Drink Beer, Think Beer With John Holl

It’s off to Montana this week for a chat with the owner and brewer of Meadowlark where we get into the importance of craft malt, a fondness for Scottish-style ales, and brewing with mushrooms. Meadowlark has been on my radar for a while now, but it wasn’t until owner Travis Peterson sent some beer to the home office that I was able to give the full line up a go.    Travis tells me that he’s long h...

A decade ago Zach Page and Nick Bonadies met as homebrewers who volunteered to help launch Trillium Brewing Company.   Zach, who handles a lot of the brewing responsibilities, moved to maine and worked at Lone Pine Brewing Company where he facilitated their expansion.    Nick, who now does a lot of marketing, naming, and other managerial responsibilities, stayed in Massachusetts for a while where...

Wisconsin is one of those places that lives in the imaginations of Americans largely in the form of caricature. Full of cheese curd eating, beer loving, Harley riders, the state rarely gets the respect it deserves.  In reality, Wisconsin is all of those things and so much more. I grew up 90 minutes south of Milwaukee but it might as well have been a totally different country. Chicago is Midwestern...

Spring is almost here which means that plans will start to come back to live in the colder parts of the country. Foraging has always been a part of beer and on this episode we’ll hear from a Texas brewer who is making the most of what is growing around the brewery. Trevor Nearburg is the founder of Beerburg Brewing in the Texas Hill Country   After his brother started homebrewing, Nearburg got rop...

For the last several months the All About Beer podcast has been producing great episodes on a single topic that matter to beer drinkers.  Hosts Don Tse and Em Sauter have great expert guests that bring unparalleled insight into all aspects of beer.    This episode tackles the importance of clean draft lines. Even if you’re a casual drinker this is still important and fascinating.    You can hear r...

Devon Kreps,  the owner of 7venth Sun Brewery , has a degree in Fermentation Science from Oregon State University and gained experience at Anheuser-Busch's research pilot facility in St. Louis. She was also the Production Manager at Sweetwater Brewing during its expansion from 25,000 to 60,000 barrels.   In 2012, she opened the first 7venth Sun Brewery location in Dunedin, which features 10 taps a...

Hop lovers, put your attention to Maryland where this month brewers and growers there released a beer with a hop that is native to the state and unlike anything else found elsewhere. The brewer and researcher behind it are here to share the story.  Last week in Maryland state officials, brewers, growers, and enthusiasts gathered at the Milkhouse Brewery to taste some beers that have recently been...

There is a lot of focus on football this week in America as the Super Bowl is coming up on Sunday. To get excited about the game and the cities involved I’ve asked on three leading experts from Philly, Kansas City, and Phoenix/Glendale.    An eighteen year veteran of the craft brewing industry, Jeremy Danner is the digital marketing manager and a brand ambassador for 4 Hands Brewing Company. Prior...

Trevor Rose-Hamblin, the co-founder and head brewer of Old Irving Brewing Chicago is here to talk about barrels, food, and the importance of mental health. Last month in New Hampshire, Trevor Rose-Hamblin, the co-founder and head brewer of  Old Irving Brewing in Chicago stood before a packed ballroom in Manchester New Hampshire.    He was there to deliver the keynote at the state’s annual craft br...

Earlier this week I was in Manchester, New Hampshire for the state’s brewers guild conference and I had a chance to sample my way through a lot of what the state is currently producing.  This was especially true during my conversation with Devin Bush of Wild Bloom Beer.    He’s the Head Brewer & Co-Founder - along with his wife Beth Ibitz =  of the Littleton, NH brewery which recently opened a...

From a marketing beginning to eventual homebrewing and then a professional career that had him working for one of the best-known German brewers to small outfits where his creativity could flourish, Charlie Cole has been dedicated to craft.    When the opportunity came along to get involved with Blue Cat , an Illinois brewing institution going back to the 1990s, he jumped at the chance.    He’s a b...

Scores of Americans have grown up with Kelsey Grammer on their TV sets and on the silver screen screen, through his roles on Cheers and Frasier, as the voice of Sideshow Bob on The Simpsons and Stinky Pete in Toy Story II.  He’s done a lot with his professional life. He's starred in countless stage shows, authored books, and dabbled in music. Now, in addition to all that he owns a beer company. It...

  What does this year hold for beer? Likely a lot of uncertainty for the industry, but increased choice for the consumer.    For the first show of 2023 I’m glad to be joined by three of my colleagues, the hosts of other shows from All About Beer , and just good friends.    Andy Crouch is the publisher and my fellow co-owner of All About Beer and he hosts the monthly Beer Travelers podcast.    Em S...

2022 offered more chances to get back out into the world. The beer bars across the country, that is to say, the ones dedicated to well selected lists and impeccable service are a necessary part of the beer landscape.    Like taprooms and restaurants they are also facing hardships amid labor shortages and rising costs.    We are grateful to have three well respected publicans on the show this year...

It's the fun time of year where we recap all that happened in beer, look forward a bit, and generally spread merriment. This year the expert panel includes: Melissa Cole, Matt Kirkegaard, Carla Lauter, and Chris Shepard.  This Episode is Sponsored By: Pro Brewer We bring original articles to ProBrewer.com twice a week covering issues important to the beer industry and aimed at helping breweries of...

"I’ve known Jonathan Moxey since long before I was on the beer writing beat. We were in a group of beer enthusiasts that met in and around new York city at least 15 years ago. Moxey was a homebrewer at the time. He was more than that, of course, but I first knew him as a homebrewer and a damn good one at that.    There would be parties and gatherings and bombers would be passed around and all of u...

"Over the summer I spent a delightful evening at Switchback , the venerable Vermont Brewery and got to talking with Gretchen Langfeldt over beers and during a tour of the brewery. At the time I was bummed that I didn’t have my mobile recording kit with me. She’s here this week via zoom for the show and I couldn’t be happier.    After graduating Notre Dame with an engineering degree she started wor...

We’re headed into that time of year where people tend to reflect, take stock and then look forward. On this episode I wanted to catch up with the homebrewing sphere since it continues to drive and inspire a lot of what happens in professional beer.    For this panel I’m honored to have three guests who have been making their beer for a long time, are active in their communities, and are constantly...

What is the best beer style for your Thanksgiving table? How should you approach pairing good beer with good food? What is a recipe that everyone should try? Chef Jessie Massie of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Chef Josh Tomson of The Lodge at Woodloch share their culinary thoughts all things beer and food to make the holidays merry and bright. This Episode is Sponsored By: Pro Brewer We bring orig...

"A few months ago I was visiting Industrial Arts , a brewery in New York’s Hudson valley to record a few episodes of Steal This Beer.   Jeff O’Neil, the brewery’s founder and brewmaster, was walking us through his impressive 100 hectolitre system and sharing a sneak peak of some non-alcoholic beers he was working on.    This week those beverages are hitting the marketplace so it seemed fitting to...

"Last month I was in Toronto as a judge for the inaugural Canada Beer Cup . Over the course of three very very long days I was seated across from Matt Tweedy, the co-founder and brewing director of Tooth and Nail Brewing in Ottawa.    By the lunch break on the first day I knew he needed to be on the show. Aside from having a great palate and brewing insight, he’s a thoughtful guy who genuinely car...

There are some posts that have a longer shelf life on the internet than others. Bits of wisdom or doses of reality that resonate when you first read them and then continue to make sense long after should they pop up again.    Such is the case with a post that Alyssa Hoberer put up in late 2019 urging people to not open a brewery, unless they had put in the work and knew the risks.    A lot has hap...

"Earlier this year at the Great American Beer Festival the awards in the beer categories were handed out followed by awards to breweries of the year, as dictated by size. This is based on a metric of barrels produced annually as well as medals won in the competition.    For the 251 to 500 barrel capacity brewery, The Big Friendly, a relatively new brewery in Oklahoma City took home the award.    C...

When it comes to beer education, Randy Mosher has schooled countless drinkers on the art and science of tasting beer.  He is a writer and creative consultant, the author of five books on beer and brewing, and provides training and lectures around the world. Mosher is a teacher at the Siebel Institute, has a background in design and advertising, and frequently consults on new product development an...

This is the last, for now, of the shows recorded on location from the Pacific Northwest. It was recorded at Von Ebert Brewing ’s Glendoveer location, on the far edges of Portland, Oregon and situated on a golf course.    Von Ebert is a brewery that has been crushing it since the start. Making great IPAs and Lagers as well as boasting a terrific blending program – in fact we discuss some of those b...