Well, it’s a week late, but I finally found the time to type up my Zwickelmania report. Last Saturday, my wife, her mom and myself spent the afternoon Zwickeling in Eugene. Originally, we had planned to make use of the free Rogue shuttle service, but we got a late start and the schedule didn’t quite match up with our plans. Instead, we started the day by hopping in the car and driving up the road to Oakshire.
Oakshire Brewing
When we arrived at the brewery, there were already over 20 Zwickelers, many of them in the middle of a tour and the rest outside at the Devour and Viva! Vegetarian Grill food carts. We were greeted by Eriel, who ushered us to the sampling area. In addition to their standard line-up, Oakshire was pouring their 2-Wheeler IPA, Frog’s Wort (Cornicopia’s house brew), Ill-Tempered Gnome, Duck Billed Platypus (KLCC Collab.), Sasquatch (KLCC Collab. ’09), Red Nugget and Cerise Noir. And as always, all samples were free.
Skipping it at the Brewfest the night before, I got my chance to sample the KLCC Collaboration beer. I also tried Sasquatch and the Cerise Noir, my Surprise Beer of ’09. Only a couple barrels of the wheat ale were produced, so it was a nice treat that they were pouring a corny of it.
As I finished sampling, Jeff was starting another tour and Matt, who had just concluded his, was surrounded by a group of people asking questions. I decided to wander into the empty fermenting area and snap some pictures.
While back there, Oakshire’s Head Brewer Joe Jasper found me and we started a conversation about the KLCC Collaboration. While I did know that all the participating breweries used the same yeast and a similar recipe, I didn’t realize that the brews were all made with the exact same grain bill, same hops and same hopping schedule. The differences were supposed to be brought out entirely by brewing and fermenting technique. Joe said that this year’s Collaboration was much more thought out than the last. All the participating breweries shared ingredients and helped each other. Valley Vintner, a local homebrew shop, did their brewing at Oakshire. They brewed up a 20 gallon batch, split between a 10 gallon set-up they brought in and Jeff’s old 10 gallon set-up that is housed at the brewery. Joe also lent a hand to Ted at Brewer’s Union when his Collaboration stuck during fermentation.
While we were talking, he gave me a pour from a corny sitting on the floor in the fermenting room. It was a different version of their Collaboration that had been fermented with a California Ale Yeast instead of the Belgian strain used for the Brewfest. This was the only Collab’ where I could actually taste the rye. The Belgian yeast just did too good of a job hiding it, but it this brew, it peeked through; making for a unique CDA. I asked if this is what we can expect from the brewery’s new spring CDA, O’Dark:30. I was told no, that the seasonal was a completely different recipe.
Joe also mentioned the silo they are putting in. It has been ordered and is currently being fabricated; they expect delivery some time next month. With the silo, they will be able to save some money by order base malt by the truck load instead of by the pallet. It will also have an auger that handles the grain movement. Currently, grain is transported from the grinder to the mash tun by bucket.When I finished talking with Joe, Jeff was still leading a tour and Matt was still busy fielding questions, so we decided to head over to Ninkasi and continue Zwickeling.
Ninkasi Brewing
When we pulled up to the brewery, there were a lot of people milling around outside. Oregon Natural Meats was cooking up sliders in the parking lot; made from cows fed on Ninkasi’s spent grain. We made our way into the brewery’s new tasting room. The place was so packed full of people that I didn’t have the room to get my camera out for pictures. I didn’t see where any samples were being served, just fliers advertising their tasting trays for $5.50. While trying to find out what was being served on the tasting trays, Jamie Floyd came through announcing that a tour was starting.
Our tour started outside by the grain silos where construction is being done on a new 30 foot tall building, that will house 240 barrel* fermenters. Next we went inside, where Jamie showed us the current 30 barrel, steam-fired system. The brewing system is also being replaced this summer. They are upgrading to a 60 barrel, 4 vessel system. With 4 vessels, the new system will be able to start mashing and sparging a second batch while the first is being boiled and cooled. The new kettle will be a percolator style, able to cycle hot wort from the bottom to the top. Once the new system is in place, Jamie said that Ninkasi will operate 2 8-hour brewing shifts per day, five days a week instead of their current 7 day a week brewing schedule.
Next, we were shown the current fermenting room; now home to a large centrifuge. The centrifuge began operation at the end of January, spinning the sediment out of all their beer prior to packaging. Jamie mentioned that all the beer currently being produced should be a little brighter and all bottles should be sediment free. He also talked about the new bottling line they are purchasing.The new system will be able to fill 12 oz. bottles in addition to bombers. But, he was quick to mention that there are no plans to move any of their brews to 6-packs.
Finally, Jamie talked about Ninkasi as a company. Currently, they employ over 30 people and just recently were able to give them all heath care. He said that this was a big accomplishment for him and Neko, who had decided not to buy themselves insurance until they could afford to offer it to everyone. On the more plush side, they also bring in a mobile masseuse every Thursday, which is free for employees. They also recently started selling their beer in the local Costco store. In February, they were the top selling beer brand, unseating Corona for the first time.
After the tour, we attempted the tasting room once more, but it was just as crowded as before, so we continued our Zwickeling on to Eugene City Brewery.
Eugene City Brewery
While Rogue gets some bad press around the beer blogging world and I rarely find myself purchasing their beer, I do enjoy a trip to the Eugene City Brewery. Actually, I am fond of any restaurant that serves a taco salad in an edible bowl. The fact that Eugene City Brewery also puts pickled jalapenos on theirs, makes it one of my favorite pub meals in Eugene. Before housing the brewery, the building was home to The Dive, a Beatles inspired club, complete with a neon yellow submarine sign and Sgt. Pepper murals. Now, the only remnants of the prior tenant are the murals in the restrooms and port holes in the floor.
Before I had a chance to ask about Zwickelmania, the hostess had directed us to a table and given us menus, so we decided we might as well get some lunch. When our server came over, I was told that the Brewmaster, Nate Sampson was conducting tours all afternoon and as always, I could sample any beer they were offering.
I ordered a pint of Track Town Brown, a single batch American Brown Ale hopped entirely with Amarillo that Nate brewed up for the KLCC Brewfest/Zwickelmania weekend. In the middle of our meal, it was announced that another tour was starting. I left my wife and her mom to finish their meals while I headed off for the tour. And what an intimate tour it was; the only touree, me. Nate said that he had been averaging a dozen or so people all morning, so it looks like I can single-handedly kill Zwickelmania; hopefully things picked back up after I left.
Nate showed me the 6 barrel system that he uses to brew all the Track Town Ales. It is an open top mash tun with a copper manifold suspended over it that delivesr the mash and sparge water. The kettle sits around the corner in another area of the basement. When he is done mashing, Nate wheels over a little pump strapped to a hand truck and transfers the wort to the kettle. After boiling, the hot wort is pumped through a counter-flow chiller that is bolted to the wall of the kettle area. Depending on the time of year, cooling takes between 30-45 minutes on the setup. An in-line aeration stone oxygenates the wort before it is deposited in one of the fermenters.
Nate, a molecular biologist by trade, developed his own house yeast as a home brewer. This custom yeast is used to ferment all Track Town Ales. All ales are fermented in the mid-60′s, the room temperature controlled instead of the individual glycol jackets on the tanks.
After the Eugene City Brewery, we decided to call it a day, skipping Hop Valley and High Street. I never did get to sample in beer straight off the Zwickel. The closest was Nate whipping his Zwickel out of his pocket and flashing it at me. Oddly, I didn’t look away…
As always the ‘Shire is one of my favorite places to visit. Not only do they let you sample anything they have available, but they are friendly, welcoming and actively seek out empty glasses, offering to run them back for refills. It was also nice talking with Joe for the first time. Ninkasi, our local behemoth, is always impressive; I am still amazed at the pace they are growing. I will try to get back their soon and do a proper visit their tap room**. And finally, I want to the thank Nate at ECB for the thorough and accidentally private brewery tour.
Cheers!
Kevin
* I believe the new fermenters will be 240 barrels, but there is a chance that is incorrect. After all, I had been Zwickeling.
** I took my own advice and visited the tap room this afternoon. I will try to get the write up done tomorrow.