|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
============================== A Conversation with: Shane C. Welch Six Point Craft Ales Brooklyn, NY ==============================
After visiting with Shane Welch at the Six Point Craft Ale Brewery twice, the basics of the who, what and why of Six Points had been taken down and I was ready to write this piece.
Now folks, if you have ever thought of taking my advice, heed the following… Always, always, always, always back up your files because one key-stroke can be very costly if there is no backup of that file. I know from experience.
That is why I had Welch take the interview again, with an extra credit question.
The following is :
“Six Points – The Written Exam”
1) List the major components of your brew house – include container volume.
The brewhouse consists of one 40bbl hot liquor tank, one 15 bbl mash tun, one 17 bbl kettle, one 7 bbl kettle, three 15 bbl fermenters, one 22 bbl fermenter, four 22 bbl conditioning tanks, and one 30 bbl conditioning tank. As you can see, operating a craft brewery with used equipment does not always guarantee uniform sizing!
2) What is the length of each run?
The length of each run varies. Typically we do 15 bbl batches, but when we’re brewing in the 22 bbl fermenter, we do one 15 bbl batch in the big kettle and one 7 bbl batch in the small kettle. Also, when we’re propagating yeast we’ll often do a 1 bbl starter batch and then two 7 bbl batches to give us 15 bbl total. Each brew day takes 8-9 hours when you add in all of the cleaning.
Figure 1 - Six Point Fermenters
3) Name and describe your “regular” line of beverages. (No cheating and taking these descriptions from your web site.)
Bengali Tiger IPA – an American IPA in hop assertiveness, but an English IPA in malt character. Very rich and a deep orange, almost amber color. 80 IBU and 7.1 % ABV. This is a beer drinker’s beer.
Diesel – an all-American Stout. This beer is a celebration of the robust character of stout beer: an intense, roasted and coffee character with a hoppy snap. Some are going so far as to call it a “Baby Imperial,” which I think is appropriate, given the strength. 71 IBU, 8.2% ABV
Brownstone – a unique style that borders between a brown ale and porter. More roasted and chocolate than a brown ale, but less burnt and hoppy than a porter. One of our most complex beers, this beer is made from a blend of 12 different malts. 5.8% ABV, 31 IBU
East Coast Amber – a response to the ubiquitous West Coast Amber along the West Coast. Made from Vienna malts and fermented with a unique ale yeast, this beer is my favorite session ale of the lot. Made with a variety of six different hops, this brew is one of my favorites to make. 6.1% ABV, 52 IBU
Sweet Action – a hard one to describe, simply because it doesn’t fit into any particular style. It’s made with Pilsner and Pale Malts, but is hopped with only noble hops. It’s fermented with a Belgian yeast that provides a dry spiciness. Look for a unique orange taste underneath it all.. 6.9% ABV, 33 IBU
SMP – our smoked Baltic Porter. The smoke additions in this beer are subtle, but noticeable in the taste and aroma. Our first beer to receive a cult following; it’s one of my personal favorites. It’s medium to full-bodied, with a strong caramel and toffee flavor. Hop flavor and bitterness is strong, but well-balanced. 7.8% ABV, 55 IBU
4) Name and describe the “seasonal” brews available now.
Express – my version of an “American Tripel”, if there is such a style. I like triples, but sometimes find them too cloyingly sweet and fruity. I boosted the ABV on this one by fermenting it extra dry. In an amazing feat of fermentation, the yeast took the gravity from 23 Plato down to around 3. We call it the “Express” because it will get you where you’re going in half the amount of time. A real treat. 11.3% ABV, 41 IBU
Rebellion – our Imperial Red Ale. Brewed with mostly Centennial Hops, this beer is how I always wanted an Irish Red to taste like. The maltiest beer in my portfolio, although you wouldn’t know it because of the hop additions. 7.4% ABV, 63 IBU
Encore – a Belgian Dubbel. Joe Carroll from Spuyten Duyvil called this Brown Sugar in a bottle, and I think it’s appropriate. A celebration of malt – deep caramel, toffee, and a chocolate nuttiness all balanced by Saaz hops and a Belgian spiciness. This batch is already 7 months old, and continues to get better with age. 8.3% ABV, 37 IBU
Abigale – A Belgian session ale. This beer is our stepping-stone for those people who are afraid of the higher-gravity Belgian Ales. Fermented dry and crisp and hopped with Styrian Goldings, this beer is what I’d recommend on a sweltering summer day. 6.0% ABV, 32 IBU
Righteous Ale – a unique style all its own. This beer is made with a significant proportion or rye malt, which lends a distinct sharpness. I ferment it with a blend of yeast – the Belgian Dubbel yeast and our IPA yeast – which adds an extra dimension of complexity. A small contribution of chocolate rye lends a distinct nuttiness. The second beer by Sixpoint to receive a cult following. 8.4% ABV, 64 IBU
Figure 2 – Shane C. Welch, pouring a sample of Righteous Ale
Otis – our Oatmeal Stout. A definite session ale, this beer is medium to full-bodied with a silky texture from the oats. It starts roasted and nutty, and finishes with a hoppy tanginess. 6.1% ABV, 46 IBU
5) Where can people purchase your beers?
Lucky for us, more and more accounts every day! For a complete list, check out the “find our beer” link on our website. We’re now at over 50 accounts I believe.
6) What makes your brewery unique?
First and foremost, I don’t brew according to the style guidelines. That being said, you never know what type of beer is going to come out of Sixpoint. Second, unlike almost every brewery across the country, every one of our beers remains unfiltered (not just our hefeweizen!). I believe removing the yeast from the beer is unnecessary and purely cosmetic. Third, the entire brewery is run by just two people: My business partner Andrew (my assistant) and I (brewmaster). Fourth, we are draft-only…so if you come across some bottles after visiting the brewery, you’ve received a rarity! Fifth, despite our small size, I juggle seven different yeast strains throughout the year! Sixth, even though we’ve only been around for less than one year, I already have 12 different styles of beer.
7) What is the most difficult part of brewing a run of brew?
Running a brew is normally straightforward and smooth, but every once in a while, something goes wrong. You’ll get a bad extraction rate, or your mash temperature is erratic for some reason, or you run out of oxygen during knockout. It’s at these points in time that things get a little chaotic – you must react instinctively and intuitively. The key is finding a balance between intervening with the natural process of the beer and not disturbing the integrity and sanitation of the manufacturing process.
This is a funny question because the most difficult part of running a brew actually has nothing to do with the beer! Since I am the Brewmaster and CEO of this company, I usually spend half of the day on the phone while I’m making beer! I’m negotiating distribution contracts, talking with accounts, checking in with our vendors, ordering more inventories, and speaking with the sales reps. It’s a constant juggling act, and I usually have to sacrifice my lunch and break time while brewing beer.
8) What is most rewarding about brewing a run of brew?
I love making beer! The most rewarding thing, for me, is knowing that at the end of the day you’ve created something wonderful out of 4 raw ingredients. What you’ve created will bring happiness to people’s lives; it will help them relax and share good times and conversation with their friends. And since my beer is unique and relatively unknown, the new flavors and sensations will introduce their palates and senses to an entire new array of experiences.
9) What is the greatest challenge of running a microbrewery?
At this point in the game, it’s being a two-man show. Between my business partner and I, we make beer, negotiate distribution contracts, visit our current accounts, recruit new accounts, conduct tastings, write the content for our website, perform brewery maintenance, meet with accountants, meet with lawyers, track our inventories, order more supplies, have sales meetings with our distributor, represent at beer festivals, and respond to the public’s emails (I get about 30-40 emails per day). Anyone with an elementary understanding of economics knows specialization is the foundation of running an efficient business. However, when you’re a small, startup brewery, you have no choice but to do everything yourself.
The greatest challenge does not upset or frustrate me – as a matter of fact – I’m inspired by it. I think it’s necessary and appropriate, and I EMBRACE the fact that I have the opportunity to do all of the jobs at Sixpoint. One day, when I’m fortunate to have a work force at Sixpoint, I will be better suited to supervise and sympathize with the task at hand for every one of my employees.
10) What you were ten years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An anesthesiologist. Funny how that worked out… now I create the oldest and most popular anesthetic.
Extra Credit: What is your favorite beer/food pairing and why?
Right now, it’s spicy Chicken Vindaloo with Bengali Tiger IPA. Why? There nothing the compliments the spicy, rich flavors of southern Indian food like a well-balanced IPA. Our Bengali Tiger is assertively hopped, but also has a strong foundation of malt. The malty sweetness helps combat the fiery intensity of the vindaloo, and the citrus, herbal character of the hops helps cleanse the palate. It’s a match made in heaven.
|
