Kevin’s Korner – Sept 2017

Notes from the Head Brewer:

Well it’s been a pretty unquiet month at your Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery, out here on the edge of the city, in the heart of the Greenwood Central Brewing District...

Where to begin? We’ve been having so much fun! Let’s start with our latest hybrid of that new-fangled New England IPA and our beloved Northwest style, our Hissyfit NEXNWIPA. It’s got lots of Hallertau Blanc and Lorel, and a hit of Mosaic hops. What does that mean? Sweaty and tropical? You’ll have to taste it.

Member Michael Jenkins came in to help us brew his competition-winning Skagit Valley Maltings ale, which is fermenting along nicely, and should be on tap in mid September. (We’re calling it “Uncanny Valley.”) There’s definitely something special about that Skagit Valley malt, and Michael’s recipe captures it. That delicious soft malty profile will be very nice for the fall.

Speaking of which, you should have been here on Fresh Hop Ale Brewing Day, Saturday the 2nd. The place was heaping with homegrown hop “bines” contributed by members, and a dozen volunteers pulling those flowery cones off the bines all morning and piling them up for us brewers to grab and throw into the beer we were busy brewing. Fresh hop ales are a thing now, but what Flying Bike is doing has to be unique: homegrown hops from members’ yards, lots of them, harvested that day and hand-picked on site. Think of that when you drink this delicious beer, and say the magic words: MEMBER DRIVEN BEER!

See you at the brewery,

Kevin Forhan