Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Latest Episodes:

416: Derrick Robertson of BreWskey Narrows His Hop Palette to Explore the Variations Within Varietals Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

Before he took the leap and started his own, BreWskey cofounder Derrick Robertson was a process engineer who helped design breweries. That background was invaluable when building out a brewhouse and cellar in a building that’s a historic landmark in Vieux-Montréal.

With multiple spaces and sprawling patios, BreWskey is popular among travelers who drink plenty of pale lager in warmer months—with many who also appreciate BreWskey’s creative and contemporary approach to hazy IPA. Robertson has an unquenchable thirst for experimentation, treating each batch on their two- and 10-barrel systems as an opportunity to tweak variables, test ingredients, and dial in processes.

He’s not afraid to brew beer with a point of view informed by his own tastes—witbier without phenolic Belgian yeast, for example—and he’s always up for experiments, such as pushing 34/70 to see just how much heat it can endure. When it comes to hazy IPA, however, he can’t bear the astringent burn that certain hops exacerbate, so he’s dialed in processes to turn beers at brewpub speed with robust body and just enough haze—because, as he says, there is such a thing as too much haze.

In this episode, Robertson discusses:

balancing brewpub and taproom beer menus with an on-the-fly creative process
adjusting the beer program week to week, based on tourism trends
brewing white beer with London Ale III while replacing certain yeast-driven flavors with targeted ingredient additions
using New Zealand hops strategically for light color without the burn
the fungibility of many hazy IPA grain bills
selecting hop varieties, such as Rakau, that improve the expression of others
why Riwaka is like smoked malt
avoiding “Galaxy paste” when brewing with the Australian hop
accepting inefficient extraction techniques when using certain hops, to avoid picking up off-flavors
dialing in his hop palette to eight to 10 hops, while expanding the number of lots of each
dry-hop bench-testing for lot selection, to understand how the rub connects to the actual flavors and aromas in finished beer

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Lórien seamlessly combines traditional elements of European noble hops with an elegant twang of American modernity. Learn more about Lórien and the rest of Indie’s varieties at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful.
Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) Not only does Arryved offer a world-class POS built specifically for breweries, but they also provide Arryved Brewery Management, e-commerce, and more to help breweries scale and thrive. Visit arryved.com to learn more.
Paktech (https://www.paktech-opi.com) With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, they offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com
Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now.

Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

415: Mathieu Paquette of Dunham Goes Hard on House Character May 30, 2025

Show notes

This small brewery in Dunham, Quebec, just north of the Vermont border, features a pub, guesthouse, and extensive beer garden that make it the perfect stop-through or weekend destination for those heading south from Montreal or north from the States. But Brasserie Dunham is much more than a waypoint. Over the past 13 years, the brewery has built a reputation for world-class saisons, finding expression through refined fermentation, an evolving culture, and intriguing use of hops. Today, Dunham brews a range that includes 750 ml bottles of saison as well as cans of lager and pale ale. Yet saison remains core to their identity.

In this episode, head brewer Mathieu Paquette shares their approach to recipe development and process. Along the way, he touches on:

designing beer for their mineral-heavy well water
the evolution of yeast and water over a decade-plus of brewing
using ingredients such as flaked rye, oats, and wheat to add body to dry beers
maintaining precision in the brewhouse to moderate other downstream factors
blending modern and classic hops for dynamic range
building a living mixed culture with periodic backups for safety
adjusting fermentation temperature dynamics to refine expression
blending foeder-aged ale into light, dry table beer to add depth
troubleshooting bottle-conditioning issues
hosting the upstart Bad Bones brewery in the former barrel cellar

And more.

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414: Hill Farmstead at 15—A Conversation with Shaun Hill May 23, 2025

Show notes

Few breweries in the 21st century have been as influential as Hill Farmstead on American craft beer. This rural Vermont brewery, built on the family property just outside Greensboro Bend, captured the beer world’s imagination upon opening in 2010, and enthusiasts have flocked there from all corners of the world ever since. Their IPAs helped to change the trajectory of the style, and their saisons—trademarked as Farmstead Ales—have received numerous honors, including a Beer of the Year nod from Craft Beer & Brewing in 2018.

