Into the Wild: Austin
Welcome to the third episode of Into the Wild\u2014part of our six-city tour across the U.S. this year with New Belgium Brewing. I\u2019m Ashley Rodriguez, and together with Good Beer Hunting\u2019s creative director Michael Kiser and studio designer Cooper Foszcz, I recently headed to Austin, Texas, for three days of great food, hot days, and unique events celebrating the specialness of wild and sour beers.
It was 100\xb0 Fahrenheit during the three days we were in Austin\u2014and yet, everywhere we went, folks poured out onto patios, people ate and drank outside, and everyone was just as friendly as you\u2019d imagine.\xa0
We partnered with some of the best restaurants, bars, and folks that make the Austin food and beverage scene unique. On the one hand, Austin features bars, institutions with storied pasts, and streets lined with neon signs that are reminiscent of a past era. On the other, owing to its the growing population, the city is relatively accessible for those who want to push new ideas. This straddling of old and new\u2014which Austin seems to do effortlessly\u2014made it the perfect place to pour wild and sour beers from New Belgium. It was a celebration of craft and tradition, and an homage to creativity and new ideas.\xa0
In the beginning of the show, you hear from New Belgium\u2019s wood cellar director Lauren Limbach, who\u2019s addressing attendees at a beer dinner. You also hear a little bit from the band Shotgun Friday, who played music and told wild stories\u2014perhaps even wilder than the beers\u2014throughout the event. Later, you\u2019ll hear Lauren again. But let\u2019s start with the very first event of the tour: a dinner called Sacred and Profane held at The Brewer\u2019s Table, highlighting the power and possibility of fermentation. Come along as we walk you through our weekend of wild beers, sweltering days, and weird times.
This is Good Beer Hunting\u2019s Into the Wild podcast. Listen in.