77 min listen
146: The Nuances and Complexities of Malt, with Richard Simpson of Simpson's Malt
146: The Nuances and Complexities of Malt, with Richard Simpson of Simpson's Malt
ratings:
Length:
78 minutes
Released:
Jul 31, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
The story of malt—from seed to field and harvesting, through the malting and kilning process, and into the tuns of brewers—is far more rich and varied than one might expect when looking at a bag of grain. In this episode, the fifth generation head of family-owned Simpsons Malt, (https://www.simpsonsmalt.co.uk) Richard Simpson, sheds light on that story, discussing malt's life cycle in depth.
From the agronomic development of barley varieties to the background of popular varieties such as Golden Promise and Maris Otter, Simpson talks about what it takes to make barley varieties work (from farmer to malthouse to brewer), the ways in which they support agronomic diversity and brewing history, the impacts of specific malts in finished beers, the importance of sustaining heritage barley varieties that would otherwise fall out of favor with a purely agronomic-focused industry, and more.
The malting process itself is more involved and complex than most realize—like brewing, it’s more than just pushing buttons on a machine and taking whatever comes out the other side. Simpson discusses the unique ways in which they’ve designed and built their malthouse to accomplish certain goals. He celebrates the art and craft of master maltsters as they make process decisions that depend on crop year or differences in terroir, or they blend smaller batches of specialty roast malts for greater consistency.
In every brewing tradition, ingredients impact the development of beer styles, and that’s true whether the locale is Germany, Belgium, the UK, or the US. Here, Simpson talks about the ways that the unique flavors inherent in British malts have led to British beer tasting the way it does, and how brewers everywhere can use that in their own creative brewing pursuits.
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, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Third in the new BSG Hops Solutions portfolio, HS-1228 takes you all the way to the heart of the West Coast. HS-1228 is bursting with pronounced tropical fruit like mango, pineapple, citrus, and pine characteristics that bring out a classic West Coast hop character. Designed for late kettle or dry hop for various hop-forward styles. Learn more about BSG Hop Solutions online (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/hops), and look for more BSG Hop Solutions releases coming soon!
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com/): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From ½ barrel to 30 barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit them at Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstan
From the agronomic development of barley varieties to the background of popular varieties such as Golden Promise and Maris Otter, Simpson talks about what it takes to make barley varieties work (from farmer to malthouse to brewer), the ways in which they support agronomic diversity and brewing history, the impacts of specific malts in finished beers, the importance of sustaining heritage barley varieties that would otherwise fall out of favor with a purely agronomic-focused industry, and more.
The malting process itself is more involved and complex than most realize—like brewing, it’s more than just pushing buttons on a machine and taking whatever comes out the other side. Simpson discusses the unique ways in which they’ve designed and built their malthouse to accomplish certain goals. He celebrates the art and craft of master maltsters as they make process decisions that depend on crop year or differences in terroir, or they blend smaller batches of specialty roast malts for greater consistency.
In every brewing tradition, ingredients impact the development of beer styles, and that’s true whether the locale is Germany, Belgium, the UK, or the US. Here, Simpson talks about the ways that the unique flavors inherent in British malts have led to British beer tasting the way it does, and how brewers everywhere can use that in their own creative brewing pursuits.
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, and dedication to their customer’s craft. For 25 years G&D has led the way on innovative solutions that match their brewing customers immediate and future needs. With a wide selection of custom built chillers; G&D offers the Nano chiller, the perfect solution for Nano breweries all the way up to their larger capacity units like the Vertical Air Chiller, built for higher volume operations. Contact G&D Chillers today for your chiller sizing needs at 800.555.0973. Reach out online at Gdchillers.com (http://www.Gdchillers.com)
BSG (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/): Third in the new BSG Hops Solutions portfolio, HS-1228 takes you all the way to the heart of the West Coast. HS-1228 is bursting with pronounced tropical fruit like mango, pineapple, citrus, and pine characteristics that bring out a classic West Coast hop character. Designed for late kettle or dry hop for various hop-forward styles. Learn more about BSG Hop Solutions online (https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/hops), and look for more BSG Hop Solutions releases coming soon!
Brewmation (https://www.brewmation.com/): With nearly 20 years of innovation and experience, Brewmation specializes in electric, steam, and direct fire brew houses, complete cellar solutions, and automated controls for the craft brewing industry. From ½ barrel to 30 barrel systems, Brewmation puts you in control to design a brewery that fits your needs and brewing style. Whether you’re starting a new brewery, upgrading your cellar, or just need some parts to keep you up and running, Brewmation has you covered. Visit them at Brewmation.com (https://www.brewmation.com) to get started.
Grandstand (https://egrandstand.com/catalog/category/view/id/179): Grandstand is your source for the latest trends in branded drinkware, apparel and promotional items. We make your job easy by serving as your one-stop-shop for everything you need to outfit your taproom and fans. Current trends include to-go drinkware, tie dye prints and portable coolers. Visit egrandstand.com/lookbook (https://egrandstan
Released:
Jul 31, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
19: WeldWerks Co-Owner/Head Brewer Neil Fisher Joins Jamie Bogner: Editorial Director Jamie Bogner sits down with Weldwerks Brewing Cofounder and Head Brewer Neil Fisher for a candid conversation about their approach to brewing New England IPAs, their deep dive into the world of “pastry” and “dessert” beers, their challenges and successes with barrel-aged beers, and their foray into brewing lagers. “We run a much higher risk than your average barrel program, because we’re just brewing massive, massive beer—not just in alcohol, but also in gravity,” said Fisher. “Our starting gravity on Medianoche is close to 33, 34 Plato now. Which means it finishes anywhere from 10 to as high as 15 Plato. That’s a lot of extra sugar sitting around in these barrels for 18, 19 months that any critter—whether it’s lactic acid bacteria or yeast—[would thrive on]. That’s a lot of sugar, and a lot of risk. For us, we’re always going to be running on the higher end of risk. This episode is brought to you b by Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast