CONTENT
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THE CANDY 3 FORGET Stand out this Valentine’s Day with chocolate beers your better half will surely appreciate.
ORCHESTRA 5 TRANS-SIBERIAN TSO’s Andrew Ross shares the important influences of music, passion and beer.
FOR BEER 7 ENGINEERED American Beer Equipment resolves the needs of a booming craft industry with innovation.
11 WANDERLUST Eastern South Dakota is home to some very colorful, award-winning breweries.
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perfectpourmagazine.com
13 SPEED AHEAD 13 FULL Zipline Brewing Company’s unprecedented growth shows no signs of slowing down.
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BREWER SPOTLIGHT 25 Spotlight is on Zac Triemert, owner of Brickway Brewery & Distillery.
HOW TO HAWK YOUR HOME BREW SOMETHING SEASONAL 19 We 27 look at the recent LCC situation, what it Here’s a few beers to enjoy in the warmth of means and how to navigate it.
FROM SCRATCH 21 STARTING Code Beer Company is a grassroots brewery on the bike lane.
YOUR GLASS 24 KNOW Featuring the elegant flute glass and everpopular beer mug.
your home during winter’s cold grip.
WITH CRAFT BEER 29 COOKING An easy-to-prepare crockpot roast that’s sure to hit the spot.
Contributors
Annie Ellis Jay Ferguson Brandon Fowler Erin Miles Megan Rice Casey Welsch
Photography Josh Fiedler Mitch West
Design
Fidel Matos Dustin Rutledge
Editor
Annie Bohling
Perfect Pour Magazine produced in Lincoln, NE
by Jay Ferguson
C
hocolate has long been a traditional Valentine’s gift, but let’s admit it: Those paper boxes of chocolate-covered nougats are so cliché -- not a particularly creative gift. Luckily for us craft beer lovers, there are many delicious and unique chocolate beers being crafted by breweries just in time for the national day of romance.
Sexual Chocolate – Foothills Brewing Company
Choklat – Southern Tier Brewing Company
Oooh baby. First, let’s assume you actually got your hands on
Bittersweet Belgian chocolate swirls through this 10 percent
waited in line (you’re dedicated) or bought a frontline spot in
is the late-night kind, opt for Southern Tier’s Mokah – like
a bottle. That right there says something about you. Either you
Foothills auction (you’re rich). Either way, your reward for
planning ahead is a velvet-smooth swallow loaded with chocolate, fig and toffee notes. Just add Marvin Gaye.
Chocolatized – Pisgah Brewing Company The darkest of Pisgah brews, the beer formerly known as Vortex
II took a significant transformation when Pisgah brewers added
a heavy dose of raw cocoa nibs to the brite tanks, thus creating what will now only be known as “chocolatized.”
Chocolate Ale – Boulevard Brewing Company This awesomely un-stout annual release redefines what chocolate beer can be. A 9 percent ABV beer brewed in collaboration with
chocolatier Christopher Elbow, the beer is an amber-color, berryforward masterpiece that’s delicious now or later. You’ll have to hunt, but there are still bottles out there.
17 Mint Chocolate Stout – Perennial Artisan Ales The bottle’s sophisticated and gift-able, but the beer inside is
even more special: It’s a lush 10 percent ABV stout brewed with real mint; a more perfect makeout beer does not exist.
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ABV imperial stout for a creamy, dreamy swallow. If your tryst Choklat, but with an espresso jolt to keep you from nodding off before the, ahem, main event.
Organic Chocolate Stout – Samuel Smith’s The bottle’s only 550 mL, but that’s still shareable. Theobroma
cacao extract in a 5 percent ABV, all-organic, sumptuous stout shows a vegan/vegetarian/otherwise-earth-conscious lover you care.
Chocolate Oak-Aged Yeti – Great Divide If you or your date haven’t yet experienced the pleasure of Yeti, start with this 9.5 percent ABV iteration, a gold winner of the
Great American Beer Festival. Cocoa nibs lend a thoughtful cocoa bitterness (rather than a milky sweetness), oaky vanilla
softens the edges, while a smidge of cayenne puts a hint of heat on each sip. Is it getting hot in here?! Yes. Yes, it is.
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TRANS-SIBERIAN
ORCHESTRA interview by Mitch West
photo provided by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
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For someone who hasn’t been to one of your shows, why is Trans-Siberian Orchestra a “must-see” show?
they run two touring companies at once, each year. With
in the same room. Whether you listen to Motörhead, Motown or
of the most sought after and top grossing tours each year,
to do onstage is watch the faces of children and parents when
yrotechnics, fog, snow, professional lighting and fire all in one show? Count us in!
Trans-Siberian Orchestra shows are so massive,
a multi-million dollar production that is consistently one
a Trans-Siberian Orchestra show is a must-see spectacle. The American progressive rock band is most known for its Christmas shows.
At the launch of their tour in Council Bluffs, Iowa,
we caught up with Trans Siberian Orchestra vocalist and instrumentalist Andrew Ross.
What role has the Midwest played throughout your career? Especially Council Bluffs? What’s unique? What stands out? Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been rehearsing in
Council Bluffs since 2008. After all these years, spending two weeks anywhere else just wouldn’t feel the same. This is base camp before we take off to climb the mountain. We’ve gotten to know the area, the best places to eat and made friends with the locals.
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TSO has some of the most diverse audiences I have ever seen
Mozart, we’ve got something for you. One of my favorite things
we start blowing off the pyro. The lasers, the pyrotechnics, the storytelling. Where else are you gonna see a rock show like this?
For a kid picking up an instrument for the first time, what’s the biggest piece of advice you can give them?
This is a great question. I remember exactly where I was the
first time I heard “Eruption”. I decided right then that I was going to be the next Eddie Van Halen. Unfortunately, you must learn to
walk before you can run. Learn the foundations of your instrument
before you jump into the deep end. There are tons of young musicians these days that want to shred but don’t want to put in the work to
understand chord structures, scales and a sense of time. One piece of
advice I wish I could go back and give my 13-year-old self is practice every chance you get. Nintendo was a serious waste of good practice
time. If I had spent more time playing guitar and less time trying to
beat Megaman 2, I might be an even better musician than I am today.
Who today inspires you musically? Who are you listening too?
about happens on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Every
obsessive about listening to and finding new music. So I’ll just
Hospital and sing for the little ones and their families. Visiting
I could sit here all day and talk about music. I am kind of
talk about my top 5 favorite releases this year.
1. David Bowie - “Blackstar” - This record started 2016 off
Another tradition we have that most people don’t know
year we take an acoustic guitar and presents to a local Children’s the kids in there really puts things in perspective.
after its release only added to the surreal nature of it all. This was
In your 20 years with TSO, what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
he was in. How romantic is that?
the car driving back from midnight mass. The radio was on and a
I’ve had a growing feeling of boredom and indifference with the
we had ever heard. The song was called Christmas Eve/Sarajevo
with an otherworldly bang. The fact that Bowie died just 2 days his “parting gift” to fans, most of whom had no idea the trouble 2. Swans - “The Glowing Man” - Over the past few years
conventional song structures (verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus)
in pop music. This summer I discovered Michael Gira and his deliberate and unapologetic dismissal of what music should
be and how we should experience it. This album is hypnotic,
On Christmas Eve, 20 years ago, my entire family was in
brand new song was playing. This was the coolest Christmas tune by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I was 17 years old. 10 years later I
was asked to join the band. And within another 10 years I would lose my father to cancer.
