mixed fermentation

In the summer of 2022 I had the privilege of escorting Topher Boehm and Chris Allen of Sydney, Australia’s Wildflower Brewing & Blending on a day out in which we enjoyed a few beers in Clitheroe, Lancashire. Topher and Chris were keen to visit Corto after listening to the conversation I had previously published on this very podcast between myself and my friend and colleague, Katie Mather. 

As long time readers and listeners of Pellicle, Topher and Chris were keen to explore the beer scene in the North West—most notably, its traditional pubs, and the bountiful selection of real ale they had to offer. Their keenness to explore the best of the UK's beer traditions is also represented in their own approach to beer making. You might be thinking what does best bitter have to do with the complex, mixed and wild fermentation beers that Wildflower has built its deserved reputation upon? The answer is simple: everything. 

Since I first had the privilege of meeting Topher at a beer festival in Denver, Colorado back in 2018, I have been fascinated—not just by Wildflowers processes—but by how mindful in their approach to drinking, and the culture of drinking, this brewery is. This approach can be heard throughout this bumper-length interview, which covers everything from their processes in the brewery, to what inspires them as producers, and how they unpack and consider the impact of colonialism on what they make and sell.

Need a primer on Wildflower before diving in? Check out this profile we published way back in 2020, written by Australian writer Anastasia Prikhodko, and then dive into this fantastic interview. Thanks again to Topher and Chris for making time in their travel schedule to record this interview, and for sharing some wonderful beers with us during your stay. 

Don’t forget that if you enjoy this, and other content that Pellicle creates, please consider subscribing via Patreon, and support our independent magazine and podcast.

Come and share a brew with Our Mutual Friend

I once heard a story that when a mobster introduces someone to another mobster they're introduced as "a friend of ours" if that person is also in the mob.  I was excited to think that Our Mutual Friend Brewery had some mob ties but, unfortunately, the name simply refers to beer being something everyone can enjoy, a mutual friend. <sigh>

Despite my extreme disappointment we still had an amazing conversation with Head Brewer Jan Chodkowski.  He's pretty laid back and he likes beer.  I can appreciate that.  Jan was even a good sport as we bantered about Cold IPA and my argument that it's not a real thing.  He defended talking something about the brewing methods and all that making it unique.  I'll admit he had a strong case, and he's a fan of the style.

With the Great American Beer Festival coming to Denver soon Our Mutual Friend has a little party of their own planned.  Gratitude 9 is a thank you to the community and a special beer release.  Sounds like a great way to pre-game for the madness of GABF.

Jan is also a fan of saisons and mixed fermentations and Brett and foeders.  He's quickly becoming our favorite person.  OMF (we can call them that now 'cause we're tight like that) used to do some spontaneous brewing but they like the results they get better with a bit more control.

If you find yourself in Denver stop on by and see Our Mutual Friend.  Tell 'em we sent ya.

Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.

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With Fall here, the timing couldn’t be better to talk apples with Zack Kaiser of @AbsolemCider!

Absolem is located in the heart of central Maine on one of the most beautiful properties you’ll ever see, making some of the best cider we have ever tasted. Naturally, 90 minutes wasn’t close to enough time, but we had an absolute beast of a convo that should serve as a great primer to those also ignorant but interested in the magic apple fermentation. 

🍎🐓🍏🌾🍁🌻🔨🥂🍇🍻

It’s freshly pressed and available in full NOW..and just might be the perfect length to listen to on a drive to Winthrop 🤷‍♂️

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet 

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#Cider #DryCider#MaineCider #WinthropME 

#MixedFermentation #SpontaneousFermentation #AppleBelt #AppleHistory #CoFermentation #OakAging #Amphora  #FarmWinery #Homebrewing #GrainGang #BissellBrothers 

Noah is left alone and afraid this week, but all’s made well with the presence of a true 1-of-1 soul — Paul Arney of Ale Apothecary!

Paul’s perspective on the industry (and his brewery’s reflection of it) is as refreshingly unique as you’re going to find. More words won’t do the conversation justice, but rest assured there’s spruce logs, a tiny and mostly-wooden brewery in a forest, and one hell of an admirably free spirit. 

Get your wonder on NOW, available where podcasts get got. 

🏔🌲🌳🌿🌱🍄🌾🍻🤠

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Music: “Mountain Climb” by @JakeHillInternet

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#RusticBrewing #RealOne #Kviek #ScandanavianBrewing #SpontaneousBeer #SpruceBeer #ORBeer #BrewedInBend #ForestBrewery #Sahti #Puncheon #Homebrewing #BeerPodcast #GrainGang

I couldn’t imagine Burning Sky Brewery and Blendery being located anywhere else. Situated in the village of Firle, nestled amid the rolling South Downs National Park, here is a brewery that’s very much of time and a place. The beers it produces—from traditional cask ales, to US-inspired IPAs, and the sublime beverages that come from its barrel ageing program—are a reflection of this, and of the people who brew and blend them. 

In the latest episode of the podcast, I sat down for a chat with the brewery’s founder, Mark Tranter. With over two decades experience in the beer industry, it was wonderful to get the opportunity to pick his brains, reminisce about some of these experiences, and to find out what the future has in store for Burning Sky.

Visiting Firle, and the neighbouring town of Lewes, has become something of an annual pilgrimage for me. The first time I travelled there in 2017, Mark kindly arranged for me to visit the magical Harvey’s Brewery, as well as some of the amazing pubs the town has to offer. On subsequent visits I’ve discovered new treasures, including Beak and Abyss brewery, as well as deciding on my definitive Lewes beer destinations. (The Brewers Arms, The Gardners, and Patch Beer Café, for those interested.) 

On this trip I was also lucky enough to brew a beer with Burning Sky which we called The Broad Spectrum of Joy, after the first chapter of my recent book, Modern British Beer. The beer was subsequently released a few months later to celebrate its launch. It was during this arduous day of brewing, on a scorching hot July day, that I found the chance to catch up with Mark, and record this conversation, which I hope you enjoy. 

During the intro of this podcast I also mention another podcast by Kate Bailey, called Super Cool Toxic Workplace. As I alluded to during the episode, this is an essential listen, and more context can be found on episode 25 of The Pellicle Podcast. Find Super Cool Toxic Workplace here.

Time to tick another Grain Gang whale! The guys are joined by All-Pro First Team in American saison brewing, Tim Clifford of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (SARA) in picturesque Santa Cruz/Capitola, CA. Tim talks about getting his lengthy stint as a broke homebrewer, the history Masters degree he put to use on the seat of a forktruck, what makes SARA SARA, and discusses how he and co-owner Adair have doubled-down in their commitment to slow growth and authenticity...and that's just the first half! It was an absolute pleasure to have a such a loose, honest, and broad conversation with one of the most interesting figures in American mixed fermentation, Sante, indeed. .............. .............................. ................. Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

The guys once again find themselves alone and unassisted, making for some very predictable results. Matty, fresh out of the bowels of the Maine wilderness in pursuit of this year's bounty of spruce tips (aided by a career forester and a highly adept forager, respectively), recounts the process and his questionable picking metrics while connecting some dots on Enchanted Forest's creation flow chart. Noah proves once again just how little he knows about anything that comes from the ground, makes a surprising case for the value in visiting your little ol' multinational macro factory, and is all too happy to play the deplorable role of smug American soccer fan. The episode goes full leverage on adjuncts for the Three Bay in a rendition centered around famous, mostly fictional fathers. 
In short, it's better than it sounds...especially if Your Enthusiasm is properly Curbed..... ........... ............... ...........Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill 

Noah and Matty take a quick breath amidst a great run of guests to collect themselves. The guys talk Rob Tod-induced stage fright. reflect on the conversations they've had lately, and get so meta the conversation (briefly) turns to conversation itself. Noah gives a recap on BBB's recent sticky toe dip into the world of honey beers -- one in a collaboration DIPA with old pals Trillium, the other in Milo saison -- and Matty's sweet tooth proves insatiable when it comes to single-chain carbohydrates. 
Consider the boys refreshed. ............. ................... ............... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

Let's get it out of the way - this is an episode for the ages; an MP3 file you one day will very likely tell your grandchildren about hearing; 66 minutes that we would absolutely turn into an NFT if we knew how. 
We talk about Noah's current ride on the "his own beer" train, single hopped IPAs, Substance variants (including one that will see oak), and a handful of other juicy topics. But MOST importantly, we talk about oaths, word being bond, and the beautiful auditory by-products that come from that kind of commitment if you name happens to be Matt Robinson and the Grain Gang is involved.
In short, listen to this chunk of audio history before it gets scooped up and locked away by the Library of Congress. You'll be glad you did. .............................. ............................... ...................................................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

Graining In has finally gone (virtually) international with the guys catching up with Ben Hulse, production manager at Northern Monk Brew Co. in Leeds, ENGLAND!
Noah first met Ben when the Northern Monk crew played the role of boundlessly patient tour guide for BBB on their first trip to the UK. A year-and-a-half later, when Bissell Brothers had the true privilege of hosting Ben (as well as putting him to work) for three weeks via NMBCo's brewery "exchange" program. We get into the goals behind that concept and why BBB still needs to uphold their end of the deal; How the COVID-19 experience has been for breweries in the UK and why a proposed "Pandemic Vacation" had to be scrapped; The dualistic nature that currently defines the country's beer culture as the staunch tradition of Real Ale and the new wave of heavily American-influenced beer figure out their respective roles; Northern Monk's aggressively measured expansions, fancy new BrauKon, and presence in grocery chains, PLUS a helluva lot more. 
OH! - and Liverpool FC (both Ben and Noah's favorite soccer/football team) FINALLY makes its far overdue debut on the podcast. 
Bissell Brothers felt an immense kinship with Northern Monk since first contact, and that relationship has only grown since. People like Ben are exactly why their brewery is so adored by BBB and is a great reminder (for Noah, anyway) that sometimes this industry ain't so bad after all ;-) ........ .................................... ............................................ ........... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

The podcast is joined by a certified saint in the church of oak, founder and co-owner of St. Louis' Foeder Crafters.  Foeder Crafters came out of nowhere to become THE foeder fabricator in the US. We trace back to when Matt, "a maker of things", was in the early stages of opening a brewery with a Cy Young Award winner when a brewer casually asked if Matt thought he could make a giant oak vessel for him. Instead of being a brewer, Matt was catapulted down a meteoric path of both trailblazing and  perfecting  the craft of domestic foeder production. He talks about how the industry was simply starved for innovation, the tight-lipped and stale culture in more seasoned foeders, and laments the huge challenge of sourcing *just* the right type of oak for his tanks. Matt also explains how the endlessly challenging process of foeder building has allowed his company to effectively hold a monopoly on the industry in America, sings of the value in sucking on every piece of oak he receives, and points out the subtle but critical differences between CRAFTsmen and CRAPsmen. It was a blast to have this conversation  with one of the nicest people on Earth (unless you're competition), which is laden with a glut of knowledge regardless of your familiarity with the Almighty powers of Missouri White Oak.

Hopefully distance does make the heart grow fonder, because Matty and Noah have found themselves alone once again. We reflect on the handful of guest conversations we've been privileged to over the last five weeks, but end up back where we always do: Allagash. Jason Perkins brought Brettanomyces to the forefront of Matty's mind via thoughts of Allagash's almighty Bret Michaels. So he uses a recent BBB3R release - Fire Road - to set the stage for a conversation all about the most misunderstood yeast in the game. 
We talk about the seemingly infinite kinds of flavors that Brett can leave its mark through and try to go further than the grossly overused note of "funk" and "horse blanket", seriously questioning the percentage of the beer-drinking populus that has ever come within 100 feet of an actual barnyard. Noah also shares the brewery's method to try to actually become familiar with sensory "notes" commonly associated with Brett fermentations, like mango, passionfruit, lemongrass (Spoiler alert - the trick is to smell and taste the real thing). We also get into the rationale behind dry-hopping a mixed-ferm beer like Fire Road, the effect dry hops can have on the finished product, and the status of his quest to develop a true house culture for the brewery.
Regardless of its many, many different possible attributes, the overall "wild" character Brettanomyces can add to a beer is described as such for a reason, and this is not the first nor the last time we'll dive into a conversation exclusively about this beautifully confusing microorganism. Even so, it felt like we made some modicum of process...If not, at least the Three Bay is fun.............................     .................................................     ......................................... Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

