Heavy Hops artwork

Heavy Hops

104 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago -

Heavy Hops is an interview format podcast featuring conversations with leaders, creators, insiders and innovators in the beverage and music industries. We are passionate about heavy music and beer, driven by curiosity, and interested in showcasing a variety of viewpoints and opinions. From the creator of Scorched Tundra, hosted by Alexi D. Front. New episodes every Thursday.

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Episodes

HH 095: My Best Friend (Live at VivaSounds w/ Amira Gluhic, Lilia Ohls, Oskar Fredén)

December 22, 2022 12:36 - 34 minutes - 18.6 MB

This week's Heavy Hops episode comes from a panel discussion I moderated on December 3rd at Viva Sounds - a conference and live music showcase that takes place annually in Gothenburg, Sweden, hosted by West Side Music. This panel - titled "My Best Friend" - looks at the live music sector from a small, independent venue owner and operators’ perspective. We venture beyond the headlines that dominated mainstream and trade media that generally portrayed a triumphant return of live music - and in...

HH 094: I Will Survive (Live at VivaSounds)

December 15, 2022 14:05 - 53 minutes - 27.7 MB

This week's Heavy Hops episode comes from a panel discussion I moderated on December 3rd at Viva Sounds - a conference and live music showcase that takes place annually in Gothenburg, Sweden, hosted by West Side Music. This panel - titled "I Will Survive" - looks at the live music sector from a booking agent’s perspective. We venture beyond the headlines that dominated mainstream and trade media that generally portrayed a triumphant return of live music - and into what types of challenges bo...

HH 093: As The Writing Process Unfolds (Will & Sam Skarstad/Yellow Eyes, Ustalost)

April 28, 2022 07:00 - 58 minutes - 42.8 MB

One of my favorite parts about talking to musicians is getting to the heart of why they make the creative and musical decisions that are then committed to tape or performed live. Why did they choose to write their lyrics in a certain manner? Why did they record their live album in a historic water tower? How will they reimagine older material for an upcoming performance? The thread among many of these conversations is that they are reflections musicians share on what they’ve done or will do. ...

HH 092: Human-Size Stories (Michael Kiser/Good Beer Hunting)

April 21, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 62.6 MB

Good Beer Hunting has changed how beer is covered and viewed. Over the past decade, founder Michael Kiser and his team have used photography, long form journalism, podcasting, humor and even festivals as avenues for sharing experiences, flavors and perhaps most importantly, human-size stories. I joined Michael at GBH studio in West Town, and over glasses of Bourbon County Barley Wine and Schlenkerla Weizen we discussed our mutual histories in beer, how covering it has changed over time, and w...

HH 091: Historiographies (Tara Nurin/A Woman's Place Is In The Brewhouse)

April 14, 2022 07:00 - 49 minutes - 35.2 MB

Tara Nurin is a veteran freelance writer, consultant, lecturer and educator who focuses on the culture, history and business of beer. Her most recent book A Woman’s Place Is In The Brewhouse: A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches and CEOs (Chicago Review Press, September 2021) covers these exact topics, celebrating the contributions and influence of female brewers,. Our conversation focuses on herstory - history considered or presented from a feminist viewpoint or with special a...

HH 090: Back On The Road (Kirill Orlov & Marc Najjar/Huntsmen)

April 07, 2022 06:16 - 44 minutes - 32.6 MB

Joining us this week are Kirill Orlov and Marc Najjar guitarist and bassist/vocalist respectively of Huntsmen. The bands unique combination of folk Americana with doom-inspired heavy sections and harmonized vocals are presented through different production and storytelling lenses on the band's debut American Scrap and 2020’s Mandala of Fear. The re-release of American Scrap by Prosthetic Records will be supplemented with a special performance of the album at Roadburn Festival. We discuss how ...

HH 089: Context Is Crucial (Martin Atkins/Museum of Post Punk & Industrial Music)

March 31, 2022 03:39 - 56 minutes - 41.6 MB

Martin Atkins’ experience as a musician and entrepreneur spans genres, borders and industries. He was a member of Public Image Limited with Johnny Rotten, Ministry, Killing Joke, and Pigface in addition to being a performer with Nine Inch Nails. He’s touched every aspect of the music industry and covered it in his three books. We discuss Martin’s most recent undertaking, the Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music in Chicago and what it's been like collecting, and deciding what to do with eq...

HH 088: Hybrid Strains (Lance Shaner/Omega Yeast Lab)

March 24, 2022 07:00 - 44 minutes - 32.5 MB

Joining me this week is Lance Shaner, founder of Omega Yeast Lab in Chicago. A microbiologist by training and former patent attorney, Lance’s analytical approach to creating hybrid yeast strains for breweries was groundbreaking from the inception of Omega Yeast in 2013. We discuss how Lance approaches creating these hybrid strains of yeast, and we give special attention to Omega’s Hothead - the first commercially produced Kveik strain available in North America. As the yeast lab that has alwa...

HH 087: The Taste of a Tastemaker (Jerald O’Kennard/Beverage Testing Institute)

March 17, 2022 07:00 - 43 minutes - 32.5 MB

Joining me this week is Jerald O’Kennard, Director of the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago. BTI’s independent reviews of beer, wine and spirits are highly influential internally within the bev-alc industry and with consumers. Pappy Van Winkle received a considerable boost to its brand recognition in 1997 when BTI awarded it a 99/100, the highest awarded score at that time.  In an era where social media and democratized ratings platforms influence portfolio decisions for makers, wholesal...

HH 086: Thermal Runaway (Katie Davies/Pupil Slicer)

March 10, 2022 07:00 - 32 minutes - 25.1 MB

Joining me today is Katie Davies, guitarist and vocalist for the British grindcore band Pupil Slicer. The band’s debut Mirrors was released in March 2021 and it captured my interest, the combination of mathcore, grind and post metal was unique in its delivery and transportive in its effect on me as a listener. I found myself revisiting Converge’s Jane Doe and Dillinger Escape Plan’s Calculating Infinity, finding new musical and lyrical nuggets within those classic albums. In addition to descr...

HH 085: Critique Is An Act of Storytelling (JJ Koczan/The Obelisk)

March 03, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 44 MB

Joining me this week is JJ Koczan, founder of The Obelisk, an online publication focusing on desert rock, stoner and doom metal.  JJ and I both found our way into the music industry around twenty years ago through college radio and journalism. JJ became Managing Editor at The Aquarian Weekly and Associate Editor at Metal Maniacs Magazine in New York before creating The Obelisk thirteen years ago.  I wanted to understand how JJ negotiates being a fan of heavy music in addition to someone who ...

HH 084: Make Them Bleed From The Eyes (Ammo)

February 24, 2022 07:00 - 49 minutes - 36.5 MB

Joining us week is Amaury “Ammo” Dastarac, a freelance illustrator based in Brussels. You’ve likely seen Ammo’s work; he’s created concert and festival posters for Neurosis, Converge, The Melvins, Chelsea Wolfe, Enslaved and Hellfest. He’s also illustrated beer labels for breweries De Ranke, Cantillon and most recently Brasserie De La Mule. We discuss his style, visual and musical inspirations, how he crossed over into illustrating beer labels, embedding himself first into legendary venue Mag...

HH 083: Efficient Isn't Always Better (Lou Bank & Chava Peribán/S.A.C.R.E.D & Agave Road Trip Podcast)

February 17, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 48 MB

For a few years I’ve been intrigued by agave spirits, and in particular Mezcal. The flavor profiles, methods of production and history of these beverages are fascinating and delicious. In the interest of promoting curiosity, an eternal goal of this podcast, I wanted to give space to this unique world of beverages that have an intriguing sense of place. Joining me in this endeavor are Lou Bank and Chava Peribán, Executive Director and Project Manager respectively of S.A.C.R.E.D, a 501(c)(3) n...

HH 082: Under The "L" In Evanston (Paul Hletko/Few Spirits)

February 10, 2022 07:00 - 49 minutes - 37.3 MB

Joining me this week is Paul Hletko, founder and distiller of Few Spirits in Evanston, immediately north of Chicago. Hletko’s imaginative approach to bourbon, whiskey and gin have garnered many accolades since Few’s inception in 2011 including Whiskey Advocate Craft Whiskey of the Year and Icons of Gin World Distiller of the Year. We discuss his approach to ingredient selection and the construction of his brown spirits including mash bill, barrel sourcing, yeast strains, and adjuncts. The sig...

