conveyed their gratitude,” Humphrey pointed out. “For us, this is somewhat amusing. I am aware that some individuals may not find it comedic. We’re not intending to cause any distress, merely playfully poking fun at the circumstances.”

The cans sold out in 35 minutes Tuesday. The sour ale remains on tap at the brewery for the time being. The brewery tries to debut a new beer with new designs weekly.

608’s limited edition brew gets its color from the cherries used in the brewing process.

Karlie Somerton, a brewer at 608 Brewing Company, holds the last remaining four-pack Thursday of the limited edition “Hot for Chancellor” beer, which was reserved by an employee.

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Joe Gow was fired Wednesday by the UW Board of Regents for starring in and posting pornographic films featuring him, his wife and other adult …

On Thursday, fired UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow said he and his wife have been filming pornographic encounters with various adult entertain…

Check out the latest news as the second big snowstorm of the week moves through southern Wisconsin on Friday.

Both flavors of Packzi beer are available in 4-packs of 16oz cans for $18.Eastern Market Brewing Company

DETROIT – Eastern Market Brewing Company is bringing back its paczki beer in 2024.

“Dubbed the brewery’s “biggest beer release of the year,” the 2024 versions come with two new flavors, Cherry and Lemon, packed with real fruit and a generous helping of vanilla cream.

“Back in 2021, we stumbled on something special. We made a small, one-off batch of Pączki Beer and it sold out immediately. Then in 2022, we doubled our production, and again, sold out,” said Dayne Bartscht, Founder of Eastern Market Brewing Co. “Last year, we doubled production one more time, and moved to a pre-order process limiting how much each customer could buy. Sold out. We had no idea how much Detroiters loved Pączki but we sure do now. It’s wonderful.”

Both flavors are available in 4-packs of 16oz cans for $18. Orders, which can be made online, are limited to one case per flavor and subject to further limits based on demand. The beer has sold out in 24 hours or less every year, brewery staff said.

The beer will also be available in cans at limited number of stores and on draft at key locations in Metro Detroit.

“Retail partners ordered so much Pączki Beer this year, we had to buy more fermenters,” said Pauline Knighton-Prueter, VP of Sales and Marketing. “We’ve weighed all that interest with both the growth of our self-distribution business and a spike in January sales of our N/A beer. While good problems to have, the pre-order is limited and likely to sell out faster than last year.”

Pre-orders placed this week will be available for pick-up at the brewery’s taproom in Eastern Market during regular business hours from Feb. 7 through Fat Tuesday, Feb. 13.

In addition to the beer release, Eastern Market Brewing Co. is again hosting a Paczki Party on Saturday, Feb. 10 in partnership with their Riopelle Street neighbors, Detroit City Distillery.

Both flavors of Pączki beer will be on draft. Live music from the Kielbasa Kings Polka Band, a paczki-eating contest courtesy of Dooped Donuts, and locally-made pierogis are also planned.

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Oregon’s craft brewers are happy to be done with 2023, a year that saw softening demand and a spate of closures in an industry more accustomed to growth and expansion.

“It’s a tough moment for Oregon’s craft brewers,” said Ben Edmunds, the brewmaster at Breakside Brewery and the president of the Oregon Brewers Guild. “Increased costs, changes in consumer preferences, and diminished on-premise consumption all made 2023 an especially challenging year.”

The casualties included award-winning local breweries such as Ecliptic and Ex Novo, along with a slew of lesser-known names. Here’s a list compiled by the beer-writer Ezra Johnson-Greenough.

Oregon has long been a national leader in the craft-brew movement but the headwinds the sector now faces are national in scope and include category-shifting to non-alcoholic drinks, reduced beer consumption overall and a post-pandemic hangover that has put downward pressure on just about all alcoholic beverages.

In a December presentation to the industry, Bart Watson, the chief economist of the Brewer’s Association, which represents craft brewers nationwide, presented some hard truths.

“We were in double-digit growth as recently as 2014, 2015, and then we moved into kind of a more developed, slow, single-digit growth rate,” Watson said of the craft beer industry. “COVID hit, and we had the worst year in craft history in 2020 with a partial bounce-back in 2021.

“But what we’ve seen in 2022 and then 2023 is the new normal is one where, at least in volume sales—and this is volume percentage growth, not dollars, dollars would be positive—that craft has moved into a no to negative growth territory,” he continued.

That’s tough for Oregon’s breweries (there were 318 at the end of 2022) and will no doubt come up in meetings of a new panel that will hold its first meeting Jan. 12: the Task Force on Alcohol Pricing and Addiction Services.

The task force was formed through legislation passed last year. Its charge is to “study alcohol addiction and alcohol addiction prevention; distribution of resources for alcohol addiction treatment; current overall funding for alcohol addiction treatment programs; cost of alcohol addiction to the state; benefits and drawbacks of imposing taxes on beer and wine; and additional funding options for alcohol addiction treatment.”

That panel will be chaired by Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission Director Craig Prins, whose agency holds a monopoly on liquor sales in this state. As reported last week, one of the loudest voices in the debate over alcohol policy, Mike Marshall, director of Oregon Recovers, won’t be part of the conversation as Gov. Tina Kotek ejected him from the panel for controversial social media post.

Expect the state’s homegrown beer and wine producers to push back hard against one of the reasons the task force exists: a push from temperance and recovery advocates such as Marshall for higher taxes on beer and wine as a way to decrease consumption and raise revenue to pay for treatment. The Oregon Beverage Alliance, which represents the alcohol industry and its partners, has steadfastly opposed an increase in those taxes, which are among the nation’s lowest, according to the Oregon Legislative Revenue Office.

Oregon’s beer and wine taxes.

The Task Force on Alcohol Pricing and Addiction Services meets at 11:30 am Jan. 12. A link to the meeting is here.

Aslan Brewing is one of eleven breweries Patagonia Provisions has partnered with to promote using Kernza in beer.

Patagonia, Inc. is best known for their outdoor clothing and gear. But according to their mission statement, “We’re in the business to save our home planet.”

“With our apparel, maybe we can get to zero impact on our planet,” says Paul Lightfoot, general manager of Patagonia Provisions. “But food can be grown with regenerative agricultural practices; it can actively make things better.”

Patagonia Provisions was established as a division of Patagonia to promote regenerative agriculture and to promote food and beverages made from regenerative crops. “Eating is activism,” says the Patagonia Provisions website.

Patagonia Provisions, in collaboration with various other organizations, have made efforts towards making the consumption of beer more environmentally friendly. Patagonia Provisions have joined forces with the Land Institute, an organization established in 1976 with the goal of promoting perennial grain crops and polyculture farming practices, as well as eleven of the top breweries in America, all with the aim of promoting beer made from Kernza.

In the words of Tammy Kimbler, the chief communications officer at the Land Institute, modern grain agriculture generally takes place in areas where the natural ecosystem already established the soil. She questions why current agricultural systems function almost like mines, stripping the soil of its nutrients. Since Barley is not a native plant in North America, the Land Institute has been focusing on the domestication of native plants that can restore the local ecosystem.

Kernza is a product based on intermediate wheatgrass – a type of perennial grass that forms sods. Not only does it require less fuel and labor on the farm as a perennial plant, but also its deep root system, stretching up to 12 feet, helps retain soil, water, and nutrients. The roots of plants form a microbiome in the soil, and this microbiome gets obliterated each year due to annual crops like barley and wheat. With Kernza being a perennial plant, its root system and microbiome can remain undisturbed.

Kernza produces more oil but less starch when compared to traditional brewing grains. Since yeast feeds on starch to produce alcohol, Kernza can only form a minor portion of a beer’s grain content – about 15 percent typically. However, the oils in Kernza contribute to the beer’s flavor.

Unhulled Kernza perennial grain developed at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas.

“It makes really, really good beer,” says Lightfoot. “With our products, it’s not just environmental. It has to also be of high quality.” In that vein, Patagonia Provisions has partnered with eleven of America’s most highly-regarded craft breweries to launch the Kernza beer project. Each of these eleven breweries was selected for their brewing skill and history of environmental stewardship:

Allagash Brewing Company — Allagash was founded in 1995 in Portland, ME and is best know for their Belgian-style Allagash White, the first beer Rob Tod brewed when he founded the company. Allagash is a Certified B Corp and supports social justice, local water quality and local farmers, buying over 1 million pounds of Maine-grown and Maine-malted barley every year.

Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. — Arizona Wilderness is known for their unique regional beers, made from local ingredients such as prickly pears, pine needles and mesquite. The base of every brew is Arizona barley from Sinagua Malt, a company that transitions farmers away from more-water-intense crops like corn, saving millions of gallons of water.

Aslan Brewing — Similar to Allagash, Aslan is also a Certified B Corp brewery. Aslan is located in Bellingham, WA and prioritizes local, responsibly-farmed ingredients for their certified-organic beers. The brewing process aligns with the stringent organic standards, and the brewery infrastructure is created from recycled materials.

Bang Brewing — Since 2013, Bang has been an important part of the St. Paul, MN community. The company uses 100% organic materials and operates from a massive, wind-powered steel grain bin, specifically designed to lower water and energy consumption. Bang has brewed a greater number of beers with Kernza more than any other brewery.

The uniquely structured Bang Brewery is located in St. Paul, MN.

Hopworks Brewery — Established in 2007 in Portland, OR, Hopworks was the pioneering Certified B Corp brewery and the foremost Salmon-Safe brewery in the Pacific Northwest region. The manufacturer uses organic barley for the majority of its beers and brewed the inaugural Kernza beer in 2016.

Maui Brewing — Established in 2005, Maui is the most sizable craft brewery in Hawaii. As the first off-grid brewery in the USA, it solely utilizes solar panels, batteries, and biodiesel for power. This eco-friendly brewery dramatically reduces its environmental footprint by recycling nearly everything, including the carbon dioxide produced during brewing. Positioned as a key player within its community, Maui undertook substantial relief efforts in the aftermath of the Lahaina wildfire.

Odell Brewing Co. — First opened in 1989 by brewer Doug Odell, in conjunction with his wife Wynne and sister Corkie, Odell is recognized as the first ever craft brewery in Fort Collins, CO, an area now widely renowned as a craft brewing hub. Famous for its innovative brews and philanthropy, Odell continuously works to lessen its environmental impact, with significant accomplishments such as halving its water consumption.

Rhinegeist — Cincinnati’s Rhinegeist, committed to sustainability, recycles materials such as plastic grain bags, aluminum, scrap metal, plastic film, and used grain. It also persistently endeavors to reduce its energy and water usage.

Russian River Brewing Company — Russian River has gained worldwide fame as the creators of the highly sought-after Pliny the Younger IPA, which is released just once a year, alongside a host of other award-winning beers. Beer enthusiasts frequently make the pilgrimage to Russian River’s original brewpub, located in Santa Rosa, CA, and their production facility in Windsor, CA also draws considerable attention.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Founded in 1980 in Chico, CA with repurposed dairy equipment, Sierra Nevada was started by Ken Grossman. Grossman brewed a Pale Ale that was rich in hops, and this action contributed greatly to the ignition of the craft beer revolution. Presently, Sierra Nevada ranks as the third-largest craft brewery within the US, while also leading in recycling, composting, and solar power application. They’ve also won several awards in recognition of their environmental conservation efforts.

Topa Topa – Inspired by a mountain range close by, Topa Topa was set up in Ventura, CA. The brewery produces beer targeted at its enthusiastic surfing, biking, and climbing community which it serves through its taprooms located in Ventura, Ojai, Santa Barbara, and Camarillo.

When edge technology meets the art and science of brewing, something beautiful happens.

New Belgium Brewing Company has strategically deployed technology at the edge to support ambitious business goals, including producing a million barrels of world-class beer every year.

You’d be surprised how many conversations I’ve had over the last few months that center around data, AI and beer. Homebrewing is a popular hobby, and I know a number of folks who have tried it. Some kept it up, others didn’t, but they were all just brewing for themselves and were pretty flexible about how the beer turned out.

But in professional brewing, you don’t have nearly as much flexibility. Once you establish a brand, people know what your beer is supposed to taste like, and they expect it to be the same every time. That’s not as easy as you might think. Beer is a living thing that’s created via an organic process. As a home brewer, you can probably replicate your successes now and then if you don’t change any of the variables. In larger-scale operations, there are lots of variables that need to be tightly controlled to get consistent results. In fact, I’d bet there’s more similarity between a large-scale brewing operation and an advanced pharmaceutical manufacturer than your average homebrewing setup.

I recently engaged in a discussion with New Belgium Brewing Company. This company has evolved from a minor craft brewery to a national giant. One of their most loved beers is presently brewed at four different facilities. Even though each facility features a unique water source and altitude, the final product must still maintain the same taste. How do they achieve this consistency despite the differences? The answer is data!

Directing a batch of beer through numerous steps at multiple breweries can be likened to an art form that is enhanced by data. The process begins with ensuring the source ingredients are consistent and accurately measured. Whether these ingredients are acquired from the main supplier or alternates, identifying and tracking their exact features is crucial to producing a top-notch outcome. As the brewing progresses, the process necessitates the precise control of temperature, pressure and timing, with alerts and automatic corrections applied as needed to maintain everything within tolerances. Therefore, installing sensors at various points of the brewing journey is critical to enable brewers remotely monitor and automatically regulate the process.

After the beer is brewed, it has to be bottled and packaged. A high-speed production line is where a dented can or fallen bottle can cause a backlog. This results in more damaged containers, a lot of beer spillage and a massive mess that needs to cleaned up before brewing can continue. An alternative solution? Data.

Sensors installed along the line can monitor beer flow, the speed, and location hence informing New Belgium of how much has been packed and what remains. By comparing flow rates along the line, any leaks can be detected to help minimize waste. Cameras also monitor the line as everything moves at a high speed. Computer vision identifies fallen or damaged containers and can halt the line in a few seconds. This allows for cleanup and reset before the situation escalates.

After packaging, the distribution of beer is a complex process due to the sensitivity of the product to external factors. If the shipping conditions are not meticulously controlled, the end product will lose its potential to offer an appealing experience to the consumers. It is thus helpful to gather and analyze data during the distribution process. Monitoring metrics like the shipping container’s temperature or the time spent on the retail shelf can enhance the consumer experience.

In commercial beer production, it’s essential to identify valuable data and process it using advanced technology to gain insightful outcomes. According to information gathered from the IT team at New Belgium Brewing Company, the use of real-time data analytics and AI inferencing at the edge has played a significant role in enhancing efficiency, compliance, sustainability and savings.

You can gain more insights from this case study or by listening to this podcast episode.

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