Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

In this special year-end episode, we look at the ten most-downloaded episodes of the podcast, share stories behind the conversations, recount personal favorites, and more, with clips from the top ten that illustrate salient points. It’s a look back at the episodes you found most valuable and shared most often, and a crucial big-picture view of brewing today. From biotransformation to decoction strategies, building body in smaller beers, using New Zealand hops in lagers, hazy pale ale, and more, these ten episodes hit on hot topics in today’s brewing world. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chiller’s Elite 290 series chiller uses propane as a natural refrigerant with extremely low global warming potential and will help lower your facility’s energy costs and impact on the environment. Visit gdchillers.com to learn more! Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. (https://indiehops.com) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech (https://paktech-opi.com) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, (https://hartprint.com) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Brightly Software (https://brightlysoftware.com) is a complete asset management and operations software that enhances organizational sustainability, compliance, and efficiency through data-driven decision making. Streamline maintenance, simplify capital planning, and optimize resources. Learn more at brightlysoftware.com. Visit Flanders (https://visitflanders.com) In Flanders, beer is more than a drink—it’s a cultural thread woven through history, cuisine, and community. Come to Flanders in 2026 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNESCO recognition, and sample this unique combination of creative brewing tradition and culinary exploration.Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Dimitri Staelens spent 15 years directing quality across a range of breweries owned by Duvel Moortgat in Europe and North America. Along the way, he built a deep understanding of ingredients and process across a diverse range of styles and recipes. In 2020, however, he chose to scale down, launching Adept—a small brewery in Winksele, Belgium, attached to a restaurant and meeting space not far from where he lives. Now, he brews with the locals in mind, exploring unorthodox ingredients in his Belgian blond ale—wuch as Simcoe hops and flaked rice—while pushing the envelope of malt flavor with imperial raw ales that often spend time in spirits barrels. In this episode, Staelens discusses: designing Belgian ales for diverse occasions whirlpool-hopping with Simcoe and blending with Noble hops building expansive grist bills with wheat, flaked rice, Munich malt, pils malt, and sugar sourcing Belgian-grown and -malted barley challenges in 2023 with changing gelatinization temperatures brewing no-boil raw ales, both dark and light avoiding DMS in raw ales the importance of carbon dioxide in Belgian beers And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chiller’s Elite 290 series chiller uses propane as a natural refrigerant with extremely low global warming potential and will help lower your facility’s energy costs and impact on the environment. Visit gdchillers.com to learn more! Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. (https://indiehops.com) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech (https://paktech-opi.com) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, (https://hartprint.com) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Brightly Software (https://brightlysoftware.com) is a complete asset management and operations software that enhances organizational sustainability, compliance, and efficiency through data-driven decision making. Streamline maintenance, simplify capital planning, and optimize resources. Learn more at brightlysoftware.com. Visit Flanders (https://visitflanders.com) In Flanders, beer is more than a drink—it’s a cultural thread woven through history, cuisine, and community. Come to Flanders in 2026 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNESCO recognition, and sample this unique combination of creative brewing tradition and culinary exploration.Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Stephen Boardman, Director of Sales and recipe creator at 450 North Brewing, brings his food science expertise to the world of craft beer. He shares the origins of their intense smoothie sours and the creative processes behind flavor design. The conversation touches on managing scarcity in beer releases and the unique festival experiences they curate. Boardman also discusses using culinary techniques like balancing salt, fat, and acid to elevate flavors and draw inspiration from desserts and cocktails, encouraging innovation in brewing.

When President Trump signed the bill to reopen the government on November 12, he also enacted a law that will—unless changed within a year—effectively ban hemp-derived THC beverages and other products nationwide. Virtually overnight, the government had moved to close the book on a broadly popular industry worth an estimated $30 billion—even as adults in many states can, for now, still legally shop for their hemp beverages alongside beer and wine. As President and Founder of the Hemp Beverage Alliance, Christopher Lackner represents brewers, distributors, retailers, can manufacturers, and others who have a stake in these drinks that have become increasingly mainstream. His focus now is on lobbying for any outcome that can keep this new industry on its feet, grounded in sensible regulations and responsible business practices. In this episode, Lackner and host Jamie Bogner discuss: how the 2018 Farm Bill loophole led to a lucrative, popular industry that became “no big deal” why sensible limits on THC in beverages—perhaps 10 milligrams per 12 ounces—may be a way forward why hemp beverages don’t belong in marijuana dispensaries the need for rules that keep out bad actors why skeptics of hemp-derived THC products should pay a visit to Minnesota how an all-you-can-drink hemp-beverage fest became the chillest affair ever what brewers and consumers who support hemp beverages should be doing now And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers uses quality components, expert craftsmanship, and constant innovation. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. (https://indiehops.com) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech (https://paktech-opi.com) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, (https://hartprint.com) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Brightly Software (https://brightlysoftware.com) is a complete asset management and operations software that enhances organizational sustainability, compliance, and efficiency through data-driven decision making. Streamline maintenance, simplify capital planning, and optimize resources. Learn more at brightlysoftware.com. Visit Flanders (https://visitflanders.com) If you love beer, Belgium’s got something with your name on it. Come to Flanders in 2026 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNESCO recognition, and drink in the Belgian beer culture.Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Join brewing experts Khristopher Johnson, a lager and IPA maestro at Green Bench, Bob Kunz, founder of Highland Park Brewing, and Evan Price from Green Cheek as they dive into the world of West Coast Pils. They discuss the synergy between lager yeast and hops, the evolution of malt selection, and innovative fermentation techniques. Hear about balancing sulfur production with hop flavors, and how different finishing gravities affect the final brew. It's a lively session filled with insights on creating distinctive and flavorful pilsners!

