On this episode of the Brewer to Brewer Podcast Whitney Burnside of Grand Fir Brewing interviews Alex Bakken, the head brewer at Colorado’s Westbound & Down Brewing Co. The brewery is coming off a big weekend at the Great American Beer Festival where it racked up seven medals in the annual competition, including gold for West Coast IPA and Italian pilsner.
Bakken started his brewing career at Hogshead Brewing, learning technical brewing skills, and later moved to Joyride Brewing. He joined Westbound & Down in 2019, focusing on West Coast IPAs and emphasizes the importance of aromatics, foam retention, and layering hops.
Listen to the whole conversation on the Brewer to Brewer Podcast. Download below, or on Amazon, Overcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
This episode is sponsored by:
Malteurop Malting Company (MMC) is based in North America—specializing in growing and producing quality malts for the craft beer and distilling industries. With local farms and Malthouses spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, MMC’s commitment to excellence is fully ingrained into every batch it produces, ensuring breweries and distilleries of any size can create the finest beverages on the planet. Visit www.malteuropmaltingco.com to learn how MMC can support your malting needs. Contact MMC at customersuccess@malteurop.com or (844) 546-MALT (6258) for questions or to place your order.
It doesn’t matter what size your brewery is. 1 barrel or 1,000. Maybe you’re in planning. Whatever the size or situation, Ollie has helped brewers save money and become more efficient. The best part? When you’re talking to the Ollie team, you’re talking to people who have worked in the industry. Learn more about Ollie and how it’s transforming breweries everywhere at getollie.com/pod.
John Holl is the editor of All About Beer Magazine.
JohnHoll@allaboutbeer.com