Flying a plane requires precision, focus, and discipline. Brewing a beer, as Brett Pokorny discovered, isn’t that much different. When he entered the very first iGulu Brew Challenge, he came with bold ideas, an experimental spirit, and one mission: to push flavor boundaries and prove that lighter malts, playful adjuncts, and nostalgic inspirations can produce beers worth remembering. Let’s dive into his brewing story.
Meet Brett Pokorny
By day, Brett Pokorny is a pilot. But outside the cockpit, he shifts gears into a different kind of craft, and that’s brewing beer. Now, Brett doesn’t take himself too seriously when it comes to this side of his persona, calling himself “Some Guy Who Cooks.” This nickname is a humble nod to his brewing philosophy: take unexpected ingredients, find balance, and let creativity take the lead.
For Brett, beer is like a canvas. Chestnuts in a stout? Butter extract in a cream ale? Oak chips in a cherry dark ale? If it sounds unusual but has the potential to taste amazing, Brett will surely give it a shot.
So, when the iGulu Brew Challenge launched, he saw it as the perfect opportunity not just to compete, but also to see how his experiments would resonate with other brewers and beer lovers. Needless to say, his entries definitely stole many hearts and proved that beer can truly be a blank canvas to play with.
Brett’s Three Eclectic Brews
When Brett entered the iGulu Brew Challenge, he knew one thing–he was not going to play it safe. So instead of sticking to classic styles, he wanted to try out the three recipes he had had in his mind for a long time. Each of these creative holiday beer recipes reflects his philosophy of keeping things drinkable while daring to explore flavors most brewers might leave on the shelf.
Ho Ho Ho Baby (Blonde Holiday Stout)
For this brew, Brett set out to do something most brewers wouldn’t: create a stout that’s rich and creamy, but without dark, heavy malts. He wanted the full-bodied texture people expect from a stout, but with a twist. For this, he used oats, as he’d heard they could add a silky, thick texture to beer. Then he decided to toss the chestnuts into the recipe, which he just happened to have on hand.
Flavor Profile: Ho Ho Ho Baby is light in color but has a rich, nutty, and creamy body. There’s a mild sweetness that’s balanced by a citrus note at the finish that keeps it crisp. Imagine the smoothness of a stout combined with the drinkability of a blonde ale–that’s what Ho Ho Ho Baby is in a glass. In Brett’s words, it’s “a bit like an IPA, but without the bitterness that turns some people away from them.”
Recipe Highlights:
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Light DME for a soft malt base
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Steel-cut oats for body and creaminess
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Chestnuts for a nutty depth
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Citra and Cascade hops for brightness
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A touch of vanilla bean for smooth sweetness
Brewer’s Note: Think of it as a holiday treat in liquid form: festive, smooth, and inviting. It looks light in the glass but drinks with the richness of something much bigger.
Hop Scotch (Butterscotch Honey Cream Ale)
Brett’s second creation came straight from the Harry Potter series. Like many fans, he was allured by Butterbeer, a popular drink of choice in the books and movies. But rather than mimic the novelty drink, he wanted to create a beer that could stand proudly on its own. His idea was to capture that same buttery sweetness, but ground it in real brewing technique and balance.
But how to achieve that? Brett thought: “Why not add some lactose for sweetness, some honey to give it extra carbonation, and some butter extract for that buttery smooth flavor?” As it turned out, that combination is the perfect recipe for the smooth depth of flavor that carries through to the final sip.
Flavor Profile: Hop Scotch is crisp and bubbly like a good cider, carries the creamy mouthfeel of a hefeweizen, and finishes with a mild sweetness and smooth butterscotch note on the backend. It’s dessert-like yet unmistakably beer. In other words, it’s basically a nod to childhood imagination, reimagined for grown-up palates.
Recipe Highlights:
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Golden Light DME as the base
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Lactose for the body and sweetness
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Honey for carbonation and subtle floral depth
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Butter extract for that creamy butterscotch essence
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East Kent Golding hops for balance
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Hefeweizen yeast to bring a soft, rounded mouthfeel
Brewer’s Note: This is Brett’s nostalgic experiment come to life. It’s sweet and smooth, yet still crafted with the discipline of a proper ale.
