Mother's Brewing - Update - Interview with Brian Allen

In our final interview of three with the minds behind Mother’s Brewing, we are speaking with the master brewer, Brian Allen.  Brian is a very easygoing guy who knows beer intimately, and loves striving to create perfection in beer form.  Brian is open with his knowledge and experience, and loves to chat about what he sees in Mother’s future, and, of course, about beer.

St. Ange Brewing: What makes now a good time to be opening a brewery in Springfield?


Brian Allen: There is no time like the present.

SAB: In an interview with Midwest Beer Collective’s Anthony Cefali, you said that “Every town needs a brewery.”  How important do you feel it is that Springfield feels a connection with Mother’s Brewing Company?  Why is it important?

BA: It is imperative that the people of Springfield and SW Missouri feel a connection to Mother’s.  When making beer it is impossible not think about the people who will be drinking it.  There needs to be a marriage of our inspirations and ideas behind the beer and the expectations of those for whom it is intended.

SAB: What is the capacity of your brew house?

BA: We have a 30 bbl two vessel brewhouse.  We have designed it so expanding to 3 or 4 vessels should be relatively straightforward.

SAB: What styles of beer are your favorites?

BA: Currently, I really enjoy Kolsch.  I entered the industry in ’95 as a brown ale guy.  Shortly thereafter I was quickly converted to a hop-head.  More recently my time brewing in Wisconsin (and the availability of fresh german lagers) caused me to appreciate the hop treatment and balance of german and czech pilsners.
I am also a big fan of cask beer.

SAB: What styles do you currently have planned for production?

BA: We are not really planning on sticking to strict style guidelines.  At least to start.  We will be making an “American Blonde” which is a mash-up of American wheat beers and kolsch bier.  Very drinkable, but memorable, too.  We also plan on making an IPA+.  It is on the bigger and darker side, for an IPA, plus there are a few nontraditional malts and grains employed to increase the malt profile.  Finally we have a brown beer planned.  We took elements from three beer styles and put them together for a dark beer that is accessible, but still has plenty of character.  A summer seasonal, unlike most summer seasonals is planned, too, but is still taking shape.

SAB: What do each of your beers offer to your customers that is different from other breweries?

BA: My goal with each of these three beers was to create beers that people would want to and could drink everyday at every occasion.  In my mind that is the combination of a balance of flavor, versatility and consistency.

SAB: As a beer judge at the Great American Beer Fest, you have tasted and evaluated a lot of beer.  How important do you feel it is for a commercial brewery to stay within known style guidelines when brewing beer?

BA: I suppose it is important if you want to win competitions.  Everyone likes to be recognized and win medals, but my primary concern is making beer that represents who we are and who are customers are.  Flavor is king.

SAB: Do you picture Mother’s Brewing Company being more of a session beer brewery or an experimental brewery?

BA: We will be a local brewery experimenting with everyday beers, and specialty beers.  We will have beers that are annual beers, beers that are seasonal, beers that are limited release and also some one-offs.  The packaging and packages will be different for some of these, as well as the goals and objectives for each ‘line.’

SAB: Besides “this tastes good,” what do you want your customers to think about when they taste your beer?  

BA: “Boy, I want to drink a lot of those.”

SAB: While I’m sure you hope that Mother’s Brewing Company will be financially successful, you probably have other goals, as well. Are your other goals for the brewery?

BA: I would like to get to the point where family and friends in WI, MA, NY, ID and MI have an opportunity to buy / drink my beer.  I think it would be a great way to “stay in touch.”

SAB: Choosing a good team for your brewery is very important.  What do you feel is the key ingredient that you, Jeff, and Jeremy each bring to Mother’s Brewing Company?

BA: Jeff has proven to be a savvy entrepreneur in and around Springfield.  His skill and experience at business has been and will continue to be invaluable.  Jeremy has an effusive personality and has his own dynamic skill set in regards to selling the beer. The three of us have a unique and dynamic interplay and have discovered many good ideas and directions in our exchanges.

SAB: When your brewery has been open for a year and everything is going well, what do you hope your customers associate with your brewery and your beer?

BA: I hope people will want to be a part of the brewery- a part of the beer.  For all of our hard work and efforts it will be our customers; the retail accounts and the people who support those establishments who will determine if our beer goes viral.  It is important that the lovely people drinking our beer feel like they have a crucial role in our direction and our success.

SAB: What else do you want people to know about Mother’s Brewing Company?

BA: We are here for you.  Between our tasting room and tours- our planned events in the greenspace next to the brewery and the role we hope to play in the community, we hope to foster a dialogue with the people of Springfield, SW Missouri and beyond.

SAB: The flavor of a beer a beer is affected as much by the situation as it is by the beer itself.  For instance, you may remember a single glass of beer because of the people you were with when you drank it, or because of something that was happening at the time you drank it.  What is your favorite beer you’ve ever drunk, and why was it memorable?

BA: There are so many- but here are three that stand out:

Celebrator- While at Siebel we took a field trip to the Schrier Maltings in Sheboygan, WI and afterward in a hospitality lodge (stocked with Celebrator) classmates from Brazil, the Philippines, Vietnam, Holland, and Canada all shared songs from their culture.  The US contingent offered up the Theme from The Love Boat.  Most everyone in the room knew it.

Guinness- at the plough and stars in Cambridge Massachusetts.  After a few, colleagues from my brewery and others brought the house down with a karaoke version of Bohemian Rhapsody.  With it’s large volume of Irish bars, the Guinness is typically fresh and delicious.

IndCoope cask at Ye Olde Mitre Tavern.  I visited here toward the end of a four day self designed real ale / pub tour.  The beer was superb and the atmosphere was fantastic.  No singing was involved in this one.