Good Beer Hunting

You may have already heard of Wild Card Brewery's Jaega Wise—especially over the past few months, as she's positioned herself as a prominent anti-sexism campaigner within the British beer industry. I had hoped to highlight the great work Wise is doing within this field in this episode, but was also keen to learn more about her history as a brewer and her businesses plans for future expansion. The danger with conversations like sexism in beer, as Wise and I discuss, is that too often the din of conversation can drown out voices, like hers, which are far more relevant and important to these vital conversations that we're having. While it's crucial that every effort is taken to create a platform for these voices, it's equally important to know when it's time to pipe down and let these voices be heard. And to all the dudes listening in right now, I'm talking about you and me. Wise originally hails from Nottingham, in the British Midlands—the "land of the Pale Ale," as she puts it. She speaks passionately about the region's pub culture and how it raised her into the world of beer. It's an industry she kind of just fell into, after studying Chemical Engineering at Loughborough University. Wise is also a musician, currently fronting a London based rock band as a singer. Oh, and she's a TV host, providing her wealth of beer knowledge on Channel 5's The Wine Show. Despite all of this attention, she appears to be at her happiest and most content when she's working at her brewery, based in Walthamstow, North East London. When she's not brewing, you can usually find her in the taproom which, along with neighboring businesses like Pillars Brewery and God's Own Junkyard, has become an important hub for the local community. That sense of community has been key to this brewery's growth too, as it raised £300,000 last year, aiding it's expansion to a new site this spring. Wild Card's five years of existence has not been without its obstacles, however. Wise is quick to point out the challenging margins available for cask beer within the current UK market. And, she concedes that despite trying not to succumb to trends, the pull of those such as New England IPA have been too great to resist. Listen in.

You may have already heard of Wild Card Brewery’s Jaega Wise—especially over the past few months, as she’s positioned herself as a prominent anti-sexism campaigner within the British beer industry. I hope to highlight the great work Wise is doing within this field in this episode, but was also keen to learn more about her history as a brewer and her businesses plans for future expansion.

The danger with conversations like sexism in beer, as Wise and I discuss, is that too often the din of conversation can drown out voices, like hers, which are far more relevant and important to these vital conversations that we’re having. While it’s crucial that every effort is taken to create a platform for these voices, it’s equally important to know when it’s time to pipe down and let these voices be heard. And to all the dudes listening in right now, I’m talking about you and me.

Wise originally hails from Nottingham, in the British Midlands—the “land of the pale ale” as she puts it. She speaks passionately about the region’s pub culture and how it raised her into the world of beer. It’s an industry she kind of just fell into, after studying Chemical Engineering at Loughborough University. Wise is also a musician, currently fronting a London based rock band as a singer and she’s a TV host, providing her wealth of beer knowledge on Channel 5’s The Wine Show.

Despite all of this attention, Wise appears to be at her happiest and most content when she’s working at her brewery, based in Walthamstow, North East London. When she’s not brewing, you can usually find her in the taproom which, along with neighboring businesses like Pillars Brewery and God’s Own Junkyard, has become an important hub for the local community. That sense of community has been key to this brewery’s growth too, as it raised £300,000 last year, aiding it’s expansion to a new site this spring.

Wild Card’s five short years of existence has not been without its obstacles, however. Wise is quick to point out the challenging margins available for cask beer within the current UK market. And, she concedes that despite trying not to succumb to trends, the pull of those such as New England IPA have been too great to resist.

Hey we did it - we made it through another year of Uppers & Downers in Chicago, home to our annual festival of coffee, beer, and coffee beers held in collaboration with our friends at Thalia Hall. This time around, of course, we decided to make an entire week out of it, with a series of smaller events leading up to the festival featuring tours of local coffee roasters, espresso demos, tap takeovers, an incredible chef-driven dinner, an Irish cocktail competition with some of chicago best bartenders. It was a real haul, but we were thrilled to bring in so many new partners and collaborators this year to pull it off. So as we do every year, but especially this year, is we sit down for the Hangover party and reflect on what we learned and what we were inspired by from the festival with some of the brewers, roasters, and others who came to town. Our co-founder, world Barista Champion Stephen Morrissey couldn't be with us this year, he was off in London getting ready for our first major Uppers & Downers festival there this May 19th — he was doing a site visit and working with the brewers, roasters, and our London-based editor Matthew Curtis in the run-up to what will be a major international expansion for us with the festival. we've got some really exciting things to share. Tickets for the London fest are on sale now - on goodbeerhunting.com/events But to sit alongside me for the recap podcast was a very worthy substitute with Nick Kohout and Jen Hoverstad of Counter Culture Coffee based in North Carolina, but with a lab here in Chicago.

Hey we did it - we made it through another year of Uppers & Downers in Chicago, home to our annual festival of coffee, beer, and coffee beers held in collaboration with our friends at Thalia Hall. 

This time around, of course, we decided to make an entire week out of it, with a series of smaller events leading up to the festival featuring tours of local coffee roasters, espresso demos, tap takeovers, an incredible chef-driven dinner, an Irish cocktail competition with some of chicago best bartenders. It was a real haul, but we were thrilled to bring in so many new partners and collaborators this year to pull it off. 

So as we do every year, but especially this year, is we sit down for the Hangover party and reflect on what we learned and what we were inspired by from the festival with some of the brewers, roasters, and others who came to town. 

Our co-founder, world Barista Champion Stephen Morrissey couldn’t be with us this year, he was off in London getting ready for our first major Uppers & Downers festival there this May 19th — he was doing a site visit and working with the brewers, roasters, and our London-based editor Matthew Curtis in the run-up to what will be a major international expansion for us with the festival. we’ve got some really exciting things to share. Tickets for the London fest are on sale now - on goodbeerhunting.com/events

But to sit alongside me for the recap podcast was a very worthy substitute with Nick Kohout and Jen Hoverstad of Counter Culture Coffee based in North Carolina, but with a lab here in Chicago.

About 20 miles outside downtown Austin, Texas, it's easy to forget you're a short car ride away from one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Sitting partially hidden in the middle of spacious farmland is one the crown jewels of modern U.S. beer: Jester King Brewery. Enthusiasts make the pilgrimage from all over, waiting in line to try some of the most beloved wild, sour, and spontaneous beers being made today, every one of them with a purpose of time and place. It's the brainchild of Jeff Stuffings, co-founder of the family-owned business and an advocate for all the ways making beer can be an intimate process. Plenty of wooden barrels and stainless steel tanks comprise a modestly sized brewhouse at the farm brewery, but it's the ideas of what beer could and should be that have made Jester King such a popular brand among drinkers. And as you'll find out in this conversation, the process of what's taken Stuffings and his team to this moment in time—not to mention what he hopes to achieve in years to come—is very much based on a connection to the land and people around him.

About 20 miles outside downtown Austin, Texas, it’s easy to forget you’re a short car ride away from one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Sitting partially hidden in the middle of spacious farmland is one the crown jewels of modern US beer: Jester King Brewery.

Enthusiasts make the pilgrimage from all over, waiting in line to try some of the most beloved wild, sour and spontaneous beers being made today, everyone of them with a purpose of time and place. It’s the brainchild of Jeff Stuffings, cofounder of the family-owned business and an advocate for all the ways making beer can be an intimate process. Plenty of wooden barrels and stainless steel comprise a modestly sized brewhouse at the farm brewery, but it’s the ideas of what beer could and should be that have made Jester King such a popular brand among drinkers.

And as you’ll find out in this conversation, the process of what has taken Stuffings and his team to this moment in time - and what he hopes to achieve in years to come - is very much based on a connection to the land and people around him.

Welcome back to another episode of the GBH Collective, where we bring you the stories behind the stories from our writers and photographers all over the world, and from our studio team based here in Chicago. This week we've got Kyle Kastranec from Ohio who was GBH's first new voice back in 2014. We recently launch a sub blog of sorts where he explores his own perceptions of beer and the ever-evolving culture that surrounds it. We also talk to Claire Bullen, a writer we recently brought on who is based in London, but originally hails from the States. Her recent profile of The Kernel is one of my favorite pierces we've ever published. She also recently made time to write about beer and cheesesteaks on a stop in Philly. Listen in.

Welcome back to another episode of the GBH Collective where we bring you the stories behind the stories from our writers and photographers all over the world, and from our studio team based here in Chicago.

This week we’ve got Kyle Kastranec from Ohio who was GBH’s first new voice back in 2014 - and recently we launch a sub blog of sorts where he explores his own perceptions of beer and the ever evolving culture that surrounds it.

We also talk to Claire Bullen - a writer we recently brought on who is based in London, but originally from the States. Her recent profile of The Kernel is one of my favorite pierces we’ve ever published. She also recently made time to write about beer and cheesesteaks on a stop in Philly.

I first met Miguel Rivas a few years ago when I was learning about the Brooklyn beer scene. He was an avid photographer, beer geek, and all-around welcoming guy who I've since followed on his journeys all over the world through Instagram. He travels regularly to Costa Rica, so today we talk a lot about that, what he's been up to in Brooklyn these days, and the general state of being an influential beer geek. Listen in.

I first met Miguel a few years ago when i was learning about the Brooklyn beer scene - he was an avid photographer, beer geek, and all around welcoming guy who I’ve since followed on his journeys all over the world through Instagram.

He travels regularly to Costa Rica, so today we talk a lot about that, what he’s been up to in Brooklyn these days, and the general state of being an influential beer geek.