Into the kettle large sacks of barley are tipped – the degree of roasting determines some of those caramel or coffee flavours. Then there's a pause while the grain sits. Did you know that there is a yeast library? I didn't either! If you want to make interesting, characterful brews, you need exciting and varied strains of yeast grown for the purpose. And here's where the brewers become really animated as they discuss attenuation and flocculation: basically the conversion of sugar to alcohol and the way the yeast behaves. It's clear to me that beer brewing is the perfect venture for these self-professed makers, bakers, builders and gardeners. Yes, you can follow a recipe and produce a consistent product, but it's the experimentation that appeals to enthusiasts like Dan and Ben. Their interest is really connected to the farmto-table ethos, making the brewery's home at The Fickle Fig Farm Market all the more appropriate. The Mills Road venue is perfect as they find themselves visited by farmers and growers who are keen to share their harvest surpluses. This leads to spontaneous, seasonal brews of (for instance) a plum beer, or a blackberry lavender saison. And people who happen to have hops plants, yet no desire to home-brew, will bring them by. Back to the brew at hand, and after sitting the grain needs sparging. This is a process of flushing the sugars out of the grain mash by spraying with fresh water. Then there's some jiggery pokery with a pump and hoses to move the liquid into another large kettle. The leftover mash goes to a local farmer for cattle feed. It's an interesting mix of agriculture, industry and kitchen. It's small scale but still a professional, tightly regulated process. There are peeks into the vats, judicious checking of temperatures, colours etc. but the brewer gets to play too when they select the flavour profiles to add. Both Dan and Ben are interested in traditional brewing and the use of herbs and other plants. They've experimented with juniper branches as well as the produce people bring by. For this year's Victoria Beer Week they have produced an ancient "Druid" beer made with herbs, yarrow, rosehips, dandelion and mushrooms. There's so much backstory to each of the beers they brew, I can't recommend enough stopping by to sample when you have the time to learn a bit about what you're drinking. As for this batch of IPA, now that the beer wort is in the kettle, it's heated to boiling and then the flavour gets added. After boiling it gets cooled using a heat exchanger, then the liquid is transferred again into the fermenter. Yeast is added and it's left to do its work for five to seven days. At this point the beer is carbonated. At Howl their beer is not pasteurized or filtered: it's a real ale experience, and one that's pretty similar to how it's been made throughout the centuries. What do you want Deb to peek behind the scenes of next? Email news@seasidemagazine.ca with your ideas or an invitation!
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