07 July 2009

Hoosier Beer Geek Classics: The Hoosier Beer Geek 6 Pack - Nick Floyd, Three Floyds Brewing Co.

As you may be aware, we're slowly creeping up on the third anniversary of the creation of this site. In those three years we've gained quite a few readers. With that in mind, we'd like to take the time to highlight some of our earlier work. The article below originally ran on August 27, 2007.

We're attempting to start a new feature where we run six (hopefully) quick questions by brewers to get a little more insight into what brewers do and like and how they got their start. We're honored to have Nick Floyd from Three Floyds Brewing Co. as our first brewer to step up to the tap.


1) Who are you and where do you work?

Nick Floyd - Presidente of Three Floyds Brewing Co.

2) What inspired you to start brewing beer? How did you get your start?

Started to homebrew after reading about at age 18-19, then when I was 21 went to brewing school at Siebel Institute Chicago IL. First brewing job was making Falstaff lager and Malta at the Florida brewery in Auburndale, FL.

3) What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

My mission is to try and make the best beer I can possibly make while still trying to make a living doing it at the same time, the making the living part is the hardest part.

4) Was there a beer that you benchmarked your own against? How did you know your beer was good enough to take to the general public?

At the time 3Floyds opened in 1996 we benchmarked our beer against locals Goose Island, Bells and west coast breweries Northcoast & Sierra Nevada. When we first opened I wasn't sure how the public would react, we just did it by slightly falling on our faces and then repeating that process over and over.

5) What beer are you proudest of? Which of your beers is your personal favorite? Why?

Which beer is a brewer proudest of? That’s like asking a polygamist which wife is his favorite? All the beers we currently make I think I’m proud of to different degrees.

6) Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?


Outside of my own beers I enjoy other local beers that are fresh and clean, Flossmoor Station is close to us as well as Piece in Chicago plus Lafayette, Broad Ripple & Brasserie Brugge in Indiana. The beer I wish I invented is pilsener in the mid-19th century when everyone else was in wonderment about the amazing golden beer. Why? So I could pimp it out to be the most bastardized style of beer the world over, and have it made from Harbing China to St. Louis to Siberia. ;)

Hoosier Beer Geek wishes to thank Nick for taking the time to answer our questions, and for his dedication to good beer.

BONUS FOOTAGE

The video below was created for a television show that never made it to air. It's a little bit hokey, but you might find it interesting to see how far Three Floyds has come.


Email readers click here to view the video at YouTube.

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