Unfiltered Chronicles: Christian Muckerman - The Beer Brewer
Brewing a Pint of Seasonal IPA, Using Mishicott Brewing's Recipe
Growing up in a town where craft beer was introduced by my dad, a restaurant general manager, eventually sparked my lifelong passion for brewing. The aroma of quality beer wafting through the air in the 80s and 90s courtesy of brewers like Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Abita, and more, ignited my appreciation for the art.
My real brewing journey took flight a couple of years ago, with the investment in the professional-feeling Spike Trio Brewing System. Simultaneously, I enrolled in an accredited program with Virginia Tech and the University of Richmond, pursuing a Professional Brewer's Certificate. For me, hands-on experience has been the best way to learn the art of brewing and starting a brewery. So here's a massive round of cheers to Spike for enabling brew day to be accessible to anyone with a passion!
Lushing Legacy: Mishicott Brewing
Mishicott Brewing, my family's brewing company in Mishicot, Wisconsin, operated until the onset of Prohibition. Prohibition brought an end to this legacy, but my ambition is to revive what was started. A noteworthy fact about Mishicott Brewing is that Spike's equipment is engineered and assembled in Wisconsin, fitting perfectly with my family's Wisconsin-rooted brewing legacy.
On the other side of my family, we owned and operated an icehouse in St. Louis, Missouri. Delivering ice to a young Anheuser-Busch was part of our daily routine. Knowing that beer has to be kept cold, having a family legacy like this makes me feel like golden ale runs through my veins, especially during brew day!
Want a deeper dive into Christian's homebrewing journey? Check out Episode 101 on Double Hopbeat Podcast to hear it all firsthand!
Beery Business: IPA
One of my favorite seasonal beers is the winter IPA. This style consists of various base styles brewed to create a winter-friendly brew, offering a rich body and warming finish. The BJCP defines a holiday ale as one that suggests colder weather, has a rich body and warming finish, generally medium amber to very dark brown, and with aromatics hinting at Christmas cookies, gingerbread, or evergreen trees.
This is my take on a classic holiday beer - an IPA with no spices, relying on roasted malts and classic American hops to create a profile with a warming finish and evergreen hop aromas - dubbed Tannenbaum. Tune in to discover how I crafted this delightful winter ale!
Recipe Breakdown: Tannenbaum
Components of Creativity
- GRAIN: 11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row), 2.5 lbs Crystal 60L, 0.5 lbs Dextrine Malt
- HOPS: Boil hops - 0.5 oz Cascade (60 min), 0.5 oz Centennial (60 min), 0.75 oz Cascade (15 min), 0.75 oz Centennial (15 min), 1 oz Cascade (0 min), 1 oz Centennial (0 min); Dry hops - 5 oz Cascade (3 days), 5 oz Centennial (3 days)
- YEAST: American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056)
Instructional Illumination
Batch: 5 gal
OG: 1.080
FG: 1.024
IBU: 59
ABV: 7.5%
Efficiency: 80%
Mashing Temp: 152°F
Boil: 60 min
Fermentation:- Temp: 68°F, duration - 7 daysSystem: Spike Trio
Pointers from the Pro
- Many brewers incorporate spices in their winter seasonal recipe, adding them at different stages throughout the brewing process. A few common ingredients include cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel. To add hints of classic holiday spices to your beer, use your creative freedom to experiment with one or a combination of these ingredients.
- Remember that it's easier to overdo it with spices than to underdo it. Start with small amounts to avoid an overpowered brew. A good place to start is 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per spice for a five-gallon batch.
- Spices can be added at any point during the brewing process, including mash, boil, or fermented, but it's best to add them during whirlpooling or after fermentation to prevent overpowering flavors and aromatics. If adding spices during fermentation, allow them to steep in high-proof spirit for 4 to 6 days, then add to the fermenter 3 to 4 days before packaging.
Cheers!
- Christian Muckerman, Mishicott Brewing
Spike Demystified: The Everyman's Guide to IPA
Understanding IPAs
IPAs have gained immeasurable popularity as craft beer favorites due to their bold and bitter flavor, recognizable thanks to the hops that dominate the taste profile. These hops found in IPAs are usually stronger than those in other beer styles, resulting in an unparalleled flavor experience. With an alcohol content typically ranging from 4-7%, IPAs stand out from the crowd.
Categories:
- West Coast
- East Coast
- Session
- Belgian
- Fruited
- Imperial/Double IPA
- Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale
What You'll Love:
- Bold and bitter flavors (Hops)
- Citrusy, floral, and herbal notes
- Alcohol content typically ranging from 4-7%
Why They're Popular:
- Hop-forward taste
- Citrusy, floral, and herbal aromas
- Wide range of flavor profiles
Brewing Basics
Mash
- Preparation: Sanitize equipment, weigh malts, adjust water profile
- Mash: Mix water and grains, maintain temperature (148-156°F/64-69°C), convert starches to sugars
- Mash-out: Optional, halts enzymatic activity to prepare for sparging
- Lautering: Vorlauf (recirculation), sparging (rinsing grains)
Boil
- Boil duration: 60 minutes, hop additions (bittering, aroma)
Cooling
- Chilling: Cool wort to pitching temperature (65-68°F/18-20°C)
Fermentation
- Fermentation: Pitch yeast, control temperature, monitor progress, dry hopping
- Conditioning: Cold crash (for clarity), carbonation
- Packaging: Bottle or keg, ready for consumption
So, You Want to Brew an IPA?
Key Considerations
- Base malts
- Hop schedule (bittering, aroma, flavor)
- yeast strain
- Fermentation & storage conditions
- Adjustments for desired flavor profile
Hop Varieties
- Centennial, Cascade, Citra, Lemondrop, Chinook, Columbus, Simcoe, Amarillo, Mosaic, Ekuanot
Malt Types
- 2 Row, Carapils, Crystal, Munich, Biscuit, Acidulated malt, Flaked oats, Flaked wheat, Special B, Chocolate malt, Black patent malt
Enrichment Data
While specific Tannenbaum IPA recipe details are not readily available, the general process for brewing an IPA using a system like the Spike Trio includes a grain bill preparation, water treatment, mashing & lautering, boiling (with hop additions), cooling, fermentation, dry hopping, cold crashing, packaging, and conditioning phases.
The total time from brew day to beer ready to drink typically ranges from 3 to 4 weeks. Adjustments would be made based on the specified malt bill, hop schedule, and yeast strain in Christian Muckerman's recipe for Tannenbaum IPA.
- Christian Muckerman's passion for brewing was sparked by the aroma of craft beer from breweries like Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada, which he encountered growing up.
- Mishicott Brewing, Christian's family's brewing company, operated until Prohibition, and Spike's equipment, engineered and assembled in Wisconsin, fits perfectly with their Wisconsin-rooted brewing legacy.
- In his beer crafting journey, Christian often experiments with spices like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel in his winter seasonal recipes, but warns that it's easier to overdo it with spices than to underdo it.
