Brewer to Brewer: Blake Tyers and Brad Clark (Ep. 31)
Sep 28, 2023
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Blake Tyers interviews Brad Clark, discussing their love for music and the influence of private press records on their brewery. They explore the importance of oxidation in barrel-aged beers and the challenges of managing finances in a brewery. They also talk about their fascination with jazz fusion, their love for barley wine and Munich malt, and balancing work and home life.
Music has played a significant role in shaping Brad Clark's approach to brewing and has inspired him to name his beers after jazz musicians and albums.
Brad Clark developed Munich wine as a beer style that showcases his love for Munich malt, adding unique flavors such as nuttiness and dark cherry.
Brad Clark is constantly exploring different brewing techniques, such as using virgin oak barrels and experimenting with mash capping, to create dynamic and nuanced flavors in his beers.
Deep dives
Brad Clark's Passion for Music
Brad Clark shares his deep love for music, particularly jazz, which was influenced by his exposure to various genres growing up. He started collecting records at a young age and has amassed over 4,000 records to date. Music has played a significant role in shaping his approach to brewing and has inspired him to name his beers after jazz musicians and albums, such as 'Maha Vishnu' and 'Dajonette'.
Focus on Munich Wine
Brad Clark introduces Munich wine, a beer style he developed that showcases his love for Munich malt. Inspired by a Pennsylvania-based brewery called heavyweight, Brad experimented with using Munich malt as the base for a barley wine recipe. The resulting Munich wine blends have become an essential ingredient in his beer compositions, adding unique notes such as nuttiness and dark cherry flavors.
Exploration of Variabilities
Brad Clark discusses his ongoing exploration of different processes and techniques in brewing. He is particularly interested in the use of virgin oak barrels to create dynamic and nuanced flavors in his beers. He also experiments with mash capping, adding various ingredients during the mash to create more composed chocolate characters. Additionally, Brad is intrigued by the challenges and potential rewards of triple barreling and working with barrels that have different characteristics.
The Rewards and Challenges of Being a Solo Brewer
Brad Clark acknowledges the benefits of working solo as the founder and operator of Private Press Brewing. He highlights the freedom to independently make the beers he loves without compromising his vision. However, he also expresses the occasional loneliness and the absence of a team dynamic that he enjoyed in previous brewing environments. Brad values interaction with his customers and misses the presence of a taproom as a space to connect with people.
Joy in the Simple Pleasures
Brad Clark finds the most joy and fulfillment in leaving work and going home to enjoy a pilsner beer in the company of his dog in his backyard. He appreciates the peacefulness of Santa Cruz and the beauty of his surroundings, savoring moments of simple contentment and quality of life.
Firsd Tea Firsd Tea is a proud sponsor of the Brewer to Brewer podcast. Discover the advantage of using new and unique ingredients, like lemon myrtle or lapsang souchong. Firsd Tea has been working with brewers to introduce distinctive, high-quality botanicals for innovative craft beers. They focus on being DIRECT, FLEXIBLE, and FAST. You can find out more about Firsd Tea’s collaborations with brewers and tea ingredients by visiting blog.firsdtea.com.
Host: Blake Tyers
Guest: Brad Clark
Sponsor: Firsd Tea, All About Beer
Tags: Brewing, Recipes, Music, Munichwine, Barrels, Careers, California