Drink Beer, Think Beer With John Holl

Meet Davin and Kellan Bartosch the brothers behind Wise Acre Brewing Co. in Memphis. From talking about their high school beer hi-jinx to how a drive to find joy in education helped them start this fast-growing brewery.  Family plays a big role in this brewery's direction and there are lessons to be learned on relying on those you love and trust. Wise Acre has helped define and grow Memphis' beer scene and now the brothers have their eye on expansion into new states, including Colorado. Pushing traditional styles with their own flair, Wise Acre makes the case that brewers can still have fun, and customers still want to drink, lagers and ales that taste like lagers and ales. This episode is part therapy session, part walk down memory lane, and all about family. This episode is sponsored by:Bolide CommunicationsWe are seasoned marketing professionals who have worked with some of the most respected brands in the world. We jump in deep, roll up our sleeves and do the work ourselves.  With our depth of expertise, we know how to get results that matter – and no junior staff who are learning on your dime.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: Davin and Kellan BartoschSponsor: Bolide Communications, The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Hops, Lager, IPA, Tennessee, Hops, Pilsner, Expansion, History, Education 

Show notes from host John Holl: "Jennifer Talley is a brewer’s brewer. I can’t count the times over the years of covering beer that her name has come up, often in awe and always in excitement, when brewers talk about who they admire in the industry.  Still, I never had the chance to interview her or have pints out in the world. When a press release from Firestone Walker arrived in my inbox this week promoting an IPA that Talley brewed with Matt Brynildson, I wanted to remedy that situation and she graciously agreed to come on the show.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Utah, the same state where she spent more than 20 years at the brewmaster and director of research and development for Squatters Brewery and Salt Lake Brewing Co.  She’s a graduate of the Siebel Institute, where she met Matthew Brynildson, and was part of a pretty epic graduating class. Throughout her career she’s brewed for the Craft Brew Alliance, Russian River, Auburn Ale House and more.  With nearly two dozen medals at both the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival.  She’s also the author of Session Beers from Brewers Publications. She’s currently on the board of the Brewers Association on the Pub Breweries committee and in 2011 she was awarded the Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing She’s been described as a force of positive energy, one of the coolest people in the industry, and in an email before this conversation, Brynildson simply called her a 'trip'.  She spoke to me from California and I started off by asking about the style she wish got a little more respect by brewers and drinkers alike"This episode is sponsored by:Bolide CommunicationsWe are seasoned marketing professionals who have worked with some of the most respected brands in the world. We jump in deep, roll up our sleeves and do the work ourselves.  With our depth of expertise, we know how to get results that matter – and no junior staff who are learning on your dime.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: Jennifer TalleySponsor: Bolide Communications, The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Hops, Lager, IPA, California, Utah, Hops, Pilsner, Collaboration Beers 

Show notes from host John Holl:"I’m excited to have Max Shafer on the show today. In my line of work there are breweries that pop up from time to time, that make a serious impression in the glass and then, when you dig a little deeper, also have a cool story to tell.  That’s Roadhouse Brewing for me these days. They brewery began popping up in tastings, on social media, and in my email over the last few years and the more I read about it, the more interested I became. Max is the head brewer there and he’s leading a team that is trying to balance the needs of locals as well as the tourists that flock to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to experience the great outdoors. He’s familiar with the area, having cut his teeth at Grand Teton Brewing in Idaho, just a short drive away. If it’s brewing with local hops, tweaking recipes to make things a little better, or letting his brewers go wild, the beer work of this growing brewery is never ending." This episode is sponsored by:Jack's Abby Craft LagersLagers of the World is the result of our desire to expand our knowledge of lagers beyond our own community, culture, and traditions. What is the state of craft beer and craft lager in other countries? What styles and flavors are important to their beer culture? What brewing techniques do they employ? Our goal is to partner with other craft breweries across the globe, collaborate, and share what we learned with you in the format we do best: LAGER! Bolide CommunicationsWe are seasoned marketing professionals who have worked with some of the most respected brands in the world. We jump in deep, roll up our sleeves and do the work ourselves.  With our depth of expertise, we know how to get results that matter – and no junior staff who are learning on your dime.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: Max Shafer of Roadhouse BrewingSponsor: Jack's Abby Craft Lagers, Bolide Communications, The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Hops, Lager, IPA, Wyoming, Idaho, Hops, Pilsner, Collaboration Beers 

Shyla Sheppard is our guest this week and she is the founder, president and co-founder of Bow and Arrow Brewing Co. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The brewery just celebrated its 5th anniversary under the same circumstances that we’ve all been under over the last year, but they had some fun with it. Rather than letting the pandemic get them down, they are adapting quick and planning for the future. Before Sheppard  got into the beer industry she worked in finance, helping entrepreneurs establish loans that would help fund their dreams. In her words, she wanted to follow them, and do what she loved, and beer was the path forward.  The brewery makes the most of the area that it is in and draws from family history, especially from her partner Missy Begay, who is the brewery’s creative director. The beers are put together by Ted O’Hanlan, who worked at breweries in Wyoming before going to the Southwest.  From native ingredients, to business strategies, and a look towards the future, Sheppard offers up unparalleled insight. 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: Shyla Sheppard of Bow and Arrow Brewing Co. Sponsor: The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Hops, Lager, New Mexico, Finance, Growth, Special Ingredients 

A few weeks ago Vinnie Cilurzo the co-founder of Russian River Brewing Co. was on Steal This Beer and amid the hop soaked fun, he mentioned how the two breweries in the Russian River family – the pub in Santa Rosa, California and the new one in nearby Windsor – talk between each other to dial in recipes and make sure there is a united front. This is a normal practice for brewers with multiple locations, but when it comes to beers are revered as STS Pilsner and Pliny the Elder, it is easy to be intrigued. During that podcast the conversation did not dive too deep, so over the course of the last few weeks John Holl reached out to Cilurzo over email and the two discussed brewing processes and how having a newer brewery with all the bells and whistles has changed long-standing recipes. Eventually the two just decided it would be smart to just record a podcast about it, and here we are.  In fact, this show would have happened sooner but Cilurzo was tied up with the 2021 launch of Pliny the Younger, the triple IPA that is released once per year to great acclaim and long lines. Because of the pandemic the sales were moved into bottles and online and it was a learning experience for the brewery – especially with how many people wanted a chance to drink (or maybe trade) bottles of their own.  So, that’s where this conversations starts with Holl  asking Cilurzo about Younger Day and the aftermath. 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: Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing Co. Sponsor: The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Hops, Lager, California, Pliny the Elder, Wine, Agriculture, Beer Quality 

Show notes from host John Holl:"On every bottle of Maine Beer there are three words:  Do What’s Right. This is an easy phrase to say, but incredibly hard to practice. It can’t just be a marketing slogan or something cooked up in a board room, slapped on a label and then forgotten. It has to mean something and what is right isn’t always the same thing for everyone, and so the person spearheading that initiative has to believe it, to practice it, and to have other believe it and practice it.  Dan Kleban is my guest today. He and his brother co-founded Maine Beer Co. with the idea to make the beers that resonated with them, to be good stewards of the community and industry and to do what was right – even if not popular, easy, or inexpensive. We spend some time talking about how his brewery became part of the 1 percent for the planet initiative and how it has helped guide the brewery and give employees a sense of pride. We’ll talk bottles, hops, and tourism as well. But I wanted to start off by going back in time with Dan to what started him on this beer journey and we’ll eventually circle back to how that can apply to the next generation of brewers.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: Dan Kleban of Maine Beer Co. Sponsor: The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Maine, Hops, IPA, Pale Ale, Charity, Stout. 

