Drink Beer, Think Beer With John Holl

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 110 - Sean Lilly Wilson of Fullsteam Brewery Nov 10, 2021

Show notes

Show notes from host John Holl:

"You’ll hear how I first met Sean Lilly Wilson a little later in the show, but what I didn’t know back then and what I’ve come to experience over the course of nearly a decade, is his commitment to food, drink, hospitality, creativity, culture, and community.

Outside of Fullsteam, the brewery he launched in 2010, much of the growth of North Carolina as a premiere beer state has to do with the efforts he mounted – with a dedicated group of others – to change the then byzantine beer laws and restrictions.

It was an effort called Pop the Cap, and its impact is still felt today. His efforts haven’t stopped with the laws, but have moved onto the land. Through the brewery, work within the state guild, and conversation with other brewing professionals he wants to help southern agriculture grow and thrive. He’s called it "plow to pint" and the beers he and the brewing team have produced bear the fruit of that hard work.

Nationally, he’s been recognized four times by the James Beard Foundation as a semi-finalist in the outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer category. Personally, he’s a nice guy to talk to. He’s thoughtful and earnest and an incredibly hard worker.

At the brewery he goes by CEO – Chief Executive Optimist – and works to bring forward thinking to both the original brewery in Durham as well as a new location – which opened on the day this was recorded, a day before it first aired. It will focus on pizza and beer pairings, something that might sound simple, but is actually a tightrope walk.

This Episode is sponsored by:

NZ Hops
NZ Hops, the co-operative of Master Hop Growers are a passionate collective of farms dedicated to innovation and sustainability. Leading the charge in sustainable farm practices, some NZ Hops farms have over five generations of knowledge that inform their composting program, used by growers to promote healthy regenerative growth of hops year upon year. This creates high quality soil, a critical component of healthy growing conditions. At NZ Hops, they feel that sustainability is not only being a steward for the land, but for our future.

Stomp Stickers
Stomp Stickers is a proud member of the brewers association that produces a wide variety of printed brewery products such as beer labels, keg collars, coasters, beer boxes and much more. Stomp’s website features an easy-to-use design tool, low quantity orders, fast turn times, and free domestic shipping. Visit StompStickers.com and use code DRINKBEER15 for 15% off your first order.

For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge: The Newsletter for Beer Professionals, follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and subscribe to our beer industry focused newsletter. There is more information, articles, and engaging content at Beer Edge.

Host: John Holl
Guest: Sean Lilly Wilson of Fullsteam Brewery
Sponsors: NZ Hops, Stomp Stickers and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Farming, Pilsner, Local, IPA, Food, Laws

Ep. 109 - Alan Sprints of Hair of the Dog Nov 03, 2021

Show notes

Alan Sprints wanted to be a chef, but the hours were going to be terrible and he wanted to raise a family, so he went into brewing instead. That was to the great benefit to all of us because his dedication to styles that were not mainstream, or even sessionable meant the creation of building blocks that the entire US craft industry stands on today.

From the early days of Oregon craft beer, to brewing beers that are meant to be cellared, to legacy and beyond, his perspective is unparalleled and he does not hold back in this wide-ranging conversation.

This Episode is sponsored by:

Host: John Holl
Guest: Alan Sprints
Sponsors: NZ Hops, Stomp Stickers and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Rauchbier, Strong Ale, Oregon, Trains, Food, Legacy

Ep. 108 - Jeff Alworth, author of The Beer Bible Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

Show notes from Host John Holl:

I met Jeff Alworth in the comments section of his blog, Beervana. A decade ago I had written an article for a newspaper and Alworth had thoughts and took the piece to task. He was wrong, of course, so like any keyboard warrior, I logged on and defended my digital honor. We became friends shortly after.

If you are interested in beer, you likely know Alworth. He’s internationally respected writer and authority on beer. He has a deep respect for beer styles, history, tradition, and craftsmanship.

The first addition of the beer bible has sold over 125,000 copies and the second edition, according to workman, the publisher is “the most comprehensive guide to the world of beer, with everything you need to know about what to drink, where, when and why.”

Alworth is author of the Beervana Blog, the The Widmer Way (Ooligan), The Secrets of Master Brewers (Storey), and Cider Made Simple. He is co-host of the Beervana Podcast. Alworth hails from Portland, Oregon and as he began national book tour to support the new book he spent a few days in New Jersey, staying at my house. You should check out the podcasts he did with Steal This Beer as well as Beer Massif at two book signings for additional context.

With this go around, recorded in my backyard- neighbor’s leaf blowers and all – I tried to cover new ground, but mostly just wound up having an enjoyable chat with an old friend."

