February 25th,2015

Wow. I’m here. Spent the rest of the weekend getting used to the time change and getting to know my flat mates. What a good bunch of guys! The brewing community has on a very big level, truly unique people in it. I’ve found it to almost be universal that if they have a passion about brewing, they are always good people.

Two of the larger brewery systems at brewlab

The small individual brew systems for each student

Well second day of the class. Today was a fantastic 2.5 hour lecture from David Griggs Technical Director from the Crisp Malting Group. Such good information. It filled in a lot of questions I had about malting.

We were introduced to recipe formulation in a way that I’d not seen. It’s called Litre Degrees per Kilo (LDK) I’ve not mastered it yet, but man is it exact. Covers every aspect of the brew including salts, acid additions, correct water amounts, and takes into account a few flaws in formula creation over the entire spectrum recipes of beer ABV. Very good information.

Tonight, we were issued bicycles. It seems the ride back up to our dorms is uphill. Can’t wait to actually enjoy the coast back to the class tomorrow. It’s a 2 mile ride.

My Ride

I don’t know how much validity a brewlab diploma has with potential employers. I’m not saying that to slight the program. I just don’t know. I’m not an employer looking for a brewer. Speaking from a home brewer’s or a person with a personal quest of all things brewing, perspective, I can say that what I see this place offers (from my few days of class) exceeds my expectations.

At the end of my first full week: If this program doesn’t make you into a competent brewer, it’s a damn good start. I can’t say what it would be like from a person who never brewed before, but with a fair bit of home brewing experience, you are going to walk away with quite a brewing education AND a Sunderland/Newcastle cultural education.

The method of putting together a recipe taught here, completely blows my mind with its’ dealing with all of the aspects of brewing including Hot liquor water treatment for the style of beer you are brewing, pH adjustment, taking into account the unfermentable sugars your scarification temperature choice will bring. The process they teach has such far reaching controls that it boggles my mind.