Sam Riggins is making the most out of his brewery. Cosmic Eye Brewery is his long running vision of a brewing operation that he could call home. Starting as a home brewer and then working for Nebraska Brewing Co., he and his wife started the Lincoln, Nebraska based brewery about four years ago, envisioning it as a local taproom that could also make beer to for the local market.  The pandemic, of course, has complicated things.  But a stick-to-it-ness and a desire to make beer that doesn’t follow hype trends,  tastes like the beer he wants to drink and is proud to serve, and helps bring new drinkers into the fold has him happy and moving forward.  That he is brewing without fuss doesn’t mean he is against experimentation. He’s thoughtful and creative when putting recipes together, sometimes relying on the “less is more” approach, especially when it comes to IPA.  As you’ll hear, it has helped him grow a customer base and forge deeper connections with beer drinkers. This Episode is sponsored by:NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future.Stomp StickersStomp Stickers 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 DRINKBEER15 for 15% off your first order.Athletic Brewing Co. Athletic Brewing Company’s innovative process allows them to brew great-tastingcraft beer without the alcohol. From IPAs to stouts to golden ales and more, they offer a full selection of beers starting at only 50 calories. Now you can keep your head clear and enjoy the refreshing taste of beer anytime, anywhere. Place an order today atathleticbrewing.com and get free shipping on two six packs or more. New customerscan also get 10% off their entire order with code BeerEdge10. Limit one per customer.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: Sam RigginsSponsors:   NZ Hops, Stomp Stickers, Athletic Brewing, and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Lager, Music, Homebrewing, Collaboration, Nebraska

Notes from Host John Holl:A well conceived and executed beer dinner is a wonderful thing. It is a combination of a chef's creativity and a brewer's best efforts coming together on one table. It is best paired with companions that are enthusiastic about flavor and exploration.  One of the best beer dinners I’ve ever attended was at The Ruck, a great beer bar in Troy, New York. The chef at the time Rachel Mabb outdid herself course after course pairing with, and occasionally cooking with Allagash beer.  She’s since left the restaurant and is now teaching culinary students at nearby Union College. It’s a great pleasure to have her on the show today.  The same is true for Heather Hutton. She’s the pastry chef at Edmund’s Oast in South Carolina. I’ve been working on a new cookbook about beer and food pairing, and Heather was kind enough to share a recipe for a Tres Leche cake that just blew everyone away during the testing and writing phase of the project. Baking and beer are a lot alike and she has great insight.  And Brandon Plyler is the brewery’s Advanced Cicerone and is doing a little bit of everything these days. He has keen insight into pairings, service, and has a respect for the classics are often overlooked.  This Episode is sponsored by:NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future.Stomp StickersStomp Stickers 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 DRINKBEER15 for 15% off your first order.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: Rachel Maab, Heather Hutton, Brandon PlylerSponsors:   NZ Hops, Stomp Stickers and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Food, IPA, Hops, Lager, Saison, Thanksgiving 

Inspired by Belgium and its beers, Matt Manthe has a strong respect for wild microbes, spontaneous ales, and the results that come from letting cultures express themselves. His professional brewing career and studies have taken him from South Carolina, to Berlin and now to Florida, where he did the work of shift and head brewing making clean beers for thirsty customers.  Behind the scenes and at home he was experimenting with his own house strain, and thinking about long and wood aged ales.  You’d expect nothing less from a brewer who has a degree in microbiology.  Odd Breed Wild Ales opened in 2017 and  is the expression of Manthe and the beers he wants to make, the ones that come from an idea that often has to wait for months or years for a formal debut. From whole cone hops to locally sourced whole fruit, to wild lagers he has deep thoughts on it all.  This Episode is sponsored by:NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future.Stomp StickersStomp Stickers 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 DRINKBEER15 for 15% off your first order.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: Matt Manthe of Odd Breed Wild AlesSponsors:   NZ Hops, Stomp Stickers and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Fruit, Lager, Local, IPA, Spontaneous, Hops, Wood, Ken Grossman

Show notes from host John Holl:"You’ll hear how I first met Sean Lilly Wilson a little later in the show, but what I didn’t know back then and what I’ve come to experience over the course of nearly a decade, is his commitment to food, drink, hospitality, creativity, culture, and community.   Outside of Fullsteam, the brewery he launched in 2010, much of the growth of North Carolina as a premiere beer state has to do with the efforts he mounted – with a dedicated group of others – to change the then byzantine beer laws and restrictions.  It was an effort called Pop the Cap, and its impact is still felt today. His efforts haven’t stopped with the laws, but have moved onto the land. Through the brewery, work within the state guild, and conversation with other brewing professionals he wants to help southern agriculture grow and thrive. He’s called it "plow to pint" and the beers he and the brewing team have produced bear the fruit of that hard work.  Nationally, he’s been recognized four times by the James Beard Foundation as a semi-finalist in the outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer category. Personally, he’s a nice guy to talk to. He’s thoughtful and earnest and an incredibly hard worker.  At the brewery he goes by CEO – Chief Executive Optimist – and works to bring forward thinking to both the original brewery in Durham as well as a new location – which opened on the day this was recorded, a day before it first aired. It will focus on pizza and beer pairings, something that might sound simple, but is actually a tightrope walk. This Episode is sponsored by:NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future.Stomp StickersStomp Stickers 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 DRINKBEER15 for 15% off your first order.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: Sean Lilly Wilson of Fullsteam BrewerySponsors:   NZ Hops, Stomp Stickers and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Farming, Pilsner, Local, IPA, Food, Laws

Alan Sprints wanted to be a chef,  but the hours were going to be terrible and he wanted to raise a family, so he went into brewing instead. That was to the great benefit to all of us because his dedication to styles that were not mainstream, or even sessionable meant the creation of building blocks that the entire US craft industry stands on today.  From the early days of Oregon craft beer, to brewing beers that are meant to be cellared, to legacy and beyond, his perspective is unparalleled and he does not hold back in this wide-ranging conversation. This Episode is sponsored by:NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future.Stomp Stickers Stomp Stickers 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 DRINKBEER15 for 15% off your first order. 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: Alan SprintsSponsors:   NZ Hops, Stomp Stickers and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Rauchbier, Strong Ale, Oregon, Trains, Food, Legacy

Show notes from Host John Holl:I met Jeff Alworth in the comments section of his blog, Beervana. A decade ago I had written an article for a newspaper and Alworth had thoughts and took the piece to task. He was wrong, of course, so like any keyboard warrior, I logged on and defended my digital honor. We became friends shortly after.  If you are interested in beer, you likely know Alworth. He’s internationally respected writer and authority on beer.  He has a deep respect for beer styles, history, tradition, and craftsmanship.  The first addition of the beer bible has sold over 125,000 copies and the second edition, according to workman, the publisher is “the most comprehensive guide to the world of beer, with everything you need to know about what to drink, where, when and why.”  Alworth is author of the Beervana Blog, the The Widmer Way (Ooligan), The Secrets of Master Brewers (Storey), and Cider Made Simple. He is co-host of the Beervana Podcast.  Alworth hails from Portland, Oregon and as he began national book tour to support the new book he spent a few days in New Jersey, staying at my house. You should check out the podcasts he did with Steal This Beer as well as Beer Massif at two book signings for additional context.  With this go around, recorded in my backyard- neighbor’s leaf blowers and all – I tried to cover new ground, but mostly just wound up having an enjoyable chat with an old friend." This Episode is sponsored by:NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future.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: Jeff AlworthSponsors:   NZ Hops and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Books, IPA, Cask Ale, Brown Ale, Travel, Autumn

Show notes from host John Holl:"If you’re a regular listener of this show you might recall that a few weeks back I was in Nashville for Funk Fest, an event put on by Yazoo Brewing and Embrace the Funk. I participated in a few live discussions with brewers and spent a delightful 45 minutes with Pete Halupka the co-founder and head brewer of Harvest Roots Ferments in Alabama. I wish we had recorded it.  So, in an effort to recreate the magic, he’s here this week via zoom talking about fermentation and building his kombucha program. From breaking it down and dispelling myths, he’s thoughtful and methodical about his approach and has seen the company grow and bring new fans into the fermented fold."  This Episode is sponsored by:NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future.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: Pete Halupka of Harvest Roots FermentsSponsors:   NZ Hops and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Kombucha, Fermenting, Farming, Process

Bess Dougherty has one of the best social media accounts in the beer space these days, mostly because it doesn’t largely focus on beer. With her Carhartt overalls, she’s been using the front pocket to hold snacks. From cookies and chips, to ice cream bars and tater tots, the snack pocket is a quirky escape from reality that celebrates between meal noshes.  Bess has been brewing for a decade now, starting off at Wynkoop, the venerable Denver Brewery, before moving on to a head brewer position at the Grateful Gnome, and then landing amid the pandemic at Ratio Beerworks.  There, she’s part of a brewing team that regularly rotates jobs, it’s not just days in the brewdeck or in the cellar, and she spoke to the show last week she had just finished keg washing and was sitting on the brewery’s patio with a Mexican lager.  Earlier this year the brewery took gold for the Golden/Blonde ale category at the Great American Beer Festival, a style that isn’t often thought of these days but remains important to craft beer history and education.  Coming off the high of a big win, Bess says she quickly had to fight back against the pervasive misogyny that exists in parts of the beer industry. She’s been vocal and active in the fight to bring equality and better understanding to fellow professionals and consumers alike. This Episode is sponsored by:NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future. We’re in it together.NovozymesThe best brewmasters are obsessed with creating a high quality, consistent product. That means reducing mash viscosity for better wort separation and increasing brewhouse efficiency. UltraFlo Max® from Novozymes helps you achieve both. It is time to Brew With Enzymes! Increase your brewhouse efficiency and achieve faster filtration today with UltraFlo Max®. Order a free sample today at www.brewingwithenzymes.com/beeredge.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: Bess Dougherty of Ratio BeerworksSponsors:   NZ Hops, Novozymes and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Kegs, Mexican Lager, Blonde Ale, Barrels, Diversity, Snacks

In this episode recorded in Nashville, Tennessee during the Yazoo Brewing Funk Fest Brady Duncan, a co-founder and Ryan Blevins, the head brewer, of MadTree Brewing share thoughts on IPA and lager, and the fun and hard work that comes with day-to-day operations.  The brewery has come a long way since Duncan and his other homebrew-minded founders went pro.  Fueled by the growth of their IPA, but with a passion for lagers and crazy experimentation - that’s where the “mad” comes in - they are constantly turning out new beers and trying to push within and beyond established styles.  The "tree" stems from their environmental commitment. They walk the walk with giving back, not only being part of the 1% for the Planet initiative, but by making volunteerism part of employment, and thinking about ways they can lower the brewery's carbon footprint and be better stewards of the earth.  This Episode is sponsored by:BriessBriess is the leading supplier of specialty malt to craft brewers  They offer the broadest product line in the industry, including a wide range of roasted malts that add flavor, color, and character to beer. Their experienced operators handcraft every batch of roasted malt to ensure the product you get is consistent.  Check out BrewingwithBriess.com for beer recipes using roasted malt.NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future. We’re in it together.NovozymesThe best brewmasters are obsessed with creating a high quality, consistent product. That means reducing mash viscosity for better wort separation and increasing brewhouse efficiency. UltraFlo Max® from Novozymes helps you achieve both. It is time to Brew With Enzymes! Increase your brewhouse efficiency and achieve faster filtration today with UltraFlo Max®. Order a free sample today at www.brewingwithenzymes.com/beeredge.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: Brady Duncan and Ryan BelvinsSponsors:  Briess, NZ Hops, Jack's Abby, and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, IPA, Lager, Ohio, Ownership, Environment

Private Press is the newest chapter in Brad Clark’s brewing career. In 2005, fresh out of Siebel he co-founded Jackie O’s a Pub and Brewery in Athens, Ohio, working as the brewer and rising in the job titles as the company grew from a few hundred barrels a year to more than 10,000 annually. Along the way his recipes were lauded, racked up awards, and inspired a new generation of brewers who came up behind him.  And then in 2019 he announced that he was leaving. He was moving west to be closer to his partner and would be starting a smaller brewing operation – Private Press.  Two years in and he’s making 100 barrels of beer a year, which go to members who signed up to take a chance on his stouts and barleywines. There are only 700 spots available.  No taproom. No distribution. Just him, with the occasional help, and the barrels and stainless steel. There are benefits to going small, he says, and a change of scenery and a change in life – namely fitness and mental health clarity – have led to the creation of at least one new style, the Munichwine, which his members will be able to taste next week for the first time.  The beers are purposeful and are more than just a liquid. They are crafted to tell a story, and an expression of a brewer who wants to make big boozy beers for adults, not candy adjunct ales. It shows in the taste and in a career that has honored the past, but is continually looking forward. This Episode is sponsored by:BriessBriess is the leading supplier of specialty malt to craft brewers  They offer the broadest product line in the industry, including a wide range of roasted malts that add flavor, color, and character to beer. Their experienced operators handcraft every batch of roasted malt to ensure the product you get is consistent.  Check out BrewingwithBriess.com for beer recipes using roasted malt.NZ HopsNZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future. We’re in it together.NovozymesThe best brewmasters are obsessed with creating a high quality, consistent product. That means reducing mash viscosity for better wort separation and increasing brewhouse efficiency. UltraFlo Max® from Novozymes helps you achieve both. It is time to Brew With Enzymes! Increase your brewhouse efficiency and achieve faster filtration today with UltraFlo Max®. Order a free sample today at www.brewingwithenzymes.com/beeredge.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: Brad Clark of Private Press BrewingSponsors:  Briess, NZ Hops, Jack's Abby, and The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Stout, Barleywine, Munich Wine Ownership, Brewing, Business, Barrels, Wood, California