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Kodiak brewery makes art of beer making

by Jill Burke
Friday, Aug. 10, 2007

KODIAK, Alaska -- What do you get when you combine some farming skills with the process of fermentation?   

According to one Kodiak man, it's a glorified janitor, who gets to call himself a beer brewer.    

Bill Millstein, a former carpenter, has turned his taste and love for fresh, unfiltered beer into a successful business venture on Kodiak Island.

"I like to tell people brewers don't actually make beer, we don't get to make beer. Humans can't make beer. Only yeast can make beer," Millstein said.

"We needed a brewery, so somebody had to do it,"  said.

The Kodiak Island Brewing Company opened four years ago.

"I kept looking at it, talking to friends, studying the industry, perfecting my recipes and techniques and thinking about how to make it work" Millstein said.

Millstein's work today is a double batch of liquid sunshine, the flagship brew of his brewing company.

After a 350-gallon boiling batch is sent to the fermenters, Millstein cleans out the debris left in the kettle and makes way for round two.

"As you rinse that grain bed, you are pulling off the sugars and what you are creating is extract," Millstein said.

He measures heat and sugar levels, using science to facilitate the art of brewing.

Different temperatures, different ingredients and different timing all make different beer. And the variations are endless.

"You have more flavor compounds in beer than have been recognized scientifically," Millstein said.

Kodiak Island Brewing Company has grown steadily. These days, Millstein is selling about 50 gallons of beer a day. Customers can stop in and sample any of the eight beers on tap.    

Millstein sees the brewery as a small way to bring the larger world of craft beers to people one sip at a time. He puts the same care into selling his brews as he does crafting them behind the scenes.

"Smell it, sip it, roll around in your mouth then swallow ok?" Millstein instructs. 

Millstein not only likes to talk about beer, he likes to make sure customers walk away with the style that best suits them.

Millstein helps them become familiar with the flavors.

"We have milder and stronger and apple cider ale," Millstein tells a customer.

He admits being a brewer has its rewards but is quick to add in order to remain successful, he can't get carried away sampling the product.

Millstein says growing his business steadily, but not too quickly, has been part of the brewery's success.

Occasionally, his beer can be found on tap here in Anchorage at Cafe Amsterdam. But otherwise it's only available in Kodiak.

Contact Jill Burke at jburke@ktuu.com