CL-106 Jonny Garrett Wonders “What Is Beer?”

Around the world, the craft beer community disagrees on a lot of things, but one big schism is over what beer actually is. Is it a rigid adherence to historical methods and styles? Or could it also be over-the-top, avant-garde experiments that are as far from tradition as it’s possible to be while still remaining liquid? At Omnipollo Brewing, it turns out beer can be both.

In his latest piece titled “Lead Us Not Into Temptation — Omnipollo Brewing in Stockholm, Sweden,” writer and filmmaker Jonny Garrett goes headfirst into the wacky world of Omnipollo, a brewery best known for its outrageous Pastry Stouts and iconic aesthetic. But being known for one thing hasn’t kept them from branching out—even if they’re not quite sure where they’re going. Today, Jonny reveals what it was like to have his own preconceptions about what beer is challenged by Omnipollo, and how brewing Pastry Stouts emulates the artistry of baking actual pastries. He describes Omnipollo as “tearing up the rulebook” of beer, with outlandish—and yes, delicious—results. 

We also talk about how filming, photographing, and even writing about the art of others is an art form in itself, rife with challenges that can often yield something entirely new. Finally, we’ll touch on that Yellow Belly controversy: what it was like to hear about it firsthand from Omnipollo’s founder and brewer, their intent, the impact, and how context changes over time and in different places. Beer is always more than just beer, so let’s talk about it.