A taste of what's brewing for the Startup Homebrew Challenge, Batch 1

On May 30, nine startups will be competing in the Homebrew Challenge at Ping Identity in Downtown Denver. Get to know some of the brewers and what they have in store. Register here to claim your tasting ticket.

The Location3 Brew crew: social media manager Chris Jones and media account manager Justin Salazar

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How did you get into brewing?

Justin: I started brewing back in 2009. My love of craft beer and the need for a hobby got me into home brewing.

Chris: I actually got into home brewing a few months ago after visiting far too many breweries and needing a hobby. I’ve had a lot of fun thus far.

What's your favorite Colorado brew?

Justin: Avery Brewing Co. / Avery Brewing Uncle Jacob’s Stout.

Chris: My favorite brewery is Great Divide, but I also really enjoy Oskar Blues. I will never turn down a Denver Pale Ale or Dale’s Pale Ale. My favorite beer is probably the Denver Pale Ale from Great Divide. It’s tasty, balanced, and my usual go-to if I don’t plan on being too adventurous.

What are you guys brewing for May 30?

Chris and Justin: We’ve actually never brewed this exact recipe yet, so it’s tough to say because right now it is bottle conditioning. It’s an Imperial Coffee Stout.

What are some challenges to being a homebrewer?

Justin: Patience is the biggest challenge for me. I want the beer I’m brewing to be fully fermented, cold and carbonated on brew day

Chris: I have to agree with Justin on this. Patience, and also letting the beer do its thing. Your first inclination is to hover the whole time it’s fermenting, but ultimately if your temps are checking out, and you’re getting a reasonable amount of CO2 blowoff, you’re probably OK.

How does the startup culture lend itself to supporting your brew-centric habits?

Chris: It teaches you that it is OK to take risks, as long as you’re OK with the consequences.

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The Ping Identity Brew Trio of the Hairless Hefeweizen aka UX/Product/Brand Writer Drew Wieland, Product Manager Eric Fazendin and Kick-ass Software Engineer Jason Musgrave

When did you start brewing? What got you into it?

Drew: Technically, I'm brand new to brewing. Over the past year or two, I've watched and helped a couple friends brew, but I have yet to get my own kit to start brewing on my own. As for what got me into it, I'm just super passionate about creating things, and I have an extreme passion for great beer. Learning about it has become an obsession, and if the stars align just right, I'll open my own brewery someday.

Eric: I wouldn't say "I've started brewing" yet. I've only brewed a few times with friends.

Jason: I started brewing after attending the Taos Toolbox Science Fiction class. I found brewing to be a great way to procrastinate, one of the great skills nurtured by amateur fiction writers.

What's your favorite Colorado brew?
Drew: There are several Colorado breweries that are in my "favorites" list. But if I had to list just a couple I'd say that Great Divide and Oskar Blues are my go-to choices. Both are equally impressive with their full-flavored selections.

Eric: My favorite colorado beer changes over time, but right now I especially enjoy Station 26's IPA #1. It's delicious!

Jason: My favorite colorado beer is new Belgium's La Folie. It introduced me to sour beers and is still my favorite.

Details on their beer and tasting notes on what you're submitting

Eric: We are submitting a hairless hefeweizen. It should be a smooth wheat beer, great for a summer afternoon, and we assure you, you won't encounter any hair.

What's the weirdest type of beer you've ever brewed?

Drew: This one. I've never brewed an all-grain beer, and I've never brewed a hefeweizen, so I guess that qualifies it as the weirdest. But the process was fun and the smells were intoxicating, so I'm sure we'll be able to add "tastiest" to this brew as well.

Jason: The weirdest beers I've ever brewed are pretty tame. I've always loved the chili beers and I've made four different versions of Chili beer. It's not very well reviewed, but my favorite chili beer that I've tried is Steamworks Prescribed Burn Chili Ale.

What are some challenges to being a homebrewer?

Drew: Space, time and expense. But that's just coming from a guy with a wife, 3 kids and 2 dogs. Not that I can't make it work.

Eric: One of the biggest challenges to brewing is making sure your yeast is happy. Unhappy yeast means unhappy beer drinkers, and nobody wants to see that.

How does the startup culture lend itself to supporting your brew-centric habits?

Drew: I could mention the kegerator in the kitchen, but that's only one small piece of the puzzle. Ping promotes a very healthy work-life balance, which opens up my calendar to express myself outside of the office environment. Which, in this case, definitely translates to being able to get more involved with brewing beer.

Jason: There are is alot of beer culture at Ping. Not everyone partakes, but our team frequently works sitting near the Kegerator on Fridayafternoons or we sit with our laptops at a local brewery.

Brewmaster Ombudsman: Thad Eby, Brewer of the Citrus Amber & Brew Challenge Belgian Triple, co-founder of Ombud

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When did you start brewing?

Thad: I have been brewing for 10 years. I started brewing in San Francisco when I was working for a startup. It started as curiosity and quickly became a weekly activity I did with friends who also brewed.

What's your favorite Colorado brew?Thad: I'm a big fan of Left Hand Brewery and Avery.

What beers are you submitting to the challenge?

Thad: One is a Citra Amber Ale, which is an American Amber Beer that was brewed with Citra Hops. Pours clear with an amber/copper color and an off-white head. Bready, carmel aroma backed with a citrus effervescence. A nice toasted malt with a hint of carmel complimented with refreshing light grapefruit finish backed with a moderate hop bitterness. Medium bodied and refreshing. Sessionable and perfect for a hot summer evening.

The second is the Brew Challenge Belgian Triple, a Belgian Strong Ale that was brewed with European Ingredients. Pours clear with a light straw color, large white head and very carbonated. Starts with a sweet front that finishes dry. Fruity notes of pears with touch of belgian spice. It is nearly 9.2 percent ABV!

What's the weirdest type of beer you’ve ever brewed?

Thad: I messed up a batch that turned out tasting like creamed corn. Only two bottles were ever poured.

What are some challenges to being a homebrewer?

Thad: Never having enough equipment.

How does the startup culture lend itself to supporting your brew-centric habits?

Thad: Ombud provides a kegerator that offers both a commercial brew and an Ombrew that is always available for inspiration.

Stay tuned for the next batch of brewer profiles for the May 30th event....

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