One of The Youngest Cicerones Ever Shares His Insane Flavor Combos (93 Octane Brewery)

<p>A young master brewer of craft beer shares the science behind fresh, shelf-stable beer, cake batter cream ales, coffee beer off-flavors, and more.</p><p>93 Octane Head Brewer Alex Makowski details his journey from becoming one of the youngest certified Cicerones to scaling 93 Octane from a tiny gas-station nano brewery to a full Elmhurst taproom. He also dives into the technical science of avoiding off-flavors in coffee beer and his philosophy of crafting a diverse lineup that appeals to both casual drinkers and craft beer geeks.</p><p>0:00 Intro: Whimsical Brewing at 93 Octane<br>0:41 Meet Alex Makowski<br>2:06 93 Octane’s Origins: The Gas Station Brewery<br>3:51 Nano Brewery Life: From a 400 Sq Ft Closet to Expansion<br>5:14 Scaling Challenges: Mobile Canning &amp; Palate Positions<br>6:47 Expanding to Elmhurst: A One-Month Renovation<br>8:05 Brewing Philosophy: &quot;Make Great Beer, Period&quot;<br>9:18 Community Support &amp; Maintaining Two Taprooms<br>11:00 Homebrewing Roots: A Father-Son Project at 18<br>12:22 Youngest Certified Cicerone: Studying Underage<br>13:33 Inside the Cicerone Exam: Off-Flavors &amp; Glassware<br>15:25 Industry Reality Check: Lessons from Finch’s Brewing<br>17:01 Rising Through the Ranks at Two Brothers Brewing<br>19:39 Global Brewing Science: Learning from International Experts<br>22:02 Underrated Styles: The Love (and Struggle) for Alt Beer<br>24:03 The Elmhurst Vision &amp; Designing the New Space<br>26:10 Passion Project: Crafting the Perfect Coffee Porter<br>28:21 Diversity on Draft: From Lagers to Sours<br>30:08 The Evolution of &quot;Piper&quot; Hazy IPA<br>32:05 Pro Tip: How to Identify Beer Bitterness (IBUs vs. Palate)<br>34:16 The Comeback of Classic Styles &amp; Shelf Life Realities<br>36:13 Freshness First: Why Pack Dates &amp; &quot;Facing&quot; Cans Matter<br>38:16 Spotting &quot;Bad&quot; Beer: Cardboard &amp; Library Book Smells<br>40:05 The Science of Off-Flavors: Trans-2-nonenal<br>41:30 Redefining Porters: Why This One is Different<br>43:23 The Secret to Mouthfeel: Using Flaked Oats<br>45:20 Rotating Cream Ales: Keeping the &quot;Clown Car&quot; Fresh<br>47:36 Brewing for a Cause: Golden Pour Purpose<br>49:18 Innovative Techniques &amp; The Whimsical Approach<br>51:02 Barrel-Aging Experiments: Bourbon &amp; Maple<br>52:57 The Great Pumpkin Beer Debate<br>54:40 Understanding Salinity &amp; Salt in Fermentation<br>56:18 Mastering American Pilsners &amp; Lager Timelines<br>57:58 Taproom Culture: Legit Nac