Heavy Hops

Latest Episodes:

HH 075: Discovering Cultural Confidence (Lucy Corne/On Tap Magazine/African Beer Cup) Dec 23, 2021

Show notes

Joining me this week is Lucy Corne a freelance writer and beverage industry consultant based in Cape Town. She is the Editor of On Tap Magazine, South Africa’s only magazine dedicated to beer. Lucy is BJCP and Cicerone® certified, having judged a number of competitions globally, including the African Beer Cup, the only pan-African beer competition, of which she is the co-founder. Her recent profile of South African hop grower Khaya Maloney for Good Beer Hunting was recognized by the North American Guild of Beer Writers for Local Reporting, and I wanted to shift this week’s episode toward that part of the world. Listeners will remember Khaya from our interview with Gert van der Waal in July. Lucy reflects on the role she’s created for herself in the South African beer community and her reporting on Khaya. We also discuss the resiliency consumers and craft brewers have shown during multiple alcohol bans in the COVID-19 pandemic which has challenged the local beverage industry on many fronts. We finish by discussing the importance of understanding what is happening in South Africa as an indicator for the future of the beverage industry. Lucy shares interesting insights on how producers are finding inspiration in local, traditional, beverages, and how this discovery of cultural confidence can lead to a future rooted with a stronger sense of place. Find Lucy Corne: Brewmistress - Lucy's Business Website Twitter Lucy's Profile on Khaya Maloney 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 074: Death Metal Forever (Anders "El Guapo" Gustafsson/Zombiekrig) Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

Joining us this week is Anders “El Guapo” Gustafsson, founding guitarist of Zombiekrig, a thrash metal band based in Gothenburg Sweden. The band released new studio material for the first time in almost a decade on December 10th - Dödstecken an EP two new songs and live recordings captured at the second Scorched Tundra festival edition in 2012, one of the band's last shows. The tracks incorporate new elements into Zombiekrig’s established hybrid of punk, continental thrash, and classic metal. We discuss these musical inspirations, using English for the first time in lyrical composition, and a wide range of other topics including gatekeeping in metal, discovering new beverages and re-discovering classic albums, and a ton more. Find Zombiekrig: Spotify Facebook 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 073: Land of Men (Buick Audra/Friendship Commanders) Dec 09, 2021

Show notes

Joining us this week is Buick Audra, a Grammy award winning musician, writer, and activist living in Nashville, TN. She is the guitarist, primary songwriter and vocalist in the melodic heavy duo, Friendship Commanders. The band recently released four singles “Stone Child” and “Your Reign is Over” last year to mark Indigenous Peoples Day, and most recently “Altar” and “Land of Men” . We caught up while she was on tour supporting these singles and en route to recording their third LP at God City with Kurt Ballou. In addition to discussing the singles at length, we dive into sources of inspiration for Buick’s activism, the importance of elevating voices of those fighting for social justice and protest songs. Find Buick Audra & Friendship Commanders: Listen to Friendship Commanders Buick's Website Friendship Commanders 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 072: Finding Inspiration In Family History (Laurin Mack/Conrad Seipp Brewing Company) Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

People find their way into the commercial side of beer world through many avenues. Common narratives typically involve an interplay of seeking something different than what the market offered, discovering the joys of homebrewing, finding a community, and taking a risk with hopes for an independent future. Laurin Mack’s path has been exceptional and is noteworthy. She’s is the great-great-great granddaughter of Conrad Seipp, a German immigrant who began brewing beer in Chicago in 1854. The Chicago Fire in 1871 - which ravaged much of the city - spared Seipp’s brewery, which at its height produced over 250,000 barrels annually and was an innovative force in the industry. It is through the lens of family history and a desire to connect with the past - and a little encouragement from Chicago Brewseum Executive Director Liz Garibay and Co-Founder of Metropolitan Brewing Tracy Hurst - that Laurin Mack founded Conrad Seipp Brewing Company, and our conversation explores stewardship involved sharing family history with the public, re-imagining historic beer recipes and brands, and where this historic brand sits in contemporary beer culture. Find Laurin Mack: Official Website Instagram Facebook 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 Photos in Episode Notes Provided by Laurin Mack 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 071: Experiences Drive Sensory (Averie Swanson/Keeping Together) Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Joining us this week is Averie Swanson, the founder and beermaker of Keeping Together. While the company was founded in 2019 - when Averie arrived in Chicago and had an opportunity to begin making her beers at Half Acre Beer Co. - Keeping Together was only recently first served at a beer festival in Washington DC. We use this event as a lens through which we get to know Averie, the construction of Keeping Together’s beers, what inspires and drives her, cultural appropriation and how beer can be a more thoughtful and inclusive space. For those interested in tasting Keeping Together's beers, they are available at Half Acre's Balmoral Taproom for in house consumption and to go. See a full list of offerings HERE. Find Keeping Together & Averie Swanson: Website Instagram Facebook 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 070: Rekindling (Mikael Stanne/The Halo Effect, Dark Tranquillity, Grand Cadaver) Nov 11, 2021

