SL-013 There's More to Beer Than Hops, You Know

Published: Aug. 27, 2019, 11 a.m.

Welcome to the Sightlines podcast from Good Beer Hunting. I\u2019m Bryan Roth.\xa0

If there were ever a defining slogan to sum up the past decade in American craft beer, \u201chops rule everything around me\u201d may be a good fit. Pale Ales begat IPAs in all their bitter, then fruity, then juicy, then hazy glory, pushing sales and success for many businesses. IPAs, quite frankly, are driving key growth, but they\u2019re also just one style\u2014or collection of styles, depending on how you think about them\u2014among so many other possibilities.

So as beer lovers, industry professionals, or members of the media, we talk a lot about hops \u2026 but what about everything else? Other ingredients are just as essential in bringing a beer to life, and in a world of hoppiness, there are some who are trying to find ways to bring attention back to these lesser-appreciated pieces of the fermented puzzle.

In this episode, we\u2019re talking with two people who spend a lot of time thinking about \u201cnot hops.\u201d They\u2019re trying to redefine how drinkers may learn about beer, as well as bring new appreciation for the locality and specialness of the other ingredients that act as the backbone and soul of every pint.

This is the Sightlines podcast. Listen in.