Release & Recipe: Crowd Pleaser

The latest pro-am beer release for our third-annual Homebrew Summer program is a pale ale developed by local homebrewer Justin Fix and produced on a professional level at Pacific Beach AleHouse. That coastal brewpub’s head brewer, Dan Enjem, knew just who he wanted to team with for this year’s Homebrew Summer. The only question was what type of beer he and Fix would fix up. In the end, they went with a sturdy, hoppy pale ale, which hit PB AleHouse’s taps earlier this week. Head west to get a taste, but first, scroll down to check out the recipe for Crowd Pleaser Pale Ale. It’s one of numerous pro-am collaboration beers being brewed and tapped at San Diego County breweries throughout the summer as part of this program, and the recipes for all of them will be shared right here.

So check back with San Diego Beer News often (or subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter and we’ll send all the recipes and release information straight to your inbox). Cheers and happy homebrewing!

Justin Fix

Homebrewer

How long have you been homebrewing and why did you choose to brew a pale ale as part of Homebrew Summer?

I’ve been homebrewing for 15 years. This is a brand-new recipe, but it’s the style I like drinking and sharing the most. My main consideration was brewing something I was confident would do the job of pleasing the crowd.

How does it feel to get to produce one of your recipes at a commercial brewpub?

It feels great to have an opportunity to brew at PB AleHouse and I was excited to brew with Dan Enjem. He is one of the best brewers in San Diego and I always learn something from him.

What did you learn as part of the brew day for Crowd Pleaser?

A little less is more. By omitting some of the specialty grains, we ended up with a cleaner, more shelf-stable beer.

Dan Enjem

Head Brewer, Pacific Beach AleHouse

Did you have to make any adjustments for the recipe to work with your system?

The recipe worked out just fine on our system, but we did change the water chemistry a bit from I normally do. Nothing crazy, just pH adjustments.

What are your thoughts on the local homebrew community?

San Diego’s homebrew community has some of the best brewers in the country among its ranks, professional or otherwise. They drive trends and end up opening great breweries. Because of the San Diego homebrew scene, homebrewers can stand among pro brewers and say, “I am a brewer.”

How does homebrewing help prepare those who aspire to join the brewing industry?

Homebrewed beers are how pros learn to write recipes. I haven’t met a pro brewer who is a good recipe-writer that didn’t homebrew first. With all the new equipment on the market, you can have a professional brewery at your house.