ONLINE: Craft Beer Tasting with Alumni Brewers

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courtesy Wisconsin Alumni Association

Isn't it about time for a beer? Oh yeah. But class up your drinking some. UW-Madison has produced a number of locally famous brewers, and these alumni will discuss their beers and craft brewing in this Wisconsin Alumni Association livestream. Robin Shepard, longtime beer critic for Isthmus, will moderate the discussion among brewmasters Ashley Kinart-Short of Capital Brewery; Phil Hoechst of Hop Haus Brewing Company; Scott Manning of Vintage Brewing Company; and Trevor Easton of ALT Brew. Viewers are also invited to take part in a virtual tasting of Oktoberfest from Capital Brewery, Hashtag Hazy from Hop Haus, Rustic Badger farmhouse gluten-free ale from ALT Brew, and Dedication Belgian dubbel from Vintage. The event is free, but it's BYOB for the tasting. Registration is required; attendees will receive the link to the event upon registering.

press release: As the home to “Brew City,” Wisconsin is a pioneer in the beer industry. Join this live, virtual event to hear directly from four of the state’s top Badger brewmasters as they lead tastings and discuss their beers. You’ll also learn from a UW–Madison expert about Wisconsin’s craft-brewing industry and its connections to the UW.

This virtual event is for beer-loving Badgers everywhere!

Menu

Oktoberfest from Capital Brewery Recommended snack pairing: warm pretzels with soft cheese or sweet mustard. Hashtag Hazy (hazy IPA) from Hop Haus Brewing Company Recommended snack pairing: chips and spicy salsa. Rustic Badger Farmhouse Ale Gluten Free from ALT Brew Recommended snack pairing: mangoes or raspberries. Dedication (Belgian Dubbel) from Vintage Brewing Company Recommended snack pairing: buttery cheese, such as Gouda.

Not in the Madison area, but want to taste along? The alumni brewmasters recommend these similar beers!

• Oktoberfest options: Paulaner, Brooklyn Brewery, or Odell Brewing
• IPA options: Oskar Blues One-Y 100 Calorie Hazy IPA or Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA, Revolution Hazy-Hero, or Surly Brewing One-Man Mosh Pit
• Gluten Free options: Ghostfish Brewing Company Vanishing Point Pale Ale, Holidaily Brewing Company Favorite Blonde Ale, or Aurochs Brewing Company Amber Ale
• Belgian options: Chimay Red, Unibroue Maudite, Ommegang Abbey Ale, or New Belgium Abbey Dubbel

The speakers

Craft Brewmasters

Ashley Kinart-Short ’07, brewmaster, Capital Brewery

Phil Hoechst ’03, DPT’10, owner and brewmaster, Hop Haus Brewing Company

Trevor Easton ’04, owner and brewmaster, ALT Brew

Scott Manning ’95, co-owner and brewmaster, Vintage Brewing Company

Moderator

Robin Shepard PhD ’93, associate professor, UW–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

About the speakers

Ashley Kinart-Short is the brewmaster at Middleton, Wisconsin–based Capital Brewery, a regional craft brewery founded in 1984 that is widely known for its award-winning German-style lagers. Kinart-Short earned her UW degree in biology and Spanish before receiving an international brewing diploma through the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago and Doemens Academy in Munich, Germany. She serves as the Milwaukee-chapter president of the Master Brewers Association of the Americas and is a member of the Pink Boots Society, a national organization that empowers women beer professionals to advance their careers in the industry through education.

Phil Hoechst was born in Germany and, at the age of three, moved with his family to Fitchburg, Wisconsin. He completed his undergraduate work in zoology and psychology at UW–Madison and later returned to the UW for his doctorate in physical therapy. His duties at Hop Haus include all things brewing and cleaning. His wife, Sara ’03, ’08, whom he met at the UW, is the other half of Hop Haus Brewing Company. Together, the two enjoy the challenges and rewards of owning and operating a business together.

Trevor Easton, brewmaster and owner of ALT Brew, was inspired to gluten-free brewing when his wife was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. Their once-shared love of beer — and Easton’s long interest in the brewing process — could no longer be enjoyed together in the same way. Gluten-free options available on the market did not hold up to the quality of craft beers, and it was no fun to raise a beer glass alone. A trained engineer, Easton sought a solution, developing a gluten-free recipe that lives up to craft beer lovers’ expectations. The result? A growing line of craft beers so good, you won’t know they are gluten-free.

Scott Manning is brewmaster and cofounder of Vintage Brewing Company, a brewpub group first established in 2010, with locations in Madison and Sauk City, Wisconsin. He earned a bachelor’s degree from UW–Madison in 1995, with majors in both German literature and filmmaking/broadcasting, which — as it turns out — is the ideal combination to unlock a storied career as a craft brewer. First earning his brewing chops in 1997, Manning worked his way through several brewery leadership posts before taking the bold leap in 2009 to return home to Wisconsin and launch a brewery with family. Manning has earned myriad national and international honors for his work, including Best Brewer and Best Brewpub (Large Brewpub Category) at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival.

In addition to his role as an associate professor, Robin Shepard is an assistant dean for the UW’s Division of Extension and serves as the executive director for the North Central Cooperative Extension Association. For more than 20 years, he’s written historical and academic articles about the Wisconsin brewing industry. He has also authored three books and numerous travel articles for various newspapers and magazines, is a frequent guest on Wisconsin Public Radio, writes a weekly column about beer for the Isthmus newspaper in Madison, and is a three-time award winner of the North American Guild of Beer Writers. Shepard is perhaps best known for his writing and presentations about Wisconsin’s most iconic beverage, often combined with historic brewery walks in downtown Madison. In 2006, he received WAA’s Outstanding Outreach and Teaching Award for his work with alumni groups.