Beer Sessions Radio (TM)

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, the Beer Geek All-Stars talk beer! Starting the fall season off strong, Jimmy welcomes Sean Lawson, of Lawson’s Finest Liquids in Waitsfield, VT, and Kevin Kain, AKA @CasketBeer, beer writer and blogger in Westchester, NY.To kick things off this season, Jimmy decides to get back to the big picture: talking beer. Sean delves into his 9 state distribution initiative on exporting the taste of Vermont craft beer to the rest of the nation’s beer market, and the new specialty releases that are coming out of Lawson’s Finest every month. Kevin fills us in on his Casket Beer project, which highlights the humbler beers that deserve the same level of hype as bigger names. He also reminisces on a lifetime of snowboarding and family trips to Vermont, and how a pack of Sip of Sunshine can light up a party. As the show goes on, Jimmy and Sean lean into the Kiwi Double IPA, which is made using hops from New Zealand. The Beer Geek All-Stars continue to ponder Vermont’s “little sprinkle of magic”, and the surprising flavors of real sap and maple. Later on, the gang goes deep, dishing out some wisdom for novice brewers (quick tip from Sean: brew with SAP!). Beer List:Lawson’s Finest Liquids - Scrag Mountain Pils, Little Sip IPA, Kiwi Double IPAHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy catches up with Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon! Closing off the season with a family-oriented brewery established in 1988, Jimmy welcomes Veronica Vega, Director of Product Development at Deschutes, and Robin Johnson, the Head Brewer at the Deschutes Brewpub.Deschutes was the first craft brewery in Bend, and started as the humble pub at which Robin still works. Veronica paints a scenic picture of Bend as an “Outdoor Mecca”, with mountain biking, hiking, water sports in the alpine lakes, and more! And after a long day of enjoying Bend’s outdoor activities, locals and tourists choose Deschutes Brewpub as the first gathering point to quench their thirst.The gang reminisce and discuss how working in craft brewing for the long haul has given the Deschutes crew a unique perspective on changing styles such as West Coast IPAs, Hazys, and more. But Robin and Veronica agree that the main highlights of that long career are the relationships formed between brewers, patrons, and the town.Beer List:Deschutes brewery, Squeezy Rider IPADeschutes Brewery X Xicha Brewing Collab- Catharina Guava SourDeschutes, Haze Tron Imperial Hazy IPADeschutes, Chasing Freshies, Fresh Hop x Bitburger collabDeschutes, Black Butte Porter Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, the summer of craft malt continues! Jimmy talks hops, malt, and more with Jeff Lyons from Endless Life Brewing in Crown Heights BK, NY; Ted Hawley from NY Craft Malt in Batavia, NY; Chad Meigs from The Bineyard Hop Growers in Cazenovia, NY; and Chris Holden from the NY Hop Guild in Elmira, NY.To kick things off, Jimmy asks Jeff what New York ingredients mean to him as a brewer. Ted chimes in with his knowledge of the quickly evolving New York malt industry, while Jimmy cracks open a beer brewed by Jeff that was made with Ted’s malt and Chad’s hops. Chad tells us about meeting Jeff at a “grower-meet-brewer” event in NYC and almost dropping everything to go to a Kruder and Dorfmeister concert with him. Then Chris gives us the lay of the land for the NY Hop Guild, who get their hops from New York farms on the shores of Lake Erie, through the Finger Lakes, all the way to Oneonta, and beyond.After the break, Jeff details the “beer for a year” program at Endless Life Brewing: a CSA-like membership where you can pick up a four-pack of lagers or a bottle of mixed-fermentation/sour beer once a month. Ted and Jeff chat about the importance of experimentation and feedback, and how forming local working relationships in New York helps to push their craft forward by promoting that dynamic. Chad details the ups and downs of hops in recent years, but is confident in the future of the crop. Hop Growers of NY, a group he and Chris are a part of, secured money from the state to start a hop breeding program over the next few years with the ultimate goal of growing a hop specific to NY state. Photo Courtesy of Jeff Lyons.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is keeping the summer of craft malt going with Jesse Bussard from the Craft Maltsters Guild in Bozeman, MT; Vince Tursi from Dssolvr Brewery in Asheville, NC; Erik Youngren from Skagit Valley Malting in Burlington WA; and Brent Manning from Riverbend Malthouse in Asheville, NC.To kick things off, the gang introduces us to the South by Northwest project, spearheaded by Erik and Brent. As maybe one of the first malt collaborations ever, the two explain how the exchange has helped educate on the different growing seasons across the country. Brent then gives us some context with how he got started, and he and Erik highlight some of the first beers to feature their malt. Vince also chimes in to highlight the underlying malt presence in some of his lagers. After the break, Jesse shouts out the annual craft malt conference and how breweries can get in on the craft malt certified seal. Working towards that seal starts with a good quality crop, and Erik and Brent both explain how weather and regions pose lots of challenges. Vince also chimes in to explain how he extracted flavor profiles from the Talisman malt. To wrap things up, Vince almost makes Erik cry, and the gang gives us a sneak peek into future plans for the rest of the year.Photo Courtesy of Erik Youngren.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy has a full house. On the show is Dana Ball and Dave Walton from Upward Brewing in Livingston Manor, NY; Brad Vogel and Sam Merrett from the Schooner Apollonia in Hudson, NY and Gowanus, NY; Daric Schlesselman from Van Brunt Stillhouse in Brooklyn, NY; Eric Austin from Viking Draft Co in Canaan, NY; Laura Webster from Poor Devil Pepper Co, and Nika Carlson from Greenpoint Cidery in Hudson, NY.To kick things off, Dana and Dave reflect on their recent success at the NY State Craft Beer Competition and how far things have come in the last year. Switching gears a bit, Jimmy then quotes Brad’s infamous line, “what the heck is sail freight?” and Sam launches into a wonderful introduction to the Schooner Apollonia. Brad then tells us how he’s involved down in Gowanus, and shouts out Strong Rope Brewery, a local spot they support. Brad also explains how the Schooner Apollonia makes “transport transparent,” and inspires consumers to think about how they get their products. After the break, Jimmy brings on Laura, Eric, Daric, and Nika, who all get products from the Schooner Apollonia. Everyone reminisces on how they first met Sam and how their collaborations have grown through the years. Nika tells a story of how she gets her cider from Sam’s crew, and Sam chimes in to explain how he stays carbon neutral with the help of a bike and trailer. To wrap things up, Sam summarizes the amazing partnerships, products, and sustainable distribution methods that have come out of the Schooner Apollonia as “good ideas that actually happen.”Photo Courtesy of Sam Merrett.If your food media diet is fueled by HRN, sustain the future of food radiol. Become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate.Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is diving deeper into the world of craft malt. On the show are Phil Neumann and Kether Scharff-Gray from Mainstem Malt in Walla Walla, WA; Brandon Howard from Amalga Distillery in Juneau, AK; and Emily Hutto from Rad Craft Beer. Brandon introduces us to Alaskan grown barley, starting with the legendary “Failed Barley Experiment.” Kether then gets us up to speed on the Mainstem “hub,” which extends way beyond just a malthouse. Phil explains why Mainstem is a bit of an odd duck in the craft malt community, and what supply chain management looks like day-to-day. Then, it’s Emily’s turn to piece the puzzle together, projecting Mainstem and Amalga’s vision and relationship out into the world. After the break, Phil explains what it means to be “Craft Malt Certified,” and the resources the Guild provides to make storytelling easier. American farmers are essential to both the story and the malting process, and Brandon speaks to how important it is to be the stewards of the story. To wrap things up, the gang talks about crowdfunding, scaling exports, and judging craft malt quality professionally.Photo Courtesy of Phil Neumann.If you count on HRN content, become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate.Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, summer is in full swing! On the show is Angela Steil, Advanced Cicerone in NYC; Chef Richard Knight from London, England; and Emree Woods from Rightside Brewing in Lawrenceville, GA.To kick things off, Richard introduces us to his cooking background, which has taken him to quirky spots all across the world. Angela, a master in food and drink pairings, then offers up a couple of contrasting suggestions for beer and barbeque pairings. If you’re looking for something non-alcoholic, Emree has some ideas for summertime drinks.Richard gets our mouths watering talking about rabbit paella and pork bellies, and then Jimmy challenges Angela to figure out the right drink pairing. As Richard intricately describes different dishes and Angela rattles off pairings, we start to really get a gist of which flavors in beers can help enhance a meal. To wrap things up, Jimmy learns a bit more about nonalcoholic beers from Angela and Emree, who explain how pairings depend more on carbonation than alcohol. Beer listSchlenkerla, Helles( Germany)Urban Chestnut, Zwickl Lager, St. LouisAllagash, kriek. MaineBells, Oberon. ( wheat), Michigan Rightside, Citrus Wheat NAGrimm Weisse, BrooklynDovetail, Hefeweizen, ChicagoThrees, Short Fuse, Brooklyn Brooklyn Brewery, Black Ops Imperial Stout, BrooklynRockaway, Black Gold Nitro Stout, Queens Photo Courtesy of Richard Knight.Celebrate HRN’s new look and invest in the future of food radio. Become a monthly sustaining donor at heritageradionetwork.org/donate.Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is highlighting the powerful women defining the craft malt industry. On the show is Jesse Bussard from the North American Craft Maltsters Guild in Bozeman, MT; Kether Scharff-Gray from Mainstem Malt in Walla Walla, WA; and Hilary Barile from Rabbit Hill Farms & Malt House in Shiloh, NJ.To kick things off, Jesse introduces us to her role at the Craft Maltsters Guild. Then, Hilary walks us through Rabbit Hill Farms and Malthouse, where they grow and malt all their grains themselves. The agriculture side of growing barley is very important, and Hilary discusses the challenges of weather, seasons, and supplying locally. Kether also reflects on the climate out in Washington and the complications of growing dry land grain.Jesse then highlights the quality control process, which takes place in labs across the country. This work helps develop regionally adapted barley varieties, matching the crop to the environment where it would have the best chance of growing. Speaking of grains, the gang then names an iconic beer with flavor dependent on its malt, and reflects on reeducating the brewing community about the agriculture side of beer. To wrap things up, Jesse, Kether, and Hilary explain the strong role women have played in the development of the craft malt industry, and the task force the Guild is creating to help work towards more diversity and inclusion. Beer List:1. Tonewood brewery ( Rabbit Hill Farm and Malthouse)2. Wormtown brewery, Be Hoppy3. Kent Falls, Be-SmokePhoto Courtesy of Jesse Bussard.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is learning all about building a brewing system in upstate New York. On the show is Dieter Gehring and Scott Veltman from Indiana Ladder Cidery and Brewery in Albany County, NY and Melanie Fronhofer from Fronhofer Design in Glen Falls, NY. To kick things off, Melanie gives us Fronhofer’s backstory, taking us all the way back to her dad’s machine shop. Fronhofer has come a long way, and recently, they teamed up with Indiana Ladder Cidery Brewery to build a completely new brewery, helping them to create “The Traveler” system out of 100% New York State equipment. Scott and Dieter explain the pros to having small and big systems, and walk us through what design differences they were looking for in each. Dieter and Scott also explain the brand and identity behind running a brewery and cidery. After the break, the gang continues to geek out over brewing systems, including weather-proof outdoor fermenters and swinging shipping containers. Dieter also tells us about Farming Man Fest, their take on Burning Man, and Melanie talks about the challenges of refurbishing versus starting from scratch.Photo Courtesy of Melanie Fronhofer Weber.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy is learning all about Dogfish Head. On the show is Sam and Mariah Calagione, Co-founders of Dogfish Head in Milton, DE and Andrew Greeley, Inn Keeper at Dogfish Inn in Lewes, Delaware. Jimmy takes it back to highlighting the core of Dogfish, starting with the origin of the 60-minute IPA. Andrew then tells us how he got his start running the Dogfish Inn, and Mariah introduces us to what Dogfish calls “beer and benevolence.” As a leader in creativity, Andrew reflects on incorporating unconventional ingredients into beer, such as oat milk and even bird seed. Keeping up with supply is a big challenge, so Jimmy asks of instances when Dogfish has ever had to improvise. The early days seemed full of improvising and learning on the job, and Mariah tells us some fun, but definitely stressful stories. Andrew then lets us in on what its like participating in a Dogfish staff brewing competition, and his team’s beer creation using...snails! The gang also answers a couple surprise questions from Ben Keene and talk black limes, monk fruit, super gose beer, and low-calorie drinking. Jimmy then asks if there’s anything more they can do to shock beer drinkers, and Andrew reflects on push and pull between boundaries and shock value. Finally, Jimmy wraps by highlighting the book coming soon from Dogfish Head.Drinks List: Hazy-O IPA 60-minute IPA Slightly Mighty lo- cal IPA Sea Quench AlePhoto Courtesy of Mariah CalagioneHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.