Mike V.

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• Some quick facts!

  Name: Mike V.

  Where he is from: Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

  Spike Brewing equipment owned: The 20 Gallon Spike Turn-Key system 

  Homebrew club: GTA Brews in Toronto 

  Years brewing: 4 years

  Brewing setup: I use the Spike Herms Turn-Key system. I haven't changed anything from this setup.

  Favorite beer to drink: One is too hard! IPA, NEIPA, Brown Ales, and of course a good Lager or Kolsch.  

How did you get into homebrewing?

I actually started brewing as a means of therapy for my job. I’m a Police Officer in Toronto. Needless to say, I’ve seen a lot. I am exposed to traumatic events daily. These events stay with you and impact you. I use to have a hard time dealing with and processing these events. Then I discovered brewing. It’s my escape. It refreshes me, clears my mind and allows me to explore my creative side. Brewing has improved my life and my families life. I can’t picture my life without it. I know my family and friends can’t either. They wouldn’t get all the free beer!

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• How has Spike Equipment helped elevate your brew day?

• Consistency, simplicity, reliability and time! Brew days have gone down by two hours. Temperatures are hit spot on. Its simple connects and transfers, no more carrying or spilling. It’s also reliable. I know whats going to happen because the equipment doesn’t fail me. All this makes for a better beer that I can replicate again and again. This is also extremely important if you want to change a variable in your recipe, you don’t have to worry about unforeseen variables impacting what you’re trying to accomplish.

What was one of the most impactful pieces of advice you have gotten from another brewer and why?

To relax and have a home brew. You can’t expect to get everything perfect the first time or even the second. You have to do a brew a few times to really perfect it. Have fun with the trial and error side. Embrace it. It will only make you a better brewer. Also, join a home brew club. I joined GTA Brews and was surrounded by passionate and knowledgeable brewers. The passion was infections and brought my brewing to another level.

To learn more about Mike and the brewery he is working on - follow him on Instagram: @mosaiccitybrewing

Mike got our equipment because we ship to Canada! Are you interested in learning about international shipping? Check out our knowledge base articles here.