Jamie Bogner

Forget last year’s hot side versus cold side social media debate. The real issue, says Trap Door head brewer Jake Watt, is the seasonal creep that’s pushing out fresh-hopped beers before the most compelling hops are even ready to be harvested. But ask him which methods he uses to hop these beers dubbed “fresh,” and he’ll answer, “all of the above, and more.”

• Podcast

Through a series of projects and papers, these two respected researchers are shedding new light on how hops age, how variety impacts that aging, how conditions such as temperature and oxygen affect hops, and more. An important takeaway: There’s more life in two-, three-, or four-year-old hop lots than we may have previously thought.

• Podcast

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, nothing seems more fitting than to take a look back at the earliest days of American brewing in the revolutionary era, guided by two brewers who’ve done the historical work and found ways to make that history relevant in our modern beer context.

• Podcast

Delicious fried chicken and an artful take on comfort food may be the primary draws for this Colorado restaurant chain, but the award-winning beer is no afterthought. With six top-flight medals over the past six years, they’re proving that smaller beers designed to be enjoyed with food have an enduring place in craft brewing.

• Podcast

For this Bay Area California brewer, the keys to better helles and West Coast IPA unlocked as he stripped away burdensome processes and ingredients and simplified recipes and techniques to their core essentials.

• Podcast

The cofounders of this small central California brewery have intentionally limited their scope to lager—but that doesn’t mean they sacrifice breadth or experimentation, as they tinker with everything from traditional styles to hazy pale lager.

• Podcast
• Lager
• Hazy Lager

Harnessing data from disparate brewery systems is easier now than ever before, and predictive tools and AI-powered systems are within reach even for small breweries. In this episode, we explore how breweries can use this data effectively to avoid costly downtime.

• Podcast
• Brightly26

While many brewers in North America have leaned into saisons with dialed-up flavors—with more acidity, plentiful phenolics, and big Brett—this small and focused brewery in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood tones it down and shapes it up to make lighter, drier beers that drink full, glass after glass.

• Podcast

Chicago’s Half Acre has built a well-deserved reputation for expertly crafted beers, and its pale ale Daisy Cutter has found its way into the pantheon of craft classics. Now, co-owner Matt Gallagher has set his sights on something smaller: Suncatcher, a neighborhood-focused brewery where the beers support rather than drive the conversation.

• Podcast

Having a good idea of how a new ingredient is going to work in the brewhouse is crucial for brewers today who need to be more efficient than ever while pursuing their creative urges. In this conversation with Matt Gallagher of Suncatcher/Half Acre, Tom Beckmann of Goldfinger, and Laura Burns and Jonathan Moxey of Omega Yeast, we discuss the collaborative process, evolving knowledge around low-temperature lager fermentation, building flexible character in classic styles, and more.

• Podcast

The cofounder of the Chicago brewery shares their approach to building lagers not just as expressions of specific styles, but as beers designed for specific times and places.

• Podcast

As Firestone Walker celebrates their 30th anniversary this year, we’ve teamed up to share stories around a theme they’re incredibly passionate about and proud of—the deep relationships they’ve built with hop growers, hop brokers, and hop-industry organizations.

• Podcast
• Sponsored