Tanner's Page

	MCAB Brewer Profile


	Mark Tanner	Brew Renegades of Everett Washington (BREW)
	e-mail	mbtanner@earthlink.net

	First brew: 1995	Extract and partial mash brewer.
	Got serious: 1995	Extract and partial mash brewer.

	If I had to pick just one thing ...	Fermentation Temp – Take care of your yeast, they will take care of your brew.

	Most important piece of equipment	My palate. Understanding how your ingredients affect the flavors and properties of your beer is essential to fine-tuning your recipes.

	Keys to success:	Taking the time to accurately define what I want in a beer and crafting recipes to meet my expectations. Brew, drink, repeat until you hit the mark.
	History: I am primarily an extract brewer who has dedicated over 15 years to extract and partial grain brewing. In the past 24 months, I have won awards in 16 states for 34 different beer sub-styles. After living in Bavaria for 3-½ years, I returned to the United States and had difficulty finding fresh German Light Lagers (Helles), Pilsners, Weizens, Marzen and Schwarzbier. I brewed these on my own (12-15 batches per year), without joining an organized club or entering a contest for more than 11 years. In my first full year of competition, I won the 2008 High Plains Brewer of the Year award (based on 7 competitions across 8 states in the Midwest). I repeated this win in 2009. 2007, 2008 and 2009 I averaged about 50 batches per year. Many of my recipes I have dialed in and haven’t changed for the past 10 years. Opinions: I am a beer minimalist. Most of my award-winning recipes are partial mash, extract-based recipes brewed in my kitchen in about 2 ½ hours. I like all-grain brewing, but I am not willing to give up the time with my family. I am all about having a terrific cellar with a minimal time and fiscal commitment. Philosophy: I leave the philosophy and politics to my lovely bride who puts up with my crazy obsession to brew 62 perfect sub-styles of beer. Favorite quote: "Beer is Food!" Motto: I often tell people that when I find the all-grain brewer who can brew my pants off, I will get out of my kitchen and brew in my driveway. I have yet to find her!
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