Crooked Stave Buzz in the New York Times

Chad Yakobson and his experimental brewery with a cult-like following, Crooked Stave, got a big shout-out in the New York Times. The newspaper featured the Brettanomyces, a wild funky yeast referred to as "Brett" that is related to the domesticated yeasts that most breweries use in their beers.

Yakobson, who served as the master brewer at Odell and whose formal training in in wine, is the poster child for the Brett. He has championed this yeast that was common before the late 19th century and has highlighted its special notes - fruity, earthy, spicy funk in many of his beers creating tastes that remind of Belgian-inspired saisons and Belgian lambics and building up what will likely be a whole new category of American beers.

Committed to experimentation and exploration with a science-centric base, the Denver based one-man operation currently brews at River North Brewery and Prost Brewing. Yakobson transfers his brews to the Barrel Cellar to ferment. The Barrel Cellar serves as the location for aging some of the sour creations and doubles up as a tasting room. Next year, Crooked Stave will move its brewing operations and tap room to a larger space inside The Source, a planned high-end artisan market set in an 1880s foundry building in the River North neighborhood.

· Brettanomyces, a Funky Yeast, Makes Flavorful Beers [NYT]
· Chad Yakobson on Experimental Beer at Crooked Stave [EDen]
· More Crooked Stave Coverage [EDen]

Chad Yakobson [Photo: Benjamin Rasmussen for The New York Times]