Three Irish Red Ales to Get Prepared for St. Patrick's Day

What is an Irish Red Ale?

An Irish Red Ale style has captured my heart over the past few springs. So, what is an Irish Red Ale? The style is actually a Pale Ale that uses a particular malted barley that gives it the amber/red color.

A malt-forward beer style with toffee or caramel notes typically finishes a bit dry. The ABV range generally is between 4 and 6 percent, making it a sessionable favorite!

Mollie’s Red Ale

Divots Brewery

This Irish Red Ale has all the characteristics of an Irish Red Ale that I have come to love. The caramel notes start slightly sweet, and a smooth body transitions into an excellent dry finish. This superb Irish Red comes in at 6% ABV and 21 IBUs.

Farrell’s Irish Red Ale

Nebraska Brewing Company

This Irish red ale has sentimental value because it was the first beer produced by Nebraska Brewing Company. It has nutty toffee notes in the front and a stronger dry finish. This 5.6% ABV, 22 IBU ale has a nice crisp body.

Lucky Irish Red

Pint Nine Brewing Co.

This Irish Red Ale has caramel notes in a smooth body. The finish is slightly dry and not as pronounced as some Irish Reds. For those looking for a smoother ale, this 6.0% ABV, 20 IBU will be right up your alley!

Check out these excellent Irish Red Ales if you want something on St. Patrick’s Day that is not an Irish Stout!

Cheers!

Kros Strain Brewing Company Celebrates 5 Years of Growth

Founders Scott Strain and Robert (Bobby) Kros enjoying 5 incredible years

Robert (Bobby) Kros and Scott Strain launched Kros Strain Brewing Company five years ago in June 2017. For these two gentlemen, the one constant thing over the past five yours has been growth. It is fun to see the evolution of Kros Strain Brewing, and it has been a challenge to keep up with everything they have going on! Luckily, I got the chance to meet and discuss with Scott and Bobby what it has been like over the past five years.

Just of few of the fermentors at Kros Strain. They range from 5 BBL to 100 BBL

Does it feel like five years have passed?

Scott started by saying that the time had flown by quickly. It has been an exciting journey filled with the cycles of expansion and adjustment. The adjustment time until this year has been very minimal.

Scott and Bobby put into perspective the growth they have experienced. The initial brewery setup was 5 - 30 barrel fermenters and 2 - 5 barrel ones used mostly for experimentation. Their initial capacity at a given time was 160 barrels or 4,960 gallons. By no means was this a small operation to start with!

Bobby described the expansion of the equipment over the years, including 2 - 100 barrel fermentors. Today their capacity at a given time is 900 barrels or 27,900 gallons. I have to say equally as impressive as the capacity is the engineering to be able to fit all of the equipment in the space they have!

Scott described that having some years with up to 60% growth is fantastic and also daunting at the same time. The logistics of getting more space, employees, and materials to keep up with the production takes lots of planning.

This canning line can do between 60 - 70 cans per minute

This wooden foeder produced in Missouri is perfect for producing sours

What are the most significant changes that have taken place in the brewery over the past five years?

Immediately, two items stood out for Bobby and Scott. The first was transitioning from a bottling line to a canning line. The two have seen many advantages, including the consistency of the fills. I would imagine the cans are easier to work with also. I remember seeing the one bottling machine in action. The bottles looked like spokes on a wheel getting filled and capped. It would seem that a system like this would need more care when packaging the beer than a canning system. Incredible numbers though from both. The bottling line filled 1,000,000+ bottles, and the canning line has filled 2,000,000+ and growing each week!

The other significant item is the sour beer program, which is very popular. The addition of the second bay in the building provided space to create the separation from the main brewery to produce sour beers. Kros Strain uses white oak foeders from Foeder Crafters of America out of St. Louis, Missouri.

I have read that the wooden foeders help add complexity to the beer. There are several reasons, including the tannins (bitter compounds) released from the wood to the yeast and bacteria that build up in the pores of the oak wood. However you look at this, lots of science and care goes into these beers!

The hop lights add to the cool atmosphere of the taproom in La Vista.

What has surprised you most about owning a brewery?

Scott said that brewing was the easy part compared to the sales and marketing side. There is a great deal of time spent working with the distributors to get their beer to market. Another difficult part of the distribution is getting used to having someone else represent your product.

Beyond the creative recipes, they have invested a lot of time and money in the quality assurance controls of production. The high-quality standards were essential to maintain as they grew to ensure that the customers were always satisfied with the beer. I can say that every beer I have had from Kros Strain has been top-notch!

The other big thing is human resources and keeping up with the growth of the employee base. The gentlemen said they have been fortunate to have great employees that stay a long time with them. I have to say that everyone is always so friendly and knowledgeable about the beer. It makes for a wonderful experience every time you visit the taproom!

A very recognizable logo

What are some of your favorite charity events you have participated in?

Scott and Bobby said there were several, but two of their favorites are:

• Hops for Harmony supports Project Harmony. Project Harmony supports children that are suspected victims of abuse and or neglect.

• Brew Haha supports Habitat for Humanity of Omaha. Habit for Humanity helps to provide quality, affordable housing.

