Drink Beer, Think Beer With John Holl

Perspective is important when it comes to enjoying beer and understanding the industry. This episode features a panel comprised of directors of three state brewing guilds.It’s amazing how much has changed in the beer industry in 10 years. We’ve seen the rise of the Hazy IPA all while the the number of operating breweries exploded. Trends have come and gone and mergers and closures dot the landscape. Perspective helps us appreciate where we are and where we can go by examining where we’ve been. Today, three state brewer guild directors: Rob Fullmer of Arizona, Mary MacDonald of Ohio, and Paul Leone of New York are here for a chat about what is happening in their states and what it means for beer in general. All three are celebrating a decade on the job, and with that time comes, yes, perspective. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.This Episode is Sponsored By:Yakima Valley HopsLooking for an easy hop sourcing experience? Yakima Valley Hops offers the finest quality hops from right here in our Valley and premium growing regions around the world. Get the hops you need when you need them, with ultra-fast shipping and awesome customer service. With a full line of liquid hop products and all your favorite varieties, no contracts are needed to brew with the best. Shop now at YakimaValleyHops.com.Denver Rare Beer TastingIf you plan to be in Colorado in a few weeks for the Great American Beer Festival you need to check out the Denver Rare Beer Tasting. It happens on September 22nd and brings together 64 of America's best craft breweries all for a great cause -- the Pints for Prostates campaign. The beer list is incredible, packed with rare, exotic and vintage beers you won't find anywhere else. These are legendary beers the breweries hold back just for the Denver Rare Beer Tasting. This is a bucket list event for both beer fans and brewers. You can get a look at the beer list and find more information at pintsforprostates.org. All-inclusive tickets are $200 and include unlimited beer samples, a great buffet lunch, t-shirt, tasting glass and program. Money raised goes to the fight against prostate cancer including a free health screening before the event, a simple blood test that checks for common health issues that might just save your life. That's the Denver Rare Beer Tasting -- Drinking Beer and Saving Lives.Host: John HollGuests: Marcy McDonald, Paul Leone, Rob FullmerSponsors: All About Beer, Yakima Valley Hops, Pints for ProstatesTags: Beer, History, Mental Health, Festivals, Travel

What’s it like being an organic brewery in 2023? Harder than you might think, but getting a little better. My guest is Sandy Boss Febbo of Minnesota’s Bang Brewery and she’ll explain. I love hearing about breweries that are not trying to be everything to every one. The ones that were founded with a sense of purpose and continue to stick with it. Headed into the craft brewers conference in 2022 in Minneapolis, I heard about Bang Brewing, just over the river in St. Paul. It's an all organic brewery, with a low profile, robust local following, and a strong sense of identity. Sandy Boss Febbo is the co-owner and co-brewer of Bang Brewing, with her husband Jay. The brewery opened in 2013 after the pair spent a fair amount of time homebrewing and honing recipes. A decade later the brewery is still committed to the original plan: to produce lagers and ale with only sustainably farmed, all-organic ingredients. The brewery is located in a custom built pre-fabricated grain bin that also houses the taproom. The grounds feature rain gardens, a prairie beer garden, and is dotted with the unwavering focus on environmental responsibility and sustainability. Sandy and Jay are founders of the Organic Brewers Alliance, members of the NRDC’s Brewers For Clean Water Campaign, Partner Member of the Artisan Grain Collaborative, and Patagonia Provisions Partner Brewer.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.This Episode is Sponsored By:Yakima Valley HopsLooking for an easy hop sourcing experience? Yakima Valley Hops offers the finest quality hops from right here in our Valley and premium growing regions around the world. Get the hops you need when you need them, with ultra-fast shipping and awesome customer service. With a full line of liquid hop products and all your favorite varieties, no contracts are needed to brew with the best. Shop now at YakimaValleyHops.com.Host: John HollGuest: Sandy Boss FebboSponsors: All About Beer, Yakima Valley HopsTags: Beer, Minnesota, Grain, Sustainability, Kernza, Process, Farming, History

The recent news about Anchor Brewing pulling back it’s distribution to just California and discontinuing Our Special Ale, it’s Christmas offering, had me thinking about the brewery’s place in history and its impact. Scott Ungermann, the former brewmaster of Anchor is here to talk about all that and more. A few weeks ago Dave Infante, of the excellent Fingers Newsletter broke the news that broke hearts: Anchor Brewing, the venerable San Francisco Brewery, the makers of Steam Beer, and now owned by Sapporo, were pulling back its distribution to focus solely on California – already its biggest market – and would be discontinuing it’s annual Christmas tradition beer: Our Special Ale. “Our Special Ale has always been a bizarre beer,” wrote my colleague Andy Crouch on All About Beer. “It was never particularly popular but it had tradition, pedigree, history and therefore loomed large in American craft beer.” It’s a loss and in an eulogy of sorts, Scott Ungermann, who was the brewmaster and VP of Production of Anchor from 2014 until 2020 is here to talk about his relationship with the brewery and that particular beer. Anchor has always been part of his beer DNA. A tour of the brewery when he was in college inspired a homebrewing hobby, which led to a degree from University of California Davis, and then a long career with Anheuser-Busch, including a stretch at it’s Newark NJ facility, before a chance conversation and a long simmering desire brought him to the top beer job at Anchor. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Scott UngermannSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, California, Anchor, Lager, Christmas, Process, IPA, History

We’re talking about food science, quality control, and the relationship to beer with Eric Tennant, the founder and master brewer of Virginia’s Benchtop Brewing. Occasionally beer gets sent to the home office here and on the afternoons when the schedule is clear and I’m in the mood for some refreshment, I open a few and let my mind wonder. A recent box from Benchtop brewing in Virginia got my taste buds and mind working over time in the best possible way, so I asked Eric Tennant the founder of the brewery to come on the show. He’s Native of North Carolina and NC State Alumni with a Bachelors Degree in Food Science. After 15 years experience in the food and beverage industry as an R&D Scientist where he created a US Patented process for a major food manufacturer. During those years working as a food scientist he was also focusing on quality control, process improvements, and consumer insights fields. When he left the food industry he was able to apply his technical skill and knowledge to producing delicious, innovative, and many times, culinary inspired beers.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Eric TennantSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Virginia, Science, Lager, Creativity, Process

Ryan Sentz is here this week to talk about how he and his brother bought back Funky Buddha, the Florida Brewery they sold to Constellation Brands six years ago. There’s an interesting trend happening in beer these days. Small breweries that had sold to larger brewing companies are regaining their independence. The founders of Three Weavers in California re-purchased the brewery from Fireman Capital. 21st Amendment Brewery ended it’s agreement with Brooklyn Brewery. And in the last month we’ve seen Appalachian Mountain Breweryfounders purchase the brewery back from Anheuser-Busch InBev and Florida’s Funky Buddha going independent after a purchase from Constellation Brands. Ryan Sentz, a co-founder of the brewery is my guest this week and he talks me through the early days of the brewery, the decision to sell in the first place and what life and business was like under Constellation. Constellation made a push into the craft space a few years ago with the splashy and billion dollar purchase of Ballast Point followed by Funky Buddha. The acquisition did not go as planned and after some devaluations Constellation sold Ballast Point to Kings and Convicts. At that point, Sentz, who stayed on with Funky Buddha, knew that the brewery he founded could be next. He and his brother KC decided to make the move to re-acquire their brewery. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Ryan SentzSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, History, Business, Homebrewing, Creativity, Florida

A note from John Holl: "This week I’m pleased to share with you a recent episode of the Brewer to Brewer Podcast, which runs on the All About Beer channel. Shaun O’Sullivan of 21st Amendment interviews Mitch Steele of New Realm Brewing. The duo discuss Steele’s career and he shares insight into his time working for Anheuser-Busch at the dawn of craft beer and the movements made to address and combat the upstarts. It’s a fascinating look into business and history and I hope you enjoy listening to this conversation as much as I did."

