Learning from the Pros: Baxter’s First CBC Experience
This spring, Kyle Bouchard and Bram Bergeron-Smith had the opportunity to represent Baxter Brewing at the Craft Brewers Conference in Philadelphia. For both of our team members, this was their first time attending the industry’s premier event, and they came back energized with new knowledge and connections that will help us continue brewing better beer for our Maine community.
Building Connections and Exploring Innovation
For Kyle, who has been brewing professionally for six years, the conference provided invaluable networking opportunities with vendors and peers across the industry. “It was great to be able to connect with a lot of our vendors and peers in the industry,” Kyle shared. “There were also plenty of opportunities to attend seminars to broaden my perspective and knowledge.”
One of Kyle’s biggest takeaways came from seminars and vendor discussions about exciting new hop products, including innovative hop extracts and oils. These advanced products promise to help breweries like ours deliver bolder and more dynamic flavor profiles while driving more consistent, higher-yielding batches. A standout session featured brewers from Stone Brewing and Sierra Nevada Brewing, who shared case studies on how they successfully trialed and implemented these products. Coming from breweries renowned for their hop expertise, their endorsement was particularly encouraging for Kyle and our team.
Diving Deep into Brewing Science
Bram took a deep dive into the technical side of brewing, attending sessions that reinforced how much science goes into creating exceptional beer. Two sessions particularly caught his attention and will influence how we approach fermentation and flavor development.
The first session focused on yeast nutrition, specifically examining FAN (Free Amino Nitrogen) and zinc levels. While FAN occurs naturally in malts and hops, Bram learned that having too much leftover FAN after fermentation can actually trigger off-flavors and long-term stability issues. Conversely, since wort is naturally deficient in zinc (crucial for healthy yeast metabolism and growth), supplementing with precise amounts of zinc keeps fermentation clean and consistent.
The second session explored thiols, the compounds responsible for those intense tropical fruit aromas found in modern hop-forward beers. Bram was amazed to learn that these compounds are incredibly potent. As he put it, “A good comparison for reference would be adding only 3 small drops of thiol-rich compound into an Olympic-sized swimming pool would be enough to detect the aroma.” Even more fascinating is how yeast can “unlock” additional flavors during fermentation through biotransformation, opening up new possibilities for recipe development.
Bringing It Home to Maine
Both Kyle and Bram returned from Philadelphia excited about implementing what they learned. Kyle is eager to explore how the new hop products and techniques can enhance our brewing process, while Bram is particularly interested in experimenting with Thora, a new hop variety specifically bred for high thiol content.
“The conference was a great reminder of how much science goes into brewing, and how small tweaks can make a big difference,” Bram reflected. For our customers, this means we’re constantly pushing ourselves to brew better beer while staying true to what makes Baxter special. Whether it’s perfecting our fermentation process or exploring bold new flavor profiles, these insights from the CBC will help us continue delivering the quality and innovation you expect from Maine’s brewery.
The best way to experience what we learn is in the glass. Explore our full beer lineup and find your next favorite.
