Alexandria Living Magazine
Alex Lynch, Mieza Blendery
Alex Lynch stops short of calling his brewing an art. He’s too much of a philosophy major to throw that word around. But he does relish the creative possibilities of the eclectic ingredients and techniques offered by mixed-culture beer.
Lynch is the founder and owner of Mieza Blendery, a unique brewery that opened for business in June 2023 in Alexandria.
Mieza Blendery is the sum of a brewing expertise that Lynch cobbled together over the years since attending college at the University of Virginia. As a student, he took a pass-fail, one-credit class on beer designed for engineering students. The class exposed him to the technical aspects of brewing and taught him how to taste.
Barrels at Mieza Blendery.
Lynch graduated with a degree in philosophy, dabbled in bioethics and even worked as a paralegal, but the beer industry called his name. Soon after graduating, he was working at other breweries, including a role as a quality control technician. Some people joke about wanting to be the person who tastes beer for quality before it gets shipped — Lynch was that guy, for about four years. He was also simultaneously working on his home brewing craft, which led him to experiment with less-conventional techniques and eventually open his own brewery.
Each of his beers is a blend of components (hence, “blendery”) with unique flavors that could not be achieved through conventional brewing methods. No two batches are exactly the same, but for Lynch, that’s where some of the beauty is.
Each of these components are fermented by a mixed culture, which uses many different types of microorganisms. This differs from most modern beers, which use a single strain of yeast.
“Mixed culture is more like sourdough, where you have got all sorts of different types of yeast, all sorts of different types of bacteria, different genus, different species, and they kind of work as an ecosystem,” Lynch said.
In crafting his brews, Lynch also draws from the approach and terminology of winemaking. He thinks “terroir” or “sense of place” is somewhat overused, but is nonetheless fascinated by the idea of showcasing specific varieties of fruit. He’s eager to build relationships with local growers who might be willing to try new pruning or harvesting techniques in return for guaranteed business and fair prices from the blendery.
“You can think of sour beer as just a type of preservative of fruit that allows us to showcase fruit (in a way) that has not made it into our regular culinary experiences,” Lynch said.
If you’re craving something off the beaten track, come by Mieza Blendery this weekend to try a beer unlike any other, maybe Cousin Throckmorton (named for an internet meme) and Kuplink, Kuplank, Kuplunk (a blonde blend with blueberries). And if you meet Alex Lynch, feel free to pick his brain about all things beer.
Mieza Blendery is currently open Friday through Sunday at 109 Clermont Ave.
Fridays 3-9 p.m., Saturdays 1-9 p.m. and Sundays 1-8 p.m.
Follow them on Instagram at @miezablendery.
