Consuming the Craft

Greg Hill has a deep passion for learning. Greg—the Head Cider Maker and Production Director at the Urban Orchard Co. in Asheville—is one of the first graduating cohorts of A-B Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute program. He completed a Master’s in Education and Training and is currently working on a Ph.D. in Education and Training. A lifelong learner, Greg believes that standardizing education and training can help increase the progress of the craft beverage industry.

Greg joins me today to discuss how he’s working to lead community colleges toward standardizing education to improve the craft beer industry. He explains the differences between the ways community colleges and universities educate and train professional craft brewers. He also shares his thought process for hiring brewers and underscores the importance of seeking further education in a field you’re passionate about.

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●     Greg’s background, his experience at A-B Tech, and his work as Head Cider Maker

●     His dissertation on standardizing the education of brewers

●     The role of community colleges in improving the craft beverage industry

●     Why standardizing education can improve the craft beverage industry

●     The responsibility of educators in producing professionals for the craft beverage industry

●     Why hands-on learning in the craft brewer industry is as important as classroom instruction

●     Bringing non-brewing skills, work experience, and education into the craft beverage industry

●     The power of networking

●     Booze Clues: aging cider like fine wine and a drink of straight wheat whiskey

Connect with Greg Hill:

●     Urban Orchard Cider Co.

●     Urban Orchard Cider Co. on Facebook

●     Urban Orchard Cider Co. on Twitter

Consuming the Craft

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

Visit our website to learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast.

Pop quiz: the shape of a drinking glass can affect the flavor and aroma of liquor—fact or fiction? John Lyda and I put this question to the test.

The brewmaster extraordinaire, John Lyda, is the former Sr. Vice President of Highland Brewing Co. and current full-time instructor at A-B Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. He is highly regarded in Asheville for introducing the community to different beer styles that would lay the foundations of the Beer City.

In this episode that John and I have been planning for a couple of semesters, we share a bottle of Lurgashall Mead Vintage 2004 and describe how different glassware affect a drink’s aroma and flavor. We briefly discuss the history of mead and how it’s made. We explain how the variety of honey impacts the taste of mead, reveal the mean age of the students at the CBI, and describe how drinking liquor can affect your vocal register.

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●     Booze Clues: A bottle of special reserve mead from Sussex, England

●     Our 2021 Gold Award from the NC NPR

●     Volatile organic compounds and how glassware affects the taste of liquor

●     Different glassware for different kinds of wine

●     The history of mead and how it’s made

●     The mean age of students at the Craft Beverage Institute

●     How the type and variety of honey affect the final taste of mead

●     How wine and spirits affect your vocal register

Connect with John Lyda:

●     John Lyda on LinkedIn



Consuming the Craft

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

The man of the hour, John Lyda, is an instructor at A-B Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. Before joining the program’s faculty, John served as Senior VP and Brewmaster at Highland Brewing Co. But after more than two decades of working with the company, John—who was pivotal in laying the foundations of the Beer City—thought it was time to pass along his knowledge to the next generation of local brewers.

John joins me today to discuss why great welding work is important to craft brewer businesses. He describes what a good, food-grade weld looks like from the inside and out. He tries the Mountain Dew Hard Baja Blast Zero Sugar drink with me and discusses the recent collaborations between soft drinks companies and the hard beverage industry.

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●      Booze Clues: Mountain Dew Hard Baja Blast Zero Sugar

●      Why I drink diet Mountain Dew

●      Collaborations in the ready-to-drink business and companies getting into the hard beverage market

●      The birthplace of Mountain Dew

●      Why people need to be careful with the Mountain Dew Hard Baja Blast Zero Sugar

●      John’s passion for welding

●      Why the ability to recognize a good weld is important to the craft brewing industry

●      Gas tungsten arc welding and making a food-grade weld for tanks and containers

Connect with John Lyda:

●      John Lyda on LinkedIn

Consuming the Craft 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

While Russ Karasch has been a cooper for over 32 years, he has been in the wood industry for more than five decades. Alongside his daughter, Heidi Korb, Russ founded Black Swan Cooperage in 2009. Thanks to the support of their family, friends, and community, Black Swan Cooperage has grown to a global brand recognized for its high-quality cooperage products and innovations.

Russ joins us today to discuss how Black Swan Cooperage is helping reduce distilleries’ wood consumption through their square barrels. He shares the history of Black Swan Cooperage. He describes the role of yeast in distillation and reveals how barrels impact liquor flavor. He also divulges issues Black Swan faces in the industry and underscores the magic of amburana wood.

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●      Black Swan wood products, how they’re made, and where it all started

●      How Black Swan is driving innovation in the cooperage industry

●      Barrel characterization and its effects on whiskey flavor

●      The art of distillation and the role of yeast in the distillation process

●      Why white oak wood is a stalwart in the cooperage industry

●      Why Black Swan’s square barrels are more environmentally sustainable

●      Yellow birch, guava, and other great woods for aging

●      Wood shortage, supply chain issues, and other concerns in the cooperage industry

Connect with Russ Karasch:

●      Black Swan Cooperage LLC

●      Black Swan Cooperage on Facebook

Consuming the Craft 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

Mike Roberts used to hate beer while he was in university. It wasn’t until he had a taste of pilsner during a visit to Prague that he had an epiphany: the drink tasted phenomenal, and Mike knew he fell in love. Fast forward to today, and Mike serves as the Craft Solutions Facilitator at Cru Brewing Systems and boasts 15 years of brewing experience. Before joining Cru Brewing Systems, Mike worked with several other companies, including Old Yale Brewing in Canada and Mountain Goat Beer in Australia—two companies that saw rapid growth during Mike’s stint with them.

Mike joins me today to describe the brewing systems solution Cru offers and share how he fell in love with pilsen, despite hating beer while he was in university. He explains how the science, chemistry, and nuance behind brewing keep you interested and learning forever. He also highlights why craft lager is a test of a brewer’s skills and underscores why feedback plays an important role in the industry.

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●      Cru Brewing Systems, their work, and how they’re innovating at the Craft Brewers Conference

●      The crazy modulations Cru Brewing Systems can do at the brewing house

●      How Mike got started in the craft brewery industry

●      The crazy pours at the Czech Republic and how Mike fell in love with beer

●      The time Mike took remote education while working two full-time jobs

●      Why feedback is important in the brewery industry

●      Mike’s epiphany drink and why craft lager is a test of a brewer’s skills

Connect with Mike Roberts:

●      Cru Brewing Systems

●      Cru Brewing Systems on Instagram

●      Cru Brewing Systems on Facebook

●      Mike Roberts on LinkedIn

Consuming the Craft 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

Max Fann is the Co-owner and Chairman of Inbox Beverage, a company making innovations in the industry by building and distributing breweries, wineries, and distilleries in shipping containers. Max is an alumnus of A-B Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. After graduating from the Fermentation program, Max went on to work as a brewer at Wicked Weed Brewing—eventually becoming its Research and Brand Development Brewer.

Max joins us in this episode to discuss how Inbox Beverage is innovating water treatment systems. He also shares some of the interesting innovations he has seen at the Craft Beverage Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●      The Inbox Beverage company and how they’re innovating water treatment systems

●      How much water breweries typically use and why the industry needs to be a steward of the environment

●      Barrel-aging and packaging innovations and other amazing things from the Craft Beverage Conference

Resources Mentioned:

●      Craftpeak

Connect with Max Fann:

●      Inbox Beverage

●      Max Fann on LinkedIn

●      Email: [email protected]

Consuming the Craft 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay  

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

While we have varying degrees of knowledge and education in the industry, some things—such as accuracy, cleaning, and sanitation—need to follow standards. This is an idea Karen “Kay” Gonzalez—an alumnus of the ABTech Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast program—agrees on. Being mindful of accuracy, Kay notes, is what made her brewery succeed well. And she’s right—to be a successful brewer in the industry, you have to have a mind for perfection.

In this episode, Kay and I discuss the accuracy and perfection required to meet industry standards. We also dissect the wonderful things to see and do at the Craft Brewers Conference.

