Last week our team traveled to Charlotte for the NC Brewers Guild’s BrewSmart: Technical Brewing Conference. The sessions were hosted by Free Range Brewing and the one-day summit convened to discuss cutting edge brewing techniques and advanced practices. These masterclass sessions were hosted by a plethora of the latest and greatest brew professionals from North Carolina who are continuing to raise the bar for craft beer. Our own Ian VanGundy even took the stage to share his experience and knowledge of lager brewing.
Session Topics and their Speakers:
- Elevating Lagers: Advanced Techniques and Innovations with Ian VanGundy (Blackbird Brewery), Chris Creech (Glass Jug Beer Lab), Rachael Hudson (Pilot Brewing Company), and Whit Baker (Bond Brothers Beer Company)
- Barrel Alchemy: The Science of Flavor Development with Mark Goodwin (Cellarest Beer Project) and Whit Baker (Bond Brothers)
- Murphy’s Law: Brewery Edition with Dave Haydysch (Lonerider Brewing Co.) and David Gonzalez (Veteran Brewer)
- Sours: Unlocking the Best in Your Tart and Funky Brews
While speaking on the lager panel, Ian explored his in depth experiences with brewing lighter styles and detailed his preference for decoctions. The various speakers explained their lagering practices and gave insight into how each of their breweries execute examples of the style. During the talk, samples were provided for the attendees, allowing for real time tasting while each brewer spoke about their lagers. We proudly provided our new Birdopramen Czech Pilsner to sample alongside Pilot’s Island Lager and Dunkles Bock, Glass Jug’s Research Triangle Pilsner, and Bond Bro’s Empressions Wheated Pils.
The industry after party event was hosted by Noda Brewing Company with Head Brewer/Co-owner Chad Henderson entertaining and leading a brewery tour through their expansive brewhouse. The after party was abuzz with industry enthusiasts discussing the talks from the day and sharing their own recent technical brew journeys.