The biggest lesson I have learned is that time flies. You have
disturbing, beautiful and strange. Proceed with caution. Swans
to remember to slow down and enjoy the little moments. The
3. Jack Garratt - “Phase” - I was half watching “The Late
your time and keep the people you love close. You never know
are not for everyone.
Show” one night when suddenly I heard this voice and it stopped me in my tracks. This guy was playing and looping keys, drums
small things. Don’t be in a rush. Life is fast enough as it is. Take when they might not be there anymore.
me hooked from the jump.
Since we’re a craft beer, spirits and wine magazine, we have to ask what types of drinks do you like to enjoy on or off the road?
bands around right now. These guys are on fire. In addition to
some of my favorite local breweries. Highland Brewing Company,
Conservation Society and advocate the preservation of marine
you are ever in the area, go check out the North Carolina Sierra
and guitar sequences together while singing and dancing his ass
off. The album is great, but that live performance of “Worry” had 4. Gojira - “Magma” - Gojira is one of the best metal
making seriously heavy music, they work with the Sea Shepherd life, ecosystems and environmental awareness.
5. Marissa Nadler - “Strangers” - This is one of those records
I’m from Asheville, North Carolina, so I gotta give props to
Wicked Weed and my personal favorite, Wedge Brewing Co. If Nevada Brewery. It’s just beautiful.
you have playing in the background on your day off. This album
What’s next for Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2017?
Nadler is in no rush whatsoever. She’s a mysterious siren you
secrets?” We will see. All I can say is that knowing us... it’s gonna
What role has charity played through the years with TransSiberian Orchestra?
You name it, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has it. The show
leaves you with a mind blowing experience that will make you
men I have ever known. He is a wonderful humanitarian that
holiday type, their show is still a must attend event.
just exudes coolness. Probably because it takes its time. Marissa want to get closer and closer to.
Paul O’Neill (TSO founder) is one of the most generous
believes in giving back to the community. Before every show
How does that saying go? “A magician never reveals his
be big.
want to come back each and every year. Even if you’re not the
we bring a local charity to the stage and present them with
a check. One dollar from every ticket sold is given back to their organization.
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ENGINEEREDFOR BEER
AMERICAN BEER EQUIPMENT AIDS CRAFT BEER WITH INNOVATION
by Annie Ellis | photography by Mitch West
S
mack dab in the center of the United States lies
Lincoln, Nebraska, home to a beer brewing equipment manufacturer who has served over 400 breweries across
the nation and into the rest of the world. FORTUNATE SYNERGY
American Beer Equipment was founded in 2012, six months
after an encounter with locally owned Blue Blood Brewing
Company. Their origins did not materialize overnight; parent company Norland International has been producing
equipment for the bottled water industry since 1993. Having sold some of their machinery to the medical, beer and spirits
industries in the past, they were thirsty for more when craft beer really started booming.
Norland Vice President of Sales Bruce Kucera and
President Mike McFarland were driving back from lunch one day and noticed activity in the original Blue Blood Brewing location on W. South Street.
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“We walked in and looked around and were surprised they were putting a brewhouse in there. It spurred our interest in the whole industry,” said Kucera, who has been with Norland since its inception. “As time had gone by and Brian (Podwinski, Blue Blood president and co-founder) had gotten some tanks that were coming in – fermenters – they didn’t have a way to unload them easily, so we connected and unloaded the tanks, and that sort of developed a relationship. As we learned more about it we said, ‘Well, heck we could do this.’ And it really just took off from there.” Norland currently has four different production divisions: beer equipment, bottled water, bottled water equipment and biodegradable bottle cap production. Though Norland had dabbled in the beer business with their creations in the past, they still wanted to learn a bit more before they totally dove headfirst into producing beer equipment. “We started to look at the equipment that Blue Blood would need and what we could build,” Kucera said. “We focused on the canning line first… we saw the technology in there and it was pretty basic. We knew we could do that and improve it.”
Another strength that ABE’s parent company contributed
to their formation included major business connections. McFarland and Norland Vice President Sam Noordhoff each possess vast international sales experience that covers the Pacific Rim, the Middle East and Latin America. It also helped that Noordhoff, a Michigan native, grew up in Taiwan, is fluent
in Mandarin and has a network who currently provides the materials needed to produce all of the equipment that ABE sells to their brewery customers.
Kucera has also lived in Australia before and had traveled all
over the world. Their location in a community such as Lincoln was ideal in order to be central to their clients in the United States.
With these connections in their back pocket, the partners
of Norland did their research with different equipment and component manufacturers overseas, discovering how these
distinct types of machines were built and even how they were sold. “The more we learned about the suppliers and that industry,
the more rudimentary they looked in their controls, their
construction and the parts they used, so we thought we would just design our own and come up with our own machines that we thought were much better quality,” Kucera said.
It was at this point that ABE decided to become a canning
line and brewhouse supplier.
ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS Lincoln is home to two Norland and ABE buildings, 75,000 square feet of brewing equipment production space and 100 employees.
“Here at Norland/ABE, customer service is a team effort,”
said Director of Engineering and Customer Service Adam
Kosmicki. ”We have 12 technicians that travel domestically and internationally for us. Customer service not only involves
the techs that travel – it can involve the sales team as well as engineering at times.”
Kosmicki began with Norland International in 1996 while
he was still a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. From fixing circuit boards to customer service, he has done about everything but accounting.
Their staff includes seven degreed engineers, with the
majority being mechanical engineers, as well as several who have associate’s degrees in various technical fields.
“That is the beauty of engineering,” Kosmicki said. “You
get to be creative while also being focused on a given outcome. With the growth in the industry being what it currently is – there is a demand for new products to be developed or current products to be modified.”
These developments could come in the form of customized
or automated controls on a piece of equipment. Each time a brewery places an order, there are many different electronic and
mechanical enhancements available to them that can be tweaked
to fit their liking. ABE’s brand not only delivers high-quality, top of the line brewing equipment, but they also allow each customer to customize their order from start to finish.
ABE product offerings range from two- to four-
vessel brewhouses to canning systems, tanks, bottling lines, keg washers, depalletizers, water treatment machines and
supplemental equipment such as grain mills, glycol chillers and spare fittings.
The newest of their product lines involves another up-and-
coming trend in the beverage world: distilleries.
Well-versed in finding growth opportunities in different
markets, ABE took on distillery production in May of 2016. They
learned that there are roughly 600 distillers across the country, compared to about 5,000 breweries and 9,000 wineries.
Cold brew coffee equipment is another realm they are
reaching into. The appeal of this ambitious new style of drink has
businesses in need of their own production lines, which ABE is Bruce Kucera inspects a can for quality.
obviously well versed on making.
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Bewing stills on display on the floor at American Beer Equipment.
MORE TO COME
Smaller breweries have been popping up in small towns, as
The options available to a consumer in the beer world today
well. According to the Brewer’s Association, there are currently 33
prosperity despite the lingering thought that there might be a
18 in towns with less than a population of 25,000.
is nearly overwhelming. The guys at ABE foresee continued growing bubble that could burst in the next few years. Kucera
breweries in the state of Nebraska, with a count of approximately
“I see them (small breweries) expanding into small
and Kosmicki weigh in on the trends of craft beer.
distilleries to make spirits there, to take the wort from their
will,” Kucera said. “But I think there’s a lot of growth left. I don’t
somebody a great income in a small community that may not
“I think it will plateau, eventually, like pretty much anything
think we’ve hit the peak by any means.”
“As individual markets get saturated with breweries I
brewhouse and make spirits,” Kucera said. “It could really give otherwise have anything like that around them.”
ABE’s worldwide spread now reaches places with breweries
think it will get harder and harder for the breweries that make
in Australia, Canada, England, Mexico, New Zealand and Spain.
great beers and the ones that continue to bring on fun and new
internationally and take what they’ve learned here to help
OK beers,” Kosmicki added. “The breweries that are making
products will continue to grow as far as their markets will allow.”
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Kucera knows they want to definitely keep growing
make a profit overseas. Nigeria is a place where Norland does
a lot of water-related business, but they presently only have
they’re helpful, friendly, considerate, happy to show you anything
break the proverbial ice and start working with the Nigerians
willing to do the same things. It must be the mentality of beer
five different types of beer to choose from. ABE wants to
on owning and operating their own brewing equipment to start businesses in their communities. It isn’t just about
and help you out. Even internationally, we find people who are that helps people open up and be friendly.”
It’s clear that Norland International and American
making money though.
Beer Equipment have both been locally owned and locally
24 years,” Kucera said. “We’ve helped families, kids get through
and customers alike. They are proud to be a part of the
“We’ve helped people in the business of water for the past
college, people get over illnesses, and it’s helped people have an income which is a really cool part about it.”
The synchronistic way that American Beer Equipment and
loved operations that offer many opportunities to employees community, just as the community should be equally proud to have them.
Kosmicki is told quite often by visitors that they had no
Blue Blood Brewing first formed a relationship is representative
idea that a business of this caliber existed in the capital city.
Apparently, according to Kucera, the water industry is very
best, hardest working employees around,” Kosmicki said. “It
“They don’t talk to each other,” Kucera said. “The beer
a management team could not have a better group working
of how close-knit folks really are in the craft beer world. different and is highly competitive.
guys – they’ll share recipes, recommend things, and how to fix a problem. It’s such a great group of people.
“Being around the country and traveling like I do, it seems
like the beer people are similar wherever you go. They’ve got their
own regional attitudes on everything, but when it comes to beer,
“We tell our staff all the time that we have some of the
is our employees that make Norland and ABE great. We as for us.”
ABE welcomes visitors to their facilities with a scheduled
appointment. For more information on product details and how to get in touch, visit www.americanbeerequipment.com.
Bruce Kucera, Adam Kosmicki and Mike McFarland.
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by Erin Miles
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hink of South Dakota and things like the Black Hills, Sturgis Bike Rally, Mount Rushmore, historical battle sites or really cold winters are probably what come to mind. In fact, breweries and craft beer might be one of the last things you associate with our northern neighbor. Yet, it is staking its place in the framework of their economy and the hearts and taste buds of beer lovers. There are around 17 established breweries in the state and more are in the works. When looking at the distribution of the breweries on a map, they fall into two distinct clusters, eastern and western. The breweries in the eastern part of the state are mostly located in South Dakota’s largest city, Sioux Falls, with a few outliers in nearby towns, and the western breweries are dappled among several towns in the beautiful Black Hills. While it would be a bit ambitious to make a weekend beer-cation of the entire state, tackling one cluster at a time is an easy and worthwhile get-away. Perfect Pour decided to tackle the eastern cluster first and made their way up to Sioux Falls for a weekend of brewery exploration. Visits to the following five breweries highlighted a lot of the cool things happening in the South Dakota beer scene and made us excited for our future exploration of the western part of the state.
WOODEN LEGS BREWING - Brookings, SD: Nestled in downtown Brookings, home to South Dakota State University, this small 3-barrel system brewery has a lot to offer. They feature several signature beers available year round and an array of “Whimsical Brews.” These rotating one-off specialties touch every end of the style spectrum. Catering to the preferences of every beer drinker, Wooden Legs aims to please even light beer lovers with their Wild Hair or Cowbell Cream Ales. And they don’t stop at beer. Another claim to their local fame are their tasty thin, cracker-crust pizzas. More than 100 different pizzas have been created in the kitchen over the years, but the Bacon Cheeseburger and the Mac-n-Cheese pizza are the most popular sure-fire winners. Like them on Facebook @woodenlegsbrewing HYDRA BEER COMPANY - Sioux Falls, SD: This brewery rocks, in more ways than one. The brainchild of two metal rockers, Hydra is affectionately known as the “heavy metal brewery.” Their taps offer 16 different beers, all aptly named in line with the heavy metal theme, from the tasty Unholy Vanilla milk stout to the crisp Ritual dry-hopped pale ale to the homebrew awardwinning Morning Star Berlinerweiss. They also feature an occasional guest tap, have a large bottle selection of local and regional beers, and have local cold brew coffee on tap for those who need a little jolt. The taproom is pet friendly and hosts an array of games such as pinball machines, an N64 and Mortal Combat arcade. So get your hand-horns ready and rock out with a tasty brew. hydrabeercompany.com
WOODGRAIN BREWING - Sioux Falls, SD: Specializing in quality hand-made beers, this microbrewery is in the heart of downtown Sioux Falls. They feature local ingredients when available, down to their own strain of yeast propagated by a local microbiology company. Along with four flagship beers, you will find a diverse selection of eight to 10 other craft creations on tap such as their cranberry gose, imperial brown and collaborations with other breweries. The warm and inviting taproom provides a comfortable atmosphere to gather with friends and family to enjoy libations and pizza from neighboring Pappy’s. WoodGrain also makes their own sodas (root beer, cream soda and a honey ginger lemongrass), so everyone from young to old will find something to please their palate. www.woodgrainbrew.com
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FERNSON BREWING - Sioux Falls, SD: South Dakota’s largest brewery, Fernson boasts a 30-barrel brewing system, 300 barrels of fermentation space and two locations in Sioux Falls. Their spacious, family-friendly brewery taproom is located just north of town. Always providing seven to eight of their tasty creations on tap, the brewery is a great space for getting together with a few to many friends. Fernson on Eighth, located in downtown Sioux Falls (just across the tracks from Monks House of Ale Repute), is their 21-and-older taproom that also features live music. The taproom has a smaller tap selection, but it includes their mainstay beers and an ever-changing list of “tap room only” offerings (and a hand selected wine list). Fernson’s beers range from their tasty easyto-drink Lion’s Paw Lager, a perfect gateway beer, to their Barrel-Aged Farmhouse Ale, which won the People’s Choice award at the 2016 Sioux Falls Beer Expo. www.fernson.com GANDY DANCER BREW WORKS / MONKS HOUSE OF ALE REPUTE - Sioux Falls, SD: Gandy Dancer is a nano-brewery ran in the back of a beer lover’s haven, Monks House of Ale Repute. This regionally famous beer bar has 39 taps where you can enjoy any of the five to six Gandy Dancer brews along with a wide variety of other well-selected craft beers. Monk’s is not only praised for the impressive beer selection. The food, ranging from unique sharable plates to tasty sandwich and pizza creations, is reason enough to make a stop. Monk’s opened nine years ago and Gandy Dancer began its brewing magic five years later. Located alongside the train tracks on the edge of downtown Sioux Falls, Gandy Dancer pays homage to the rails in the name of all their beers This is even true for their namesake, for a “gandy dancer” is the guy who drove the spikes into the rails, doing a little shuffle with each swing called a gandy dance. Visit their website to view the entire food menu and see what is currently on tap. www.monkshouseofalerepute.com
FULL SPEED AHEAD ZIPLINE BREWING SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING DOWN by Erin Miles | photography by Josh Fiedler
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The story of Zipline Brewing Co. is one of hitting the ground running and maintaining momentum.
T
hree rogue home brewers, Tom Wilmoth, Marcus Powers and James Gallentine, who decided to turn their hobby
into a business, started Zipline. This story is not unique
to the craft beer world, but what makes Zipline stand out is their
approach and priorities, which have contributed to their impressive growth and respected position among fellow brewers. IF YOU BUILD IT… The idea of starting a brewery was spurred by talk of all the awesome breweries they had visited in their travels. It struck them Lincoln didn’t really have an iconic brewery to give
beer lovers a reason to visit. Empyrean was really the only brewery in Lincoln, for a while, and with much notoriety. But it was more associated with Lazlo’s restaurant than known as a brewery destination.
“A lot of what we were trying to do was create a landmark
place everyone in Lincoln could be proud of and want to brag up,” Powers explained. “We were a collective of people who really wanted to do good things for Nebraska beer.”
That is exactly what they have done. Only four years old
and Zipline is already the old dog in town. Since their launch in 2012, a handful of other breweries have joined the scene -- a cascade effect of good brewery begets good brewery.
Kolby Wood, founder and head brewer at White Elm
Brewing in Lincoln, credits Zipline for making their brewery
and experimentation possible by drawing interest to so many different styles.
“Experimentation in brewing now has market viability in
Nebraska, and Zipline laid the ground work,” Wood said. “They have set the expectation for craft beer in Nebraska at much a
higher level than it was at five years ago, pushing the boundaries of what craft beer can be.”
Zipline hasn’t just helped pave the way for new breweries;
they have facilitated it by offering help and resources to aid the
new endeavors. From giving Ploughshare a helping hand with
building their taproom to assisting White Elm acquire different barrels, Zipline’s connections helped optimize the operations of local industry start-ups.
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Mike Boden, Zipline’s head brewer, views the booming
This growth is exemplified by the leaps in their barrel
craft industry in Nebraska as a great thing from the perspective
production from year to year. In their first full year of brewing
“There is a lot of room for camaraderie in Nebraska,” Boden
tripled in 2014 with 4,800 barrels. The increase continued with
of both a beer lover and brewer.
said, “It is exciting to see new places I can go to enjoy something
(2013), production amassed to 1,300 barrels, which more than
6,200 barrels in 2015 and they are projecting around 8,000 barrels
different and get new ideas.”
by the end of 2016, growth that surprises even them.
come to Lincoln as a beer city,” Powers added. “For them to
Tom Wilmoth said.
something that is good for all of us.”
humbly attests to timing.
and Zipline’s success has been a major catalyst to the movement.
to make deep connections with the communities, retail partners
“From a business and tourism perspective, we want people to be able to get a hotel and visit several awesome breweries, that’s That is exactly the direction the Lincoln beer scene is headed
EXPANDING HORIZONS Since their release in November 2012, Zipline’s growth has been
on a consistent uphill tick. Mark Thompson, Craft and Import Brand Manager for K&Z Distributing, has represented Zipline since its start and describes their growth as unprecedented.
“Their growth has been on pace since we started with them,
doing increases I have never seen in the 17 years I have been in
this business,” Thompson said. “It is like the Midas touch with those guys.”
“Our business plan called for only 3,000 barrels by 2015,” This huge overshot of their projection mark is a feat Zipline “We came in at a time when there was a lot of opportunity
and distributors,” Wilmoth said.
“We also jumped into the scene right as a lot of new hop
varieties were coming along,” Boden added.
Although Zipline gives credit to simple luck and timing for
their success, those familiar with the brewery know there is a lot more to it. The quality and diversity of their beer and the positive
presence they have in the community are major factors responsible
for Zipline’s popularity and respected station in the craft beer world. Zipline first released beer to the public Thanksgiving week
of 2012. Unlike the inauguration of most breweries, Zipline
came out of the gate with only one beer, Oatmeal Porter. Originally intended to be a seasonal brew, its overwhelming
popularity landed it a spot among Zipline’s flagship beers, which
were released a week later. The other flagships were New Zealand IPA, which has since been discontinued and replaced with India Pale Ale, and Copper Alt, which took gold at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival in the German altbier category.
The three flagship beers, however, are barely the tip of the
iceberg when it comes to Zipline’s overall portfolio. Each year
they release 36 to 40 other beers and over the course of their history have brewed more than 60 different creations.
When the founders first started formulating their business
plan, they came at it from two different perspectives. Marcus and Tom were thinking more along the lines of a small scale/brewpub
model whereas James was focused more on production. James was
able to convince them production was they way to go yet, in the
end, it fostered their ability to focus on experimentation and craft. “Being able to have a vision for growth and production
helped subsidize the artisan brewing we wanted to do,” Powers said. “Without the capabilities we were given by having a larger scale concept, we wouldn’t have been able to turn around and do Head brewer Mike Boden tests a batch of beer.
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all the fun stuff we wanted to do.”
A Kolsch Style travels through Zipline’s bottling
line, one of 10,000 to be bottled that day.
Zipline spans the entire spectrum of beer styles with all their
different brews. So whether a person is a craft beer novice or a
hardcore beer nerd, Zipline will have something to satisfy everyone. “Zipline has done such a nice job of bridging the gap
people approach beer. Sure, not everyone is going to like everything they try, but simply having the opportunity to try an array of styles is one great perk to Zipline’s diverse lineup.
Yet, a diverse portfolio can only go so far. When it comes
between hard line craft beer drinkers and people who are
down to brass tacks, what matters most is the quality of the beer.
so many styles so extremely well.”
heart,” Thompson of K&Z said.
transitioning into craft beer,” Wood of White Elm said. “They do Maintaining a well-rounded portfolio of beer styles is a
priority for Zipline. It’s not only good from a business standpoint, but it makes the craft beer experience welcoming and intriguing to everyone.
“The enjoyable thing about running a brewery is being able
to bring people stuff they might not have encountered before,” Powers said.
Educating people on the different styles and encouraging
them to try something new can make a big difference in how
“Quality has to be number one and they’ve taken that to
“Whether we are making a tiny session beer or a huge imperial stout, we should do it well, and if we can’t do it well, then we work on it until we have something we are proud to release.”
16
THIS SHALL NOT PASS
improve existing recipes, develop uniform beer profiles to ensure
From Thompson’s distribution perspective, Zipline is far from
consistency from batch to batch, check for off flavors and generate
Thompson claims it as some of the best he has ever seen. With
doing research on blending barrel-aged beers, a little something
lacking quality. Whether it be their packaging or their beer,
fresh ideas. In fact, over the next few months the panel will be
the market expanding as it is in the craft beer world, this accolade
we can all look forward to.
bodes extremely well for Zipline.
“We try to capitalize on our range of brewing experience
RELATIONSHIPS THAT MATTER
and our ability to flex our muscles, so to speak, at all ends of the
The sensory panel is just one example of how Zipline not only
session beer or a huge imperial stout, we should do it well, and if
Zipline embarked on the scene, the team consisted of just the
we are proud to release.”
Boden joined the crew as a brewer a few months later and over
Zipline founders and brewers.
raising him to the position of Zipline’s head brewer.
best version of that beer I know how to do,” Boden stated. “If
to put our trust of the brand in someone else’s hands,” Wilmoth
brewing spectrum,” Powers said. “Whether we are making a tiny
invests in their brewing capabilities, but also in people. When
we can’t do it well, then we work on it until we have something
three founders (plus ample amounts of help from their spouses).
The importance of quality is a virtue held by all of the
the following 18 months developed as a brewer and a leader,
“Whatever it is I am brewing, I am going to make it the
“The real difference when Mike came on was our ability
something less than the best of that version comes out, we aren’t hesitant to dump it.”
Dumping a batch of beer is a hard call to make; it’s like
said, “which was really hard to do.”
However, the release of St. Boden Quad in a 750mL, a
culmination of Boden’s ability to excel in what he does and carry
flushing money down the toilet. Yet Zipline recognizes a sacrifice
the Zipline brand, was just one of many reassurances that the
to 80,000 -- is a much smaller price to pay than damage to a
“It was breath of fresh air when we brought Mike on to the
of potential revenue -- which can sometimes equal up to $20,000
founders made the best decision by bringing him on board.
reputation, a fact of the business Mark Thompson agrees with.
team,” Powers reminisced. “We were actually able to pursue a lot of
get second chances,” Thompson said.
keeping up on quality and participating in fun community projects.”
themselves from being faced with the “to dump or not to dump”
staff members.
discuss ways to improve on the beers they have and make decisions
retrospect,” Powers said. “One was to invest, borrow and capitalize
“One of the greatest strengths of our brewing crew is that
growth on the backs of good people. So we had to hire people
“The market is sometimes unforgiving and you don’t often
the ideas we had with brewing new and innovative beers while still
The Zipline crew have regular meetings to safeguard
Now, almost four years later, the Zipline team has 28
dilemma. These open format meetings give them a chance to
“We made two really difficult decisions, but good in
on what to beer should be next up on the brewing docket.
on our growth which was expensive and also to pursue that
everyone respects each other,” Wilmoth said. “We give each
instead of run on a barebones crew and now we have built an
spirit. And so if we don’t do the ‘best version’ of something, that
“That is the story of Zipline in 2016-2017,” Wilmoth added.
other a lot of criticism but it is generally always taken in the right
awesome brewery with awesome people.”
interchange will result in improvement.”
“We are overqualified at every level because the people we have
and preferences. To ensure the beer they are releasing is up to the
can’t ever underappreciate that. That is the story of this company;
of a sensory panel. This panel consists of internal Zipline staff
That future is one of continued growth and expansion. This
Zipline, however, doesn’t rely solely on their own palates
working for us believe in the overall guiding force of Zipline. We
high standards they work to maintain, Zipline calls on the input
where do the people of Zipline take it in the future?”
and select outside members with in-depth craft beer experience
past October Zipline opened their second taproom, Zipline Beer
every Zipline beer passes through the sensory board. However,
open in downtown Omaha. Zipline had always held the thought
and well-defined palates. Meeting only once a month, not
Hall, in south Lincoln and this spring a third location is slated to
Zipline also employs the panel as a sounding board on how to
of opening other locations as a possibility, but until this past
17
spring, nothing had been put into the works. This is thanks to the
For example, Zipline recently teamed up with El Centro
passing of Nebraska legislation (LB1105), which allows breweries
De Los Americas to raise funds and awareness for their mission
This growth and expansion, however, does not come at the
stout with cinnamon, chili peppers and vanilla. They also joined
with production under 20,000 barrels to have up to five tap rooms. expense of maintaining their local focus. Once the legislation cleared the path to open new locations, Zipline saw this as a way to expand in nearby areas.
“This was a great way to funnel our focus here rather than
in other states,” Powers said.
This way of thinking illustrates the importance Zipline
places on remaining local. They refer to it as the “three-hour
bubble,” a business model that focuses energy and growth within a three-hour radius of their brewery.
“We want to feel local in the places we are at,” Powers explained. Zipline doesn’t merely attain this local focus by where they
locate their taprooms and distribute their beer. Interweaving
themselves into the fabric of the local community by integrating
with local businesses and organizations and supporting local charities and non-profits is something they hold paramount.
by doing a collaboration beer, Calavera, a barrel-aged imperial
forces with Scriptown Brewing of Omaha earlier this fall to brew Hopscotch, an easy drinking hoppy Scottish-style ale, to
raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Yet, their
biggest fundraiser is the annual Barrel Fest, a 100 percent nonprofit event whose proceeds go to the organization The Bay and
Skate for Change which hosts programs to protect and educate our inner city youth.
From quality and diversity to community and philanthropy,
Zipline Brewing is the complete package of what is important
in the craft beer world. Their approach to brewing has created an environment pleasing to craft beer novices and connoisseurs
alike and their mission and success have fostered a welcoming community for more great breweries to enter in to. By setting out to do good things for Nebraska beer, they have become the landmark place everyone in Lincoln can be proud of.
Brewing beer doesn’t always have to be a serious affair, and the crew at Zipline knows how to have a little fun.
18
HOW TO HAWK YOUR
HOME BREW by Casey Welsch | photography by Dustin Rutledge
A
clash between Nebraska home brewers and the state’s
Here’s what we know:
year shows no signs of abating in 2017, even with a new
HOW THIS STARTED
Liquor Control Commission that began in August of last
session of the Nebraska Legislature convening beginning Jan. 4.
Aug. 25, 2016: The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission
enforce greater scrutiny on the participation of unlicensed home
nebraska-liquor-control-commission/53-16806-general-
The controversy surrounds a decision by the LCC to
brewers of beer in public events such as beer festivals. Home
brewers who have taken part in such events in at least the past
10 years allege the LCC is reinterpreting the law, and that home
prohibition-exceptions/1080816622014248) with the text of Nebraska Revised Statute 53-168.06, which reads:
brewers have traditionally been allowed at public beer events.
“General prohibition; exceptions. No person shall manufacture,
though the enforcement may be stricter now than in the past.
any alcoholic liquor for beverage purposes except as specifically
The LCC maintains it is simply enforcing an unambiguous law, Some Nebraska home brewers feel confused about the
situation, and what it means for where and when they can vend
their wares to the public. Many home brewers go on to found their
own licensed breweries, which is made more difficult if they cannot
test their beers in public before they begin brewing them large-scale. This is an effort to clarify where the Liquor Control
Commission stands on home brewers and to determine where, if
anywhere, home brewers can distribute their goods to the public.
19
publishes as Facebook post (www.facebook.com/notes/
bottle, blend, sell, barter, transport, deliver, furnish, or possess
provided in the Nebraska Liquor Control Act. Nothing in the act shall prevent (1) the possession of alcoholic liquor legally obtained as provided in the act for the personal use of the
possessor and his or her family and guests; (2) the making of wine, cider, or other alcoholic liquor by a person from
fruits, vegetables, or grains, or the product thereof, by simple
fermentation and without distillation, if made solely for the use of the maker and his or her family and guests.”
Aug. 27, 2016: At least three unlicensed home brewers are
waiver statute 53-168.06. If said application is approved, then
the LCC, citing the above statute.
stated event. Any and all judged home brew competitions must
denied entry in the Great Nebraska Beer Fest in Papillion by
Sept. 12, 2016: The LCC publishes a more detailed Facebook post (www.facebook.com/notes/nebraska-liquor-control-
commission/home-brewers-faq/1095238460572064) laying out what is allowed of home brewers.
Sept. 26, 2016: The Midwest Homebrewers Invitational 2016 event is cancelled, citing uncertainty as to whether the LCC would approve their licence for the event. WHAT THE LCC BELIEVES LCC Executive Director Hobert Rupe has stated that the
issues he has seen involve unlicensed Nebraska home brewers presenting themselves as “breweries” in either their online
presence or in public. According to Rupe, until a brewer is
licenced, they cannot vend their beer in any commercial capacity. “You need a license to sell beer in Nebraska,” he has said,
the restrictions inherent in the statute will not apply to the have such an SDL before they can hold their events.
SDLs do not seem to apply to large, paid, public festivals
however, such as was the case with the Great Nebraska Beer Fest.
Homebrew can, however, be “donated” at festivals with SDL waivers. HOW TO GET AN SDL SDLs can now be applied for online at the LCC’s website: https://lcc.nebraska.gov/special-designated-license WHAT CAN HOME BREWERS NOT DO? Sell their beer anywhere. It is unambiguously illegal to accept
money for unlicensed alcohol anywhere in Nebraska, at any time. (Cash prizes for brewing competitions are allowed, however.) Advertise beer for sale. This falls under the same
prohibition as the above item.
Pour at paid, public festivals without SDLs.
citing statute 53-168.06.
WHAT CAN HOME BREWERS DO?
themselves as breweries at the Great Nebraska Beer Fest, which
Advertise the existence of upcoming products, so long as no
Rupe became aware of “certain entities” promoting
is why he decided to act and bar their entry into the festival. “(The brewers in question) have filed applications with
Compete in SDL-approved brewing competitions. sales language is involved.
A home brewer can officially become a craft brewer by
the Commission but … no licence has yet been issued,” Rupe
undergoing certification through the federal Alcohol and
troubling as those persons are prohibited from manufacturing
info: https://www.ttb.gov/beer/brewers-notice.shtml
said in an interview published Sept. 5 on our blog. “This is very beer until the Class L license had been issued. … It is not yet
legal for them to produce for public consumption until after the license has been approved.”
The Great Nebraska Beer Fest was a paid-admittance
public event.
It is possible to be an exception to the LCC’s prohibition on
home brewed beer in public. It requires the possession of a one-
time Special Designated License (SDL) by an event’s organizers. WHAT’S AN SDL? Special Designated Licenses allow a one-time waiver of the
restrictions on home brewed beer apparent in statute 53-168.06. An SDL must be specially applied for by organizers each
Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). A website with more If a home brewer becomes a craft brewer, they can put this
whole headache behind them by becoming an LCC-licensed
brewery. Links to this application and all other LCC forms can be found at: https://lcc.nebraska.gov/licensing-forms CLOSING THOUGHTS Home brewing is a growing hobby in Nebraska and and the nation at large. But as the law currently stands in Nebraska,
it is just that: a hobby. In order to commercialize or publicly
distribute any beer in the state, the above considerations must
all be taken into account. You can always drink it in your home,
with family and friends, but the public’s a whole different beast.
time an event involving home brewed beer is planned. When
applying for such SDLs, the applicant must specify an intent to
20
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
CODE BEER: A GRASSROOTS BREWERY ON THE BIKE LANE by Annie Bohling | photography by Mitch West
The first brewery to open in 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska, is a grassroots operation to its core.
system for sale online by Goose Island Brewing Company, which
ode Beer Company co-owners Matt Gohring and
The business partners bought the 15-barrel system sight
C
closed its brewpub in Wrigleyville, Chicago, that year.
“It was really solid, used equipment at a good price, and a
lot of it,” Gohring said. “It’s the right size for us and it gives us room to grow.”
Adam Holmberg have spent the last year or so in hands-
unseen, and made plans to pick it up using family members’ trucks.
them – from purchasing, dismantling, transporting and installing
working around live electricity, live gas lines, live water lines,”
the brewery’s exterior brick wall.
tear out a wall, break through a cooler and remove bricks to open
on and determined fashion, tackling projects foreign to
brewing equipment from Chicago to painting the huge logo on
GUESS WHAT?… Code Beer is on track to open in early 2017, located in a 4,500
square-feet building at the corner of N Street and Antelope Valley Parkway.
“We’re able bodies who are willing to figure it out,”said Gohring,
the brew master of the two-man operation. Holmberg is the brewery’s business manager. “It’s very much a do-it-yourself operation.”
The longtime friends’ dream of opening a brewery shifted
into a reality in November 2015, when they found a full brewing
21
“We spent four days living in the (Goose Island) brewery,
Gohring said. “Everything was just sitting there. … We had to the front of the building.
“Every step of the way, we were totally unqualified. Our
mindset is, we don’t know what you’re doing, but give us a few minutes and we’ll figure it out.”
Holmberg looks back on the process as a blur, colored by a
mix of nervousness, excitement and low sleep.
“It was one of my proudest moments, for sure,” Holmberg said. “We were in a hotel in Iowa City on the way back and I
remember saying, ‘This is one of the craziest things we’ve ever done,’” Gohring added.
The two are quick to thank those who helped them tear out,
haul and install the loads of equipment, including the liquidation company and rigging company in Chicago and friends and family from the Lincoln area.
“We have a lot of good friends helping us and we have very
supportive wives,” Holmberg said. “We’re the ones flapping our gums, but none of this happens without everyone helping us.”
The business partners’ friend, for example, installed
Code Beer’s 500 square-feet cooler panels, which were bought used from Walmart.
Holmberg and Gohring take pride in their hands-on operation. “We have to earn it,” Gohring said. “Our system is fully
manual. That’s what we deserve. We could spend all this money and get all the best stuff, but there’s no sense of reward in that.”
As apparent as their dedication through manual labor is
their attitude of having fun through the process.
On Gohring’s business card is, “Brew Master – party in
the back” and on Holmberg’s, “Business Manager -- business in the front.”
“If we’re not having fun, we’re not doing it right,”
Gohring said.
THE PATH IS CLEAR Holmberg and Gohring grew up as friends and neighbors in
Norfolk, and were dorm mates in college. Holmberg later lived in Phoenix for 10 years, while Gohring lived in Lincoln and started his hobby of homebrewing in 2007.
“In my first visit back, I tried his homebrew and said, ‘This
is good. I’d pay money for this.’ And then we started talking,” Holmberg said.
In the following years, Gohring’s affection for brewing
grew stronger and Holmberg’s suggestion of opening a brewery together became more adamant.
The business partners said future Code Beer customers
can expect an array of beers from light to dark, including a few flagship beers consistently available and some experimental batch beers continually rotating through the tap lines.
“We’ll have a cream ale that’s really light-bodied and
great for anyone getting into craft beer,” Gohring said. “We’ll
have a really hoppy IPA, a strong pale ale, an American red
ale with a nice balance of hops and malt, a nut brown, a nice American stout.”
Gohring said he’ll focus on quality over quantity at Code Beer.
Matt Gohring (top) and Adam Holmberg (bottom) put in another long night getting the brewery ready to open.
22
“I love all beer,” Gohring said. “Except really smoky beers.
I love Belgian beers, German beers. It’s the homebrewer coming out in me. I never want to pigeon-hole myself into only extremely
hoppy beers or any narrow window. A great brewer has a marked style and the ability to adapt and learn.”
