Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Before he took the leap and started his own, BreWskey cofounder Derrick Robertson was a process engineer who helped design breweries. That background was invaluable when building out a brewhouse and cellar in a building that’s a historic landmark in Vieux-Montréal. With multiple spaces and sprawling patios, BreWskey is popular among travelers who drink plenty of pale lager in warmer months—with many who also appreciate BreWskey’s creative and contemporary approach to hazy IPA. Robertson has an unquenchable thirst for experimentation, treating each batch on their two- and 10-barrel systems as an opportunity to tweak variables, test ingredients, and dial in processes. He’s not afraid to brew beer with a point of view informed by his own tastes—witbier without phenolic Belgian yeast, for example—and he’s always up for experiments, such as pushing 34/70 to see just how much heat it can endure. When it comes to hazy IPA, however, he can’t bear the astringent burn that certain hops exacerbate, so he’s dialed in processes to turn beers at brewpub speed with robust body and just enough haze—because, as he says, there is such a thing as too much haze. In this episode, Robertson discusses: balancing brewpub and taproom beer menus with an on-the-fly creative process adjusting the beer program week to week, based on tourism trends brewing white beer with London Ale III while replacing certain yeast-driven flavors with targeted ingredient additions using New Zealand hops strategically for light color without the burn the fungibility of many hazy IPA grain bills selecting hop varieties, such as Rakau, that improve the expression of others why Riwaka is like smoked malt avoiding “Galaxy paste” when brewing with the Australian hop accepting inefficient extraction techniques when using certain hops, to avoid picking up off-flavors dialing in his hop palette to eight to 10 hops, while expanding the number of lots of each dry-hop bench-testing for lot selection, to understand how the rub connects to the actual flavors and aromas in finished beer And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. 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): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Lórien seamlessly combines traditional elements of European noble hops with an elegant twang of American modernity. Learn more about Lórien and the rest of Indie’s varieties at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful. Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today! Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) Not only does Arryved offer a world-class POS built specifically for breweries, but they also provide Arryved Brewery Management, e-commerce, and more to help breweries scale and thrive. Visit arryved.com to learn more. Paktech (https://www.paktech-opi.com) With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, they offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

This small brewery in Dunham, Quebec, just north of the Vermont border, features a pub, guesthouse, and extensive beer garden that make it the perfect stop-through or weekend destination for those heading south from Montreal or north from the States. But Brasserie Dunham is much more than a waypoint. Over the past 13 years, the brewery has built a reputation for world-class saisons, finding expression through refined fermentation, an evolving culture, and intriguing use of hops. Today, Dunham brews a range that includes 750 ml bottles of saison as well as cans of lager and pale ale. Yet saison remains core to their identity. In this episode, head brewer Mathieu Paquette shares their approach to recipe development and process. Along the way, he touches on: designing beer for their mineral-heavy well water the evolution of yeast and water over a decade-plus of brewing using ingredients such as flaked rye, oats, and wheat to add body to dry beers maintaining precision in the brewhouse to moderate other downstream factors blending modern and classic hops for dynamic range building a living mixed culture with periodic backups for safety adjusting fermentation temperature dynamics to refine expression blending foeder-aged ale into light, dry table beer to add depth troubleshooting bottle-conditioning issues hosting the upstart Bad Bones brewery in the former barrel cellar And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. 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): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Lórien seamlessly combines traditional elements of European noble hops with an elegant twang of American modernity. Learn more about Lórien and the rest of Indie’s varieties at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful. Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today! Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) Not only does Arryved offer a world-class POS built specifically for breweries, but they also provide Arryved Brewery Management, e-commerce, and more to help breweries scale and thrive. Visit arryved.com to learn more. Paktech (https://www.paktech-opi.com) With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, they offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

In this conversation, Shaun Hill, the founder of Hill Farmstead Brewery, shares his unique brewing philosophy and the evolution of his acclaimed Vermont brewery. He discusses the transformative role of hazy IPAs and the inventive use of yeast strains like London Ale III. Hill reflects on the intentional development of Farmstead Ales and the significance of sustainability in brewing. He also shares insights on adapting practices during the pandemic and the creative journey that shaped his vision—highlighting the balance of flavors and authenticity in craft beer.

At the turn of the 21st century, it wasn’t uncommon for a hop grower focusing on alpha varieties to replant a field every 25 to 50 years. While the plants in the field inevitably contracted viruses, the impact of those viruses on alpha-acid development and overall yield was manageable. In today’s environment, however—with new varieties bred to be high-performance, high-aroma, well-oiled machines—the same viruses have an outsized effect, and a field’s lifespan may be just a quarter of what it used to be. Yet many growers have been extending the productive lives of those fields by planting virus-free rhizomes and plugs—plants grown from cuttings taken from portions of other hops plants where viruses can’t travel. In this episode, we talk with scientists and hop breeders Megan Twomey of Latitude 46 and Ryan Christian of Yakima Chief Ranches for perspective on how viruses affect hops, how virus-free plants are produced, how long plants can remain virus-free, and more—and how all of that ultimately affects what’s available to brewers. Through the conversation, they touch on: different viruses that affect hops how viruses affect lupulin production in modern hop varieties viral impact in producing genetically true-to-type but phenotypically out-of-spec hops “cleaning up” hops to create virus-free plants how and now not to monitor fields for viruses field dynamics from new plantings over the first few years how viral stress impacts plants and their flavor and aroma expression yield benefits from virus-free plantings And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. 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): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Lórien seamlessly combines traditional elements of European noble hops with an elegant twang of American modernity. Learn more about Lórien and the rest of Indie’s varieties at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful. Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today! Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) Not only does Arryved offer a world-class POS built specifically for breweries, but they also provide Arryved Brewery Management, e-commerce, and more to help breweries scale and thrive. Visit arryved.com to learn more. Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Missed the ProBrew booth and their incredible product animations at CBC 2025? You can now experience them all right now at ProBrew.com! See how our advanced solutions can take your brewery to the next level! ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer! Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Over the past two years, five beers that Lapel, Indiana’s Pax Verum sent to Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine for review have scored 95 or above. That naturally piqued our interest, so when we planned our Craft Brewers Conference itinerary we made sure to visit the hip outpost an hour north of Indianapolis. Head brewer and co-owner Colt Carpenter cut his teeth working in a homebrew shop before making the jump to the world of professional brewing, and his embrace of high quality and diverse ingredients tracks with that experience of assisting home brewers with their own ingredient choices. Now, he embraces everything from traditional English styles and European lagers to cutting-edge IPAs, but always with a slight contemporary edge. In this episode, Carpenter discusses: building a wider understanding of and familiarity with beer ingredients by working at a homebrew shop sourcing ingredients intentionally with flavor in mind designing robust porter around a specific specialty malt managing challenges with craft malt like increased friability and seasonal variation focusing on freshness while managing color swings with specialty malts avoiding over-oxygenation cool pooling IPAs with flowable hop products building depth in hoppy beers without T-90 pellets finding hop lots that meet flavor goals, without selecting unique flavors and aromas from Michigan-grown varieties And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. 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): It's time to revisit Old Orchard's flavored craft juice concentrate blends, where the latest additions include Fruit Punch, Guava, Kiwi, and Pomegranate. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Lórien seamlessly combines traditional elements of European noble hops with an elegant twang of American modernity. Learn more about Lórien and the rest of Indie’s varieties at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful. Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today! Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) Not only does Arryved offer a world-class POS built specifically for breweries, but they also provide Arryved Brewery Management, e-commerce, and more to help breweries scale and thrive. Visit arryved.com to learn more. Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Missed the ProBrew booth and their incredible product animations at CBC 2025? You can now experience them all right now at ProBrew.com! See how our advanced solutions can take your brewery to the next level! ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer! Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now.Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Join Matt Warner, cofounder and brewing director of Parrotdog Brewery, as he shares insights from nearly 15 years in New Zealand's craft beer scene. He discusses his unique approach to hops, focusing on adapting blends like Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin to annual crop variations. Hear about the creation of a refreshing New Zealand pilsner that balances flavors, and how new experimental hops are shaping the future of brewing. Warner also reflects on the journey from homebrewer to regional powerhouse while maintaining a commitment to quality and innovation.

Brayden Rawlinson, head brewer at Fork & Brewer in Wellington, brings his innovative touch to local ingredients. He shares insights on brewing medal-winning lagers using pressure fermentation techniques and the unique character of Riwaka hops. Brayden also discusses crafting a New Zealand pils with a drier profile and fusing Italian methods with NZ Sauvignon Blanc grapes for grape ales. His journey reflects the intersection of tradition and modern brewing, championing creativity and skill in the vibrant craft beer landscape.

Join Paweł Lewandowski, the award-winning head brewer at Mount Brewing in New Zealand, as he dives into the intricacies of crafting a standout New Zealand Pilsner. Discover how he balances the unique flavors of local hops like Motueka and Riwaka with precise brewing techniques, including step-mashing and careful fermentation temperature management. Paweł also shares his journey from finance to brewing, the evolution of hop varieties, and the importance of experimentation in creating a vibrant, hop-forward lager that embodies the innovative spirit of New Zealand's craft beer scene.

New Zealand is pretty far from everything, so competing on price for commodity bittering hops was never a great strategy for the country’s small number of hops growers. Things were pretty grim in the early 2000s, when fifth-generation farmer Brent McGlashen joined his dad working on the family farm, Mac Hops, just outside the town of Motueka on the north end of South island. But then something mysterious and wonderful happened: Craft beer took off, and creative brewers exploring new flavors and possibilities found ways to use New Zealand’s uniquely expressive hops to make beers that no one had tasted before. In this episode, McGlashen tells the family’s story—which mirrors the bigger story of hops in New Zealand, going from struggle to global spotlight. He also talks about their move to the next chapter: gaining a deeper understanding of the science behind how flavors develop in the hops, and the factors that influence those flavors. Through the hour, he touches on: breeding hops with a difference in order to stand out learning what brewers want through the selection process the impact of soil type on expression and even cone shape in hops such as Nelson Sauvin planting different hop varieties in different soil blocks to support their unique growth patterns why West Coast–style IPA brewers gravitate toward Nelson grown in sandy, stony soil, while hazy IPA brewers consistently select those grown in heavier clay soils how pick timing affects flavor and aroma impact the range of characters in popular varieties such as Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Nectarine, Superdelic, Riwaka, Wakatu, and Rakau how New Zealand hops affect the shelf life of hop-forward beers And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers Elite 290 Micro-series line utilizes a natural refrigerant, features a more compact design with variable speed fans, and offers near-zero global warming potential. The future of sustainable refrigeration is here! Learn more about G&D’s Elite 290 line and visit GDCHILLERS.COM. 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): Custom blend development is available through our innovative R&D lab. Our bulk division supplies a wide range of beverage segments, making it the one-stop shop for flavoring beer and beyond. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Taste the modern flavors of Indie Hops at CBC, this year in Indianapolis. Join Indie in Indy for 14 incredible collab beers. Check out the full CBC beer lineup at www.indiehops.com and plan to stop by their booth #3122. Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today! Isuzu Trucks (https://www.isuzucv.com) Whether you are looking for a self-distribution solution or one to deliver supplies, there is an Isuzu truck that will fit your needs. Go to isuzucv.com to check out their impressive lineup or visit an Isuzu dealer today to find out why now, more than ever, Isuzu trucks are the trucks you trust for the work you do! Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) From taproom to distribution, Arryved gives breweries the tools to streamline operations and boost profits—all in one powerful platform. Want to see the latest innovations in action? Visit Arryved at CBC 2025, Booth 1865, where they’ll be pouring beers and showing off the future of brewery tech. Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) If you’re at this year’s CBC 2025 in Indianapolis, there’s one place you must check out—ProBrew at Booth 2801! See ProBrew’s solutions in action, chat with our experts, and enjoy a perfectly poured beverage—on us. So don’t miss it—ProBrew, Booth 2801. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer. Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com) Upgrade your fermentation game with Unitank 2.0 from Ss Brewtech. Available from 7-gallon up to 1-barrel sizes, Unitank 2.0 will be right at home in your homebrew set up or producing pilot batches at your commercial brewery. Visit Ss Brewtech.com to learn more!Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Two straight weeks of nothing but doctors on the Craft Beer & Brewing podcast? This week’s episode is another scientific barnburner with the head of R&D for Wellington’s Garage Project. Dr. Peter Bircham has been working in laboratory settings with yeast for many years, but for the past few he’s taken on an additional role beyond the academic, working on everything from building better Garage Project non-alcoholic beers to developing a testing regimen to evaluate new hop varietals in the Hāpi Research breeding program. In this episode, Bircham touches on: beer biology his systematic R&D process for developing novel brewing solutions fermenting with less traditional ingredients like rice testing regimens for new hop varieties with Hāpi Research the benefits and limitations of biotransformation breaking nitrogen regulation in non-GMO thiol production yeast inbreeding to achieve genes of interest cofermenting potential with unusual yeasts to unlock thiols And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers Elite 290 Micro-series line utilizes a natural refrigerant, features a more compact design with variable speed fans, and offers near-zero global warming potential. The future of sustainable refrigeration is here! Learn more about G&D’s Elite 290 line and visit GDCHILLERS.COM. 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): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. 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) Taste the modern flavors of Indie Hops at CBC, this year in Indianapolis. Join Indie in Indy for 14 incredible collab beers. Check out the full CBC beer lineup at www.indiehops.com and plan to stop by their booth #3122. Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today! Isuzu Trucks (https://www.isuzucv.com) Whether you are looking for a self-distribution solution or one to deliver supplies, there is an Isuzu truck that will fit your needs. Go to isuzucv.com to check out their impressive lineup or visit an Isuzu dealer today to find out why now, more than ever, Isuzu trucks are the trucks you trust for the work you do! Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) From taproom to distribution, Arryved gives breweries the tools to streamline operations and boost profits—all in one powerful platform. Want to see the latest innovations in action? Visit Arryved at CBC 2025, Booth 1865, where they’ll be pouring beers and showing off the future of brewery tech. Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com) Upgrade your fermentation game with Unitank 2.0 from Ss Brewtech. Available from 7-gallon up to 1-barrel sizes, Unitank 2.0 will be right at home in your homebrew set up or producing pilot batches at your commercial brewery. Visit Ss Brewtech.com to learn more! Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Visit breweryworkshop.com for more information and to secure your spot.Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast