Microbrewed Adventures - Charles Papazian [34]
Recognizing and always appreciative of his company’s roots, Gene quite often reflects, “Homebrewing is our root. If it weren’t for homebrewers I wouldn’t have a brewery today.” Every year on National Homebrew Day (the first Saturday in May), the Flying Fish Brewing Company invites local homebrewers to the brewery. “Bring your beer so we can taste what you are brewing and we’ll give you yeast” indicates the passion Flying Fish Brewing Company shares with homebrewers.
Gene Muller, founder Flying Fish Brewing Co.
Gene Muller. Courtesy Flying Fish Brewing Co.
“We don’t necessarily preach to the converted,” Gene notes. “A lot of the time we focus on quality restaurants and develop great relationships with chefs in the New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Delaware area. We are a hands-on brewery when it comes to service and making and distributing our own beer. What I love about the craft beer business is that everyone has a different approach for success. Right now we are brewing just under 10,000 barrels of beer a year, and we’re happy to grow slowly and steadily. I still personally reply to all e-mails and publish a monthly newsletter for our customers and fans.”
I recently had the pleasure of sharing a few beers with Gene at a beer garden in Italy. We were both participating at Slow Food’s Salone del Gusto (Great Hall of Taste) and were blessed with some time to enjoy some wonderful Italian microbrewed beers. Gene passionately conveyed the story of his brewery and his courtship with beer and brewing. After about 30 minutes of effervescent recollection, I interrupted his train of thought with the most important question: “Gene, where does the beer take you? I mean, when you really have the opportunity to relax and appreciate what you are involved in?” There was only a brief pause and he was on a roll once again: “Being a brewer is a wonderful job and passion. But it is a lot of work and having a beer is sometimes like taking a vacation. It takes you to places that are what the beer is all about. A particular beer might take me back to memories of sandstone cliffs in New Mexico, or I always seem to reminisce about the desert when enjoying a Belgian Tripel, because these are my experiences.
“One of my most favorite beers is our Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale. It’s a 4.4 percent alcohol-by-volume sour mashed beer that’s great with spicy food or sprayed on chicken barbecues. I love the spicy character that Styrian Goldings hops adds to this ale. When the summer comes to an end and the last bottle-conditioned beer leaves the brewery I always feel a sadness and silently reminisce, ‘Good-bye, friend, see you next April.’”
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FLYING FISH BABY SAISON FARMHOUSE ALE
This mildly tart, refreshing summertime ale is brewed in the tradition of the Flemish countryside. Wheat malt adds dry refreshment and the earthy tones of Styrian hops are a favorite of brewer Gene Muller, who shared his recipe with me. This recipe can be found in About the Recipes.
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Gene assessed the beer culture in New Jersey: “The laws here regulating the sale of beer are very prohibitive for small business owners. New Jersey and much of the mid-Atlantic area of the United States have always trailed behind the craft beer movement in the western part of the United States.”
I can assure you that Gene is one of many quality-oriented craft brewers in the mid-Atlantic area that are doing all they can to bring great locally brewed fresh, flavorful ales and lagers to beer lovers in the New Jersey