362: Tim Johnson of Barrel Theory Takes a Passion-Driven Approach to Hazy IPA and Fruited Sour Beers
Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast
Evolution of Breweries and Creativity in Beer Making
The chapter explores how larger breweries have transformed into spaces for on-the-job training, leading to the emergence of creativity in beer styles like hazy IPA, fruited beers, and barrel-aged varieties.
Tim Johnson of Barrel Theory in St. Paul, Minnesota, started brewing progressive styles of beer—hazy IPA, fruit beers, barrel-aged stouts, and more—out of necessity. As a beer lover and beer trader, it made sense to try his hand at these things he would trade for, both for the creative thrill of pursuing excellence in these styles, but also for more pragmatic reasons—to have things to trade.
Today, Johnson still loves tasting the wide breadth of beer out there, and he remains active in trading beer with brewer friends. Now, however, he’s more focused on his own brewing—mastering hazy IPA, tart fruit beers, and barrel-aged stouts—and he’s not afraid to let you know that he loves those styles.
In this episode, he discusses:
- blending and co-pitching yeast in hazy IPAs
- designing double and triple hazy IPAs to taste great at a variety of temperatures
- balancing base malts for flavor and color
- adjusting water for the perfect hazy IPA profile
- using advanced hop products alongside T-90 pellets
- choosing the right time and place for certain hop additions
- building hazy IPAs that make you want to take another sip
- taking advantage of the “Infinity Gauntlet” of hops
- pushing hop saturation while still controlling hop burn
- using coconut cream to build richness in fruited sours
And more.
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