Whoa. It really happened. This week's guest is Allagash brewmaster and idol of the podcast, Jason Perkins!!! Noah and Matty do their best to quiet their nerves and make the most out of their time shared with greatness. Topics include, but are not limited to: Noah's most formative memories of Allagash; the steady and subdued Fight for White in Jason's early days at the brewery; the grist breakdown of the best wheat beer in America (besides Blue Moon); how Allagash's love affair with Brettanomyces began by accident via an old dairy tank; defining what it means to get "screwed by the 'Lude"; Jason's biggest takeaways from 13 years of producing authentic spontaneous beer; experiences with beers that have gotten "down with the sickness"; and how Allagash has grown its culture along side its production in such an unparalleled way. If that teaser is somehow not enough (and you're still reading this description), please know the Three Bay is all about some of Jason's favorite beers, and then immediately check your vitals. As corny as it may sound, in all seriousness this was a dream come true for the podcast, and leap frogged the guys' wildest expectations. And you know what they say - where there's a Jason Perkins, there just might be a..................              ......................................................      ....................................Music: "Mountain Climb" by Jake Hill

It’s over to my partner in crime Jonathan Hamilton to host this, our final panel talk from FyneFest 2019. This discussion is all about spontaneous, mixed fermentation and wild ales—perhaps collectively better known, for better or worse, as “sours”. He’s joined on the panel by Andy Gibson, who at the time was working for BrewDog Overworks, Steven Smith-Hay from Vault City, Jim Rangeley of Abbeydale’s Funk Dungeon project, and Andrea Ladas, who helped establish the Origins project at Fyne Ales. 

This episode is a must listen for anyone curious about the production of sour beers, as this is a super fun, and geeky chat. I’ll leave it there but quickly want to say thank you for listening to these talks, and thanks again to Fyne Ales for having us. We’ll see you back in the Glen in 2021. And I’ll be back in a week or two with some more episodes, including yet more panel talks from this year’s Cloudwater Friends & Family & Beer festival. Stay tuned! 

Host: Jonny Hamilton 
Guests: Jim Rangeley — Abbeydale, Andy Gibson — BrewDog Overworks, Steven Smith-Hay — Vault City, Andrea Ladas — Fyne Ales
Read more at www.pelliclemag.com
Support our podcast at patreon.com/pelliclemag

I ventured over to my neighborhood brewery, 1840 Brewing, to talk with the owner and brewer, Kyle Vetter. The company started in 2017 with a unique business model around the term “slow beer.” When I first heard of the styles and approach Kyle was committed to…I was excited. When 1840 started, there were very few breweries making quality craft beer in Milwaukee. Let alone barrel aged sour beer. 

The slow beer moniker also applies to the business strategy. When they first opened the doors, the hours were extremely limited…one weekend per month for releases.

It turns out I recorded with Kyle on a turning point day for the brewery. Not only was it their first Wednesday open to the public, but they brewed their first beer on their own brewhouse. Previously, 1840 had sourced it’s unfermented wort from other craft breweries in the area and transferred it into barrels or stainless steel tanks with their own yeast.

I was glad Kyle took time from this monumental day to speak with me.

Show Links:

Northern Brewer
Designing Great Beer by Ray Daniels
Michael Jackson's Great Beer Guide by Michael Jackson
The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian
Brewer's Publications

Find Kyle & 1840 Brewing:

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Find Manny:

Email:  mannygumina@gmail.com
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