As a critical stage of brewing, fermentation traditionally lacks comprehensive visibility. Many breweries still rely on delayed sampling and intuition, leading to stalled fermentations, wasted tank time, inconsistent quality, and reactive problem-solving. This panel brings together brewers and fermentation experts to explore how data-driven fermentation management replaces guesswork with confidence. Through real-world examples, panelists discuss how early visibility into fermentation trends helps teams catch issues sooner, improve consistency, reduce labor strain, and make better decisions from pitch to package—without increasing complexity. The result: fewer surprises, better beer, and improved business outcomes.

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About the Speakers

Chris Baker, Director of Brewing Operations

Mother Earth Brew Co.

Chris Baker is the Director of Brewing Operations for Mother Earth Brew Co. in Nampa, Idaho, where he leads production strategy, process development, and data-driven quality initiatives. A graduate of California Polytechnic State University in Luis Obispo, with a degree in biochemistry, Chris began his career at Justin Vineyards before transitioning to beer at Stone Brewing Company. For the past 12 years at Mother Earth, he has specialized in brewery data management and operational optimization, driving measurable quality improvements while maintaining strong cost control and protecting the brewery’s bottom line.

Kristen Ewer, Brewing Subject Matter Expert

Sennos

Kristen Ewer (she/her) is the brewing subject matter expert at Sennos, and resides in Flagstaff, Arizona. With more than a decade of production experience, she holds a B.S. in chemistry from Denison University and an M.S. in Brewing & Distilling from Heriot-Watt University. Kristen’s career spans roles at Dogfish Head, Historic Brewing Company, Dark Sky Brewing, and Mother Road Brewing. Since 2022, she has supported breweries nationwide through account management at Sennos, combining technical expertise with a passion for quality and innovation. She loves her cats, drinking beer, and creating fiber arts in her free time.

Dave Frizzell, Senior Product Development Specialist

Sennos

Dave Frizzell (he/him) is the senior product development specialist at Sennos in Durham, North Carolina, where he helps advance fermentation monitoring technology. Raised in Walpole, Massachusetts, Dave earned a B.S. in biology with a focus in microbiology from UMass Boston. He built his brewing foundation working in the cellar and quality lab at several craft breweries, including Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, developing deep expertise in fermentation and packaging. For the past seven years, he has contributed to product innovation at Sennos. Outside work, he enjoys cycling, trail running, gaming with his wife, and lounging with his four cats.

Adam Mills, Educator

Adam Makes Beer

Adam Mills known as Adam Makes Beer is a professional brewer and educator in Cincinnati, Ohio dedicated to helping brewers grow through technical insight and career development content. With 15 years of production experience—from head brewer to director of brewing operations—Adam brings practical real-world expertise to every conversation. He has spent the past four years building the Adam Makes Beer platform producing podcasts, social media content, and thousands of educational videos for the brewing community. Adam also served two years as a brewing science professor at Ferris State University and previously spent a decade as a high school teacher.

Jaron Shepherd, Brewmaster

Foolproof Brewing

Jaron Shepherd is the brewmaster at Foolproof Brewing in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he crafts true-to-style lagers—soon expanding to a 15-barrel Prospero brewhouse. Previously, Jaron co-founded Free Roam Brewing Company in San Antonio, Texas, and served as brewmaster through 2025. Before that, he rose to head brewer at 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, California, where he earned a Silver Medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival for Sweet Stout. A Siebel Institute graduate, Jaron also earned Gold at the 2025 World Beer Cup for American Amber Lager.

This seminar was sponsored by: