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Fun with Lavery Brewing Co.

The other day I was able to do something a beer geek dreams about - brew beer on a large scale. Jason Lavery and Jason Lynch (Jason-squared) of Lavery Brewing Company allowed me to guest brew seven barrels of Liopard Oir. As you might expect, it was quite the experience.

If you have ever brewed beer at home you can really appreciate the large scale brewing process because it really isn't a lot different than making a batch in your kitchen. Sure the containers, hoses and ingredients are all much larger but the principle is exactly the same. Ingredients + heat + water + a little time = great beer. Jason and Jason were really great to hang out with and field all my questions.

We brewed at The BrewErie at Union Station as Lavery Brewing has been leasing the equipment there for quite a while. They're in the midst of building up their own place on West 12th Street right behind Hungry Howies. Until then, Jason-squared are pros at cranking out excellent beer using The BrewErie's equipment.

First step, clean everything. A clean brewery is a happy brewery.
Second, combine all the ingredients in the mash tun.
Third, heat and separate the fermentable material from the non-fermentable then transfer the newly-formed wort (young beer as everyone at Dogfish Head would tell you).
Fourth, boil baby, boil. We boiled for ninety minutes, adding hops at various times throughout.
Fifth, transfer the beer to the fermenter and add the wonderful thing that is yeast. Boom, done...until bottling!

Like I said, Jason and Jason were really great and if you ever get to meet them, ask them any brewing question you can think of because they know the answer. Visit their site here: http://www.laverybrewing.com or visit their brewery when it opens soon.

The row of fermenters at The BrewErie