Gohring and Holmberg said they plan to eventually
distribute their beer outside their taproom and add an inhouse kitchen. They said their future beer distribution would be concentrated in the Lincoln and Omaha areas.
The location of Code Beer ensues even more excitement for
Gohring and Holmberg. The N Street bicycle path runs alongside
Code Beer and, the brewery is one of the first businesses of the Telegraph District, the name for the 21st and N streets area that
is being redeveloped into residential and commercial space by Speedway Properties and Nelnet.
“We stumbled onto this location and we lucked out hard
core,” Gohring said. “Then we saw it as an opportunity in being one of the first businesses in the Telegraph District. Do we have an opportunity to shape what follows down here? Is there going
to be more restaurants and night life down here? … It’s super ambitious, but we’ll do whatever we can to set the tone for what follows down here.”
As two men who were avid bicyclists, Gohring and
Holmberg are ecstatic to cater to the bicycling community.
“A lot of cities are here in Lincoln have really, really good
synergy between biking and beer,” Holmberg said. “We want to have ample bike racks and a repair station with pumps.”
Gohring said he wants Code Beer to be a hub for bicyclists,
where they know they’re always welcome to fill their tires and maybe stay for a beer.
“I commend Lincoln so much for putting this (new,
separated bike lane) in,” Gohring said. “Anything we can do to get that momentum going, we’ll do it.”
Find more information about Code Beer on Facebook and
on their website, codebeer.co.
23
KNOW your
GLASS by Jay Ferguson | photography by Mitch West
Flute
I
Mug
n order to experience the full beer, one needs to take in the
Flute Glass
bottleneck mouth-feel. The fact that any beverage when poured
designed to retain some of the same properties found in fine
aroma and appearance without a hindering metallic taste or
into a container changes the appearance, taste and experience is simple yet easily overlooked. How a container may affect a certain
type of beer may not be known right away, however, there are several aspects of glassware choice that are transparent enough to guide any beginner along a path to heightened beer enjoyment.
Beer Mug
Robust and easy to use, this type holds a lot of beer. Common
in England, Germany and the United States, this type of beer
glass comes in many sizes. The main characteristic of the beer
Often confused with a champagne glass, a flute beer glass is
champagne. This includes active carbonation and intense aroma and a visually appealing presentation.
A flute beer glass is typically tall, long-stemmed and
slender made with thin-walled glass. The long stem allows
you enjoy the beer without your hand coming in contact with the bowl and warming the beer. The narrow bowl creates a
thick head and good head retention. One really should have
a flute glass if lambics, fruit beers, Krieks or ciders are your cup of -- err -- beer.
Serving these types of beers in a different style glass will
mug is its wide cylindrical shape with a handle on the side. The
detract from the presentation and experience. Plus, a flute glass
handle helps prevent your hands from inadvertently warming the
serve champagne, prosecco and other sparkling wines.
thick glass walls help insulate your brew to keep it cool, while the beer (and easy to hang onto as the night unravels).
can perform double duty in your home bar and can be used to
Sometimes beer mugs will have dimples or ridges
There are a wide variety of beer glasses out there. Every single
decorative purposes, others argue that the dimples help a drinker
get from your favorite type of beer. We hope that the above list
throughout the glass. While some believe this is merely for appreciate the overall color and clarity of their beer. No matter
what you believe, there’s no denying the popularity of this beer glass. They are easy to use, strong enough to toast your friends in
one of them are designed to enhance the overall experience you
has encouraged you to expand your collection to other styles of glassware, because a properly served beer is a better beer.
a hearty manner and hold tons of beer!
24
BREWER SPOTLIGHT Zac Triemert
Owner - Brickway Brewery & Distillery
MEET THE SOUR CHEFS OF CARSON, IOWA
by Megan Rice | photography by Mitch West
by Casey Welsch | photography by Dustin Rutledge
T
he moment when 200 friends and family members of Zac
However, brewing jobs were difficult come by in 1997, so he
homebrew, Kapatogama Pale Ale, toasting the memory
microbiologist for a number of years. The job eventually took him
Triemert joined him in raised glasses of his first bottled
of his late father, was the moment he knew he would pursue his passion for brewing.
“I made a beer in memory of my late father,” Triemert said.
“I gave everyone at the funeral a bottle and gave a speech. Some people laughed, some cried, but what I realized was that I created a
memory with this beer. And I thought, ‘This is what I have to do.’” Triemert, master brewer and owner of Brickway Brewery
and Distillery, discovered his passion several years prior when Randy Hughes of G. Heileman Brewing Company spoke to his microbiology class.
“He showed me what else I could do with my degree and I
said to myself, ‘I’m doing that!’” Triemert said.
On track to graduate pre-med, Triemert was inspired by
took a job with Cargill Inc., where he worked as a chemist and to Omaha, Nebraska. It was not until his father’s passing that Triemert realized life is too short and it was time to pursue his passion. He needed to brew beer.
Despite the compensation and benefits his job at Cargill
provided, he took a leap of faith and left to work at Upstream Brewing Company.
“People thought I was crazy. I went for it,” Triemert said.
“Brewing at Upstream was a great stepping stone and a great learning experience. That was when I realized I wanted to do my own thing, which included making whisky.”
Even though Triemert had been brewing commercially for
five years, he had little experience distilling whisky. He took a year
Hughes to consider an alternative career path, one that ignited
sabbatical, moved to Edinburgh, Scotland and attended Heriot-Watt
“When you are in college, that (making beer for a living)
Upon his return, Triemert opened Lucky Bucket Brewery
intrigue with fervor.
University and earned a master’s degree in brewing and distilling.
sounds awesome,” Triemert said. “Now I am long out of college
and Solace Distillery. Years later, he sold the company and set
After graduating from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse,
Brickway Brewery and Distillery in 2013, focused to maintain an
and it still sounds awesome.”
his sights on a new location: Omaha’s Old Market. He opened
Triemert arranged to speak with Hughes about job opportunities.
emphasis on distilling.
25
“When I look back to the Lucky Bucket days, one thing
that happened was the brewery took over so fast I almost forgot
I had a distillery, too,” Triemert said. “I vowed to myself when I started Brickway I wouldn’t let that happen again.”
Brickway Brewery and Distillery serves a variety of spirits
including gin, brandy, vodka and, soon, rum, but whisky is where Triemert focuses his time and energy.
“I am a distiller because I love whisky,” Triemert said. “I am
passionate about the production and I love the character and the flavor. I started the distillery in Brickway because of my love of whisky.”
Among a myriad of other reasons, Triemert explained that
his passion for whisky began when he was gifted a bottle of
traditional way. The lyne arm goes up instead of down, meaning
condensation goes into the pot, not the alcohol, aiding to make a lighter, cleaner spirit.
In nearly two decades of experience in the industry, this
brewer and distiller has gained some recognition. He was named by Worth one of the “20 Entrepreneurs to Watch” and by Food
& Wine one of the “40 Big Thinkers Under 40.” He wrote and helped pass the Nebraska Craft and Distilling Bill, was named
Midlands Business Journal’s 2010 “Young Business Person of the Year” and was appointed by Governor Pete Ricketts as Chair of the Nebraska Craft Brewers Board.
But what he loves most about his job is the ability to provide
Glenrothes that “lit up his world.”
local, hand crafted beverages that bring families together.
and people are still learning about it,” he said. “It’s such an art to
through,” Triemert said. “And I can look back and because of the
The whisky served at Brickway is American single malt
were able to throw a party in my dad’s memory and that’s pretty cool.
