For the first time in 23 years and just the 11th time in its 152-year history, Leinenkugel’s has a new master brewer at its Chippewa Falls, Wisc., mothership.
The brewery this month named John Hensley as master brewer. Hensley, 38, has spent 16 years with Miller Brewing Co. and MillerCoors, the last six years in Chippewa Falls as assistant brewmaster. He succeeds John Buhrow, who will retire after 44 years with Leinenkugel’s, including 23 as brewmaster.
“We truly have been blessed at Leinenkugel’s to have had a lineup of master brewers and brewers over the years. It is a credit to John Buhrow that he is able to retire after a 40-plus year career knowing that he helped pass down the Leinenkugel brewing way to his assistant, John Hensley,” Leinenkugel’s President Dick Leinenkugel said.
Brewmaster is the top position at Leinenkugel’s 250,000-barrel Chippewa Falls brewery, responsible for crafting recipes, supplier relationships, the brewing process, brewery scheduling, quality and safety. Although other MillerCoors breweries help make some of Leinenkugel’s top-selling beers like Summer Shandy, its Chippewa Falls brewery is the lone brewer of brands like Leinenkugel’s Original, Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Leinenkugel’s Red Lager and Leinenkugel’s Light.
Hensley, who officially took on the role Jan. 1, says his No. 1 goal is keeping the quality of beer Leinenkugel’s brews “as high as it has been over 152 years.” From there, he hopes to implement some system upgrades and modernize some of the brewery’s processes. “I want to make my mark as a master brewer here and cement myself in a line of just 10 other master brewers over 152 years.”
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