Beer Sessions Radio (TM)

How has hop farming evolved over the past decade? Jimmy has brought on a roster of experts to bring us up to speed on the state of hops.  On the show today are John Condzella, fourth generation farmer from eastern Long Island and president of the Hop Growers of New York Association ; Adam Kryder , executive director of the Hop Growers of New York Association; and Megan Wilson, COO of Torch & C...

Get ready to experience one of the coolest beer events Jimmy has ever been to in his life! We’re talking Pils & Love 2024. A Celebration of Pilsner, the event was held on June 29th and featured more than 50 of the world’s best pilsners. While there, Jimmy caught up with two top lager makers: Todd DiMatteo, owner and brewer at Good Word Brewing & Public House in Duluth, GA, and Ashleigh Car...

In our last episode, Sean Towers from The Seed mentioned running a full cask ale program at The Cricket Club in Cape May, NJ. Naturally, Jimmy had to check it out. Back for this episode are Sean of The Seed Living Beer Project in Atlantic City, and Ryan Brower , former beer editor at Gear Patrol and certified cicerone. Also joining the cask tasting is Kyle Kulkowitz from The Cricket Club. Cask Ale...

Beer and BBQ. Can you name a better combination? Today we’re serving up both, live from Wildwoods BBQ in New Jersey! Chowing down (and bringing the brews) to this shindig are Sean Towers, co-owner/founder of The Seed Living Beer Project in Atlantic City, and Ryan Brower former beer editor at Gear Patrol, certified cicerone, and Atlantic City local (and former Bushwickite). Ryan has envisioned Jimm...

As we move through the year into apple season, you know we gotta talk cider! This week, we’re checking in on the cider world, specifically on this year’s competition space. Joining Jimmy for this episode are friends Eric West, the illustrious Cider Guide ; Ron Sansone of Spoke + Spy Ciderworks ; and Justin Koury of BevFluence . Between Eric, Ron, and Justin, the cider expertise is overflowing from...

Today we are going to regale you with tales of keggers past… Jimmy recently stumbled upon an article in Good Beer Hunting on the rise and fall of the kegger at UM in Missoula, Montana. And there’s a lot more to it than there just having been a lot of beer! Brian Alberts, a historian of beer in context, is joined by Cody Ewert, associate editor at the Montana Historical Society, to break it all dow...

Get ready for something cool and crisp during this hot and heavy Summer… We’re off to Ontario to talk cider! On the show today is Barry Rooke, Executive Director of Cider Canada / Cidre Canada , the budding national association for cider producers. Joining him is returning guest Damin Sawyer of Bone N' Bottle Reviews , lover of all things cider and chicken wings. Jimmy is thrilled to talk about th...

Jimmy’s summer travels roll on! This week, a stop in Holyoke, Massachusetts to catch up with some malt and grain powerhouses you may remember from past episodes… Chatting with Jimmy are Andrea Stanley, co-owner of Valley Malt and Ground Up Grain; Kyle Fiasconaro, owner and chef at Brewer’s Foods ; and Matthew Steinberg, co-founder and head brewer at Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing in Framingham, Massachusetts...

We’re up in Maine and about to try some of the greatest hard ciders of your life! This week Jimmy is at the first CiderFeast in Portland, hanging out with up-and-coming cidermakers from in and around the state of Maine. Joining the party are Joy Cartwright, Marketing Director of Fogtown Brewing Co ; Jon Stein, Owner and Cidermaker at Fogtown; Jared Carr, Co-Owner and Cidermaker at Cornish Cider Co...

Today Jimmy is hanging out and recording in the studio with the gents from OEC Brewing , who are celebrating their 10th anniversary! Joining Jimmy with a full suite of brews to taste are Ben Neidhart, owner of OEC, and Mike Dolan and Tom Pavlich of B. United International Inc ., who represents OEC in NYC. Jimmy goes back with these fine folks for ten years! Learn all about OEC and B. United, owned...

On the road again! Jimmy is following up on some more brewers he encountered at last year’s Craft Malt Conference, where the fine folks at Blue Ox Malthouse put together an amazing list of regional beers at Novare Res. In this episode, Jimmy heads to Northwood Brewing Co , way up there in New Hampshire. Experience authentic New England vibes as we delve into craft malt, beer styles, and why you li...

We’re shaking things up with a cider episode this week! Jimmy is back at Roberta’s with a special guest who he has known since the early days of Cider Week NYC and Jimmys No. 43.  Diane Flynt, author of Wild, Tamed, Lost, Revived: The Surprising Story of Apples in the South , joins Jimmy to talk all about her apples and making great cider. The two will recount the trajectory of craft cider over th...

Today’s BSR is a true session . Jimmy has arranged a soirée at Roberta’s to celebrate local beer bars, craft brews, and traditional German styles: Weissbier, Rauchbier, Pilsner… Attending the evening’s affair are a host of beer bar guests and various experts: some familiar, some fresh, and from all around the globe. Miguel Rivas AKA The Beer Trekker is back with his friend Beinat Gutierrez all the...

The good times roll like the Rocky Mountains with Jimmy and the Bowl of 'Zole festival! Em Hutto of RadCraft Beer arranged another mighty show while Jimmy was out west, focusing on the good folks at Bruz Beers in Denver, CO. Joining Jimmy today are the two owners of Bruz: Charlie Gottenkieny and Ryan Evans. Em has Jimmy’s trust implicitly after arranging so many interesting BSR rendezvous, and so...

Today Jimmy’s celebrating Transmitter Brewing ’s upcoming 10 year anniversary with a bunch of friends at the studio in Roberta’s! Join the party to recount Transmitter’s rockin’ ten years: brewing Belgian-inspired farmhouse-style ales, operating a bustling tasting room and beer garden in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and making it all look cool. Today’s starting line-up includes Ian Kalmes, head brewer...

Jimmy’s on the road in Cambridge, Massachusetts! He’s at Lamplighter Brewing Co ’s special CX Outpost to bring us the first of two episodes on spent grain! Get the lowdown on everything from the importance of freshness, the fundamentals of upcycling grain, and a focus on craft malt.  Joining Jimmy is returning guest Tyler Fitzpatrick from Lamplighter to give us some updates on their work with spen...

Jimmy is on the horn with Read Spear , President of Origen Imports inc. in Oaxaca, Mexico.  Read is a pioneering mezcal importer, and Origen Imports incorporates several brands including Cuentacuentos Agave Spirits . The key to marketing mezcal made using 400 year old traditions is getting out of the way of those traditions. The philosophy behind the Cuentacuentos “Real Mezcal” brand is to cut out...

Jimmy serves up an in-depth episode on the history of mouth watering whiskey from Mexico. Learn about the ancient corn that makes the whiskey so special, live with a suite of experts at the HRN studio in Roberta’s! Joining the discussion today are Clay Risen , NYT contributor and author, who reports on whiskey and other spirits; Zack Wangeman , founder and chef at Sobre Masa and Tortilla Factory,...

NYC Beer Week 2024 is off with a bang! Live from the scene, Jimmy is at Gun Hill Publick House at Industry City following the Opening Bash event held on Saturday, February 24. This episode is going to include a barrel of useful information on everything from how to make a good lager to how to open a good brewery. Riding along with Jimmy is returning guest ​Pete Lengyel-Fushimi of Rockaway Brewing...

Like a phoenix from the ashes, the legendary Beer Bar, Deep Ellum in Waltham, MA, has been reborn! Just outside of Boston, Jimmy is at Deep Ellum beer bar to chat about the new location and the myth behind the legendary neighborhood establishment. Here to chat with Jimmy are Max Toste , one of the owners of Deep Ellum, and Matt Steinberg , co-founder and head brewer at Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing .  The b...

We are live from the mothership for episode 700 of BSR! It’s fitting to be in the place where it all started, Roberta’s Pizza , to bring you this jam packed episode of great food and beer pairings for our 700th Beer Session. Experience tantalizing tastings live with Jimmy and friends as they chow down and pour up, straight from the HRN studio in Bushwick. Here to join the celebration are two Maste...

We hope you’re hungry! Jimmy is wrapping up his Copenhagen series by chatting with a pastry chef turned innovative hot dog vendor. John Michael Jensen, or Sausage John , makes a hell of a lot of dogs at Johns Hotdog Deli , and hot sauce too! This is a mouth watering episode jam packed with magical street dogs (including Christmas duck confit sausages), beer collaborations, and Copenhagen’s own hot...

We’re taking a trip back to Jimmy’s romp through København with our second special ‘on the road’ episode of the year! This week, we’re talking “bean to bar”, as Jimmy visits Friis Holm Chokolade , located on the farm and brewery property of Herslev Bryghus just outside of Copenhagen. There, Jimmy spoke with Mikkel Friis Holm , founder and chocolate maker at Friis Holm, and Nethe Plenge , cookbook...

In this episode, brewer meets hop farmer to find what they have in common… and it’s a bunch of goats! Jimmy welcomes Averee Dilday and Darren Baze of Goat Patch Brewing Company , along with Audrey Gehlhausen of Billy Goat Hop Farm . Em Hutto has brought along some great new friends from Colorado for Jimmy to session with. Topics of discussion include beer, farming hops, goat yoga, drinking, and mo...

Come along with Jimmy on his trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, as he meets with some interesting folks doing some very Danish things with beer and more! On this stop of the journey, Jimmy sits down with Saimon Skurichin, proprietor of BRØL (Broel) Brewing , where surplus bread from bakeries is converted into amazing craft beers “ BRØL ” means beer + bread, and since 2007 Saimon and his crew have been m...