Meet the Homebrewers of Los Angeles – Charlie 'Push Eject' Essers

Did you know there are over 800 homebrew clubs in the United States? Neither did we. Los Angeles now has multiple new breweries, but it has been the home to America’s oldest homebrew club for decades. In our second spotlight on homebrewers of L.A., we talked to Charlie “Push Eject” Essers, a smiley face you may have seen around town and at different beer events.

Handle It

Charlie was born in Germany but grew up in Hawaii, so the spirit of beer and sharing is in his blood. He’s a busy man juggling time between working at The Brewing Network (BN), running Wortomatic.com, serving up cold goodness at Eagle Rock Brewery, playing with design and photography, not to mention actively participating in multiple brewing societies and associations. Ok, so maybe he brews in Lancaster but he works and hangs around the L.A. beer-loving hood.

Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes

Having been with The BN for about five years, he’s seen the positive change the network has brought to homebrewing competitions and the community as a whole. With podcast shows like The Home Brewed Chef with Sean Z. Paxton and The Jamil Show, The BN offers insightful talk and information for brewers and craft beer enthusiasts. Ever heard any of their commercials? Yeah that would be Charlie you’re hearing.

Can You Brew It? Yes.

In the coming months, Charlie will be helping Jamil Zainasheff start his own brewery in Pittsburg, CA. Heretic Brewing will focus on precision brewing in nontraditional beers, starting things off with a sour in Spring 2011. Since its Jamil’s project, nothing will be bottled until it’s absolutely perfect!

Charlie and the Beer-Making Factory

Somewhere in his schedule Charlie manages to find time to make his own beer. His garage is a hub for learning and brewing up new ideas with neighbors, friends, colleagues, enthusiasts and even his wife and six year-old twin daughters. Kind of makes you wish you could have been as cool as his kids at age six, doesn’t it?

How did you get into homebrewing?
In 1998 when my good friend, James, called to explain the reason he was late for our Annual Summer Session was because he was in jail with a DUI I immediately started thinking of the worst possible consolation gift. I settled on a homebrewing equipment & ingredient kit from the Home Wine, Beer and Cheese Making Shop. As I stood at the register waiting to pay, I decided I should get one for myself too.

From where do you draw inspiration for your recipes?
As an employee of The BN, I am lucky to find myself close friends with world-class homebrewers and I pilfer their recipes constantly. When left completely to my own devices, I prefer to brew for shock-and-awe; like with my BBQ beer.

Which of your brews are you most proud of?
My raspberry chocolate porter gets me anything I want from my wife, but my regular Helles has been the best received by the masses. Personally, I’m most proud of my Firestone Walker Union Jack clone.

Most unusual brew you have attempted?
The Bacon Helles was the most sensational, but I thought the BBQ-in-a-glass was far more exotic. Basically I tried to capture the flavors of great barbeque sauce in a rich, clean, American amber beer using honey malt, hickory smoked malt and crystal malts.

Have you taken any prizes for your brews?
I don’t enter much, but when I do I usually place in the high 30s, low 40s. [A perfect score is a 50]

Most disastrous homebrewing moment?
I thought I was being smart by sneaking a fermentor of holiday spiced ale into my wife’s warm sewing closet during the cold winter months. Unfortunately for me it was a little too warm and the yeast took off like gang-busters. The carboy blew its cap and splattered yeast all over the ceiling, 9 feet above, on the carpet, and of course all over my wife’s fabric. I don’t ferment in the house anymore.

Some brewers play with winemaking and brewing root beer. Ever made any other beverages?
Mead, but technically my wife made that. I just did the heavy lifting. It is seven years old now and we still have 2 bottles. I’m told it tastes exactly like Manischewitz.

What are you brewing right now?
A wet hop American Pale ale made with Cascade hops grown in our backyard this Summer. My six year-old girls harvested half a pound of of delicious wet hops and we used them for flavor and aroma in a simple American Pale recipe.

How can someone try your beer?
Show up! I love sharing homebrew and any time I’m brewing my garage is open to visitors. Drop me a line at pusheject@wortomatic.com!

Are you a lone brewer or do you brew with others? If you brew alone, have you taught friends to brew or got them interested in it?
I seem to always start each brew session alone, but after a couple of tweets and Facebook updates the locals show up to help finish the brew. Additionally, every year I happily invite all-comers to both National Homebrew Day and National Teach-a-friend to Homebrew Day at our house. Of course, The BN listeners have been awesome and more than a few have ended up in our guest room on occasion after a day of brewing and sampling homebrew.

Do you ever help out at beer bars or breweries in Los Angeles?
I am proud to be a server at Eagle Rock Brewery.

Where do you go to find good beer out in Lancaster?
The best bottle shop in town is quite extraordinary. It’s a funny Korean-owned corner dive of a place that stocks everything from rare Belgians and new limited releases to Budweiser.

Which associations are you involved in?
The Brewing Network, Production Supervisor
Crown of the Valley Brewing Society, Membership Director
American Homebrewer’s Association
Brewing Enthusiasts of the Antelope Valley Region (BEAVR), Founding Member

What do you think your next beer might be?
Next up is my 100th batch in which I am going to rebrew my very first (God-awful) beer and hope it shows how much better a brewer I have become.

If you’re a homebrewer by night, what do you do during the day?
I am a sound mixer for Technicolor and love to do motion graphic design on the side.

You’re advice to a newbie homebrewer?
Keep brewing, if I hadn’t already brewed my second batch before tasting my first I would have given up when I tasted that awful first batch. Listen to The BN, and join (and participate in) a homebrew club!

$charlie checks refraction$