Drink Beer, Think Beer With John Holl

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 182 - Ted Mack and America's First Black Owned Brewery: The Rise and Fall of Peoples Beer. May 03, 2023

Show notes

A lot of the focus in beer today focuses on the now. There is a wealth of history that exists and on the show today I’m talking with Clint Lanier, the author of “Ted Mack and America's First Black Owned Brewery: The Rise and Fall of Peoples Beer.”

There are some excellent history books about beer that exist in the world. Most will focus on broad categories, but there are some that do a deep dive into a single topic or person that really give us a sense of time, place, and purpose.

There are often lessons to be learned about where beer is today.

One such book is “Ted Mack and America's First Black Owned Brewery: The Rise and Fall of Peoples Beer.”

This is from the blurb:

Born a sharecropper in rural Alabama in 1930, Theodore A. (Ted) Mack, Sr., fought in the Korean War and then played football at Ohio State while earning a college degree. Brewing and selling beer, he believed, would be just another peak to attain.

After all, it couldn’t be more challenging than his experience in organizing buses to the March on Washington or picketing segregated schools in Milwaukee.

This is the story of Mack’s purchase of Peoples Brewing Company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Though he had carefully planned for the historic acquisition, he underestimated the subtle bigotry of Middle America, the corruption of the beer industry, and the failures of the federal government that plagued his ownership. Mack’s ownership of Peoples Brewing is an inspirational story of Black entrepreneurship, innovation and pride at a time when America was at an important racial justice crossroads.

The author is Clint Lanier. He’s is an assistant professor of English at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. His writing about travel, history, food and drink has appeared in the Huffington Post, Eater, and Fodors.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
Guest: Clinton R. Lanier, PhD
Sponsors: All About Beer
Tags: Beer, Wisconsin, History, Taverns, Business, Books

Ep. 181 - The Octatonic Collaboration Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

The Craft Brewers Conference is an annual event that brings brewers from around the world into a selected city for a few days of education, equipment buying, and camaraderie.

Brewers have also been using the occasion to get together in advance to create and then release collaboration beers. One of the most ambitious – at least from what I’ve experienced in recent years – will be released on May 1 by Embrace the Funk, the wild and wooded side of Yazoo Brewing.

Brandon Jones, the brewer behind ETF called his friends – Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River, Jason Perkins of Allagash, Jeffrey Stuffings of Jester King and Khristopher Johnson of Green Bench Brewing and they all agreed to lend their time, talent, and inspiration to the beer.

Then Jones got Jeff Mello of Bootleg Biology involved on the yeast side and Matt Albrecht of River Drive Cooperage to sort out the wood.

Everyone – minus Jason Perkins of Allagash – was able to jump into the zoom studios earlier this month to talk about the beer, how it all came together, and the spirt of collaboration among brewers and in the beer industry.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
Guests: Brandon Jones, Vinnie Cilurzo, Jeffrey Stuffings, Khristopher Johnson, Jeff Mello, Matt Albrecht
Sponsors: All About Beer
Tags: Beer, Lager, Malt, Collaboration, Yeast, Farming, Hops

Ep. 180 - Brewers Discuss Lagers at Little Beer Festival Apr 19, 2023

Show notes

It’s a love of lagers episode from four brewers that have fully embraced the traditions to the style and are working to have modern conversations in the space. You’ll hear from Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Bagby Beer, Heater Allen, and Cohesion Brewing.

It was a beautiful weather day in Duluth, Georgia last weekend as Good Word Brewing put on its third Little Beer Festival. Todd DiMatteo, who you’ve heard on this show, hosted a celebration of low ABV lagers and ales from top-notch brewers from around the country.

The brewery has already set the date for Little Beer IV: Saturday April 13, 2024. It’s a perfect setting and a charming town just outside of Atlanta and if you’re serious about great beer and the people who make it, be sure to be there next year.
It’s not just beer drinking at this fest but also some education. Under the shade of a large tree in the middle of the green John Holl was able to sit down with four brewers of note to talk about their love of lagers and the steps they are taking to create delicious beers.
The panel includes:

Lisa Allen of Heater Allen and Gold Dot Beer in Oregon,
Jeff Bagby of Bagby Beer in California;

Ashleigh Carter of Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver Colorado,

and
Eric Larkin of Cohesion Brewing in Denver.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
Guests: Lisa Allen, Jeff Bagby, Ashleigh Carter, Eric Larkin
Sponsors: All About Beer
Tags: Beer, Lager, Malt, History, Tradition, Farming, Hops

Ep. 179 - Brewing Lagers with Craft Malt Apr 12, 2023

Show notes

Is craft lager having a moment? It’s certainly gained popularity on taproom menus around the country and is showing us the diversity of styles and flavors that can be enjoyed in this category. But where does craft malt fit into these styles that are so driven by the flavors and functionality of malt?

