Welcome back to The DC Beer Show! This episode brings some extra sparkle as our hosts sit down with special guest Dave Infante, the freshly crowned 2025 North American Guild of Beer Writers best business writing category winner.

Our hosts ditch their usual "What's in your glass?" opener in favor of a midday roundup of recent brews, like Dave Infante's nonalcoholic Hoplark hop water (scored from a rare local drop), and Brandy Holder's cute little Sierra Nevada craft lager—plus plenty of shoutouts to delicious pale ales and lagers from spots like Right Proper, Eebee's, and Lost Generation, setting the stage for their much-anticipated beer share at Denizens.

But the true heart of the episode is a deep dive into beer journalism, cultural critique, and some righteous ranting about The New York Times' recent craft beer op-ed. Dave Infante deconstructs the misunderstood perceptions that plague craft beer coverage, especially the tired narrative that wacky labels and IPA dominance are "killing" the scene. Instead, he brings the receipts: IPAs remain 50% of the market, breweries are constantly reinventing lagers, and American beer is arguably better than ever. The conversation is equal parts spicy and insightful, with hosts and guest alike poking fun at bygone trends (remember palate-wrecking IPAs?) and celebrating the wild diversity pouring from local taps these days.

There's a strong sense of camaraderie throughout, as the group chats about women-owned breweries like Denizens and Right Proper, upcoming events for beer lovers (including the Women’s Brew Culture Club), and the joys of unstructured beer shares where community and conversation rule.

As the episode wraps, Dave Infante shares where to keep up with his writing on Fingers and VinePair—and both DC Beer and Dave encourage you to support good beer, honest journalism, and local community wherever you find it.

Grab a cold one, celebrate the golden age of American beer, and join us for another rollicking session of The DC Beer Show—where facts, flavors, and fun go hand-in-hand!