HH 081: Wall of Amps (Greg Anderson/Sunn 0))), Southern Lord Records)

February 03, 2022 07:00 - 52 minutes - 37.8 MB

Joining us this week is Greg Anderson, co-founder of the experimental metal band Sunn O))) and its label home Southern Lord Records. We discuss the band’s recent output Metta, Benevolence BBC 6Music: Live On the Invitation of Mary Anne Hobbs a live recording captured in 2019 at the legendary Maida Vale Studios in London. We discuss how these drones and improvisations from the band’s 2019 releases Life Metal and Pyroclasts came to life and evolved over the course of their last European tour, c...

HH 080: The Second Testament (Jeff Alworth/Beervana, The Beer Bible)

January 27, 2022 07:00 - 43 minutes - 32 MB

Jeff Alworth, an award-winning beer writer based in Portland, Oregon is our guest this week. Jeff has authored five books on beer, The Widmer Way, The Secrets of Master Brewers, Cider Made Simple, Beer Tasting Tool Kit, and The Beer Bible. A second edition of the Beer Bible was released in September 2021, and we took the opportunity to discuss beer broadly and through a social lens. We explore evolutions within the brewing world, fluidity of beer styles, how the proliferation of information o...

HH 079: Experiences and Experiencing (Esben Willems/Monolord, Studio Berserk)

January 20, 2022 07:00 - 38 minutes - 28.8 MB

This week we’re joined by Esben Willems, drummer in Swedish heavy band Monolord. Your Time To Shine, the band’s fifth album, was released last year on Relapse Records, and we dive into it from his perspective as a musician and producer. Your Time To Shine was his first recording in Studio Berserk, which he took over a year ago. We also discuss touring during the pandemic and the doom label, which is often how the media characterize Monolord. Esben has handled editing, mixing and mastering of ...

HH 078: Happiness From The Sky (Luca Cimarusti/Annihilus, Luggage)

January 13, 2022 07:00 - 47 minutes - 34.8 MB

Joining me this week is Luca Cimarusti - drummer in Chicago-based heavy trio Luggage, and leader of his solo black metal project Annihilus. Both bands were creatively active in 2021 and released new material, Happiness is Luggage’s fourth album and Follow A Song From The Sky is the second Annihilus offering. We discuss these two albums on their own and in comparison, and cap off the conversation by highlighting stand out releases from 2021. Check out this playlist that features the albums di...

HH 077: Wheaties & Lucky Charms (Kate Bernot/Good Beer Hunting Sightlines, Craft Beer & Brewing)

January 06, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 45.9 MB

Joining us this week is Kate Bernot, a contributing Editor for Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, Sightlines contributor for Good Beer Hunting, and previously beer editor for Draft Magazine. In addition to her award winning writing, she is a BJCP certified beer judge, based in Montana. Her work covers a variety of companies and stories within the alcohol and beer spaces, making her the perfect insider for our wrap up of 2021 and peek into 2022.  Our wide-ranging conversation touches on journalis...

HH 076: Protest Songs (Zach Blair/Rise Against)

December 30, 2021 07:00 - 36 minutes - 27.7 MB

Joining us this week is Zach Blair, lead guitarist in the legendary punk band Rise Against. For anyone that grew up in Chicago in the early 2000s and was at all interested in rock music, Rise Against was a touchstone. We use the group’s recent EP Nowhere Sessions as a lens into the tradition of punk rock covers of protest songs and their live resonance. We also touch on the crucial role that metal music played in shaping Zach as a guitarist, his time as a member and writer in Gwar, and how Ri...

HH 075: Discovering Cultural Confidence (Lucy Corne/On Tap Magazine/African Beer Cup)

December 23, 2021 07:00 - 53 minutes - 39.4 MB

Joining me this week is Lucy Corne a freelance writer and beverage industry consultant based in Cape Town. She is the Editor of On Tap Magazine, South Africa’s only magazine dedicated to beer. Lucy is BJCP and Cicerone® certified, having judged a number of competitions globally, including the African Beer Cup, the only pan-African beer competition, of which she is the co-founder. Her recent profile of South African hop grower Khaya Maloney for Good Beer Hunting was recognized by the North Am...

HH 074: Death Metal Forever (Anders "El Guapo" Gustafsson/Zombiekrig)

December 16, 2021 07:00 - 58 minutes - 42.3 MB

Joining us this week is Anders “El Guapo” Gustafsson, founding guitarist of Zombiekrig, a thrash metal band based in Gothenburg Sweden. The band released new studio material for the first time in almost a decade on December 10th - Dödstecken an EP two new songs and live recordings captured at the second Scorched Tundra festival edition in 2012, one of the band's last shows. The tracks incorporate new elements into Zombiekrig’s established hybrid of punk, continental thrash, and classic metal....

HH 073: Land of Men (Buick Audra/Friendship Commanders)

December 09, 2021 07:00 - 49 minutes - 36.6 MB

Joining us this week is Buick Audra, a Grammy award winning musician, writer, and activist living in Nashville, TN. She is the guitarist, primary songwriter and vocalist in the melodic heavy duo, Friendship Commanders. The band recently released four singles “Stone Child” and “Your Reign is Over” last year to mark Indigenous Peoples Day, and most recently “Altar” and “Land of Men” . We caught up while she was on tour supporting these singles and en route to recording their third LP at God Cit...

HH 073 Land of Men (Buick Audra/Friendship Commanders)

December 09, 2021 07:00 - 49 minutes - 36.6 MB

Joining us this week is Buick Audra, a Grammy award winning musician, writer, and activist living in Nashville, TN. She is the guitarist, primary songwriter and vocalist in the melodic heavy duo, Friendship Commanders. The band recently released four singles “Stone Child” and “Your Reign is Over” last year to mark Indigenous Peoples Day, and most recently “Altar” and “Land of Men” . We caught up while she was on tour supporting these singles and en route to recording their third LP at God Cit...

HH 072: Finding Inspiration In Family History (Laurin Mack/Conrad Seipp Brewing Company)

November 25, 2021 07:00 - 54 minutes - 40.2 MB

People find their way into the commercial side of beer world through many avenues. Common narratives typically involve an interplay of seeking something different than what the market offered, discovering the joys of homebrewing, finding a community, and taking a risk with hopes for an independent future. Laurin Mack’s path has been exceptional and is noteworthy. She’s is the great-great-great granddaughter of Conrad Seipp, a German immigrant who began brewing beer in Chicago in 1854. The Ch...

HH 071: Experiences Drive Sensory (Averie Swanson/Keeping Together)

November 18, 2021 07:00 - 50 minutes - 37.9 MB

Joining us this week is Averie Swanson, the founder and beermaker of Keeping Together. While the company was founded in 2019 - when Averie arrived in Chicago and had an opportunity to begin making her beers at Half Acre Beer Co. - Keeping Together was only recently first served at a beer festival in Washington DC. We use this event as a lens  through which we get to know Averie, the construction of Keeping Together’s beers, what inspires and drives her, cultural appropriation and how beer can...

HH 070: Rekindling (Mikael Stanne/The Halo Effect, Dark Tranquillity, Grand Cadaver)

November 11, 2021 07:00 - 37 minutes - 28.3 MB

This week I am in Studio Berserk in Gothenburg Sweden with Mikael Stanne, vocalist and lyricist of the melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity and Grand Cadaver.  Our conversation revolves around his newest project, The Halo Effect, whose lineup is rounded out by guitarists Niclas Engelin and Jesper Strömblad, bassist Peter Iwers, and drummer Daniel Svensson - former members of another legendary Gothenburg metal band: In Flames. We discuss the The Halo Effect's premier output, a single, t...

HH 069: Pairing Music With Landscapes (Jeremy Walker & Alex Feher/Fire In The Mountains)

November 04, 2021 07:00 - 47 minutes - 34.4 MB

From its clandestine roots, to an environmentally focused multi day music and lifestyle event, Fire In The Mountains, has become an important festival in the heavy music calendar. Want to see Emma Ruth Rundle play on a grand piano with the Grand Tetons as a backdrop? Enjoy a barbecue featuring local, sustainably grown, food cooked by a Norwegian chef? This is where you’ll have that opportunity.  Founders Jeremy Walker and Alex Feher walk us through the event’s roots, the centrality of enviro...

