391: Kevin Ely of Wooly Pig Finds Small Tweaks That Make Big Impacts in Robust, Farm-Brewed Lagers
Dec 13, 2024
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Kevin Ely, Co-founder and Brewmaster of Wooly Pig Farm Brewery, shares his journey from Uinta's big-brewery operations to crafting lagers on a self-sufficient farm in Ohio. He reveals how to transform rustic well water into distinctive brews, using innovative techniques like higher-kilned malts for fuller flavors. Ely discusses integrating livestock to reduce waste and create a sustainable brewing environment. The conversation also highlights the importance of careful ingredient handling and the unique character that farm-brewed lagers can embody.
Wooly Pig Brewery's unique approach combines traditional German brewing with sustainable practices, utilizing farm resources like Mangalitsa pigs for waste management.
Kevin Ely emphasizes the importance of precision in brewing lagers, using careful techniques to maintain malt integrity and enhance flavor profiles.
The brewery aims to expand its community presence and sustainability efforts while preserving its focus on high-quality, farm-brewed lagers.
Deep dives
The Allure of Woolly Pig Brewery
Woolly Pig Brewery, located in Fresno, Ohio, has garnered attention for its unique approach to brewing German-style lagers on a working farm. The brewery was co-founded by Kevin Ely, who previously worked at Uintah Brewing in Salt Lake City, and his journey back to Ohio was inspired by a trip to Bavaria where he discovered the Mangalitsa pigs. This breed of pig plays a crucial role in the brewery's sustainability efforts, as the spent grain from brewing is fed to the pigs, creating a symbiotic relationship between the farm and brewery operations. The rural setting, combined with German brewing traditions, allows Woolly Pig to craft high-quality lagers while embracing a farm-to-table ethos.
Sustainability at the Core
Sustainability is a central theme at Woolly Pig Brewery, where various waste streams are managed efficiently. Spent grains, leftover hops, and yeast from the brewing process are all collected and repurposed, with spent grains being directly fed to the Mangalitsa pigs on site. The brewery also has measures in place to minimize water usage and manage organic waste, emphasizing an approach that prioritizes environmental stewardship. This level of sustainability extends beyond waste management, as the brewery utilizes natural springs and well water sourced from their property, further enhancing their commitment to self-sufficiency.
Lager Brewing Techniques
Woolly Pig specializes in lager-style beers, utilizing a small yet efficient five-barrel brewing system designed for optimal quality. Kevin Ely highlights the challenges of brewing lagers at a small scale, including the need for precise temperature control and fermentation management. The brewery employs a dual kettle system allowing for rapid mashing and boiling, which facilitates quick transitions between brewing cycles. This focus on a gentle brewing process helps maintain the integrity of the malt and enhances the final flavor profile of their beers, resulting in a range of traditional German lagers from Helles to Schwarzbier.
Character of Local Ingredients
The quality of Woolly Pig's beer is heavily influenced by the local ingredients used in brewing, with Kevin Ely sourcing specialty malts primarily from Germany. He employs a mash technique that enhances the subtle flavors of the grains, allowing the beer's character to shine through without relying on complex brewing methods like decoction. Additionally, the brewery uses noble hops, particularly Hallertau and Tettnang, to impart distinct flavors that align with the traditional lager profile. This careful selection of ingredients, combined with a commitment to craft, results in a unique beer experience that reflects both the local terroir and European brewing heritage.
Plans for the Future
Looking ahead, Woolly Pig Brewery has ambitions to expand its offerings while maintaining its unique identity rooted in family and community. Current plans include enhancing the brewery's use of its historic barn for seasonal events and possibly community gatherings, fostering a sense of connection with the local area. While the brewery doesn't intend to massively scale up production or distribution at this time, it is exploring sustainable improvements, such as a solar energy project to reduce its carbon footprint. These developments aim to blend tradition with innovation as the brewery continues to thrive in Ohio's craft beer scene.
Kevin Ely spent many years running the brewhouse at Uinta’s production brewery in Salt Lake City, but family brought him to a farm in rural eastern Ohio. Built next to the farm where his wife grew up, Wooly Pig Farm Brewery is the result of applying big-brewery-systems thinking to the smallest, most self-sufficient farm scale. From embracing the imperfect but interesting well water on the farm to side-streaming brewhouse waste via their drove of Mangalica pigs, he’s using every tool available to reduce waste and costs while making the highest-quality beer.
In this episode, Ely discusses:
making farmhouse lagers on a small scale without sacrificing quality
gently handling everything—from milling grains to fermenting beer via carefully boiled wort—for a more delicate beer
using slightly higher-kilned pilsner malt for better flavor and fullness
building character into dunkel with rye malt
evaluating water sources and managing their unusual well water
creating engaging beer experiences at the farm
using livestock to process organic waste from the brewery
And more.
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