Shedding Some Light on Water Chemistry
Brewing water can be viewed as the last frontier to many in our industry, but it needn’t be intimidating in the way that quantum mechanics or neuroscience are viewed by many. If you have control of your sanitation and yeast health, you can make good beer. The goal of this blog post is to give […]
Your Award Winning Beer Is Not Sustainable
No, I’m sure you could likely recreate it again flawlessly, that’s not what I mean. If asked, could you tell a consumer how much electricity and water was consumed, or waste created for that gold, silver, or bronze medal? Based on Brewers Association guidelines, 96% of Breweries in Colorado are considered microbreweries or smaller, where […]
The Basics of Kettle Souring
To produce sour beers in a cost-effective and scalable way, brewers are increasingly turning to ‘Kettle Souring’. This is particularly true as canned sour beers gain a foothold in the market (beginning with early adopters like Anderson Valley’s Gose in California and DESTIHL’s Wild Sour Series in Illinois, but now abundant enough in Colorado to […]
Chemical Safety in the Brewery and Hazard Communication Plans
A guide to creating a Hazard Communication Program to ensure chemical safety in your brewery. As we all know being a brewer is really just being a glorified janitor. When you’re making the perfect bug food, you better be sure that the only bugs are the ones you want. Because cleanliness is so important, we […]
Nitro Beers
Introduction to nitro: Nitro is a method of serving beer that utilizes nitrogen gas to offer a unique beer drinking experience It was designed to simulate the pour of traditional cask beer with all the advantages of a modern draught system. A nitro beer is typically characterized by a big thick head, a smooth and […]
So You Want to Add a Brewing Lab?
A Primer on Adding a Brewing Lab on a Budget Quality control, in brewing and other industries, is one of those things that produces dollars indirectly. This is done by increasing process visibility, reducing risk and minimizing destroyed product. When used effectively, it should help to protect a brewery’s reputation. In today’s Colorado craft beer […]
Techniques for Cask Conditioned Beer Production (Firkins)
It’s that time of year for Firkin Fest, so it seems like a good time to discuss cask conditioned beers (also known as firkins). This post is meant to give some examples of procedures to ensure that the beer in the cask is in great shape at the time it’s ready to be tapped and […]
Draft Line Cleaning – Key to Quality Beer
The ins and outs of draft line cleaning and why it is crucial to beer quality. Introduction Proper cleaning and maintenance of your draft system is just as important as the various CIP methods employed in production. If you neglect your draft system, your beers will suffer! Carbonation, off-flavors, and the appearance of the beer […]
Permit-Required Confined Space Determination
Let’s learn about confined space hazards and how to successfully identify and address them to help keep your employees safe! OSHA is on their way! Well…potentially, so put down your beer because this is a serious topic. As you hopefully have been informed, OSHA is implementing a local emphasis program which includes inspections for breweries. […]
OSHA Local Emphasis Program for Breweries
OSHA’s Regional Emphasis Program (REP) for the beverage manufacturing industry has been ongoing since 2019. If you have yet to be inspected, it is likely just a matter of time, and being informed and prepared can make a huge difference in the outcome. All breweries in Colorado should be prepared to be inspected. To assist […]