Averie Swanson of Keeping Together is on the show this week in a conversation recorded last month at Funk Fest in Nashville, TN. We’re talking about saison, building a new brewery, and the creative process.Swanson is one of the most talented and thoughtful brewers in the U.S. today and her career path is well known. Going from a volunteer at Jester King in Austin to its head brewer in just four years before leaving several years ago to start a new venture called Keeping Together. Originally operating out of Chicago it was focused on mixed culture, rustic, Belgian-inspired beers. Now, she and her partner Pat Fahey have purchased a property in New Mexico and plans to open a brewery and tasting room. Over the last year she has been thinking about new iterations of her beer, specialty ingredients, becoming part of a new community, and the experiences that come with new beginnings and space. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Averie SwansonSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, History, Ingredients, Travel, Saison, Creativity

This week the show is back in Nashville for the second of three conversations recorded before a crowd at Funk Fest, the amazing event hosted by Yzoo Brewing and Embrace the Funk. Mr. Garrett Oliver the Brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery is the guest. As any good beer fan knows, he is the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the author of The Brewmaster’s Table, and the Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer. He has been brewing craft beer since 1989 and is a veteran of over 1000 beer dinners and tastings in 16 countries. An original board member of Slow Food USA, he later went on to become a Councilor of Slow Food International. In 2014 Garrett was the recipient of the James Beard Award as the country's top drinks professional. In 2020 he founded the Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling (MJF), a 501(c)(3) grant-making non-profit organization that funds scholarships for technical education in the brewing and distilling fields for people of color. In 2022, Garrett was "enthroned" by the Knights of The Brewer's Fork of Belgium, descendants of the ancient brewer's guild. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Garrett OliverSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, History, Ingredients, Travel, Michael Jackson

This is a special edition of This Week in Rauchbier as we celebrate Memorial Day Weekend 2023 with a visit to Camp Rauchbier. Recorded at Barrique Brewing and Blending in Nashville, Tennessee before a live and enthusiastic audience John Holl is joined by Spencer Longhurst in the co-host chair. Guests include Jack Hendler of Jack's Abby Craft Lagers and Khristopher Johnson of Green Bench Brewery. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Hosts: John Holl and Spencer LonghurstGuests: Jack Hendler, Khristopher JohnsonTags: beer, craft beer, rauchbier, smoke, Memorial Day, NashvilleMusic for this episode:NewsSting by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4124-newsstingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

A lively conversation over two beers with Vinnie Cilurzo recorded before a crowd at the 2023 Funk Fest in Nashville. Cilurzo talks about the relationship between wine and beer, dialing in acidity, and surprises and delights with pours of four-day-old Pliny the Elder. As one of the leading voices in hop-forward beers and proper barrel-aging he offers unparreled insights into what goes into making world class beer. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Vinnie CilurzoSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Wine, IPA, California, Acidity, Styles

This week on the show I’m glad to have Mary and Brian Rooney of BKS Artisan Ales in Brookside, Missouri. They are here to talk about consumer preferences, tinkering with styles, near endless choice, and the regionality of brewing.A few weeks ago I had the chance to meet and chat with them. They were pouring as part of the Little Beer Festival and we had a lot of fun batting around ideas while I learned about their brewing philosophy and approach to hospitality. They opened BKS in 2017 and the name comes from the commonly used abbreviation of the brookside neighborhood of Kansas City where the brewery is located. Mary runs the front of the house and Brian works in the brewery. And despite what brewery’s full name, he’s also creating a multitude of lagers through the Pivo Project. We’ll get into that… and more. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Brian and Mary RooneySponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Missouri, IPA, Customers, Lagers, Styles

A lot of the focus in beer today focuses on the now. There is a wealth of history that exists and on the show today I’m talking with Clint Lanier, the author of “Ted Mack and America's First Black Owned Brewery: The Rise and Fall of Peoples Beer.”There are some excellent history books about beer that exist in the world. Most will focus on broad categories, but there are some that do a deep dive into a single topic or person that really give us a sense of time, place, and purpose. There are often lessons to be learned about where beer is today. One such book is “Ted Mack and America's First Black Owned Brewery: The Rise and Fall of Peoples Beer.” This is from the blurb: Born a sharecropper in rural Alabama in 1930, Theodore A. (Ted) Mack, Sr., fought in the Korean War and then played football at Ohio State while earning a college degree. Brewing and selling beer, he believed, would be just another peak to attain. After all, it couldn’t be more challenging than his experience in organizing buses to the March on Washington or picketing segregated schools in Milwaukee.This is the story of Mack’s purchase of Peoples Brewing Company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Though he had carefully planned for the historic acquisition, he underestimated the subtle bigotry of Middle America, the corruption of the beer industry, and the failures of the federal government that plagued his ownership. Mack’s ownership of Peoples Brewing is an inspirational story of Black entrepreneurship, innovation and pride at a time when America was at an important racial justice crossroads. The author is Clint Lanier. He’s is an assistant professor of English at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. His writing about travel, history, food and drink has appeared in the Huffington Post, Eater, and Fodors. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Clinton R. Lanier, PhDSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Wisconsin, History, Taverns, Business, Books

The Craft Brewers Conference is an annual event that brings brewers from around the world into a selected city for a few days of education, equipment buying, and camaraderie. Brewers have also been using the occasion to get together in advance to create and then release collaboration beers. One of the most ambitious – at least from what I’ve experienced in recent years – will be released on May 1 by Embrace the Funk, the wild and wooded side of Yazoo Brewing. Brandon Jones, the brewer behind ETF called his friends – Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River, Jason Perkins of Allagash, Jeffrey Stuffings of Jester King and Khristopher Johnson of Green Bench Brewing and they all agreed to lend their time, talent, and inspiration to the beer. Then Jones got Jeff Mello of Bootleg Biology involved on the yeast side and Matt Albrecht of River Drive Cooperage to sort out the wood. Everyone – minus Jason Perkins of Allagash – was able to jump into the zoom studios earlier this month to talk about the beer, how it all came together, and the spirt of collaboration among brewers and in the beer industry. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Brandon Jones, Vinnie Cilurzo, Jeffrey Stuffings, Khristopher Johnson, Jeff Mello, Matt AlbrechtSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Lager, Malt, Collaboration, Yeast, Farming, Hops

It’s a love of lagers episode from four brewers that have fully embraced the traditions to the style and are working to have modern conversations in the space. You’ll hear from Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Bagby Beer, Heater Allen, and Cohesion Brewing.It was a beautiful weather day in Duluth, Georgia last weekend as Good Word Brewing put on its third Little Beer Festival. Todd DiMatteo, who you’ve heard on this show, hosted a celebration of low ABV lagers and ales from top-notch brewers from around the country. The brewery has already set the date for Little Beer IV: Saturday April 13, 2024. It’s a perfect setting and a charming town just outside of Atlanta and if you’re serious about great beer and the people who make it, be sure to be there next year. It’s not just beer drinking at this fest but also some education. Under the shade of a large tree in the middle of the green John Holl was able to sit down with four brewers of note to talk about their love of lagers and the steps they are taking to create delicious beers. The panel includes: Lisa Allen of Heater Allen and Gold Dot Beer in Oregon, Jeff Bagby of Bagby Beer in California; Ashleigh Carter of Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver Colorado, and Eric Larkin of Cohesion Brewing in Denver. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Lisa Allen, Jeff Bagby, Ashleigh Carter, Eric LarkinSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Lager, Malt, History, Tradition, Farming, Hops

Is craft lager having a moment? It’s certainly gained popularity on taproom menus around the country and is showing us the diversity of styles and flavors that can be enjoyed in this category. But where does craft malt fit into these styles that are so driven by the flavors and functionality of malt? This a special episode, recorded on location at the Craft Malt Conference that was recently held in Portland, Maine. It brings together three brewers from the Northeast to discuss their lager programs and how, when, and why they choose to use or not use craft malts in the development of their beer recipes.Guests are Sean Towers from The Seed: A Living Beer Project, Michael Fava of Sacred Profane Brewery, and Justin Slotnick from Schilling Beer Co. Stay tuned until the end for great insight from Daniel Carey of New Glarus brewing. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Michael Fava, Sean Towers, Justin SlotnickSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Lager, Malt, History, Tradition, Farming, Hops

2023 is looking to be an interesting year for legacy brewers in the U.S. We’re seeing closures and contractions, and changes to beloved brands. Of course, the most noted right now is that New Belgium announced that it completely reformulated Fat Tire, turning it something that bears no resemblance to the amber ale that raised and delighted a generation. The changes, or “remastered” version of Boston Lager that Samuel Adams announced earlier this year are not as drastic, but are important and do have an impact on what is poured into the glass. It’s impossible to imagine the modern American beer landscape without Boston Lager. When the Boston Beer company launched in 1984 Jim Koch and co-founder Rhonda Kallman were hand selling samples to accounts all over the city. The beer, based in part on a historic Koch family recipe and further developed by Joseph Owades, a brewing scientist who is credited as the inventor of light beer, was seen as an alternative to the macro offerings of the early 1980s. The beer won early accolades at the Great American Beer Festival in both the consumer preference polls and the formal judging. Top honors gave it bragging rights as “best beer in America,” something the brewery still uses in the beer’s marketing nearly 40 years later. Boston Beer has grown. Brands like Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Twisted Tea, Truly Hard Seltzer, and Dogfish Head are now all part of the company. Samuel Adams has released hundreds of beers, some that landed well with consumers, and others that faded quickly. Boston Lager endured. On draft, in bottles and cans, and in every variety pack the brewery releases, the familiar lager is ever present. But as consumer preferences change, and technologies advance, and as brewers strive for a better version of their vision, the beer has evolved. Koch shares insight on how hop harvest helped evolve the beer, and how historic brewing processes are being used to help the lager taste smoother. If it’s been a while since you last had a Boston Lager, now is a good time to give it a fresh try. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Jim KochSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Lager, History, Judging, Boston, Samuel Adams, Hops, Malt

Welcome to This Week in Rauchbier for April 1, 2023. Our Brewers Roundtable goes deep into the smoke with Spencer Longhurst of Barrique Brewing & Blending, Logan Ackerley of Wallenpaupack Brewing, and Will Gomez of The Brew Bridge. Then Bart Watson of the Brewers Association joins us to share the latest growth and success of Rauchbier in the marketplace. Enjoy these audio smoky delights. Thanks to Hagen and Bill for the inspiration to do this show. Hear the genesis of This Week in Rauchbier on episode 5 of Drink Beer, Think Beer.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Spencer Longhurst, Will Gomez, Logan Ackerley, and Bart Watson.Tags: beer, craft beer, rauchbier, smoke, April Fool's DayMusic for this episode:NewsSting by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4124-newsstingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

It’s off to Montana this week for a chat with the owner and brewer of Meadowlark where we get into the importance of craft malt, a fondness for Scottish-style ales, and brewing with mushrooms. Meadowlark has been on my radar for a while now, but it wasn’t until owner Travis Peterson sent some beer to the home office that I was able to give the full line up a go. Travis tells me that he’s long had a dream of helping people experience the beauty of food and beer pairings. Neither food nor beer has to be complicated or contrived, he says,. It’s all about the experience and opening your mind to all the possibilities beer can create.Travis graduated from Gonzaga University as a civil engineer and pursued a career working on bridge projects in both California and Washington following graduation. But in those years while visiting breweries he could not shake the desire to one day open his own. And that’s where Meadowlark, in Billings, MT came into focus. On the show he’s joined by Brewing Director Tim Schnars. You’ll hear his voice first. He’s been brewing professionally since 2006, when there were less than two thousand breweries in the United States and joined Meadowlark in 2013 Before brewing, Tim received post-secondary certification in advertising and design and pursued a career in animation. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Travis Peterson & Tim SchnarsSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Texas, Foraging, Ingredients, Small Batch, The Land

A decade ago Zach Page and Nick Bonadies met as homebrewers who volunteered to help launch Trillium Brewing Company. Zach, who handles a lot of the brewing responsibilities, moved to maine and worked at Lone Pine Brewing Company where he facilitated their expansion. Nick, who now does a lot of marketing, naming, and other managerial responsibilities, stayed in Massachusetts for a while where coordinated Trillium's expansion projects. Eventually they got back together professionally and brought their wives Melissa and Katie into the fold, with the four of them opening Belleflower Brewing in 2021. Nick and Zach sat down with me last week in their taproom – sharing a mic- to talk art and surprises, family balance, and being part of a larger community. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuestS: Zach Page and Nick BonadiesSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Maine, Art, Ingredients, Small Batch, Lager, IPA

Wisconsin is one of those places that lives in the imaginations of Americans largely in the form of caricature. Full of cheese curd eating, beer loving, Harley riders, the state rarely gets the respect it deserves. In reality, Wisconsin is all of those things and so much more. I grew up 90 minutes south of Milwaukee but it might as well have been a totally different country. Chicago is Midwestern in the way that non-alcoholic beer is beer, in name only. Wisconsin, on the other hand, is pure Midwest. From Friday night fish frys to the homey environs of supper clubs and a relatively laid back sense of community and good spiritedness, Wisconsin is the heart of the Midwest for me.So today I’m excited that in the latest episode of Beer Travelers we’re making our way to one of the great overlooked gems in the American craft beer scene: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.To help lead us through this town’s glorious and storied beer scene we have two fantastic local guides. Chris Drosner is a long-time beer writer and editor covering Wisconsin and Milwaukee specifically. He’s written the Beer Baron column for the Wisconsin State Journal, the daily newspaper in the capital city of Madison. And it’s through this column that I first got to know Chris and his take on the Madtown and greater Wisconsin beer scenes. More recently, Chris moved to Milwaukee, where he is now the executive editor of Milwaukee Magazine. Joining Chris to help us on our tour of Brew City this week is Bobby Tanzillo, the senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com, where he writes about beer, whiskey, history, and architecture. He’s the author of a half dozen history books, including several about beer and its history in Milwaukee. And he’s a great resource for all the beer happenings in the city.While Chris and Bobby compete for scoops on the latest beer news in Milwaukee, it’s clear they have a deep respect for one another and they are the perfect pair to help us navigate this jewel on Lake Michigan.For original articles or to read the vast archives or to check out All About Beer. follow us on Twitter @allaboutbeer and Instagram @allaboutbeer. Support Journalism by visiting our Patreon Page.Host: Andy CrouchGuests: Chris Drosner, Bobby TanzilloSponsor: All About BeerTags: Milwaukee, Wisconsin beer

Spring is almost here which means that plans will start to come back to live in the colder parts of the country. Foraging has always been a part of beer and on this episode we’ll hear from a Texas brewer who is making the most of what is growing around the brewery. Trevor Nearburg is the founder of Beerburg Brewing in the Texas Hill Country After his brother started homebrewing, Nearburg got roped in and together they decided to quit their jobs and become brewers. Both took jobs stacking cases and scrubbing floors at Real Ale Brewing, one of the 50 largest breweries in the US at the time and the second largest in Texas. They both quickly moved up, and after a year of working various jobs in the packaging hall Nearburg made a significant jump to become the Head Brewer of Uncle Billy's, a local brewpub and his brother got into management at Real Ale. Trevor grew Uncle Billy's from a 600 bbl/yr taproom into producing 3,000 bbl/yr and distributing all over Texas. He also helped open the latest iteration of the Celis Brewery. Eventually he became fascinated with brewing with local ingredients and wanted to create a brewery devoted to this and the idea for Beerburg slowly started forming. The plans came together and he opened Beerburg in late January of 2020. After a rough few years he is back to devoting time into wildcrafting beers with native ingredients and local yeast strains. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Trevor NearburgSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Texas, Foraging, Ingredients, Small Batch, The Land