Founder Shaun Hill has a reputation as a philosophically driven brewer who isn’t afraid to speak his mind on a broad swath of subjects, and in this episode he covers a wide range:

changing Edward from an IPA to pale ale 10 batches in
defending hazy beer in the early 2010s while making contributions to the development of mouthfeel and texture
making the jump from Conan to London Ale III yeast
using New Zealand hops effectively
the origin of the term “Farmstead Ale”
early iterations of the brewery business plan with a focus on Brettanomyces beers
finding a Hill Farmstead voice in mixed-culture saison
acid contributions from Chad Yakobson’s Brett strains
building beer that maintains peak flavor at 10 years in the bottle
process refinements while getting back on the brewdeck during the pandemic
intentional sustainability in the brewery
balancing consciousness and presence in a demanding brewery environment
developing a manufacturing philosophy
weighing needs of the self versus feeding the business machine
employing a “best known way” philosophy rather than standard operating procedures
reassessing what creativity looks like

And more.

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413: Hop Scientists Megan Twomey and Ryan Christian Share the Latest on Virus-Free Hops May 16, 2025

Show notes

At the turn of the 21st century, it wasn’t uncommon for a hop grower focusing on alpha varieties to replant a field every 25 to 50 years. While the plants in the field inevitably contracted viruses, the impact of those viruses on alpha-acid development and overall yield was manageable.

In today’s environment, however—with new varieties bred to be high-performance, high-aroma, well-oiled machines—the same viruses have an outsized effect, and a field’s lifespan may be just a quarter of what it used to be. Yet many growers have been extending the productive lives of those fields by planting virus-free rhizomes and plugs—plants grown from cuttings taken from portions of other hops plants where viruses can’t travel.

In this episode, we talk with scientists and hop breeders Megan Twomey of Latitude 46 and Ryan Christian of Yakima Chief Ranches for perspective on how viruses affect hops, how virus-free plants are produced, how long plants can remain virus-free, and more—and how all of that ultimately affects what’s available to brewers. Through the conversation, they touch on:

different viruses that affect hops
how viruses affect lupulin production in modern hop varieties
viral impact in producing genetically true-to-type but phenotypically out-of-spec hops
“cleaning up” hops to create virus-free plants
how and now not to monitor fields for viruses
field dynamics from new plantings over the first few years
how viral stress impacts plants and their flavor and aroma expression
yield benefits from virus-free plantings

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Lórien seamlessly combines traditional elements of European noble hops with an elegant twang of American modernity. Learn more about Lórien and the rest of Indie’s varieties at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful.
Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) Not only does Arryved offer a world-class POS built specifically for breweries, but they also provide Arryved Brewery Management, e-commerce, and more to help breweries scale and thrive. Visit arryved.com to learn more.
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Missed the ProBrew booth and their incredible product animations at CBC 2025? You can now experience them all right now at ProBrew.com! See how our advanced solutions can take your brewery to the next level! ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer!
Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now.

Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

412: Colt Carpenter of Pax Verum Sources Intentional Ingredients for Nuanced Beers May 09, 2025

Show notes

Over the past two years, five beers that Lapel, Indiana’s Pax Verum sent to Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine for review have scored 95 or above. That naturally piqued our interest, so when we planned our Craft Brewers Conference itinerary we made sure to visit the hip outpost an hour north of Indianapolis. Head brewer and co-owner Colt Carpenter cut his teeth working in a homebrew shop before making the jump to the world of professional brewing, and his embrace of high quality and diverse ingredients tracks with that experience of assisting home brewers with their own ingredient choices. Now, he embraces everything from traditional English styles and European lagers to cutting-edge IPAs, but always with a slight contemporary edge.

In this episode, Carpenter discusses:

building a wider understanding of and familiarity with beer ingredients by working at a homebrew shop
sourcing ingredients intentionally with flavor in mind
designing robust porter around a specific specialty malt
managing challenges with craft malt like increased friability and seasonal variation
focusing on freshness while managing color swings with specialty malts
avoiding over-oxygenation
cool pooling IPAs with flowable hop products
building depth in hoppy beers without T-90 pellets
finding hop lots that meet flavor goals, without selecting
unique flavors and aromas from Michigan-grown varieties

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): It's time to revisit Old Orchard's flavored craft juice concentrate blends, where the latest additions include Fruit Punch, Guava, Kiwi, and Pomegranate. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Lórien seamlessly combines traditional elements of European noble hops with an elegant twang of American modernity. Learn more about Lórien and the rest of Indie’s varieties at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops — Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful.
Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) Not only does Arryved offer a world-class POS built specifically for breweries, but they also provide Arryved Brewery Management, e-commerce, and more to help breweries scale and thrive. Visit arryved.com to learn more.
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Missed the ProBrew booth and their incredible product animations at CBC 2025? You can now experience them all right now at ProBrew.com! See how our advanced solutions can take your brewery to the next level! ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer!
Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now.

Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

411: Matt Warner of Parrotdog Takes a Counterintuitive Approach to Hops in Classic, Bright, and Hazy IPA May 02, 2025

Show notes

Parrotdog has been a craft-brewing mainstay in New Zealand for nearly 15 years, and with national distribution and a production brewery and taproom steps from the beach and Wellington’s airport, they reach a broad audience of consumers across a range of styles. While their core line features everything from a classic C-malt IPA to pils with “vivid passion fruit and white-wine notes,” they also constantly iterate and experiment on the brewery’s five-barrel pilot with everything from fresh-hop lagers to saturated hazy IPAs.

This week, cofounder and brewing director Matt Warner joins the podcast to talk hops (of course) and how they employ both domestic and Pacific Northwest varieties across a range of styles. Along the way, he discusses:

growing from a contract brand to a small brewery to a regional production brewery
scaling from homebrew recipes to commercial batches in the early days
designing “zingy” New Zealand pils that snaps across and cleans the palate
rebalancing blends of Riwaka and Nelson Sauvin yearly to adapt to crop-year differences
how Motueka changes over the picking window with a bit of “ginger crunch” character
instability in Motueka after pelletizing
using hops to build bigger mouthfeel in otherwise dry beer
new Bract Program experimental hops that show promise

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Strata, Indie’s original hop release, is now available in cold-side flowable hop oil form—Strata HyperBoost—in coordination with Yakima Chief Hops. Learn more about Strata and Indie’s more recent hop releases at www.indiehops.com. Indie Hops—Life is short, let’s make it flavorful!
Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) Not only does Arryved offer a world-class POS built specifically for breweries, but they also provide Arryved Brewery Management, e-commerce, and more to help breweries scale and thrive. Visit arryved.com to learn more.
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) Missed the ProBrew booth and their incredible product animations at CBC 2025? You can now experience them all right now at ProBrew.com! See how our advanced solutions can take your brewery to the next level! ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer!
Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now.

Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

410: NZ Grape Ale? All-Riwaka Pils? Fork & Brewer’s Brayden Rawlinson Applies European Influence to Local Ingredients Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

In Wellington, New Zealand, the Fork & Brewer has to live up to a reputation, and head brewer Brayden Rawlinson is up for the challenge. Under the leadership of previous head brewer Kelly Ryan (now with Freestyle Hops), the downtown brewpub garnered numerous awards, and the expectations placed on his successor were huge. Yet Rawlinson brings his own style and swagger to the role, alongside a deep love of fermentation in all its forms, and he’s continuing the legacy with different takes on beer that are equally medal-worthy.

In this episode, Rawlinson discusses:

pressure fermentation at warmer temps for faster, pub-centric lagers that win medals
brewing pils with 100 percent Riwaka hops added everywhere, from mash and first wort through a dip-hop addition and dry hop
achieving a more herbal, Noble-like character with Riwaka
sculpting a slightly drier NZ pils
applying Italian-style method to beers made with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc grapes and Nelson Sauvin hops
balancing the acidity in wine-grape beers with low pH but not overt sourness

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): As breweries expand beyond beer into other segments like mocktails and CBD beverages, Old Orchard is here to help. We can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Taste the modern flavors of Indie Hops at CBC, this year in Indianapolis. Join Indie in Indy for 14 incredible collab beers. Check out the full CBC beer lineup at www.indiehops.com and plan to stop by their booth #3122.
Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) From taproom to distribution, Arryved gives breweries the tools to streamline operations and boost profits—all in one powerful platform. Want to see the latest innovations in action? Visit Arryved at CBC 2025, Booth 1865, where they’ll be pouring beers and showing off the future of brewery tech.
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) If you’re at this year’s CBC 2025 in Indianapolis, there’s one place you must check out—ProBrew at Booth 2801! See ProBrew’s solutions in action, chat with our experts, and enjoy a perfectly poured beverage—on us. So don’t miss it—ProBrew, Booth 2801. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.
Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now.

Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

409: NZ Pilsner in Perspective with Paweł Lewandowski of Mount Brewing Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

While hop-forward lager may be a relatively new phenomenon in the States, New Zealand brewers have been brewing their own version of pilsner for decades using homegrown hops. Yet threading the needle in a precise style with hops that can have strong notes, such as mineral and diesel, is no small feat.

In this episode, Paweł Lewandowski, the award-winning head brewer at Mount in Mount Maunganui, on the North Island, walks us through the creative and technical process behind their “beer geek pilsner”—a beer that multiple brewers recommended to us as a standout example of the style. Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka work together in a golden ratio with two pilsner malts, wheat malt, actively managed fermentation temperatures, and concise lagering to produce a pilsner with 45 IBUs and a full body that expresses the more structured side of the country’s signature hops.

During the episode, Lewandowski discusses:

the style’s origin, beginning with Emerson’s in the 1990s
building a heftier body with pilsner and wheat to support strong hopping
his experiments with step-mashing that led back to single-infusion
using Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka at various points during the boil, whirlpool, and dry hop
year-over-year flavor variation in New Zealand hop varieties
balancing selection criteria to work across a range of styles
warmer lager fermentation, with a 24-hour temperature drop early on
lower pH and shorter lagering times for bright, hop-forward pils
contrasts between New Zealand and West Coast pils
using the “golden ratio” for hop blends

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across North America and beyond. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Custom blend development is available through our innovative R&D lab. Our bulk division supplies a wide range of beverage segments, making it the one-stop shop for flavoring beer and beyond. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Taste the modern flavors of Indie Hops at CBC, this year in Indianapolis. Join Indie in Indy for 14 incredible collab beers. Check out the full CBC beer lineup at www.indiehops.com and plan to stop by their booth #3122.
Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) From taproom to distribution, Arryved gives breweries the tools to streamline operations and boost profits—all in one powerful platform. Want to see the latest innovations in action? Visit Arryved at CBC 2025, Booth 1865, where they’ll be pouring beers and showing off the future of brewery tech.
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) If you’re at this year’s CBC 2025 in Indianapolis, there’s one place you must check out—ProBrew at Booth 2801! See ProBrew’s solutions in action, chat with our experts, and enjoy a perfectly poured beverage—on us. So don’t miss it—ProBrew, Booth 2801. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.
Brewery Workshop (https://breweryworkshop.com) If you’re launching a brewery or acquiring an existing one, consider our brewery workshop and new brewery accelerator, September 14 through 17th in Fort Collins, Colorado. Over four days, we engage in panel discussions, technical brewery tours, networking, and small working group sessions that help you better understand and prepare for the challenges of brewery operation. Tickets are on sale now.

Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

408: Brent McGlashen of Mac Hops is Harvesting Sunshine on the Family Farm in Motueka Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

New Zealand is pretty far from everything, so competing on price for commodity bittering hops was never a great strategy for the country’s small number of hops growers. Things were pretty grim in the early 2000s, when fifth-generation farmer Brent McGlashen joined his dad working on the family farm, Mac Hops, just outside the town of Motueka on the north end of South island.

But then something mysterious and wonderful happened: Craft beer took off, and creative brewers exploring new flavors and possibilities found ways to use New Zealand’s uniquely expressive hops to make beers that no one had tasted before.

In this episode, McGlashen tells the family’s story—which mirrors the bigger story of hops in New Zealand, going from struggle to global spotlight. He also talks about their move to the next chapter: gaining a deeper understanding of the science behind how flavors develop in the hops, and the factors that influence those flavors.

Through the hour, he touches on:

breeding hops with a difference in order to stand out
learning what brewers want through the selection process
the impact of soil type on expression and even cone shape in hops such as Nelson Sauvin
planting different hop varieties in different soil blocks to support their unique growth patterns
why West Coast–style IPA brewers gravitate toward Nelson grown in sandy, stony soil, while hazy IPA brewers consistently select those grown in heavier clay soils
how pick timing affects flavor and aroma impact
the range of characters in popular varieties such as Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Nectarine, Superdelic, Riwaka, Wakatu, and Rakau
how New Zealand hops affect the shelf life of hop-forward beers

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): G&D Chillers Elite 290 Micro-series line utilizes a natural refrigerant, features a more compact design with variable speed fans, and offers near-zero global warming potential. The future of sustainable refrigeration is here! Learn more about G&D’s Elite 290 line and visit GDCHILLERS.COM.
Berkeley Yeast (https://berkeleyyeast.com). Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side.
Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Custom blend development is available through our innovative R&D lab. Our bulk division supplies a wide range of beverage segments, making it the one-stop shop for flavoring beer and beyond. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer.
Indie Hops (https://indiehops.com) Taste the modern flavors of Indie Hops at CBC, this year in Indianapolis. Join Indie in Indy for 14 incredible collab beers. Check out the full CBC beer lineup at www.indiehops.com and plan to stop by their booth #3122.
Steel Chill Cups (https://SteelChillCups.com) Steel Chill-Cups are the perfect promotional tool! Crafted from 100% recyclable steel and proudly made in the USA. Discover how Steel Chill-Cups can “Put your brand on every pour”—visit SteelChillCups.com today!
Isuzu Trucks (https://www.isuzucv.com) Whether you are looking for a self-distribution solution or one to deliver supplies, there is an Isuzu truck that will fit your needs. Go to isuzucv.com to check out their impressive lineup or visit an Isuzu dealer today to find out why now, more than ever, Isuzu trucks are the trucks you trust for the work you do!
Arryved (https://www.arryved.com) From taproom to distribution, Arryved gives breweries the tools to streamline operations and boost profits—all in one powerful platform. Want to see the latest innovations in action? Visit Arryved at CBC 2025, Booth 1865, where they’ll be pouring beers and showing off the future of brewery tech.
Probrew (https://www.probrew.com) If you’re at this year’s CBC 2025 in Indianapolis, there’s one place you must check out—ProBrew at Booth 2801! See ProBrew’s solutions in action, chat with our experts, and enjoy a perfectly poured beverage—on us. So don’t miss it—ProBrew, Booth 2801. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.
Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com) Upgrade your fermentation game with Unitank 2.0 from Ss Brewtech. Available from 7-gallon up to 1-barrel sizes, Unitank 2.0 will be right at home in your homebrew set up or producing pilot batches at your commercial brewery. Visit Ss Brewtech.com to learn more!

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407: Biotransformation Myths and Realities in Hoppy and Non-Alcoholic Beers, with Dr. Peter Bircham Apr 04, 2025

Show notes

Two straight weeks of nothing but doctors on the Craft Beer & Brewing podcast? This week’s episode is another scientific barnburner with the head of R&D for Wellington’s Garage Project. Dr. Peter Bircham has been working in laboratory settings with yeast for many years, but for the past few he’s taken on an additional role beyond the academic, working on everything from building better Garage Project non-alcoholic beers to developing a testing regimen to evaluate new hop varietals in the Hāpi Research breeding program. In this episode, Bircham touches on:

beer biology
his systematic R&D process for developing novel brewing solutions
fermenting with less traditional ingredients like rice
testing regimens for new hop varieties with Hāpi Research
the benefits and limitations of biotransformation
breaking nitrogen regulation in non-GMO thiol production
yeast inbreeding to achieve genes of interest
cofermenting potential with unusual yeasts to unlock thiols

And more.

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