This week Jimmy is talking doomsday drinking with Chris Maestro, owner of Bierwax, Thomas Gaulkin, editor at The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist , and Aaron Goldfarb, journalist, and author of Hacking Whiskey . From nuclear apocalypse to climate change, how might a disaster affect your favorite beer? Thomas talks about some of the little-known science of the food industry, including the radiation that might be used to produce some of your favorite foods. Chris gives an exciting window into the ...
Nov 19, 2021•56 min•Ep. 605
This week on Beer Sessions, Jimmy sits down with Tim Webb and Steven Beaumont, co-authors of the 3rd Edition of The World Atlas of Beer . Tim and Steven detail their paths to becoming some of the most renowned beer authors. They talk about the enormous growth the world of craft beer has seen in the past twenty years with now 45 countries having booming beer scenes. And they touch on what defines local variety. Of course, the gang gives recommendations for their favorite beers and pubs. And final...
Nov 12, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 604
This week Jimmy dives into the history of working-class drinking with PJ Mercier, founder of Navigation Brewing in Lowell, Massachusetts, BR Royla, national judge for BJCP , Peter Brown , British journalist and writer, and Jerard Fagerberg , writer and journalist. From Jack Kerouac to British coal mines, the gang pieces through where pub myth and legend meet reality. The writers attest to the dangers of writing drunk. The group explores how beer and drinking have been such an integral part of wo...
Nov 05, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 603
This week Jimmy heads up to Cambridge to have a tasting with Soham Bhatt at Artifact Cider Project . Jimmy and Soham talk through the brief history of northeast cider as well as the founding of The Artifact Cider Project. They touch on how Artifact Cider Project has created cider deeply connected to both the landscape and the history of the Northeast. And finally, how through offering a knowledgeable staff as well as unique and casual bar food pairings, Artifact Cider Project is helping more con...
Oct 29, 2021•58 min•Ep. 602
This week Jimmy explores the local sourcing and supply chains that bring you some of the best beers with Geoff Wenzel, R&D brewer at Industrial Arts Brewing , Mike McManus, director of brewing operations at Industrial Arts Brewing, Phil Neumann with Mainstem Malt , and Kevin Kain, beer blogger @Casketbeer . Kevin and Mike start us off diving into the local sourcing of ingredients from New York State and highlight Industrial Arts Brewing’s landscape series. Everyone emphasizes how local farm ...
Oct 22, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 601
Jimmy heads to Boston for the 600th episode of BSR! We catch up with Chris Lohring , founder of Notch Brewing, to talk pilsner traditions, decoction, as well as the new Notch Tap Room and Brewery at the Charles River Speedway in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood. For the second year in a row, Jimmy is tapping and tasting the extremely limited, Pitch Lined Pils. Take a journey through history as Chris walks us through the process of bringing this old-world technique back, from sourcing to brewing. T...
Oct 15, 2021•57 min•Ep. 600
This week on Beer Sessions, a celebration of Cider Week! Jimmy talks about everything Cider with Steve Selin, owner of South Hill Cider ; Mike Reis, owner of Redfield Cider ; Karl du Hoffman, owner of Orchard Hill Cider ; and Paige Fiori, owner of Boutique Wines and Spirits in Fishkill NY. Steve and Mike dive into the exciting experimentation happening in cider, from exploring new spices and fruits to fire pressure in California driving many winemakers to explore the possibilities of cider. Mike...
Oct 08, 2021•54 min•Ep. 599
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is all about lagers! On the show, Jeff Alworth, author of The Beer Bible , and Jack Hendler, the co-owner of Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham, Massachusetts, talk about everything from the brewing process to the history and future of craft lagers. Jimmy kicks us off by asking Jack why he chose to brew lagers. Jack dives into the real lack of lagers on the American craft beer market today. Jeff explains how a rise in Hazy IPAs among other things neces...
Oct 01, 2021•58 min•Ep. 598
This week Jimmy talks about the growing trends of second-use fruit, farmhouse ales, and natural carbonation with guests Jake Endres, cofounder of Crooked Run Fermentation , Ian Kalmes, head brewer at Transmitter Brewing , and Mandy Naglich from @Beerswithmandy . To kick things off, Jimmy dives right into the benefits of the increasingly popular technique of second-use fruit in crafting beers. Mandy explains the benefits of second-use fruit as creating a beer with a subtle fruity flavor while als...
Sep 23, 2021•59 min•Ep. 597
This week’s episode of Beer Sessions Radio is very special because it’s the first episode recorded in HRN’s studio at Roberta’s Pizza since March 2020! Talking beer, and drinking beer, on the radio! Jimmy is joined in the studio by Fee Doyle from Beer Witch in Park Slope BK, NY; Claire Matern from Hiller & Moon in Park Slope, BK; and the stars of the episode, Lev Katsouba and Angela Steil from Draft Choice in BK, NY. The gang gets comfortable and talks about the “living systems” that need to...