This a special episode, recorded on location at the Craft Malt Conference that was recently held in Portland, Maine. It brings together three brewers from the Northeast to discuss their lager programs and how, when, and why they choose to use or not use craft malts in the development of their beer recipes.

Guests are Sean Towers from The Seed: A Living Beer Project, Michael Fava of Sacred Profane Brewery, and Justin Slotnick from Schilling Beer Co. Stay tuned until the end for great insight from Daniel Carey of New Glarus brewing.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
Guests: Michael Fava, Sean Towers, Justin Slotnick
Sponsors: All About Beer
Tags: Beer, Lager, Malt, History, Tradition, Farming, Hops

Ep. 178 - Jim Koch on the Evolution of Samuel Adams Boston Lager Apr 05, 2023

Show notes

2023 is looking to be an interesting year for legacy brewers in the U.S. We’re seeing closures and contractions, and changes to beloved brands.

Of course, the most noted right now is that New Belgium announced that it completely reformulated Fat Tire, turning it something that bears no resemblance to the amber ale that raised and delighted a generation.

The changes, or “remastered” version of Boston Lager that Samuel Adams announced earlier this year are not as drastic, but are important and do have an impact on what is poured into the glass.

It’s impossible to imagine the modern American beer landscape without Boston Lager. When the Boston Beer company launched in 1984 Jim Koch and co-founder Rhonda Kallman were hand selling samples to accounts all over the city.

The beer, based in part on a historic Koch family recipe and further developed by Joseph Owades, a brewing scientist who is credited as the inventor of light beer, was seen as an alternative to the macro offerings of the early 1980s.

The beer won early accolades at the Great American Beer Festival in both the consumer preference polls and the formal judging. Top honors gave it bragging rights as “best beer in America,” something the brewery still uses in the beer’s marketing nearly 40 years later.

Boston Beer has grown. Brands like Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Twisted Tea, Truly Hard Seltzer, and Dogfish Head are now all part of the company. Samuel Adams has released hundreds of beers, some that landed well with consumers, and others that faded quickly.

Boston Lager endured. On draft, in bottles and cans, and in every variety pack the brewery releases, the familiar lager is ever present. But as consumer preferences change, and technologies advance, and as brewers strive for a better version of their vision, the beer has evolved.

Koch shares insight on how hop harvest helped evolve the beer, and how historic brewing processes are being used to help the lager taste smoother. If it’s been a while since you last had a Boston Lager, now is a good time to give it a fresh try.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
Guest: Jim Koch
Sponsors: All About Beer
Tags: Beer, Lager, History, Judging, Boston, Samuel Adams, Hops, Malt

This Week in Rauchbier 2023 Apr 01, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to This Week in Rauchbier for April 1, 2023.

Our Brewers Roundtable goes deep into the smoke with Spencer Longhurst of Barrique Brewing & Blending, Logan Ackerley of Wallenpaupack Brewing, and Will Gomez of The Brew Bridge.

Then Bart Watson of the Brewers Association joins us to share the latest growth and success of Rauchbier in the marketplace.

Enjoy these audio smoky delights.

Thanks to Hagen and Bill for the inspiration to do this show. Hear the genesis of This Week in Rauchbier on episode 5 of Drink Beer, Think Beer.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
Guests: Spencer Longhurst, Will Gomez, Logan Ackerley, and Bart Watson.
Tags: beer, craft beer, rauchbier, smoke, April Fool's Day

Music for this episode:
NewsSting by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4124-newssting

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Ep. 177 - Travis Peterson & Tim Schnars of Meadowlark Brewing Mar 29, 2023

Show notes

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 had a dream of helping people experience the beauty of food and beer pairings. Neither food nor beer has to be complicated or contrived, he says,. It’s all about the experience and opening your mind to all the possibilities beer can create.

