As you may know, I am brewing a beer with Vigilant Brewery for Motif’s 20th Anniversary. I presented this project in December of 2022 to Motif and Vigilant Brewing. During this time, I have committed my Saturdays to learning how to brew beer at Vigilant Brewing with the help of Vigilant’s brewers John Otero, Chris Drance, and Mike Godet. Early Saturday mornings have changed my Friday nights, but it is all worth it. Will I stop once the Motif beer is brewed? Absolutely not.
There are a few things I want you to know about brewing before I discuss the art. The brewers are underrated and underpaid. Most don’t want to be in the spotlight. The same is true with my beer can artist. I am hoping I can change that. I believe in paying tribute to those I appreciate. You are about to gain a little insight into my brew days.
My drive to Vigilant Brewery is peaceful. The roads are empty except for a few drivers. There are people riding bikes, walking, and running. When I arrive at the brewery, John Otero, the head brewer, has usually already milled the grain. It’s in barrels lined up to go into the mash tun. Shortly after, brewers Chris Drance and Mike Godet arrive. They work together like dance partners in sync and are comfortable in their level of master craftsmanship.
Despite taking chemistry from the eighth grade through college and working as a chemist before and after my degree, I have plenty to learn about making beer. Brewing requires strength and intelligence. The amount of education, patience, and understanding I have received from the brewers at Vigilant has been exceptional. Making craft beer is a love story, a long poem as complex as love itself. It goes like this: It all starts with grain being transferred into the mash tun. Hot water is added, causing natural enzymes to break down into starches and convert into sugars. Sugars are then converted into alcohol. The lautering process of the mash-out separates the sugary water from the grain. Water is added through a process called sparging. Spent grain is put in barrels given to a local farmer to feed his cows. The wort is transferred into a kettle and brought to a boil. Hops are added early for bittering, mid-boil for flavor, and late boil for flavor and aroma. Whirlpool hops and dry hops are added for aroma. Isoalpha acid is responsible for bitterness. The trub is filtered to add more hop compound to the wort. After that, a heat exchanger reduces the wort to a temp desired for fermentation. The fermented wort is added to a fermentation vessel. Yeast is added. This process takes three to six weeks, depending on whether it is a lager or an ale. Through all these steps, the pH and specific gravity are checked. This discipline of time is necessary and cannot be rushed. I guarantee that watching this will make you appreciate craft beer more than you already do now.
LET’S MEET MY ARTIST! Walter Canavan currently works at Ink Therapy in East Providence. He has been a tattoo artist for 27 years. Canavan wanted to be a tattoo artist when he saw the realistic art of a tiger in a magazine. When he was working as a graphic artist in 1997, he “discovered that realism was possible in tattooing,” and that was “the lure” for him.
Kelly Lynn Currier (Motif): How much ink do you have, and which is your favorite? Walter Canavan: I have only my right arm and leg (knee to ankle) tattooed. My favorite piece is a war scene on my upper arm, done by Nick Baxter.
KC: What is your favorite style?
WC: I like realistic styles in gray or black. I also enjoy doing cover-ups and reworks.
KC: You’re not getting paid. What made you take on this project for me, even without the paycheck?
WC: I have always wanted to have my art on a craft beer can, and I’m honored you considered me for this project. I also consider you a friend and wanted to help out.
KC: Do you have a favorite beer style and local brewery?
WC: I do not have a favorite beer style, but we have a lot of great breweries and beers. It is hard for me to single one out.
KC: What else do you like to do besides tattooing??
WC: I carve books, paint, and draw. Tattooing is just another medium that I enjoy working in.
Canavan and I texted back and forth about my vision. He created an image that accurately represents craft beer unified with art. I did not know that Canavan always wanted his artwork on a craft beer label, and when he told me this, I teared up because I realized what life is all about. I have the opportunity to learn how to brew craft beer. I can also extend an opportunity to someone I’ve had the privilege to get to know and become friends with. Ink Therapy is located at 328 Warren Avenue in East Providence, RI. You can also see some of his other artwork at @ retlaw_art.
“Liquid Art” IPA is the Motif Magazine Twentieth Anniversary Beer. The collaboration of a local artist, a local brewery, and a local magazine writer. A poetic union of craft beer lovers who want to create magic in a glass. This Anniversary IPA will be available to sample at the Motif Food Truck & Beer Awards with the purchase of a sampling bracelet. It will also be available in cans and on draft at Vigilant Brewing. For every pint and 4-pack purchased, a dollar will be donated to a local food pantry. I want to extend my gratitude and thanks to Kevin Amaral, owner of Vigilant Brewing, head brewer John Otero, and brewers Chris Drance and Michael Godet.
