EP-235 Josh Hare of Hops and Grain

Today’s guest was a must-see during our time in Austin, Texas. Josh Hare is the lone founder of Hops and Grain Brewing. He’s an avid cyclist, and a massive Lager advocate.

He’s long been one of those Twitter handles that I was attracted to—his rational, skeptical voice stands out within an industry that can sometimes be an irrational, cynical place. He’s a breath of fresh air. And back in 2017, he became a member of our subscriber community, The Fervent Few. In fact, he was the very first pro-tier subscriber we ever got, and he’s been there ever since.

Another thing that makes Josh interesting—particularly at a time when most craft breweries are starting with small teams, or at least co-founders with complementary skill-sets—is that he took the plunge himself. That changes a lot of the dynamics related to the kind of team he needed to build, as well as the responsibilities that fall on him in a small, growing brewery. We’re going to spend a good deal of time digging into the implications of that emotionally, psychologically, physically, and strategically.

We’re also going to talk about the state of Austin beer. Josh’s next move has him looking at San Marcos for a second location as he contemplates the meaning behind, and the opportunity for, community-building in the area.

And finally, we get into his wild program. As Texas laws have recently changed to allow beer to go, the opportunity for small-batch, specialty releases is a new frontier for a brewery like Hops and Grain. And the things in store there are delicious.

This is Josh Hare of Hops and Grain Brewing. Listen in.