Jamie Bogner

In rural southern Illinois, Scratch may be America’s most compelling example of farmhouse brewing. In this episode, the cofounders explain their methods for adding natural, foraged ingredients, as well as the work-intensive process of wood-fired brewing.

• Podcast
• Brewing
• Farmhouse ale

Simultaneously pursuing great lagers alongside a two-pronged approach to hazy IPA—with both sweeter and drier iterations—has established this Kansas City brewery as a creative force in the Midwest.

• Podcast

The cofounder and brewer for the suburban Chicago powerhouse of progressive styles makes coveted beers with a workmanlike, no-nonsense approach.

• Podcast
• Barrel-Aging
• Stout

For the director of brewing operations at California’s The Bruery, sensory evaluation is what drives decisions, and beers earn their shot at becoming bigger releases by working their way up the tiers.

• Podcast
• Sour beer
• Wine-beer hybrid

The co-owner and brewmaster of the Southern California brewery shares strong opinions on developing beers where nothing is added and everything—from hops to coffee and spices—is considered a recipe ingredient.

• Podcast
• Beachwood
• IPA

Firestone Walker’s Propagator brewhouse manager discusses the R&D process for popular beer families such as Luponic Distortion and Mind Haze, as they follow the path of subtle but continual evolution.

• Podcast
• Brewing
• IPA

Are you getting the most you can out of the hops you use? Could you get even more? Brandon Capps thinks so. He’s been exploring the limits and potential of brewing with extracted terpenes.

• Podcast
• IPA
• Hops

For the cofounder of San Diego’s Societe Brewing, beer should be flavorful, easy to find, inexpensive, and beautifully crafted. His six-pack neatly mirrors Societe’s focus, with Belgian inspiration and a nod to the dark, hoppy beers of Southern California.

• Pick Six
• Belgian Ale
• Gueuze

It’s hard work to keep things simple, and this New York brewery proves that maxim with complex fermentations for their core beers and an ongoing focus on ales served on cask.

• Podcast
• Cask Ale
• British ales

Sierra Nevada’s founder discusses the process of creative and technical innovation that drives the brewery today, as well as their fanatical, industry-leading approach to beer quality.

• Podcast

For the head brewer of Urban South in New Orleans, focusing on tight process, healthy lactic fermentation, and quality fruit is the difference between dull and delicious quick-soured beers.

• Podcast
• Kettle Sours
• Fruit Beer

For Oregon’s Heater Allen, slow growth and focused experimentation allowed them to dial in quality long before craft lager caught on. They learned to brew the beers they want with the equipment they have—but there’s one thing they won’t sacrifice.

• Podcast