It can be difficult to articulate how to make simple beers extraordinarily well—much comes down to ingredient quality, training and discipline, and the hundreds of small choices a brewer makes throughout the day and through fermentation and packaging. At Seattle’s Machine House, founder Bill Arnott will tell you that he doesn’t do anything special. Yet the cask ales he brews are favorites of brewing peers thanks to a dogged focus on English styles and a dedication to serving them well.
In this episode, Arnott discusses:
- building a more authentic and satisfying approach to cask ale in the Pacific Northwest
- battling the “warm and flat” caricature of English-style cask ale
- taking a contextual approach to yeast, with different strains for different beers
- the Timothy Taylor strain versus the Fuller’s strain for different expression
- brewing fresh-hopped cask ale
- successful fermentation in unitanks with minimal temperature control
- cask- and can-conditioning for beers with staying power in the package
- achieving the right amount of astringency with brown malt
- making excellent beers with a somewhat “primitive” process
And more.
G&D Chillers
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Brewers, what if your yeast could do more than just ferment? With Berkeley Yeast, it can! We bioengineer ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Now, in addition to competitive pricing, we’re offering free overnight shipping on 5+ barrel pitches. Try it out—if you don’t love it, we’ll happily refund you. So why settle for ordinary when you can brew with better yeast? Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.
A day in the life of a brewer is packed enough as it is, so why not let Old Orchard assist with R&D? Custom blend development is available through our innovative R&D lab. Our bulk division supplies a wide range of beverage segments, making it the one-stop shop for flavoring beer and beyond. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Indie Hops brings Oregon’s natural wonder to brewers. Celebrating 16 years of delivering compelling new hop varieties along with classics that thrive in Oregon’s terroir, Indie is the original source for Strata, Luminosa, Lórien, Meridian, and their newest variety Audacia. Release your creativity with the magic of pure, uncut Oregon hops from Indie. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful.
Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Available in two convenient sizes, it’s ideal for coarse sprayers, fermenters, and more. Trusted by pros, designed for performance—Saniclean PAA Pro helps you brew with confidence. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. Brew better. Brew with Five Star.
This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft beer multipacking you can trust. PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, they offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com.
For over 50 years Prairie Malt has been producing high extract malts forged from the fertile soils of Saskatchewan. As proud members of Boortmalt, one of the largest malt companies in the world with 27 malt plants in 16 countries, their North American malts are complemented by a wide variety of base and specialty imported malts from around the globe. / This year, Prairie Malt is partnering with Roadhouse Brewing Company and Melvin Brewing Company to pour an unforgettable lineup of beers at their shared booth at this year’s Great American Beer Festival in Denver, CO from October 9th – 11th. / So stop by the booth, sample some award winning beers produced with excellent malts and learn more about why Malt from Biggar is better at prairiemalt.com.
Sennos, the new leader in AI-driven fermentation sensing, analytics, and control for the brewing industry is now taking orders for the most advanced intelligent sensing technology, the SennosM3 — the hardware connection into their Sennosystem. The Sennosystem platform delivers real-time fermentation control and predictive insights, giving brewers the tools to monitor key variables, detect issues before they escalate, achieve consistent outcomes, and eliminate waste with every batch. The SennosM3 is a modular in-tank sensor that delivers continuous, real-time monitoring. The M3 captures eight critical fermentation parameters throughout production. Turn your tank into a smart tank. Order your SennosM3 at sennos.com.
Briess Malting has been involved in the craft brewing community ever since it was established in the 1980’s. Today, Briess offers the largest product line of specialty malt and is continuing to innovate. New malts include Heritage Gold, an English-style ale malt with complex bread character, and Lighthouse Munich, which has the full body of a Munich malt but minimal impact on color. All Briess malts are produced in the US, so you can count on a reliable supply chain. Barley is sourced from 300 growers in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming and Montana. Malt is the backbone of beer. Check out why so many craft brewers trust Briess for their specialty malt at BrewingWithBriess.com.