Drink Beer, Think Beer With John Holl

This week, I’m delighted to be joined by Diane Flynt, the author of the recently published Wild, Tamed, Lost, Revived: The Surprising Story of Apples in the South. This is a story of history, diversity, and the future.For those who say social media is a bad thing, I get it. But occasionally it can provide gems. For example, last week I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw Sean Lilly Wilson, the founder of North Carolina’s Fullsteam Brewery post about a new book he was reading: Wild, Tamed, Lost, Revived: The Surprising Story of Apples in the South. I was immediately intrigued and reached out to the author, Diane Flynt, to come on the show. She and her husband Chuck live in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, where she is an apple grower and cidermaker. She says above all else she is an insatiable learner, which led to the concept and writing of this book. Flynt is a multiple-time James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional and founded Foggy Ridge Cider in 1997 after leaving her corporate career and produced cider until 2018. There aren’t nearly enough books on apples in the world, especially engaging and well thought out ones, but this book stands among the top, in my mind and based on what I’ve read, for not only the rich history and passion it provides, but also the personal narrative weaved throughout, and the easy to understand approach, which helps put the subject in our hands. Press materials provided in advance give this description: Flynt "shows how southern apples, ranging from northern varieties that found fame on southern soil to hyper-local apples grown by a single family, have a history beyond the region, from Queen Victoria's court to the Oregon Trail. Flynt also tells us the darker side of the story, detailing how apples were entwined with slavery and the theft of Indigenous land. She relates the ways southerners lost their rich apple culture in less than the lifetime of a tree and offers a tentatively hopeful future." This Episode is Sponsored By:ShopifyShopify’s already taken the cash register online, helping millions sell billions around the world. But did you know that Shopify can do the same thing at your retail store? Give your point-of-sale system a serious upgrade, with Shopify. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/drinkbeer and take your retail business to the next level today.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Diane FlyntSponsors: Shopify, All About BeerTags: Cider, Apples, History, South, Agriculture, Flavor

There is a lot of uncertainty in the American beer industry these days, especially among the smaller breweries. In what is both a cautionary tale and one of optimism, Sean O’Keefe of Pontoon Brewing in Georgia is here today to talk about how his brewery was forced to close and to furlough employees.Earlier this month the brewery put up a social media post announcing that it needed to close. This was necessary, owners said because one of it’s main distributors had not paid them for beer delivered. O'Keefe has not publicly identified the distributor, citing on-going litigation as the reason. The brewery has been a vibrant part of the Georgia Beer scene for years now, focusing on big boozy imperial stouts and messing around with adjuncts. It’s also making more mainstream beers that can appeal to a wider audience. It hasn’t always been easy, but the brewery has grown, and O’Keefe is candid about what has been happening behind the scenes to get to this point, and how fragile it can all be. Right now the brewery is looking for investors and looking for a path forward. There seems to be a lot of announcements these days about breweries closing and it puts a spotlight on all of the facets that go into running a successful business, and how even one piece out of sync can hurt the whole brewery. This Episode is Sponsored By:ShopifyShopify’s already taken the cash register online, helping millions sell billions around the world. But did you know that Shopify can do the same thing at your retail store? Give your point-of-sale system a serious upgrade, with Shopify. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/drinkbeer and take your retail business to the next level today.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Sean O'KeefeSponsors: Shopify, All About BeerTags: Beer, Business, Bills, Stouts, Georgia,

“I’ve known Nate Schweber going on 20 years now, we’ve been colleagues, friends, and even co-authors. I can say without a doubt that he is one of the hardest working reporters I’ve ever met, he has a keen eye for detail, enjoys a good drink, and knows how to rock with the best of them. He’s a raconteur, with endless curiosity and compassion, and great passion. My life is better because I know him. His chords are familiar to listeners of this show as it has opened up every episode since we started, and was even part of the old After Two Beers show I did for All About Beer. We’ve been to breweries and crime scenes together, we’ve had adventures and even wrote a book together – Indiana Breweries – which was released in 2011 and has since gone on to sell tens of copies. He lives in Brooklyn these days, but he grew up in Missoula, Montana and has always had a passion for outdoor reporting. A previous book, Fly Fishing Yellowstone is a must for any angler looking for the story of trout in the historic park, not just the fish but tales of the streams and its history. His latest book tells a remarkable story about conservation, activism, and journalism, with belts of sold drinking thrown in here and again. It’s called This America of Ours: Bernard and Avis DeVoto and the Forgotten Fight to Save the Wild. It was published on July 5, 2022 and the paperback is out now. It has also the book won the High Plains Book Award, and received the first place book award from the Outdoor Writers Association of America. The book tells the story of a husband and wife team that took on special interests and politicians like Joe McCarthy and worked to protect land that should have been protected, and along the way, they strike up a friendship with a woman who would alter the course of cooking in America. It’s suspenseful, meticulously researched, frightening with bits of levity, and historically important with mirrors to today. It is one of the most engaging books I’ve read in a long time, and I’m not just saying all of this because he showed up at my house with a bottle of gin. But, of course, that’s where we start.” -John HollThis Episode is Sponsored By:ShopifyShopify’s already taken the cash register online, helping millions sell billions around the world. But did you know that Shopify can do the same thing at your retail store? Give your point-of-sale system a serious upgrade, with Shopify. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/drinkbeer and take your retail business to the next level today.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Nate SchweberSponsors: Shopify, All About BeerTags: Beer, Nature, Travel, Parks, History, Gin

If you’ve been paying attention to the beer social medias lately, you might have noticed a photo of a Colorado-brewed amber ale making the rounds. It’s called Re-Tired and it’s a clear homage to the original recipe of New Belgium’s Fat Tire. This beer, however, is made by Crooked Stave. Chad Yakobson, the brewery’s founder and brewmaster is here for a conversation.He founded Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project 13 years ago and originally it focused around Brettanomyces. As his official bio points out that his brewing master’s thesis was on Brettanomyces and its use in the brewing industry. “Wanting to spread the wealth of knowledge, Chad published his research as an open-source website to provide a greater understanding of Brettanomyces yeasts for brewers. Focused on strain-specific fermentations and the major compounds produced during pure culture anaerobic fermentation in wort, the application of these yeasts has proliferated throughout the brewing industry.” Wild Wild Brett, where I’ll begin the conversation, was a research and development series that really helped drinkers of the time better understand the yeast. But, a changing beer world has it backburnered today. Still, everything old can be new again, including amber ales. When New Belgium announced it was fundimentally changing its famed fat tire from an amber ale to more of a golden one, many folks were heartbroken, even if they hadn’t purchased the beer for some time. Chad walks me through how this homage came to be, and how he never thought Crooked Stave would ever make an Amber ale. A lot has happened in thirteen years and Chad weaves the story of Crooked Stave and the larger beer industry through the lens of Colorado. This Episode is Sponsored By:ShopifyShopify’s already taken the cash register online, helping millions sell billions around the world. But did you know that Shopify can do the same thing at your retail store? Give your point-of-sale system a serious upgrade, with Shopify. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/drinkbeer and take your retail business to the next level today.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Chad YakobsonSponsors: Shopify, All About BeerTags: Beer, IPA, Wild, Sour Ales, Colorado, Brettanomyces, Fat Tire

This week, I’m excited to be joined by Tim Ogden of Deviant Libations in Florida, for a conversation that revolves around inclusivity in the beer space, and creating a taproom that reflects personality and passion. This is the last of the shows I recorded during the Florida Brewers Guld Conference this past summer, and I was grateful to meet and spend time with Tim Ogden. Ogden started home brewing in the late 90s and after moving to Florida at a time when craft beer was far less accessible, and they became an avid homebrewer out of necessity. It soon became apparent that working in the industry would be a dream come true. They started out at Hops, a brewpub chain, and moved on from there in 2009 to help grow with Cigar City Brewing. In 2008 after receiving a scholarship for the concise brewing course at Siebel Institute granted by the Florida Brewers Guild, Ogden served two terms on the guild Board of Directors. Tim is known for adjunct sweet stouts, fruity IPAs, crispy clean lagers and not-so-tart sour ale, and has a passion for constant reinvention and blurring of the boundaries between styles. Tim leverages creativity and personality to navigate the space between traditional beer and things a little less common to create beverages that are unique and fun, while still accessible to a wide array of people, and is intent on creating a space of radical inclusivity where all are not only accepted but genuinely feel welcome. This Episode is Sponsored By:ShopifyShopify’s already taken the cash register online, helping millions sell billions around the world. But did you know that Shopify can do the same thing at your retail store? Give your point-of-sale system a serious upgrade, with Shopify. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/drinkbeer and take your retail business to the next level today.For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Tim OgdenSponsors: Shopify, All About BeerTags: Beer, IPA, Florida, Sour Ales, Taproom, Diversity

