Part 2 of my podcast conversation with special guest Chris Lohring, brewer/founder of Notch Session beer as we discuss the rise of craft brewing in the U.S. Listen to the show below or download it directly (right click and "save as").
The show notes...
- Recorded at In a Pig's Eye in Salem, Mass.
- Chris was a bartender at legendary punk club The Rat in Boston in mid-'80s
- Samples came in from new brewer called Samuel Adams
- Met a local brewer and got interested in craft beer in '89
- Chris took a liking to porter at Cambridge Brewing Co.
- Visited Anchor Steam brewery in California
- Boston Brewers Festival in early '90s started to draw big crowds
- People in attendance had never tried most of the beers there
- Pete's Wicked Ale had a good run in the '90s
- Commonwealth Brewery was ahead of its time, first brew pub in Boston
- Craft beer peaked in '90s and then fizzled
- Many local brew pubs ended up closing
- In early '90s, there was an explosion of new craft breweries
- By end of the decade, many of those breweries went away
- Things dipped with the economy after 9/11/01
- Bounced back a few years later
- Now craft beer has always been around for young drinkers
- Craft beer is still a very small percentage of overall beer market
- More of a market now for products that aren't mass-produced: beer, bread, coffee
- Chris: Budweiser is a high-quality beer, it's just not flavorful
- Major brewers have tried making so-called craft beers over the years
- Chris: I actually like Bud American Ale
- Craft brewing scene is kinda like indie rock
- Fat Tire in Colorado and Sam Adams are seen by some beer snobs as sellouts because they've grown
- Chris: Every brewer and consumer owes respect to Jim Koch for introducing craft beer to the masses
- Chris: I don't get involved in beer snobbery
- For Notch, Chris hopes to meet demand and slowly grow from there
- Hope to expand Notch regionally, but find a balance
- Locally, Chris sees return to focus on local beers
- Nationally, he's hoping for "return to sanity"
- Innovation means product fits consumer need and it sells
- Need to find ways to expand craft beer category
- Session beer could be a good transition for folks trying craft beer
- Sam Adams Light was an interesting experiment
- Bonehead of the Week
Music:
Thurston Moore - Benediction
Tres Mts. - My Baby
The Biters - Born to Cry
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.
The Thurston Moore song is on the forthcoming album Demolished Thoughts on Matador Records, where you can download the song for free.
The Tres Mts. song is on the album Three Mountains on Monkeywrench Records. Find out more and download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The Biters song is from the EP All Chewed Up on Underrated Records. Find out more and download the song for free at the band's website.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his new site PodGeek.
Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Completely Conspicuous 168: Kick It Up a Notch
Part 1 of my podcast conversation with special guest Chris Lohring, brewer/founder of Notch Session beer as we discuss his journey through the world of craft brewing. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").
The show notes...
Topics:
- Recorded at In a Pig's Eye in Salem, Mass.
- Chris got interested in craft brewing when in college
- In '92, worked with a partner to start Tremont Brewery
- Raised funding from "friends, family and fools"
- Launched brewery in '94
- Started with draft only in Boston-area bars
- Began bottling Tremont in '97
- Became second-largest brewer in Mass. behind Harpoon
- Back in early '90s, you were selling the concept of craft beer to bars
- Installed first cask engine in greater Boston at Redbones
- Introduced cask beer to Boston
- Tremont did its own distribution until '99, sold it to expand reach to CT and RI
- Brewery reached capacity in late '99
- You can still find Tremont in various states
- Sold to Shipyard in 2002 because investors wanted out
- Chris was burned out, got out of the brewing business
- Worked at engineering firm for several years
- "The world doesn't need another double IPA"
- Interest rekindled by session beer, lower-alcohol beer with great taste
- Influenced by European beers
- Session category has been ignored in U.S. as brewers go with higher-alcohol beers
- Craft beer started at 5% or less alcohol by volume
- Session beer is lower than 5% ABV
- Difficult brewing task to make session beer
- Not a lot of lower-ABV craft beer options
- Session beer's been around forever in Europe
- Designed by farmers for workers in the fields to drink
- First came up with idea two years ago, got serious about 18 months ago
- Brewed some test batches and got bars to serve it
- At first tried to emulate British beer; ended up doing an American-style ale and Czech-style pilsner
- Struck a deal to brew Notch at Ipswich Ale Brewery
- Chris wanted to remain actively involved in the brewing process
- Released two new beers in early March, bottles in Boston-area stores
- Draft handles in growing number of Boston-area bars
- Using social media to spread the word about Notch
- Thanks to Twitter, Jay got first six-pack of Notch Session ale on North Shore
- Tremont was marketed via a newsletter
- Now Twitter and Facebook gets message out directly to fans
- Chris' goals for Notch: Have fun and bring session beer into craft beer conversation
- Older consumers (30+) understand concept; younger drinkers in their 20s may not right away
- Also looking to build Notch into a viable business
- Small session beer resurgence on West Coast
- It's an East Coast-West Coast thing
- Bonehead of the Week
Music:
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Codeine
The Dirtbombs - Cosmic Cars
The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Karmageddon
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.
