385: West Coast IPA Q&A from the Brewer’s Retreat with Green Bench, Burial, and Russian River

In this special episode recorded at the recent Craft Beer & Brewing Brewer’s Retreat at Dogfish Head in Milton, Delaware, Khris Johnson of Green Bench (St. Petersburg, Florida), Doug Reiser of Burial (Asheville, North Carolina), and Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River (Windsor, California) share their answers to attendees’ questions about brewing IPA—focusing on the American and West Coast styles. Along the way, they discuss: using flowable hop products from Yakima Chief Hops, Abstrax, Haas, Steiner, and others reducing green matter to lengthen beer’s packaged lifespan optimizing for early presentation in package building body in high-attenuation IPAs taking a balanced approach to chloride and sulfate bumping sodium through water softening to increase savoriness unsung hops that provide big impact adjusting pH to alter the character of bitterness brewing black IPA or Cascadian dark ale Using pH to manage hop creep And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller! ProBrew ( https://www.probrew.com ) “ProBrew is excited to now offer 2-4 week lead times on all in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Filler and Seamers. This special lead time is only while supplies last, so send us an email at contactus@probrew.com or call us at 262-278-4945. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.” Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) : Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer Omega Yeast ( https://omegayeast.com ) : Experience distinct transparency and juiciness with Omega Yeast’s DayBreak-V. We've genetically eliminated haze in the popular British-V strain, allowing you to preserve the fruit-boosting prowess while achieving crystal clarity. Learn more at info@omegayeast.com . Five Star Chemical ( https://fivestarchemicals.com ) Our cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to meet the unique needs of breweries, ensuring that your equipment stays clean and free of harmful bacteria and contaminants. From cleaning fermenters to kegs, we have a solution for every step of the brewing process. RSS Maclin ( https://RSSMACLIN.com ) provides the training and resources breweries of all sizes need to ensure the exceptional quality of your product remains the same from beginning to end. For more information, visit RSSMACLIN.com or email Service@rssmaclin.com Indie Hops ( https://indiehops.com ) breeds new hop varieties to help brewers captivate beer lovers. Brewers worldwide trust Indie’s unique varieties — Strata, Lórien, Luminosa, Meridian and Audacia — to modernize, brighten and diversify their beer lineup. Visit indiehops.com/podcast to discover what’s new in hop flavors. Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) . Superbloom strains make classic hops flavor; Fresh strains keep diacetyl low even with large hop additions; Tropics strains make a tropical bouquet reminiscent of the finest southern hemisphere hops. Mention this podcast for 20% off your first order. FOBAB (https:fobab.com) . Sample more than 350 one-of-a-kind barrel-aged beer, cider, mead and perry from 13 style categories and cheer on your favorite breweries as they compete for top honors in the nationally recognized competition. It’s all happening at the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago November 22nd and 23rd. Get your tickets now at fobab.com. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast