Drink Beer, Think Beer With John Holl

We're glad to welcome Breandán Kearney to the show. He’s the author of the soon-to-be released book Hidden Beers of Belgium, which as the name suggests, covers the beers you might not have heard of from that beer loving country, but should be drinking. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Sponsors Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer If you appreciate the precision of barrel-aged beer, you got to check out the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago You’ll get access to more than 350 beers, ciders, meads and perrys from 13 style categories brewed by the world’s top barrel-aged brewers—all under one roof. The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago takes flight November 22nd and 23rd in Chicago. Grab your crew and get your tickets now and at Fobab.com Host: John Holl Guest: Breandán Kearney Sponsors: All About Beer, Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer Tags: Brewing, Belgium, Books, Drinking, History, Innovation Photo: Breandán Kearney

A conversation with Matt Van Wyk of Alesong Brewing and Blending, which was just named Brewery of the Year at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Sponsors Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer If you appreciate the precision of barrel-aged beer, you got to check out the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago You’ll get access to more than 350 beers, ciders, meads and perrys from 13 style categories brewed by the world’s top barrel-aged brewers—all under one roof. The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago takes flight November 22nd and 23rd in Chicago. Grab your crew and get your tickets now and at Fobab.com Host: John Holl Guest: Matt Van Wyk Sponsors: All About Beer, Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer Tags: Awards, Oregon, Wood, Barrels, Cocktails, Brewing Photo: Courtesy of Alesong Brewing and Blending

Em Sauter is an artist, writer, and the co-host of the All About Beer Podcast. She’s also the author of several books. Her most recent came out last month and is titled Pairing Beer with Everything. It’s a collection of suggestions on what beer pairs best will all aspects of life, from food to TV shows, sports teams, even the weather. It’s entertaining and hard work to get right. She talks about her process, protecting art, and how to find that perfect pairing. Visit pintsandpanels.com to learn more. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Sponsors Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer If you appreciate the precision of barrel-aged beer, you got to check out the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago You’ll get access to more than 350 beers, ciders, meads and perrys from 13 style categories brewed by the world’s top barrel-aged brewers—all under one roof. The Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago takes flight November 22nd and 23rd in Chicago. Grab your crew and get your tickets now and at Fobab.com Host: John Holl Guest: Em Sauter Sponsors: All About Beer, Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer Tags: Art, Beer, Pairing, AI, Weather Photo: Em Sauter

As a drinkers, it’s hard not to get excited when you hear brewers talking about ingredients. The passion, the exploration, the flavor. There is so much the main ingredients in beer bring to the glass. This week it’s a trio of brewers talking about how they approach ingredients, from hop selection, to heirloom corn in lagers. It was recorded in front of an audience of brewers at the annual Schilling Oktoberfest in New Hampshire, and the panel includes: Maggie Pinto left a successful job in home infusion pharmaceuticals to pursue her dream of brewing beer. She enrolled in a craft beer brewing program at a local college, found a job at a small local brewery (Fidens) and worked her way up from the taproom and can sales. Now, she brews beer every day of the week! Frank Zagami is Co-founder/Head Brewer of Deciduous Brewing Company in Newmarket, NH with his wife Maryann. Founded in 2014, he is striving to brew exceptional beer within all styles. And Spencer Longhurst is a graduate of the American Brewers Guild's Brewing Sciences and Engineering Program. Growing up in the Canadian Rockies, Spencer has cultivated a diverse brewing career having lived and brewed in Canada, the UK, Australia, and the United States. Currently, he serves as the Head Brewer at Barrique Brewing & Blending in Nashville, Tennessee, where he specialises in open-fermented mixed culture beers and continental lagers. With a strong commitment to using local and seasonal ingredients. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guests: Maggie Pinto, Spencer Longhurst, Frank Zagami Sponsors: All About Beer, Denver Rare Beer Tasting Tags: Corn, Lager, Brewing, Hops, Ingredients Photo: Zac Porter

Last weekend in New Hampshire, amid the revelry of the Schilling Beer Co. Oktoberfest – a festival I’ll say should be on your radar for next year – I got together with some brewer owners from around the country to record this conversation. There is a lot of uncertainty in the industry these days and folks are trying to figure out the path forward in real time. Talking with and listening to smart people offers up a lot of perspective. Guests Peter Kiley is Brewmaster and Co-Owner of Monday Night Brewing, and is an award winning brewmaster, winemaker and distiller from Atlanta, Georgia. From Monday Night’s inception, Kiley’s creative vision, recipe development and multifaceted approach to alcohol production have set the groundwork for the brewery’s worldwide notoriety. Kiley is a founding member of the MBAA Georgia chapter, a member of The Hop Quality Group, a published scientific author and has presented at both The World Brewing Congress and The Craft Brewers Conference. Tom Beckmann is the Owner and Head Brewer of Goldfinger Brewing Company in Downers Grove, Il. Upon graduating from the World Brewing Academy Master Brewer's Diploma program through Siebel Institute of Technology and Doemens Akademie in Munich, Germany, Tom became a production brewer at Lagunitas Brewing and later worked several years as a pub brewer at Emmett's Brewing Company. He established Goldfinger Brewing, an exclusively lager beer producer, in the summer of 2020 and has acute experience with lager brewing as well as what it is like to scale up a small, lager-centric, craft brewery. Jeremy Grinkey, co-founder at Everywhere Beer Co has spent 20 years in the alcohol industry. Having spent half of that time making wine on the Central Coast of California and the remainder of that time managing beer production. Before co-founding Everywhere with a few industry colleagues, he was the Director of Production at The Bruery. Everywhere Beer Co was founded in 2022 and is focused on growing its community and delivering fresh beer as well as esoteric offerings to its dedicated fans. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guests: Jeremy Grinkey, Tom Beckmann, Peter Kiley Sponsors: All About Beer, Denver Rare Beer Tasting Tags: Business, Lager, Brewing, Economics, Photo: Zac Porter

https://staustellbrewery.co.uk/A conversation on the importance, process, and tradition of cask ale, with Georgina Young the brewing director of St. Austell Brewery. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guest: Georgina Young Sponsors: All About Beer, Denver Rare Beer Tasting Tags: Britian, Drinking, Bars, Pubs, Cask Ale

Myths are everywhere in beer. We don't know when certain breweries were actually created, when some brewing styles were invented, or we have preconceived notions of how certain things should be. In reality, they are not true at all. Beer writer Jeff Alworth has a phrase for some of these: romantic facts. Some are semi-accurate but the truth is stretched slightly, which hurts no one and helps create legend and lore either around a specific brewery or a brewing process. Alworth lays out a list of these romantic facts for this episode of the All About Beer podcast to dig through in a fun and engaging interview about what is the "truth" of beer and does it really matter? This Episode is Sponsored by: Estrella Galicia Estrella Galicia is an independent, family-owned brewery in northwest Spain, founded in 1906. Estrella Galicia Cerveza Especial is a world class lager, brewed using the finest Spanish malts, locally cultivated Galician hops and the best brewing practices, in a state-of-the-art facility in La Coruña . Recognized around the world for quality and exceptional character. Estrella Galicia is “A beer like no other.”

In Pub for All Seasons: A Yearlong Journey in Search of the Perfect British Local (Headline, 2024) Adrian Tierney-Jones deftly unpacks what makes these locations so special, while also sharing details of his own life. The result is a page and calendar turner that helps reveal how different times of year bring out different experiences. It will inspire readers to get out of the traditional comfort zones and experience the Pub in all kinds of weather. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guest: Adrian Tierney-Jones Sponsors: All About Beer, Denver Rare Beer Tasting Tags: Britian, Drinking, Bars, Pubs, Travel

There is no shortage of excellent places to drink in New York City, and on this episode, we're talking with Karla and James Murray, the photographers behind a new book Great Bars of New York City: 30 of Manhattan’s Favorite Storied Drinking Establishments (Prestel). For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guest: Karla Murray and James Murray Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: New York, Drinking, Bars, Photography

Author Josh Noel talks about his new book Malort: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit. It's a story of stubbornness and luck, determination, underground appreciation, and mainstream popularity. The wormwood liquor is easy to hate but should be wonderfully appreciated. It is a uniquely Chicago story, and there is no one better than Noel to tell the story. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guest: Josh Noel Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Chicago, Malort, Bars, Drinking Photo by John Holl

There’s some really fun beers happening inside of a small Rhode Island brewery. This week, it’s a conversation with Cheyne Tessier of Origin Beer Project about low abv beers, art, and establishing a home base. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guest: Cheyne Tessier Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Rhode Island, ABV, Lager, IPA, Hop Water, Business Photo by John Holl

A conversation recorded in Providence, Rhode Island with longtime brewmaster John Mallett, formerly of Bells Brewery who is currently happily retired. It’s a chat about brewery safety, building recipes, and insight from a career that impacted so many. Last week I was in Rhode Island to help judge the inaugural Rhode Worthy Beer Cup. It was happening along side the state brewer’s guild conference. John Mallett, the long-time Bells Brewery brewer and production manager was giving the keynote. He’s an Ocean State Native, and was kind enough to take some time to cross the road after his talk and sit down with me for a conversation at the newly opened Buttonwoods Brewery location. If you don’t know Mallett, maybe you’ve been living under a rock. In addition to his work at Bells, which spanned more than 20 years, helping develop and shepherd many of the brands beloved beers to market, he’s also the author of Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse (released by the Brewers Publications in 2014). He served on many boards and technical committees, including the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, Brewers Association, Hop Quality Group – of which he was a founder - and American Malting Barley Association. Mallett retired a few years ago but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have anything left to share or teach. He is passionate about brewery safety, and finding ways to bring creativy, knowledge, and passion to an industry that he has loved for so long. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guests: John Mallett Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Rhode Island, Bells, Safety, Hop Quality Group Photo by John Holl

