Brooklyn Brewery's Dark & Twisted

Interview with Justin Rick (Flash version)
  Non-Flash podcast

Justin Rick is the latest Brooklyn Brewery brewer to participate in the Worshipful Company of Brewers program, in which Brewmaster Garrett Oliver gives his staff an opportunity to devise their own recipe and brew a batch -- no matter what the style, no matter what the ingredients. It's a great perk for the staff, a wonderful treat for the patrons, and is also one of the many reasons that the Brewery continues as an exciting, interesting player in the craft beer scene.
 
The concept for his first ever recipe was to make a beer that mirrored the characteristics of a chocolate covered pretzel. So, naturally, that means chocolate, bread and... salt! Just how he achieved creating a beer that had that kind of profile, and in an incredibly delicious, strikingly unique and brilliantly balanced, is explained by Justin himself in this installment of the podcast.

Justin, who is from Colorado and studied at the Univ. of Colorado, did his post-graduate work in the UC Davis Master Brewers program, studying under Dr. Michael Lewis and Dr. Charles Bamforth. After UC Davis, Justin interned at Stone Brewing, became an assistant brewer there, and eventually ran their the lab before leaving for a brewing job at Leinenkugel, where he worked for three years. In April of 2012 Justin joined the Brooklyn Brewery.