Sep 16, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 596
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, the Beer Geek All-Stars talk beer! Starting the fall season off strong, Jimmy welcomes Sean Lawson, of Lawson’s Finest Liquids in Waitsfield, VT, and Kevin Kain, AKA @CasketBeer , beer writer and blogger in Westchester, NY. To kick things off this season, Jimmy decides to get back to the big picture: talking beer. Sean delves into his 9 state distribution initiative on exporting the taste of Vermont craft beer to the rest of the nation’s beer market, and the new...
Sep 10, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 595
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy catches up with Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon! Closing off the season with a family-oriented brewery established in 1988, Jimmy welcomes Veronica Vega , Director of Product Development at Deschutes, and Robin Johnson , the Head Brewer at the Deschutes Brewpub. Deschutes was the first craft brewery in Bend, and started as the humble pub at which Robin still works. Veronica paints a scenic picture of Bend as an “Outdoor Mecca”, with mountain biking, hiki...
Aug 12, 2021•55 min•Ep. 594
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, the summer of craft malt continues! Jimmy talks hops, malt, and more with Jeff Lyons from Endless Life Brewing in Crown Heights BK, NY; Ted Hawley from NY Craft Malt in Batavia, NY; Chad Meigs from The Bineyard Hop Growers in Cazenovia, NY; and Chris Holden from the NY Hop Guild in Elmira, NY. To kick things off, Jimmy asks Jeff what New York ingredients mean to him as a brewer. Ted chimes in with his knowledge of the quickly evolving New York malt industry, whi...
Aug 05, 2021•55 min•Ep. 593
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is keeping the summer of craft malt going with Jesse Bussard from the Craft Maltsters Guild in Bozeman, MT; Vince Tursi from Dssolvr Brewery in Asheville, NC; Erik Youngren from Skagit Valley Malting in Burlington WA; and Brent Manning from Riverbend Malthouse in Asheville, NC. To kick things off, the gang introduces us to the South by Northwest project, spearheaded by Erik and Brent. As maybe one of the first malt collaborations ever, the two explain how ...
Jul 30, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 592
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy has a full house. On the show is Dana Ball and Dave Walton from Upward Brewing in Livingston Manor, NY; Brad Vogel and Sam Merrett from the Schooner Apollonia in Hudson, NY and Gowanus, NY; Daric Schlesselman from Van Brunt Stillhouse in Brooklyn, NY; Eric Austin from Viking Draft Co in Canaan, NY; Laura Webster from Poor Devil Pepper Co , and Nika Carlson from Greenpoint Cidery in Hudson, NY. To kick things off, Dana and Dave reflect on their recent succe...
Jul 23, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 591
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is diving deeper into the world of craft malt. On the show are Phil Neumann and Kether Scharff-Gray from Mainstem Malt in Walla Walla, WA; Brandon Howard from Amalga Distillery in Juneau, AK; and Emily Hutto from Rad Craft Beer . Brandon introduces us to Alaskan grown barley, starting with the legendary “Failed Barley Experiment.” Kether then gets us up to speed on the Mainstem “hub,” which extends way beyond just a malthouse. Phil explains why Mainstem is...
Jul 15, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 590
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, summer is in full swing! On the show is Angela Steil , Advanced Cicerone in NYC; Chef Richard Knight from London, England; and Emree Woods from Rightside Brewing in Lawrenceville, GA. To kick things off, Richard introduces us to his cooking background, which has taken him to quirky spots all across the world. Angela, a master in food and drink pairings, then offers up a couple of contrasting suggestions for beer and barbeque pairings. If you’re looking for somet...
Jul 08, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 589
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is highlighting the powerful women defining the craft malt industry. On the show is Jesse Bussard from the North American Craft Maltsters Guild in Bozeman, MT; Kether Scharff-Gray from Mainstem Malt in Walla Walla, WA; and Hilary Barile from Rabbit Hill Farms & Malt House in Shiloh, NJ. To kick things off, Jesse introduces us to her role at the Craft Maltsters Guild. Then, Hilary walks us through Rabbit Hill Farms and Malthouse, where they grow and mal...
Jul 01, 2021•52 min•Ep. 588
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is learning all about building a brewing system in upstate New York. On the show is Dieter Gehring and Scott Veltman from Indiana Ladder Cidery and Brewery in Albany County, NY and Melanie Fronhofer from Fronhofer Design in Glen Falls, NY. To kick things off, Melanie gives us Fronhofer’s backstory, taking us all the way back to her dad’s machine shop. Fronhofer has come a long way, and recently, they teamed up with Indiana Ladder Cidery Brewery to build a ...
Jun 27, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 587
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is learning all about Dogfish Head . On the show is Sam and Mariah Calagione, Co-founders of Dogfish Head in Milton, DE and Andrew Greeley, Inn Keeper at Dogfish Inn in Lewes, Delaware. Jimmy takes it back to highlighting the core of Dogfish, starting with the origin of the 60-minute IPA. Andrew then tells us how he got his start running the Dogfish Inn, and Mariah introduces us to what Dogfish calls “beer and benevolence.” As a leader in creativity, Andre...
