402: Colorado WCIPA Roundtable With Cannonball Creek, Westbound & Down, and Amalgam

402: Colorado WCIPA Roundtable With Cannonball Creek, Westbound & Down, and Amalgam

Strong brewing communities produce clusters of great breweries, and the Colorado brewing world, centered in Denver, is no different. Friendly competition drives innovation, exploration, and refinement as well as knowledgeable consumers with higher and higher expectations, and in this episode, we brought together three friends (each medal-winning brewers) for a conversation on their approach to West coast IPA.

Brian Hutchinson of Cannonball Creek has brought home a slew of medals in the pale ale space (11 total GABF and World Beer Cup medals between their pale ale and session IPA), and picked up a GABF gold medal last year for their New Zealand-style IPA. Jake Gardner of Westbound & Down has earned a handful of GABF and World Beer Cup medals for their West coast IPAs like Spirit of the West and Westbound Select. And Phil Joyce of Amalgam most recently brought home gold for West coast IPA in the Colorado Brewers Cup, after placing fourth at the Alpha King Challenge last year.

In this episode, the three move through a range of IPA brewing topics, including:

  • designing IPA with clean flavors that are easy to linguistically identify
  • decocting and step mashing WCIPA for higher attenuation, foam stability, and FAN uptake
  • building a malt base in WCIPA with blends of Pilsner malt
  • using flaked wheat in smaller percentages for mouthfeel
  • fermenting with Chico yeast for dry and low-ester beers
  • minimizing hop creep with ALDC, diacetyl-free yeast, and other yeast health tools
  • driving faster and healthier fermentations for more vibrant hop character
  • understand the impact of water on WCIPA
  • integrating flavor and bitterness
  • the impact of pH on hop expression
  • selecting loud hops that punch hard

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers Elite 290 Micro-series line utilizes a natural refrigerant, features a more compact design with variable speed fans, and offers near-zero global warming potential. The future of sustainable refrigeration is here! Learn more about G&D’s Elite 290 line and visit GDCHILLERS.COM.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Stop worrying about diacetyl with Berkeley Yeast’s line of Fresh™ strains. These revolutionary yeast strains are engineered to produce the ALDC enzyme inside the cell, preventing diacetyl before it forms. That means no more lengthy diacetyl rests—just clean, crisp beer that’s ready for packaging sooner. Learn more at berkeleyyeast.com/fresh.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Strata, Indie’s original hop release, is now available in cold-side flowable hop oil form—Strata HyperBoost—in coordination with Yakima Chief Hops. Indie Hops T90 pellets establish the multi-layered Strata experience, while cryogenic CGX pellets in coordination with Crosby Hops, and now Strata HyperBoost with YCH expand the possibilities. Learn more about Strata and Indie’s more recent hop releases at www.indiehops.com.
Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com) Featuring a laser-welded cooling jacket for efficient and precise temperature control, an innovative silicone racking arm, and a carbonation stone that allows you to carbonate right in the fermenter, Unitank 2.0 is engineered to help you get the most out of your fermentations! Visit Ss Brewtech.com to learn more!
Isuzu Trucks (https://www.isuzucv.com) Whether you are looking for a self-distribution solution or one to deliver supplies, there is an Isuzu truck that will fit your needs. Go to isuzucv.com to check out their impressive lineup or visit an Isuzu dealer today to find out why now, more than ever, Isuzu trucks are the trucks you trust for the work you do!
Cytiva (https://info.cytivalifesciences.com/sample-request-brewing.html) Protecting your beer’s highest quality is crucial to maintain its unique taste and prevent spoilage organisms, and microbiological testing plays a vital role in this process. Cytiva offers a comprehensive portfolio of laboratory filtration products designed for both lab and production-floor use.
Brewer's Retreat (https://brewersretreat.com) Tickets for the Craft Beer & Brewing 2025 Brewer’s Retreat in Asheville and Mills River, North Carolina are on sale now and going fast. Brew on homebrew systems with some of the most inspiring craft brewers in the U.S. Learn more and secure your tickets at brewersretreat.com

Episoder(471)

463: Dan Brouillette of Lumen Crunches the Data to Find the Best Hops

463: Dan Brouillette of Lumen Crunches the Data to Find the Best Hops

Dan Brouillette has always worked in creative fields—he was a professional photographer before launching Lumen in the waning days of the pandemic—but he’s always been particularly attracted to the tec...

6 Mar 1h 17min

462: Bierstadt, New Belgium, Wayfinder, and the Anatomy of a Lager Collaboration

462: Bierstadt, New Belgium, Wayfinder, and the Anatomy of a Lager Collaboration

Beer collaborations are a particularly effective way for brewers to share and learn, but what if you could take that experience and share it with a wider audience? That's the idea behind this episode,...

28 Feb 1h 20min

461: Von Ebert and Zero Gravity Save Money and Make Better Beer with Process Aids

461: Von Ebert and Zero Gravity Save Money and Make Better Beer with Process Aids

In this episode, produced in partnership with RahrBSG, we’re taking a close look at process aids in the brewhouse and cellar, from anti-foaming agents and finings to enzymes and more. Whether you’re t...

24 Feb 1h 8min

460: How Notch and Halfway Crooks Formulate Recipes for Tasty (and Convincing) Nonalcoholic Beer

460: How Notch and Halfway Crooks Formulate Recipes for Tasty (and Convincing) Nonalcoholic Beer

Last week, we hosted a series of three webinars focused on different aspects of nonalcoholic brewing. In this episode of the podcast, we share an excerpt from the first session—focused on formulation—...

21 Feb 59min

459: Zach Typinksi of Urbanrest Brews Gold Medal Pilsner Without Pilsner Malt

459: Zach Typinksi of Urbanrest Brews Gold Medal Pilsner Without Pilsner Malt

Generally speaking, there’s some correlation between brewery scale and lager quality—and while there are plenty of exceptions to that rule, there’s no denying that honing lagers into the best versions...

13 Feb 1h 9min

458: Tom Nielsen of Emberside Redraws the Boundaries between the Science and the Art of Beer

458: Tom Nielsen of Emberside Redraws the Boundaries between the Science and the Art of Beer

Through his decades of work in the brewing industry, many spent in R&D and quality at Sierra Nevada, Tom Nielsen has played a critical role in getting craft beer a seat at the broader brewing table. W...

6 Feb 1h 18min

457: Cory Buenning of Fritz Family Focuses on Highly Attenuated Lagers With Perfect Proteins

457: Cory Buenning of Fritz Family Focuses on Highly Attenuated Lagers With Perfect Proteins

Fritz Family founder Cory Buenning brewed from the mid-90’s through the mid 20-teens for Wyoming craft beer pioneers Snake River, but the itch to do his own thing was strong, and after returning to Co...

30 Jan 1h 8min

456: Jaron Anderson of Helper Beer Applies Modern Techniques to Classic Styles with Winning Results

456: Jaron Anderson of Helper Beer Applies Modern Techniques to Classic Styles with Winning Results

For Jaron Anderson of Helper Beer, listening to the beer itself, rather than following prescribed rules, is the only way to improve it. He’s well-versed in the theory, but not a slavish adherent to do...

23 Jan 1h 15min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
mikkels-paskenotter
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
treningspodden
foreldreradet
jakt-og-fiskepodden
rss-bisarr-historie
rss-kunsten-a-leve
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
rss-kull
sinnsyn
gravid-uke-for-uke
hagespiren-podcast
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
rss-sunn-okonomi
hverdagspsyken
rss-bak-luftfarten
fryktlos