It’s a conversation about both history and modern beer with Alan Pugsley, the long-time brewery consultant who helped launch so many beers in the early days of the craft movement and more recently has gotten into the gluten-free beer space. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guests: Alan Pugsley Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Maine, Brewing, Gluten-free Photo by Dave Delsonno

As it continues to do important work, reach milestones, and look towards the future, the National Black Brewers Association has put out a report detailing its accomplishments. Kevin Asato, the executive director is here for a conversation. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guests: Kevin Asato Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Lager, Brewing, Associations, Membership, Growth, NB2A Photo by NB2A.ORG

Shaun O'Sullivan of 21st Amendment Brewery interviews Chuck Silva of Silva Brewing on this bonus episode of Brewer to Brewer. This Episode is Sponsored by: Firsd Tea Firsd Tea is a proud sponsor of the Brewer to Brewer podcast. Firsd Tea has been working with brewers on a wide range of teas and botanicals in popular and successful beers. Firsd Tea combines flexible order sizes with the experience you need to create innovative and successful craft brews. They get you the most direct-to-farm tea selection so you are working with flavorful and consistent products. You can find out more about Firsd Tea’s collaborations with brewers and tea ingredients by visiting firsdtea.com or email info@firsdtea.com The following music was used for this media project: Music: Hip Hop Intro 06 by TaigaSoundProd Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9533-hip-hop-intro-06 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod

A few weeks back Dave Haydysch of Lone Rider Beer began posting shots of himself on social media in the hospital after being admitted for breathing problems. It turns out it was exposure to malt dust that landed him there. He’s been part of the North Carolina Craft Beer Industry since 2010 when he got his start at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, NC. In 2016 Dave was brought on to develop and lead brewing operations at Mason Jar Lager Company. He is now leading brewing ops at Lonerider Brewing in Raleigh and co-brewing with the team at Fortnight Brewing in Cary. Dave is an active member of the NC Brewers Guild and sits on the Education Committee for the Guild. On this episode he walks us through his career and the last several scary weeks. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guests: Dave Haydysch Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Lager, Brewing, Safety, Malt, Brewing Photo by John Holl

Lew Bryson is on the show this week. He’s a long-time writer in the beer and whisky space, a voice of reason, and honestly just a force of good and positivity in an otherwise dreary world. I’ve been fortunate to call Bryson a friend for the better part of 20 years now. As a writer starting off in the beer space he was one of a few that was generous with his time, advice, and expertise. That’s not a unique to me experience. Lew has helped so many better understand drinks and culture. He’s kind and intelligent with the kind of resume that can only come with being among the very best. He was managing editor of Whisky Advocate magazine for 20 years. He is the author of Tasting Whiskey, and Whiskey Master Class, and writes a column for Craft Spirits Magazine. His work has appeared in countless publications, including a long stint in All About Beer. Bryson is a Kentucky Colonel, and a member of The Order of The Writ, an honorary association of the bourbon industry. He lives in central Pennsylvania, which is the topic of his podcast, “Seen Through A Glass." – a show you should tune into regularly. A few months back we were approached by Rich Colli of Varga Bar to do an event for Philly Beer Week. It was great fun, pouring and talking about whisky and beer. Before all that we sat down at Victory Brewing in Philly, to talk about writing, careers, home bars, and more. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guests: Lew Bryson Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Lager, Whisky, Home Bars, Books Photo by John Holl

Don Tse takes over hosting duties on this episode recorded live at Forever Lager. He talks with a trio of brewers about decoction mashing. This is a fun, entertaining, and engaging listen. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: Don Tse Guests: Zach Adams of Fox Farm, Eric Larkin of Cohesion Brewing, and Shawn Cooper of Halfway Crooks Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Lager, Brewing, Malt, Mashing, Decoction Photo by John Holl

This week is a conversation recorded at Notch Brewing, during the Forever Lager Festival. In a moment you’ll hear from the brewers Wild East Brewing, Working Draft, and Dovetail, a bunch of cool brewers doing cool things. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: John Holl Guests: Jenny Pfafflin of Dovetail Brewery, Clinton Lohman of Working Draft Beer Co., and Brett Taylor of Wild East Brewing. Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Lager, Brewing, Rice, Hazy IPA, Festival Photo by Andy Crouch

This is the second of several shows recorded live during Forever Lager, a festival held by Notch Brewing in Brighton, Massachusetts. Guest host Andy Crouch takes a deep dive into the culture of brewing in New England with a trio of respected, and well-known brewers: Tod Mott of Tributary Brewing, Will Meyers of Cambridge Brewing, and Paul Sayler of Zero Gravity Brewing. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer. Host: Andy Crouch Guests: Tod Mott of Tributary Brewing, Will Meyers of Cambridge Brewing, and Paul Sayler of Zero Gravity Brewing Sponsors: All About Beer Tags: Lager, Brewing, Pilsner, Hazy IPA, Festival Photo by John Holl