It's Super Bowl week in America and the attention of the sports world has turned to Tampa, Florida where the hometown team, the Buccaneers will take on the Kansas City Chiefs. For breweries the annual big game has become a chance for some city-to-city rivalries that play out in collaboration beers, tap takeovers, and more, with the brewery from the winning city often getting the better end of the deal, but in reality there are no losers. This show is in two segments. The first features Khristopher Johnson of Green Bench Brewing in Florida and Nick Mader of Alma Mader Brewery in Missouri. They talk about their bets, their cities, and how they are looking to further their beer making through education. Our second segment features Karlton Graham of KC Bier Co. in Missouri and Sean Sasscer of Cigar City Brewery talking about brewing outside of their comfort zones, what it's like brewing in cities that want to celebrate but are limited to the pandemic, and post-COVID-19 plans. 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: Khristopher Johnson, Nick Mater, Karlton Graham, and Sean SasscerSponsor: The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Lager, Florida, IPA, Collaboration Beers, Kansas City, Tampa, Missouri 

A decade ago Drew Fox decided to take his homebrewing hobby to the next level and went pro. Since then, as founder and president of 18th Street Brewery in Gary, Indiana, he’s grown the business into multiple locations, into bigger brewing systems and has traveled the country and the world working on collaboration beers and being a force of good will to the beer industry. From recipe evolution and creation, to what he is choosing to focus on to help the brewery grow in a meaningful way, he gets into it all in this wide-ranging interview. As a suicide survivor he is also speaking up on the importance of taking about and addressing mental health. His words and perspective are something everyone should listen to. 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: Drew Fox of 18th Street BrewerySponsor: The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Lager, Indiana, IPA, Collaboration Beers, Mental Health, Charity. Sour Ales, 

Some thoughts on this episode from host John Holl:"When I first started drinking beer, one of the breweries that opened my eyes and palate to flavor was Magic Hat. Thanks to its Number 9, the beer was a fruity pale ale with whimsical labels, clever facts and saying under the bottle cap, and at a price point that didn’t make my budget scream.  Of course a lot has changed in 20 years and that brewery doesn’t dominate the conversation or even register too much for folks anymore. So, last year, I wasn’t too surprised when the corporate parent company of Magic Hat announced that it would be winding down operations and moving production to upstate New York.  The brewery, in South Burlington, however, would remain online and Zero Gravity, a popular Vermont brewery, founded in 2004, would be taking over the space.  I had only passing memories of Zero Gravity, having visited once or twice, but not for at least five years. Taking over a well-known spot with a lot of capacity was intriguing and I meant to reach out earlier. But, you know, the pandemic got in the way.  So just after the start of this new year I was able to call and talk with Matt Wilson the CEO and co-founder of the brewery.  In a state that knows and celebrates its IPA, Zero Gravity – which of course makes hop forward ales – has put a lot of focus on lagers. It also takes sustainability and growth seriously and is looking to the non-alcoholic space as well.  We get into it quick and he shares insights on what the future holds for Zero Gravity."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 Wilson of Zero Gravity Sponsor: The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Lager, Vermont, IPA, Magic Hat, Non-alcoholic beer, sustainability, charity

Before launching Heirloom Rustic Ales in Tulsa, Oklahoma  a few years ago Jake Miller cut his teeth at breweries like Prairie Artisan Ales, Wolves and People, and Saint Somewhere. Along the way he picked up different brewing techniques and a sense for the aesthetics that make for a good brewery  and channeled it into his own place. Today he's determined to follow a brewing path that excites him and is interesting. This means ditching his mixed fermentation program and putting a lot of focus on lagers. From avoiding burn out in the brewing industry, to offering up a customer experience that is an extension of his colleagues, Miller talks about what he hopes to achieve as a brewer in the modern age. 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: Jake Miller of Heirloom Rustic AlesSponsor: The Beer EdgeTags: Beer, Lager, Tulsa, Mixed Fermentation, Brewing