Back in September I asked my friend Sarah, who works for Mayflower Brewing Company in Plymouth, Mass, if I could take some photos of the brewing process as a personal project. I am a total beer geek and have friends that brew their own beer but have never seen the process on a larger scale.
A few days later Sarah arranged for me to meet with Head Brewer Ryan Gwozdz. I pulled into the parking lot at 7:15 and Ryan was already hard at work. He offered me a cup of coffee and gave me a quick tour and then went back to brewing while I followed him around with my camera.
He was starting a new batch of Mayflower IPA which is one of their staples and really tasty. It was great to see the process from the very beginning. Not surprisingly it is very calculated. It involves watching the clock, watching temperatures, measuring ingredients, and of course lots of cleaning. After Ryan got the IPA batch under way I went and spent a little time with the crew bottling and packing cases. It's always refreshing to work with small companies who are willing to give you access to their entire process.
Mayflower is a great local craft brewery who has put Plymouth firmly on the beer map and it's nice to have them in my backyard. Be sure to stop by their brewery if you have a chance. They do tastings, tours, and of course sell beers. http://mayflowerbrewing.com/visit-us.php#tastings
Oh and if you are a woman who loves beer or is interested in learning more about it and live on or near Cape Cod then reach out to Sarah who runs the Girls Pint Out Cape Cod. It's a beer tasting meetup group for women. https://twitter.com/CapeCodGPO
Enjoy the photos and let me know what you think!