The Jason Isbell song is on the forthcoming album Here We Rest on Lightning Rod Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at his website.
The Dirtbombs song is on the album Party Store on In the Red Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.
The Soundtrack of Our Lives song is from the album Golden Greats Vol. 1 on Little W Productions. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his new site PodGeek.
Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.
The show notes...
Topics:
- Recorded at In a Pig's Eye in Salem, Mass.
- Chris got interested in craft brewing when in college
- In '92, worked with a partner to start Tremont Brewery
- Raised funding from "friends, family and fools"
- Launched brewery in '94
- Started with draft only in Boston-area bars
- Began bottling Tremont in '97
- Became second-largest brewer in Mass. behind Harpoon
- Back in early '90s, you were selling the concept of craft beer to bars
- Installed first cask engine in greater Boston at Redbones
- Introduced cask beer to Boston
- Tremont did its own distribution until '99, sold it to expand reach to CT and RI
- Brewery reached capacity in late '99
- You can still find Tremont in various states
- Sold to Shipyard in 2002 because investors wanted out
- Chris was burned out, got out of the brewing business
- Worked at engineering firm for several years
- "The world doesn't need another double IPA"
- Interest rekindled by session beer, lower-alcohol beer with great taste
- Influenced by European beers
- Session category has been ignored in U.S. as brewers go with higher-alcohol beers
- Craft beer started at 5% or less alcohol by volume
- Session beer is lower than 5% ABV
- Difficult brewing task to make session beer
- Not a lot of lower-ABV craft beer options
- Session beer's been around forever in Europe
- Designed by farmers for workers in the fields to drink
- First came up with idea two years ago, got serious about 18 months ago
- Brewed some test batches and got bars to serve it
- At first tried to emulate British beer; ended up doing an American-style ale and Czech-style pilsner
- Struck a deal to brew Notch at Ipswich Ale Brewery
- Chris wanted to remain actively involved in the brewing process
- Released two new beers in early March, bottles in Boston-area stores
- Draft handles in growing number of Boston-area bars
- Using social media to spread the word about Notch
- Thanks to Twitter, Jay got first six-pack of Notch Session ale on North Shore
- Tremont was marketed via a newsletter
- Now Twitter and Facebook gets message out directly to fans
- Chris' goals for Notch: Have fun and bring session beer into craft beer conversation
- Older consumers (30+) understand concept; younger drinkers in their 20s may not right away
- Also looking to build Notch into a viable business
- Small session beer resurgence on West Coast
- It's an East Coast-West Coast thing
- Bonehead of the Week
Music:
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Codeine
The Dirtbombs - Cosmic Cars
The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Karmageddon
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.
The Jason Isbell song is on the forthcoming album Here We Rest on Lightning Rod Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at his website.
The Dirtbombs song is on the album Party Store on In the Red Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.
The Soundtrack of Our Lives song is from the album Golden Greats Vol. 1 on Little W Productions. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his new site PodGeek.
Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Completely Conspicuous 167: Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar
No guest on the podcast this week as I play a healthy assortment of rock music. Listen to the show below or download it directly (right click and "save as").
The show notes...
Music:
The Wrens - As I've Known
Mark Lanegan - Burning Jacob's Ladder
Okkervil River - Wake and Be Fine
The Henry Clay People - California Wildfire
TV On the Radio - Caffeinated Consciousness
The Kills - DNA
Bonehead of the Week
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.
The Wrens song is available at Epitonic.
The Okkervil River song is on the forthcoming album I am Very Far on Jagjaguwar Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The Henry Clay People song is on the forthcoming EP This is a Desert on TBD Records. Download the song for free at Aquarium Drunkard.
The TV On the Radio song is on the forthcoming album Nine Types of Light on Interscope Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The Kills song is on the forthcoming album Blood Pressures on Domino Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.
The show notes...
Music:
The Wrens - As I've Known
Mark Lanegan - Burning Jacob's Ladder
Okkervil River - Wake and Be Fine
The Henry Clay People - California Wildfire
TV On the Radio - Caffeinated Consciousness
The Kills - DNA
Bonehead of the Week
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.
