December 12, 2025

450: Stephen Boardman of 450 North Builds Intense Flavor and Nostalgic Connection With Fruit

1 hour 14 minutes

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:

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