May 17, 2024

360: Joe Lemnah of Burlington Beer Tests, Learns, and Tests Again to Optimize Hazy IPA with Personality

1 hour 1 minute

For Joe Lemnah, going to work at a brewery was no reason to stop homebrewing. The same need to explore and understand that drove him to brew at home every week still informs his process of testing and learning, even a decade after opening Burlington Beer in Burlington, Vermont.

In this episode, Lemnah focuses on the evolution and processes behind the style for which they’re best-known—hazy IPA—but their approach differs from other New England stalwarts. From unconventional (yet classic) hop choices such as Simcoe and Chinook, to high-adjunct grists in which each grain serves a specific purpose, the choices that Lemnah and Burlington team make are based on a continuous process of testing, confirmation, revision, and tweaking.

During this conversation, he touches on:

exploring the impact of different grains in hazy IPA

both embracing and avoiding “cheat code” hops

pushing high-adjunct loads of 30 to 40 percent to maximize soft texture

building middle notes through hop blends and process

using less traditional hops for aroma

maximizing various ways to achieve interesting hop flavors and aromas

learning the mechanics of fermentation and yeast harvesting with London Ale III

building character in pub-focused lagers with rye and other grains

And more.

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