This is a malt centric episode at the intersection of brewer curiosity. In a moment I’ll be talking with Chris Cates of Little Animals Brewing, Brent Manning of Riverbend Malt House, and Andrew Zinn of Leveller Brewing.A year ago, Cates visited Belgium and came back inspired. After visiting through some of the worlds best breweries, drinking classic and carefully crafted saison, he wanted to make a beer that not only paid homage to those beers but to also impart a sense of place from Eastern Tennessee. After trying a few recipes that didn’t yield the results he wanted, Cates reached out to Riverbend Malt House in neighboring North Carolina to help him create a pilsner malt that would mimic those from Belgium. The idea, he said was to a local malt “tailored for diastatic and mixed fermentations, with higher protein and beta-glucans and built in minerality and buffering capacity.” Riverbend achieved this by creating a water profile that was rich in minerals that was used during the malting process. Manning of Riverbend says the results yielded a malt that resists ph drop slightly better than usual, and allows for additional laxtic acid and potential ester precursors. We’ll weave the whole story from start to finisih as Cates and Manning join the show with Andrew Zinn of Leveller Brewing, who has also been brewing with the malt. This Episode is Sponsored By:ShopifyShopify’s already taken the cash register online, helping millions sell billions around the world. But did you know that Shopify can do the same thing at your retail store? Give your point-of-sale system a serious upgrade, with Shopify. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/drinkbeer and take your retail business to the next level today. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Chris Cates, Andrew Zinn, Brent ManningSponsors: Shopify, All About BeerTags: Beer, Malt, Belgium, Water, Science, Pilsner, Saison, Tennessee, North Carolina

This episode will specifically be talking about self-harm experiences and prevention. Guests Jon Lane of O.H.S.O brewing in Arizona and Russ Klisch of the Lakefront Brewery in Wisconson discuss the beer initiative around 9-8-8, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This episode will specifically be talking about self-harm experiences and prevention. Lane has lost family and friends to suicide, and, as you’ll hear, even had ideations himself. He credits the volunteer he spoke with after dialing 988 for saving his life. Not everyone knows about the number and the service and Lane wanted to raise awareness and to shine light on the importance of mental health and saving lives. The 9-8-8 beer initiative helps breakdown barriers and bring suicide prevention to the forefront of conversations. Lakefront Brewery released its beer, Save A Weiss, earlier in September. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Lifeline. Additionally, in the United States you can visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of services. Individual countries also have their own resources. Host: John HollGuests: Jon Lane and Russ Klisch Sponsors: All About BeerTags: Beer, Weather, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, Recipes

Out to Washington this week for an update on the 2023 Hop Crop and to hear how the timing of the harvest impacts flavor and aroma. Eric Desmarais and Alexandra Nowell of CLS Farm in Yakima is here to share their insight. Mid-September means the hop harvest is in full swing in the Pacific Northewest, and to get insight on what is happening with the harvest I’m so pleased to be joined by Eric Desmarais, the 4th generation owner of CLS Farms in Yakima and Alexandra Nowell the technical brewing advisor to the farm. They’ve been busy taking stock of all that’s happening amid the acres and running sensory and talking with brewers. They’ve also been looking at the calendar and taking stock on the aromas and flavors that the hops present when they are picked. It’s something that gets a good amount of attention these days. Earlier this year they hosted a seminar titled "Finding the Edges: The Intersection of Art and Science Hop Picking Windows," and were joined by Tom Nielsen of Sierra Nevada, and Stephanie Conn of VGF Farms. The seminar explored the diversity of hop aromas that can develop based on when a variety is harvested and in this conversation they will share details on that and what they have additionally learned this season. How does harvest time impact the flavor of the hops? One example that CLS found that harvesting El Dorado towards the end of September brings out its tropical and candy aromas whereas early harvested El Dorado has more citrus and melon character. It’s a fascinating subject and science.

