"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 will be published on July 5, 2022 and I can’t say this enough: pre-order a copy now.  It 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:Cigar City Brewing Co.Jai Low IPA. Vibrant aromas of nectarine, orange zest, and lime leaf greet the nose, melding seamlessly with peach-like esters and a light, bready malt aroma. Citrus flavors of clementine and tangerine dance on the palate with a snappy bitterness, with bread crust-like malt, and sparkling carbonation providing balance to this moderate-bodied IPA. Learn more at CigarCityBrewing.com  Stomp StickersStomp is a proud member of the brewers association that produces a wide variety of printed brewery products such as beer labels, keg collars, coasters, beer boxes and much more. Stomp’s website features an easy-to-use design tool, low quantity orders, fast turn times, and free domestic shipping. Visit StompStickers.com and use code BEEREDGE15 for 15% off your first order. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Nate SchweberSponsors: Cigar City Brewing, Stomp Stickers, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Gin, Politics, National Parks, Conservation, History, Travel

"It's no secret I love a well made lager. One of the great benefits of this current brewing age is the number of small producers that are creating high quality pilsners and lagers. Goldfinger Brewing, located in a western Chicago suburb is one of them.  Thomas Beckmann, the co-founder and brewer is my guest this week. He has all the credentials one would want from a proper lager brewer. He has his Master Brewer’s diploma through the World Brewing Academy in Chicago and Munich, and built Goldfinger to the specs he wanted, including a decoction brewhouse, aeration, horizontal lager tanks and natural carbonation. There is also some family history involved here as well. Markus Goldfinger, a brewer – and equipment manufacturer - who lived in the 19th century in Poland and sold across Europe is Tom's ancestor. Today’s Goldfinger has three core offerings and a host of rotating seasonals, we’ll talk about it all along with process, and service.  I’ve been hearing about Goldfinger from several of you listeners for a while now, including Aaron Peterson who says “ His brewery has achieved 'please just take all of our money' status in our household, and his Maibock was one of the best beers I have had in a very long time.” Then Ashleigh Carter of Bierstadt Lagerhaus suggested having Tom on, so clearly the time had come. This Episode is sponsored by:Cigar City Brewing Co.Jai Low IPA. Vibrant aromas of nectarine, orange zest, and lime leaf greet the nose, melding seamlessly with peach-like esters and a light, bready malt aroma. Citrus flavors of clementine and tangerine dance on the palate with a snappy bitterness, with bread crust-like malt, and sparkling carbonation providing balance to this moderate-bodied IPA. Lear more at CigarCityBrewing.com  Stomp StickersStomp is a proud member of the brewers association that produces a wide variety of printed brewery products such as beer labels, keg collars, coasters, beer boxes and much more. Stomp’s website features an easy-to-use design tool, low quantity orders, fast turn times, and free domestic shipping. Visit StompStickers.com and use code BEEREDGE15 for 15% off your first order. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuest: Thomas BeckmannSponsors: Cigar City Brewing, Stomp Stickers, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Ownership, Family, Lager, Travel, Equipment, Illinois

