Beer Me!

To kick off the new season, and the new school year our guest this week is Hutch Kugeman. He is the headbrewer and co-instructor of The Art of Science and Brewing class at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He explains how the curriculum was developed, what is covered in the class, the ever-expanding craft beer scene in the Hudson Valley, and the CIA's upcoming educational beer festival - Brew U.

The Atlanta beer scene is rapidly changing - there are new breweries, markets, bars, and laws. This week on Beer Me on the road, we chat with Bar Manager of Hop City Craft Beer & Wine, Sara Franco, to discuss these changes. We also dive into how selecting beer and training staff is different in Atlanta, some new breweries that are worth the trip, and a few off-topic points.

Throughout the centuries, beer and church have intertwined - however, there have also been decided separations, especially in the US, before, during, and after prohibition. Those worlds are starting to blend more within craft beer: there is a craft brewery in Orlando that is also a church. This week we chat with Aaron Schmalzle, co-founder of Castle Church Brewing Community in Orlando, Florida. Aaron describes how the quest to homebrew a replica of beer favored by Martin Luther lead him to open a brewery church, and how that operates today.

This week we are in New Orleans chatting with Zackary Shelton, General Manager of Cochon Butcher, and a member of the Shelton Brothers Imports family. We talk about beer trends in New Orleans and staff beer education. We also dive into how Shelton Brothers got their start, how they were able to introduce breweries such as Cantillon to the US market, and the role importers play in beer trends.

We chat with Neil Callaghan, Brand Manager of Cigar City Brewing Company. Originally opened in 2009, this brewery has grown significantly. They now distribute throughout the U.S. and to 15 other countries around the world. How does a small brewery stay true to their brand, their story? This question is answered along with a few detours.

This episode of "Beer Me on the Road" we go to Fairwinds Brewery in Alexandria, VA. We sit down with Charlie Buettner, Brewmaster + CEO and Chris Banich Sales + Operations Manager of Fairwinds. As more breweries are turning to canned beer over bottled, we talk about the ups and downs of using a contract canner vs. installing your own canning line. We also dive into important considerations for canning beer. Fairwinds Brewery is also known for their particularly clear beer. With hazy being all the rage, we discuss what inspired this choice, and what goes into clarifying a beer.

With the rise of hazy IPAs, hops are the main focus for a lot of beer fans. Aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, citrus, pine, herbs, all come from hops. Yes, hops are sexy, but let's talk about malt. Newly elected President of the DC Homebrewers Club, Omar Al-Nidawi and I discuss a malt experiment over a few pints at U street's Saloon. This is our first edition of Beer Me on the road.

Bart Watson, Chief Economist of the Brewers Association comes by to chat about what exactly an economist does for the brewing industry, how he gets his data and some new stats. We dive into Boston Beer Co. and Dogfish Head joining forces, as well as the Brewers Association Annual Hill Climb.

Red Bear Brewing Company recently opened in the NOMA neighborhood of Washington DC. Brewery owners and operators Simon Bee, Bryan Van Den Oever, and Cameron Raspet come by to chat about the opening process. They discuss different decisions they've made and how those decisions have gone on to mold the guest experience, the employee experience, and their experience. If you have ever dreamed about opening a brewery or any business, this is an episode for you!

Expanding any business is filled with challenges and decisions, expanding a brewery is no exception. Julie Verratti, co-owner, and chief brand officer of Denizens Brewing Co. is in to explain the process of deciding to expand the brewery, things learned in the process and consistency in their brand & culture.

In honor of Mother's Day today we tackle the mother of dragons, sorry no, the mother of beer...yeast! Dr. Matt Humbard, a microbiologist, yeast wrangler, and soon-to-be brewery owner comes by to do a deep dive into the wonderful world of yeast.

Every year the Brewers Association hosts the Craft Brewers Conference. The conference is filled with educational seminars, events, keynote speakers, demonstrations, and countless networking opportunities. On top of all that, there is BrewExpo America, where hundreds of vendors come, from all over the world, to sell and educate the consumer about their products. This ranges from new canning lines to beer slushie technology. Here are a few interviews from the expo floor.

As we close out the circle of our beer judge episodes, today we talk about a recent homebrew competition - how it was organized and who is champion! The winner gets to scale up their recipe at DC Brau and have their beer sold at every Pizza Paradiso location. Every homebrewer’s dream come true.

Recorded at the Craft Brewers Conference in Denver, Colorado, we get to chat with Ethan Cox, president and the main instigator at Community Beer Works in Buffalo, New York. We discuss the flourishing beer scene in western New York, how to get more people drinking craft beer, beer travel, and staying true to your beer brand.

Join us for a special show with Dr. Brian Alberts and Liz Garibay from the Chicago Beer + Culture Project and The Brewseum. They are in DC to talk beer history, and how beer shapes community and culture. Returning to the show we also have Mike Stein, local beer historian to taste the East Indian Porter he brewed with Bluejacket Brewery and historian, Ron Pattinson.

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) was founded in 1985 to "to promote beer literacy and the appreciation of real beer, and to recognize beer tasting and evaluation skills." The approach to gain this certification is very hands on. Ben Hunter, Sales Manager for Denizens Brewing Co. and Certifed Beer Judge explains the process of studying for the certification. We dive into what it's like to judge a beer competition, and how to start judging beer.

How do brewers select hops for their brews? What qualities do they look for in the hops and the production/processing? Listen in for the answers. Alex Barth, CEO of John I. Haaz and a seventh-generation hop producer is our guest. We also get into new flavor research, hazy IPAs, and hop extracts.

As craft beer continues to grow, the question is, will the bubble burst? Short answer, no, there are so many people that don't drink beer. Sam Nellis, Beverage Director for All-Purpose and Red Hen in DC comes by to chat about what goes into building his list, and how education is the key to growing craft beer enthusiasts. Of course, we get off topic with beer throwdowns, spritzes, orval day, and eggs.

Adrienne Ballou headed up the barrel and fruit refermination program at Jester King in Austin, TX. Though a classicly trained winemaker, she crossed the bridge into beer making. She has since returned to the wine world in Texas hill country. We get nerdy with her experiences in barrel management. We also stressed the importance of people from both wine and beers worlds to share their knowledge.

For this week Beer Me is recorded in Portland, Maine - specifically at Maine Beer Co. We chat with their marketing & events manager, Anne Marisic. She discusses what it means to work for a company whose motto is "do what's right" and how that translates to the beer, expansions, and employee care. Part of the new renovation is a space for a sensory evaluation, which sparked a dive into tasting and evaluating beer.