Thursday, September 18, 2014

Gimme 5 with Todd Haug of Surly Brewing

I'm thinking Gimme 5 will be a once a month thing. September is compliments of master brewer and super shredder Todd Haug. Not only can he write great music, he also has Surly coiled like a snake and ready to strike. "Hell" is coming....

BT: Congrats, you have a new Brewery under construction. Tell us a bit how Surly has grown and how much more "Hell" you'll be able to brew.

TH: Thanks Dave! Can't wait to have one of your bands play there! Eight years in and we've been adding new production equipment and staff every year. In 2014 we are brewing at 42,000 BBLs annual production. With new brewery in addition to existing brewery, which we are keeping,we should be able to produce 65,000 BBLs in 2015. Regarding Hell production we can make 720 BBL batches at the new plant compared to our current 64 BBL (we are brewing about 90 BBLs/week of Hell currently). But,Hell takes longer to produce so until we get more fermenters at Surly MSP next spring we'll be limited to about 360 BBLs/wk of Hell production :-)

BT: Your gateway beer?
TH: Early teenage years-
PBR,MGD
17+...I blame my band mates in Powermad, especially Jeff Litke.
Anchor Liberty Ale
Sheaf Stout
Pete's Wicked Ale-when it had Pete the dog on the label
Summit Great Northern Porter
"Rare" keg of Samuel Adams Boston Lager at my 21st BDay party

BT: Brewing mentor?
Jon Lindberg-former Summit Brewing
Dick Cantwell-Elysian Brewing

BT: Preferred brewing soundtrack?
TH: METAL! GoatWhore, High on Fire, 1349, Amon Amarth, Municipal Waste, Opeth, Bloodbath, Cannibal Corpse, ETC! METAL and some EDM for a change.

BT: What's on deck for new beer styles/collaborations?
TH: EIGHT-Oat-Wine in Rye Whiskey Barrels out this fall
First ever Barrel Aged Darkness, 30K bottles going out end of October kicking it off with 2 big metal shows October 24 & 25th.
SOOO many ideas that I haven't been able to realize since being maxed out! Next year!
But a few.....
Draft only No Hop Saison brewed with Dandelion greens,on tap now
Draft only-Licorice Porter for Uncle Acid and the Dead Beats first show in  MSP, Oct.1st.
1349 Black Ale collab with 1349, Lervig and Surly out in bottles late this fall!
Stone Berlin 2016
More I can't discuss yet.......
ww.surlybrewing.com