We are pleased to have Kyle is the first homebrewer out in this blog series! In "Know the Homebrewer", we will interview one passionate homebrewer every Friday about their experiences with homebrewing. Kyle talks about homebrewing not being glamorous, avoiding being killed by his wife and much more!
Know the Homebrewer: Kyle Kaiser
Kyle Kasier. Handsome guy!
What is your day job?
I currently work fulltime at a small/medium sized community hospital as an MRI technologist. In my spare time I am a videographer (weddings, etc.)
What or who got you into homebrewing? When was it?
I've had an interest in seeking out good beer for quite some time. Initially I was drawn to more traditional German styles, then IPAs. With newer styles popping up and brewers pushing old boundaries I got sucked in. The chemistry, the equipment, the processes and ingenuity were and are all fascinating to me. I've been homebrewing since 2018.
Can you tell us an interesting story about homebrewing?
It's not all that glamorous?! Haha. Commercial brewers would tell you that right away. It's a lot of cleaning and work frankly. The end product and being able to try to tailor that end product is the exciting part (as well as serving others something you've worked hard on).
How is brewing a social thing for you? Do you like brewing with others?
I'm honestly not the most outwardly social person around. One of the best decisions I've made regarding brewing was to join a local club (Garner Ale Society). I've met some great people and have learned a lot! Along with making videos it has helped me to come out of my shell a bit. Still much rather be behind a camera than in front of it!
A club brewday
What advice would like to give to other homebrewers?
Start rather small. Grow when you discover the processes that make you happy and get the results you're chasing. Some people like to pay attention to every little detail and for others it can be way more casual. Do what you enjoy, be humble, learn from others, and have fun.
What is the best beer you ever made? And the worst?
My taste is always changing whether sampling my own beer or someone else's. For that reason I find it nearly impossible to pin that answer down. To me beer is more fluid than that (no pun intended). Depends on the day, my surroundings, and sometimes the people around you.
Tell Us about your favorite styles to brew
I like to challenge myself. Right now that is dialing in a NEIPA. While they are fairly easy to brew a good one, it is very difficult to brew a GREAT one. You have to have tight reigns on the entire process from beginning to end.
Tell us about your brewing plans for the future
I hope to continue to refine my process, learn absolutely everything I can soak up, and share great beer with great people.
What is your experience with Kveik?
My experience with Kveik is very limited. It still blows my mind to produce a "clean" beer at 100F+. I've had the pleasure to sample some of our homebrew club members kviek beers that were quite tasty.
What equipment do you use and why?
I use anything that will work well for my specific needs. I typically brew 3 to 5 gallon batches on a custom EBIAB single vessel system. My equipment is primarily made up of Spike, Blichmann, SSbrewtech, Plaato, Brewhardware, Arbor Fabricating, and Cu.S.S. components. I believe in blending brewing processes until you are left with the best of all or most of them. My style implements a healthy mix of low oxygen (LODO) techniques and ideology with anything that gets me toward my end goal (varies by beer style).
Kyle´s homebrewing setup
Are you satisfied with that or are you thinking about upgrading?
This is my dream build and I will not be changing anything anytime soon (plus my wife would kill me). Haha. There is something really satisfying about building your own system and things just working as you intended it to.
How are your experiences with PLAATO Airlock and PLAATO Keg?
While I don't own the airlock the Plaato keg system has been fantastic! It provides great peace of mind knowing how much is in my kegs and helps me gauge when I need to start brewing some more. The other day I walked up to one of my taps saying..."this is the last pint"...and sure enough upon filling it blew foam. That amount of accuracy blew my mind.
What do you think of being able to share the hobby with wifi-connected devices?
I love all things tech! The ability to integrate software like Brewfather, Plaato, Tilt...is incredibly helpful to track batches. The more integration, the more information. The more information, the better you can dial in your process and theoretically make them repeatable.
Do you have an unpopular opinion about homebrewing?
I believe that all beer is good beer in the sense that you can learn something from nearly everything you taste. Now that lesson may be what not to do or help you find a starting point...but it's something. Implementing experience is what it's all about.
Any closing thoughts?
Thanks for choosing me to be a part of this! I hope that others may see it and join the rewarding craft.
2 Responses
Deanna Guldi
I am not surprised on how well Kyle has concord hus passion to achieve a high standard of, what I may call, a hobby. Kyle has shown people that not just in beer, but with any passion there can be a greater calling to the love of what inspires him and any other person with a beginning of a “hobby” into a great art that others can enjoy and appreciate in anything. So happy for all your doing and achieving in life. Keep reaching further then where you have been and let the passion always be your guide. Can’t wait to find time to come visit and have a beer.
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Jim Ambrose
May 22, 2020
Does Kyle have an Instagram account where he posts all his brewing photos?
Looking forward to reading about more homebrewers and their passion for this hobby.