Brewing as Art

Craft brewing is often considered both a science and an art. Now, a homebrewer and a sculptor in New York City are capturing the best of the two worlds in one unprecedented project.

Meet Mark Zappasodi, founder of The New Brighton Homebrew Society, and Scott Van Campen, a metal fabricator and sculptor. This dynamic brewing duo has created a work of art that actually brews. Or is it a brewery that’s art?

“It’s both,” says Zappasodi, who likes to be called Mark Zap. “‘Brewing as Art’ is a brewing sculpture that marries form and function, art and industry, past and present.”

The structure is capable of brewing 10 gallons of beer and is completely mobile, so it can be transported. “Brewing as Art,” as they call it, is not just a brewery on wheels, but a performance-art piece, say its creators.

“Most importantly, it looks as if it was resurrected from 19th-century Victorian England in the style called ‘steampunk,’” Zap says.

Indeed, the structure, which is self-contained on a wheeled flatbed cart for ease in mobility, does seem to possess the aura of a contraption created by an eccentric scientist of another era—the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” of brewing. And while this invention doesn’t have wings like the fictional car, it is made mostly out of repurposed pieces from Van Campen’s metal shop and items they collected or found.

“The only elements that are not handmade are the burners, the ball valves and the gauges,” Zap says. “Though we did use Sanke barrels for the mash, lauter and boil tanks, we modified them to fit the aesthetic of the piece. We also used their cut tops to make the fenders for the structure. A few other found items used were wood from an old banister and railing in Scott’s home to make the wheel spokes, and a control handle from an old broom factory for the steering mechanism. Finally, we applied special metal patinas to make the structure appear period appropriate.”

Like any good invention should be, “Brewing as Art” was conceived over a few beers. The two friends struck on the idea to meld their artistic ventures—brewing for Zap and metal sculpture for Van Campen—into a brewing structure that could not only create 10 gallons of beautiful beer, but would be beautiful to look at as well.

“We applied for a grant from The Council on Arts and Humanities on Staten Island, NYC, for monies to create the sculpture, and in 2010 we received the grant,” Zap says. “The project took approximately one year, from planning to the official opening. Early on, we decided we wanted to make the structure gravity-fed, so the design was particularly challenging. We also decided to use propane for the burners, so it was pretty obvious that the structure would be made for brewing outdoors.”

Now, the traveling brewing sculpture makes appearances at everything from fancy art galleries to casual beer fests where Zap brews on-site and gives out samples of already fermented beer previously made with the system. And all Zap and Van Campen ask for are donations to help cover the costs of transportation, as they feel their mission has a higher calling.

“[‘Brewing as Art’] is important in a few ways,” Zap says. “First off, the concept is to challenge people’s perception of art. The second is to celebrate the rich history of brewing on Staten Island. The third is to make a clear connection between past and present in both the structure we build as well as in our presentation to the public, so that people understand that brewing is about so much more than alcohol—it is about art, science, craft, American history. And lastly, it is a form of expression that can be and absolutely is a viable career path.”

And just how far down that career path would Zap like “Brewing as Art” to go?

“Well, I’m looking for an invite to the Great American Beer Festival,” he says. ■