Cherries Jubilee (Toasted Oak Cherry Dark Ale)
The inspiration for Cherries Jubilee came from memory. Years ago, Brett tried a brown ale brewed with dark cherry juice, and that experience stuck with him. The beer was unusual: it had no real carbonation, no thick head, yet it still had that unmistakable taste of beer with a touch of wine-like depth. That beer has been discontinued since, but Brett decided to capture that same spirit in his own way, bringing the idea back to life with a modern twist.
Flavor Profile: This dark ale pours with a thick, creamy head reminiscent of whipped cream. On the palate, it has a body like lager, mildly bitter, and mildly sweet, with cherry at the forefront and a subtle smoky note from the oak lingering on the back end.
Recipe Highlights:
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Dark DME as the base
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Cherry juice for a bold fruit character
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French oak chips for subtle smoke
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Brown sugar or molasses for richness
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Magnum & East Kent Golding hops for balance
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Brewed using iGulu’s lager setting for crispness
Brewer’s Note: This is Brett’s homage to a beer that drinks like a cross between two worlds. Bold, elegant, and adventurous, this brew really invites you to rethink what a dark ale can be.
Lessons from a Pilot-Brewer
For Brett, brewing and flying may seem like worlds apart, but there are also some clear parallels between them. In the cockpit, every flight relies on careful planning, precision, and trust in the instruments. And while brewing may be more relaxed, it still requires a similar rhythm: measure carefully, follow the process, and know when to let the equipment do its job. In either field, a missed detail can throw everything off.
But beyond precision, Brett believes in courage in experimentation. Chestnuts, butter extract, French oak–at first, those ideas sound like risks best avoided. But in the end, it was precisely those bold choices that transformed his beers from ordinary to memorable. For Brett, brewing isn’t just about playing it safe, but about finding the balance between structure and creativity.
That’s where iGulu comes into the picture. With automated precision, the system makes complex recipes feel approachable, whether you’re a seasoned brewer or, as Brett puts it, “just some guy who cooks.” Instead of worrying about fundamentals, Brett can focus on the creative side of brewing that includes choosing ingredients, layering flavors, and trying techniques he might otherwise avoid.
Ready to Brew Your Own Adventure?
Brett’s story proves that some of the best beers are born from curiosity and a dash of daring. Now it’s your turn. Why not try one of his recipes at home? Or, if you’re feeling adventurous enough, put your own spin on it with seasonal ingredients like cherries, chestnuts, or honey? With the iGulu brewer, you don’t need years of experience to pull off something bold and delicious.
Join the community, share your creations, and keep an eye out for the next iGulu Brew Challenge. Your experiment could be the one everyone’s talking about!
FAQs
Who is Brett Pokorny, aka Some Guy Who Cooks?
Brett is a pilot who brews as a creative outlet. He calls himself “Some Guy Who Cooks” to highlight his playful, experimental approach to recipes.
What beers did Brett enter in the iGulu Brew Challenge?
He entered three original brews: Ho Ho Ho Baby (Blonde Holiday Stout), Hop Scotch (Butterscotch Honey Cream Ale), and Cherries Jubilee (Toasted Oak Cherry Dark Ale).
How do you brew Ho Ho Ho Baby Stout with iGulu?
Using iGulu, combine light DME, oats, chestnuts, hops, and vanilla. The machine manages the process, ensuring you get the creamy stout body without extra heaviness.
What makes Hop Scotch (Butterscotch Honey Cream Ale) unique?
What makes Hop Scotch unique is its blend of nostalgia with craftsmanship. It features honey for carbonation, lactose for sweetness, and butter extract for a smooth butterscotch finish, all while remaining a true ale.
Can I brew Cherries Jubilee without iGulu?
Yes, but iGulu simplifies the process. Without it, you’ll need to manage fermentation temperatures and timing carefully to balance cherry juice, oak, and dark malts.
What’s the role of chestnuts, butter extract, or cherry juice in brewing?
They add depth and character: chestnuts bring nuttiness, butter extract gives a smooth dessert-like finish, and cherry juice provides bold fruit notes.
How does iGulu help with experimental recipes?
It handles the technical part of the process, ike temperature control and timing, allowing you to focus on experimenting with ingredients and flavors without fear of mistakes.
