After joining San Diego’s Original 40 Brewing as head brewer earlier this year, Kyle Fjalstad has launched a beer that bridges the gap between Original 40 and the last brewery on his resume, Modern Times.
Kyle previously ran Modern Times’ famed barrel-aging program, and brought some barrels with him when he moved to Original 40.
In the latest edition of A Round With – Brewbound’s weekly Q&A with industry leaders exclusively for Insiders – Kyle shares his philosophy on barrel-aging and offers insights on the state of craft in San Diego. (Spoiler alert: West Coast IPAs are back in.)
Here is our conversation, edited lightly for clarity:
Original 40 just released Magnetic Ribbon: Final Cut Edition, a pastry stout that was aged in barrels for nearly four years and includes ingredients from fellow San Diego food and beverage artisans Nibble Chocolate and Cozy Canine Coffee. What are collaborations such as this like for you as a brewer?
Kyle: Collaborations with local companies are really a no-brainer. They are experts in their field and usually have a more unique assortment of products than you would normally find at a larger company. I’ve had great results over the years using them in my beers, and they are always excited to be featured.
The beer and barrels represent a full-circle moment for you, as Original 40 acquired them from Modern Times, where you managed the barrel program. How does it feel to work with them again? Do you remember what the plan for them was before Modern Times’ main production hub shut down?
Kyle: My last few weeks with Modern Times were spent facilitating sales of the remaining barrels in our inventory to other breweries within the area. While it was heartbreaking to sell off what my team members and I had worked on for such a long time, it did afford me the opportunity to select some of my favorites to bring to Original 40.
We didn’t have any specific plans for the barrels while resting at Modern Times. Those decisions would have been made later, but I’m currently thinking of some fun ideas now that I have fewer barrels in inventory.
You’ve won two GABF medals in the pastry stout category. What about this style speaks to you and what’s the most off-the-wall ingredient you’ve brewed a pastry stout with?
Kyle: Pastry stouts are incredibly versatile. You can add nearly any ingredient under the sun and barrel aging adds so much complexity that you’re never dealing with the exact same base beer twice. The wildest ingredients I’ve added to pastry stouts were pineapple, amburana oak spirals and pandan (all in different beers, not all together).
How can the creativity pastry stouts engender be applied to other styles?
Kyle: The same processes used for creating pastry stouts can be used similarly for other beer styles. Come up with a flavor concept and choose an appropriate beer style to fit that vision. I think that the industry has already seen some of this with “Mango Sticky Rice IPAs” etc.
What barrels are on your bucket list?
Kyle: I’ve never had the opportunity to work with a scotch whiskey barrel. I think it could impart some really interesting flavors … bonus points if it’s peated.
What advice would you give to a brewer who’s considering adding barrel aging to their business?
Kyle: Going in with a solid plan is important. Things to consider are the amount of barrels you can physically store, desired maturation time and the schedule of releases. With a bit of math you can figure out what your brewery can handle. There are also the financial ramifications of a slow ROI.
As the “Capital of Craft,” San Diego usually feels the first tremors of market conditions that go on to affect the whole country. What are you seeing in the local scene right now?
Kyle: I’m seeing a lot of brands moving to a completely white label product by contracting out their production to other breweries. The breweries that seem to be doing the best are the ones that are hyper-localized.
It seems more and more that the regional distribution model is dying. On a separate note, hazy IPAs are losing popularity and the West Coast IPAs and West Coast pilsners are gaining that space.
What can the rest of the craft beer industry learn from San Diego?
Kyle: Be very cautious when expanding production. The market for beer may be growing in your geographic area, but expansion could leave you in a bad spot when the market drops.