“I love the fact that there is so much diversity in whisky
create different types of whisky.”
whisky. Grains are mashed the same way grains are mashed for beer. Using 100 percent malted barley, the whisky is produced
like scotch yet matured like bourbon: in single-use, charred American oak barrels.
Single-use American oak casks are what Triemert describes as
a beautiful thing. From the vanilla character and balance the these
barrels bring to the spirit, to the congeners they rid the whisky of,
“My dad’s death was the hardest thing I have ever been
beer and spirits we had involved, it makes it a fond memory. We I want to be able to do that for other families, to contribute that.”
Alcohol is the social conduit where people come together,
relax and build experiences with one another, Triemert says.
“I love that it’s a part of a rough day and a good day,”
Triemert said. “It is where people realize they need to let down their guard and build a community.”
all Brickway whisky is matured in this way. These same casks then get recycled to age other Brickway spirits or barrel-aged beer.
Triemert’s philosophy on brewing and distilling is simple:
quality and consistency. This is why he only cuts a small percentage of the hearts to age and bottle.
There are three stages of distillate: heads, hearts and tails. The heads are high in ethanol as well as congeners,
byproducts of fermentation which include chemicals such as methanol and contribute to hangovers. Brickway uses this
fraction to clean its floors -- “the cleanest floors in Omaha,” Triemert said is the joke. The hearts hold the best ethanol and have balance between alcohol and congeners, giving the spirit its
desired taste. The tails contain little alcohol and large quantities
of oils and congeners, which give the spirit an unwanted flavor. This fraction is redistilled in the next batch.
While most distillers take 15 to 80 percent of the hearts cut
for aging and bottling, Triemert only matures 55 to 80 percent of the hearts, ensuring his product consists of only the best cut.
Additionally, Triemert designed his stills in a non-
Triemert’s focus on distillation differentiates Brickway from many other breweries.
26
Something Seasonal by Annie Ellis | photography by Mitch West
S
ettle in by the fire for some of the season’s best styles
This winter monster is of a friendly variety, with complimentary up-
frost on the grass and in the trees, added layers of
also a bit sneaky, being so delicious and yet 7 percent ABV. Strong in
enjoyed in the year’s coldest temperatures. There’s
clothing and a multitude of new seasonal flavors to sip
on. When it is time to go inside and warm up, consider
the opportunity to be warmed on the inside by a delicious
craft beer. Having trouble deciding which kind? Case this selection for inspiration.
27
Snow Beast, Kinkaider – Broken Bow, NE front flavors of graham cracker, marshmallow and cinnamon. It is malt, this prime ingredient in beer is the source of sugar for the yeast
to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. Malt also provides much of the flavor and the mouthfeel of a beer, which makes the Snow Beast
stand out as a warming, yet balanced brew. I can assure you it is safe, but I wouldn’t suggest going out into the woods alone…
MacDoagie Wee Heavy Ale, Ploughshare – Lincoln, NE
Bourbon County Stout, Goose Island – Chicago, IL
If I were stuck on a snowy mountain and needed one of those
If this heavy-hitting Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout was
it has this beer in the cask around its neck. A rich caramel aroma
the ultimate winter beer. First brewed in 1992, Bourbon County
large St. Bernard rescue dogs to come save me, I would hope that comes through with the same character in the taste as well, but
doesn’t weigh me down; it helped to be sipping it right in the brewery while listening to festive Celtic music. “Wee Heavy” is actually a style of Strong British Ale according to Beer Judge Certification Program Guidelines, and has an origin beginning in the 1700s and 1800s. The ABV range can go from 6.5 to
10 percent. Guess how much they put behind the plough for MacDoagie? A “wee” 10 percent.
Mochachino Milk Stout, Empyrean – Lincoln, NE This ebony-colored refreshment is outfitted with a handful of
graduating from high school, it would be voted most likely to become
Brand Stout began as a celebration of the 1000th batch of beer brewed at Goose Island. It later was entered in the Great American
Beer Festival and endured trial brewing processes at their Fulton
Street Brewery, which first opened in 1995. Although this special brew was in the works at the same time the Internet was gaining in use and popularity, it became packaged and available for purchase in
Chicago in 2004. Long story short, this chocolatey velvet blanket of oak and vanilla needs to be something that should be included in
your goals for the new year, whether now, or next winter. This is one to buy a bottle of and let age for savoring in the future.
delectable ingredients: French Roast Coffee, cacao nibs, and
The beautiful thing about limited edition beer is that it gives us
in what makes a milk stout not just any stout. I recall this
forward to next time around. As we enter the new year and reflect
lactose milk sugar; the latter being the main characteristic particular 7.8 percent brew being recommended to me and
having it for the first time over dinner with my mom. And it is this type of context that I think about sharing this style
something to enjoy in the moment, as well as something to look
on what has been and what is to come, don’t forget to slow down and sip on one of the season’s most wonderful gifts: winter beer.
of beer over – with a loved one or friend, slowing down after the bustle of the holiday season to catch up over a coffee
enhanced malty treat. Available in January and February on tap and in bottles.
Yellow Snow IPA, Rogue – Newport, OR Normally one would be warned not to eat the yellow snow. I think I found the only exception to this rule, and it comes
from Oregon in a brown bottle or a yellow can. The initial
scent gives off a potent lemon and fruity zest. Uncertain which way the flavor is going to go, there is a pleasant surprise with the Amarillo hop-forward flavor. And though the bitterness rides the taste buds with lasting impression, the impact lessens
and mellows out while leaving an impressionable layer of hops. Perhaps there is something to be said about speaking of warmth while feeling chilled. This was the opposite of why it was created when the British Indian Army needed beer with
sustenance in making their treks to India in the late 1700s. The reason why it stayed so fresh over their six-month long
journeys? Fresh hops were added as a preservative, and as a result, became more flavorful as it embarked into the sweltering Indian climate. Instead of praying for powder, I’ll be praying for more of this yellow snow!
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COOKING with
by
CRAFT BEER recipe by Brandon Fowler | photo by Mitch West
CARBONNADE A LA FLAMANDE – 750 ml Flanders red ale
(We used Destihl’s Wild Sour)
– 3 lbs beef chuck
– 4 oz pancetta (or bacon) – 2 large onions – 1½ tbsp salt
– 2 tsp pepper
– 1 tbsp thyme
– 1 tbsp paprika
– 1 tbsp brown sugar
– 2 tbsp tomato paste – 3 flour
– 2 cups beef stock
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1. Thin slice onions, cut pancetta/bacon into chunks, and beef chuck into bite-sized pieces. 2. Put two tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottomed pan and cook pancetta/bacon over medium low heat until the fat has rendered, and the pieces are brown and crispy. 3. With a slotted spoon remove pancetta/bacon from pan, add a bit more oil and sear beef over high heat until you get a nice brown crust on it.
4. Remove beef from pan, lower heat to medium and caramelize the onions.
5. Add flour and tomato paste to pan, stir to form a roux, and cook for 3 minutes. 6. Deglaze pan with beer, and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Combine glaze ingredients, simmer over low heat for a few minutes, then set aside.
8. Place everything into a crockpot set on low and cook for 6-8 hours until the chuck roast is tender.
NOTE. The type of beer you use will greatly impact the overall quality of the dish. If you can’t find a decent Flanders Red Ale, substitute a rich, sweet brown ale...and throw in a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar.