Quality

Every year we head to the Pacific Northwest for hop selection. We tour and visit with the farmers who grow a majority of the hops we use. During these visits, we also get to learn about the challenges of the season. We then evaluate and assess the hops first hand.  Integrity, moisture content and ultimately the aroma of the hops are just a few of the criteria we use to determine which lots will eventually become Two Hearted, Hopslam and more.  Hops are an agricultural product. They are grown by real people who rise to meet the challenges of the weather, the environment and beyond. Many of the farmers and brokers we work with are family-owned and go back generations.  These are important relationships for us. We work with unique individuals who are fantastic people. They are friends. They are partners. They are part of the Bell’s family.  Quality beer begins with quality ingredients. Below are some of the sights and “smells” (how we wish we could share that part here) from the 2019 hop harvest. 

As members of the Brewers Association and a certified 100% Independent Craft brewery, beer quality is one of our core tenants. We rigorously test every batch of beer that we brew, so it was an honor to have so many brewers (and even some of our own employees) from around the country interested in quality come to the brewery for a demonstration. Leading the workshop was the quality instructor for the Brewers Association Lauren Torres. Lauren has worked at Bell’s for eight years and leads our laboratory team in quality testing our beer through microbiology, chemistry, and sensory analysis. The Basics of Beer Quality Workshop class covered the fundamentals of brewing microbiology and physical analysis commonly used for quality assurance in small breweries. The workshop is part of the Brewers Association’s vision – to develop a membership that consistently produces high quality beer. Lauren demonstrated the step-by-step process we go through with our beer, and gave the brewers a hands-on chance to use equipment and go through the process themselves. Throughout the day, the brewers took part in lectures about the basics of brewing microbiology, microscopy basics, yeast, and bacteria. Later, they were instructed on setting up microscopes, dilutions and staining live samples, testing for dissolved oxygen in beer, and checking for beer stability & clarity. For more information about the Brewers Association or brewing in general, you can visit them here.  

Reprinted with permission from The New Brewer, the journal of the Brewers Association. Why does quality matter to craft brewers? Why is it one of the ideals that our community holds most dear? It all comes down to expectations about who we are and how we interact. It is both an aspiration and a goal that guides how we make beer and forge relationships. Pursuing quality beer is a journey without end—but one that is fulfilling in its own right. As brewers, we are all drawn to the feeling of satisfaction that comes from successfully sharing the fruits of our labor. The passion we embody wouldn’t exist if we didn’t inherently believe we are making something better, something that truly resonates with the fans who enjoy our beer. Looking across the bar and seeing a joyful response to that shared experience feeds something deep within us. Cultivating those moments requires a focus on quality that is comprised of numerous small elements. It is built on the attention to detail that epitomizes our ideal of a craftsperson’s method. Those subtle, individual elements are likely not evident to those who experience it—but isn’t that the case with all art? The manner in which we assess quality is ultimately a blend of art and science. Determining how to convey expectations to those around us requires creativity and intent. Like most, I don’t think objectively about this on a regular basis—but the daily practice of work in the brewery is where the rubber meets the road. Without expectations, there are no quality problems. When experience and expectation align, quality is manifest. Can someone taste the difference that results from a careful selection of the fundamental elements that go into a beer? As we choose malt, hops, people, and practices, we are making decisions along with our beer. These decisions will hopefully result in experiences for our fans (and ourselves) that will meet the expectations implicit in our brands. Ultimately we are creating more than a simple liquid that provides flavor, nutrition, and alcohol. Conveying the creativity, community, and individuality that go into the mix is part of what we do daily. Quite simply, our interaction with the community that supports us—suppliers and customers, farmers and beer drinkers—is the essence of who we are as craft brewers. Our collective history began when the macro-industrial light beer dinosaurs ruled the beer aisle with a product that was rapidly evolving on a path to carbonated water. It began with our quest to make beer that tasted like something more. Sometimes that reflected brewing traditions that had disappeared from the U.S. Other times it embodied the unique flavor of our raw brewing materials, or a straight-out-of-left-field creative urge unburdened from what had come before. We communicated this sense of “more” throughout our circles of influence until those ideas took hold and became relevant. Now when folks think of craft, they do more than just think about flavor and community—they fully expect both. As a nascent brewer many years ago, I focused on trying to get my tongue on as many different beers as I could. With friends, I diligently scoured the shelves of Boston area package stores in search of the obscure. At the kitchen table, we produced meticulously descriptive notes of the beers’ individual attributes. It was not until I underwent formal flavor training at Siebel years later that I learned that the “German lager flavor” was known to trained assessors as “severe oxidation.” For us at that time, it was just different. The simple qualities of a beer (dark, hoppy, hazy, etc.) were sufficient to produce differentiation. Today, beer caves are filled with an amazing range of multi-hued beers and shoppers are knowledgeable. Sure, our beers are more expensive than the faceless, generic industrial light lager offerings—but those around us have higher expectations of what our beer is on multiple levels. Our fans and customers have expectations about who we are as brewers, and how we go about the business of producing beers of superior quality. Our success, both individually and collectively, will continue to be dependent on our ability to live up to those expectations.   [[{"fid":"7222","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"2":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":900,"width":1200,"class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"2"}}]] This piece was written by John Mallett who is our director of operations and a member of the Brewers Association’s Quality Subcommittee.

Our lab manager, Lauren Torres, has been chosen take over as the quality instructor for several of the Brewer's Association's upcoming Basics of Beer Quality Workshops! Lauren will instruct alongside the Brewer's Association's current quality instructor Mary Pellettieri for the next two workshops and will then take over as lead instructor for three additional workshops in 2018.  Lauren has been a part of our Bell's family for eight years. As lab manager, she leads our brewery's lab team involved in testing Bell's beer through chemistry, microbiology and sensory analysis.   The Basics of Beer Quality Workshop is a hands-on class that covers the fundamentals of brewing microbiology and physical analysis commonly used for quality assurance in small breweries, according to the Brewer's Association. The workshops are typically hosted by craft breweries or universities and allow the attendants to get first hand experience with brewing equipment and materials.  We are all excited for Lauren as she shares her skills and helps inspire other breweries' quality programs.  You can find more information on the Brewer's Association and workshops here.     

Our new Bottling Line now has a laser to help us and you ensure the freshest Bell’s beer is available. Going forward, all of our bottles will have their actual packaging date and batch information laser etched onto the back label. No more A, B or C. Each Bell’s bottle (and can) will also clearly state its shelf life. All of our lagers have a 3 month shelf life: Octoberfest, Lager of the Lakes, Quinannan Falls and Consecrator Doppelbock A majority of our ales have a 6 month shelf life: Two Hearted, Oberon, Best Brown, Amber and others A few have a 12 month shelf life: Java Stout, Cherry Stout, Special Double Cream Stout And a few others have an Unlimited shelf life: Black Note, Expedition Stout, Third Coast Old Ale, Eccentric Ale and a few other specialty beers that are released from time to time (30th Anniversary, Neptune and Saturn are examples). Keep in mind, the date etched onto our packaging is the date the beer was bottled, kegged or canned. It is not a “Best Before Date” or even a brew date. You can also find packaging info printed on case boxes (or mother cartons), the bottom of cans, the upper side wall of kegs and mini-kegs and on the side of 12-packs. Keep in mind, this new way of dating has just begun, so you may come across some bottles that do not have that info on the back label. If that does happen, you can also check the neck or shoulder of the bottle for its packaging date as well.  Find something that is not within its shelf life? Let us know.