Finch · Brewhouse Correspondence
Malt, hops, water, yeast, and patience
From the Brewmaster
I have brewed lagers and smoked beers in Franconia for 19 years, the last 8 as head brewmaster
of a 40,000 hl brewhouse. My recipes hold 12 international medals, and my decoction schedule has
not changed since 2014 because it works. I still taste every batch from the open fermenter myself,
which my doctor calls quality control.
Brands Brewed · The Letterhead
Rauchgold Brauhaus · Bamberg
2016 – Present
Head Brewmaster · brands: Rauchgold Märzen, Kellergeist, Alte Esche Bock
- Run a 4-vessel brewhouse at 40,000 hl per year across 3 core brands and 6 seasonal releases.
- Rebuilt the beechwood smoking kiln in 2019; malt throughput rose 22% and phenol consistency improved batch to batch.
- Cut water use from 5.1 to 3.6 hl per hl of beer over 4 years through CIP loop recovery.
Sieben Quellen Brauerei · Forchheim
2010 – 2016
Second Brewmaster · brands: Quellen Hell, Steinweg Pils, Jura Weisse
- Ran daily production of 3 lager brands, 24 brews per week on a 60 hl kit.
- Introduced a horizontal lagering plan that cut diacetyl rest failures from 9 to 1 per year.
- Trained 11 apprentices; 7 now hold brewmaster posts in Bavaria and Austria.
Braumanufaktur Lindenhof · Kulmbach
2007 – 2010
Journeyman Brewer · brands: Lindenhof Export, Turmbräu Dunkel
- Handled mashing, lautering, and cellar work for roughly 180 brews per year.
- Documented the house yeast's 40-generation drift, which led to a new propagation cycle every 12 generations.
Schooling
Diplom-Braumeister
Doemens-style Brewing Academy, Munich · 2005 – 2007
Brewer & Maltster Apprenticeship
Handwerkskammer Oberfranken · 2002 – 2005
Papers & Certificates
DLG Sensory Judge, Beer
Licensed since 2012 · 300+ competition flights judged
HACCP Team Lead
Certified 2017, recertified 2023
Grain Bill · Skills
- Decoction mashing
- Beechwood malt smoking
- Open fermentation
- Horizontal lagering
- Yeast propagation
- Sensory panels
- CIP & water recovery
- Recipe scaling 10 hl to 500 hl
- Apprentice training
- German / English / Franconian
Batch Notes
Guest lectures on smoked malt at 4 brewing schools since 2019.
Keeper of a 1932 family recipe book, 214 pages, still in use for 2 seasonal brews.