ShowCase Magazine had the pleasure of sitting down and meeting with Joe Heldt, the new head brewer at the Powerhouse in Puyallup. He is excited to be working at the Powerhouse and looks forward to crafting some new and interesting brews at the iconic location.
Q: Where are you from?
A: My wife and I moved here from Mead, Colorado for some new career opportunities.
Q: So what got you into making beer?
A: I have always loved making beer. My wife bought me a home brewing book that led me to start home brewing and then things evolved from there. I did three years of home brewing. When we moved to Washington, I got a job at Chuckanut Brewery. I also enrolled in the craft brewing program at Skagit Valley Community College. During that time I became a brewer.
Q: What did you do before brewing?
A: I used to be a high school math teacher. I love math and science and looking at the ratios and really like being able to apply those skills to brewing.
Q: What is your favorite thing about brewing?
A: I really like nerding out about the process, dissecting beers and making changes, and seeing the outcomes. I love the science behind it. I enjoy looking at the numbers behind it. That has always intrigued me but also the creative side too. You get to be creative—sort of like a chef. I enjoy playing with how I can take these four things and use them in a different way to get a different result and that is something I really enjoy.
Q: Who inspires your brewing or who is your idol in the industry?
A: Working at Chuckanut Brewery, I met Will Kemper who is a world-renowned lager brewer and learning from him has been hugely impactful in what I have done and continue to do. A lot of my inspiration comes from my experience with him. I’m now really excited to be able to do something. The industry is very collaborative and if you have questions, everyone helps—there is plenty of sharing.
Q: What are you excited about?
A: I’m excited to try a few new things while keeping the favorites and see what people like that I have to bring to the table. Hopefully they will like what I bring into play.
Q: What is the volume of brewing that you are doing?
A: We have plans for brewing for 13 restaurants and brewing twice a week. There is a lot of potential here.
Powerhouse Restaurant and Brewery
powerhousebrewpub.com
BY MORGAN MARICI