Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

86: Russian River Brewing’s Vinnie Cilurzo: Brewing Sour Beer with Old World Tradition and Contemporary Innovation

Jun 7, 2019

Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing discusses blending tradition with innovation in sour beer brewing. Topics include open fermentation, impacts of tank geometry, sour brewing program origins, de-barreling techniques, aged hops, acidity control, fruit maceration, grape processing, secret Brettanomyces strains, and more.

01:03:02

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Episode guests

Vinnie Cilurzo

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Maintaining proper fermentation temperature is essential for creating sour beer with soft acidity and avoiding acetic acid production.

Different barrel sizes and thickness impact sour beer's flavor profiles, allowing for experimentation and diverse offerings.

Adapting techniques during transitional phases enhances beer quality and organizational efficiency, contributing to the lineup's depth.

Deep dives

Importance of Controlling Fermentation Temperature

Controlling fermentation temperature is crucial for creating sour beer with desired characteristics. Maintaining proper temperature levels helps in achieving soft acidity and avoiding excessive acetic acid production. Ensuring consistency in temperature throughout the brewing process contributes to the overall quality of the beer.

Introduction

2min

The Evolution and Impact of Simco Hop Variety on Craft Brewing

6min

Craft Beer's Impact on Agriculture and Brewing Practices

7min

Exploring Unique Pilsner, Customer Experience, and Spontaneous Sour Beer Process

4min

Exploring Traditional and Innovative Methods in Sour Beer Brewing

11min

Innovative Brewing: Exploring Sour Beers with Fruits and Wine Barrels

14min

Exploring Brettanomyces Yeast Phenol Types in Brewing

17min

Craft Beer Camaraderie and Collaboration with a Special Belgian Barrel

2min

In part two with Vinnie Cilurzo, he discusses the story of Simcoe, open fermentation for everything from Pliny the Elder to STS Pils, the impact of tank geometry, the origins and stages of their sour and spontaneous brewing program, de-barreling sour beer without worry about oxygen exposure, the impacts of aged hops, controlling acidity with temperature, macerating with dried fruit, grape processing methods for their wine-beer hybrids, his secret stash of not-commercially-available Brettanomyces strains, and more.

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