Greetings from Malibu, CA! Greg had the opportunity to sit with the Malibu Brewing Company crew. Ryan Ahrens is the co-owner and co-founder (with Jill Ahrens), and Chas Cloud is the brewmaster.
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The recent winners at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival talked about winning their first year, opening their brewpub just a couple months ago, and planning (or pivoting) a brewery during a pandemic. Brewmaster Chas led us on a guided tasting of their delicious beers: Canyon Rose Lager, Happy Days Honey Blonde, Wild Grove Hazy IPA, and their brand-new Double IPA.
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We get into the pasts of Ryan and Chas as beer drinkers and find out when they got bit by the hop bug. Ryan talks about his background as a nuclear scientist and lawyer (and many other things), while Chas talks about his long experience in the local brewing community. They also share their process for recipe creation and why good ingredients are crucial to making great beer.
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Chas and Ryan talk about the focus of Malibu’s beer program, what sets them apart from other local breweries, and why it pairs so well with the great food in their taproom. We also find out what Chas is excited about with upcoming brews, collabs, and new hops. And it turns out Ryan also has a bit of a background in brewing. Chas also indulges us with the most annoying beer to make.
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We wrap up the episode with a round of rapid-fire questions!
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Malibu Brewing Company:
30745 Pacific Coast Highway, R4, Malibu, CA
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Craft Beer Republic:
Facebook: CraftBeerRepublicPod
(805) 538-2337