Jack Knapp
Homebrewer
Interview Date: October 6, 2023
Q: Tell us about your first batch of homebrew. When did you start?
My first batch of homebrew was “funktional fruit sour” by Norther Brewer. It was an extract beer and I added raspberry purée in secondary fermentation. After that batch I was hooked.
Q: What's your favorite beer you've ever brewed?
Favorite beer so far has to be Dark Czech Lager.
Q: What about your biggest brew-fail?
I would have to say my biggest fail would be when brewing my first high-gravity beer. It was my first stout, an imperial stout at that and one night after dinner I heard a pop in the other room. When I went to investigate I found the airlock on the floor and beer all over the walls and everywhere! I had filled the fermenter to full and didn’t even know about a blow off tube. Needless to say, now I do!
Q: What's your go-to commercial beer?
I can’t say I have a go-to commercial beer but I have had a few that I truly enjoy, Shannon Brewing Company made a great Irish red ale, and recently I tried a pretty good beer from Eagle Brewery in the UK called banana bread beer.
Q: What's in your fermenter now?
Right now I am working on a couple of things. I have a few funky beers fermenting with Bootleg Biology’s the Rare Barrel mixed culture yeast and I am making a boozy version of “Mavi,” a drink from Puerto Rico.
Q: What's your favorite BJCP style to brew? To drink?
My favorite BJCP style would have to be 15A Irish Red Ale, still trying to get the color just right. My favorite to drink is 3D Dark Czech Lager.
Q: Tell us about your brewery. What does your set-up look like?
My brewery is electric. I made my own electric kettle with a TC 5500w heating element and a 15 gallon gas-one kettle I found online. With that I pair my mash tun — I started with a 10-gallon Igloo cooler and early this year upgraded to an SS Brewtech infusion mash tun. Finally my fermentors at the moment are of many types I use glass carboys and plastic buckets for some things and my homemade stainless bucket fermentor with a glycol chilling coil for my more traditional brews.
Q: Why do you homebrew?
I homebrew because I love the hobby. Past hobbies I’ve had have been short-lived it felt like once I had done them a few times I had had enough. Homebrewing is different. It is a great community to be a part of and you never stop learning. There are always new recipes to try and old ones you want to master. It’s something I see myself doing for a long time to come!