India pale ale is the style that built craft beer. With bold, hoppy flavors, it was distinctive and different and tantalized tastebuds of craft beer drinkers. IPA is a historic style, but historic doesn’t mean static. Yes, there are many modern interpretations of IPA, but even historic IPA evolved over time, in response to tastes, wars, taxation and many other factors that drive beer makers and beer drinkers.Guests:Ron PattinsonRon Pattinson is a British beer writer and historian who lives in Amsterdam. He has wasted the last two decades of his twilight years researching and obsessing over many beer-related topics.On his Shut up About Barclay Perkins blog, he writes in excruciating detail about beer history, mostly of British beer styles, with excursions across the Channel into German Austrian, Dutch and Scandinavian beer history. The books he has authored on beer history are almost innumerable. They are mostly significant for their single-word titles, such as "Porter!", "Mild!" and "Bitter!" and their enormous page count. His published works include a book on brewing historic beers called "The Home Brewer's Guide to Vintage Beer" and the definitive work on Scottish beer and brewing, the snappily-titled "Scotland! vol. 2". The few copies of his books to be sold mostly reside in brewers' offices. He is married and the father of two sons in their twenties, neither of whom have yet bothered to move out, despite numerous hints.Mike KarnowskiMike Karnowski is the owner/brewer at Zebulon Artisan Ales in Weaverville that he rubs with his wife Gabrielle. He is the author of Homebrew: Beyond The Basics, home brewer since 1986, historical beer enthusiast.This Episode is Sponsored by:Estrella GaliciaEstrella Galicia is an independent, family-owned brewery in northwest Spain, founded in 1906.Estrella Galicia Cerveza Especial is a world class lager, brewed using the finest Spanish malts, locally cultivated Galician hops and the best brewing practices, in a state-of-the-art facility in A Coruna. Recognized around the world for quality and exceptional character. Estrella Galicia is “A beer like no other.”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.Hosts: Don Tse and Em SauterGuests: Ron Pattinson, Mike KarnowskiSponsors: Estrella Galicia, Yakima Valley Hops, All About BeerTags: Brewing, IPA, History, HopsThe 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

During the Florida Brewers Guild Conference a few weeks ago I had the chance to meet a lot of dedicated professionals and folks working to bring deeper meaning to beer. One such person is Ami Parrino the Laboratory Manager at Florida Avenue Brewing Company. At the brewery she combines her expertise as a microbiologist and Advanced Cicerone to ensure the production of top-quality beers and elevate the overall beer experience for consumers. She is a beer judge and is Siebel Institute sensory trained. Ami offers classes on beer and food pairing and works with local breweries to curate their menu pairing options. And she is in the process of writing a book on beer and food pairing culture around the world.This Episode is Sponsored By: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 HollGuest: Ami ParrinoSponsors: All About Beer, Pints for ProstatesTags: Beer, Florida, Sensory, Pairings, Food, Beer Weeks, Pink Boots

A special live audience episode of the podcast co-hosted by John Holl and Andy Crouch. Recorded on location at Jack's Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham, Massachusetts. With special guests: Jennifer Glanville Love of Boston Beer, Sam Hendler of Jack's Abby Brewing, and Adam Romanow of Castle Island Brewing. This Episode is Sponsored By: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.Hosts: John Holl and Andy CrouchGuests: Jennifer Glanville Love, Sam Hendler, Adam RomanowSponsors: All About Beer, Pints for ProstatesTags: Beer, Massachusetts, Lager, Seasonal, Oktoberfest, Legislation

