Podcast Episode Details
Back to Podcast Episodes
Burke-Gilman Brewing is Your Friendly Neighborhood Alpha King Winner
Episode 192
“I’m anti-consistency,” says head brewer Phil Pesheck. “If you’re pro-consistency, you’re anti-advancement. I want to continuously improve the beer, batch after batch.”
Improve they have, and Seattle’s Burke-Gilman Brewing pulled off quite a feat in 2020 with a win at the Alpha King Challenge and a gold medal in the juicy/hazy IPA category at the Great American Beer Festival. It was a bold statement for a new brewery that had won no major awards before, but it wasn’t just luck—Pesheck was focused on winning, and the brewery supported his fanatical, R&D-driven approach.
In this episode of the podcast, cofounder Kenneth Trease, Pesheck, and brewer Julia Astrid Davis discuss the individual and collaborative ways this very small, taproom-focused brewery has made a big splash with hoppy beers:
- Going “full send” on competition entry beers
- Visualizing hop combinations, and exploring the small ways to drive maximum impact
- Optimizing the flavor of bitterness
- Maximizing yield despite excessive hop loads
- Fermenting and dry-hopping approaches for enticing aroma
- Hops that work as “stars,” and those that boost the performance of other hops
- Getting great results with spot hops
- Taking an iterative, taste-driven approach to dry hopping rather than following a set regimen
And more.
IPA isn’t the only thing Burke-Gilman brews, however. The tagline on their website reads, “IPA in the streets, lager in the sheets,” and the conversation concludes with discussion of their lager program and practices.
*This episode is brought to you by: *
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): As the brewing industry’s premier choice for glycol chilling, G&D Chillers has set the standard on quality, service, reliability and dedication to their customer’s craft. New this year, Redundancy meets Efficiency! G&D’s Micro-Channel Condensers are built with all aluminum construction which eliminates galvanic corrosion. Using half the refrigerant of conventional condensers with fewer brazed connections, translates to a lower GWP and less opportunity for leaks. Call G&D Chillers today to discuss your project or reach out directly at GDChillers.com.
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/) This episode is brought to you by Rahr North Star Pils. A new base malt to set your compass by. Rahr North Star Pils is crafted for brewers looking for a domestic pilsner malt with low color and low modification. North Star Pils carries overtones of honey and sweet bread, supported by flavors and aromas of hay and nutty character. Suitable for any beer style, but particularly craft brewed versions of classic lagers. Let Rahr North Star Pils guide your craft by visiting bsgcraftbrewing.com, or contact us at 1.800.374.2739.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): The world of craft beer is a different place now. Margins are more important than ever, so why not lower your ingredient cost? Craft juice concentrates from Old Orchard are the cost-effective solution for your fruit-forward needs. Old Orchard produces high volumes of their retail juice brand, so economies of scale keep prices low for their bulk supply program. A little concentrate goes a long way, and you won't lose some of it through filtering like you would with purees. To start increasing your margins now, head on over to www.oldorchard.com/brewer.
Brewery DB® (https://www.marke
Published on 4 years, 6 months ago