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The magic makers and black arts of...
Born and raised in Mexico City, Dr Andrés Furukawa began his career in what he calls the “black arts of brewing” there in 1999. Working as a brewer’s assistant with Santa Fe Beer Factory and then moving on to the role of fermentation supervisor at Cervecería Modelo (brewers of bar-top staples including Corona), he was concocting the formula for what would become both an academic passion and a personal venture: a PhD in Brewing and Distilling and his own brewery, Macken Bryggerri.
The next phase of Andrés’ journey was a move to Germany, in 2002, where he completed his Certified Brewmaster studies at the world-famous Berlin education and research centre, the Versuchs-und- Lehranstalt für Brauerei. This opened the door to a traineeship with Warsteiner Brauerei, Germany’s largest privately owned brewery, and then to a role as brewmaster with Brauhaus Lemke, Berlin’s first craft brewery, where the hands-on approach saw him develop expertise in German methods.
The move to Germany is also what started him on his path to Scotland, and the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) at Heriot-Watt. Andrés recalls: “My main drive to conduct my PhD in brewing at Heriot-Watt was the reputation of the ICBD in the United Kingdom and overseas.”
Determined to put his own stamp on the brewing industry Andrés began plans to open his own
Heriot-Watt University
www.alumni.hw.ac.uk
brewery, deciding to develop his business in Sweden thanks to a fascination with the country’s history of craft brewing. He explains: “The Swedish craft brewing market is one of the fastest growing beer markets in Europe and probably worldwide. An ordinary Swede has certainly a broader craft beer knowledge than any other European – due to the government- owned monopoly of alcohol stores, the Systembolaget, offering a craft beer catalogue of more than 1,000 beers from all over the world.”
Andrés’ own brewery has released 13 distinctive beers since launching in June 2014, including ten seasonal beers, two all-year beers and even one produced in collaboration with Swedish hard rock group Entombed called Entombed Sverige. His beer Slussen was served at the 2016 Royal Academy of Fine Arts dinner and is reportedly enjoyed by Swedish Queen Silvia, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia – perhaps providing fodder for future brews, since Andrés says that: “Every Macken beer is based upon distinct cultural themes, inspired by artistic and historical figures,” and confirms that he definitely still has more suppable stories to tell.
Andrés Furukawa
PhD Brewing and Distilling (2009) Macken Bryggerri
Andrés Furukawa
MY MAIN DRIVE TO CONDUCT MY PHD IN BREWING AT HERIOT-WATT WAS THE REPUTATION OF THE ICBD IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND OVERSEAS.
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