Brewbound Podcast

Following the Winking Lizard Tavern’s annual announcement of its beer menu for 2023, founder John Lane shares how the event shook out, who left the day happiest, the one beer that is untouchable on the Winking Lizard’s menus, the inflationary pressures on draft beer, changes to its Tour of Beers program and much more. During the interview, Lane described draft pricing as “scary right now.” “Craft and the yellow fizzy stuff are only a penny cheaper than in a package,” he said. “And draft is our lifeblood. “We’ve had to take some price hikes on food, a little more than we’ve had to on beverage,” he continued. “We want to continue to be in that value area, and so if you want to be in that value area, then you’re a lot more sensitive when you get a price hike twice a year.” The Brewbound team also runs down the latest news, including the Lost Abbey downsizing its operations, the raid on Southern Glazer’s Bay Area office and more. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

Editor’s Note: This podcast interview was recorded before TRU Colors announced it would cease operations on September 9. New Yorker staff writer Charles Bethea discusses his story on TRU Colors in Wilmington, North Carolina, A Brewery’s Anti-Violence Mission, Complicated by a Killing. Bethea deep dives into TRU Colors’ struggle to balance its mission to end gang violence by hiring rival gang members with its for-profit mission to first sell beer. Further complicating that mission was a double homicide at the home of George Taylor’s son, George Taylor III, that led to charges against three individuals. Listen to the episode above or on popular platforms iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Also, the Brewbound team and Insider newsletter writer Sean McNulty discuss the end of the summer selling season, craft’s reliance on IPA, and Truly’s new campaign starring fruit flies. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

The supply of CO2 is tightening in the U.S. What’s it mean for craft brewers? Dorchester Brewing director of operations James Haugh and Earthly Labs CEO Amy George join the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the situation and alternatives available to brewers. Plus, the Brewbound team dives into the latest news, including MIkkeller shuttering its U.S. brewing operations and returning to contract brewing, the booming growth of New Belgium’s Juice Force IPA, Allagash adding a year-round IPA to its portfolio, and beer industry vet Neal Stewart’s essay on the mental health challenges facing many workers in the beer business. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

This week’s Brewbound Podcast features a replay of a Brew Talks conversation on strategies for expanding taproom and retail outlets, featuring leaders from White Lion, Medusa Brewing, Castle Island and Boston Beer Company. White Lion founder Ray Berry, Castle Island founder Adam Romanow, Medusa Brewing director of business operations Sarah Lee and Boston Beer Company senior director of local brands and taprooms Scott Hempstead shared their experiences during Brewbound’s Brew Talks meetup last month at the Samuel Adams Jamaica Plain brewery. Plus, the Brewbound team reunites to discuss New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger amusement park hoax and trolling of wine country; Ball closing two can manufacturing plants and blaming customer price increases for a lack of growth; the shaky Hard MTN Dew rollout; and Boulevard’s Quirk Hard Seltzer sampling boat. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

As Garden State regulators move to enforce strict limitations on brewery taproom events, entertainment and promotions, Brewers Guild of New Jersey executive director Eric Orlando and Jersey City-based Departed Soles Brewing owner Brian Kulbacki join the Brewbound Podcast to discuss the fallout. The limitations are part of special conditions placed on limited brewery licenses in 2019. They limit brewers’ ability to host food trucks and events or sell beverages not produced on site, among other privileges. Craft breweries in the state are limited to 25 public on-site events per year, which include live music performances, yoga classes, trivia nights and fundraising events. “Breweries are always, it seems like, the first people to give out of very shallow pockets and those pockets just became significantly more shallow,” Kulbacki said. “Unless the ABC is going to do something to force the hand of liquor license holders to support more local musicians and host more charity events, this really just benefits one industry and hurts so, so, so many.” Plus, the team talks about Molson Coors’ Simply Spiked, the latest Modern Times auction developments, and more. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

Leaders of Chicago-based Moor’s Brewing Company share how their participation in a residency program for Black-owned breweries at Haymarket Brewing helped grow their fledgling business. This conversation took place during the first Brew Talks meetup of 2022 in Minneapolis during the Craft Brewers Conference in May. Joining the conversation are: Michael Gemma, director of operations at Haymarket Brewery in Chicago; Jamhal Johnson and Damon Patton, two of the founders of Moor’s Brewing Company; And Samuel Ross, a brewer at Goose Island and one of the creator’s of Harold’s 83 Honey Ale. Also in this episode, Brewbound Jess Infante and Zoe Licata share road reports from the Encompass conference in Fort Collins, Colorado, and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States in New Orleans, Louisiana. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Have questions, feedback, or ideas for podcast guests or topics? Email [email protected].

This week’s edition of the Brewbound Podcast features a conversation from the first virtual Brew Talks meetup of 2021 about the road to recovery a year into the pandemic. Guests include: Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head co-founder; Julie Verratti, co-founder, Denizens Brewing; Associate Administrator of Field Operations, U.S. Small Business Administration; John Lane, co-owner, Winking Lizard Tavern; Amy Gutierrez, category manager – Beer & DSO Beverage, BevMo! The panel discusses how their businesses are performing a year later, the challenges and opportunities ahead, the government assistance available to small business owners, and much more. Before the featured conversation, Brewbound’s Justin Kendall and Jess Infante discuss Boston Beer Company’s north of the border foray into cannabis. Editor’s Note: The news portion of this show was recorded before the fallout from widespread reports of harassment, abuse and toxic workplaces within the beer industry came to light. Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. New episodes of the Brewbound Podcast are published every other Thursday. Check Brewbound’s upcoming events schedule for future podcast episodes and streaming video programming. Email [email protected] with questions and feedback.