Drink Beer, Think Beer With John Holl

Latest Episodes:

How One Brewer is Always Improving IPA Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

This week, it’s a conversation with Chad Henderson of NoDA Brewing in Charlotte, NC. The brewery recently celebrated 15 years and we’ll go deep on how the beer has evolved, how hop products are changing recipes, and what the brewery does to ensure quality time and time again.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
All About Beer podcast listeners are among the first to know: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s famed rare beer Celly Drippins will be released to the public on Friday November 6 at both the Chico California and Mills River North Carolina locations. Learn more about the details of the release events at https://sierranevada.com/event/celly-drippins-release-2026 and plan your trip to experience this extra special beer, available only on tap at the brewery for a limited number of days while supplies last.

Berkeley Yeast
Our Tropics yeast is based on a London Ale strain, but we added a new gene to its genome that codes for a unique thiol-releasing enzyme. The enzyme converts the precursors in barley to free thiols that smell and taste like passionfruit and grapefruit. It’s super clean. No off-flavors like burnt rubber or other sulfurous notes. Just tropical aromatics. You don’t have to do anything unusual either, like mash hopping. Just pitch dry Tropics and supercharge your hazy IPA.

All About Beer
At All About Beer, we’re honored to share the stories that define the beer community, and we couldn’t do it without the generous support of our underwriting sponsors. Their commitment helps sustain independent beer journalism, allowing us to highlight the people, places, and passion behind every pint. Their partnership ensures these stories continue to inspire, connect, and celebrate the craft we all love. Join our underwriters today and help make an impact on independent journalism covering the beer industry.

Host: John Holl

Guest: Chad Henderson

Sponsors: Berkeley Yeast, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., All About Beer

Tags: IPA, quality control, North Carolina
Photo: by John Holl

How Low-ABV Beers Are Changing The Way People Think About Craft Beer Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

Remember when everybody, from beer lovers to the breweries themselves, got all excited for 15% ABV, 314 IBU, thick and viscous brews? Hellya, I'll stand in line for four hours for a four-ounce pour of that! No more. Consumers want drinkability. And with rising input costs, breweries want to brew beers that actually make money. What if people drank more than one beer?!

Breweries have shifted to lower-ABV beers as a way to show true craftsmanship—the beers are harder to brew well and flavorfully—and draw consumers into their taprooms and actually spend some time (and money) there. Aaron Dahl the Head Brewer At Golden Age Beer,

Adam Shier the Brewer & Co-founder at True History Brewing, and Erika Rosenfeld of Post & Beam Brewing talk about the art of brewing low-ABV beer. It's not as easy as just turning down the volume.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Host: Don Tse

Guests: Aaron Dahl, Adam Shier, and Erika Rosenfeld of Post & Beam Brewing

Sponsors: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., All About Beer

Tags: low abv, non-alcoholic,
Photo: Don Tse

Uncovering Beer Ghosts and Forgotten Hops History Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

There is always beer history to be uncovered and this week on the show Jennifer Jordan, the author of the new book Beer Ghosts: In search of lost hops and the Women Who Grew Them is here to talk about The little-known story of the young women who played a vital role in the rise of America’s great breweries.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Host: John Holl

Guest: Jennifer Jordan

Sponsors: Berkeley Yeast, All About Beer

Tags: hops, history, Wisconsin,
Photo: University of Chicago Press

How Brewers are Shifting Hospitality Practices Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

Gone are the days when a brewery could turn a wire spool on its side, buy some cheap chairs, install some taps and flip on the Taproom Open sign. Today's beer drinkers have become more choosy about where they spend their beer dollar and breweries are finding they have to actually provide an experience to draw customers in. That might mean trivia nights or live music.

Breweries have had to navigate the transition from serving the hospitality industry to being part of the hospitality industry. They have to thread the needle of drawing in their own customers, while not stealing customers from their hospitality accounts.

What does hospitality mean to today's craft breweries? Bill Eye of Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Amy Loebig of Dancing Gnome, and and Mark Babson of River Roost Brewery joined the panel to discuss brewery hospitality.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Host: Don Tse

Guests: Bill Eye, Amy Loebig, Mark Babson

Sponsors: Berkeley Yeast, All About Beer

Tags: Hospitality
Photo: Matthew Arielly

Big Changes for the Great American Beer Festival Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

The Great American Beer festival is this weekend in Denver and for the first time in a long time, it has a new location. That’s just one of many changes coming to the venerable gathering. Tristan Chan, formerly of PorchDrinking, is in the host seat this week. He's joined by Shawnee Adelson the Executive Director of the Colorado Brewers Guild and Jonathan Shikes of the Denver Post. They talk about what to expect, the changes, and what this means for festivals in general.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Host: Tristan Chan

Guests: Shawnee Adelson, Jonathan Shikes

Sponsors: Berkeley Yeast, All About Beer

Tags: GABF, Festivals, Denver
Photo: Brewers Association

How Eckhart Beer Continues the New York Lagering Tradition Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

On the weekend that Oktoberfest kicked off in Munich the real fun was happening in Brooklyn. Eckhart Beer celebrated its one year anniversary and held a proper celebration of lager. John Holl was there and hosted a panel that covers all the fun of the season, what it means to brew lager in New York City in 2026, and ways to make the most out of hospitality.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
This episode is brought to you by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, innovators in craft beer since 1980 and still 100% family owned. Experience the finest quality and purest ingredients in person by visiting the iconic Sierra Nevada breweries in Chico, California – where it all started – or Mills River, North Carolina, the country’s only Platinum LEED certified production brewery. Visit Sierra Nevada dot com to learn more. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Still Family-Owned, Operated & Argued Over.

Host: John Holl

Guests: Nick Meyer, LaTreace Harris, Adam Wolfe

Sponsors: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., All About Beer

Tags: Hops, Oktoberfest, Lager, NYC, Business
Photo: By John Holl

Chris and Jessica Whaley on Building Back Whaley Farm Brewery Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

As Western North Carolina marks two years since Hurricane Helene, we have a guest episode from On the Blue Ridge, a podcast by former All About Beer Managing Editor Jon Page. He recently sat down with Chris and Jessica Whaley of Whaley Farm Brewery in Old Fort, a town of fewer than 1,000 people about 25 miles east of Asheville, just off Interstate 40. The brewery was severely damaged by the storm, and their conversation looks back at what happened, the long road to rebuilding, the support they received from their community, and what it took to finally return to brewing.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Host: Jon Page

Guests: Chris Whaley, Jessica Whaley

Sponsors: All About Beer

Tags: On the Blue Ridge
Photo: by Jon Page

Shelley and Eric Desmarais Talk About Life Among the Hop Fields Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

A conversation with Shelley and Eric Desmarais of CLS Farms in Moxee, Washington about the 2026 hop harvest and what life is like for families during the regions busiest time of the year.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Host: John Holl

Guests: Shelley and Eric Desmarais

Sponsors: Berkeley Yeast, All About Beer

Tags: Hops, Harvest, Family, Farming, Business
Photo: By John Holl

Why Bale Breaker Beers Are A (Top)Cut Above Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

Back in Yakima for a second week and visiting another brewery. This time it’s Bale Breaker, the famed Washington brewery with its very own hop fields. Don Tse is again in the host seat and sitting down with brewmaster Kevin "Smitty" Smith.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Host: Don Tse

Guests: Kevin Smith

Sponsors: Berkeley Yeast, All About Beer

Tags: Hop Harvest, Washington, Brewing, Farming
Photo: By John Holl

Single Hill Kicks Off the 2026 Hop Harvest in Yakima Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

This episode was recorded in Yakima, Washington where the 2026 hop harvest is just getting under way. Lots of brewers and beer fans will be making their way through this city for selection and to taste fresh hop ales, and nearly everyone will come through Single Hill Brewery for pints.

Zach Turner the Head Brewer and general manager of Single Hill joins guest host Don Tse for a conversation.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

John I. Haas
You don’t have to travel to Yakima to make hop selection part of your harvest. With RemoteSelection from John I. Haas, your brewing team can evaluate hop samples right at the brewery and select the sensory profiles that best fit your beers. And through Next Gen Selection, minimum commitments start at just 220 pounds per variety, making meaningful hop selection accessible to more breweries. This harvest, make your hops your choice. Contact your Haas Sales Representative or visit JohnIHaas.com/Harvest for more information.

Host: Don Tse

Guests: Zach Turner

Sponsors: Sierra Nevada, John I. Haas, All About Beer

Tags: fresh hops, IPA, harvest, Yakima,
Photo: By John Holl

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