Mike Engel's Very Big Brew Day

You never know what a keg full of good homebrew might lead to. Just ask Mike Engel. This past April, Engel was serving up a batch of his Pumpernickel Rye Ale during a beer festival at Barley & Hops. One of those who sampled his beer was Steve Lonsway, brewmaster at Stone Arch Brew House in Appleton. Lonsway thought so highly of the beer that he offered Engel the opportunity to brew a commercial sized batch of it on Stone Arch's 7-barrel system. As a home brewer, that's about the nicest compliment you could ever receive. Engel took Lonsway up on the offer and brewed his Pumpernickel Rye Ale at Stone Arch on Saturday. Here's a quick interview I did with Engel while the brew day was underway.