Show notes from host John Holl"In a sign that the world is adapting to the pandemic, beer weeks are back and last week Asheville, North Carolina one of the great beer cities in America celebrated all of its breweries and producers. I was fortunate to spend a day in the city capped off by a visit to Highland Brewing, which was founded in 1994 by Oscar Wong. Today the brewery is led by his daughter Leah Wong Ashburn. Highland put in the hard work and laid the groundwork for the scene to come and today continues to make flavorful beers and welcome visitors to their expansive taproom and grounds that now feature a volleyball court.  This discussion was held in the brewery’s barrel room, which opened during the pandemic and hasn’t seen much use. But on this night where pints of Gaelic ale flowed and a crowd gathered to snack on bites from a local food truck, we could forget about the worries of the world for a few minutes and just enjoy some camaraderie. I’m joined in hosting duties by Jon Page, he’s my long-time friend, the former managing editor of All About Beer and the photographer for The Craft Brewery Cookbook – which is on sale now – where books are sold.  This event was billed as a book signing, but I was more eager to hear from Leah and Oscar about the brewery, it’s legacy and future, and the family dynamics.  We were using hand held mics and as happens sometimes people moved them back and forth, bear with us." This Episode is sponsored by:Cigar City Brewing Co.Have you met Florida Man? It’s a modern Double IPA with a tropical expression from its blend of American hops, including Citra, Azacca, El Dorado, and Mandarina Bavarian, and is balanced by delicate peach esters from a unique Double IPA yeast and a dash of Canadian honey malt. Learn more about the hero of the sunshine by visiting CigarCityBrewing.com  Stomp StickersStomp is a proud member of the brewers association that produces a wide variety of printed brewery products such as beer labels, keg collars, coasters, beer boxes and much more. Stomp’s website features an easy-to-use design tool, low quantity orders, fast turn times, and free domestic shipping. Visit StompStickers.com and use code BEEREDGE15 for 15% off your first order. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Oscar Wong, Leah Wong Ashburn, Jon PageSponsors: Cigar City Brewing, Stomp Stickers, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Ownership, Family, Volleyball, Amber Ale, Watering holes, North Carolina

Birds Fly South calls itself a “progressively old school urban farmhouse” brewery. It might sound like several contradictions until you start talking with Shawn and Lindsay Johnson, the co-founders, and suddenly this Greenville, South Carolina brewery starts to make sense.  The origin story might sound familiar. Shawn was a beer fan who tried a lot of different styles and visited breweries during his time in the Coast Guard. At the time they were stationed on Kodiak Island, Alaska where early sunsets meant more times for hobbies. Lindsay got him a homebrew kit for Father’s Day one year and the rest… well, you know.  The moved to Florida and Shawn started working with Bob Sylvester of Saint Somewhere, and a deep appreciation for saison and farmhouse ales flourished. A move to the D.C area had Shawn helping to open Fair Winds Brewing Co. in Virginia at that point the idea to have their own place had cemented and needed to come a reality.   Birds Fly South opened in 2016.  In this episode we’ll talk about the brewing process and recipe development with Shawn and front of the house and the taproom with Lindsay all while going deeper into what the brewery wants to be and how it plans to get there. This Episode is sponsored by:Cigar City Brewing Co.Have you met Florida Man? It’s a modern Double IPA with a tropical expression from its blend of American hops, including Citra, Azacca, El Dorado, and Mandarina Bavarian, and is balanced by delicate peach esters from a unique Double IPA yeast and a dash of Canadian honey malt. Learn more about the hero of the sunshine by visiting CigarCityBrewing.com  For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Lindsay and Shawn Johnson of Birds Fly SouthSponsors: Cigar City Brewing, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Ownership, Florida, Saison, Innovation, Bottles, Growth, South Carolina 

In a testament to how quickly the beer industry can change, it’s hard to imagine even just a few years ago that a panel like this would be taking place. But as the beer industry matures, there is a tilt towards health and wellness, the rise of non-alcoholic beer in the craft space can not be ignored.  It shouldn’t be ignored.  What you are about to hear was held in a seminar room at the 2022 Craft Brewers Conference in Minneapolis.  This is an expert panel that is pushing the boundaries of non-alcoholic beer in taste, innovation, and positive public perception.   So you’ll hear from:  · Garrett Oliver the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the author of The Brewmaster’s Table, and the Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer.  · Bill Shufelt the co-founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing Co.  And · Keith Villa Brewmaster and Co-Founder at Ceria Beverages Company  This audio was captured by  Erik Eidem who had a microphone and camera set up in the seminar room. So while there aren’t individual mics, it will hopefully give you the sensation that you were in the room with everyone else. This Episode is sponsored by:Pro BrewerEarlier this year Beer Edge starting working with ProBrewer that to 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 or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Garrett Oliver, Bill Shufelt, Keith VillaSponsors: Pro Brewer, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Ownership, Non-alcoholic, marijuana, Innovation, education

