Consuming the Craft

Mike Fuller is a master brewer at Kite Hill Brewing Co. at Clemson City in South Carolina. After graduating from ABTech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast program, Mike spent nine years in Asheville, North Carolina working in several breweries, including Oskar Blues and DSSOLVR. Later, Mike dreamed of going to Clemson to give the city its first brewery—a dream he would soon realize by working with Kite Hill Brewing Co.

Mike joins us today to discuss his career journey after graduating from the program. He shares the history of Kite Hill Brewing Co. and what Clemson City is like. He describes his internship experience at Oskar Blues Brewery and his stint as a fly fishing guide. He also discusses how DSSOLVR adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights how CBI has prepared him for where he is in his career today.

“From actual brewing to doing business and brewhouse development, I am able to use the base that I developed through CBI’s program where I’m currently at in my career.” - Mike Fuller

This week on Consuming the Craft:

● The history of Kite Hill Brewing Co.

● Mike’s background and journey to Kite Hill Brewing Co.

● His internship at Oskar Blues Brewery

● Mike’s return to Asheville and stint as a fly fishing guide

● Innovation in the craft brewery industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic

● How the CBI program prepared Mike for the challenges of the brewery industry

Connect with Mike Fuller:

● Kite Hill Brewing Co.

● Kite Hill Brewing Co. on Instagram

● Kite Hill Brewing Co. on Facebook

Consuming the Craft

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

Today, on Consuming the Craft, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Jeffrey Rickert, a graduate of our program who has shifted his focus from brewing to food safety education. Jeffrey is now actively working to ensure the safety of food and beverages across North Carolina through the NC BioNetwork. Our conversation covered everything from his journey post-graduation to his current role in training businesses on allergen safety and food handling practices.

Jeffrey shared how his passion for training others in the brewing industry perfectly fit his new career path. Through NC BioNetwork, he helps a wide range of businesses, including breweries, beverage producers, and even cosmetics manufacturers, navigate the complexities of food safety. His expertise has become invaluable, especially in understanding and mitigating allergen risks within the industry.

"If it comes in contact with our skin or we eat it, you guys help the folks figure out what's wrong." ~Jeffrey Rickert

Today on Consuming the Craft:

· Jeffrey Rickert graduated in 2016 and initially worked in a yeast production facility, ultimately becoming a head brewer at a local craft brewery.

· He now works with NC BioNetwork, providing food safety education to various industries across North Carolina, including breweries and cosmetics manufacturers.

· The U.S. recognizes nine major allergens, while the UK recognizes fourteen, and Japan has about twenty.

· Proper cleaning and testing for allergens in brewing equipment are crucial to prevent severe allergic reactions.

· The NC BioNetwork offers training on food safety systems like HACCP and preventative controls for human food.

· There's funding available in North Carolina for companies interested in food safety training through local community colleges.

· New and emerging beverages may have different properties that present unique safety challenges, such as lower alcohol content and higher residual sweetness.

· Proper documentation and TTB approval are necessary for using non-standard ingredients in brewing.

Resources Mentioned:

NC BioNetwork

FDA's draft guidance on food safety

TTB and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) lists

Contact Jeffrey:

NC BioNetwork

This episode is brought to you by...

McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more about our seasonal inventory and the delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce.

Consuming the Craft

Thanks for tuning into this week’s Consuming the Craft Podcast episode, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

In today's episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Mike Shield, a dedicated brewer with a wealth of experience at various breweries. We explored his journey in the brewing industry, discussed the finer points of beer production, and shared his insights on maintaining product consistency while navigating the complexities of the supply chain. Mike also illuminated the challenges and rewards of working in both small and large brewery settings, offering valuable advice to aspiring brewers.

Mike Shield graduated in May 2020 from a brewing program he started in 2018. He began his career with an internship at Highwire, landed a job at Wedge, and has since spent two years at Highland Brewing Company, where he transitioned from the cellar to the brewing deck. Mike is passionate about beer, particularly lagers and IPAs, and emphasizes the importance of sensory analysis and finding peace with repetitive tasks in brewing.

"Yeast management is both an art and a science, requiring genius and rigorous algorithms."

Today on Consuming the Craft:

· Sensory sessions can be challenging but are essential in refining a brewer's palate and maintaining quality control.

