It’s a new week with new news, but you already knew that. In this week's episode of The Gist, Sightlines reporter Kate Bernot talks with me, Beth Demmon, about Drizly’s billion-dollar bust, cider’s rising star, and… beads? BEES! Hat tip to Arrested Development for that one. This is the Gist. 

People who work in beer arrive from all kinds of professional backgrounds and even different career trajectories. But once they’re in beer, it’s less common to find examples of those who will be true chameleons, working across businesses that make, move, or sell beer, or even for companies that just handle the raw ingredients that go into making it. That’s what makes this conversation particularly special. Shanleigh Thomson has been a food scientist, brewer, and sales rep for distributors and companies that provide malt and hops. She's worked as a consultant and analyst. She's also a beer fan, which means that this wide range of roles and expertise gives her a unique vantage point for how she does her job, shares well-informed points of view, and applies a variety of education that ranges from advanced degrees in food science to business and brewing. She splits her time between Canada and the U.S., which means the scope of her understanding and work offers us a good perspective, too, all of which she’s combined in the last two years to run her own consultancy business, Shan.Ferments. In this episode, we’ll talk about all this and how we can learn from what Shanleigh has picked up over the years. But in addition to hearing how her professional life has brought this together, there’s also time in our chat to reflect on the personal impact a changing industry has left on her. Beer in Canada is facing many of the same challenges as the U.S., as prices and competition increase and a camaraderie that was easy to find 10 years ago is harder to come by. For someone who’s spent a career focused on so many different aspects of the business of beer, what happens when the shine wears off? And what’s at stake for us should we lose professionals with an array of ideas and expertise like Shanleigh? Let’s find out.

Football and beer tend to go together without much thought. But in places like Pope County, Arkansas, alcohol is noticeably absent from tailgate coolers, plastic Solo cups, and concession stands. That’s because the area, which is home to Arkansas Tech University, is also one of the state’s 29 dry counties, where access to alcohol is restricted thanks to political influence, conservative mindsets, and tradition left from the time of Prohibition.  In his first piece for Good Beer Hunting titled “No Blitz — How Arkansas Tech University Fans Tailgate in a Dry County,” freelance writer Brian Sorenson portrays a small, but proud slice of the American South, where sports like football dominate much of the culture. That culture, he says, lags behind the more liberal coastal areas of the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s less worthy of attention. In our conversation, he describes his hope for readers and listeners to set aside their notions of what they think Arkansas is like, and to instead experience it through fresh eyes and open minds.  You’ll hear about his background in beer, football, writing, and the state of Arkansas, where he grew up used to rowdy sports fans fueled by alcohol. For this story, he was fascinated by the idea of separating the two, and shares some of the surprises he came across while writing the piece. It’s an insider’s look at seemingly contradictory ideologies, and it’s likely you’ll walk away with a new framework from which to view a different, but beautiful, way of life.  

When I tell people that I’m really into beer, a quarter of the time someone mentions cider despite the two being vastly different. These interactions have always left me feeling helpless because I lacked the knowledge to educate them about the differences, and I certainly couldn’t guide them to a beer style that would be similar to cider. The extent of my cider knowledge was extremely limited—until I read fellow GBH contributor and podcast host Beth Demmon's book “The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider.” In fact, she addresses this common mixup in the first line of her book “Cider is not beer.” Cider is more like wine than beer because it’s created from fruit whereas beer is a combination of malt, hops, and yeast. Despite their differences, Beth is able to draw a connection between beer and cider to show us how vast the world of cider really is, encouraging us to look beyond what we might find in our local grocery store. Much like many of us had to do in the early days of craft beer when shelves were stocked with domestic Lager and other mass-produced beers.    In our conversation, we talk about Beth’s inspiration for the book, which includes a trip to CiderCon, an annual conference organized by the American Cider Association. Beth also shares how she approached writing the book and how she was able to lean on her community for help. But what I love most about our conversation is how she draws parallels between those initial days of craft beer and the current state of cider here in the United States. For those of us who have explored all corners of craft beer, cider offers a new landscape of flavors, producers, and techniques to dive into, so let’s jump right in.

It’s a new year and things are already shaking up in the beer world, first with Asahi’s entry into brewing in the United States, plus Coca-Cola subsidiary Red Tree’s big plans for 2024. Looking outside of beer, Kate and I preview what Sightlines has planned for CiderCon, the annual cider industry conference kicking off January 16, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. Keep listening for all that and more, right here on The Gist.

When scouting locations to open a new brewery, quite a few things are left to chance. What’s available to lease, in the right price range, in the right area, at the right time? Data sometimes comes into play, but then again, sometimes, it’s just vibes.  Julie Wartell, a continuing lecturer at the University of California, San Diego and co-editor of the academic text titled “Craft Breweries and Cities: Perspectives from the Field,” believes that statistics and scientific measurements should play a larger role in these types of decisions, as well as affecting many more perceptions and beliefs about craft beer’s influence on its surroundings. How does the presence of alcohol impact things like public safety, gentrification, or the economics of a community, and what’s the difference between breweries, bars, and other alcohol-centric establishments? Why are there so many resources for technical brewing, but almost none about the social science of the beer industry itself? These are the questions that led to the text, which she hopes more breweries, business owners, residents, beer enthusiasts, and government employees will use to examine the reasoning behind the decisions they make, and perhaps even improve the way we think about craft beer as a cultural force.  In this episode, Julie and I talk about what breweries contribute to cities, and how she uses maps and data to draw scientific conclusions that may not always correlate with public opinion. She shares her professional background as a crime analyst, as well as her personal passion for beer, and how she’s managed to find overlaps between the two through her work and research. Even as someone who writes about, analyzes, and enjoys beer, I found myself realizing that I, too, have some impressions of beer at large that are much more emotionally-charged than data-driven. It’s humbling, if not fascinating to see things from her point of view, and there’s plenty to learn from someone who’s been doing this for 30 years.  

In the world of cider, Nikki West says the nerdier you are, the cooler you are. That’s probably the scientist in her talking, but she’s not wrong. As an agriculturally-based product, cider is inextricably tied to the earth, which is one reason why West decided to move from an academic career in geosciences to launching Ciders From Mars in Staunton, Virginia. It wasn’t a huge leap, scientifically speaking, but it was definitely one that changed the trajectory of their life. In our conversation, West and I discuss the pros and cons of a formal education in fermentation, and how the Cider Institute of North America helped her transform a garage operation into a tasting room in the Shenandoah Valley, the heart of Virginia apple country. We also talk about the seismic shift it took to jump from geology to ciderology, and the overlaps between the two endeavors, as well as why they decided to plant an orchard in order to (eventually) use apple varieties not readily found elsewhere. As someone with Celiac disease, West says cider is an ideal alternative to beer, as well as less filling, without the stuffy culture or high ABV of wine—basically, nature’s most perfect drink, and one she hopes more people discover in the years to come.  It may be called Good Beer Hunting, but in this episode, we’re Good Cider Hunting.  

From the moment I stepped into Good Word Brewing in Duluth, I was impressed. The space is a take on old-world style with warm wood and plush booths—it's comfortable, cozy, and looks like it’s been there for decades even though it's fairly new. It's a place where you can settle in for a long while, and you'll want to because the food and beer are so exceptional that lingering is a pleasure. Todd DiMatteo, the owner of Good Word, has been at the helm since its opening in 2017. We first met in 2019 when I was working on a story highlighting the city of Duluth, and over the years, I continue to be impressed by his dedication to quality, community, and hospitality. It shows up in every aspect of the business, but especially his Lagers, which are clean and crisp and have enough flavor to keep your palate engaged without overdoing it.  With their sixth anniversary approaching, I thought it would be a good time to catch up with Todd and reflect on everything he's been able to accomplish over the years. You'll hear him share some of his stumbles along the way and how he keeps himself engaged as a brewer. We also talk about why so many of the beers on his menu are decocted, how he balances his beer descriptions for beer geeks and novices, and his approach to beer events.

2023 is drawing to a close, so it’s time to take a look back at the year to see what happened, what’s happening, and what might happen in the coming months. This is the Gist with Kate Bernot and me, Beth Demmon, where we examine the biggest stories happening in beer and beyond so you know everything you need to know. It’s time for The Gist.

In Korean folklore, dokkaebi are tricksy creatures who love to eat, drink, and challenge humans to wrestling matches. They tend to create mischief, but generally not mayhem, and can bring you luck—if you remain on their good side. This same sense of playfulness is evident at Dokkaebier in Oakland, California, an Asian-inspired craft brewery that encapsulates not just the name, but the spirit of dokkaebi in every beer they make. In her first story for Good Beer Hunting, Maloy Luakian describes how her own Pan-Asian identity informed her experience at Dokkaebier, and how she was able to feel a sense of nostalgia through familiar flavors presented in an unfamiliar medium. Her story, titled “Supernatural Creatures And Blended Cultures — Dokkaebier’s Story Of Shapeshifting,” describes the brewery’s history, goals, and cultural influence as one of the only Asian-owned breweries in the United States, as well as founder Youngwon Lee’s background as a third-culture kid, with roots in South Korea, Guam, and the United States.  In this conversation, she defines what third culture is and what it means to her, how the idea of authenticity in food and drink can keep tradition alive as well as inspire innovation, and how the beer cultures in Asia and the U.S. are influencing one another in fresh and exciting ways. It’s clearly a very personal story, and she admits that she wasn’t sure where it was going to end up. We’re lucky to have it on Good Beer Hunting, and it’s a pleasure to talk about it right now.