Good Beer Matters Podcast

When it comes to tasting beer, the most important thing we need to decide is, do we like it, yes or no. But, for those of us who want to take it to the next level, we need to decipher what we are tasting, where those flavors come from and how to pair them to create the best flavor synergy. This is what brewers, beer judges and Cicerones spend their lives focused on. As you can imagine, this is a complex issue that requires education, experience and focus. My next guest has not only literally mastered this, but he has drawn from his experience in the world of wine and beer to create a wealth of resources to teach the rest of us how to taste beer like a Master.

Learning how to really taste beer, to explore it’s depths, to find the connections and draw conclusions about how and with what it was made is an arduous journey. But, for those who are willing to put in the work, the rewards can be exponential. Luckily we have people like Rich Higgins to guide our way.

Today women operate in practically every facet of the brewing industry, but it is still more common to see men on the brew deck than women. This was not always the case. Centuries ago women were the ones who brewed for their household and their community. Somewhere along the line this changed and now women are finally integrating back into a role they held for centuries. This is due in part to groups that provide opportunities to women in the beer industry.

In this episode, we continue honoring the women of beer by exploring the past, present and future of women in brewing with my next guest who is a female brewer, a historian of women’s Studies and Vice President of Fermenta, a women’s craft collective.

March is Women’s History Month, and the 8th is International Women’s Day. I can’t think of a better way to honor and support the women in my life, than by having a beer. The Pink Boots Society began to assist, inspire and encourage women in the beer industry through education and collaboration in 2007. Since then they have grown into an international non-profit organized to help women in all capacities of the beer industry. Every March the Pink Boots Society collaborates with beer organizations to brew delicious beer that will raise awareness and funds for scholarships and education for its members. So, wherever you are, grab a pint of Pink Boots beer and join us as we kick off season three of Good Beer Matters, because this episode is dedicated to female brewers around the world.

Sales and marketing may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to craft beer, but sales is one of the many necessary logistics of getting beer from the brewery to the glass in your hand. What are you doing to help your sales staff do a better job? My next guest has spent years in sales and marketing and is now helping others do it better than the rest.

For brewers in Hawaii, the challenges of culture, resources, demand, cost of living and more are especially difficult and expensive. If necessity is the mother of invention, my next guest found a way to solve these problems, create a large distribution footprint and has done it all while being a steward of the community and the environment.

Once upon a time, US TV commercials told us that Australia had a single word for beer. Now, things have changed and the new word for Beer down under is “Craft”. In this episode, an ex-pat and beer expert shares a story of travel, living abroad, brewing way down south, and how beer from both Australia and New Zealand are making really big waves for the global beer culture.

This episode is for those who appreciate that behind every beer is a complex dynamic of human interaction. But, how do we engage with each other in a way that is both productive and authentic? Also, what does beer have to do with all of this? Listen in and get schooled with Dr. J.

In this episode we’re going to break down how cheese is made, discuss variations and get into what makes a great pairing with author, and cheese and pairing expert Steve Jones.

Many of us consume fermented food items on a daily basis and don’t even realize it. It’s surprising to think about how poorly most of us understand the fermentation process despite the impact it has on our culture. My next guest is our guide into the mysterious and tiny world of yeast and fermentation. Check out White Labs.

For years brewers, hop growers and maltsters have claimed that terroir influences the ingredients in our beer, but surprisingly there was no real data, no real evidence to prove what we’ve suspected for a long time. That is until my next guest asked the question and put together a team to empirically prove the world of hop terroir.

This is Good Beer Matters. These are the stories of us, of great food and the beer that brings it all together.

I hope you enjoy episode 40 of Good Beer Matters with Liz and John Coleman of Coleman agriculture and Coleman Hops.