Beer Sessions Radio (TM)

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy adds to a cidery summer with an intergenerational conference where the legends meet rising stars in the New England cider world. In this episode, we will welcome Steve Wood from Farnum Hill Ciders and Eleanor Leger from Eden Ciders — the legends — along with Bird Dog Cider’s Peter Endres and Easthampton Cider Project’s Josh Bromage — the legends-to-be.The episode kicks off with a brief introduction for our guests before we get to know Steve, who has been in the industry since 1965. We then move on to Eleanor’s collaboration with Steve as well as her own cider journey. The newbies finally chime in with their origin stories, with Josh’s time in Ireland and Pete’s childhood in the heart of New York state’s apple country.The gang finally geeks out on one another and turns the episode into a Q&A session. Paradoxically, the rising stars ask legends about the industry’s future outlook, while Steve and Eleanor learn more about Pete’s and Josh’s love for classics and communities. Grab your headphones and sit down with us in this cozy discussion right now! Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Beer Sessions Radio welcomes two homeschooled brewers — Jeff Lyons from Endless Life Brewing in Brooklyn, and Jaega Wise from Wild Card Brewery in East London, who also happens to be the author of “Wild Brews.” The gang will bang out lessons on homebrewing and sour beers, before revealing the secrets to the water section of Jaega's latest book. The episode starts with Jaega’s and Jeff’s introduction to the homebrewing world as well as their backgrounds outside of the beer industry. While Jaega grew up in the Midland region in UK, noted for Burton-on-Trent, with a CAMRA beer festival as her first, Jeff hung out with the Beer Judge Certification Program gang in the back room of Jimmy’s No. 43. Jaega also shared her unexpectedly perfect journey to beerdom, studying chemical engineering and going to water school for her previous job in water treatment. She went on to explain the keys to controlling what she considers the most underappreciated ingredient in brewing — water. The gang then goes deeper into sour beer and the history of homebrewing, with Jimmy admitting to only being able to make “the no hygiene beer” inspired by the Victorian era’s Tudor. They also discuss the revival of cask beers along with the brewing scene in London, with a tiny surprise about water in Scotland and whisky distilling. Grab your headset and listen in on the secrets right now!Photo Courtesy of Jaega Wise.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy welcomes the legends of the cider world — James Asbel from Ciders of Spain, Peter Mitchell (not British) of Headwater Cider Company and Ronald Sansone from Spoke + Spy Ciderworks, who just so happens to also be the president of the Cider Institute of North America. The gang will discuss Spanish cider and its making methods, before traveling through space and time to investigate the historical and geographical developments of ciders.The episode kicks off with a vivid introduction into Peter’s 2000 trees orchard and his motto of “grow what you press, press what you grow,” James’ discovery of Spanish ciders, along with Ron’s love for dry still cider. The group also talks about cider making in different regions from Spain, to the Pacific Northwest, to Franklin County and the overall New England area. Last but not least, Ron leads us down the history of cider in the United States — how it started out as “the bad boy” in prohibition and became the outcast when people were rewriting the law of alcohol. James also digs deeper into Spanish cider making, the ubiquity of ciders in Spain and how he chooses his products, before Jimmy declares his running for office with the slogan, “chickens in every pot, ciders on every corner.” Catch us right now and vote for Jimmy 2024!            Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy flies spirit to Europe for a meeting with three European cider makers — Oliver’s Cider and Perry’s Tom Oliver, Pilton Cider’s Martin Berkeley from the United Kingdom, and Berryland’s Vitalii Karvyha from Ukraine, who recently lost his cidery. The gang sit down to talk cider techniques and tasting, as well as discuss the cideries, community, and events in the UK. Help rebuild Berryland with the American Cider Association here.The episode starts with the three sharing their cider making ingredients and techniques, along with their experience at the Bristol Cider Salon. While Tom and Martin are the events’ organizers, Vitalii is among the most beloved vendors with his distinct wild fermentation along with his variety of apples and peels. Tom shared their journey from attending the Franklin County Cider Day and seeing the reception that cider got, to coming back and receiving the blessing for their name, before inviting international vendors including Bausman Cider’s Christine Walter, Seattle Cider’s Scott Katsma, and Eden Cider’s Kris Kazaks. We also dive deep into what makes for good ciders with Tom’s tannin cider talk, Martin’s keeving techniques, and Vitalii’s abundance of resources and skills.Last but not least, Tom goes into the making of London Cider House, a UK cider bar/retail shop in the historic Borough Market. Martin will also share more about his strategy of collaborating with your competitors in business, while they both tell us their favorite bottles. Grab yours and join us right now on Beer Sessions Radio! Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Beer Sessions Radio welcomes Dave McLean from Admiral Maltings in Alameda, California. Founding Magnolia Brewing Company in the 1990s and Admiral Maltings in 2017 with Ron Silberstein and Curtis Davenport, Dave proves to be among the ranks of fearless pioneers in the wild world of craft beer.Jimmy kicks off the episode turning back to Dave’s early days in the industry. Discovering craft in the parking lot of a Grateful Dead concert, Dave moved to the West coast and learned how to brew through the UC Davis Brewing Program. He then takes us through the craft beer landscape at the time, while talking about Magnolia, cask beer, and the community spirit of the industry. The gang then goes deeper into craft malt and beer styles. Dave shares his journey to becoming a maltster along with his true goal of localizing beer production and connecting breweries, maltsters, and farmers into one welcoming community. Last but not least, he will share the three best beers and whiskies made out of premium malts from Admiral Maltings. Grab your headphones and find out what they are!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, we return to our live studio at Roberta’s Pizza upon our guest’s special request. Jimmy sits down uncomfortably before he welcomes Em Sauter, the author of ‘Hooray for Craft Beer!,’ and James Tai, a ‘random guy sitting at the bar’ who is helping local bars and restaurants improve their service. The episode kicks off with Em’s and James’s background in the beer world and their experience with the Cicerone Certification program. Em also shares her cartooning background with an MFA from the Center for Cartoon Studies, along with her first beer job selling cigarettes and Budweisers to cement factory workers while dusting the Belgian beers that no one ever bought. Jimmy props them to give away their ‘legend’ Master Cicerones, but will he reveal his?We’ll then dive deeper into the content of Em’s book, ‘Hooray for Craft Beer!,’ as well as her illustration and research on Pints and Panels, a website providing materials for levels 1 and 2 of the Cicerone certificate. Em tells Jimmy more about the history and the importance of beer in our world, as it has inspired so many technological developments. Finally, the gang talks more about Fox Farm Brewery where Em works part-time, while tasting their Altra Volta Three-Year Blend paired with Roberta’s Beesting and Beastmaster.See more of Em’s illustration on her Instagram and read her rants about the Red Sox on her Twitter! Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy tunes into the Ska network with co-founders Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau from Ska Brewing in Durango, Colorado. The gang will listen to Dave's and Bill’s latest album about their brewing, growing, and drinking process.For the first track, we have the story of Bill and Dave. Growing up together by the Front Range of Colorado, the duo started home-brewing to Ska music in high school. They then moved to Durango partly to create the Ska Brewing Co. we now know, but mostly to ski. The second track is an intro to the three waves of Ska and their favorite bands like The Toasters and The Pietasters, who might be performing at their 27th anniversary this Labor Day Weekend.Track three and four are more complex, with Bill and Dave diving deeper into the company and their beers, as well as weed legalization in Colorado and the challenges it creates for local growers and brewers. Track five increases in tempo as the gang talks about home-brewing and the importance of enjoying the process. They also touch briefly on the words written on the lips of the cans with Jimmy’s challenge for their next one. To end the show, track six takes us gardening and into Dave’s backyard for a mini-lecture on how to grow carrots.No wonder this album is top 1 on Billboard right now!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy welcomes back Jerard Fagerberg from Episode 603: From Jack Kerouac to British Coal Miners, The History of The Workingman’s Drink. Two renowned beer culture writers, Pete Brown and Dave Infante also join us for a conversation about unionizing in the craft beer industry. The episode kicks off with Pete’s description of the pubs and private clubs in Britain, along with his solid argument about how Shakespeare, Beyonce, and Charles Dicken all share a favorite spot in London. We also get to listen to Pete’s upcoming book, “Clubland,” and the inspiration behind it. The discussion then moves back to the States with Dave and Jerard talking about unions among craft breweries, and interindustry solidarity in organizing. While Jerard brings up Fair State Brewing Cooperative as a shining example of successful unions, Dave talks about the struggles and failures that workers might face in this uphill battle. Last but certainly not least, the gang dives deep into class consciousness and its education among mainstream discord, talking about Kim Kelly’s “Fight Like Hell,” football, and what Pete calls football. Pete also talks more about the Working Men’s Club and his working-class background.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy welcomes award-winners Peter Yi from Brooklyn Cider House and Ray Sheehan who created the “Best BBQ Sauce in the World” for an in-depth discussion on the classic American pairing of cider and BBQ. The gang will introduce not only insights into the makings of cider and BBQ, but also guide us to fully draw out their flavors by pairing them together!The episode will start with Ray’s gradual yet monumental growth in the BBQ world that led him to the top of the sauce chain today, in contrast to Peter’s big swift shift to cider from the old wine palate that all started in Spain. Ray goes on to tell how he learned the fundamentals by helping local BBQ teams with the most menial tasks, before diving deeper into his book “Big Green Eggs Basics from a Master Barbecuer,” while Peter reminisces his discovery of the lost apple cider tradition that led him owning an apple orchard, providing the source materials for all his products. Sipping an old-world-style OEC pilsner, Ray will take us through his lists of BBQ-beer pairings, ranging from ribs with porters to hot wings with IPAs. He then grabs the mic to interview Peter on how to pair cider with smoked pork loin, and reveals hot takes on food-alcohol pairings and pourings that are only available to those who stay till the end!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy welcomes mad scientist/artist/poet Sean Towers from Atlantic City’s The Seed: A Living Beer Project, and New Jerseyan beer appreciator/Gear Patrol’s beer guy Ryan Brower. In Sean’s lair, the gang will devise their master scheme to prove there's so much more to Atlantic City than casinos.Step one: Thinking inside the box. With Sean’s background in marine biology and microbiology and his lifelong sidekick Amanda’s in sociology, The Seed utilizes the traditions in beer making to elevate their saisons, lagers, pub porters, and IPAs. These are the trusted four you can always find on draft at their AC taproom. Step two: Keeping it local. As Ryan opens up bottle after bottle of lagers and pub porters like as simple as patterns? and all tucked away, Sean discusses their devotion to local ingredients such as grains from New Jersey’s premier malter Rabbit Hill Malt, and the bustling revitalization of the city in arts, culinary as well as entertainment. Step three: Adding the artistry. Sean will now dive deep into The Seed’s naming conventions with lowercase and question marks which pains Ryan as an editor while exciting him as a mad beer fan. But the artistry does not stop there, as Sean reveals the story behind poetry in motion and his basketball career.Last but not least, the plan will finish off with a commitment to keeping the locality, following the traditions, and adding the culture here at The Seed, along with a dandelion secret waiting to be revealed. Catch the episode right now and be in on this genius plan!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.