Heath Hoadley often starts the brewing process as early as 7:30 in the morning.
and for a microbrewery, distribution is key," says Paul Gatza, Brewers Association director. "You can make the best beer in the world but if you can't get it onto the shelves and into restaurants, you won't make it."
To be deemed a microbrewery requires fitting a guideline; a microbrewery must make fewer than 15,000 barrels of beer per year.
Also, being called a craft brewer requires a few things. The Brewers Association lists three rules to earning the title.
A craft brewer has to be small, independent and traditional, meaning it has to have an annual production of fewer than 2 million barrels of beer (allowing for breweries larger than microbreweries), less than 25 percent of the brewery can be owned by an alcohol industry member (who's not a craft brewer), and at least 50 percent of its production must be malt beers.
A hydrometer floats in a graduated cylinder of wort. The hydrometer measures "specific gravity," displaying how much sugar is in the wort.
During the interview, Hoadley hands me an Irish red and then later a porter. The porter, called Bonfire Porter, is one of the best porters I've ever had. It reminds me of a light, chocolate New Castle Ale. I know that's not a porter. But the point remains—they're not fooling around—they're making real beer.
To become a microbrewer, Hummell and Hoadley are looking to move into a new space to produce their beers soon and are working on licensing. They have five beers lined up for production:a golden ale, an Irish red, a porter, a dunklewiezen and a double-fermented golden ale flavored with peach wine.
Worldwide growth
Craft beers have been drastically increasing in popularity in the U.S. and around the world.
Since 2004, there has been an increase in dollar sales of 58 percent, according to Gatza. He chalks it up to the growing trend of buying local products and a focus toward flavorful foods and beers.
He likens it to the growth in popularity of other specialty food field, like artisanal cheeses, breads and pastries. There was a time 20 to 30 years ago, Gatza says, when one would see only white bread, wheat bread and maybe rye bread; none of the more flavorful or exotic varieties people see today. Now, there are specialty bakeries popping up and the same is happening with beer.
A beer culture is developing that is much different from 10, 15 or 20 years ago. People are excited about buying locally made products and supporting local businesses that often support the community with sponsorship for events and charities. That's how local breweries thrive—by being involved as a staple of a community.
Great beer and food combinations
Here are some suggestions courtesy of Julia Herz, craft beer program director and spokeswoman for Brewers Association.
"Thirty years ago, there were maybe 30 brewing companies having success," Gatza says. "Now there are over 1,400 craft breweries and they're doing well not only because they're cool local businesses that people support but because they're creating outstanding products."
A majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft brewer, says Julia Herz, craft beer program director and spokeswoman for the Brewers Association.
"The big suggestion is to match strength with strength," she says. "When pairing with imperial stout you want something rich and thick like that chocolate cake."
2) Indian pale ale and blue cheese
I) Stout and oysters
3) Barley wine and blue cheese
Locally made lagers
4) Amber lager and a roasted chicken (her personal favorite)
5) Pale ale with a cheeseburger
And it is true; out of 1,527 breweries in the U.S.,1,483, or 97 percent, of them are small and independent.
6) Imperial stout, a really heavy stout, with chocolate cake
Heath Hoodly of Lawrence, co-owner and brewmaster of Barnyard Brewing, inspects a kettle for any debris before filling it with beer from a mash tun tank.
Barnyard Brewing has done two tastings in Lawrence, one at The Pool Room and the other at the Eagles Lodge. Both tastings featured live music and as much beer as you could drink.
Tastings give brewers the chance to see what beers go over the best with beer drinkers. They can then tailor their beers to what they find drinkers enjoy the most. Also, as brewers they get to see people enjoy their product, which is one of the aspects Hoadley enjoys most about brewing beer, other than drinking it.
"I love working with my hands, crafting something, sharing something that puts smiles on the faces of others," Hoadley says."There's nothing better than handing somebody a beer and having their eyes light up a little after
they're tasting it saying, "Woo damn."
This mindset allows craft brewers to supply what their audience demands. They have more flexibility in styles, tastes and ingredients than larger breweries in America.
"Those guys are the ones that are going to be doing these really creative, not having to fit the corporate mold, experimental beers," Herz says. "The marketplace has been rewarding beers with self, sense and soul."
Hummell thinks live music and beer tastings go together well. People would rather hang out and have a good time than go to a restaurant, eat, drink and leave. As a plus, he says it's a lot of fun having bands around.
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