The Wrens song is available at Epitonic.
The Okkervil River song is on the forthcoming album I am Very Far on Jagjaguwar Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The Henry Clay People song is on the forthcoming EP This is a Desert on TBD Records. Download the song for free at Aquarium Drunkard.
The TV On the Radio song is on the forthcoming album Nine Types of Light on Interscope Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The Kills song is on the forthcoming album Blood Pressures on Domino Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at the band's website.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Completely Conspicuous 166: The Future is Unwritten
Check out part 2 of my podcast conversation with special guest Eric Convey as we discuss the current state of journalism. Listen to the show below or download it directly (right click and "save as").
The show notes...
Topics:
- Eric's Managing Editor of the Boston Business Journal
- Nobody knows where journalism is going
- Rupert Murdock may have the answer with The Daily, designed for the iPad
- Local news could survive through iPad, smartphone apps
- Local news is the only niche left
- AOL bought Huffington Post for big bucks
- Eric: AOL's Politics Daily is most interesting news site
- AOL's Patch doesn't need local advertisers, it needs clicks
- Eric's food adventures at the Peabody International Festival
- Eric: BBJ uses print and web to thrive
- Worked at Boston Herald for 11 years
- Tales of covering overnight accidents
- Eric: Print papers aren't economically sustainable long-term
- Papers are moving towards charging for online access
- When Boston Globe starts charging, the Herald will follow
- When you're forced for everything, where will traffic go?
- From the start, Wall Street Journal was saying papers should charge
- Nobody really understood online commerce in the '90s
- Jay: Used to buy Globe and Herald every day; now just read them online for free
- Similar parallel to music industry
- Music sales are an all-time low
- Eric: Print is still in the picture at BBJ
- Eric teaches a college journalism class
- Helps students think like journalists
- Some are still looking for newspaper jobs
- Students all have laptops or iPads now
- The future is scary
- Bonehead of the Week
Music:
Art Brut - Unprofessional Wrestling
Black Francis - Bad News
Robert Pollard - Touch Me in the Right Place at the Right Time
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.
The Art Brut song is a B-side from the forthcoming album Brilliant! Tragic! on Cooking Vinyl Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at PledgeMusic (via Stereogum).
The Black Francis song is on the album The Golem on The Bureau Records. Download the song for free courtesy of IODA Promonet:
Black Francis
"Bad News" (mp3)
from "The Golem"
(The Bureau)
More On This Album
The Robert Pollard song is from the album Space City Kicks on Guided by Voices Records. Download the song for free at Spinner.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.
The show notes...
Topics:
- Eric's Managing Editor of the Boston Business Journal
- Nobody knows where journalism is going
- Rupert Murdock may have the answer with The Daily, designed for the iPad
- Local news could survive through iPad, smartphone apps
- Local news is the only niche left
- AOL bought Huffington Post for big bucks
- Eric: AOL's Politics Daily is most interesting news site
- AOL's Patch doesn't need local advertisers, it needs clicks
- Eric's food adventures at the Peabody International Festival
- Eric: BBJ uses print and web to thrive
- Worked at Boston Herald for 11 years
- Tales of covering overnight accidents
- Eric: Print papers aren't economically sustainable long-term
- Papers are moving towards charging for online access
- When Boston Globe starts charging, the Herald will follow
- When you're forced for everything, where will traffic go?
- From the start, Wall Street Journal was saying papers should charge
- Nobody really understood online commerce in the '90s
- Jay: Used to buy Globe and Herald every day; now just read them online for free
- Similar parallel to music industry
- Music sales are an all-time low
- Eric: Print is still in the picture at BBJ
- Eric teaches a college journalism class
- Helps students think like journalists
- Some are still looking for newspaper jobs
- Students all have laptops or iPads now
- The future is scary
- Bonehead of the Week
Music:
Art Brut - Unprofessional Wrestling
Black Francis - Bad News
Robert Pollard - Touch Me in the Right Place at the Right Time
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.
The Art Brut song is a B-side from the forthcoming album Brilliant! Tragic! on Cooking Vinyl Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your e-mail address) at PledgeMusic (via Stereogum).
The Black Francis song is on the album The Golem on The Bureau Records. Download the song for free courtesy of IODA Promonet:
Black Francis "Bad News" (mp3)from "The Golem"
(The Bureau)
More On This AlbumThe Robert Pollard song is from the album Space City Kicks on Guided by Voices Records. Download the song for free at Spinner.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.
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