Making beer commercially in New York City is so difficult that it all but stopped until the previous decade’s craft-beer boom rekindled the fire. Today, about 40 breweries make beer in the city, but doing so comes with its own set of rules. Beyond the regulatory and logistical hurdles, there’s an underlying creative challenge: NYC is the culinary capital of the United States, and competition for space on bar and restaurant menus is pitched. Without great beer, great branding, a point of view, and a way to generate new and engaging stories, it’s easy for a brewery to get lost in the noise.
That’s why KCBC—opened in 2016 by homebrewers-turned-pros in the vibrantly diverse Bushwick neighborhood—leans into the city’s energy with graphic storytelling through branding, and with a constantly shifting lineup that tells interesting tales about the wider world of beer. In this episode, cofounder Tony Bellis and head brewer Bobby Rolandi discuss:
- brewing hazy IPA with Voss kveik rather than more popular strains
- drier New England–style IPAs with finishing gravities around 3.5°P (1.014)
- developing three distinct templates for hazy IPA recipes
- avoiding chewier grains such as oats in favor of flaked and malted wheat
- fermenting cooler and with a cooler dry hop for smoother extraction
- achieving modern flavors in West Coast–style IPAs using classic hops
- experimenting with hops and fermentation in the lager space
- using 34/70 for IPA fermentation while using a Budvar-derived strain for lagers
And more.
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