· Larger breweries must adapt to changing growing seasons and ingredient variations to maintain consistency.

· Working in a small brewery allows for greater involvement in the end product, while larger breweries focus on repetitive tasks and team culture.

· Yeast management is complex and crucial, demanding high precision and advanced tools like cellometers and PCR kits.

· Avoiding production downtime and ensuring product quality involve comprehensive cross-training and a robust production schedule.

· Expanding distribution without proper marketing and sales support can negatively impact customer experience due to product shelf life.

· The craft beer scene in Argentina and Chile is growing, offering potential collaboration opportunities.

· Continuous learning is vital in the ever-evolving brewing industry, challenging the concept of 'Master Brewer.'

Resources Mentioned:

• Michter's Small Batch Bourbon

• Contact Mike: Highland Brewing Company

This episode is brought to you by...

McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more about our seasonal inventory and the delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce.

Consuming the Craft

Thanks for tuning into this week’s Consuming the Craft Podcast episode, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

CBI025 - Female Brewing Ambitions & Collecting Recipes from the Women of Craft Beer with Anita Riley

Anita Riley is a Board Member of the Pink Boots Society, an organization that supports the progression of women in the beer industry through education. In addition to being a Certified Beer Server Cicerone, Anita is a Cellar Operator at the Mystery Brewing Company. Anita studies Brewing, Distillation, and Fermentation at the Rockingham Community College and is passionate about the written word. She contributes monthly to the WNC Woman Magazine where she writes about women and the brewing industry. A native to North Carolina, she further mixed this passion for writing with her love of brewing to author her book, Brewing Ambition: Recipes & Stories from the Women of North Carolina Craft Beer.

Anita joins me today to discuss writing about women in the craft beer industry. She illustrates her experiences with getting educated in beer brewing. She shares how her love of writing took her from working at the Mystery Brewing Company, to blogging about women in craft beer, and to writing her own book. She explains why she didn’t initially pursue a career in writing despite her love for it. She also highlights the importance of showcasing women in a male-dominated industry and underscores the power of network and support systems for women.

This week on Consuming the Craft:

• How Anita moved from writing blogs about women and beer to writing her book, Brewing Ambition
• Why Anita didn’t initially pursue writing as a career
• Anita’s experiences in trying to get into ABTech’s male-dominated brewing program
• Why Anita wanted to showcase the roles of women in the brewing industry through her writing
• How Brewing Ambition supports women in the brewing industry through the Pink Boots Society
• Booze Clues: a shoulder-dislocating scotch
• The importance of networking opportunities and support systems for women in craft beer
• Changes in the brewing industry and how public regulations take consumers away from craft beer

Connect with Anita Riley:

• Anita Riley on Facebook
• Anita Riley on Twitter
• Email: [email protected]

This episode is brought to you by…

McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more about our seasonal inventory and delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce.

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of Consuming the Craft. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Don’t forget to leave us a review to help us reach even more craft beverage enthusiasts!

John Hedburg is the founder of Bottle Rocket Design, an alumni graduate of the Craft Beer Institute program, and a web designer for craft beer breweries across the industry.

John joins me today to discuss how to build brand loyalty by designing a stellar website. He shares the factors you should consider when planning your website design, the importance of using professional photos and videos on your website, and the difference between using a website builder platform such as Wix or Squarespace versus hiring a professional web designer. He also explains why it’s important to design your website with a mobile-first mindset, how to create engaging and relevant content to build your brand and website authority, and why it’s important to keep your website content up-to-date in an ever-changing online environment.

This week on Consuming the Craft:

• The most important factors to consider when designing a website for your craft beer brewery.
• The information your website should include.
• Copywriting best practices when creating text content for your website.
• The importance of using pictures and videos on your website.
• Why you should hire a professional photographer for your website photos.
• Optimizing your website for viewing on desktop and mobile devices.
• The Booze Clues Armagnac surprise.
• The limitations of website building platforms like Wix and Squarespace.
• Having a mobile-first website strategy.
• How to create relevant, engaging content to keep website visitors coming back to your site.
• The importance of keeping your website content up-to-date.

Connect with John Hedburg:

• Bottle Rocket Design

This episode is brought to you by…

McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more our seasonal inventory and delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce.

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