The Brewing Process

The Mill

The mill cracks the grain to release the starchy inner kernel.  Now it’s called “Grist.”  We use betwen 1500 and 2100 pounds of malted barley for each 30- brew.

A note of Malted Barley…

Grain must be germinated & roasted before it can begin to achieve its beer destiny.  AT what temperature and for how long a grain is roasted is the determining factor in the color of the finished product (has a lot to do with flavor too!).

The Brewhouse

Mash Ton

The mashing process combines grain with hot water, creating an enzymatic conversion.  This is when the naturally occurring enzymes in the grain convert the starch  into sugar making a malty liquid called wort.

Lauter Tun

The basic principal of the Lauter Tun is to seperate the grain from the wort.  The grain particles are rinsed with 172° water to release any remaining sugars.  This process is called “sparging.”  The Lauter Tun’s false bottom allows the grain to be strained from the wort and the spent grain is then pumped into an outside silo where it is taken by many local farmers for feed and compost.

Brew Kettle

Here the wort is brought to a boil, and hops are added to impart flavor, bitterness, and aroma to the brew.  When, how much, and what type makes all the difference.

The right blend of the right kind of hops is necessary for every style of beer.  But of course when you think, “Hops,” you think, “IPA.”  Our Twister Creek IPA takes over a pound per barrel of columbia and cascade dry hops to achieve its distinctive flavor.

Whirlpool

After the boil is completed the sterilized wort is transferred to the Whirlpool which uses centrifugal force to separate out remaining hop and protein matter (collectively called “trub”).

Now, free of any particle matter, the brew is ready to undergo some seemingly magical changes…

Counter Current Plate Heat Exchanger

The heat exchanger rapidly cools the wort to create an environment where the temperature-sensitive yeast can thrive.  Our Counter Current Plate Heat Exchanger is unique due to Alaska’s cold well water.  The 40 degree water flows through one side and the 200 degree wort flows through the other. The well water leaves the exchanger at 150 degrees to be reclaimed and used in the next brew.

Glycol Insulated Fermenter

Here we add the yeast, and let it do it’s thing.*

After about a week, the IPA is ready to receive yet another dose of hops – 27.5 pounds!  This is where those pungent floral and citrus aromas come into play.  This process is called “dry-hopping.”

When the brew is just right, it comes directly out of the fermenter.  This is called “uni-tanking”.

*For centuries, brewers didn’t know how exactly their mash became a delicious, intoxicating beverage, and attributed it to divine sources.  Now-a-days, we know this to be the effect of yeast, which breaks down sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol.

Canning Line

And presto! 7,680 delicious pints of beer!