Show notes

This week I am in Studio Berserk in Gothenburg Sweden with Mikael Stanne, vocalist and lyricist of the melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity and Grand Cadaver. Our conversation revolves around his newest project, The Halo Effect, whose lineup is rounded out by guitarists Niclas Engelin and Jesper Strömblad, bassist Peter Iwers, and drummer Daniel Svensson - former members of another legendary Gothenburg metal band: In Flames. We discuss the The Halo Effect's premier output, a single, titled, Shadowminds; how the project came together, what it captures, and what it’s been like working with longtime friends. Since the interview was recorded, Shadowminds was released on Nuclear Blast (November 9th) and The Halo Effect announced it will participate in a European tour with Amon Amarth and Machine Head in Autumn 2022. Check out the music video for "Shadowminds" here. Find The Halo Effect: Official Website Instagram Facebook 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 069: Pairing Music With Landscapes (Jeremy Walker & Alex Feher/Fire In The Mountains) Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

From its clandestine roots, to an environmentally focused multi day music and lifestyle event, Fire In The Mountains, has become an important festival in the heavy music calendar. Want to see Emma Ruth Rundle play on a grand piano with the Grand Tetons as a backdrop? Enjoy a barbecue featuring local, sustainably grown, food cooked by a Norwegian chef? This is where you’ll have that opportunity. Founders Jeremy Walker and Alex Feher walk us through the event’s roots, the centrality of environment and place that guides much of the decision-making, curation, and the importance of inclusion, attendees being participants, not customers. Find Fire In The Mountains: Official Website Instagram Facebook 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 consider donating to our fundraiser to help Sam (Co-Host of Heavy Hops) fight cancer! 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 068: Negative Space (Scott Evans/Kowloon Walled City) Oct 28, 2021

Show notes

I don’t often have an emotional response to music. Perhaps it's the prevalence of streaming services and being able to access audio and video content on demand that makes music an accessory. Sitting and intentionally focusing on a piece of music draws us in differently. In allowing music to consume us with less distraction our imagination can freely roam the architecture the artists create. Piecework, the latest release from Oakland-California’s Kowloon Walled City drew me in from the start; its effective use of negative space to create tension; lyrics focusing on finding strength and quiet resilience; and visual presentation is striking and impactful. The live recordings are captured masterfully by guitarist and vocalist Scott Evans, who joins us to discuss Piecework. Find Kowloon Walled City: Bandcamp Piecework Video Instagram Facebook Kowloon Kölsch, created by Atrevida Beer Company 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 consider donating to our fundraiser to help Sam (Co-Host of Heavy Hops) fight cancer! 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 067: Vinyl “Delays” (Michael Greig Thomas/Kindercore Vinyl) Oct 21, 2021

Show notes

It’s no secret that the vinyl pressing industry has faced a surge in demand over the last 18 months. The British Phonographic Industry recorded 4.8 Million Vinyl Albums sold in the UK in 2020, marking a decade of growth, which globally eclipsed 1 billion dollars for the first time. In the United States LP and Ep shipments increased 23.6% while compact disc shipments fell 33.6% between 2019 and 2020 according to the RIAA. Joining us this week to offer a manufacturer’s perspective on this growth - and the challenges it presents - is Michael Greig Thomas, the Chief Operating Officer at Kindercore Vinyl in Athens Georgia. We put the manufacturer at the center of our thinking for this conversation, discussing what materials go into producing records, how they are acquired, and the pain points that exist in the manufacturing. By drilling into the supply chain and non-linear process involved in transforming these raw materials, and their components, a richer understanding of why production estimates are lengthy is attainable. We also discuss popular narratives about purchasing power of major record labels to bump small releases in production queues, the Amazon effect, use of recyclable plastic, and how independents can use their size and nimbleness to their advantage in getting their records pressed on favorable timelines. I’d like to note that Michael speaks openly about the industry during this conversation and that his opinions are his, and not necessarily those of Kindercore Records. Find Michael Greig Thomas & Kindercore Vinyl 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 consider donating to our fundraiser to help Sam (Co-Host of Heavy Hops) fight cancer! 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 066: Run The Brews (Amaechi Uzoigwe & Kate Brankin/Run The Jewels) Oct 14, 2021

Show notes

Run The Jewels has not only taken the music world by storm, but they are also making waves in beverage - and specifically beer. Their history of making or lending their brand to collaborations with Goose Island, Interboro Spirits & Ales and Pipeworks Brewing were initial opening experiences for how they can connect with more audiences and create new opportunities for people to experience RTJ. Since those initial events in 2017 RTJ has launched a number of other beer projects, including the “No Save Point” IPA, released in collaboration with thirteen breweries from multiple countries. The namesake song features in the game Cyberpunk 2077. Today I am joined by the co-manager of Run The Jewels, Amaechi Uzoigwe and Kate Brankin who lead these partnerships and business development endeavors. We discuss how the worlds of RTJ and craft beer overlap, how collaborations such as “Never Look Back”, allow for social justice issues to be highlighted, and what future collaborations or co-branding opportunities may look like. There’s no doubt there will be more beer there. Find Run The Jewels Drinks 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 consider donating to our fundraiser to help Sam (Co-Host of Heavy Hops) fight cancer! 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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