“Everything in moderation.” - Kay Gonzalez

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●      Kay’s trip from Asheville to the Craft Brewers Conference

●      The refresher courses Kay and her team took at the CBC

●      Craft brewery industry standards and why you need to be a perfectionist when working in the industry

●      How COVID-19 has changed brewers’ perspectives on cleaning and sanitation

●      The Beer Queen of Bavaria and other interesting things to see at the CBC

Connect with Kay Gonzalez:

●      Oklawaha Brewing Company

●      Oklawaha Brewing Company on Facebook

●      Oklawaha Brewing Company on Instagram

●      Kay Gonzalez on Instagram

Consuming the Craft 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay  

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

John “Laser” Lazarovic is an alumnus of the Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. Before studying at ABTech, John was in the culinary world and only did some home brewing on the side for fun. He later graduated with the class of ‘21 and interned at the Oklawaha Brewing Company in Henderson, North Carolina. Today, John works at Turgua Brewing Co., a brewery based in Fairview, North Carolina.

John joins us today to describe his time at ABTech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. He discusses the expansion plans of Turgua Brewing Co. and the products they offer. He explains how Turgua Brewing Co. began in its founder’s garage. He also reveals what drinks he’s currently fond of and shares his observations of recent trends in the industry.

“Going to a bottle shop and trying to sell a product is competing with everybody.” - John Lazarovic

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●      John’s time at ABTech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast

●      Why brewing requires a hands-on learning approach

●      Why John and Turgua Brewing are in the Craft Beverage Conference

●      Turgua Brewing’s history and expansion plans

●      Why organic growth is the best way to scale a brewery

●      John’s culinary background and how the CBI program launched his career in craft brewery

●      His internship at the Oklawaha Brewery in Hendersonville

●      What John is drinking right now and how the program informed his taste for beer

●      John’s insight on ready-to-drink products and non-alcoholic beverages

Connect with John Lazarovic:

●      Turgua Brewing

Consuming the Craft

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay  

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

Mike Fuller is a master brewer at Kite Hill Brewing Co. at Clemson City in South Carolina. After graduating from ABTech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast program, Mike spent nine years in Asheville, North Carolina working in several breweries, including Oskar Blues and DSSOLVR. Later, Mike dreamed of going to Clemson to give the city its first brewery—a dream he would soon realize by working with Kite Hill Brewing Co.

Mike joins us today to discuss his career journey after graduating from the program. He shares the history of Kite Hill Brewing Co. and what Clemson City is like. He describes his internship experience at Oskar Blues Brewery and his stint as a fly fishing guide. He also discusses how DSSOLVR adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights how CBI has prepared him for where he is in his career today.

“From actual brewing to doing business and brewhouse development, I am able to use the base that I developed through CBI’s program where I’m currently at in my career.” - Mike Fuller

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●      The history of Kite Hill Brewing Co.

●      Mike’s background and journey to Kite Hill Brewing Co.

●      His internship at Oskar Blues Brewery

●      Mike’s return to Asheville and stint as a fly fishing guide

●      Innovation in the craft brewery industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic

●      How the CBI program prepared Mike for the challenges of the brewery industry

Connect with Mike Fuller:

●      Kite Hill Brewing Co.

●      Kite Hill Brewing Co. on Instagram

●      Kite Hill Brewing Co. on Facebook

Consuming the Craft

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay  

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

Andrew Boyd is the President of Blue Label Packaging Company, a printing and packaging company dedicated to translating the spirit of their clients’ businesses into labels and packaging. As the President of Blue Label, Andrew is passionate about well-designed business processes and upholding the company’s high service standards to customers.

Andrew joins me today to discuss printing, packaging, and labeling for craft breweries. He describes his background and how he got started in printing and packaging. He explains how Blue Label Packaging responded to increasing demand driven by COVID-19 and how they pivoted their operations during the pandemic. Andrew also highlights the importance of packaging and underscores the joys of being a label-printing company for the craft brewery industry.

“We’re elevating the brewery industry, so it’s only fair that the packaging matches where we’re headed.” - Andrew Boyd

This week on Consuming the Craft:

●      Andrew’s background and how he got into printing and packaging

●      How Blue Label Packaging met the needs of craft breweries

●      Why craft brewery is a strange market to get into

●      How the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Blue Label Packaging’s business

●      The limited release methodology

●      “Engi-nerding” and brewing equipment manufacturers

Connect with Andrew Boyd:

●      Blue Label Packaging

●      Blue Label Packaging on LinkedIn

●      Blue Label Packaging on Instagram

●      Blue Label Packaging on Facebook

●      Blue Label Packaging on Twitter

●      Andrew Boyd on LinkedIn

Consuming the Craft 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Consuming the Craft Podcast, brought to you by AB Tech’s Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay  

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts.

To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.