Amplify, a program of the Macon Arts Alliance, strives to help creatives make a living doing what they love. New members are currently being accepted at both the Basic Creative Professional and Level 2 Creative Entrepreneur levels.
Becoming a member of Amplify has its benefits. Both Basic and Level 2 members are given access to resources designed to help creatives develop their brand. These resources include basic business resources (laptop use, faxing/scanning services, copies), promotional resources (Ovations365 Artist Profile, recognition on the Macon Arts Alliance website), and professional development resources (discounts on Amplify workshops, professional mixers, professional consultations).
At the Level 2 Creative Entrepreneur Membership level there are additional benefits available. Level 2 Members receive grant services, additional promotional support, and additional professional development services.
Amplify workshops give creatives the opportunity to expand upon their existing business knowledge to grow as creative professionals. Previous workshops have covered topics relating to marketing your creative business, finding success on Etsy, and developing your brand identity using WordPress. Members receive access to these valuable workshops for a discounted rate based on their membership level.
Speaking of workshops, don't miss the next Amplify workshop coming up this Tuesday! Develop your marketing and social media plan and presence with the help of local professionals. Register here!
Whether you've been in your creative field for fifty-years or six months, Amplify is for any creative individual seeking to develop themselves.
View a complete list of membership benefits at
www.AmplifyForCreatives.com
or call 478-743-6940
Amplify is a program of Macon Arts Alliance and funding provided by the Knight Foundation.
Macon Maker Spotlight Series: Macon Beer Company Part 2
Last week, we had took an inside look at Macon Beer Company and the work that went into giving us our own hometown microbrewery. Now we are going to check out the how-to side of MBC and their products.
Jeremy Knowles, originally a chemical engineer, walked us through the process of brewing beer from beginning to end. Not sure how you get into the craft beer business without experience in chemical engineering and biology, but I'm sure MBC is mighty glad to have Jeremy around when it comes to this stuff.
Beer is largely made with four principal components: water, grain, hops, and yeast. Grains are added to water and boiled to extract sugars. The hops are then added to create the beer’s unique flavor. In the final step, yeast is added to convert those sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Maybe this will help:
WATER + GRAINS = GRIST
YEAST + GRIST + HOPS = ALCOHOL + CARBON DIOXIDE
ALCOHOL + CARBON DIOXIDE = BEER!
The real magic happens in the machinery.
Water and grains (remember, put those together and you get grist) are put into a large tank, called a mash tun, where the mixture is heated in order to convert the starch to sugar and extract the sugars and other solubles from the grist.
There's the mash tun! This is what it looks like on the inside...
The mixture is then transferred into a grain bed, used as a natural filter, where it gathers its new terminology, wort. According to Jeremy, if you were to taste the wort at this point in the brewing process, the sugary substance would be “somewhat off-putting due to its sweeter-than-soda taste.”
The wort is then transported to this here boil kettle where it reaches upwards of 200 degrees! As it boils over the course of about an hour, hops are added. The hop oils evaporate off to create a bittering effect and more hops are later added to create the beers unique flavor and aroma. Did you know there are over 1,000 different kinds of hops? Tell me that doesn’t make the brewing process difficult.
After the wort is boiled, it is run through a cooling process that uses city water, approximately 65 degrees, to offset the heat of the wort and quickly cool it to room temperature. The whole mixture goes through that little metal box down in the bottom right corner of the above picture. Those PVC pipes on the right side bring the city water through the heat exchange system.
Here's a little Macon Beer Company trivia for you! First, check out the MBC logo on those beer taps at the beginning of this post. See that super edgy and science-y M in the circle at the top. That's actually the symbol for a heat exchanger. The folks at MBC chose this symbol because it signifies the point in the brewing process where the brewer can step down and allow the yeast to do the rest of the work.
After the heat exchange, the beer goes into these huge fermenting tanks.
In the final stages of craft beer brewing, after the yeast has fermented for about a week, the mixture is set in a bright tank or conditioning tank to allow all of the particulate to settle and the carbonation to be finalized.
To ensure quality taste, Jeremy samples the beer in its final stages to check for the proper carbonation and filtration. Man, what I would give to drink amazing craft beer at work everyday...
Now, if you’re wondering how Macon Beer gets that fantastic flavor, the answer is in their 20-gallon pilot set. With this machinery, they are able to brew a small batch of beer, divide it into smaller batches of 4 or 5 gallons, and combine different flavors until they reach the desired taste profile.
Jeremy hopes to raise production in the months to come, so if you have yet to try an ice cold Macon Progress, head to a local bar or restaurant and try it out. You'll be glad you got yourself a taste of pure science.
For more information, check out their website and like them on Facebook. You can also stop by the warehouse and get a tour!
We'll leave you with a few of our favorite shots of the warehouse.
Don't forget to check out the tasting room! Jeremy has big plans for that room, and we can't wait to see what he does with it. This gorgeous couple stopped by to discuss getting Macon Beer out to their wedding this spring! Congrats, you two!
I am proud to host the first-ever White House Maker Faire. This event celebrates every maker — from students learning STEM skills to entrepreneurs launching new businesses to innovators powering the renaissance in American manufacturing. I am calling on people across the country to join us in sparking creativity and encouraging invention in their communities.
President Barack Obama
June 17, 2014
What better way to start #FaireFriday than to highlight the first White House Maker Faire? President Obama showed his support for not only the maker community, but also the astoundingly positive impact we have on local economies. He declared the date of the White House Maker Faire, June 18, 2014, a National Day of Making and invited inventors, students, and entrepreneurs of all ages to celebrate the work they are doing as well as what the Maker Movement means for America.
If you missed out on the fun, just head on over to the White House Maker Faire website for videos and updates. The site even features a blog that focuses on the economic data and news updates relevant to the Maker Movement.
The site also calls any and all makers to stay engaged and provides a list of actions you can do. The key is to let people know you are a Maker and connect with other Makers using #NationofMakers, especially on Twitter. We'd love to see some great Maker posts from you, so be sure to post it to us on Facebook or mention us on Twitter!
