Beer Jerk Podcast
By Luke White
Beer Jerk PodcastJul 12, 2021
21. Interview with Sabrina Kunz Brewers Guild of New Zealand
This week I chatted to Sabrina Kunz, executive director of the Brewers Guild of New Zealand about the history and the purpose of the Guild, the annual awards, how Covid has impacted NZ breweries, non alcoholic beers, beer tourism, festivals, breweries paying to tie taps, labelling rules, excise, supermarket duopoly, trends, the future of NZ beer and Speights Mid winning the trophy in the Speciality & Experimental category.
20. Interview with Jules van Costello Author
Jules wrote the book on beer. Brewed is a brilliant snapshot of beer in NZ in 2017. He is also a wine maker (Known Unknown), retailer (Cult Wine), event organiser, educator, sommelier and all round renaissance man. We discussed how beer has changed since the release of Brewed, the differences and commonalities between wine and beer, what beer can learn from wine, terroir of hops and barley, pairing drinks with food, getting stuck in a flavour rut, the pokémonisation of beer and lots more.
19. Brewers Guild Awards Special!
Brewers Guild Awards Special! Matt & Luke host a slightly breathy podcast as they stroll the Auckland Beer Mile to find brewery burgers while discussing the big wins and surprises from the biggest awards in NZ brewing. Huge congratulations to all of the winners and to all the awesome people working hard in every area of New Zealand beer.
18. Altitude. Southern Lights
Recorded while picnicking in the park drinking beers from 8 Wired & Altitude, we chat real fruit sours, the history of Duvel, Belgian bottle shops, buying bottles of rum in Berlin kebab shops, Oktoberfest, Helles lager, Otherside brewing, Brood fermentation, curating the Beer Jerk Advent Calendars, brewing a Scotch Ale and the dozens of breweries that are pulling out of the Mikkeller Beer Festival (more info on that in the linked article below).
Under Pressure — Breweries Withdraw From Mikkeller Beer Festival in Response to Sexual Harassment Allegations — Good Beer Hunting
17. Boatrocker. Miss Pinky
We're still in lockdown this week as we discuss viscous stouts with oil slick residue, the pros and cons of collaborating remotely, Three On A Match, brewing unsexy beer, finding the best pizza in Auckland, vanilla being the the best flavour on Earth, brewers that will only sell their beer to people who deserve it, Matt’s cheeseburger blog, Raspberry Berlinerweisse, corn fungus (huitlacoche), fresh Otherside shipment plus WE’RE HIRING!
The Cheeseburger Diet Freakonomics Podcast
NZ Beer Jerks | Facebook
16. Volstead. Mr. Ombibulous
Auckland’s still in lockdown but there’s lots of international beer news to discuss this week as BrewDog enter partnerships to take over Japan and India, and Stone & Wood (Australia’s 2nd largest independent brewery) is purchased by Mitsubishi. We also chat about ingredient homogenisation, thick adjunct imperial stouts, homebrewing, cooking with beer and new releases. We’re drinking a brilliant classic West Coast IPA from Christchurch’s Volstead and remembering the man who inspired the name, Mr Ombibulous.
Libby is the library app where you can read digital magazines for free with a library card.
Some New Yorker articles by the Ombibulous HL Mencken
https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/h-l-mencken
Stone & Wood bought by Lion (Kirin/Mitsubishi)
https://craftypint.com/news/2748/lion-buys-stone--wood
Article from one of Black Hops’ founders with an inside view on the challenges of growing a beer business
https://blackhops.com.au/the-challenge-of-staying-independent/
BrewDog Asahi partnership
https://presshub.brewdog.com/presshub/brewdog-partners-with-asahi-japan-to-create-japanese-joint-venture
The Cooking With Beer book Matt was reading
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Cooking-with-Beer/Mark-Dredge/9781912983469
15. The Theoretical Brewer. First Finch
We are still in Level 4 lockdown as chat about perfectly the evolved Pale Ale from The Theoretical Brewer, lots about Small Gods labels and concepts, home brew dip hopping, Boak & Bailey’s book Brew Britannia, CAMRA members saving beer, cask vs keg, poorly canned beers, shipping beer during lockdown and creating TextBeer to compete with the supermarkets.
14. Whistling Sisters in Lockdown
In this episode we chatted about a couple of delicious beers from Whistling Sisters, amateur enthusiasm, beer label art, 1964 beer trends, bottle caps vs corks, lavender saison, old books, pirate themed rum bars, exporting Dark Mild to England, Master Brewers, candi sugar, Goldings terroir and cuddling Logan.
13. Reflection of Narcissus. Double Vision & Small Gods
It’s the Beer Jerk Zest Cast! We are zesting a wheelbarrow-load of grapefruits, finally drinking Matt’s home-brewed Table Beer and talking about the Mumme we (Small Gods) made with Double Vision, dip hopping, biotransformation of hop oils, i of the Zombier, meeting the new owner of Ballast Point, new releases, supporting independent brewers, delicious sage and disgusting wormwood tea.
12. Interview with Søren from 8 Wired
Søren and I took time out of our brew day to chat about his background in biochemistry, the early days of 8 Wired, barrel ecosystems, freezing Bumaye, art vs science, coaching yeast, getting feijoas out of a barrel bunghole and brewing a 16% low carb beer.
11. Urbanaut. Miami Twice
This week we discuss Brut IPAs, Riverhead pioneers, packaging innovation, Bananaweizen, shoddy offices, bottom fermentation love, an update on Matt’s Table beer, craft beer's influence on wine, WCIPA Challenge, if sponsoring the Olympics pays off, accidentally ordering sangria and how to get 5,000+ likes on an Instagram post in an hour.
10. Interview with Chris from Kererú
I chatted with Chris about launching a commercial brewery from a 50L kit in a rumpus room, book smarts, wet floors, processing maple syrup, burning out, emigration, catering for celiacs, label illustrations, whiskey casks, bugs in barrels, Brewtown and brewing root beer as a kid.
9. Hop Nation. Yama
This week Matt and I chatted about the birth of Sorachi Ace, Titirangi Churly’s, lagering, kombucha mysticism, lime leaf tinctures, yuzu, toasting figs, monopolistic Trusts, hard seltzer post-mix, keeping healthy yeast pets, how to make sourdough, Small Gods news, WCIPA Challenge, wheatbeer love and Matt’s warm box.
Beer Of The Week: Hop Nation. Yama
Book Of The Week: The Noma Guide To Fermentation
Huge thanks to all you wonderful listeners and especially the ones who shop at www.BeerJerk.co.nz and The Fridge & Flagon.
8. Kveik Journey. Interview with Mike Cheer
7. Satan Satan Satan. Small Gods x Maltkult
This week we were joined by baby Lyra as we chatted about home-brewing, impartial beer tasting, NEIPA secrets, crap beer on tap, JABS recap, brewing with a master brewer, brew day dental injuries, wax dipping cans, upsetting traditionalists, government watchlists, working with a consulting brewer and gunpowder.
Beer of the Week: Maltkult x Small Gods. Satan Satan Satan
App of the Week: BeerSmith
6. Interview with Elektra Shock
This week I interviewed fantastic drag queen (and virgin brewer) Elektra Shock about our upcoming collaboration brew, gendered beer, breaking down barriers, selling rainbows, lime milkshake perverts, toxic advertising, creating safe spaces for everyone and our upcoming BANANA PARTY.
Matt and I chatted about alcohol free beers, Banananweizen, Matt’s table beer agenda, Ralph Steadman, art vs ads, blueberry moscato, the home-brewing bible, more about table beer, yeast rousing, Smith’s IPA Challenge, new hop addition techniques and our mini beer festival - JABS.
You can catch Elektra on Ru Paul’s Drag Race Down Under streaming on TVNZ. And keep up with her adventures by following her Instagram.
5. Interview with Kit from Canyon Brewing
This week I interviewed Kit, head brewer at Canyon about pivoting due to Covid, collaborating with cocktail experts, making hot sauce and the difference between distilling and brewing. Matt and I chatted about marshmallow stout, Samuel Peypes, Baltic Mumme, herbal tinctures, slime moulds, the drunken monkey theory, offending European brewers, Prohibition Porter speculation, new hop processing technology and the worst thing Matt has ever drunk.
Beer of the week: Canyon. Stunt Juice
Book of the week: The Rise of Yeast. How The Sugar Fungus Shaped Civilisation. Nicholas Money
YouTube Video: Speedriding Through An Alpine Resort | From Avoriaz With Love
In each episode we discuss the New Zealand craft beer scene, new releases, industry news and more.
4. Interview with Christopher from Zeelandt Brewery
This week I interviewed Christopher from Zeelandt about his brewery in the Hawkes Bay, his inspirational time drinking European beers, decoction mashes and his new garden bar project. Matt and I also had a chat about mango beer tap takeovers, The Beer Hunter, foeders, Welsh Neolithic breweries, Kveik yeast, JABS, 10 year anniversaries, the Winter Drop, new releases and Bavarian smoked beer paradise.
3. Canyon. Pineapple Daiquiri
Matt and I chat about Canyon’s fresh hop cocktail-inspired collaboration, homebrewing, Vienna Lager, checking in thimblefuls of beer on Untappd, mixologists, Bo Burnham, Taiheke vs Cascade hops, terroir, the revelation that Matt has never seen a hop garden, GABS being postponed, nutritional labelling requirements, barleywine and more.
2. Interview with Finney from Emporium Brewery
This week I interviewed Finney from Emporium about his family brewery in Kaikoura, his annual festival, roller discos, earthquakes and banana wine. Matt and I also had a chat about about Tripels, dwindling Belgian monks, NZ beer news, gateway beers, mouthfeel, Fallout 2, the AIBA Awards, banana wine and cartoon beer labels.
Beer of the week: Emporium. Breath of Columbanus
Book of the week: The Beer Kitchen - Melissa Cole
TV Show of the week: Love, Death & Robots
Ice Cream Genius of the week: Giapo
In each episode we discuss the New Zealand craft beer scene, new releases, industry news and more.
1. Eddyline. Cloud Base Kölsch
This week we're chatting about about Kölsch, Belgian vikings, NZ beer news, Paul McCartney, tracing the journey of the first IPAs, goats, and tiny bottomless glasses.
Beer of the week: Eddyline. Cloud Base Kölsch
Book of the week: Hops and Glory: One Man’s Search for the Beer That Built the British Empire - Pete Brown
Album of the week: Paul McCartney. McCartney III Imagined
In each episode we discuss the New Zealand craft beer scene, new releases, industry news and more.