Trained as a scientist, Neil Atkins can detail the very moment when an enzyme breaks down from a complex sugar to a simple sugar.
Whether it’s in a sterile medical research lab or the peanut-shell-laden Offshore Ale Brewery Company in Oak Bluffs, Mr. Atkins has discovered little difference when it comes to studying molecules and creating a fine beer.
“It’s the same. Most brewers are going to be either former chemists or biologists, especially microbiologists,” he said, sitting in the cavernous wood booths at the brewery, his faint British accent muffled by a large mustache. He pointed upstairs to the large holding tanks and said: “They’re really just giant test tubes.”
That’s been the philosophy behind the 40 year old’s work at various breweries for 10 years, the last three at Offshore as its head brewer. He’s crafted awarded-winning brews in his tenure, even beating out the likes of larger breweries like Sam Adams.
Last month, Offshore’s Beach Road Brown took first place in the brown ale category and East Chop Lighthouse in the golden ale category at the Great International Beer and Cider Competition in Providence. Mr. Atkins said Offshore will be entering another round of beers at the World Cup of Beer in San Diego next spring.
The Providence competition featured beers from breweries near and far, including Oregon, Maryland, New York, France and the Czech Republic. Despite the competitions, there’s a sense of fellowship between the brewers at conferences and competitions.
“I think small brewers work together as opposed to against each other,” he said. For example, the small brewers don’t mind producing a similar brew line to that of a big brewer, but tend to shy away from fiercely competing with another small brewery. “You never want to take a line away from, say, a brewery like Wachusett,” said Mr. Atkins.
In some ways, the philosophy mirrors the buy local movement in agriculture. Local brewers need support too.
“Wherever you are, you’ve got to try and buy your local beer,” he said. “Small brewers think that way too. When you go to conferences everyone’s friends. They’ll help each other out. Everyone’s very cooperative.”
Mr. Atkins’s experience brewing beer started as most others do – he was a fan of the suds. While working at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Mr. Atkins saw an opportunity to be a biology quality control manager for one of his favorite breweries in northern California. He took the chance to get out of a medical research laboratory and into the barrels of beer at the Anderson Valley Brewing Company. They sent him to the Siebel Institute of Technology and World Brewing Academy in Chicago and he was on his way to becoming head brewer.
Originally from Britain, Mr. Atkins moved to Acton when he was 12 years old and still has family nearby. During the past three years he’s enjoyed being a mad scientist of sorts in Oak Bluffs.
“It’s a lot smaller than what I was used to ages ago, but it’s a lot more fun,” he said. “You’re making a constant product over there all the time. There’s not much chance to change it up or make something new.”
“It is and it isn’t an exact science. It’s also an art, too,” he added. “You can’t just go upstairs and say I’m going to mix this, this, this and this, and come out with a good beer. You have to learn it.”
Patrons can see part of the mixology happening behind a large glass window at the bar at Offshore, where the grain is mashed and filtered with water. But upstairs the smell of wheat and yeast hovers over kettles and large drums, as Mr. Atkins stuck his hand into a large bag of malt and let the kernels slowly drop back into the bag.
Offshore uses mainly German, American and English malts in its beers. The award-winning brown ale is a combination of English and American malts, but don’t ask Mr. Atkins to share the secret hops used to brew the beer.
“There are secret ingredients and secret ways to do things and different methods,” he said. “There’s a reason why there’s a lot of good beer out there and there’s a reason why there’s really bad stuff, too. It usually has to do with not paying attention, not mashing properly, not using quality ingredients, some of them I can’t even explain.”
This week Hop Goddess, one of the brewery’s highest alcohol content beers, was brewing away upstairs. In between the fill tanks were wooden barrels of Flying Monkey, brewed in June and not ready until next fall. The strong, golden Belgian ale is in old Chardonnay barrels and when it’s done it will have 11 per cent alcohol content, or double the usual percentage.
The East Chop Light is one of its lighter beers, which correlates to the flavor profile.
“Beer doesn’t have to be super clear,” he said. There’s more flavor if it’s not.” Naming Offshore Ale brews, Island-based and often witty, is a group effort. Abel’s Hill was a group decision and Menemsha Creek was named after its association with the Coast Guard — a portion of sales of the beer goes toward the Coast Guard’s education scholarship program. It was formerly called the On Time, after the Chappaquiddick ferry. “Sometimes it’s spontaneous,” he said.
On Tuesday Mr. Atkins was sipping on Miss Behavin.’ It will only be available until the end of February, and then the brew masters will turn their attention to other seasonal beers, such as blueberry. The most popular beers this time of year include the amber, brown, IPA (India Pale Ale) and East Chop, “and if we have room in the tank we can make anything we want,” he said. He’s hoping to do a pilsner and extra special bitter brew in the future.
And with any luck Mr. Atkins will be able to increase the variety of beers with a second brewery location at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport business park, which would be used strictly for brewing. The design and permitting process is ongoing.
While he enjoys his own copper pale ales, the golden lagers, the nutty ales, the Belgians, the black stouts and the 10 beer lines Offshore brews, Mr. Atkins can’t resist the brew from California, the Sierra Nevada Celebration beer.
“I can’t help but buy that in this season, as soon as it comes out,” he said. “It’s just a big IPA, but a great holiday beer.”
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