Podcast Feature: Living a Stout Life

We had the opportunity to sit down with Ken and April Pishna, the creatives behind the Living a Stout Life podcast. During their time in Sioux Falls, we talked over some beers about Severance, why we do what we do, the Sioux Falls craft beer scene, and a whole bunch in between.

Listen to the end to find out what style of beer we think would best describe each other—a fun little activity you should do with your friends, partner or spouse. The results may surprise you!

Ken and April have a great story about severing ties in their own life when they decided to take their lives on the road in an RV and start a travel and beer blog and podcast. (Maybe a story for the next Severing Ties Spotlight, eh?!)

Severing Ties Series: Ted Miller

Severing Ties Series Spotlights are a chance for you to nominate someone you know who has “severed ties” in their life in a significant way. Next up, we’re excited to introduce you to Ted Miller!

“I am so happy to have gotten to a spot where I feel a lot more free in this world.”

Last August, Ted Miller left his job of 15 years. He worked for the South Dakota Geological Survey where he ran a drilling rig to help geologists gather hydrological and geological information throughout the state of South Dakota. As much as the job was very interesting and challenging, he found himself on the road for months throughout the year. Over the years, the travel aspect wore him very thin.

Severing Ties

He knew he really wanted to be home more with his wife, Alice, so they could spend more time on their music and all their other hobbies and passions. So he made a big shift in his life. He left that job to work full time at Backspace Brewing Co., a new neighborhood brewery that does a lot of amazing things in the Yankton community.

Fast forward to today, and Ted now works full time for Counterfeit Catering Company and also 6th Meridian Hop Farm while still filling in at Backspace Brewing and playing music throughout the area. The catering kitchen is located on a property that also has the 5 acre hop farm. “It’s a great place to work,” Ted said, “I spend an equal amount of time laughing as working. It’s a lot of work, but a lot of fun.”

He is grateful for everyone that has helped him get to this point. From helping make and deliver amazing food, to an engagement in the craft beer world and working hard on their music, he says he has truly ended up in a blessed spot in his life.

The Good Life

“This new direction in life, first off, has me soooooo happy to be at home and sleeping on my own pillow every night - unless we are traveling to play music. I am happy to have gotten to a spot where I feel a lot more free in this world. All four of my jobs: kitchen, hop yard, brewery and music/songwriting are hard work but worth every second,” he said.

Let’s Talk Beer

When it comes to beer, there are not really any beer styles that Ted will shy away from. His favorite style to sample are Saisons/Farmhouse Ales. “We don’t find a ton of them in our region, it seems. They are a neat, delicate brew which makes me gravitate towards them,” he said.

Ted and Alice have graciously played their music at Severance a few times. When it comes to Severance beers, the go-to is D.B. Cooper’s Big Jump Double IPA.

“There are many Severance beers that I like to partake of! One of my favorite things to do after playing at Severance is to take a crowler of D.B. Cooper home. When we get back from our gig and get all the equipment put away, we either enjoy a glass on the back porch or with our feet up on the couch for a night cap, depending on the season!” he shared.

“Danks, But No Danks West Coast IPA is a recent one I have had that I really enjoyed, and there have been many variants of the Herbification Project sours that are really amazing as well. I’ve never had a bad beer at Severance, and we thank you guys so much for always having us back to play our audible art.”

Here’s to severing ties in life and drink and pursuing your passion.

Cheers, Ted!

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Be sure to keep an eye on our list of upcoming events to find out when Ted and Alice Miller will be playing at Severance, or give them a follow on Facebook.

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Have you or someone you know recently severed ties in a big way? Click below to learn more and submit a nomination!

Sustainability at Severance

Did you know that sustainability is one of the values we hold as a business? Out of respect for our planet and it’s limited natural resources, we try to do our part to be good humans and keep our footprint as small as possible. Here are a few of the things we do to brew our beer sustainably:

Electricity

Our house yeast strain requires no temperature regulation during fermentation which gives our glycol chiller a huge break, especially during the summer months! 

