This edition of the podcast is a little different as we are interviewing the interviewers, and talking beer with Tom White and Jack Muldowney who are 2/3rds of The Hop Review, one of the predominant online beer websites based in Chicago. Nick Costa was MIA, and makes up the trio of beer enthusiasts who are responsible for bringing outstanding interviews with all the stars from the brewing world. As their home page states, The Hop Review “…gathers the best stories & perspectives of craft beer through interviews, photography & travel.”
Tom lives in the brewing capital of Michigan, Grand Rapids and is an ex-pat Brit and Certified Cicerone. Jack is a Certified Beer Server and runs a design business over on the north side of Chicago, Ken McMullen is my co-host and reports in from darkest Naperville, so The Brit, Phil Clark, connected everybody up via phone lines and the cloud for a conversation recorded in the Brit and Yankee pub studio.
We find out how The Hop Review was started, how they manage to get interviews with some of the brewing world’s best, what some of their favorite interviews were, what they are drinking now, a short debate on the hazy trend, and Tom tells us what it takes to become a Certified Cicerone. Also, Tom works for Collective Arts Brewery out of Canada and we hear what they have to offer here in the States, and that leads to opinions on ‘best by’ dates, which segues to a chat on the beer festival they sponsor, Ultra Fresh, to be held on June 25. Then the lads provide us with their view on the UK craft beer scene as they have published a couple of interviews with brewers from across the pond.
It’s a fascinating chat with the talent behind one of the best craft beer websites, and we encourage you to head over and sign up for their weekly newsletter and check out some of their interviews.
Our interview brews:
Tom White – Collective Arts, Hamilton ON, Jam Up The Mash, Dry Hop Sour, 5.2%
Jack Muldowney – Grist House, Pittsburgh PA, Outrun Cowboy, Pilsener, 5.0%
The Brit – Lindemans Faro, Belgian lambic, 4.5%
Ken McMullen – Avery Brewing, Boulder CO, The Reverend, Belgian-style Quad, 10%
Play the show from our player or the Podbean player below…