Lager yeast is the focus of this spotlight episode, brought to you interuption-free by Fermentis, the experts in fermentation for more than 160 years. Brewers everywhere depend on Fermentis for yeast that’s consistent, controllable, and high quality—whether you’re brewing an ester-forward Belgian-style beer, your favorite IPA, or a clean lager. In this week’s episode, we focus on brewing with 34/70 (and beyond), exploring ways to build expression in lager beers with the workhorse 34/70 but also S-23 and more. Joining for the conversation are: Matt Manthe, head brewer at Dillon Dam Brewery in Dillon, Colorado Andrew Foss, head brewer for Human Robot Brewery in Philadelphia Moh Saade, former director of brewing ops for The Tank in Miami and now a regional sales manager for Fermentis Visit Fermentis.com for more information about the lager yeasts discussed in this episode, as well as their full range of yeasts for lagers and ales. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

At Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®, we obviously spend a lot of time thinking about beer—talking to brewers and others in the industry, digging into the details of process, and writing about what we learn. Best of all, though, we get to drink beer—and, like it or not, the taste of every drop flashes through these weird brains that have spent an unhealthy amount of time focused on the liquid and everything that goes into making it. In short, we have thoughts. In this episode, contributing editor Kate Bernot, prolific author and longtime contributor Stan Hieronymus, and executive editor Joe Stange take off their reporter hats to talk through their favorite things they tasted all year, from around the world—going deeper into their Critics’ Lists from the annual Best in Beer issue—inevitably sharing thoughts on where craft beer both could and should be heading. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chiller’s Elite 290 series chiller uses propane as a natural refrigerant with extremely low global warming potential, and will help lower your facility’s energy costs and impact on the environment. Visit gdchillers.com to learn more! Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. (https://indiehops.com) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech (https://paktech-opi.com) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, (https://hartprint.com) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details.Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

It’s one of the most anticipated episodes of the year—our annual peek behind the scenes of the Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine™ Best in Beer issue, as editorial director Jamie Bogner and executive editor Joe Stange share perspectives on the beers we’ve named as our best 20 of 2025—plus, they reveal the results of the annual Readers’ Choice poll. Throughout the year, we taste thousands of beers submitted to the magazine for review; our blind-review panel narrows them down further, finding top scorers in various styles for each issue of the magazine; and finally, we convene for a final round of blind tasting to narrow it down to 20 standouts of great character and quality—beers that inevitably represent this moment in beer. In this episode, we pull back the curtain to share some of the thinking (and tasting) behind the decisions, and we run through your Readers’ Choice picks for best beers of the year, best breweries, best beer cities, best beer bars, and more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chiller’s Elite 290 series chiller uses propane as a natural refrigerant with extremely low global warming potential, and will help lower your facility’s energy costs and impact on the environment. Visit gdchillers.com to learn more! Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer). Hit the refresh button on your fruit flavors with Old Orchard's flavored craft juice concentrate blends. Our latest additions include Fruit Punch, Guava, Kiwi, and Pomegranate. More information and free samples for pro brewers are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. (https://indiehops.com) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech (https://paktech-opi.com) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, (https://hartprint.com) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details.Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Mike Foniok, co-founder and brewer at The Establishment in Calgary, is known for his innovative mixed-culture and barrel-aged beers, including a gold-medal-winning ale. In this discussion, he dives into the art of blending hops and maintaining complex cultures, sharing insights about using barrel-aged hazy IPAs in blends. Foniok explains how he manages acidity through advanced fermentation techniques, the importance of local ingredients, and the challenges of ropiness. Expect a bold perspective on pushing brewing boundaries and redefining beer styles!

We recorded this week’s episode live on stage at the Alberta Craft Brewing Convention in Red Deer, Alberta, in early October. The thematic through line is farm-to-glass brewing—something that’s not that hard to do there, since a significant amount of the malt used by North American brewers is grown in the province. Major maltsters such as Canada Malting and Rahr have plants in the province, and some farmers who grow grain for these larger maltsters, such as Red Shed, also operate their own malthouses to produce smaller batches for local brewers. Joining the conversation are three award-winning brewers who represent different corners of the industry in Alberta: Chelsea Tessier of Polyrhythm Brewing in Edmonton, Jen Rogers of Wild Winds in Bridgeland, and Sarah McCambridge of Blindman Brewing in Lacombe. Agriculture plays a role in the conversation, of course, but the conversations covers interesting collaborative projects, malt freshness, unique processes, beers that tap into different angles of malt flavor, and a lot more. In this episode, the panel discusses: blending craft pils with two-row in hazy IPA matching hops to base malts hitting European malt specs in North American barley horse-drawn barley farming and harvesting replacing specialty malts such as Carafoam with locally produced chit malt producing more stone-fruit ester precursors with floor-malted pils malt unique specialty malts such as wood-fired chocolate malt And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers uses quality components, expert craftsmanship, and constant innovation. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side. Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. (https://indiehops.com) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical (https://fivestarchemicals.com) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech (https://paktech-opi.com) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, (https://hartprint.com) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Sennos (https://prairiemalt.com) The Sennosystem platform delivers real-time fermentation control and predictive insights, while the SennosM3 modular in-tank sensor delivers continuous, real-time monitoring. Turn your tank into a smart tank. Order your SennosM3 at sennos.com. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast