June 13, 2025

417: Ryan Allen of Macallen Is a Farmer with a Brewing Problem

1 hour 5 minutes

Estate-grown barley, hops, and fruit are the engines that power the beers at Macallen Farm and Brewery, and multigenerational farmer (and brewery founder) Ryan Allen embraces agriculture as a creative tool in his brewing process. Whether it’s heirloom barley varieties grown in intentional ways to optimize flavor profiles, or it’s Cascade hops that he lets hang for extra weeks to develop deeper fruit notes, there are few variables that he’s not willing to test and push in pursuit of the perfect flavor and aroma.

In this episode, Allen discusses:

growing heirloom barley for taste before yield

choosing beer styles for different barley varieties and harvest conditions

brewing test batches of every recipe, each year, to adjust recipes to the new crop

weather impact on growth and flavor in barley

controlling for pests through methods such as crop rotation

adjusting water profiles to complement year-to-year barley flavor changes

malting in-house for an additional layer of control

choosing when to pick C-hops to optimize citrus and mango flavors

varying the pick times for a single hop variety to achieve different expressions

managing dry whole-cone hops in the brewhouse

growing and processing estate-grown fruit for beer

juicing the fruit, then using the skins for color adjustment

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly.

Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.

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Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Lórien seamlessly combines traditional elements of European noble hops with an elegant twang of American modernity. Learn more about Lórien and the rest of Indie’s varieties at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful.

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