Northwest District

This case study explores the phenomenon of smoke taint in the brewing process, particularly focusing on the brewery's best-selling IPA, Bodhizafa. The brewery noticed smoke flavors in their beers starting in April 2022, leading to extensive sensory analysis and experimentation to identify the source. Various factors were investigated, including yeast generations, malt deliveries, and hop lots, but no definitive conclusion was reached regarding the cause of the smoke taint. The brewery ultimately switched hop lots to resolve the issue, highlighting the complexities of flavor management in brewing.