Message from our Head Brewer

Jared Almsted

People often ask what a brew day looks like—for me, it starts early.

By 7:00 a.m., the water’s flowing into the mash tun. The taproom is still, just the sound of steam rising and the music genre of the day blaring from the speakers. 

At 7:45, I start milling the grain. This is where things kick off—the smell of fresh malt fills the air, and the rhythm of the day settles in. Around 8:45, I begin the vorlauf, a step that clarifies the wort by gently recirculating it through the grain bed. It’s all about patience and precision here.

By 9:15, I’m moving the wort into the boil kettle. This is where things heat up—literally. By 10:45, we’re at a full rolling boil, and while that’s happening, I’m scooping out all the spent grain from the mash tun. It’s sweaty work, but it comes with the territory. 

The wort boils for an hour, until 11:45 – the aroma in the brewhouse during this part? Absolute heaven. If you’ve ever walked in during a brew, you know what I mean.

After the boil, I kick off a 20-minute whirlpool to help settle out the hop material and other solids. Then, around 12:10, it’s time for the knockout—transferring the wort into the fermenter. This is a delicate, steady process that takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. It’s a bit like handing off a baton. I’ve done my part; now it’s up to the yeast to work its magic.

Once the knockout is done at around 1:30, the cleanup begins. Flushing the system, scrubbing the kettle, and hosing down the floors. 

By 2:30, the tanks are full, the floors are clean, and the beer is on its way as doors open at 3. It’s a long day, but a satisfying one. Every pint you drink at Boom Island started with days like this—early mornings, elbow grease, and a whole lot of love for the craft.

See you in the taproom.

Cheers,
– Jared