MEET THE BREWER EVENT
BARLEY & HOPS
January 21, 2010
Meet Peter Zien Of Alesmith Brewing Co.
Barley & Hops - In The Draft Room
5:00 PM -
Featuring On Tap
Barrel Aged Speedway Stout
Horny Devil
Alesmith IPA
Wee Heavy
Old Numbskull
AleSmith Brewing Company, San Diego's most award-winning brewery. Inspired by
the classic ales of Britain and Belgium, AleSmith is a growing artisan brewery whose
exquisite craft brews have gathered more awards than any other brewery in San Diego.
About the Brew master: Peter Zien is an accomplished and highly decorated home brewer,
who "always wanted to own a brewery." Since he began brewing in 1995, his beers have
earned over 400 medals and honors. In addition, he is San Diego County's only BJCP
(Beer Judge Certification Program) "Master" level beer judge, their highest rating.
In 2002 he purchased the brewery from Skip Virgilio, the founder and original brew
master, who was the first San Diegan to bring home gold from the prestigious Great
American Beer Festival. Given the extremely high level of talent in the brew house
(and that definitely includes Tod Fitzsimmons, Head Brewer), it's little wonder that
AleSmith has become renowned for its best-of-class brews in many different and
intriguing styles.
Peter Zien, brewmaster and owner of San Diego’s much-heralded AleSmith Brewing,
has won countless awards for his craft beers, but what he really wants to do is make
cheese. Zien, an artist by disposition and hobbyist by nature, misses his independent
beginnings as a homebrewer and the satisfaction that comes from seeing a product
all the way through from start to finish. As he says, “I wouldn’t paint half a painting
and have someone else finish it.”
With cheese, he’s found himself a new edible art form. And what’s a more natural
pairing with beer than cheese? Though a number of Belgium’s top Trappist breweries
also make cheese, few beer makers do so Stateside. In preparation for AleSmith’s
planned cheese launch in summer 2010, Zien enrolled in artisan cheese making courses
at San Luis Obispo’s Cal Poly Dairy Products Technology Center and began honing
his craft. Collaboration with a local San Diego farm whose goats eat the brewery’s spent
grain has yielded a constant supply of fresh goat milk, which Zien turns into mild
and melting chevre blanc, and a washed-rind cheese bathed with AleSmith’s own
Horny Devil, a Belgian strong ale.
Peter joined us on January 21st in our Draft Room where he discussed
his beers, brewing, cheese making and had the opportunity to meet
several lovers of his beer.
Scott And Peter Check Out Peters Cheeses
Peter Talks With Guests
Peters Pepperjack and Horny Devil Cheeses
The Boys Tell Fish Stories
Al, Lloyd and Dale Take A Moment To Get Their Closeups
