362: Tim Johnson of Barrel Theory Takes a Passion-Driven Approach to Hazy IPA and Fruited Sour Beers
May 31, 2024
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Tim Johnson, owner of Barrel Theory brewery, delves into the art of brewing hazy IPAs, sharing insights on yeast blending, hop selection, and water adjustment. He also discusses creating rich fruited sours with coconut cream and emphasizes the importance of passion in crafting innovative beer flavors.
Tim Johnson focuses on mastering hazy IPA, fruit beers, and barrel-aged stouts at Barrel Theory.
Crafting hazy IPAs involves balancing base malts, adjusting water profiles, and using advanced hop products.
In fruited sours, techniques like using coconut cream enhance body and flavor, emphasizing fresh ingredients over extracts.
Deep dives
Progressive Beer Styles in St. Paul
Tim Johnson from Barrel Theory discusses his approach to brewing Progressive Beer Styles like Easy IPA, Fruited Sours, and Barrel-Aged Beers since the brewery's establishment in 2017. By blending homebrewing creativity with professional brewing techniques, the brewery introduced unique beer flavors to St. Paul, filling a gap in the local market.
Experimenting with Hazy IPA Brewing Techniques
Tim explains his process of brewing Hazy IPAs, including the choice of hops and water profiles. He avoids adding bittering hops early in the process, instead focusing on late Whirlpool additions and substantial Dryhopping. Adjusting finishing gravity and pH levels influences the sweetness and drinkability of the beers, balancing hop saturation and bitterness to create a desirable flavor profile.
Crafting Unique Hop Blends and Personal Favorites
Tim shares insights into crafting hop blends like the 'Infinity Gauntlet' consisting of Citra, Nelson, Mosaic, Necterran, and possibly Picharine. Additionally, his preference for hops like Rauaka, Nelson, Citra, Mosaic, and the recent resurgence of Galaxy hops adds depth and aggressiveness to beer flavors, showcasing his commitment to creating distinctive and high-quality brews for the brewery.
Challenges in Brewing Hazy IPAs
Navigating the challenges faced by winemakers, particularly in conveying certain varietals to meet consumer expectations. The extra challenge arises from consumers' association with specific hops in the brewing industry, leading to a double-edged sword scenario. Techniques like chilling the whirlpool, recirculating hops in the fermenter, and managing hop burn are highlighted to enhance the process of brewing Hazy IPAs.
Crafting Fruit and Sour Beers
Discussing the brewing process of fruited beers, particularly kettle sours, and incorporating tropical and exotic fruits to create unique flavors. The approach involves using lacto-driven acidic base beer, layering different fruits post-fermentation, and focusing on a balanced sweet-sour profile. Examples of using coconut cream for body and flavor enhancement in sours are shared, emphasizing using fresh ingredients over extracts for a premium taste experience.
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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