This Episode is sponsored by:

Host: John Holl
Guest: Jeff Alworth
Sponsors: NZ Hops and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Books, IPA, Cask Ale, Brown Ale, Travel, Autumn

Ep. 107 - Pete Halupka of Harvest Roots Ferments Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

Show notes from host John Holl:

"If you’re a regular listener of this show you might recall that a few weeks back I was in Nashville for Funk Fest, an event put on by Yazoo Brewing and Embrace the Funk. I participated in a few live discussions with brewers and spent a delightful 45 minutes with Pete Halupka the co-founder and head brewer of Harvest Roots Ferments in Alabama. I wish we had recorded it.

So, in an effort to recreate the magic, he’s here this week via zoom talking about fermentation and building his kombucha program. From breaking it down and dispelling myths, he’s thoughtful and methodical about his approach and has seen the company grow and bring new fans into the fermented fold."

This Episode is sponsored by:

Host: John Holl
Guest: Pete Halupka of Harvest Roots Ferments
Sponsors: NZ Hops and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Kombucha, Fermenting, Farming, Process

Ep. 106 - Bess Dougherty of Ratio Beerworks Oct 13, 2021

Show notes

Bess Dougherty has one of the best social media accounts in the beer space these days, mostly because it doesn’t largely focus on beer. With her Carhartt overalls, she’s been using the front pocket to hold snacks. From cookies and chips, to ice cream bars and tater tots, the snack pocket is a quirky escape from reality that celebrates between meal noshes.

Bess has been brewing for a decade now, starting off at Wynkoop, the venerable Denver Brewery, before moving on to a head brewer position at the Grateful Gnome, and then landing amid the pandemic at Ratio Beerworks.

There, she’s part of a brewing team that regularly rotates jobs, it’s not just days in the brewdeck or in the cellar, and she spoke to the show last week she had just finished keg washing and was sitting on the brewery’s patio with a Mexican lager.

Earlier this year the brewery took gold for the Golden/Blonde ale category at the Great American Beer Festival, a style that isn’t often thought of these days but remains important to craft beer history and education.

Coming off the high of a big win, Bess says she quickly had to fight back against the pervasive misogyny that exists in parts of the beer industry. She’s been vocal and active in the fight to bring equality and better understanding to fellow professionals and consumers alike.

This Episode is sponsored by:

Novozymes
The best brewmasters are obsessed with creating a high quality, consistent product. That means reducing mash viscosity for better wort separation and increasing brewhouse efficiency. UltraFlo Max® from Novozymes helps you achieve both. It is time to Brew With Enzymes! Increase your brewhouse efficiency and achieve faster filtration today with UltraFlo Max®. Order a free sample today at www.brewingwithenzymes.com/beeredge.

Host: John Holl
Guest: Bess Dougherty of Ratio Beerworks
Sponsors: NZ Hops, Novozymes and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Kegs, Mexican Lager, Blonde Ale, Barrels, Diversity, Snacks

Ep. 105 - Brady Duncan and Ryan Belvins of MadTree Brewing Oct 06, 2021

Show notes

In this episode recorded in Nashville, Tennessee during the Yazoo Brewing Funk Fest Brady Duncan, a co-founder and Ryan Blevins, the head brewer, of MadTree Brewing share thoughts on IPA and lager, and the fun and hard work that comes with day-to-day operations.

The brewery has come a long way since Duncan and his other homebrew-minded founders went pro. Fueled by the growth of their IPA, but with a passion for lagers and crazy experimentation - that’s where the “mad” comes in - they are constantly turning out new beers and trying to push within and beyond established styles.

The "tree" stems from their environmental commitment. They walk the walk with giving back, not only being part of the 1% for the Planet initiative, but by making volunteerism part of employment, and thinking about ways they can lower the brewery's carbon footprint and be better stewards of the earth.

This Episode is sponsored by:

Briess
Briess is the leading supplier of specialty malt to craft brewers They offer the broadest product line in the industry, including a wide range of roasted malts that add flavor, color, and character to beer. Their experienced operators handcraft every batch of roasted malt to ensure the product you get is consistent. Check out BrewingwithBriess.com for beer recipes using roasted malt.

Host: John Holl
Guest: Brady Duncan and Ryan Belvins
Sponsors: Briess, NZ Hops, Jack's Abby, and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, IPA, Lager, Ohio, Ownership, Environment

Ep. 104 - Brad Clark of Private Press Brewing Sep 29, 2021

Show notes

Private Press is the newest chapter in Brad Clark’s brewing career. In 2005, fresh out of Siebel he co-founded Jackie O’s a Pub and Brewery in Athens, Ohio, working as the brewer and rising in the job titles as the company grew from a few hundred barrels a year to more than 10,000 annually. Along the way his recipes were lauded, racked up awards, and inspired a new generation of brewers who came up behind him.

And then in 2019 he announced that he was leaving. He was moving west to be closer to his partner and would be starting a smaller brewing operation – Private Press.

Two years in and he’s making 100 barrels of beer a year, which go to members who signed up to take a chance on his stouts and barleywines. There are only 700 spots available.

No taproom. No distribution. Just him, with the occasional help, and the barrels and stainless steel.

There are benefits to going small, he says, and a change of scenery and a change in life – namely fitness and mental health clarity – have led to the creation of at least one new style, the Munichwine, which his members will be able to taste next week for the first time.

The beers are purposeful and are more than just a liquid. They are crafted to tell a story, and an expression of a brewer who wants to make big boozy beers for adults, not candy adjunct ales.

It shows in the taste and in a career that has honored the past, but is continually looking forward.

This Episode is sponsored by:

Host: John Holl
Guest: Brad Clark of Private Press Brewing
Sponsors: Briess, NZ Hops, Jack's Abby, and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Stout, Barleywine, Munich Wine Ownership, Brewing, Business, Barrels, Wood, California

Ep. 103 - Brett VanderKamp of New Holland Brewing Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

New Holland Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 and over the years it has evolved from a small brewpub to one of the country’s largest craft brewers, all on the back of a bourbon barrel imperial stout – a pretty amazing feat.

Brett VanderKamp was a co-founder of the brewery and now sits in the CEO role. He's learned a lot along the way, some good and some bad, and has tried to use the brewery as a platform for good in the community where New Holland is based and around Michigan. In this wide ranging conversation about business, and passion, mistakes, and successes we start at the beginning and those early days when the brewery started.

This Episode is sponsored by:

Jack's Abby
For the next stop in our Lagers of the World series, we headed to Japan and worked with Numazu's Baird Brewing Co. to brew a rice lager with yuzu, green tea, and hopped with Sorachi Ace.

Host: John Holl
Guest: Brett VanderKamp of New Holland Brewing
Sponsors: Briess, NZ Hops, Jack's Abby, and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Stout, IPA, Ownership, Brewing, Business, Politics, Charity

Ep. 102 - Phil Wymore of Perennial Artisan Ales Sep 15, 2021

Show notes

Show notes from host John Holl:

Back in my traveling days, I was always happy to run into Phil Wymore. I’ve always found the co-founder of Perennial Artisan Ales to be affable, interesting, and tuned into flavor.

Since Perrenial was founded its grown in size and prestige, turning out a variety of beers, notably imperial stouts, but also crisp pilsners. For Wymore, the desire to own a business and to create and sell something that housed his creativity has been with him since a very young age.

Having a business means moving forward and trying to make a good life but to also scratch the itch of innovation and soothe that inner voice that is always pushing for more.

So, while many folks sat around binging Nextflix during the pandemic, Wymore went back to his roots in the kitchen, started messing around, and recently launched a new business, Passenger Foods.

Here’s our conversation."

This Episode is sponsored by:

Host: John Holl
Guest: Phil Wymore of Perennial Artisan Ales
Sponsors: Briess, NZ Hops, and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Condiments, Ownership, Brewing, Ales, Lager, Business

Ep. 101 - Caleb Michalke of Sugar Creek Malt Sep 08, 2021

Show notes

Corn gets beat up in beer circles.

That’s thanks to years of it being maligned by craft brewers who saw it as an adjunct ingredient that didn’t bring a lot to the conversation or messed with “purity.”

Corn is dynamic. Flavorful. Impactful in a beer recipe and should be celebrated.

That’s why in Indiana, a state known for corn production, there are rows and rows being grown annually by Caleb Michalke.

He’s the owner, maltster, and farmer of Sugar Creek Malt Co. The farm come up in our conversations quite a bit so it made sense to dial him up.

Small breweries are into what Michalke is doing. And after you listen to this episode, you’ll hear why.

Yes, Rauchbier fans we are talking about smoked beer during the show, but there is more to Sugar Creek than their smoked malt program. The products are historical and forward thinking. The farm It’s the constant worry of a grower and that undefinable urge to push forward anyway.

From talking about harvesting malt that hasn’t been grown since World War II and is now destined for lagers, to building his own brewery, and how malt is OK being the bass player in the beer band, Michalke is the cartographer of the roadmap of his business as he drives.

This Episode is sponsored by:

New Holland Brewing Co.
Dragon's Milk White from New Holland Brewing Company reimagines what a stout can be. Your vessel will be filled with the color of gold, and yet there is more to this white stout than meets the eye. Aged in bourbon barrels, Dragon’s Milk White is smooth and velvety, abounding with notes of coffee, chocolate, and vanilla to present classic stout flavors in a delicious new way, all in a session-able 6% ABV package. Find Dragon's Milk White near you at dragonsmilk.com

Host: John Holl
Guest: Caleb Michalke of Sugar Creek Malt
Sponsors: Briess, New Holland, NZ Hops, and The Beer Edge
Tags: Beer, Malt, Ownership, Brewing, Corn, Farming, History, Lager

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