Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

372: Ian McCall of Ism is Brewing Pint After Pint of West Coast Pleasure

Aug 9, 2024

Ian McCall, the founder of Ism Brewing and former lead brewer at Beachwood, shares insights from his award-winning craft brewery. He discusses the art of crafting the perfect West Coast IPA, emphasizing hop selection and malt balance. McCall reveals techniques like active fermentation dry hopping to enhance fruity notes and the importance of water chemistry in achieving desired bitterness. The conversation also explores his journey from brewer to owner and the role of community in shaping unique beer experiences.

01:16:56

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Ian McCall

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Quick takeaways

Ian McCall's journey from Brewbakers to founding ISM Brewing highlights the significance of hands-on experience in perfecting brewing skills.

The success of ISM's flagship IPA, Western Standard Time, is attributed to careful hop selection and a commitment to community preferences.

Ian employs innovative brewing techniques and focuses on continuous improvement to enhance beer quality and ensure customer satisfaction.

Deep dives

Ian McCall's Brewing Journey

Ian McCall's entry into brewing began at Brewbakers, a brew-on-premise establishment where he learned the craft through hands-on experience. He assisted customers in brewing their own beer, which allowed him to develop a deep appreciation for the brewing process and the importance of quality ingredients. His connection to Beachwood Brewing started with a collaboration over bakery goods, leading to his eventual hiring and rise to head brewer. This opportunity provided him with invaluable experience in a well-regarded brewery environment, honing his skills and passion for brewing exceptional beers.

Intro

2min

A Journey Through Craft Brewing: From Enthusiast to Artisan

3min

Crafting a Community: The Beer Journey

16min

Crafting the Perfect West Coast IPA: A Brewmaster's Journey

4min

Crafting the Perfect West Coast IPA

11min

Bass Notes and Brewing Innovations

5min

Exploring Hop Addition Techniques in Craft Brewing

3min

Crafting the Perfect West Coast IPA

1min

Crafting Exceptional West Coast IPAs

13min

10.

Brewing Philosophy: The Art of Evolution

13min

11.

Building Community in Craft Beer

6min

With his new brewery, Ism, Ian McCall is back in the brewery and taproom that once housed Beachwood in Long Beach, California—a brewery where he was once lead brewer—although he’s in a different position now as founder and owner. Despite the very young age of this new brewery, McCall and team have already made a big splash, landing three World Beer Cup medals earlier this year, two of them gold, and one in the prized West Coast IPA category for their IPA Western Standard Time.

The conversation, of course, turns to West Coast IPA, and stays there, as McCall walks through his award-winning IPA. Along the way, McCall covers:

optimizing the beer lineup to eliminate lower performers
driving leaner malt in West Coast IPA
using group hop selection to his advantage
brewing with wheat to boost body without affecting dryness
moderating chloride levels in West Coast IPA
shaping bitterness to hit strongly and quickly then disappear
using active fermentation dry hopping to push fruitier hop notes
building complexity with hot side hop additions
constantly evolving even award-winning recipes

And more.

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