A weekly dive into the business and culture of beer. Hosted by Andy Crouch and John Holl, The Beer Edge podcast provides listeners with unparalleled insights into the beer industry. Our mission is to provide consumers and industry players alike with a fresh and unfiltered look at the world of better, flavorful beer. We seek to capture the essence and passion of brewers, both big and small, foreign and domestic, each of whom has a distinctive and colorful story to go along with the beautiful ...
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Introducing The Beer Travelers Podcast
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Denver holds a special place in my heart. I’ve watched as the local beer scene has grown and then exploded, with dozens and dozens of breweries cropping up in parts of town that didn’t even really exist, such as RiNo. Denver has long had a formidable beer scene but today it is one of the country’s best. And on this second episode of the Beer Travel…
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Welcome to the first episode of the new All About Beer podcast. In this premiere episode, co-hosts Em Sauter and Don Tse examine the Cold IPA with Kevin Davey, of Wayfinder Beer, who is credited with creating the style. From the specs and flavor, process and debunking myths, this show will explain and examine every facet of craft beer’s newest styl…
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We’re back this week with the second part of my interview with beer writer, author, and judge Melissa Cole. Since we last heard from Melissa, I actually had the chance to have beers in person with her in Minneapolis during the Craft Brewers Conference. Along with Melissa, my Beer Edge partner John Holl and a couple of Australian beer writers hit se…
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It’s never boring with Melissa Cole. The first time we met remains a bit of a fever dream for me. We get into it in the first few minutes of this interview and, in character, Melissa manages to recall micro details of what we ate and drank that night six years ago. Melissa’s work is similarly colorful and a bit hard to characterize. She appears to …
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Parenting isn’t easy. And trying to manage young kids, especially during a pandemic, is incredibly hard. I don’t talk about my personal life much on these podcasts, in my work, or on social media. I prefer to keep the separation. But I also know there is value in letting others who may be similarly situated know that things are rarely the well cons…
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This week we continue our conversation with beer writer Matthew Curtis. If you missed part 1 of our discussion, I recommend you go back and give it a listen. In that episode, Matt and I discussed his work with Pellicle, his online beer, wine, and cider magazine, how he developed his voice as a writer and podcaster, and about his profile of St. Mars…
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One of the best parts of covering the craft beer industry for a while is experiencing new voices. Perspectives tend to harden over time and without the addition of new blood, they can calcify and begin to become immovable. And the industry so often feels like a singular experience, one that speaks with a too uniform voice that serves as so much ret…
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26 years is a long time to run a business, let alone one with your spouse. When my guest today first met her future husband, they were 16 years old and attending the same high school in Massachusetts. He would soon be booted out of that school but their relationship remained strong. When years later he floated the idea of opening a brewery, the two…
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In our most recent episode, I hosted a longtime friend and fellow beer writer, Joe Stange, who told us about moving his family to Thailand in the middle of a pandemic, the importance of traditional styles, and the future of the American beer bar. In this episode, we continue our discussion, moving on to his somewhat unexpected defense of hazy IPAs,…
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The pandemic has been a weird experience for everyone. Everything suddenly stopped, things went quiet, we became trapped in our homes for months on end. Even for the most stable among us, the experience was unsettling. For my guest today, the pandemic was anomalous in an entirely different way. Newly returned to the US after more than a decade livi…
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Paul Verdu is the vice president and head of Tenth and Blake, which is the craft focused arm of its parent company, Molson Coors. Under this umbrella, Coors, then later MillerCoors, and now MolsonCoors, have each sought to launch, develop, and promote flavorful beers. Its portfolio has shifted over the years, once including Blue Moon until it outgr…
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Emma Janzen and I have known each other for years. Well, in the sort of way that two people on Twitter who have never met in person can. We’ve traded messages, likes, and retweets. She’s a talented writer and photographer who possesses a great eye for detail while not losing focus on the story. She’s someone whose work I’ve followed for a long time…
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Brendan Watters - Ballast Point Brewing
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Perhaps it’s because we’ve been trapped in our houses and then our cities and counties and states for too long, but my mind has been on San Diego a lot lately. In recent episodes, we’ve had some great guests from the area and today is no exception. About 2 years ago, a small earthquake shook the craft beer world. Ballast Point, whose sale only a fe…
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My guest today is Chris Leguizamon, a beer educator and marketer living and working in San Diego and one of the new voices of craft beer. Chris has worked at several of southern California’s top breweries, including the aforementioned Stone and Alesmith, as a tour guide and brand ambassador. From his earliest work in the industry, Chris recognized …
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One of the biggest stories of the year has unquestionably been the mistreatment of women in the beer industry. Long simmering just below the surface, the issue rose to the surface recently on Instagram and took off from there. The erasure of women in the retelling of craft beer’s story and history has also long been a problem. And it’s one that my …
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I’ve lived in the Boston area for more than 20 years now and it’s just a weird city when it comes to beer. Perhaps due to Sam Adams and Jim Koch, the city has earned an outsized reputation in the craft beer world. Compared to any other city our size population wise, we should have way more breweries and beer bars. Yet, Boston’s beer reputation is b…
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The debate over which is the best American beer city has raged from the earliest days of craft beer. Powerhouse names such as Portland (both Oregon and Maine), Asheville, Denver, Chicago, and others have each made convincing cases. And right there from the beginning has been San Diego, basking in its sunshine and style defining West Coast IPAs, and…
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In the world of bars, pubs, and dives, one of the greatest signs of respect is to have a bar stool named after you. John Holl has a bar stool named after him in a Tennessee brewery. And the late great publican Don Younger of the Horse Brass Pub in Portland, Oregon, had a corner seat at the now closed Falling Rock beer bar in Denver named after him.…
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Chris Shepard is one of the keenest voices in the craft beer industry. A Senior Editor for Craft Brew News at Beer Marketer's Insights, he covers the trade side of the craft beer industry with wit, wisdom, and a healthy dose of skepticism. You might wonder how a trained actor and theater director found his way to writing about the business of beer.…
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Today we talk with one of the most recognizable names in the beer industry at large. An aspiring rapper, occasional poet, famed brewery tinkerer, and now helping run one of the largest craft breweries in the world, Sam Calagione has had a storied and frenetic career. The co-founder of the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Sam Calagione’s story began in 1…
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Writer Kenny Gould got his start with beer by running a tasting club in college. He was passionate about the subject so it remained on his mind after he graduated and moved to New York to work for Gear Patrol magazine. In his spare time, Kenny and a friend developed the concept for Hop Culture. In the beginning, the goals were simple, a place to po…
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One of the best parts of covering the beer industry is watching fresh new voices enter the space. The craft beer industry has long suffered from a tendency to highlight the same people over and over again and beer media is no different. We in the beer press tend to group around well-known individuals and help elevate their thoughts and opinions whi…
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Chalonda and Nik White On Chicago Beer
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This week we're catching up with Chalonda and Nik White to check out the Chicago beer scene that they both represent so well. Chalonda White represents one of the freshest voices on craft beer. And her husband Nik White is an old school Chicago beer guy. Together, this dynamic husband and wife squad are helping push the craft beer community forward…
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We start today with writer, editor, and my friend, Ben Keene, the former editor of Beer Advocate Magazine. Founded in 2007, BeerAdvocate Magazine went on to become one of the beer industry’s best publications. And to be sure, I’m a little biased. I wrote a monthly column for the magazine for more than a decade. In more than 130 columns, I wrote abo…
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Witte, Lauter, Noel, Holl, & Crouch on 2020 Part 2
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Old pals John Holl, Neil Witte, Carla Jean Lauter, Josh Noel, and Andy Crouch get together to discuss 2020, the year that wasn't. This is part 2 of the conversation. For more information on the Beer Edge Podcast, follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge. There is more information, articles, and engaging content at Beer Edge. Host: Andy Crouch Guests: Neil…
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Witte, Lauter, Noel, Holl, & Crouch on 2020 Part 1
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Looking back on 2020, one of the things I miss most is getting together with other folks in the beer industry, trading gossip and news, arguing a bit, and laughing over beers. Back in March, right before the long quarantine set in, my partner John Holl and I traveled up to Portland, Maine to speak at a beer conference. On the night before the confe…
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Peter Bissell of Bissell Brothers Part Deux
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Welcome to the second and final episode of the Beer Edge extended interview with Peter Bissell of Bissell Brothers Brewing in Portland, Maine. If you haven’t heard the first episode, I’d recommend going back and giving it a listen. With that said, you can also just listen to this one. Do whatever works for you. In the first episode, we talked with …
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Peter Bissell of Bissell Brothers Part One
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, with Peter Bissell of Bissell Brothers Brewing, one of the beer industry’s most interesting voices. Founded in 2013, with a mission to change people's perceptions of what beer and the beer experience can be, while always staying dedicated to its home state of Maine, the Bissell brothers were unlikely owners…
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Welcome back to the Beer Edge podcast. In last week's episode, we talked with Joey Redner of the Cigar City Brewing Company about his origin story, what got him into beer, and the state of the beer scene in Florida when he started his brewery. If you haven’t listened to that episode, I’d recommend pausing this one and going back and giving it a lis…
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Before Cigar City Brewing got its start in 2009, the beer scene in Florida was a shell of its current self. There were a couple dozen small brewpubs largely scattered in tourist areas around the state. And the quality of beer was, well, enough to drive you to buy Michelob Amber Bock and Yuengling. In the midst of all of the middling amber and brown…
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Here's a piece of advice: find someone who talks about you the way Theresa McCulla talks about Charlie Papazian’s brewing spoon. As the curator for the American Brewing History Initiative at the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, McCulla spends her time trying to capture modern American brewing history and manifesting it for the…
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Garrett Oliver has been on a bit of a media blitz in recent months following his announcement of the formation of the Michael Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling. The foundation, as you will hear, will fund technical education and career advancement opportunities for black, indigenous, and people of color in the brewing and distilling ind…
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Writer Dave Infante spent nearly a decade cranking out articles on a wide range of topics for Thrillist, from the best Snapchat filters to why he only packs dirty clothes when he’s traveling. He also wrote a lot about craft beer. For his work on this latter topic, Infante won two James beard awards. He’s not an inside baseball craft beer writer. He…
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Julia Herz has been a passionate advocate for American craft brewers for nearly two decades. In her role as craft beer program director for the Brewers Association, Herz helped build public appreciation for craft beer all while helping to promote the interest of member breweries. She wrote a book on tasting beer, gave dozens of keynote addresses at…
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Andy Crouch reads an essay on the importance of quality and independent beer journalism and the responsibility to ask people in power the tough questions. Then Beer Edge co-founder John Holl joins Andy for a chat about the state of the beer industry, the likely long term impacts of COVID-19, a rage of IP theft cases recently, and why we welcome sea…
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With his signature long hair, faded trucker hat, and baby face, Ben Howe could easily pass for a newbie assistant brewer, which is what he once was. You could also be forgiven for carding him before serving him a drink. Despite his youthful appearance, Ben has a long history of brewing experience under his belt. He has brewed with some of the world…
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As brewers work to figure out how to survive until a time when their operations can return to full business, the trade organization that represents them is also feeling the pain. Based in Boulder, Colorado, the Brewers Association represents more than 5600 US breweries and nearly 50,000 homebrewers, the allied trade, beer wholesalers, retailers, an…
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Hard core craft beer fans like to talk about the first names club in craft beer. The reference often applies to so-called rock star brewers who have become relatively famous among a sub set of craft beer enthusiasts. These names include Jim, Sam, Garrett, Tomme, and Vinnie among others. The list is almost always male, reflecting the long term tilt …
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, Andy Crouch speaks with Greg Avola, the co-founder of Untappd, the leading beer ratings app. Founded in 2010, Untappd jettisoned any pretenses about beer and simply presented users with a location based social networking service that allowed them to check in beers and share them with friends. Untappd’s earl…
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, Andy Crouch speaks with Khris Johnson, the head brewer and co-founder of Green Bench Brewing in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Crouch first visited Green Bench shortly after they opened and he has made it back just about every year since then. The brewery produces a wide range of styles, ranging from totally cl…
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Evan Sallee of Fair State Brewing Cooperative
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, Andy Crouch speaks with Evan Sallee, the co-founder and CEO of Fair State Brewing Cooperative in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Evan has seen first hand the after effects of the killing of George Floyd on the city. It has also caused him to further explore his company’s own lack of diversity as you will hear. It w…
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Josh Noel of The Chicago Tribune Talks 3 Floyds And Furloughs
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, Andy Crouch speaks with Josh Noel of the Chicago Tribune. Crouch grew up in and around Chicago and spent much of his youth reading the Trib. These days, things are tough for the hometown paper. It’s a subject Josh will discuss and you should certainly follow his Twitter account, at hopnotes, for more info. …
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Ep. 11 - J Nikol Jackson-Beckham Talks Inclusion and Equity in COVID-19
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, Andy Crouch speaks with J Nikol Jackson-Beckham. Dr. J, as she is known, is a former college professor, having very recently transitioned to a career as an equity and inclusion strategist. She founded Craft Beer For All, her platform that works to provide consulting services and training to individuals and …
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Ep. 10 - Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing Misses Drinking With Others
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, Andy Crouch speaks with Chris Lohring, the founder of Notch Brewing Company in Salem, Massachusetts. Chris is one of my favorite people to talk to about beer. He’s been in the industry long enough to develop strong opinions but with the knowledge to back them up, all without becoming too jaded. He remains a…
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Ep. 9 - Deb Carey of New Glarus Brewing Company Gets Political
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, we speak with New Glarus Brewing Company co-founder Deb Carey about how when and where breweries should use their voices, about being true to herself, and the politics of the COVID-19 pandemic. New Glarus has long been a model brewery that many others seek to emulate. One of the largest craft breweries in t…
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Ep. 8 - Peter Bissell of Bissell Brothers Talks Pivoting Hard and Saving Jobs
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On this episode of the Beer Edge podcast, we speak with Bissell Brothers co-founder Peter Bissell about how COVID-19 has impacted the brewery and his lobster restaurant in Portland, Maine. Pete admits to being blind-sided by the pandemic news, as someone who does not closely follow the news. When the government forced his restaurant to close and li…
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Ep. 7 - Carl Setzer of Great Leap Brewing in Beijing Talks COVID-19 and Chinese Craft Beer
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Carl arrived in China for the first time in 2004, having just graduated from college in Alabama. He originally was going to teach English in Wuhan, the city where the COVID-19 virus is suspected of starting, but he then moved to teach English to business executives in a nearby town. After teaching, Carl returned to the states and got a masters degr…
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Ep. 6 - Adam Robbings of Reuben's Brews Talks Risk Management
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Adam Robbings started making moves at his brewery, Reuben’s Brews, well before Washington State started putting restrictions in place. His previous careers helped get some things in perspective and moving before the world came crashing down. Like every other brewery, his business has been impacted. But listening to him, in this conversation recorde…
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Ep. 5 - Julie Verratti of Denizens Brewing Talks CARES Act and Confidence
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It has been another week in the world of beer. Fast paced, changing every day, but yet starting to settle into a routine, the new normal. About a week ago, Congress passed and the president signed into law an unprecedented $2 trillion COVID-19 response and relief package. Almost immediately, small business owners, including bars, breweries, and oth…
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Ep. 4 - Should Your Brewery Take Out A Loan?
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The hardships and challenges continue to mount for beer industry professionals. As lockdowns become more stringent, it's harder for breweries to get beer to their customers. Some states, like New Jersey, gave breweries the opportunity to deliver beer direct to consumers, only to take the privilege away days later. On this episode of the Beer Edge p…
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