Last week, word got out that Patrick Rue, the founder of The Bruery in Orange County California, and more recently the founder and operator of Erosion Wines in Napa had acquired a 50 percent stake in Moonlight Brewery, a beloved northern California brewery founded 30 years ago by Brian Hunt.  Moonlight is known for its beers like Death & Taxes and Reality Czech and had been half owned by Lagunitas via Heineken for the past six years.  I first learned of the news via Beer by BART, a great site run by Gail Ann Williams and Steve Shapiro. If you’re not already following them on social media, rectify that quickly.  A subsequent press release release from the brewery noted that “Patrick will serve in an advisory capacity and will direct an oak barrel-aging beer program that enhances the integrity and heritage of Moonlight.”  It continued by saying that under the Heineken co-ownership Moonlight "packaging shifted from exclusively draft to additionally offering beers in cans, and both production and distribution have grown all while keeping sales limited to Northern California.  The new ownership strengthens Moonlight’s dedication to remaining locally owned. This will allow for patient growth, greater availability of its coveted beers to its fans and wholesale partners, while maintaining the deliciousness and highest quality for which Moonlight is so well known.” Press release aside, in this episode we hear from the owners directly.  This Episode is sponsored by:Cigar City Brewing Co.Check out Fancy Papers from Cigar City Brewing. With aromas of freshly cut grass and tangerine along with white wine grape and bread-like aromas, this Hazy IPA has flavors of guava, melon, and lime leaf. Brewed with Strata, Sabro, and Idaho 7 hops to draw in lovers of fruit-forward Hazy IPAs, get some today where you buy beer and learn more at cigar city brewing. com Learn more at Cigar City Brewing.com  For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.Host: John HollGuests: Brian Hunt and Patrick Rue of Moonlight BrewingSponsors: Cigar City Brewing, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Ownership, California, Collaboration, Innovation, Wine

"They say that beer brings people together, and that was certainly evident last week in Minneapolis as much of the brewing world gathered for the Craft Brewers Conference and it seems that at some point or another everyone made the trip to Fair State Brewing Cooperative.  I was among them, and had the chance to sit down with co-founders Niko Tonks and Evan Sallee.  From the beginning, as the brewery name suggests, the pair along with other co-founder Matt Hauck, wanted consumers to be involved with the business. Not just funding, but with meaningful feedback.  Fitting that their plan came together at Black Star, another brewery co-op in Austin, and when the doors opened here in 2014 they became the first in Minnesota to follow the model and only the third in the nation.  Now with more than 2,000 members the brewery is hitting a stride. It has been shaped by the pandemic, of course, but the time of COVID has helped Evan and Niko dial in the business, focus more deeply on recipes and really think about the future.  We recorded this in the taproom over a pitcher of pilsner and get into many aspects of the business, and the emerging interest in non-alcoholic beers, including one they had on their taproom menu and that I thoroughly enjoyed."-John HollThis Episode is sponsored by:Cigar City Brewing Co.Check out Fancy Papers from Cigar City Brewing. With aromas of freshly cut grass and tangerine along with white wine grape and bread-like aromas, this Hazy IPA has flavors of guava, melon, and lime leaf. Brewed with Strata, Sabro, and Idaho 7 hops to draw in lovers of fruit-forward Hazy IPAs, get some today where you buy beer and learn more at cigar city brewing. com Learn more at Cigar City Brewing.com  For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer. Host: John HollGuests: Niko Tonks and Evan Sallee of Fair State Brewing CooperativeSponsors: Cigar City Brewing, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Ingredients, Pilsner, Collaboration, Innovation, Non-alcoholic beer