The taproom entrance in La Vista

What have been some of the challenges you have faced over the past five years?

The two gentlemen explained that every growth cycle takes a great deal of planning. Along with that is the financing that is needed to expand the operation. Last but not least is hiring and training new employees.

The pandemic has been difficult and they had to adapt how they went about finding new employees. Just as much of a challenge has been the supply chain issues from getting in the needed grains to finding vendors that could provide aluminum cans.

The display of awards in the La Vista taproom

What has been your favorite award?

Bobby and Scott both said they have never focused on contests; it has always been about people enjoying their beer. Both said that they do appreciate the fact that when chosen for an award, it means the beer they love to produce is recognizable amongst their peers.

Bobby then described the moment in 2018 at the Great American Beer Fest (GABF) when the announcer called Kros Strain’s name out! It was at the end of the competition, and the last category was Hazy IPAs. There were almost 400 entries which is hard to fathom.

Then the moment arrived. Kros Strain Brewing Company - Fairy Nectar London DDH was named the silver medalist! Bobby and Scott described the chaotic scene as they worked their way through the crowd onto the stage. It was a day neither of these gentlemen will ever forget!

The beautiful color of the Web of Lies Imperial IPA

What are your favorite three beers that you have made over the past five years?

You have to save the most challenging question for last - right!

Bobby

• Batch 625 - Farmhouse Ale - Saison 5.4% ABV 25 IBUs

• Hazelnut Coconut Imperial Stout - barrel aged 13.0% ABV

• Southern Hopisphere - Hazy IPA - 7.5% ABV 62 IBUs

Scott

• Batch 625 - Farmhouse Ale - Saison 5.4% ABV 25 IBUs

• Fairy Nectar London Project - Tropical - Hazy IPA 6.2% ABV

• Out of Service - Sour IPA collaboration with Servaes Brewing Company

I think everyone who tries Kros Strain Brewing’s beer, loves it

Five years with over 1,600 batches brewed! Kros Strain Brewing, so happy that you opened a brewery in Nebraska! I know Scott and Bobby have plans for the next five years, so buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Watch for social media posts in June about the 5-year anniversary events. I am sure you won’t want to miss them.

Cheers, Kros Strain Brewing, for five years, and I am sure plenty more to come!

Imagine the Possibilities

Remember when you were a kid and loved to play with Legos? The hours of letting your imagination run wild as you created all sorts of interesting things. The satisfaction of being able to create something that was uniquely yours was really fun!

As an adult, I find myself always looking for ways to be able to be creative. I would say after meeting Matt Misfeldt, I think he is very much the same. Matt and his wife Jennifer Obal-Misfeldt own Patriot Homebrew Supply in Elkhorn, Nebraska.

I recently met the couple at a few craft beer events around Omaha. I really enjoyed talking with Matt about craft beer and the history of the breweries around Omaha, so I asked him if he would be willing to share more about the homebrewing business.

Matt looks right at home near the brew kettles

I was filled with so many questions and was excited to sit down with Matt.

“So, Matt how did you become interested in homebrewing?”

Matt replied, “I had met Tyson Arp (current head brewer at Nebraska Brewing Company) prior to my military tour in Iraq. Tyson had been brewing for a while and got me interested in homebrewing. When I got back in 2007 is when I really started to get into it myself.”

Matt went on to say, “The interesting part is that back in the 2000’s, it was mostly home brewers like Tyson, John Farher from Scriptown Brewing, and Phil Doerr from Farnam House Brewing. Prior to Nebraska Brewing Company going into business in 2007, there weren’t too many craft beer breweries. I remember going to Upstream Brewing Company. The Huber Haus at Beer Corner USA provided a place to experience many different German styles of beer.”

Matt began to discuss how the home brewing clubs were a great place to meet other brewers. Groups like the South Omaha Brewers (SOB) club, the Local 402 Brewers, the German America Society - Brewers Klub, and others were buzzing with excitement. The clubs were a social gathering place where people could bond over talking about brewing beer and enjoying a pint! This was a great venue for getting ideas on new beers and asking questions when something might not go as expected with one you brewed.

What an amazing honor!

Another big part of homebrewing in the 2000’s and early 2010’s were the festivals and competitions. Homebrewers could bring out their beers and let others get to experience them. This was a great way to get feedback!

Matt explained that he really was into creating malty beers.

So, I asked Matt, “What was your first competition beer?”

Matt replied, “It was a Southern English Brown.”

We chatted about characteristics of the malt that makes this beer so deep and flavorful without being too high on the ABV scale. I could see Matt’s eyes light up when he described the beer. I now understand just how exciting it is to create a great beer!

Matt competed in the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) in Minneapolis in 2012 where he received a second place ribbon for the Southern English Brown. Pretty cool accomplishment!

So, the question in my mind was how do go from homebrewer to homebrew supply owner?

Just a small sample of the different kinds of malt you will find at Patriot Homebrew Supply

I know my curiosity grows more and more when I really get into something that I am passionate about. Knowledge of an industry really makes a difference.

