Good Beer Hunting

There are so many paths people take to follow their passion, often surrounded by the support of friends and family. No matter what excites us enough to go pro for the thing that we love, there's still a shared experience in the fact that entrepreneurship is intimate.

It's not uncommon to find partners in business to also be partners in life. Friends, spouses, parents, and siblings are all taking risks - every day and together - to create something they deeply care about.

From a surprisingly early age, Chris and John Trogner assumed this would be their lot in life. A duo served well by their love of brainstorming and invention, teamwork between this pair has led to youthful mischief (a homemade cannon), practicality (a skateboard ramp), and what they're now best known for - beer.

This summer marked 20 years in business for Troegs Brewing Company, now one of the 50 largest breweries in the United States. Behind a quickly growing production limit and expanding staff are these two brothers, overseeing an evolving company that is adapting to the industry through new additions at their Hershey, Pennsylvania headquarters and their lineup of beers, which offer new experiences and inspiration through their beloved Scratch series of experimental batches.

Stories of how people came to start a business in beer are plentiful, each with their unique anecdotes and nuance. Sitting down this summer with the founders of Troegs provided an opportunity to not only talk shop, but learn more about the personal and familial ties that have helped them become so successful. Behind all the company has accomplished, it’s still about two brothers who care deeply about beer and the people who help them share it with the world.

Welcome to another episode of The Fervent Few podcast. Every two weeks we present you with this bonus episode of the GBH podcast where we chat with members of our subscriber community. The Fervent Few subscribe to GBH like a magazine making a monthly contribution via Patreon. Members join us in a forum to talk about a wide range of topics that doesn't just stop at beer. And every week we pick one of these topics and present the community's answers to readers in the form of an article posted to Good Beer Hunting. You can find out more information by visiting patreon.com/goodbeerhunting On this episode we play Where in the World is Michael Kiser and we talk to James Raynon who just moved to Chicago from Souther California. We'll talk to him about the differences in locales and his time in the Fervent Few. But first we find out where Michael Kiser is hiding.

Welcome to another episode of The Fervent Few podcast. Every two weeks we present you with this bonus episode of the GBH podcast where we chat with members of our subscriber community. The Fervent Few subscribe to GBH like a magazine making a monthly contribution via Patreon. Members join us in a forum to talk about a wide range of topics that doesn’t just stop at beer. And every week we pick one of these topics and present the community’s answers to readers in the form of an article posted to Good Beer Hunting. You can find out more information by visiting patreon.com/goodbeerhunting

On this episode we play Where in the World is Michael Kiser and we talk to James Raynon who just moved to Chicago from Souther California. We’ll talk to him about the differences in locales and his time in the Fervent Few. But first we find out where Michael Kiser is hiding.

Welcome to another episode of The Fervent Few podcast. Every two weeks we present you with this bonus episode of the GBH podcast where we chat with members of our subscriber community. The Fervent Few subscribe to GBH like a magazine making a monthly contribution via Patreon. Members join us in a forum to talk about a wide range of topics that doesn’t just stop at beer. And every week we pick one of these topics and present the community’s answers to readers in the form of an article posted to Good Beer Hunting. You can find out more information by visiting patreon.com/goodbeerhunting

On this episode we play Where in the World is Michael Kiser and we talk to James Raynon who just moved to Chicago from Souther California. We’ll talk to him about the differences in locales and his time in the Fervent Few. But first we find out where Michael Kiser is hiding.

Way back in 1994, in Burlington, Vermont, a little brewery named Magic Hat sprung to life making what for many of its customers was the first "craft beer" they'd ever taste. One of its co-founders was Alan Newman, who became not only the entrepreneurial force behind the company, but the whimsical, hippie, bearded face of the brand itself. By the time he'd gotten Magic Hat off the ground, he was already well on his way to being a serial entrepreneur, and after his frustrated departure from the brewery in 2010, as part of a private equity deal, he went on to be the strategic, creative and, again, somewhat-of-a-face for brands like Coney Island, Concrete Beach, the Traveler Shandy company, and Angel City Brewery. At the latter, he was working as part of the Alchemy & Science portfolio owned by Boston Beer. Indeed, he was working directly with Jim Koch. I worked alongside Alan and his team for a couple years as they built and re-positioned these brands, so part of today's conversation will include a look back at some of the challenges and opportunities in that work from Alan's perspective. Now? He's done. He's walking away from the beer industry. Or so he says. I don't exactly believe it. Alan has a funny way of always reeling himself back into the business. Alan and beer just can't quite quit each other. And regardless of whether he comes back, or new ventures await, his perspective on what's happening in our industry now is always fascinating and instructive for me because he was there in the room when so many decisions were made. Decisions like who will be defined as a "craft brewer" in the first place. And what's the value of that definition? And then, of course, how so many of the challenges he faced with Magic Hat in the '90s are timeless for small brewers today. The more things change, the more they stay the same, as it were.

Way back in 1994, in Burlington, Vermont a little brewery named Magic Hat sprung to life making what for many of its customers was the first “craft beer” they’d ever taste. One of its co-founders was Alan Newman, who became not only the entrepreneurial force behind the company, but the whimsical, hippie, bearded face of the brand.

By the time he’d gotten Magic Hat off the ground, he was already well on his way to being a serial entrepreneur, and after his frustrated departure from the brewery in 2010, he went on to be the strategic, creative, and again somewhat of a face for brands like Coney Island, Concrete Beach, the Traveler Shandy company, and Angel City Brewery as part of the Alchemy & Science portfolio owned by Boston Beer and working directly with Jim Koch. I myself worked alongside Alan and his team for a couple years as they built and re-positioned these brands, so part of today’s conversation will include a look back at some of the challenges and opportunities in that work rom Alan’s perspective.

But now he’s done - he’s walking away from the beer industry. Or so he says. I don’t exactly believe it. Alan has a funny way of always reading himself back into the business. Alan and beer just can’t quite quit each other. And regardless of whether he comes back, or new ventures await, his perspective on what’s happening in our industry now is always fascinating and instructive for me because he was there in the room when so many decisions were made. Decisions like who will be defined as a “craft brewer” in the first place? And what’s the value of that definition?

And then, of course, how so many of the challenges he faced with Magic Hat in the 90s are timeless for small brewers today. The more things change, the more they stay the same, as it were.

Way back in 1994, in Burlington, Vermont a little brewery named Magic Hat sprung to life making what for many of its customers was the first “craft beer” they’d ever taste. One of its co-founders was Alan Newman, who became not only the entrepreneurial force behind the company, but the whimsical, hippie, bearded face of the brand.

By the time he’d gotten Magic Hat off the ground, he was already well on his way to being a serial entrepreneur, and after his frustrated departure from the brewery in 2010, he went on to be the strategic, creative, and again somewhat of a face for brands like Coney Island, Concrete Beach, the Traveler Shandy company, and Angel City Brewery as part of the Alchemy & Science portfolio owned by Boston Beer and working directly with Jim Koch. I myself worked alongside Alan and his team for a couple years as they built and re-positioned these brands, so part of today’s conversation will include a look back at some of the challenges and opportunities in that work rom Alan’s perspective.

But now he’s done - he’s walking away from the beer industry. Or so he says. I don’t exactly believe it. Alan has a funny way of always reading himself back into the business. Alan and beer just can’t quite quit each other. And regardless of whether he comes back, or new ventures await, his perspective on what’s happening in our industry now is always fascinating and instructive for me because he was there in the room when so many decisions were made. Decisions like who will be defined as a “craft brewer” in the first place? And what’s the value of that definition?

And then, of course, how so many of the challenges he faced with Magic Hat in the 90s are timeless for small brewers today. The more things change, the more they stay the same, as it were.

This weeks guests are from Brussels, Belgium. It's there that they own a very American-inspired brewery called Brussels Beer Project. I first visited their spot a couple years ago when they'd just established themselves after contract brewing. It was a space defined by a new urban aesthetic that you find the world over, with bright colors, cafe-style furniture, and an open floor plan. Not to mention beer styles ranging from hoppy IPAs to big, sweet Stouts, Saison, and everything in between—a bit of a universal vibe that you might associate more with cities in general than Brussels specifically. Indeed, their project is very much defined by its young community audience, folks who have helped them raise funds and decide on beer styles. That dynamic creates a very different approach and vision for what a brewery means to its fans and customers. And it's a big step away from tradition in a historical brewing county like Belgium. As you saw with last week's guest, there are strong opinions in Belgian beer about things such as contract brewing, techniques, and traditions. But what I find, taking a step back, aren't oppositional forces but, rather, differing visions for what a brewery can and should be. And I think a big part of what you'll hear in this interview is that maybe the word "should" can be left out of the conversation, as every generation defines these things for themselves. And rather, focus on "could," that magical word that makes it possible to consider other ways of doing things, with a different purpose, but valuable and interesting all the same. Running these interviews back-to-back is coincidental. I happened to meet the founders of Brussels Beer Project in Chicago recently at a taproom opening and invited them over to record. But I'm happy for this overlap as they are highly relevant to each other in both location and subject matter.

This weeks guests are from Brussels, Belgium where they own a very American inspired brewery called Brussels Beer Project.

I first visited their spot a couple years ago when they had first established themselves after contract brewing. It was a space defined by a new urban aesthetic that you find the world over, with bright colors, cafe-style furniture and an open floorpan, and beer styles ranging from hoppy IPAs to big sweet stouts, saison, and everything in between - a bit of a universal vibe that you might associate more with cities in general than Brussels specifically.

Indeed, their project is very much defined by its young community audience, who have helped them raise funds and decide on beer styles, which overall creates a very different approach and vision for what a brewery means to its fans and customers. It’s a big break from tradition in a historical brewing county like Belgium.

As you saw with last week’s guest, Yvan de Baets of Brasserie de la Senne, there are strong opinions in Belgian beer about such things as contract brewing, techniques, and traditions. But what I find, taking a step back, aren’t oppositional forces but rather, differing visions for what a brewery can and should be — and I think a big part of what you’ll hear in this interview is that maybe the word “should” can be left out of the conversation, as every generation defines these things for themselves. And rather, focus on “could” that magical word that makes it possible to consider other ways of doing things, with a different purpose, but valuable and interesting all the same.

These interviews, back-to-back are coincidental - I happen to meet the founders of Brussels Beer Project in Chicago recently at a taproom opening and invited them over to record. But I’m happy for this overlap as they are highly relevant to each other in both location and subject matter.

This weeks guests are from Brussels, Belgium where they own a very American inspired brewery called Brussels Beer Project.

I first visited their spot a couple years ago when they had first established themselves after contract brewing. It was a space defined by a new urban aesthetic that you find the world over, with bright colors, cafe-style furniture and an open floorpan, and beer styles ranging from hoppy IPAs to big sweet stouts, saison, and everything in between - a bit of a universal vibe that you might associate more with cities in general than Brussels specifically.

Indeed, their project is very much defined by its young community audience, who have helped them raise funds and decide on beer styles, which overall creates a very different approach and vision for what a brewery means to its fans and customers. It’s a big break from tradition in a historical brewing county like Belgium.

As you saw with last week’s guest, Yvan de Baets of Brasserie de la Senne, there are strong opinions in Belgian beer about such things as contract brewing, techniques, and traditions. But what I find, taking a step back, aren’t oppositional forces but rather, differing visions for what a brewery can and should be — and I think a big part of what you’ll hear in this interview is that maybe the word “should” can be left out of the conversation, as every generation defines these things for themselves. And rather, focus on “could” that magical word that makes it possible to consider other ways of doing things, with a different purpose, but valuable and interesting all the same.

These interviews, back-to-back are coincidental - I happen to meet the founders of Brussels Beer Project in Chicago recently at a taproom opening and invited them over to record. But I’m happy for this overlap as they are highly relevant to each other in both location and subject matter.