Strap in, because we’re going on a ride, deep into flavor, our senses and what Randy Mosher calls “Your Tasting Brain.”No matter how long you have been around beer, thinking about beer, drinking beer, listening about or talking about beer, there is always something new to learn. This is especially true when around Randy Mosher. He’s the celebrated writer behind classic books like Tasting Beer, and a talented brewer and recipe developer. Last month he was in Orlando, giving the keynote address at the Florida Guild Conference, a stellar event put on by now former director Sean Nordquist. Over the course of 90 minutes, Mosher walked attendees through the sensory systems. He sat down with me afterwards for a conversation that picked up on that talk, and the info he plans to put into his forthcoming book: Your Tasting Brain: How it Works and How to Use it Taste, smell and mouthfeel represent fully half of our sensory systems, but we barely notice them most of the time, he says. Using the simple act of tasting to slice through the new science, this book – which he hopes will publish next year - brings the science to life and illuminates just how complex, finely tuned and superbly functional these senses are. School is in session. Professor Mosher is ready to teach. This Episode is Sponsored By: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 HollGuest: Randy MosherSponsors: All About Beer, Pints for ProstatesTags: Beer, Florida, Tasting, Recipes, Sensory, Aroma

A lot of breweries talk about sustainability and environmental practices, but few are as committed as Florida’s First Magnitude. This week on the show it’s a conversation with Christine and John Denny, the founders of the brewery.Located in Gainesville, Florida they are the Southeast’s first carbon-neutral brewery through a partnership with We Are Neutral, and they have donated a lot of money to and encourage research into the Florida Springs Institute. In the brewhouse they are working to reduce waste and to find ways to be more efficient. There are charitable works they brewery touts and they are striving to remain a relevent community hub. As for the beers, they are pretty darn good, including one that I enjoyed during the show: Drift, a session brown ale. What’s a session brown? Keep listening. This Episode is Sponsored By: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 HollGuest: Christine and John DennySponsors: All About Beer, Pints for ProstatesTags: Beer, Florida, Water, Sustainability, English Mild

Last Week Jack’s Abby, the Massachusetts-based lager brewery announced that it would soon be releasing a collaboration with Weihenstephan, the venerable German brewery. It’s called Fest Of Both Worlds and it’s brewed with Pilsner and Munich malts along with Sterling and Adeena hops, and fermented with TUM 34/70, which Weihenstephan shared for this beer. At nearly 1,000 years old Weihenstephan is a brewery of legend around the world and through a commitment to technical brewing and education has helped countless brewers and drinkers better understand beer. This collaboration with Jack’s Abby is only the third time Weihenstephan has collaborated with an American brewer. The beer will be available later this month in Massachusetts and New York. My guests are Jack Hendler Co-Founder of Jack’s Abby and Matthias Ebner, the Global Brand Ambassador Weihenstephan. They are here to talk about the collaboration, and so much more. This Episode is Sponsored By: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 HollGuest: Matthias Ebner, Jack HendlerSponsors: All About Beer, , Pints for ProstatesTags: Beer, History, Non-alcoholic, travel, festbier

We’re tasting all the time when it comes to beer and our drinking experiences. But there is always a chance to become better, to go deeper and layer in more thought. Mandy Naglich, is the author of the new book “How To Taste” and she is here to guide us.There are several books that exist that help us understand our brains and senses when it comes to tasting. Now, there is a new one to add to your shelf. How to taste: a guide to discovering flavor and savoring life by Mandy Naglich was released a few weeks ago and is a fun, conversational, and thought provoking book that is worthy of your time and attention. Mandy Naglich is an Advanced Cicerone, Certified Taster, and journalist. As a Certified Cider Professional and after completing all levels of WSET Spirits Mandy began to teach both consumers and professionals about flavor and service across the beverage alcohol category. Her wildly popular tasting classes sell out around the city and virtually. Mandy uses her experience tasting and studying beverages to report for outlets like Vice, Taste of Home, VinePair, and Wine Enthusiast. Her fans also follow her adventures around the world on her popular blog @drinkswithmandy. This new book goes beyond just beer and that is to our benefit. 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 HollGuest: Mandy Naglich Sponsors: All About Beer, Yakima Valley Hops, Pints for ProstatesTags: Beer, History, tasting, travel, cheese,

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