The Art of Beer Brewing

The early semesters of my undergrad education were spent in the Adirondack region of upstate New York in a little spot on the map known as Plattsburgh. Tucked quietly under the Canadian border, it is a small college town with little more than a campus, an abandoned army base, and a downtown comprised of bars. This is where I learned to love “good” beer.

Now I say “good,” and I understand that this is a relative term, defined solely by the drinker. I’m sure many of you reading this right now are recalling the Budweiser you enjoyed last night and thinking, “Now that was a good beer.”

But it wasn’t. At least not by my definition.

With the history of beer dating back to around 6,000 B.C., humanity has had its fair amount of time to master this craft. (Though you would have thought by now a reliable hangover cure would have been invented). Adored by almost every culture on the planet, something is to be said of the deliciousness that is beer.

For me a good beer is a carefully crafted work of art. My demands of a quality brew are this: As I take my first swig, I want the heavens to open up as little flavor angels flap their wings against the sides of my tongue. (Extra credit is awarded for sipping through the frothy head of a perfect pour). I want to taste the artist’s inspiration. Is that too much to ask?

Similarly enough, the factors that affect the final product in beer brewing are much like those in the visual and aural realms of creativity. Where the product is made, the components it consists of, and the artist themselves, all contribute to the unique end result.

Think of it like comparing a Chinese water color artist to a mixed media artist from New York City. Both can be very good at what they do, while each style is completely different. Such is the relationship between a light, California blond ale and a thick, intense Russian brew, like a complex imperial stout for example.

Luckily, you won’t have to travel the globe to satisfy your craving for a well-made brew. If you’re craving a frosty draft, you’ll only have to go as far as the Peekskill train station. There you can pay a visit to one of my favorite breweries.

In the world of beer crafting, Keith Berardi is a conceptual artist, and as the owner of the Peekskill Brewery, he is behind some of the best tasting brews in our area.

Berardi credits many of the brewery’s creations as collaborative efforts between himself and his staff, who help brainstorm new flavors. Berardi then takes these ideas to Neil Acer of Defiant Brewing Company, the Peekskill Brewery’s official Brew-master. It is Acer’s genius, gathered over his almost two decades of brewing experience, which breathes life into Peekskill Brewery’s wonderful creations.

When it comes to brewing, there are many “mediums” to work with. With dozens of grains to begin your process with, and over forty varieties of hops to add aroma and flavor to the beer, one must first decide exactly what recipe they will follow.

“Beer making is the closest to cooking,” said Berardi as he compared the artistic measures of his craft to those of culinary professionals.

“You can source ingredients from all over the world. That’s the beauty in it. There’s an infinite amount of combinations,” said the brewery owner.

The drinks being poured at the river-front brewery span many different preferences. Specialty selections such as their Belgian Golden Ale “Rosemary’s Baby,” a beer infused with the rosemary herb, exemplifies the more innovative nature of brewing, while the pub’s latest creation, C.R.E.A.M, a yet-to-be released Wu-tang inspired ale, is much more subtle on the taste buds.

“It’s smooth and not overly hoppy. You could give it to your mother. It’s a good introduction to craft beers,” said Berardi about the upcoming addition to the menu.

These creatively named beers also parallel the art world and show the necessity for a good title to accompany a masterpiece.

Like other artist communities, beer brewing brings camaraderie all of its own. Nearby artisan breweries have developed a close relationship with the Peekskill Brewery. Berardi recalls a time when the Captain Lawrence Brewery of Pleasantville was happy to lend him a critical piece of brewing equipment after one of his malfunctioned .

“It’s like one artist asking another, “Do you have that cayenne red paint, I’m in the zone and I don’t want to go to A.C. Moore.”

But just like every artist, Berardi too must answer to his critics.

“Being a brew pub, we have a very unique opportunity. Our customers are in front of us every day and can tell us what they want,” said Berardi. “If enough people say something isn’t hoppy enough, we can tweak the recipe.”

Now, you need not have your own brew house to craft a good beer. Surely every painter out there doesn’t own his/her own gallery.

For the ambitious beer connoisseur who’d rather sip in the comfort of their own home as opposed to a pub house, home brewing might be the way to go.

For local amateur brewer Peter Martine, his Carmel residence served as his own personal brewery.

Self-taught in the ways of beer-making, Martine credits the time he spent in the beautiful state of Colorado, which has more micro brews than any other state in the nation, as his muse.

“When I lived in Colorado I made it my goal to visit as many breweries as possible, and try any kind of beer I could get my hands on. I wanted to try to brew my own, but I didn't even know where to start. I moved back to New York and was visiting an old friend and found out that her husband brews [beer]. He gave me the name of a good website  to get my supplies from, and the rest is history,” said Martine.

As opposed to the set-up Berardi works with at the Peekskill Brewery, Martine’s is much more basic, which is understandable since it’s hard to find a home that will accommodate large industrial brewing tanks.

“Brewing truly is an art. Just like songs and paintings, every batch has its own character, its own story. You can be very creative with flavors, and the process to give your beer its own unique personality,” said the first time brewer whose premier batch of American amber lager was a success.

Those aspiring artists who are interested in brewing have numerous resources to help guide them through their first efforts. In addition to the instructions that come with the supplies, informative, professionally run websites, such as Beeradvocate.com, offer guidance as well.

Just keep in mind, while going to the local brew pub will only cost you between five and six dollars a glass, the cost of initially setting up a home brewing station will run you  upwards of around $80 for a the most basic of starter kits, plus the additional cost of your ingredients. But the value of that first sip of your own homemade beer? That’s priceless.

“People drink beer day in and day out, and I don't think most people realize how much goes in to a well-crafted beer,” said Martine. “Brewing beer is not easy; many try, fail and give up. The key is to be meticulous, be precise, and put a little love in every batch.”

Regardless of the different ingredients and alterations made for each flavor of beer, one thing about the brewing process remains consistent; like other fine arts, it is a labor of love and patience fueled by the desire to create something magnificent.

For all you beer drinkers that may have not yet experienced the wonderful world of craft beers, I challenge you to allow your next brew to be outside of your normal selection. My advice would be to start with a light ale and work your way up to the dark stout, and before you know it, you might even find yourself brewing your own.