The Winemaker's Wench: Will the Wench Be Soon Doubling as the Brewmaster's Babe?!

UPDATE! Wiens Brewing Company is coming faster than you can say, "Hey BarKeep!" Brewing equipment has been ordered!!!!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned and keep your beer stein poised and ready for action, Wiens Style!

Wiens / Black Market Brewery Collaboration
On June 11th Luke Wiens, Doug Wiens (Winemaker) and Ben Wiens took a trip down to Black Market Brewery to brew up a collaboration between the two Temecula companies. Assisted by Andrew Marshall (owner of Black Market and Wiens wine club member) and led by Shaun McBride, the 5 members of the local wine and beer community came together to enjoy each others company, drink a few pints, and above all brew a great quality beer.

The style of beer brewed would be a California Common made with ingredients sourced entirely from California. This type of beer is commonly associated with steam beer. Steam beer was a distinct style of beer that arose from the production of lager beers without the luxury of ice or refrigeration. The higher temperatures resulted in faster fermentation that produced a distinct flavor profile. At least 25 California breweries were known to produce this style of beer, circa 1850-1900.

Luke Wiens provided the initial recipe which had to be tweaked slightly to accommodate the all California standard. Since the specialty grains associated with the recipe could not be sourced locally, Shaun McBride took Black Market’s standard 2-row base malt and modified it in an oven. This process involved soaking the grain in water and cooking them at various temperatures to achieve different flavors and colors. Along with the grain, the hops would have to be changed around as well. Although several of the components in the initial recipe had to be modified, the yeast strain would remain the same; still providing the essence of what the California Common beer should be about. These subtle tweaks were welcomed by both parties, as it provides a sort of uniqueness one looks for when creating wine and beer.

The brew day started off with a bang and the conversations between the group only served to distract from the process. With enough professional eyes on the brew the group still managed to catch each time check along the way. The brew would be split into two 10 gallon batches which created an opportunity to tweak the second batch if the first didn’t nail the mark. The first batch’s targeted sugar came in a touch low, so the second batch was tweaked slightly providing a touch more color and increased fermentable sugars to balance out the full 20 gallons. The sugar in beer’s wort and in wine grapes are essential and is also what helps to produce alcohol during the fermentation process. At the end of the day both batches tasted great and provided all of the fermentation potential that one looks for in making a quality beer.

Of the initial 20 gallons brewed, 15 is scheduled to be released in Black Market’s tasting room on Wednesday, July 6th at 4pm. Black Market Brewing Co. is a small production brewery in Temecula. They are locally owned and operated and produce high-quality, hand crafted, national and international award winning beers. The brewery is located at 41740 Enterprise Cir N # 109 here in Temecula if you’d like to join the group in releasing the Californian creation. The beer will likely go quick and all members involved with the brewing process will be available in the tasting room for the release.

The winery often goes by the saying, “it takes a lot of beer to make good wine,” and now they are working to show the bond between winery and brewery. Both Black Market Brewing Company and Wiens Family Cellars show the highest respect for both quality and community. Bridging the gap between beer and wine along with breaking down the stigma that one should prefer one versus another is what these two are trying to accomplish. Wine and beer can coexist together, and they already are here in Temecula.