Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Dec 12

From the corner of the family farm in rural Columbus, Indiana, surrounded by corn fields, 450 North has built a worldwide reputation for intensely flavored fruit beers and supersaturated smoothie sours. Stephen Boardman—now sales director as well as recipe creator and ingredient-sourcing whiz—joins the podcast to share the brewery’s unique perspective on these unapologetically assertive fruit beers. In this episode, Boardman discusses: bring a culinary background to the craft-beer space the evolution of line culture and a look back at the brewery’s earlier days managing scarcity with “rare” releases finding inspiration through a variety of creative modes the impact of salt, fat, and acid on flavor and sweetness reverse-engineering food flavors with natural ingredients building compelling base beers for smoothie sours designing beers to hit all the senses building memorable festival experiences And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : G&D Chiller’s Elite 290 series chiller uses propane as a natural refrigerant with extremely low global warming potential and will help lower your facility’s energy costs and impact on the environment. Visit gdchillers.com to learn more! Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) . Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. ( https://indiehops.com ) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical ( https://fivestarchemicals.com ) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech ( https://paktech-opi.com ) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, ( https://hartprint.com ) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Brightly Software ( https://brightlysoftware.com ) is a complete asset management and operations software that enhances organizational sustainability, compliance, and efficiency through data-driven decision making. Streamline maintenance, simplify capital planning, and optimize resources. Learn more at brightlysoftware.com. Visit Flanders ( https://visitflanders.com ) Flanders boasts a brewing heritage dating back to the Middle Ages, yet at the same time, a new wave of innovative craft brewers are embracing the Belgian tradition of brewing for flavor rather than rules. Come to Flanders in 2026 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNESCO recognition, and drink in this inspiring Belgian beer culture. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Dec 5

When President Trump signed the bill to reopen the government on November 12, he also enacted a law that will—unless changed within a year—effectively ban hemp-derived THC beverages and other products nationwide. Virtually overnight, the government had moved to close the book on a broadly popular industry worth an estimated $30 billion—even as adults in many states can, for now, still legally shop for their hemp beverages alongside beer and wine. As President and Founder of the Hemp Beverage Alliance, Christopher Lackner represents brewers, distributors, retailers, can manufacturers, and others who have a stake in these drinks that have become increasingly mainstream. His focus now is on lobbying for any outcome that can keep this new industry on its feet, grounded in sensible regulations and responsible business practices. In this episode, Lackner and host Jamie Bogner discuss: how the 2018 Farm Bill loophole led to a lucrative, popular industry that became “no big deal” why sensible limits on THC in beverages—perhaps 10 milligrams per 12 ounces—may be a way forward why hemp beverages don’t belong in marijuana dispensaries the need for rules that keep out bad actors why skeptics of hemp-derived THC products should pay a visit to Minnesota how an all-you-can-drink hemp-beverage fest became the chillest affair ever what brewers and consumers who support hemp beverages should be doing now And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : G&D Chillers uses quality components, expert craftsmanship, and constant innovation. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) . Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. ( https://indiehops.com ) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical ( https://fivestarchemicals.com ) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech ( https://paktech-opi.com ) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, ( https://hartprint.com ) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Brightly Software ( https://brightlysoftware.com ) is a complete asset management and operations software that enhances organizational sustainability, compliance, and efficiency through data-driven decision making. Streamline maintenance, simplify capital planning, and optimize resources. Learn more at brightlysoftware.com. Visit Flanders ( https://visitflanders.com ) If you love beer, Belgium’s got something with your name on it. Come to Flanders in 2026 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UNESCO recognition, and drink in the Belgian beer culture. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Nov 28

This week’s episode comes from a live panel discussion on West coast pils recorded a few weeks ago at the Craft Beer & Brewing Brewers Retreat in Asheville, North Carolina, and features Khristopher Johnson of Green Bench, Bob Kunz of Highland Park, and Evan Price of Green Cheek. Over the course of the conversation, these three brewers cover a range of topics, including: the impact of lager yeast sulfur production on hops flavor and hops longevity building hops blends that ground with a classic baseline and expand with contemporary flavors and aromas creating structure and body with lower-alpha hops considering "vegetive load" as a means of boosting body blending base malts for different intended finishing gravities the impact of floor-malted barley on tropical hop expression adjusting fermentation to accentuate hop character swapping headspace carbon dioxide to control sulfur using a controlled ramp-up in fermentation temperature to balance ester production with ideal dry hop conditions And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : G&D Chillers uses quality components, expert craftsmanship, and constant innovation. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) . Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. ( https://indiehops.com ) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical ( https://fivestarchemicals.com ) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech ( https://paktech-opi.com ) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, ( https://hartprint.com ) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Brightly Software ( https://brightlysoftware.com ) is a complete asset management and operations software that enhances organizational sustainability, compliance, and efficiency through data-driven decision making. Streamline maintenance, simplify capital planning, and optimize resources. Learn more at brightlysoftware.com. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Nov 25

