A typical day in a craft brewery in French-speaking Switzerland

"So, do you taste beer all day long?" We hear this question at least three times a week. If only it were that simple! Behind our Renens tanks lies a much more complex and exciting reality. A technical symphony where every note counts, where intuition dialogues with science, where humans remain the conductor of this daily alchemy.

Welcome to the intimacy of our 24-hour brewery, where your favorite beers are born, combining Romandie tradition and craft innovation.

When dawn wakes up our fermenters (5 a.m.-12 p.m.)

The first murmurs from our vats

The alarm rarely rings at 5 a.m. in our homes, but our fermenters never sleep. These stainless steel giants whisper their secrets continuously, and our first mission is to decipher their coded language.

Fermentation graphs resemble musical scores. Temperature curves, pH changes, must density... each piece of data tells a story. This morning reading determines the orchestration of the entire day. An unexpected spike, a suspicious stagnation, and our schedule is disrupted.

We delicately take a few samples of our fermenting Zepp . This craft lager requires careful monitoring: its bottom fermentation, more capricious than that of ales, keeps us on tenterhooks for weeks. Each sip reveals the subtle evolution of its floral aromas, the signature of noble hops for which it is renowned.

The brewer's intuition takes on its full meaning here. Beyond the numbers, it's this visceral connection with our creations that guides our decisions. A slightly different taste, an evolving texture... our palate becomes our most precious measuring instrument.

The technical ballet of early morning

The crushing of malts echoes throughout the brewery like an industrial drum. This familiar sound officially marks the start of our operations. We meticulously check the parameters of our brewing water—pH, mineral content, temperature—because it accounts for over 90% of our beers.

Preparing the brew requires the precision of a Swiss watchmaker. Every gram of malt counts, every degree of temperature influences the final result. This meticulousness is not a mania, but a guarantee of faithfully reproducing our recipes, brew after brew.

These morning rituals define our craftsmanship. Unlike industrial giants that automate every step, we maintain this human dimension in every gesture. It is this approach that fundamentally distinguishes our craft philosophy from industrial standardization.

The excitement of the French-speaking afternoon (12 p.m.-6 p.m.)

Juggling the brews like a conductor

The afternoon transforms our brewery into a hive of activity. Three, sometimes four brews are brewing simultaneously, each at a different stage. Mashing here, boiling there, cooling further down... our team navigates between the tanks with a perfectly choreographed routine.

Decisions are made at a frenetic pace. A mashing process that drags on, hopping that needs to be adjusted based on alpha-acid analysis... Each choice directly impacts the final flavor profile. The adrenaline rush of these moments reminds us why we chose this demanding but exciting profession.

Our Ambuscade in full production perfectly illustrates this intensity. This IPA demands perfect timing for its hop additions. Too early, and we lose its citrus aromas. Too late, and bitterness overwhelms its delicate balance. The adjustments follow one another like an F1 driver through the twists and turns of Monaco.

Moments of truth that build character

Transfers represent our most stressful moments. Moving several hundred liters of must between tanks without contamination or oxidation is a martial art. One false move, one loose connection, and hours of work can go up in smoke.

Dry hopping requires the precision of a perfumer. These volatile essential oils allow for no guesswork. We weigh, time, and adjust based on the analyses of each batch of hops. This step determines the aromatic intensity that is the signature of our creations.

Our microbiological controls reveal a fascinating invisible world. Under the microscope, we observe the activity of our yeasts and detect potential intruders. This constant vigilance protects our beers from contamination that could ruin weeks of work. It's in these moments that the authenticity of our artisanal approach takes on its full meaning, far from industrial shortcuts.

Evening rituals and transmission of knowledge (6 p.m.-9 p.m.)

Hygiene mania assumed

Cleaning plays a central role in our daily lives. This unabashed "mania" guarantees the impeccable quality of our products. Every surface, every pipe, every valve undergoes a rigorous disinfection protocol. Craft beers require this absolute rigor to reveal their full potential without alteration.

Preparation for the next day begins in the late afternoon . We plan transfers, prepare ingredients, and check equipment. This anticipation avoids unpleasant surprises and allows us to maintain our production rate.

The final tasting of our Double Oat reveals its full complexity at the end of the day. This double oat IPA reveals its tropical aromas of mango and passion fruit after several hours of extraction. Each tasting confirms the positive evolution of this demanding brew.

The human soul behind the Romandie vats

Juicy anecdotes punctuate our days. The day our cooling system failed in the middle of a heatwave, turning us into emergency firefighters with bags of ice. Or the time a faulty sensor led us to discover a completely unexpected new flavor profile in a test brew.

These unforeseen challenges regularly push us out of our comfort zone. They forge the adaptability that distinguishes the craftsman from the industrial operator. Faced with the unexpected, we improvise, we create, we find solutions with whatever resources we have.

This brewing intuition can't be taught in any school. It develops through daily contact with vats, through careful observation of reactions, and through attentive listening to our fermenters. It is this human dimension that fuels the brewing renaissance in French-speaking Switzerland and perpetuates our craft heritage.

Passing on our values ​​to the next generation is one of our most motivating challenges. Training future generations of brewers, sharing our passion, and passing on our techniques... This mission goes far beyond simply producing beer.

When the vats fall asleep, the passion continues

Our days rarely end at a set time. The fermenters continue their silent work, our yeasts continue their alchemy, and we stay connected remotely to monitor critical parameters. This passion never truly stops.

Behind every sip of our creations lie these daily gestures, this constant attention, this perpetual search for excellence. We don't actually taste beer all day long, but we live each moment so that it reveals its best.

This daily authenticity forges the identity of our Swiss craft movement. In the face of industrial giants, we embrace this human approach, this direct connection between the brewer and his creation. This is what makes the heart of our Swiss brewing ecosystem beat and fuels the renaissance we've been experiencing for the past decade.

So, the next time you taste one of our creations, think of those intense days, the passion that drives our teams, and the precise gestures that transform four simple ingredients into unique taste experiences. And if you're eager to discover these fascinating behind-the-scenes experiences, come to our brewery in Renens. We'd be delighted to share this daily brewing adventure with you.

Cheers 🍻