When the heat hits…
Summers in the Midwest tend to be hot, and, quite often, humid. Average temperatures are usually in the 80s or 90s, with occasional peaks up into the 100s. Toss in the humidity, and you can have heat indexes up to 110 degrees… which brings us to a very interesting question…
Ask the Brewer
Doesn’t it get hot in the brewhouse during the summer?
Well, when you consider it’s a giant unconditioned space with a couple of big ass burners used for heating liquids, yeah it actually gets quite hot. Temperatures around the brew kettle can be 10 to 15 degrees warmer than the outside temp, and when you consider the humidity from all the liquid floating around (it’s almost like a car wash), it is even worse.
For people who work in breweries, dealing with high temperatures becomes a major issue. Here are some of the creative ways we’ve come up with to beat the heat!
1. Drink a lot of…………..water! And here you thought we were going to say beer.
2. Neck Coolers – it is surprising just how much one of these can help when you are active in a hot environment. While there are many brands available, they all work on the same principle. Each one contains polymer crystals that soak up water, which then evaporates, cooling whatever it’s wrapped around. Most of these fit around the head or neck.
3. Take a break in a cool space. For us, that can be the air-conditioned taproom, or even a few minutes inside one of the big coolers.
4. While none of our brewers own these yet, they certainly seem like one heck of an idea! Armachillo
underwear, sold by Duluth Trading Company, are supposed to keep things cool where it counts. According to their website, all of their Armachillo clothing line, including underwear for both men and women, are infused with microscopic jade. That jade is supposed to feel much cooler on the skin than plain fabric. Considering it’s 4.7 out of 5 rating, maybe they really work!
5. At the end of a long hot day, nothing beats a cold beer. We would, of course, suggest a beer made by Burning Brothers, but whatever beer you enjoy works.
Taproom Tidings
Everything is (relatively) back to normal, with our beer menu back to it’s usual self. Tap selection for the weekend includes “Pyro” American Pale Ale, “Roasted” Coffee Ale, “Fused” Orange Blossom Honey Ale, “Parched” Lime Shandy, “Raj-Agni” India Pale Ale and tapping on Friday Raspberry Infused Pyro.
Food trucks for the weekend include Salsa Spot on Friday (7/15) with their authentic Mexican cuisine and Signature on Wheels on Saturday (7/16) with their unique take on American eats.
- Thirsty Thursdays $1 off pints and $2 off growler fills (no growler or grumbler fills after 8pm on Thursdays)
- Chocolate-Strawberry and Orange Cupcake from Groundswell includes a moist chocolate strawberry cake with an orange curd center, and a chocolate whipped cream with orange zest and chocolate chunks
Final Thoughts
On Saturday, July 16th, we will be at the Saddle-up Sampler in Medina, which benefits “We Can Ride”, a non-profit organization that provides therapeutic horseback riding. This event runs from 4 until 7, and features beer, wine, music, food, a silent auction and prizes.
Also of note, there are still a few spaces available on the July 30th Beer and Bacon Cruise! This unique opportunity to cruise the Mississippi, sample gluten-free beers, and eat from a gluten-free menu is only offered two days this summer, so make sure you get your ticket.
As always, if you have questions, drop us a note via Email, Facebook or Twitter.
Cheers!