Lager yeast is the focus of this spotlight episode, brought to you interuption-free by Fermentis, the experts in fermentation for more than 160 years. Brewers everywhere depend on Fermentis for yeast that’s consistent, controllable, and high quality—whether you’re brewing an ester-forward Belgian-style beer, your favorite IPA, or a clean lager. In this week’s episode, we focus on brewing with 34/70 (and beyond), exploring ways to build expression in lager beers with the workhorse 34/70 but also S-23 and more. Joining for the conversation are: Matt Manthe, head brewer at Dillon Dam Brewery in Dillon, Colorado Andrew Foss, head brewer for Human Robot Brewery in Philadelphia Moh Saade, former director of brewing ops for The Tank in Miami and now a regional sales manager for Fermentis Visit Fermentis.com for more information about the lager yeasts discussed in this episode, as well as their full range of yeasts for lagers and ales. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Nov 21

At Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine ® , we obviously spend a lot of time thinking about beer—talking to brewers and others in the industry, digging into the details of process, and writing about what we learn. Best of all, though, we get to drink beer—and, like it or not, the taste of every drop flashes through these weird brains that have spent an unhealthy amount of time focused on the liquid and everything that goes into making it. In short, we have thoughts. In this episode, contributing editor Kate Bernot, prolific author and longtime contributor Stan Hieronymus, and executive editor Joe Stange take off their reporter hats to talk through their favorite things they tasted all year, from around the world—going deeper into their Critics’ Lists from the annual Best in Beer issue—inevitably sharing thoughts on where craft beer both could and should be heading. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : G&D Chiller’s Elite 290 series chiller uses propane as a natural refrigerant with extremely low global warming potential, and will help lower your facility’s energy costs and impact on the environment. Visit gdchillers.com to learn more! Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) . Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. ( https://indiehops.com ) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical ( https://fivestarchemicals.com ) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech ( https://paktech-opi.com ) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, ( https://hartprint.com ) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Nov 13

It’s one of the most anticipated episodes of the year—our annual peek behind the scenes of the Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine ™ Best in Beer issue, as editorial director Jamie Bogner and executive editor Joe Stange share perspectives on the beers we’ve named as our best 20 of 2025 —plus, they reveal the results of the annual Readers’ Choice poll. Throughout the year, we taste thousands of beers submitted to the magazine for review; our blind-review panel narrows them down further, finding top scorers in various styles for each issue of the magazine; and finally, we convene for a final round of blind tasting to narrow it down to 20 standouts of great character and quality—beers that inevitably represent this moment in beer. In this episode, we pull back the curtain to share some of the thinking (and tasting) behind the decisions, and we run through your Readers’ Choice picks for best beers of the year, best breweries, best beer cities, best beer bars, and more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : G&D Chiller’s Elite 290 series chiller uses propane as a natural refrigerant with extremely low global warming potential, and will help lower your facility’s energy costs and impact on the environment. Visit gdchillers.com to learn more! Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) . Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passionfruit. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com. Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) . Hit the refresh button on your fruit flavors with Old Orchard's flavored craft juice concentrate blends. Our latest additions include Fruit Punch, Guava, Kiwi, and Pomegranate. More information and free samples for pro brewers are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. ( https://indiehops.com ) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical ( https://fivestarchemicals.com ) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech ( https://paktech-opi.com ) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, ( https://hartprint.com ) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Nov 7