For the last several months the All About Beer podcast has been producing great episodes on a single topic that matter to beer drinkers. Hosts Don Tse and Em Sauter have great expert guests that bring unparalleled insight into all aspects of beer. This episode tackles the importance of clean draft lines. Even if you’re a casual drinker this is still important and fascinating. You can hear regular episodes of the All About Beer podcast, as well as Brewer to Brewer and Beer Traveler by searching All About Beer on your podcast platform of choice. If you believe in quality journalism and content I hope you’ll give our patreon a look: patreon.com/all about beer or you can learn more about advertising on the shows by emailing info @ all about beer dot com. Drink Beer, Think Beer will be back next week with all new episodes, but for now please enjoy the All About Beer Podcast with Em Sauter and Don Tse. --There’s nothing more important in the beer world that’s also super misunderstood and unappreciated than clean draft lines- a dirty draft line can sully a person’s relationship with a brewery or bar and can also have legal implications as well.Our Guest: Neil Witte is one of the foremost draft beer experts in the beer business. He’s spent 20 of his 23 years in the business working in draft quality, first for Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City and now with his own company, Craft Quality Solutions. He co-authored the Draught Beer Quality Manual (DBQM), widely considered to be the most authoritative draft beer reference guide in the beer business today. He continues the work on this living document to this day as a member of the Brewers Association Draught Quality Subcommittee.For original articles or to read the vast archives check out All About Beer. Follow us on Twitter @allaboutbeer and Instagram @allaboutbeer. Support Journalism by visiting our Patreon Page.Hosts: Em Sauter and Don TseGuest: Neil WitteSponsors: All About BeerTags: Brewing, Beer, Draft, Cleaning, Safety, Flavor, Bars, StadiumsThe following music was used for this media project:Music: Awesome Call by Kevin MacLeodFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3399-awesome-callLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist website: https://incompetech.com

Devon Kreps, the owner of 7venth Sun Brewery, has a degree in Fermentation Science from Oregon State University and gained experience at Anheuser-Busch's research pilot facility in St. Louis. She was also the Production Manager at Sweetwater Brewing during its expansion from 25,000 to 60,000 barrels. In 2012, she opened the first 7venth Sun Brewery location in Dunedin, which features 10 taps and outdoor seating. This location, the brewery says, is now treated as a pilot facility, focusing on producing Saisons, Belgian beers, Brett IPAs, Hazy IPAs, and "fun" lagers. The Tampa location, which opened in 2017 in a former VFW roller skating rink, is a larger production plant with a tasting room and outdoor beer garden. 7venth Sun Brewery has created a pair of seltzers called Pink Tax and Blue Tax. They are identical recipes except for the color- and the price. According to the brewery, The Pink Tax refers to the practice of charging higher prices for goods and services marketed to women. Razors, for example, can be up to 66% more expensive for women than for men, despite being the same product. This practice is seen as a form of gender discrimination, as it disproportionately affects women and non-binary individuals. In a switch: The Blue Tax seltzer is priced higher than the Pink Tax seltzer, and 100% of the additional cost, as well as proceeds from both seltzers will be donated to the Pink Boots Society. Kreps explains how all this came about and also talks about Tampa Beer Week and the growing of a business. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Devon KrepsSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Seltzer, Tampa, Festivals, Hangovers, Lager

Hop lovers, put your attention to Maryland where this month brewers and growers there released a beer with a hop that is native to the state and unlike anything else found elsewhere. The brewer and researcher behind it are here to share the story. Last week in Maryland state officials, brewers, growers, and enthusiasts gathered at the Milkhouse Brewery to taste some beers that have recently been brewed with the Monocacy hop. As you’ll hear from Tom Barse at Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm and Bryan Butler at the University of Maryland Extension, this hop has been in plain sight for forty years and because of a farmer with an appreciation for the plant, as well as it being strategically located on the farm it was able to grow and thrive until it was eventually tested. Now it's available for brewing and tasting. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Tom Barse & Bryan ButlerSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Maryland, Hops, Agriculture, History, Ale

There is a lot of focus on football this week in America as the Super Bowl is coming up on Sunday. To get excited about the game and the cities involved I’ve asked on three leading experts from Philly, Kansas City, and Phoenix/Glendale. An eighteen year veteran of the craft brewing industry, Jeremy Danner is the digital marketing manager and a brand ambassador for 4 Hands Brewing Company. Prior to his current position, Danner worked in brewing, cellar, packaging, management and marketing roles at 75th Street Brewery, the Power Plant Restaurant & Brewery and Boulevard Brewing Company. He’s contributed to brewing, R&D, branding, marketing and media, helping breweries connect to consumers through his love of craft beer. He’s also got a half decent Twitter following. Rob Fulmer is the Executive Director of the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild. Bryan Kolesar is a reporter and author based in Pennsylvania. He’s the founder of the Brew Lounge Blog, the author of Beer Lover’s Mid-altantic, and has worked for both the Mid-Atlantic Brewing News and the Ale Street News. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Bryan Kolesar, Rob Fulmer, Jeremy DannerSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Football, Food, Travel, Baseball, Rocky

Trevor Rose-Hamblin, the co-founder and head brewer of Old Irving Brewing Chicago is here to talk about barrels, food, and the importance of mental health.Last month in New Hampshire, Trevor Rose-Hamblin, the co-founder and head brewer of Old Irving Brewing in Chicago stood before a packed ballroom in Manchester New Hampshire. He was there to deliver the keynote at the state’s annual craft brewers conference and he was there to talk about his own life experiences and to urge everyone in the room to think about mental health and ways to help people from causing self harm. It was an impactful speech, and one that he references in this conversation several times as he talks about how Old Irving Came to be, a life in kitchens, and how critically important it is to be listening, watching, and always working to keep people safe and working towards a better headspace. This was recorded the day before his talk and before that part of the conversation we briefly talk about Chicago and it's love of barrel-aged beers. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Trevor Rose-Hamblin of Old Irving BrewingSponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Barrels, Kitchens, History, Brewpub, Mental Health, Chicago

Earlier this week I was in Manchester, New Hampshire for the state’s brewers guild conference and I had a chance to sample my way through a lot of what the state is currently producing. This was especially true during my conversation with Devin Bush of Wild Bloom Beer. He’s the Head Brewer & Co-Founder - along with his wife Beth Ibitz = of the Littleton, NH brewery which recently opened a taproom with a focus on Saisons, Belgians, and Lagers. He’s a graduate of the BrewLab at the University of Sunderland, has certification from the International Guild of Brewers and Distillers, and brewing for Bridge Road Brewers in Australia among other breweries across Europe and the US. He was also awarded the inaugural NH Brewer of the Year in 2020 and also serves on the NHBA Education Committee. What is clear from the conversation – where he opened several beers along the way – he has a passion for local ingredients – actual local ingredients. This Episode is Sponsored By:Athletic Brewing Co.This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company – America’s leading non-alcoholic craft brewer. Give Dry a Try this January with Athletic Brewing’s near beers. NEW Athletic customers can receive 20% off their FIRST order of TWO 6-packs or more when they visit athleticbrewing.com and use the code AAB20 at checkout by March 31, 2023.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Devin BushSponsors: Athletic Brewing, All About BeerTags: Beer, Lager, Rauchbier, History, Local Ingredients, Malt, Saison

From a marketing beginning to eventual homebrewing and then a professional career that had him working for one of the best-known German brewers to small outfits where his creativity could flourish, Charlie Cole has been dedicated to craft. When the opportunity came along to get involved with Blue Cat, an Illinois brewing institution going back to the 1990s, he jumped at the chance. He’s a believer in tradition and forward momentum, of honoring location and history but not settling for the status quo. For almost two years now he’s been working to keep the brewery and restaurant moving in a positive way but a series of factors – including many that are familiar to other brewery owners – have made it a tough road to walk. At the end of 2022 he had to close, something he hopes is temporary. This Episode is Sponsored By:Athletic Brewing Co.This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company – America’s leading non-alcoholic craft brewer. Give Dry a Try this January with Athletic Brewing’s near beers. NEW Athletic customers can receive 20% off their FIRST order of TWO 6-packs or more when they visit athleticbrewing.com and use the code AAB20 at checkout by March 31, 2023.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Charlie ColeSponsors: Athletic Brewing, All About BeerTags: Beer, Lager, Cucumber, History, Illinois, Restaurant, Labor

