Interview: Tyler King, The Bruery Senior Director of Brewing Operations

  • Home
  • Beer Pros
  • Interview: Tyler King, The Bruery Senior Director of Brewing Operations
Craft Beer Orange County

INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

What does a beer have to be for you to brew it at The Bruery?

Interesting. Anything that’s beyond average. We love pale ales, hoppy beers, IPAs, I love light lagers, but you can find that everywhere. We want to make beer that’s going to challenge your palate, beer you can enjoy with friends, something you can’t find everywhere. Something a little bit different. Most of all, it’s what we want to drink. We’re not really brewing for the consumer. What do we want to drink?

Is there a style of beer that you would like to see develop a bigger following?

I don’t want to say it on record, but light lagers. People put down Budweiser, Bud Light, all the American light lagers. They’re really hard to make. As a brewer, especially as a craft brewer, if you can make a light beer that tastes good, that takes skill. I’m saying that from a brewer standpoint…I know people don’t like it because it doesn’t have tons of flavor, but it’s a hard beer to make.

Can you see brewing an American light lager at The Bruery?

Yeah, but not for a wide release.

How about naming your beers?

That’s the hardest thing. We make about 60 new beers a year. To try to come up with a good name for them is really difficult. We’ve actually held up the release of a beer before because we couldn’t come up with a name. About 50% of the time, we’ll send an e-mail out to the company. Whoever can come up with a good name, and everyone agrees on it, that is the name we take.

What would you say some of the most satisfying moments of working with craft beer are?

I came up with Oude Tart when I was 17 years old. That was the first sour beer I ever made, and the first sour beer at The Bruery. That ended up winning two gold World Beer Cup medals and one, maybe two GABF gold medals. The first sour beer I ever made.

Have you ever made a beer that you enjoyed more than Oude Tart?

All of our new beers. Anything new that’s coming out, that’s what I like. We don’t make hoppy beers. I love drinking hoppy beers from other breweries.

Is there an aspect of craft beer culture you’ve seen in another state or another country that you’d like to see more of in Southern California?

We just got back from Belgium. Out there, we look at Belgian brewers almost like gods. Their beer is awesome, but if you go over there, it’s just beer. It’s not craft beer. It’s not this amazing thing. You can go anywhere and you’re getting the best beer possible at your local pub. You don’t have to tell bars: “This beer might cost more money.” Over there, good beer is just beer. It’s not craft. That would be cool to see change over here.

Is there a brewery or beer that you can’t get in the area that you’d like to see more?

I’d like to see more Societe up here. They’re a couple past employees, went off to do their own brewery.

Who are some of other people in the craft beer community you look to for inspiration, guidance or advice?

Stone is the obvious one. Steve and Greg. Lost Abbey. Russian River. Allagash. Goose Island. We all kind of take from each other when we brew our own beers.

What would it take for you to consider the work you’ve done with craft beer a success, if it isn’t already?

It can always be better. I’m the worst. I’m never totally happy. Everything we do can always be better. I’m more negative than I am positive.

Address: 717 Dunn Way, Placentia, CA 92870
Tags:

Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

Leave a Comment