Travis graduated from Gonzaga University as a civil engineer and pursued a career working on bridge projects in both California and Washington following graduation. But in those years while visiting breweries he could not shake the desire to one day open his own. And that’s where Meadowlark, in Billings, MT came into focus.

On the show he’s joined by Brewing Director Tim Schnars. You’ll hear his voice first.

He’s been brewing professionally since 2006, when there were less than two thousand breweries in the United States and joined Meadowlark in 2013 Before brewing, Tim received post-secondary certification in advertising and design and pursued a career in animation.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
Guests: Travis Peterson & Tim Schnars
Sponsors: All About Beer
Tags: Beer, Texas, Foraging, Ingredients, Small Batch, The Land

Ep. 176 - Zach Page and Nick Bonadies of Belleflower Brewing Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

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 coordinated Trillium's expansion projects.

Eventually they got back together professionally and brought their wives Melissa and Katie into the fold, with the four of them opening Belleflower Brewing in 2021.

Nick and Zach sat down with me last week in their taproom – sharing a mic- to talk art and surprises, family balance, and being part of a larger community.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
GuestS: Zach Page and Nick Bonadies
Sponsors: All About Beer
Tags: Beer, Maine, Art, Ingredients, Small Batch, Lager, IPA

Bonus: Beer Travelers in Milwaukee Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

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 in the way that non-alcoholic beer is beer, in name only.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, is pure Midwest. From Friday night fish frys to the homey environs of supper clubs and a relatively laid back sense of community and good spiritedness, Wisconsin is the heart of the Midwest for me.

So today I’m excited that in the latest episode of Beer Travelers we’re making our way to one of the great overlooked gems in the American craft beer scene: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

To help lead us through this town’s glorious and storied beer scene we have two fantastic local guides. Chris Drosner is a long-time beer writer and editor covering Wisconsin and Milwaukee specifically. He’s written the Beer Baron column for the Wisconsin State Journal, the daily newspaper in the capital city of Madison. And it’s through this column that I first got to know Chris and his take on the Madtown and greater Wisconsin beer scenes. More recently, Chris moved to Milwaukee, where he is now the executive editor of Milwaukee Magazine.

Joining Chris to help us on our tour of Brew City this week is Bobby Tanzillo, the senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com, where he writes about beer, whiskey, history, and architecture. He’s the author of a half dozen history books, including several about beer and its history in Milwaukee. And he’s a great resource for all the beer happenings in the city.

While Chris and Bobby compete for scoops on the latest beer news in Milwaukee, it’s clear they have a deep respect for one another and they are the perfect pair to help us navigate this jewel on Lake Michigan.

For original articles or to read the vast archives or to check out All About Beer. follow us on Twitter @allaboutbeer and Instagram @allaboutbeer. Support Journalism by visiting our Patreon Page.

Host: Andy Crouch
Guests: Chris Drosner, Bobby Tanzillo
Sponsor: All About Beer
Tags: Milwaukee, Wisconsin beer

Ep. 175 - Trevor Nearburg of Beerburg Brewing Mar 08, 2023

Show notes

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 roped in and together they decided to quit their jobs and become brewers.

Both took jobs stacking cases and scrubbing floors at Real Ale Brewing, one of the 50 largest breweries in the US at the time and the second largest in Texas. They both quickly moved up, and after a year of working various jobs in the packaging hall Nearburg made a significant jump to become the Head Brewer of Uncle Billy's, a local brewpub and his brother got into management at Real Ale.

Trevor grew Uncle Billy's from a 600 bbl/yr taproom into producing 3,000 bbl/yr and distributing all over Texas. He also helped open the latest iteration of the Celis Brewery.

Eventually he became fascinated with brewing with local ingredients and wanted to create a brewery devoted to this and the idea for Beerburg slowly started forming.

The plans came together and he opened Beerburg in late January of 2020.

After a rough few years he is back to devoting time into wildcrafting beers with native ingredients and local yeast strains.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.

Host: John Holl
Guest: Trevor Nearburg
Sponsors: All About Beer
Tags: Beer, Texas, Foraging, Ingredients, Small Batch, The Land

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