Scores of Americans have grown up with Kelsey Grammer on their TV sets and on the silver screen screen, through his roles on Cheers and Frasier, as the voice of Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons and Stinky Pete in Toy Story II. He’s done a lot with his professional life. He's starred in countless stage shows, authored books, and dabbled in music. Now, in addition to all that he owns a beer company. It’s called Faith American and it’s based out of upstate New York, where he owns a home. The brand was started in 2019 but was put on pause at the start of Covid-19. It’s been recently revived. The property that he hopes to one day open a tap room comes up a lot in this conversation as the thrust behind the beer ideas, but for now the beers are being made at Frog Alley, a Schenectady New York brewery helmed by brewer Rich Michaels. The three beers in the Faith American lineup – two IPAs and an Ale – currently have distribution through New York and New Jersey. As you’ll hear he’s supporting the beer through appearances, often at local bars, the kind of cozy places where regulars have their reserved seats, the kind of bars where… well you know. Beer and celebrity is interesting and there have been a lot of well-known and boldface names that have gotten into the alcohol business. George Clooney selling tequila. Ryan Reynolds selling gin. There are celebrities that have vineyards, some in name only and others who work the land. There has not been too much in the way of beer. There are some examples, but it’s largely been barren on the celebrity supported and owner front. Grammer, as you’ll hear, is all in and he’s added personal touches to the brand that bring more to the beers than just his extensive acting resume. This Episode is Sponsored By:Athletic Brewing Co.This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company – America’s leading non-alcoholic craft brewer. Give Dry a Try this January with Athletic Brewing’s near beers. NEW Athletic customers can receive 20% off their FIRST order of TWO 6-packs or more when they visit athleticbrewing.com and use the code AAB20 at checkout by March 31, 2023.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Kelsey GrammerSponsors: Athletic Brewing, All About BeerTags: Beer, New York, IPA, History, America

What does this year hold for beer? Likely a lot of uncertainty for the industry, but increased choice for the consumer. For the first show of 2023 I’m glad to be joined by three of my colleagues, the hosts of other shows from All About Beer, and just good friends. Andy Crouch is the publisher and my fellow co-owner of All About Beer and he hosts the monthly Beer Travelers podcast. Em Sauter is the author of Pints and Panels, has written several books which are available where fine products are sold and is the co-host of the All About Beer podcast which airs every two weeks. Don Tse is also the co-host of the All About Beer podcast, he’s the Don of Beer on twitter, Instagram, facebook and wherever puns are found. Listen in as we discuss eisbock, travel, and Lisa's kickass party. This Episode is Sponsored By:Athletic Brewing Co. This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company – America’s leading non-alcoholic craft brewer. Give Dry a Try this January with Athletic Brewing’s near beers. NEW Athletic customers can receive 20% off their FIRST order of TWO 6-packs or more when they visit athleticbrewing.com and use the code AAB20 at checkout by March 31, 2023.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Andy Crouch, Em Sauter, Don TseSponsors: Athletic Brewing, All About BeerTags: Beer, Travel, Cans, Lisa's Party

2022 offered more chances to get back out into the world. The beer bars across the country, that is to say, the ones dedicated to well selected lists and impeccable service are a necessary part of the beer landscape. Like taprooms and restaurants they are also facing hardships amid labor shortages and rising costs. We are grateful to have three well respected publicans on the show this year to talk about their experiences and to give us the state of beer bars in 2022. - Suzanne Schalow of Craft Beer Cellar- Christopher Quinn of the Craft Beer Temple- Roger Baylor of Pints and Union and Common Haus Hall This Episode is Sponsored By:Pro BrewerWe bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed at helping breweries of all sizes understand different facets of the business. Check out our articles on ProBrewer.com every Tuesday and Thursday and visit the site daily for other original content and to stay connected with the beer industry. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Roger Baylor, Christopher Quinn, Suzanne SchalowSponsors: Pro Brewer, All About BeerTags: Beer, Workforce, Bars, Bottle Shops, Customer Experience, Boston, Chicago, Indiana

It's the fun time of year where we recap all that happened in beer, look forward a bit, and generally spread merriment. This year the expert panel includes: Melissa Cole, Matt Kirkegaard, Carla Lauter, and Chris Shepard. This Episode is Sponsored By:Pro BrewerWe bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed at helping breweries of all sizes understand different facets of the business. Check out our articles on ProBrewer.com every Tuesday and Thursday and visit the site daily for other original content and to stay connected with the beer industry. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Melissa Cole, Matt Kirkegaard, Carla Lauter, and Chris ShepardSponsors: Pro Brewer, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, IPA, , Hazy IPA, St. Homebrewing, Dragons, Growth, Closures

"I’ve known Jonathan Moxey since long before I was on the beer writing beat. We were in a group of beer enthusiasts that met in and around new York city at least 15 years ago. Moxey was a homebrewer at the time. He was more than that, of course, but I first knew him as a homebrewer and a damn good one at that. There would be parties and gatherings and bombers would be passed around and all of us, young ‘uns would talk about how beer could save the world – or at least make our worlds better. Strangely enough a lot of folks in that group have gone on to work in and around beer, including opening their own breweries. Moxey and his wife left New York for Missouri where he got a job at Schlafly, and then Perennial and now he’s at Rockwell Beer Co. as the head brewer. He’s making tasty beer with soul, and it’s always a pleasure when I get a can. He’s also an insightful and thoughtful guy. I saw him in person at the great American beer festival and over liters at Bierstadt Lagerhaus he got me thinking about beer in ways I hadn’t in a long time. So Moxey is here this week to share some of those thoughts and to keep the interest in beer flowing."-John Holl This Episode is Sponsored By:Pro BrewerWe bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed at helping breweries of all sizes understand different facets of the business. Check out our articles on ProBrewer.com every Tuesday and Thursday and visit the site daily for other original content and to stay connected with the beer industry. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Jonathan MoxeySponsors: Pro Brewer, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, IPA, Rauchbier, Hazy IPA, St. Louis, Amber Ale, Party, Homebrewing

"Over the summer I spent a delightful evening at Switchback, the venerable Vermont Brewery and got to talking with Gretchen Langfeldt over beers and during a tour of the brewery. At the time I was bummed that I didn’t have my mobile recording kit with me. She’s here this week via zoom for the show and I couldn’t be happier. After graduating Notre Dame with an engineering degree she started working at Switchback one day a week and then eventually full time. Today she’s the engineer and brand marketing leader for the brewery. We’ll talk about engineering, and marketing, plus beer and employee ownership, and yes true believers we’ll also get into Rauchbier. But I started off by asking about the physical building and the equipment inside. As you’ll hear it’s truly a special place worth many visits."-John HollThis Episode is Sponsored By:Pro BrewerWe bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed at helping breweries of all sizes understand different facets of the business. Check out our articles on ProBrewer.com every Tuesday and Thursday and visit the site daily for other original content and to stay connected with the beer industry. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Gretchen LangfeldtSponsors: Pro Brewer, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, IPA, Rauchbier, Hazy IPA, Vermont, Ale

We’re headed into that time of year where people tend to reflect, take stock and then look forward. On this episode I wanted to catch up with the homebrewing sphere since it continues to drive and inspire a lot of what happens in professional beer. For this panel I’m honored to have three guests who have been making their beer for a long time, are active in their communities, and are constantly doing outreach and education to help everyone interested in the hobby. Annie Johnson is a well-known research & development brewer with extensive experience in the food & beverage and consumer goods industries, and as a software development/IT specialist in state government. Annie has been brewing for over 24 years, is a recognized National Beer Judge and Brewmaster. She most recently won the prestigious Glen Hay Falconer Foundation's Scholarship for Engineering & Brewing to the American Brewers Guild and graduated November, 2020. She is on the American Homebrewers Association Governing Committee, is a PinkBoots Chapter coLead and on the board of the Harriett Baskerville Incubation Project. She makes her home in Seattle, WA and Sacramento, CA. Denny Conn and Drew Beechum are longtime homebrewers and noted personalities in the space. They are the co-authors of Simple Home Brewing and Experimental Homebrewing, which is also the name of the podcast they co-host. This Episode is Sponsored By:Jack's AbbyFounded in 2011 by three brothers, Jack, Eric, and Sam Hendler, Jack’s Abby has become a mainstay of the craft brewing scene in the Northeast and nationwide.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Annie Johnson, Denny Conn, and Drew Beechum. Sponsors: Jack's Abby, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, IPA, Homebrewing, Hops, , Technology, Craft

What is the best beer style for your Thanksgiving table? How should you approach pairing good beer with good food? What is a recipe that everyone should try? Chef Jessie Massie of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Chef Josh Tomson of The Lodge at Woodloch share their culinary thoughts all things beer and food to make the holidays merry and bright. This Episode is Sponsored By:Pro BrewerWe bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed at helping breweries of all sizes understand different facets of the business. Check out our articles on ProBrewer.com every Tuesday and Thursday and visit the site daily for other original content and to stay connected with the beer industry. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Jessie Massie and Josh TomsonSponsors: Pro Brewer, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, IPA, Lager, Hazy IPA, Food, Thanksgiving, Pairing

"A few months ago I was visiting Industrial Arts, a brewery in New York’s Hudson valley to record a few episodes of Steal This Beer. Jeff O’Neil, the brewery’s founder and brewmaster, was walking us through his impressive 100 hectolitre system and sharing a sneak peak of some non-alcoholic beers he was working on. This week those beverages are hitting the marketplace so it seemed fitting to have him on this show to talk about the evolution and process. And we’ll get to that, but first we’ll go into that brewery system and he’ll illustrate how it has been constructed to benefit his IPAs, which are some of the very best being made in America right now, and how that even extends into the fields. He’s a member of the hop quality group, and spent time in Germany this year around harvest, and shares his observations and insights from walking those farms. Jeff, as you’ll hear, is a thoughtful brewer. His career has spanned more than 20 years and he worked at a number of breweries on both coasts before opening Industrial Arts six years ago. From where it was at the start to where it is now is impressive to hear and before we got started with the recording he said he doesn’t spend too much time brewing these days, but rather stands on the brew deck and points and tells stories. And that’s where we start, with an extended index finger and this tale of modern engineering."-John Holl This Episode is Sponsored By:Pro BrewerWe bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed at helping breweries of all sizes understand different facets of the business. Check out our articles on ProBrewer.com every Tuesday and Thursday and visit the site daily for other original content and to stay connected with the beer industry. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Jeff O'NeilSponsors: Pro Brewer, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, IPA, Non-Alcoholic, Hops, Germany, Technology, Craft

"Last month I was in Toronto as a judge for the inaugural Canada Beer Cup. Over the course of three very very long days I was seated across from Matt Tweedy, the co-founder and brewing director of Tooth and Nail Brewing in Ottawa. By the lunch break on the first day I knew he needed to be on the show. Aside from having a great palate and brewing insight, he’s a thoughtful guy who genuinely cares about the beers he's making and the overall direction of brewing not only in Canada but globally. Before opening the doors of his brewpub he learned from some of the very best on the planet including stints at Cantillon, Fullers, and The Lost Abbey. Those experiences continue to shape his beer today and help with the overall education and flavor experience that patrons get every time they open one of his beers or step into the bar."-John HollThis Episode is Sponsored By:Pro BrewerWe bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed at helping breweries of all sizes understand different facets of the business. Check out our articles on ProBrewer.com every Tuesday and Thursday and visit the site daily for other original content and to stay connected with the beer industry. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Matt TweedySponsors: Pro Brewer, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, IPA, Recipes, Awards, Canada, Taproom, Food

There are some posts that have a longer shelf life on the internet than others. Bits of wisdom or doses of reality that resonate when you first read them and then continue to make sense long after should they pop up again. Such is the case with a post that Alyssa Hoberer put up in late 2019 urging people to not open a brewery, unless they had put in the work and knew the risks. A lot has happened in the last two years, obviously, but that post – and I’ll read more about it in the show – popped up in my facebook feed last week and still rang true. Hoberer has also posted more bits of wisdom as well as a look inside the brew house at Jagged Mountain in Denver where she is the head brewer. It’s a wide ranging conversation that talks about beer’s evolution, making strong seltzers, social media, and more. But we start with education and how the Great American Beer Festival can be more than fun, it can also be an exchanging of ideas. This Episode is Sponsored By:New Holland BrewingDragon's Milk began as a single barrel experiment over 20 years ago at New Holland Brewing Company and has since grown to become the best-selling American-made stout. Aged in bourbon barrels, rich notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla make for a deliciously smooth and drinkable brew. Whether it's sitting by a bonfire or binging the latest season of Game of Thrones, share a legend with Dragon's Milk today. Learn more and find Dragon's Milk near you at dragonsmilk.com.Les BonA celebration of saison, mixed fermentation beer, ciders, natural wine and oysters. Brewers from around the country will descend on Duluth, Georgia on November 5, 2022 from 1pm to 5pm on the town green. All proceeds go to further the mission of Oyster South supporting aquaculture in the southeast. Tickets are $85 and include unlimited beer samples, coffee, oysters, and a bbq plate. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Alyssa Hoberer Sponsors: New Holland Brewery, Les Bon, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, IPA, Recipes, Awards, Colorado, Taproom, Seltzer

"Earlier this year at the Great American Beer Festival the awards in the beer categories were handed out followed by awards to breweries of the year, as dictated by size. This is based on a metric of barrels produced annually as well as medals won in the competition. For the 251 to 500 barrel capacity brewery, The Big Friendly, a relatively new brewery in Oklahoma City took home the award. Curious about the brewery and its name I called up co-founders and owners brothers Joe and Will Quinlin to talk about their brewing evolution, creating a memorable and welcome space, the changes in Oklahoma that has allowed it to become a beer destination and just what goes into making award winning recipes. "-John HollThis Episode is Sponsored By:New Holland BrewingDragon's Milk began as a single barrel experiment over 20 years ago at New Holland Brewing Company and has since grown to become the best-selling American-made stout. Aged in bourbon barrels, rich notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla make for a deliciously smooth and drinkable brew. Whether it's sitting by a bonfire or binging the latest season of Game of Thrones, share a legend with Dragon's Milk today. Learn more and find Dragon's Milk near you at dragonsmilk.com.Les BonA celebration of saison, mixed fermentation beer, ciders, natural wine and oysters. Brewers from around the country will descend on Duluth, Georgia on November 5, 2022 from 1pm to 5pm on the town green. All proceeds go to further the mission of Oyster South supporting aquaculture in the southeast. Tickets are $85 and include unlimited beer samples, coffee, oysters, and a bbq plate. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Joe and Will QuinlinSponsors: New Holland Brewery, Les Bon, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, Saison, Recipes, Awards, Oklahoma, Taproom

When it comes to beer education, Randy Mosher has schooled countless drinkers on the art and science of tasting beer. He is a writer and creative consultant, the author of five books on beer and brewing, and provides training and lectures around the world. Mosher is a teacher at the Siebel Institute, has a background in design and advertising, and frequently consults on new product development and branding for breweries and specialty food and beverage companies. Based in Chicago, he is currently a minority partner in two Chicago-area breweries.This Episode is Sponsored by:Athletic Brewing CompanyAthletic Brewing Company’s award-winning, craft, non-alcoholic beers are fit for all times. Down time, work time, game time, even gym time. Pick a time and grab an Athletic, because it’s about time you could enjoy a great-tasting brew, any time you want. Even right now. Head to athleticbrewing.com and get some fresh brews delivered. New customers can even get 20% off with code AllAboutBeer20 and free shipping on two 6-packs or more.For original articles or to read the vast archives or to check out All About Beer. follow us on Twitter @allaboutbeer and Instagram @allaboutbeer. Support Journalism by visiting our Patreon Page.Hosts: Em Sauter and Don TseGuest: Randy MosherSponsors: Athletic Brewing Co.Tags: Brewing, Tasting, Sensory, Flavors, Hops, BooksThe following music was used for this media project:Music: Awesome Call by Kevin MacLeodFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3399-awesome-callLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist website: https://incompetech.com

This is the last, for now, of the shows recorded on location from the Pacific Northwest. It was recorded at Von Ebert Brewing’s Glendoveer location, on the far edges of Portland, Oregon and situated on a golf course. Von Ebert is a brewery that has been crushing it since the start. Making great IPAs and Lagers as well as boasting a terrific blending program – in fact we discuss some of those beers on this show to illustrate ingredients and process. A brewery with a diverse portfolio that executes on the highest of levels always has something to explore, and prior to the show Jeff Alworth, the writer, author, and podcast host, had been driving me around Oregon and trying to dissect Von Ebert. Since it was such a conundrum, I invited him to co-host this episode. Happily it goes off the rails at points. Our guests keep us on track and they are: Sam Pecoraro, the Head Brewer who has been brewing around Portland for 11 years at various breweries, including Burnside Brewing, The Commons Brewery and Breakside Brewery before joining Von Ebert at their inception in 2018. As Head Brewer, Sam leads the Pearl District and Glendoveer Brewing teams in all quests related to IPA variants, German-inspired lagers and mixed culture beers. And Jason Hansen, the Lead Brewer and Blender who Started homebrewing right after college, and ended up getting a job at Seven Bridges Organic Homebrew Supply in Santa Cruz, CA. before moving to Sante Adairius Rustic Ales where he eventually became head brewer. He was then Lead Fermentationist at Garden Path Fermentation in Burlington, before joining Von Ebert in 2018. It’s a crowded table that grows a bit more when we’re joined later in the show by Madeleine McCarthy, who was then a brewer at Von Ebert but has since started working at 10 Barrel Brewing. There is a lot to unpack on this rollicking show recorded just off the practice green at the course with a an audience putting a dent into the lager taps. -John HollThis episode is sponsored by: Jack's Abby BrewingGuatemala, the land of eternal spring, rich agriculture, and affinity for fantastic food and coffee. Craft beer is a fledgling movement in the country, but it’s being led by our friends from El Zapote Brewing. Our conversation with them inspired us to create a unique coffee golden lager with imported beans from Finca Retana family farm in Antigua, Guatemala. We believe this beer will have a true taste of the country and we hope you enjoy this unique lager inspired by culture, colors, and conversation.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Hosts: John Holl and Jeff AlworthGuests: Sam Pecoraro, Jason Hansen, Madeleine McCarthySponsors: Jack's Abby, The Craft Brewery Cookbook, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, Hops, Recipes, Growth, Oregon, IPA, Lager, Mixed Fermentation

As the sojourn through the pacific northwest continues I’m thrilled to air this episode of the podcast recorded in Bellingham Washington at the Aslan Depot where head brewer Austin Umbinetti-Hutton joined me before a live audience on a wide ranging conversation about his career, the beers Aslan is making, the importance of community and creativity, and more. This Episode is Sponsored By:New Holland BrewingDragon's Milk began as a single barrel experiment over 20 years ago at New Holland Brewing Company and has since grown to become the best-selling American-made stout. Aged in bourbon barrels, rich notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla make for a deliciously smooth and drinkable brew. Whether it's sitting by a bonfire or binging the latest season of Game of Thrones, share a legend with Dragon's Milk today. Learn more and find Dragon's Milk near you at dragonsmilk.com.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Austin Umbinetti-HuttonSponsors: New Holland Brewery, The Craft Brewery Cookbook, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, Hops, Recipes, Growth, Washington, IPA, Lager, Hop Water

From Andy Crouch:"Denver holds a special place in my heart. I’ve watched as the local beer scene has grown and then exploded, with dozens and dozens of breweries cropping up in parts of town that didn’t even really exist, such as RiNo. Denver has long had a formidable beer scene but today it is one of the country’s best. And on this second episode of the Beer Travelers podcast, we’re going to talk with two local experts, Tristan Chan of PorchDrinking and Jonathan Shikes of the Denver Post. These two are as knowledgeable as they come and as we’ll hear, they are full of advice for planning your visit to the Mile High City. Stay tuned at the end of the episode for my personal favorite suggestion for Denver. Hint: it’s the perfect place for a nightcap or to end your trip."This Episode is Sponsored by:Pub Culture BeercationsStop living vicariously through other people's social media posts and get out and make some memories of your own! Join Pub Culture Beercations for one of our upcoming tours and start exploring the world one pint at a time with us. Visit PubCultureBeercations.com for more information.For original articles or to read the vast archives or to check out All About Beer. follow us on Twitter @allaboutbeer and Instagram @allaboutbeer. Support Journalism by visiting our Patreon Page.Host: Andy CrouchGuests: Tristan Chan and Jonathan ShikesSponsor: Pub Culture BeercationsTags: Denver beer, Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Avery Brewing

In the 1920s when the practice was more common, Meghann Quinn’s ancestors followed the railroad west and wound up settling a farm in Washington’s Yakima Valley. Following the repeal of Prohibition, they got into the hop industry and have ridden the wave since; supplying the larger brewers through the uninspired decades of large-scale American brewing, and into the boom days of today’s craft surge. Seeing the success of hops in the larger market coupled with an interest in homebrewing Quinn, her husband Kevin, and her brothers launched Bale Breaker brewing on the property in 2013. Kevin Quinn is my guest today. How close is the brewery to the field? It takes less than five minutes to get from the bine to the kettle, he says. It’s more than hops here as well. There’s an apple orchard on the nearly 3,000-acre farm, along with fields of Hungarian Wax Peppers, some hemp, and 2021 marked the third barley harvest. Last year they processed more than 200,000 pounds of barley, some of which went into Bale Breaker beers as well. There is a real sense of pride that comes with growing ingredients where they are used and it’s clear from the steady stream of visitors that come through during this season and year round, that drinkers and other brewers feel the same. This Episode is Sponsored By:New Holland BrewingDragon's Milk began as a single barrel experiment over 20 years ago at New Holland Brewing Company and has since grown to become the best-selling American-made stout. Aged in bourbon barrels, rich notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla make for a deliciously smooth and drinkable brew. Whether it's sitting by a bonfire or binging the latest season of Game of Thrones, share a legend with Dragon's Milk today. Learn more and find Dragon's Milk near you at dragonsmilk.com.Denver Rare Beer TastingHeading to Colorado for GABF? You should check out the Denver Rare Beer Tasting on October 7th. It's an incredible afternoon of beer passion featuring America's top craft breweries pouring rare, exotic and vintage brews to benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign. This is truly a bucket list event for a great cause where you get to try beers you won't find elsewhere, and meet the men and women who brewed them. More information at pintsforprostates.org. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Kevin QuinnSponsors: New Holland Brewery, Denver Rare Beer Tasting, The Craft Brewery Cookbook, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, Hops, Recipes, Growth, Washington, IPA, Lager

"I’ve been spending the last week or so in the Pacific Northwest and this is the first of several shows that I’ll be bringing you from Washington and Oregon. It kicks off at Chuckanut, the brewery founded by Mari and Will Kemper and recorded at their brewery in Burlington, Washington, south of Bellingham where they long operated a pub and restaurant. This production facility is largely dedicated to lager, with a few ales thrown for good measure, but mostly lagers. They’ll expand upon what brought them to this town, across from the airport in a minute and expansion plans for what is lovingly referred to as South Nut. And we’ll talk about the intersection of clean and wild beers with their brewery neighbors Ron Extract and Amber Watts who run Garden Path Fermentation, a temple for all things drinkable from beers to wine, mead, and more. While it may seem, at first glance, little to connect them aside from the larger beer industry, there are actually strong ties."-John Holl This Episode is Sponsored By:New Holland BrewingDragon's Milk began as a single barrel experiment over 20 years ago at New Holland Brewing Company and has since grown to become the best-selling American-made stout. Aged in bourbon barrels, rich notes of roasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla make for a deliciously smooth and drinkable brew. Whether it's sitting by a bonfire or binging the latest season of Game of Thrones, share a legend with Dragon's Milk today. Learn more and find Dragon's Milk near you at dragonsmilk.com.Denver Rare Beer TastingHeading to Colorado for GABF? You should check out the Denver Rare Beer Tasting on October 7th. It's an incredible afternoon of beer passion featuring America's top craft breweries pouring rare, exotic and vintage brews to benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign. This is truly a bucket list event for a great cause where you get to try beers you won't find elsewhere, and meet the men and women who brewed them. More information at pintsforprostates.org. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Mari Kemper, Will Kemper, Ron Extract, Amber WattsSponsors: Harpoon Brewery, Denver Rare Beer Tasting, The Craft Brewery Cookbook, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, Homebrewing, Recipes, Growth, Washington, Wild, Lager

"A few weeks ago I spent some time in Vermont, touring around breweries, catching up with old friends, and doing a little promotion for The Craft Brewery Cookbook – which is available now where books are sold. At two of my stops I teamed up with Brad Ring, he’s a long-time friend and colleague and the publisher of Brew Your Own Magazine. BYO has a long and storied history and is the best resource for anyone looking to get into homebrewing or looking to add on knowledge. I’m not just saying this because I host a monthly podcast for BYO about nano brewing, or because I’ve written for the magazine over the years. It’s true because it is smart and detailed a publication run by dedicated homebrewers who appreciate history and where things are headed. Much like professional brewing, homebrewing has evolved and Ring and his team constantly keep their finger on the pulse. In keeping up with the times BYO has recently released an updated version of the Big Book Of Homebrewing. You can find it where good books are sold and on the BYO website. I sat down with Ring in his office, just before a book signing. He opened some cans of a Lawson’s finest liquid pale ale and we talked about the new book and homebrewing in general."-John Holl This Episode is Sponsored By:Harpoon BreweryDid you know that Harpoon IPA is New England’s Original IPA?Brewed in Boston and Vermont for decades by their Employee Owners.Hoppy, crisp, perfectly balanced.Harpoon IPA: New England’s Original IPA.Denver Rare Beer TastingHeading to Colorado for GABF? You should check out the Denver Rare Beer Tasting on October 7th. It's an incredible afternoon of beer passion featuring America's top craft breweries pouring rare, exotic and vintage brews to benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign. This is truly a bucket list event for a great cause where you get to try beers you won't find elsewhere, and meet the men and women who brewed them. More information at pintsforprostates.org. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Brad RingSponsors: Harpoon Brewery, Denver Rare Beer Tasting, The Craft Brewery Cookbook, All About BeerTags: Beer, Brewing, Homebrewing, Recipes, Growth, Vermont

"A long, long time ago I lived, briefly, in Indiana working as a newspaper reporter. Working the late shift there weren’t a lot of drinking options for a post-shift beer. Thankfully there was a brewpub not far from the office that would stay open late and on most nights I’d find Dave Colt and Clay Robinson working on recipes and plotting their own brewery. The brewery would become Sun King, and is one of the largest in Indiana with a growing footprint, multiple locations, and a commitment to quality and irreverence that is unrivaled. It’s been fun to watch the brewery grow and rack up awards, and as I was thinking about this week’s show, I noticed a can of Cherry Busey, the brewery’s Flander’s Red ale on my desk. So calling up Dave Colt and Andrew Hood, who runs the barrel program, seemed like a smart move. From talking about how the program has grown, to new avenues the brewery has explored – including a spot in Florida, it’s a wide ranging and fun romp through Central Indiana and beyond."-John HollThis Episode is Sponsored By:Harpoon BreweryDid you know that Harpoon IPA is New England’s Original IPA?Brewed in Boston and Vermont for decades by their Employee Owners.Hoppy, crisp, perfectly balanced.Harpoon IPA: New England’s Original IPA.Denver Rare Beer TastingHeading to Colorado for GABF? You should check out the Denver Rare Beer Tasting on October 7th. It's an incredible afternoon of beer passion featuring America's top craft breweries pouring rare, exotic and vintage brews to benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign. This is truly a bucket list event for a great cause where you get to try beers you won't find elsewhere, and meet the men and women who brewed them. More information at pintsforprostates.org. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Dave Colt, Andrew HoodSponsors: Harpoon Brewery, Denver Rare Beer Tasting, The Craft Brewery Cookbook, All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Brewing, Barrels, Recipes, Growth, Indiana, Florida, Cream Ale, Flander's Red

"The fire was fast moving and devastating, and even standing outside the rubble in the immediate aftermath Christian Weber knew that Common Roots would rebuild. The brewery in upstate New York had become a community hub and the loss was devastating, not only for the customers, for Weber’s family – which founded and built the brewery – but also the employees who relied on the company. So from day one Weber said they would be supported and the brewery would be back. Last week I had the chance to sit in that rebuilt brewery, now with an expanded taproom and restaurant, and to see the plans for additional growth just across the street. It’s a remarkable journey for this brewery – which is centered in the Adirondacks - but available in 10 states. Weber talks us through it all."-John Holl This Episode is Sponsored By:Harpoon BreweryDid you know that Harpoon IPA is New England’s Original IPA?Brewed in Boston and Vermont for decades by their Employee Owners.Hoppy, crisp, perfectly balanced.Harpoon IPA: New England’s Original IPA.Denver Rare Beer TastingHeading to Colorado for GABF? You should check out the Denver Rare Beer Tasting on October 7th. It's an incredible afternoon of beer passion featuring America's top craft breweries pouring rare, exotic and vintage brews to benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign. This is truly a bucket list event for a great cause where you get to try beers you won't find elsewhere, and meet the men and women who brewed them. More information at pintsforprostates.org. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Christian WeberSponsors: Harpoon Brewery, Denver Rare Beer Tasting, The Craft Brewery Cookbook, All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Brewing, Kitchen, Recipes, Growth, IPA, New York

"I met Travis Zeilstra more than a dozen years ago, at the first SAVOR event in Washington D.C. he was pouring beers for the brewery he worked for at the time and we struck up a conversation about beer and food – natural given the event – that stuck with me for quite some time. He’s done his turns in kitchens and preparing menus and thinking about the ways flavors interact and can delight. Now, as the head brewer of By All Means Brew Lab in Billings, Montana he can think about how the beers interact with the food offerings, and how he wants the beers to present after turns with various ingredients and in wood. Ever thoughtful and passionate, there’s a lot to dive into, so let’s do just that."-John HollThis Episode is Sponsored By:Harpoon BreweryDid you know that Harpoon IPA is New England’s Original IPA?Brewed in Boston and Vermont for decades by their Employee Owners.Hoppy, crisp, perfectly balanced.Harpoon IPA: New England’s Original IPA.Denver Rare Beer TastingHeading to Colorado for GABF? You should check out the Denver Rare Beer Tasting on October 7th. It's an incredible afternoon of beer passion featuring America's top craft breweries pouring rare, exotic and vintage brews to benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign. This is truly a bucket list event for a great cause where you get to try beers you won't find elsewhere, and meet the men and women who brewed them. More information at pintsforprostates.org. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Travis ZeilstraSponsors: Harpoon Brewery, Denver Rare Beer Tasting, The Craft Brewery Cookbook, ProBrewer, All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Brewing, Kitchen, Recipes, Wood, IPA, Montana