Kirkwood Station Brewmaster Talks Seasonal Creations

We sat down at the bar with Brewmaster Dave Johnson to discuss his latest creation and what's in store for the restaurant's taps.

The latest release from Kirkwood Station is a Rye APA (RAPA). The beer has been at the restaurant for the past two weeks.

"It's a really hoppy pale ale. The hops shine through a little more than an IPA because of the malts," Johnson said.

Malted rye is substituted for 15 percent of the barley in the brewing process. The rye malt has a dry, spicy finish, according to Johnson who has served as the Kirkwood Station brewmaster for the past three years. "That's what I like about the rye malt," he said.

But, the malt presents challenges. "It's kind of gooey, so it's not as easy to brew with," Johnson said.

RAPA Stats

• Malt: 2-percent Row Malt, Rye Malt and Caramunich Malt.
• Hops: Columbus, Summit, Magnum and Willamette
• Dry Hopped with: Magnum Galena and Columbus
• 4.8 percent ABV (alcohol by volume)
• 45 IBU's Seasonal (international bittering unit)

What's Brewing at Kirkwood Station

Johnson let us in on what's in store for Kirkwood Station taps. The next beers he plans to brew are:

• a Belgian Whit,
• a Bohemian Pilsner
• a Hoppy Blonde and an
• IPA for Heritage Fest made with Cascade hops.

Advice for the Beginner

Johnson has brewed professionally for eight years and home brewed for 10 years before. For those wanting to give home brewing a try, he suggests finding someone who has gone through the process or connecting with a homebrew club. Seeking the guidance of others will save a lot of trial and error, according to Johnson

Expert Tip: Smelling is Tasting

Always curious about the proper way to pour a beer, we asked Johnson for tips. He said a beer should always have a 1-inch head. "That releases everything out of the beer," he said. "Aroma is 80 percent of taste, so you always want to smell a beer before you start drinking it."

Inside Scoop

We learned that there's only one keg left of Kirkwood Station's Irish Red. Johnson predicts it will be gone by the end of the week so get it while you can.