If we’re not going to brew for an extended period of time, we drop our Hot Liquor Tank (HLT) temps or empty it altogether.

Our glycol chiller creates quite a bit of heat. That heat is pumped into The Cascade’s underground parking garage which helps reduce heating costs in the winter.

I brew in my underwear to save on air conditioning. (Kidding, no one wants to see that.)

Water conservation

That same yeast strain allows us to use less water when chilling the boiling wort down to pitching temperatures.

We capture that chill water in our HLT which allows us to use it for future brews or cleaning processes. This allows us to save over 13,000 gallons of water a year!

We also use on-demand water heaters for supplemental hot water so that we only heat the water we use.

Repurposed Grain

Not much goes to waste on brew day. We give our spent grain to a local farmer near Hartford to help feed about 250 head of cattle. Occasionally spent grain will also go to local bakeries for spent grain bread and dog biscuits!

Repurposed Hops

Three cheers for hop sustainability! Our “Re-Gifted” series of beers are brewed with re-used (re-gifted) hops from our Love Notes Hazy IPA to squeeze as much flavor and aroma as we possibly can out of the hop plants.

Taproom Recycling

Recycle bins are placed in the taproom to encourage recycling any plastic, paper and glass materials.

Spent grain gets pulled from the mash tun on brew days. It is then donated to local farmers to feed their cattle or local bakers for breads, desserts and dog biscuits.

Severing Ties Series: The Neighbor Kid

This year we kicked off our Severing Ties Series Spotlights! These spotlights are a chance for you to nominate someone you know who has “severed ties” in their life in a significant way.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about the money—it’s how you live. It is freeing to not chase the almighty dollar.”

Chad Lee, owner of The Neighbor Kid, once held a steady, good-paying corporate job. As someone who never really settles for the “status quo”, he took a promotion and soon knew it was the beginning of the end. He noticed a shift in mentality as he took on more responsibility and was pressured to fit a certain mold in the workforce. As he began to lose sleep at night, he decided it just wasn’t worth it. Life is too short.

About a month prior to turning in his resignation, feeling inspired while drinking a couple of beers—because, of course—he came up with his exit strategy to start a handyman service. He would call it The Neighbor Kid. This new business didn’t require any start-up loans and he could easily flip a switch when he was ready to make the leap and start offering his services.

Perfect.

“If you want to work, you’ll always be ok,” he said.

On the night of December 31, 2017 he sent a one line resignation letter and never looked back. To mark the transition, he “severed” ties by getting rid of all of his suits and ties, and now owns one dress shirt “for marrying and burying”.

Since severing ties he now kicks his feet up and cracks a beer at three in the—I mean, feels less stress, a sense of purpose and doesn’t have to fit a certain narrative. Not to mention the freedom and flexibility of choosing when he wants to take a vacation, or shave. He is helping people, making an impact, providing for his family and having fun along the way.

This is what severing ties is all about. We raise our glasses and say “cheers!” to Chad for taking a leap of faith, and for making a big life change in order to be happier with the one life we have.

Here’s to severing ties in life and drink and pursuing your passion!

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Have you or someone you know recently severed ties in a big way? Click below to learn more and submit a nomination!

Podcast Feature: Booze Brews & Reviews

We recently sat down with the guys of the Booze Brews and Reviews podcast to talk about brewery fails, how we started, how we pivoted and made a major investment at the height of the pandemic and gave a little background story on a few of our most popular beers including: Love Notes, DB Cooper’s Big Jump, Koala Drop Kick IIPA, Amber Alexander, and Smōktoberfest. Tune in here or click ‘play’ below and laugh along with us:

Ep. 153 – Severance Brewing Taproom Takeover

Severing Ties Series: Kota Cafe

This year we kicked off our Severing Ties Series Spotlights! These spotlights are a chance for you to nominate someone you know who has “severed ties” in their life in a significant way.