Sheesh! The Establishment (Calgary, Alberta) has built a reputation over the past few years for taking an unconventional, experimental approach to mixed-culture brewing—as well as many other styles—and they’ve brought home numerous awards to prove it. The 2025 World Beer Cup gold medal for Belgian-Style Sour Ale may be the biggest of them all, despite the unabashedly modern approach to the mixed-culture blend: Erlton Street 5 includes a component that's essentially barrel-aged hazy IPA, right down to the Dynaboost dip-hop. They’re not afraid of calculated risks, and they love seeing where new ideas and techniques take them—because, as Foniok says, “Beer first, ask questions later.” In this episode, Foniok discusses: using advanced hop products in mixed-culture beer bench-trialing potential dry hops working around the mixed culture and dealing with Pediococcus ropiness brewing with high hop loads to suppress excessive acid production blending over multiple days to challenge and ultimately verify the blend using aged hops that have moved past the cheesy stage promoting fast fermentation for Saccharomyces strains in the mixed culture blending a fermented component with a hazy-IPA-ish grist bench-testing hops for improving dry-hop selection And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : G&D Chillers uses quality components, expert craftsmanship, and constant innovation. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) . Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side. Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. ( https://indiehops.com ) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical ( https://fivestarchemicals.com ) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech ( https://paktech-opi.com ) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, ( https://hartprint.com ) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Sennos ( https://prairiemalt.com ) The Sennosystem platform delivers real-time fermentation control and predictive insights, while the SennosM3 modular in-tank sensor delivers continuous, real-time monitoring. Turn your tank into a smart tank. Order your SennosM3 at sennos.com. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Oct 31

We recorded this week’s episode live on stage at the Alberta Craft Brewing Convention in Red Deer, Alberta, in early October. The thematic through line is farm-to-glass brewing—something that’s not that hard to do there, since a significant amount of the malt used by North American brewers is grown in the province. Major maltsters such as Canada Malting and Rahr have plants in the province, and some farmers who grow grain for these larger maltsters, such as Red Shed , also operate their own malthouses to produce smaller batches for local brewers. Joining the conversation are three award-winning brewers who represent different corners of the industry in Alberta: Chelsea Tessier of Polyrhythm Brewing in Edmonton, Jen Rogers of Wild Winds in Bridgeland, and Sarah McCambridge of Blindman Brewing in Lacombe. Agriculture plays a role in the conversation, of course, but the conversations covers interesting collaborative projects, malt freshness, unique processes, beers that tap into different angles of malt flavor, and a lot more. In this episode, the panel discusses: blending craft pils with two-row in hazy IPA matching hops to base malts hitting European malt specs in North American barley horse-drawn barley farming and harvesting replacing specialty malts such as Carafoam with locally produced chit malt producing more stone-fruit ester precursors with floor-malted pils malt unique specialty malts such as wood-fired chocolate malt And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers ( https://gdchillers.com ) : G&D Chillers uses quality components, expert craftsmanship, and constant innovation. With our 24/7 service and support, your brewery will never stop. Remote monitor your chiller for simple and fast access to all the information you need, and gain peace of mind your operation is running smoothly. Berkeley Yeast ( https://berkeleyyeast.com ) . Berkeley Yeast bioengineers ordinary strains and make them extraordinary—enhancing the flavors you want and eliminating the ones you don’t. Visit berkeleyyeast.com to learn more and start brewing with science on your side. Old Orchard ( https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer ) can formulate custom blends featuring specialty ingredients. Whether trending flavor additions or nostalgic favorites, the next best thing is around the corner at Old Orchard. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Indie Hops. ( https://indiehops.com ) Give your customers a pleasant surprise with Audacia in your next IPA. This descendant of Strata brings her own flare of catchy lilac/lavender aroma, and flavors of sweet-tart berries with tangy lychee. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful! Five Star Chemical ( https://fivestarchemicals.com ) Looking for a powerful, no-rinse sanitizer that gets the job done fast? Meet Saniclean PAA Pro from Five Star Chemicals. This EPA-registered, PAA-based acid sanitizer is tough on beerstone and perfect for everything from kegs to packaging lines. Learn more at fivestarchemicals.com. PakTech ( https://paktech-opi.com ) PakTech’s handles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, PakTech helps brands stand out while staying sustainable. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Hart Print, ( https://hartprint.com ) the original in digital can printing.With three locations across North America, the Hart Print team has your back from concept to can. Get ten percent off your first can order when you mention the Beer & Brewing podcast. Open an account at hartprint.com or email info@hartprint.com for details. Sennos ( https://prairiemalt.com ) The Sennosystem platform delivers real-time fermentation control and predictive insights, while the SennosM3 modular in-tank sensor delivers continuous, real-time monitoring. Turn your tank into a smart tank. Order your SennosM3 at sennos.com. Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast