126: Ben Edmunds of Breakside Brewery on Optimizing for “Pleasantness”

For Portland, Oregon’s Breakside Brewery , beer should offer maximum enjoyment without losing its character and sense of identity. Dual core IPAs Wanderlust and Breakside IPA scratch different hoppy itches, Salted Caramel Stout satisfies those with a sweet tooth, Pilsner offers a slightly less “austere” drinkable option, and the sour and wild beer program gives brewers the chance to play and discover. In this episode, Cofounder and Brewmaster Ben Edmunds discusses the inception and development of their now-classic IPAs, how gravity adjustments impact hops flavors, the “je ne se quoi” of award-winning beers, designing hoppy beers to hit their sweet spot in the time frame when consumers will drink them, hops with greater shelf life, anchoring hops blends with familiar flavors, the vast differences between the core West Coast-style and evolving hazy IPAs that Breakside brews, and more. “The thing I like about competition is… the beers that win, are the beers that are the most pleasant,” says Edmunds. “They’re the most pleasant to a most discriminating group of judges. If you can shave your beers in ways that are optimizing for the most pleasant, you’re going to do well.” Beyond hoppy beers, Edmunds discusses brewing lagers like their year-round Pilsner, their sour process, the challenges brewers face in naming and describing beers for consumers, and the need for brewers to take risks while honoring tradition. “When we put 60 barrels of Marzen out into the trade, we’re taking a withdrawal from our customers, asking them to trust us. But I think that’s how you move the needle. You have to have breweries (who have the brand equity) be willing to spend a little of that [equity] to push the needle with consumers to see if things work. They don’t always work, but if no one is doing that and we’re just giving people more IPA and more IPA, it may be better business, but to me it’s a lot less interesting and I don’t know that it’s good business over the long haul.” This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : Nearly 2,000 breweries across the US, Canada & Mexico partner with G&D Chillers. Innovative, Modular Designs and no proprietary parts propel G&D ahead as the premier choice for your glycol chilling needs. Breweries you recognize—Russian River, Ninkasi, Jack's Abby, Samuel Adams and more—trust G&D to chill the beer you love! Call G&D Chillers to discuss your project today or reach out directly at GDChillers.com. Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) : Old Orchard supplies craft juice blends from the heart of Beer City USA. As the industry blending experts, they supply major national brands and growing breweries alike. They've been the best-kept juicy secret in craft beverage for years, but now the secret's out. Breweries across the board are experiencing a seamless transition to Old Orchard as their new juice supplier. So hop aboard the Old Orchard fruit train; their sample kit starter pack is waiting for you at www.oldorchard.com/brewer. Ss Brewtech ( https://www.ssbrewtech.com ) : The founders launched Ss Brewtech with a very clear goal to advance brewing equipment design, performance, and quality to the very highest standards in the industry. With a team that draws upon strong functional backgrounds in brewing science, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain, and manufacturing, Ss Brewtech has the people and skill sets you would want and expect from your supplier of pro brewing equipment. Head over to SsBrewtech.com for more information on their brewhouses and brewing gear. Captain Pabst Seabird IPA ( https://captainpabst1864.com ) : Out of the west a storm surprised, swept down on Captain Pabst, That mariner and gentleman, his actions swift and fast, He sailed the seabird against the throes, routing twain wind and fear, He took haste to protect his kin, but the port aas far from near, Pabst’s intuition proved him right, and bore a friendly coast, The mighty seabird crashed aground, and to that we raise a toast, For while the seabird indeed was lost, safe were kin and crew, And without this mighty ship to steer, Captain Pabst... began to brew. CAPTAIN PABST SEABIRD IPA. EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN WISCONSIN & CHICAGO. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast