We were excited to interview Jamie Floyd, one of craft beer’s leading visionaries.
Houston, TX (PRWEB) October 31, 2013
Ninkasi Brewing Company of Eugene, Oregon has clawed its way to become the 30th largest craft brewery in the nation in just eight years with annual production capacity of 68,427 barrels. Their Bohemian Pilsner won a gold medal at this year’s Great American Beer Festival as the company positions itself for more explosive growth in the years to come. SaveOnBrew.com – the nation’s only reliable source for local retail beer prices – recently interviewed head brewer and cofounder Jamie Floyd about the craft brewery’s success and plans for the future.
Ninkasi is in the middle of an expansion that will allow them to brew and store close to 290,000 barrels of beer a year. The brewhouse across the street will grow from a 55-barrel to an 80-barrel system as well. Growing is not just about producing more of the same for the masses, Jamie Floyd tells SaveOnBrew. "This added capacity will allow for us to make even more kinds of beers than in the past," he explains.
Fans can expect the brewery to churn out more lagers, which take five to seven additional weeks to age compared to ales. "For 2014, it is likely that we will brew up to 5,000 barrels of lager next year," Floyd says. The Prismatic Lager beers will be expanded to year-round production with three beers released each trimester. A Bohemian Pilsner is expected out in January.
"We also plan to brew more ales that take longer to ferment," says Floyd. "We’ll be brewing twice as much Critical Hit Barleywine this year. This beer gets two months in the fermenter or more and then is bottled and cellared by us for a year total before being sold." In the future, he sees sour ales being added to the list of Ninkasi beers, but these styles can take up to two years to produce.
Collaboration beers are another trend to look out for, according to SaveOnBrew’s exclusive interview. Ninkasi was selected to be part of Sierra Nevada’s "Beer Camp Across America" 12-pack that will feature beers from Victory, Allagash, Bell’s, Three Floyds, Oskar Blues, and Russian River Brewing Company. In the last few months, Ninkasi has teamed with Parallel 49 Brewing in Vancouver to make Red Eye Red Lager, with Elysian in Seattle to make HopSquash Pumpkin IPA, with TRVE Brewing in Colorado to make Hell Patrol Double IPA, and with the 140-year-old Caledonian Brewing in Edinburgh, Scotland to brew 250 casks of Cream Ale. Upcoming collaborations will include Payette Brewing in Boise, Idaho and Iron Goat in Spokane, Washington.
"Collaborations are great for many reasons. We start with friendship. Creativity is also a great part of the process. In some cases, we get to brew in local breweries in cities we love to sell beer in and sometimes they get bottled and sent to parts of the country we would not normally reach. In every aspect, they are fun and great for both the participating breweries," says Floyd.
The interview also covers details on the charitable "Beer Is Love" program, brewery financing, design work and expanding in a sustainable way. "We were really excited to interview Jamie Floyd, who is considered one of craft beer’s leading visionaries," explains SaveOnBrew’s Mark Davidson. "Publishing these exclusive interviews gives our fans the latest scoop on what’s new that they can’t find elsewhere." The full story can be found at SaveOnBrew.
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About SaveOnBrew.Com: Founded in 2010 to help thirsty beer drinkers across the United States find the lowest advertised prices for one of the world’s most popular beverages.