HH 068: Negative Space (Scott Evans/Kowloon Walled City)

October 28, 2021 07:00 - 35 minutes - 25.7 MB

I don’t often have an emotional response to music. Perhaps it's the prevalence of streaming services and being able to access audio and video content on demand that makes music an accessory. Sitting and intentionally focusing on a piece of music draws us in differently. In allowing music to consume us with less distraction our imagination can freely roam the architecture the artists create. Piecework, the latest release from Oakland-California’s Kowloon Walled City drew me in from the start;...

HH 067: Vinyl “Delays” (Michael Greig Thomas/Kindercore Vinyl)

October 21, 2021 07:00 - 54 minutes - 40.4 MB

It’s no secret that the vinyl pressing industry has faced a surge in demand over the last 18 months. The British Phonographic Industry recorded 4.8 Million Vinyl Albums sold in the UK in 2020, marking a decade of growth, which globally eclipsed 1 billion dollars for the first time. In the United States LP and Ep shipments increased 23.6% while compact disc shipments fell 33.6% between 2019 and 2020 according to the RIAA.  Joining us this week to offer a manufacturer’s perspective on this gro...

HH 066: Run The Brews (Amaechi Uzoigwe & Kate Brankin/Run The Jewels)

October 14, 2021 07:00 - 3 Bytes

Run The Jewels has not only taken the music world by storm, but they are also making waves in beverage - and specifically beer. Their history of making or lending their brand to collaborations with Goose Island, Interboro Spirits & Ales and Pipeworks Brewing were initial opening experiences for how they can connect with more audiences and create new opportunities for people to experience RTJ. Since those initial events in 2017 RTJ has launched a number of other beer projects, including the “N...

HH 065: The Fire Still Burns (Matthias Trum/Schlenkerla)

October 07, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 59.3 MB

Smoked beers are thought to be an acquired taste. Aromas and flavors of campfire or bacon, when presented in the context of a pale or dark lager, can be surprising, jarring or intriguing. However, when we think broadly about our own relationship to this sensory experience we can be transported to familiar and even nostalgic places: an outdoor gathering with friends and family, the smell of breakfast, or a barbecue. Enjoying a glass of smoked beer is a window into not only our own past, but al...

HH 064: Zone Tripper (Dave Schmidt/Electric Moon, Zone Six, Sula Bassana)

September 30, 2021 07:00 - 59 minutes - 43.3 MB

Joining us this week is German multi instrumentalist Dave Schmidt. He is a pillar in the modern psychedelic music scene: his projects Electric Moon, Zone Six, Krautzone, Intercosmos as well as his solo work - released under the name Sula Bassana - are essential listening for anyone looking to open their mind and reach the outer galaxies. His label Sulatron Records sits at the convergence of neo-psychedelic, krautrock, ambient electronic and progressive rock - in a normal year releasing a prol...

HH 063: Torment & Glory (Brian Cook/Russian Circles, Sumac)

September 23, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 43.4 MB

Joining us this week is Brian Cook, you may know him as bassist in heavy bands Russian Circles and Sumac. This conversation focuses on his first solo effort - under the name Torment & Glory - which was released in late August. We Left a Note with an Apology draws from a wide music palate, folk tradition, country storytelling, krautrock with moments of sludgy distortion that transport the listener to a series of moments in Brian’s life. Our conversation also touches on the construction of the ...

HH 062: Touring Life (Mattias Nööjd & Axel Wittbeck/Firebreather)

September 16, 2021 07:00 - 56 minutes - 40.3 MB

This week we're in Gothenburg Sweden at Studio Berserk with Mattiias Nööjd and Axel Wittbeck, guitarist/vocalist and drummer respectively of the riff driven heavy band Firebreather. The band will head to the USA for the first time in early 2022 with Monolord. Our conversation revolves around the role that touring plays in gaining notoriety, and the challenges that comes with gaining and building an audience on the road. We also discuss the bands forthcoming, as of yet untitled, third album, ...

HH 061: Modern British Beer (Matthew Curtis/Pellicle Magazine)

September 09, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 47.4 MB

Joining us this week is Matthew Curtis, an award-winning freelance writer, broadcaster and author based in Manchester. You may be familiar with his work as Editor-in-Chief of Pellicle Magazine, a publication and podcast focused on beer, cider, wine, food and travel. Matt’s most recent book, Modern British Beer, is the focus of our conversation. The book itself provides a look at eighty different beers produced annually in the UK. In sharing the perspectives of the producers - and the tasting...

HH 060: Tasting Into The Future (Mike Schallau/Is/Was Brewing)

September 02, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 43.7 MB

This week we catch up with Mike Schallau, co-owner and brewer of Is/Was Brewing, an artisanal producer of rustic, farmhouse-inspired ales based in Chicago. We explore two of Mike’s first blended mixed fermentation beers: Levain and Bend Towards Daylight. In discussing the construction and intention of these beers we learn more about Mike’s symbiotic approach to creating these living beers. Is/Was recently celebrated its two year anniversary; and Mike reflects on learnings from this early par...

HH 059: "Cool Story" Barrels (Jim Cibak & Marty Scott/Revolution Brewing)

August 26, 2021 07:00 - 2 hours - 92.2 MB

Joining us this week are Jim Cibak and Marty Scott - Brewmaster and Barrel Program Lead respectively - at Revolution Brewing in Chicago. The brewery’s “Deep Woods” Series of barrel aged beers has garnered the attention of drinkers of these time and ingredient intensive styles. Balance, Jim and Marty argue, as perceived during the sensory process, and calculated in analysis, is central to the challenge of achieving consistency, complexity and conveyance of barrel expression for which their “De...

HH 058: Less Transformers, More Harry Crumb (Sanford Parker/HyperCube)

August 19, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 84.3 MB

Joining us this week is Sanford Parker, a Chicago-based musician, studio engineer and producer. You’ve heard his work in these capacities on albums from Eyehategod, YOB, Wovenhand, Voivod, Hide, Darkthrone, Youth Code, Harm's Way, Facs, and Unearthly Trance, just to name a few. As we get to know Sanford, hear about his engineering and production process, and dive into a select few works, his approach and passion for music becomes evident. Select Works Sanford Recorded, Produced and Performed...

HH 057: Best of 2021...So Far (Nick Dellacroce/Bongripper)

August 12, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 87.1 MB

Joining us this week is Nick Dellacroce, guitarist of instrumental doom band Bongripper and solo project Bottomed. We discuss what’s been happening with Bongripper, what we’ve been listening to and which albums, podcasts, movies and shows have struck us from 2021 so far. Listeners will recognize Nick not only for his musical work, but also from his appearance in Episode 7 Part I and Part II. Playlists, podcasts, and band names below are hyperlinked, so click/press to explore! Playlists Discu...

HH 056: Paganism and Metal (Deena Weinstein/DePaul University)

August 05, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 111 MB

I was recently flipping through a collection of old compact discs and DVDs, and came across a treasure trove of folk and pagan inspired metal albums. From violins, bagpipes, and hurdy gurdies to throat singing, lutes and horsehead fiddles, modern metal bands have found interesting ways of incorporating traditional instruments, folklore and ritual into their music and performance. These sounds and lyrics are interwoven with a variety of different sonic expressions of heavy music. Deities, such...

HH 055: Tension (Tim Pope/The Amenta)

July 29, 2021 05:00 - 58 minutes - 68 MB

Joining us this week is Tim Pope, keyboardist, programmer and lyricist for Australian extreme metal band The Amenta. Describing this band's sound - whether on a single album or as a characterization over time - in a two or three word genre title is challenging. Maybe that’s the point.  Revelator, the band's fourth album, which was released in February by Debemur Morti Productions, represents the biggest stylistic jump between albums to date. Tim identifies the use of organic sounds and proce...

