There's no better season than summer for drinking wheat beers and perhaps no style of wheat beer is more refreshing than a well executed witbier. So, the arrival of hot weather and the announcement that Allagash and their flagship white ale is coming to Ohio make for a perfect opportunity to take a closer look... Continue Reading →

In the pantheon of British beers, no beer style is more potent or decadent than a barleywine. While the tradition of brewing strong beers with the finest ingredients of the fall harvest goes back centuries, it was only toward the end of the 19th century that the term barleywine came into vogue, originally associated with... Continue Reading →

Once upon a time malted grains were either dried in the open air (wind malts) or with the heat from a fire. Malts kilned with the latter method possessed a smoky character from the wood used to fuel the fire. Starting in the 17th century maltsters invented techniques for smoke-free kilning and beers featuring smoked... Continue Reading →

Mary MacDonald and Justin Hemminger from the Ohio Craft Brewers Association join us to talk about some important behind the scenes issues affecting craft brewers and drinkers alike. We discuss laws that have an outsized impact on the way craft beer is distributed and sold in Ohio, including the outdated franchise law which governs the... Continue Reading →

Artificial intelligence (AI) is seemingly everywhere these days, including in the brewing industry. To get a better idea of how it can be a tool for good in brewing we sit down with Beau Warren, the mastermind behind Species X Beer Project. Beau’s blend of interests in artificial intelligence and craft brewing is truly unparalleled.... Continue Reading →

In it's 5 year history Gemüt Biergarten has done much to distinguish itself from the pack. Their location in Columbus' Olde Town East neighborhood is a gorgeous, inviting location with sturdy communal tables, stained glass windows that tell the story of their core beers, and one of the city's best beer gardens. In a world... Continue Reading →

In this episode three repeat guests - Dan Eaton, Madeleine Bogard, and Chris Mercehill - compete in a game show based on bizarre beers. The show alternates between rounds of Wait Wait... Don’t Beer Me! and ReinheitsgeWHAT? In the former we share the origin stories of three beers featuring highly unusual ingredients, even by modern... Continue Reading →

As the craft beer industry matures, brewers are facing a number of economic challenges. In this episode we discuss those challenges with longtime Columbus Business First writer, Dan Eaton, who has covered the beer industry since the aughts as a reporter for Columbus Business First. After reviewing some of the stats that highlight the current... Continue Reading →

In this episode, loosely based on the format of the Great British Baking Show, seven homebrewers square off to see who can design and brew the best English, Irish or Scottish Ale. After we meet the brewers and hear about their beers, professional brewers Angelo Signorino (Barley's) and Ryan Torres (Brew Brothers) judge the entries.... Continue Reading →

There was a time when Belgian-style beers were widely brewed in America, but these days the yeast-forward, elegant beers of Belgium seem to be relegated to a small niche of the American market. You can still find Trappist ales in better beer stores, but try searching for American-brewed interpretations of those styles is a challenging... Continue Reading →