Heavy Hops

Latest Episodes:

HH 085: Critique Is An Act of Storytelling (JJ Koczan/The Obelisk) Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

Joining me this week is JJ Koczan, founder of The Obelisk, an online publication focusing on desert rock, stoner and doom metal. JJ and I both found our way into the music industry around twenty years ago through college radio and journalism. JJ became Managing Editor at The Aquarian Weekly and Associate Editor at Metal Maniacs Magazine in New York before creating The Obelisk thirteen years ago. I wanted to understand how JJ negotiates being a fan of heavy music in addition to someone who covers it daily; does his profession color his listening experience? Does the pitch an artist, label, or publicist makes color his perception of the music? I think about these same questions a lot when it comes to event curation and even programming for this podcast. Before jumping in I’d like to give a shout out to Esben Willems who edits, mixes and masters these episodes weekly for inspiring this episode. If you’re listening and have a guest idea, feel free to reach out and share it. Find JJ Koczan: The Obelisk Twitter Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems/Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 084: Make Them Bleed From The Eyes (Ammo) Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

Joining us week is Amaury “Ammo” Dastarac, a freelance illustrator based in Brussels. You’ve likely seen Ammo’s work; he’s created concert and festival posters for Neurosis, Converge, The Melvins, Chelsea Wolfe, Enslaved and Hellfest. He’s also illustrated beer labels for breweries De Ranke, Cantillon and most recently Brasserie De La Mule. We discuss his style, visual and musical inspirations, how he crossed over into illustrating beer labels, embedding himself first into legendary venue Magasin 4 in Brussels, then the fabric of the Brussels beer scene. We also dedicate time to how he approaches working with the legendary lambic producer Cantillon, whose past labels are iconic and in the case of Rosé de Gambrinus, controversial. What goes into bringing producers and brands visually into the present? Find Ammo: Art & Label Portfolio Instagram Belgian Beers Race Game: a board game he illustrated in which players visit as many breweries as possible, buy their beers, drink throughout a three day competition Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems/Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 083: Efficient Isn't Always Better (Lou Bank & Chava Peribán/S.A.C.R.E.D & Agave Road Trip Podcast) Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

For a few years I’ve been intrigued by agave spirits, and in particular Mezcal. The flavor profiles, methods of production and history of these beverages are fascinating and delicious. In the interest of promoting curiosity, an eternal goal of this podcast, I wanted to give space to this unique world of beverages that have an intriguing sense of place. Joining me in this endeavor are Lou Bank and Chava Peribán, Executive Director and Project Manager respectively of S.A.C.R.E.D, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that helps improve lives in the rural Mexican communities where heritage agave spirits are made. They also co-host the Agave Road Trip podcast. Lou and Chava provide context by offering insight into the agricultural, political, social and economic histories of Mezcal. We also touch on the work that S.A.C.R.E.D does in improving lives in rural Oaxacan communities by supporting agricultural and water security initiatives. You can read more about their work at the links provided in the episode notes. Find Lou Bank and Chava Peribán: Read More About S.A.C.R.E.D Agave Road Trip Podcast Chava is also the documentarist for Maguey Melate Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems/Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 082: Under The "L" In Evanston (Paul Hletko/Few Spirits) Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

Joining me this week is Paul Hletko, founder and distiller of Few Spirits in Evanston, immediately north of Chicago. Hletko’s imaginative approach to bourbon, whiskey and gin have garnered many accolades since Few’s inception in 2011 including Whiskey Advocate Craft Whiskey of the Year and Icons of Gin World Distiller of the Year. We discuss his approach to ingredient selection and the construction of his brown spirits including mash bill, barrel sourcing, yeast strains, and adjuncts. The significance of the distillery's location in relation to the temperance movement receive attention, and we expound upon the correlations between songwriting and creating flavor. While Paul is mission and vision driven he is an ally of small distillers in the industry, having served as president of the American Craft Spirits Association and on the advisory board of DISCUS (Distilled Spirits Council of the United States). I take the opportunity to ask about relevant topics in the industry including consolidation among larger distillers and distributors, and direct to consumer sales. Find Paul Hletko: Few Spirits Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems/Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 081: Wall of Amps (Greg Anderson/Sunn 0))), Southern Lord Records) Feb 03, 2022

Show notes

Joining us this week is Greg Anderson, co-founder of the experimental metal band Sunn O))) and its label home Southern Lord Records. We discuss the band’s recent output Metta, Benevolence BBC 6Music: Live On the Invitation of Mary Anne Hobbs a live recording captured in 2019 at the legendary Maida Vale Studios in London. We discuss how these drones and improvisations from the band’s 2019 releases Life Metal and Pyroclasts came to life and evolved over the course of their last European tour, culminating in the recording that also featured Swedish musician Anna von Hausswolff. Metta, Benevolence is Sunn O)))’s fourth official live recording since its landmark Monoliths and Dimensions release and we explore how live performance has impacted their studio work since. Greg also shares insights into his upcoming solo material and curatorial vision for Southern Lord Records, one of the most influential labels in heavy music. Check out this playlist containing our favorite tracks from Southern Lord releases. Find Greg Anderson: Sunn O))) Website Listen to Metta, Benevolence Southern Lord Records Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems/Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 080: The Second Testament (Jeff Alworth/Beervana, The Beer Bible) Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

Jeff Alworth, an award-winning beer writer based in Portland, Oregon is our guest this week. Jeff has authored five books on beer, The Widmer Way, The Secrets of Master Brewers, Cider Made Simple, Beer Tasting Tool Kit, and The Beer Bible. A second edition of the Beer Bible was released in September 2021, and we took the opportunity to discuss beer broadly and through a social lens. We explore evolutions within the brewing world, fluidity of beer styles, how the proliferation of information on traditional Scandinavian and Baltic beers impacted his thinking of farmhouse ales, and how his telling of beer history has shifted. Whether you’re new to beer or have tried 10,000 beers The Beer Bible is an inviting, enriching read. Jeff publishes almost daily on his blog Beervana, which you’ll find linked in the episode notes. And that’s where our conversation kicks off. Find Jeff Alworth: Beervana Blog | Podcast Beer Bible 2nd Edition Twitter Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems/Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 079: Experiences and Experiencing (Esben Willems/Monolord, Studio Berserk) Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

This week we’re joined by Esben Willems, drummer in Swedish heavy band Monolord. Your Time To Shine, the band’s fifth album, was released last year on Relapse Records, and we dive into it from his perspective as a musician and producer. Your Time To Shine was his first recording in Studio Berserk, which he took over a year ago. We also discuss touring during the pandemic and the doom label, which is often how the media characterize Monolord. Esben has handled editing, mixing and mastering of Heavy Hops episodes since July of 2021, and it is a joy to record and share one of our conversations with you. Find Esben Willems: Studio Berserk Listen to Monolord on Bandcamp Monolord on Facebook, Instagram Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems / Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 078: Happiness From The Sky (Luca Cimarusti/Annihilus, Luggage) Jan 13, 2022

Show notes

Joining me this week is Luca Cimarusti - drummer in Chicago-based heavy trio Luggage, and leader of his solo black metal project Annihilus. Both bands were creatively active in 2021 and released new material, Happiness is Luggage’s fourth album and Follow A Song From The Sky is the second Annihilus offering. We discuss these two albums on their own and in comparison, and cap off the conversation by highlighting stand out releases from 2021. Check out this playlist that features the albums discussed during the show, Luca's new material, and our top albums of 2021. Luca's Top Albums of 2021: Kowloon Walled City Piecework (Listen to HH interview with Scott Evans Episode 68) Turnstile Glow On Portrayal of Guilt Christfucker Mortiferum Preserved in Torment Meat Wave Volcano Park Tomahawk Tonic Immobility Alexi's Choice Cuts of 2021: Grand Cadaver Into The Maw of Death Pupil Slicer Mirrors Big Brave Vital Monolord Your Time To Shine Ustalost Before The Glinting Spell Unvests Find Luca Cimarusti: Annihilus: Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram; Luggage: Bandcamp, Facebook Chicago Reader Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems / Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 077: Wheaties & Lucky Charms (Kate Bernot/Good Beer Hunting Sightlines, Craft Beer & Brewing) Jan 06, 2022

Show notes

Joining us this week is Kate Bernot, a contributing Editor for Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, Sightlines contributor for Good Beer Hunting, and previously beer editor for Draft Magazine. In addition to her award winning writing, she is a BJCP certified beer judge, based in Montana. Her work covers a variety of companies and stories within the alcohol and beer spaces, making her the perfect insider for our wrap up of 2021 and peek into 2022. Our wide-ranging conversation touches on journalistic and academic integrity in reporting, research and policy; the Neo-Temperance Movement; ethics in journalism, why we should be careful when talking about growth in the non-alcoholic beer segment; globalization of craft beer and the role that technology and mass media have played in shifting expectations and styles; and impending supply chain issues. We look at what success brewers have experienced during the pandemic and what challenges lay ahead in the new year. Find Kate Bernot: Twitter Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Good Beer Hunting Sightlines Website Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems / Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

HH 076: Protest Songs (Zach Blair/Rise Against) Dec 30, 2021

Show notes

Joining us this week is Zach Blair, lead guitarist in the legendary punk band Rise Against. For anyone that grew up in Chicago in the early 2000s and was at all interested in rock music, Rise Against was a touchstone. We use the group’s recent EP Nowhere Sessions as a lens into the tradition of punk rock covers of protest songs and their live resonance. We also touch on the crucial role that metal music played in shaping Zach as a guitarist, his time as a member and writer in Gwar, and how Rise Against's success is a vehicle for its activism. Find Rise Against: Facebook Instagram Listen to Rise Against's latest EP Nowhere Sessions Zach's podcast: Zach and Mike Make 3 Find Heavy Hops: Website (Listen to all episodes and access detailed show notes!) Facebook Instagram Twitter Support The Show By Donating Episode Art and HH Logo By: Bryn Gleason Audio editing, mix and mastering: Esben Willems / Studio Berserk Music by: Sam Cangelosi Please Subscribe to our podcast via your preferred listening platform. Rate and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts to help others find us! Support The Show By Donating. Give the gift of HH by sharing our episodes on social media! Small actions such as these go a long way in helping others find us!

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