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 n...
May 10, 2023•50 min
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 ofte...
May 03, 2023•45 min
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 ET...
Apr 26, 2023•52 min
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 th...
Apr 19, 2023•53 min
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 progra...
Apr 12, 2023•54 min
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 ...
Apr 05, 2023•50 min
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 Rauchbie...
Apr 01, 2023•45 min
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...
Mar 29, 2023•48 min
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 t...
Mar 22, 2023•44 min
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 Midw...
Mar 15, 2023•1 hr 8 min
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 a...
Mar 08, 2023•42 min
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 A...
Mar 01, 2023•55 min
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 pr...
Feb 22, 2023•45 min
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 a...
Feb 15, 2023•42 min
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 a...
Feb 08, 2023•59 min
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 roo...
Feb 01, 2023•59 min
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 ...
Jan 25, 2023•53 min
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 statu...
Jan 18, 2023•1 hr 2 min
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 ...
Jan 11, 2023•46 min
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...
Jan 04, 2023•54 min
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 ...
Dec 28, 2022•1 hr 3 min
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 Brewer We 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...
Dec 21, 2022•1 hr 28 min
"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. Stra...
Dec 14, 2022•53 min
"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 mar...
Dec 07, 2022•51 min
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 r...
Nov 30, 2022•1 hr
What is the best beer style for your Thanksgiving table? How should you approach pairing good beer with good food? What is a recipe that everyone should try? Chef Jessie Massie of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Chef Josh Tomson of The Lodge at Woodloch share their culinary thoughts all things beer and food to make the holidays merry and bright. This Episode is Sponsored By: Pro Brewer We bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed...
Nov 23, 2022•43 min
"A few months ago I was visiting Industrial Arts , a brewery in New York’s Hudson valley to record a few episodes of Steal This Beer. Jeff O’Neil, the brewery’s founder and brewmaster, was walking us through his impressive 100 hectolitre system and sharing a sneak peak of some non-alcoholic beers he was working on. This week those beverages are hitting the marketplace so it seemed fitting to have him on this show to talk about the evolution and process. And we’ll get to that, but first we’ll go ...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 24 min
"Last month I was in Toronto as a judge for the inaugural Canada Beer Cup . Over the course of three very very long days I was seated across from Matt Tweedy, the co-founder and brewing director of Tooth and Nail Brewing in Ottawa. By the lunch break on the first day I knew he needed to be on the show. Aside from having a great palate and brewing insight, he’s a thoughtful guy who genuinely cares about the beers he's making and the overall direction of brewing not only in Canada but globally. Be...
Nov 09, 2022•47 min
There are some posts that have a longer shelf life on the internet than others. Bits of wisdom or doses of reality that resonate when you first read them and then continue to make sense long after should they pop up again. Such is the case with a post that Alyssa Hoberer put up in late 2019 urging people to not open a brewery, unless they had put in the work and knew the risks. A lot has happened in the last two years, obviously, but that post – and I’ll read more about it in the show – popped u...
Nov 02, 2022•1 hr 3 min
"Earlier this year at the Great American Beer Festival the awards in the beer categories were handed out followed by awards to breweries of the year, as dictated by size. This is based on a metric of barrels produced annually as well as medals won in the competition. For the 251 to 500 barrel capacity brewery, The Big Friendly, a relatively new brewery in Oklahoma City took home the award. Curious about the brewery and its name I called up co-founders and owners brothers Joe and Will Quinlin to ...
Oct 26, 2022•45 min