Jun 17, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 586
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is highlighting Green Man Brewery . On the show is Green Man’s co-owner Dennis Thies and Taproom Manager Eric MacDonald from Asheville, NC. Dennis starts by taking us back to 2008 when he first discovered the Asheville craft beer scene. He then lets us in on who the mythical “Green Man” truly is, and how he polished the brand up once he became the new owner. What separates Green Man from other breweries is that they actually have two taprooms side-by-side,...
Jun 10, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 585
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is breaking down the Brewers Association style guidelines for craft beer. On the show is Chris Swersey from the Brewers Association in Salmon, ID; B.R. Rolya, formerly with Shelton Brothers Importers and a BJCP nationally ranked judge; and James Tai, an advanced cicerone, and BJCP certified from New York, NY. Chris kicks off the show with an introduction to the Brewers Association, offering a bit of history into the key power players behind the style guide...
Jun 03, 2021•59 min•Ep. 584
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is getting excited for Memorial Day Weekend grilling and drinking. On the show is Paul Dlugokencky from Blind Bat Brewery in Long Island, NY; Ray Sheehan from BBQ Buddha , and Todd DiMatteo from Good Word Brewing and Public House in Duluth, Georgia. Paul tells us about how he incorporates beer into his food program at Blind Bat Brewery, and Todd introduces us to Good Word Brewing, where he jokes that the food is almost as good as the beer. Ray then preview...
May 28, 2021•57 min•Ep. 583
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy brings in Brad McQuhae and Balbir Sidhu from Konig Brewing Systems in Abbotsford, BC, and John Legnard from Blue Moon Brewing at the Molson Brewery in Montreal, Quebec. In January, Jimmy had Brad on episode 565 to talk about all things craft beer in British Columbia. Back on the show for round two, Brad came with tons of hysterical stories, including dealing with snakes and rats in breweries, working just below the arctic circle, eating out in Japan, and m...
May 20, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 582
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is celebrating American Craft Beer Week with a great group of guests. On the show is Brian Strumke from Stillwater Artisanal in Seattle, WA; Ryan Brower from Gear Patrol in Brooklyn, NY; and Jean Broillet from Tired Hands Brewing Company in Ardmore, PA. To kick things off, Brian introduces his pandemic project: Fast Fashion with Matt Storm (The Masonry Pizza), in Seattle, Washington. Brian and Jean then quickly veer off course, offering a preview into thei...
May 14, 2021•51 min•Ep. 581
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is focusing on all things cider. On the show is Eleanor Leger from Eden Specialty Ciders in Newport, VT; David Thornton from James Creek Cider House in Moore County, NC; and Craig Cavallo and Dan Pucci, co-authors of “ American Cider: A Modern Guide to a Historic Beverage. ” To kick the show off, Dan and Craig tell the story of how they came together to create “American Cider.” With the book paying special attention to regions, Eleanor and David both expla...
May 06, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 580
This week, Jimmy is introducing Beer Sessions Radio to the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project. On the show is Chris Weld from Berkshire Mountain Distillers in Sheffield, MA; Rich Eyering from Harpoon Brewery in Boston, MA; and Jack Hendler from Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham, MA. Chris kicks off the show by explaining where the project first came from, as well as introducing us to his passion for distilling. As a participating brewery, Jack introduces us to Jack’s Abby and the impressive list...
Apr 29, 2021•52 min•Ep. 579
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is learning about the craft beer industry in Atlantic Canada. On the show is Chris McDonald from Atlantic Canada Beer Blog in Atlantic Canada; Chris Reynolds from Bar Stillwell in Halifax, Canada; Craig Pinhey, a writer from Rothesay, Canada; and Jeremy White from Big Spruce Brewing in Baddeck, Canada. The group kicks off the conversation with an introduction to Atlantic Canada, focusing on the remarkable cask ale, which has been pouring since 1985 and lat...
Apr 22, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 578
This week, Beer Sessions Radio is all about Vermont hops. On the show is Bob Grim and Sam Keane from Foam Brewers in Burlington, VT; and Julian Post and Max Licker from Champlain Valley Hops in Starksboro, VT. The conversation begins with all things hops. Julian introduces everyone to Vermont agriculture, explains just how niche the hop industry is, and wows the gang with some impressive hops statistics. Then, Bob and Sam offer a brewer’s perspective, emphasizing the importance of sourcing quali...
Apr 16, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 577
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is diving into the world of flavor intelligence. On the show are Jean van Damme from ESTER in Belgium and New York; Suzanne Schalow from Craft Beer Cellars and Trinktisch in Belmont, MA; and Emily Hutto from RadCraft. Jean kicks off the show by introducing us to ESTER, which uses flavor intelligence to help inform producers, retailers, and consumers. Understanding flavor is an individual experience, and ESTER helps retailers navigate consumer’s preferences...
Apr 09, 2021•57 min•Ep. 576