I asked Matt where he would get his ingredients from when he was homebrewing. Matt told me that Northern Brewer was one of the first places he got ingredients. They had a good variety but with it not being local, it was sometimes hard getting questions answered. One of the other places was Kirk’s Brew in Lincoln, Nebraska.

One of the issues was many of the homebrewing supply stories only sold ingredients like malt by the pound. For most homebrewers wanting to make lot’s of different kinds of beer, a pound minimum limit for ingredients makes it expensive and can leave you with extra ingredients you may or may not use.

The mill used to prepare the malt for brewing

While in San Diego at Ballast Point Brewing Co., Matt said him, and his wife visited the homebrew store. Ballast Point offered ingredients by the ounce. This was an eyeopener! So many thoughts rushed through Matt’s mind, but the most important one was, “We need this in Omaha.”

When Matt got back to Omaha, he started to plan the opening a homebrew supply store. One of the things that would make finding a location challenging was the fact you couldn’t open a homebrew supply store within a 10-mile radius of another store. Fermenter’s Supply is located around 84th and L Street which is a very central location in Omaha. So, the task at hand would be even more difficult.

Look at all the styles of beers you can brew!

After searching for a location for a good amount of time, Matt found the right place in Elkhorn. Elkhorn was a growing community at the time just west of Omaha. The best part was that the strip mall he found had a space that was perfect. There was already a kitchen that could be turned into the brewing area. There was also a nice area for teaching classes. This was very important for Matt because that was one of the main things, he wanted to be able to do.

So, in the fall of 2013, Patriot Homebrew Supply opened! Within 2 years, they would expand by adding another bay. Business was going well! The homebrew clubs enjoyed that fact that Patriot Homebrew Supply had fresh ingredients by the ounce, would help customize recipes, and was a social place to hang out with others interested in homebrewing.

The dynamics began to change around 2015 and 2016. There were more local craft beer breweries opening. An existing law in Nebraska began to be enforced where homebrewers could no longer have their beer at festivals. Add to the fact, that internet homebrew supply stores were popping up all over the place. A trifecta of bad news if you are a local homebrew supply store. Could the best days of Patriot Homebrew Supply be behind them?

Classes are a great way to learn about the brewing process

Although changes were taking place, there were still many homebrewers that wanted and needed a local supply store. Ingredients that even the breweries would need a split-second notice, Matt was able to provide.

Matt said, “We are the 911 for emergency ingredients like yeast, mineral salts, etc.”

Several of the homebrewers were now starting their own breweries. For example, Jim Stutzman of Lazy Horse Brewing bought his first brewing system from Patriot Homebrew Supply. The growth of the craft beer breweries started a whole new social engagement where people had many options of trying different craft beers. For the homebrewers, this social engagement at Patriot started to fade. Patriot was still the go to place for getting everything they needed, but not as much of a place to hang out anymore.

For a business to evolve when things change, you have to be involved in the community. I remember reaching out to Patriot a couple of years ago to see if they would be willing to donate items for an auction to raise money for the food bank. Not only did they donate, but they provided a wealth of information to share with others about the classes and many other events they had going on.

When I am at events where Patriot is at, I have been able to meet several homebrewers that you can tell value Matt’s expertise and desire to help with their homebrewing. Relationships like this are key. People really appreciate great service and having someone that understands their needs!

Matt invests his time in the industry with taking courses such as the Cicerone Certified Beer Server and Brewers Association Beer 101 courses. Matt also goes the extra mile learning each beer style in detail and recently become a certified craft beer judge. What a resource to have when you have questions about brewing!

The outcome of creating a beer at Patriot Homebrew Supply

The history of craft beer is very intriguing to me. So when Matt told me about a recent beer he brewed, I was all ears! Matt began to explain how Porters originated in England. In the 1880s prior to Irish Dry Stouts coming out, there was a style known as the Single Stout Porter.

The Single Stout Porter is made up of three different kinds of British malts - a pale, amber, and black patent malt. Black malt is not your common roasted chocolate malt. You need to visit Matt because he explains it very well! What the black malt provides is a deep, dry roasted characteristic that is incredible on the palate.

The Single Stout Porter uses East Kent Goldings (EKG) hops and an Irish Ale Yeast. It is all of these ingredients and the close attention to detail in the brewing process that make this such a great beer!

You don’t have a to be a homebrewer to get to experience what it takes to make a craft beer. Patriot has classes to get you the introductory understanding you need to start brewing. You can then take that knowledge and brew right there! Patriot has a Brew on Premise offering for you to get to go through all of the steps from mash, boil, ferment, and packaging.

I know I am interested in the classes and seminars the Patriot provides. I really enjoy learning about the process and ingredients. I think anyone who enjoys craft beer can get a better appreciation knowing what goes into brewing the beers!

Brewing kits are another option when it comes to homebrewing

Beyond IPAs and Pale Ales, Patriot Homebrew Supply has many styles in 5 gallon kits

Whether you are a serious homebrewer or just someone who is interested in gaining knowledge of the brewing process, Patriot Homebrew Supply can help you with all of it! I know I am looking forward to spending more time there this year. Between the classes and seminars, I am hoping to continue learning more about all of the wonderful beer styles. You never know maybe I will even try brewing a beer someday.

Cheers!