HH 054: Symbiosis (Gert van der Waal)

July 22, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 75.5 MB

Gert van der Waal refers to his ventures in hop growing, malting, and distilling as “experiments.” There’s a level of modesty in this claim indicative of his character. On his small farm located outside Pretoria, South Africa, you’ll find four varieties of hops: Cascade, Kracanup (a cross of Chinook and Cascade originating from Australia), DrakGold (a variety bred near Durban on the east coast) and NAK, a local strain whose name references the rocky terrain on his farm, Nog-a-Klip.   In t...

HH 053: Tiny Prints (Maura Walsh/Black Nail Studio)

July 15, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 73.6 MB

Maura Walsh, a Chicago-based artist, gained notoriety during the pandemic for her appropriately named Tiny Guide to Chicago's Best Music Culture Spots and Tiny Guide to Chicago Arts which raise funds for local organizations Chicago Independent Venue League and Save our Stages. We explore the origins of this project, the challenges of communicating architectural detail on such a small medium, and dive into the experience of having a project go viral overnight. We also touch on Maura’s most rec...

HH 052: Right Place At The Right Time (Coy Eakes/Collective Arts & Gamma Brewing)

July 08, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 73.3 MB

This week's episode is a story about curiosity, saying yes to opportunities, not fearing living somewhere new, and relishing challenges. Coy Eakes, co-Founder of Gamma Brewing, located just outside of Copenhagen, Denmark, tells us how he left his native North Carolina for a country he’d never been to, how he found brewing, and the importance of collaboration as an avenue for better understanding his new surroundings and profession. Coy’s journey continues stateside where he will open a new Co...

HH 051: Roadburning (Walter Hoeijmakers & Becky Laverty/Roadburn Festival)

July 01, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 105 MB

During the first weekend after Easter, Tilburg - a university town in the south of Holland - becomes a destination for curious music enthusiasts from around the world seeking to discover and enjoy up and coming, and select established names, in heavy music. Roadburn Festival’s influence and role as a forward-thinking tastemaker is immeasurable; every metal festival organizer in Europe - and some in North America - watch its announcements extremely closely and labels take careful note of its l...

HH 050: Surveying The Hosts (Alexi Front & Sam Cangelosi)

June 24, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 77.2 MB

For the fiftieth episode artist and longtime collaborator Bryn Gleason is taking the helm and asking listener submitted questions. Sam and I offer behind the scenes insight into the shows background, how we adjusted during the lockdown period, what we look for in collaboration beers and projects, and what future content listeners may expect. Big thanks to everyone who listens weekly, those who encouraged us to take the plunge, and folks that have opted to support us financially on our Ko-Fi ...

HH 049: Non-Traditional Hop Farming (James Altwies/Hopnology & Siebel Institute of Technology)

June 17, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 91.1 MB

This week we're focusing on a specific overlap of agriculture and beer: small scale hop farming in non-traditional areas. Who is starting small farms, where are they located and what are the historical and present challenges these farmers face in North America where the “scale-up to succeed” mentality and monocropping are most prevalent? How is the “what’s new” consumer fixation challenging for small scale, non-traditional growers, and how do branding and marketing play into the hands of larg...

HH 048: Morbid Malts (Samu Rahn/Louis Glunz Beer, Cairn & Wintering)

June 10, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 134 MB

We’re back in the studio this week for the first time since October, enjoying a few beers with Samu Rahn. Our wide-ranging conversation touches on Samu’s musical endeavors as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist in dark heavy bands Cairn and Wintering; the importance of seeking new, niche, experiences - whether at home or abroad; beer and metal intersections by way of Hammerheart Brewing; and what it has been like working as a distribution sales rep during the pandemic.  On the back nine of ...

HH 047: Hearing Conservation (Drs. Michael Santucci & Howard Kotler)

June 03, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 70.9 MB

With summer festivals and club concerts on the horizon, we wanted to explore the connections between mental, physical and hearing health. No better guests to join us than Chicago-based audiologist Dr. Michael Santucci and Otolaryngologist Dr. Howard Kotler, an ear nose and throat specialist. As the world’s only audiologist-run earphone manufacturer Dr. Santucci’s firm Sensaphonics attracts musicians from all over the world seeking hearing protection.  Using the recent film Sound of Metal as ...

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