We recently received a nomination for a new local food truck in the Sioux Falls area. (Seriously, the food truck scene here in Sioux Falls is 🔥🔥🔥. )

Hearing about Renee’s story made us want to learn more, and we can’t wait to share it with you! So without further ado, please enjoy this story about taking a risk and pursuing a passion—exactly what Severance Brewing Co. is all about…

My name is Renee Standish and I own Kota Café. I live here in Sioux Falls with my Fiancé, four children (two girls and two boys), two dogs and two cats. Not only do we have the food truck up and running, we also have apartment rentals, Airbnb's and he is also building a twin home here in Sioux Falls. We are kind of busy.

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted a restaurant. You know those cafes you see in small towns where everything seems to be made from scratch with love? That is my dream! In this day and age, it is so expensive to get into that type of business and a lot of them don't make it past the first year.

Pursuing a Dream

We have had the idea of starting a truck for a couple of years (we meaning Travis and I) and decided it would be a great economical way to see if we could make it work. If I am successful on a truck, I could possibly be successful in a restaurant as well. Once I jumped on board with the food truck idea and knowing I would still be making my food from scratch, it was game on! I started looking for a truck and brainstorming what I would serve on it.

I bought my truck the beginning of April, had my son the end of April and took that time off to get all licenses that were required, get the truck set how I wanted it, develop my menu and give it a trial run.

At this point, I fully intended to go back to the 8-5, until I started working the truck in the real world. The amount of support and positive feedback I have received is unbelievable!

I always thought my food was good, but I am a little biased! After just six weeks of being up and running and to see some of the same faces show up at the truck, more than once and where ever I am located, tells me it might not be half bad.

Ditching the 8-5

With all that being said, I knew I couldn't commit to a full time job outside of our life, and do anything justice. I decided to focus my energy on my family and what I need to do for them. Go big or go home! I gave up a salary, benefits, health insurance and air conditioning, but I wouldn't have it any other way. The true joy I feel when I am cooking someone dinner or frying those fries, even when it is 100 degrees in the truck, is now something I wouldn't trade for the world!

I have never been happier! I know in my heart I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and I hope my children see me following my dreams and never hesitate to follow theirs!

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Have you or someone you know recently severed ties in a big way? Click below to learn more and submit a nomination!

The Proliferation of IPAs

By Scott Heckel | CEO + Head Brewer | Severance Brewing Co.
Each year, the first Thursday in August is celebrated as National IPA Day. This sparked a conversation about the wide breadth of what an IPA can be—from dank and bitter to juicy and citrusy.

It’s really quite fascinating (or disheartening to some) how rapidly the IPA has evolved over the last couple decades. But before we get to the current state of IPAs, I thought I’d give you an abbreviated history about how IPAs came to be in the first place!

the backstory

India Pale Ales (IPAs) have been around for centuries, originally brewed by the British in the 1800s with higher alcohol content and hopping rates in efforts to preserve the ales during their six-month voyage from Britain to troops stationed in India. These early IPAs were malty with a fair amount of bitterness due to the amount of hops used.

While English-style IPAs are often more floral, grassy or herbal in nature, the American or West Coast IPAs that fed the IPA craze of the 2000s and 2010s tended to feature citrus, pine and dank characteristics by leveraging hops from the Pacific NW such as Cascade, CTZ (Columbus, Tamohawk, and Zeus), and Chinook - among many others.

In true American fashion, we quickly went in the way of excess with brewers attempting to see just how bitter and potent IPAs could be, creating double, triple and even quadruple IPAs with bitterness levels so high they’d annihilate your palate for the better part of a week.

Severance Brewing Co. has featured several American IPAs along these lines including Rampant Narwhals, Narwhal Hunter, and DB Cooper’s Big Jump.

An explosion of flavors

Along with the explosion of Craft Beer in the US, the last half of the 2010s saw a proliferation of “IPA” styles with hardly any resemblance of the traditional India Pale Ale.

In general “IPA” now refers to any beer with high hopping rates (even if they’re not overly bitter) or a higher ratio of bitterness - measured in IBUs (International Bitterness Unit) - when compared to original gravity (the amount of sugar present before fermentation).

Severance Brewing Co. frequently has five or more different IPA styles on tap at any given time.

Here’s a list of some of the most recent IPA styles to come about in no particular order:

Session IPA - These share many of the characteristics of IPAs with an ABV in the 4-4.5% range allowing you to drink them throughout an entire drinking session. They typically use late or dry hopping techniques to limit the amount of bitterness derived from the hops.

White IPA - Typically featuring hops with strong citrus character, these bright IPAs use wheat malt making them lighter in appearance than a West Coast IPA.

Red IPA - A bit of a hybrid between an American IPA and Amber Ale.

Rye IPA - An American IPA made with rye malt which lends a slightly spicy note that pairs especially well with more pine-forward hops.

Severance Brewing Co. beers have included: The Ryes and Wherefores

New Zealand IPA - IPAs featuring New Zealand hops with exotic fruit character.

Hazy IPA (aka Juicy or New England IPA) - Arguably the most popular style of IPA over the last several years. These IPAs are thick/juicy with very low bitterness but monstrous aroma due to the copious amount of hops used in whirlpool/dry hop additions. Hop character ranges from citrus, to stonefruit, to berry and beyond using Australian, New Zealand and American hop varieties like Galaxy, Wakatu, Citra, Mosaic, and Strata.

Like American IPAs, hazies also come in the session, double and triple varieties.

Severance Brewing Co. beers have included: Love Notes® (Hazy IPA), Koala Drop Kick (Double Hazy IPA), Levitating Falls (Hazy Session IPA). Wolf Pack Fanny Pack is a hybrid between White IPA and Hazy IPA.

Milkshake IPA - Milkshake IPAs really push the boundaries for what can be considered an “IPA”. They’re a spinoff of hazies but feature large amounts of fruit, lactose (milk sugar) for added sweetness and, often, vanilla to give the impression of a fruit milkshake.

Severance Brewing Co. beers have included: Midwestern Melkshake w/ Mango

Sour IPAs - Sour IPAs are a slightly newer trend and are just like they sound, an IPA soured through kettle souring or mixed-fermentation. This style can range from soured American IPAs to soured hazies.

Experimental IPA - IPAs using experimental ingredients or techniques that don’t quite fit into any other category.

Severance Brewing Co. beers have included: Graves of Touraine (Sauvignon Blanc Grape IPA), Gin Barrel-Aged DB Cooper’s Big Jump, Sauvignon Blanc Barrel Aged Graves of Touraine, Secret Double Cross and Re-Gifted Birthday Cards which re-used hops from a batch of Love Notes®!

Severing Ties Series: Jason Janssen

As part of 2021 American Craft Beer Week, we are kicking off our first ever Severing Ties Series Spotlight! We are thrilled to introduce you to local craft beer lover, Jason Janssen!

Jason recently shared: "Today I made a choice... I chose uncertainty, I chose discomfort, I chose more work for less pay, I chose to listen to my heart and follow my dreams, and I chose to serve others over everything else. Today, I was given the opportunity to join Sioux Falls Fire Rescue as a full-time, career firefighter, and will begin the 16 week academy this summer as a firefighter candidate. I am excited to start this chapter of my life and I have two goals going in:

1- I want to be able to say, with certainty, that I was able to help others.
2- I want to have fun!"

THIS is what Severance and "severing ties" is all about. Congrats Jason! We are so excited for your new venture and wish you all the best as you change directions and pursue a life more fulfilled in serving others!

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Have you or someone you know recently severed ties in a big way? Click below to learn more and submit a nomination!