Much of the professional brewing world is focused on Minnesota this week as the annual Craft Brewers Conference is happening, along with the World  Beer Cup competition. I thought it would be a good to check in with a brewer in the state – or at least one connected with the state. Minnesota beer laws are wonky which has led to creative solutions. Austin Jevne the Owner & Head Brewer of Humble Forager, which is contract brewed in Wisconsin as well as Minneapolis, will explain how the brand developed out of an existing brewpub in Rochester, Minnesota.  From finding local ingredients on his travels that inspire new beers, to scaling up from small batches to large ones while not sacrificing flavor or ethos, Austin takes us through his creative process on brewing that now extends to hard seltzer.  He’s also big on collaborations and gives us a curtain raiser on one that is being brewed this week with Other Half Brewery.  Austin sees beer as an adventure and wants every recipe to reflect that sense.And if you’re still brewing small and curious about finding your own local ingredients he has tips for that as well.  This Episode is sponsored by:Cigar City Brewing Co.Jai Alai IPA is a bold, citrusy and balanced India Pale Ale that involves six different hop varietals used generously in a 7.5% ABV beer. Look for notes of orange peel, clementine, and light caramel to share the story and sunshine of Florida with beer lovers across the globe. Learn more at Cigar City Brewing.com  For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and visit All About Beer.  Host: John HollGuest: Austin Jevne of Humble ForagerSponsors: Cigar City Brewing, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  All About Beer and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Ingredients, Distribution, Collaboration, Hard Seltzer

"Em Sauter is a cartoonist and visual beer educator who delights readers daily on her website Pints and Panels. She’s worked in breweries and been an advocate for good good beer.  This week she has a new book out – her second – called Hooray for Craft Beer! An Illustrated Guide to Beer, published by Brewers Publications. It’s available where books are sold and you should go buy it.  She takes us readers on a journey through beer history and styles and does so in an engaging way in a book that can be read straight through or just picked up for a few minutes here and there.  While the style of the book and her work might be whimsical, the material is serious and factually accurate. She works hard to make sure what we’re reading in the book not only serves entertainment purposes but also can be used as a study guide or learning tool.  We’ll talk about that, as well as her beer and life pairings, and we’ll meander around the beer world, as we often do when we get together." -John HollThis Episode is sponsored by:Cigar City Brewing Co. Jai Alai IPA is a bold, citrusy and balanced India Pale Ale that involves six different hop varietals used generously in a 7.5% ABV beer. Look for notes of orange peel, clementine, and light caramel to share the story and sunshine of Florida with beer lovers across the globe. Learn more at Cigar City Brewing.com  For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge: The Newsletter for Beer Professionals, follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and subscribe to our beer industry focused newsletter. There is more information, articles, and engaging content at Beer Edge.Host: John HollGuest: Em SauterSponsors: Cigar City Brewing, The Craft Brewery Cookbook,  and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Books, Education, Baseball, Belgium, Life

Show notes from John Holl: "As I’ve mentioned, I’m always on the lookout for new-to-me breweries, especially ones that are bucking the normal trends. Todd DiMatteo of Good Word put Wheatland Spring Farm and Brewery on my radar, and I’m thankful.  I’m talking with John and Bonnie Branding, the couple behind the brewery that sits on 30 acres of farmland, about an hour west of Washington, D.C. There they are growing their own grains, including some that haven’t seen the light of day in beer in quite some time. They have herbs and produce that go into the beers, honey for fermenting and flavor, at least three distinct yeast strains all harvested from the land.  The Brandings say the brewery has been a long time in the making. It opened in 2019 and they are Farming for Fermentation. Working with research facilities and other local farms to source all they need and to push the idea of local agriculture in every pint.   They spoke to me from the brewery. Here’s our conversation."For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge: The Newsletter for Beer Professionals, follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and subscribe to our beer industry focused newsletter. There is more information, articles, and engaging content at Beer Edge.Host: John HollGuests: Bonnie and John BrandingSponsors: The Craft Brewery Cookbook and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Mixed Fermentation, Lagers, Virginia, Festivals, Grain, Water, Hops