Grabbing a beer with friends has been an activity people have enjoyed for centuries. CEL members recently visited our friends at Revolution Brewing, which has been a proud Chefs’ Night tasting partner since 2017. With goggles on and beer in hand, we had the opportunity to learn about the beer-making process, guided by our awesome tour guide, Phillip.

During the first leg, or shall we say “Keg” of the tour, we visited the 40-degree room where all of the ready-to-go beer chills – literally! We learned that every single case and keg spends two weeks in the cool room before they are dropped off at stores, ensuring freshness.

We warmed things up 30 degrees by visiting the 70-degree room where we learned that bourbon barrels are typically made out of oak to prevent leakage, and that these barrels are also used to flavor some of the beers. The oldest barrel is about 5 years old.

Hearing about the different machinery used in the process showed us how scientific and precise everything can be, and it’s some serious brewing business. We also got to explore the lab where various beer and alcohol flavors and concoctions are created and made a stop at the little bar in the warehouse for a Hops Water tasting session. We enjoyed trying something new, even though some of us didn’t actually like the taste! Several of us tried a few more beer flavors, and there was a clear favorite – Freedom Lemonade.

As we continued our tour, we discovered the sweetest aspect of the Revolution Brewing beer-making process. Nestled on the brewery roof is a beehive! The honey collected is sold in the store and also used to flavor the beers.

When Scott asked, ‘Why does it smell stinky?’ Phillip explained the fermentation process and why it sometimes produces a weird smell. He explained that during fermentation, yeast breaks down sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. One of the byproducts is a compound called ammonia, which gives off that pungent aroma, but it’s a natural part of the brewing process and won’t affect the taste of the final product. We then headed over to packaging, and Phillip passed around a can before it was packaged, and we each guessed how the beer can travels through the conveyor belt.

Brian loved our insider’s look at a brewery, saying, “It was very interesting learning about all the machinery used to make beer. I also loved trying the different flavors and discovering which I liked best.”

So thank you, Revolution Brewing , and thank you Phillip. We loved the tour, loved the tumblers, and loved our Brewtiful time with you! Cheers and we’ll see you at next year’s Chefs’ Night!