504: Kyle Gregorash of Young Blood Brews Indulgent Fruit Beers Balanced Through Thoughtfully Shaped Acidity
Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine PodcastShow Notes
Kyle Gregorash of Madison, Wisconsin’s Young Blood didn’t initially set out to build a brewery around fruit beer, but over the past six years he’s worked tirelessly to perfect it and solve that intractable brewing problem—how can you make something that’s sweet and crowd-pleasing but that finishes with a snap and encourages the next sip? And how do you do that when brewers’ favorite tool—hop bitterness—is off the table? Through years of experimentation and practice, Gregorash has dialed in fruit beers and those beers have fueled the brewery’s growth to the point where they now make up 60% of the brewery’s production.
In this episode, he outlines some of the ways he makes sweet and fruity beers that feel indulgent but that encourage a second pint. Along the way, he touches on:
coming at quick sour beer from a mixed culture sour background
using Sourvisiae yeast for quick soured fruit beer
scaling pH in inverse to ABV
top noting real purée and juice concentrate with extracts and natural flavors for full spectrum impact
varying the fruit strategy in beer-based and gluten-free fruited sours
blending phosphoric, lactic, citric, and malic acids for ideal expression in fruit beers
understanding the impact levels of various fruits
spices that make fruit flavors pop
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers
A quick word for the brewers out there staring down a broken chiller. You know the pain—warm fermentors, stressed yeast, and that sinking feeling when the repair quote lands in your inbox. With refrigerant regulations changing and the cost of obsolete refrigerants skyrocketing, sometimes the fix costs more than the unit is worth. G&D Chillers is there to help, whether you’re a small brew pub or large full-scale production brewery. Don’t throw good money at bad equipment. Invest in a solution that grows with your brewery—and keeps your tanks cold when it counts. Big thanks to G&D Chillers for supporting this podcast since 2019. Reach out to them at gdhillers.com/podcast to learn how they can support your next six years of growth.
Berkeley Yeast
At the World Beer Cup this year: Gold for West Coast IPA; Gold for Session IPA; Bronze, Silver, and Gold for New Zealand IPA; Bronze, Silver, and Gold for Classic IPA. All these beers were fermented with one yeast: FRESH™ Chico, Berkeley’s low-diacetyl ale yeast. There’s something you need to know: Diacetyl isn’t just a pass or a fail. Yes, at high levels, it’s tragically bad. But even at low levels, it masks the good flavors. So if you want hop notes to pop, you need diacetyl to be ultra-low. These brewers trust Berkeley Yeast for an ultra-clean fermentation because on the finals table, every little detail matters. And now FRESH™ Chico is available in dried bricks for as low as $88 at berkeleyyeast.com.
PakTech
This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com.
Indie Hops
Oregon hop country is heaven to world-class lager varieties, and Indie Hops is proud to have introduced Oregon’s newest lager hop, Lórien, in 2022. Lórien is in a growing list of beers that have found their way to the podium and—more importantly—into the hearts of lager lovers across the country. Discover Indie Hops Lórien. (Side effects may include rampant festivity, sales bumps, and exceeded expectations.) Indie Hops—Life Is Short. Let’s Make It Flavorful.
Midea 50/50 Flex
If you’re like many podcast listeners, you’ve got a lot of beers at home, and your regular fridge is at capacity. Enter the Midea 50/50 Flex—the ind
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