Our Neck of the Woods
There\u2019s no getting around the fact that making beer is a science. But it can truly become special when it mixes with creativity and art. In today\u2019s episode, we\u2019re in Raleigh, North Carolina, where GBH was part of a discussion to determine where those things can overlap. In February, I hosted a panel discussion at Brewery Bhavana\u2019s production facility organized by Triangle Wine Company, a local wine and beer retail chain. Along with two brewers from Bhavana, I was also joined by Walt and Sean of Bond Brothers Beer Company, and, if you\u2019re a regular listener, Ancillary Fermentation, a side project recently featured here on the podcast. [Disclosure: Brewery Bhavana is a client of GBH\u2019s studio team.] Our goal was to talk about the marriage of this science and art when it comes to working with wood. In front of an audience of local beer fans, we touched on processes, themes, and inspirations for creating the kind of wild, funky, delicate, and often beautiful beers so many of us revere. This conversation isn\u2019t just about what it takes to create and maintain a barrel program, but to try and explore what that day-to-day can be for brewers. What does it mean to be patient with these beers? How do you know what and when to blend? Why do it in the first place? We\u2019ll do our best to tackle these and other questions around this niche, but growing, section of the beer industry. This is Our Neck of the Woods, a panel discussion on all things barrel. Listen in.