Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast

Matt Topping of COVA Brewing in Norfolk, Virginia, has a knack for winning medals with his fruit beers—but they aren’t what you think. From the full fruit refermentation to the light herbal spicing, he’s found an equation that’s equally successful on draft in the taproom and on the final judging table at the World Beer Cup. From slightly higher pH to low mash temps for fermentable wort, and from frozen purée to Ebbegarden kveik for the primary fermentation, he’s built a systematic approach to both the gose-style base and to the fruits and spices he layers on top.

In this episode, Topping discusses:

using Lactobacillus plantarum from Goodbelly for souring wort

low mash temperatures for greater fermentability

using frozen rather than aseptic purée to maintain the fruit flavor’s fresh edge

strategically adding salt and hibiscus in the brite to dial in perfect amounts

cleverly pairing fruit-and-spice flavors such as rosemary-lemon, passion fruit–hibiscus, and more

proper temperature for herb steeping

brewing with difficult ingredients such as watermelon and strawberry

controlling finished pH for greater function

And more.

G&D Chillers

A quick word for the brewers out there staring down a broken chiller. You know the pain—warm fermentors, stressed yeast, and that sinking feeling when the repair quote lands in your inbox. With refrigerant regulations changing and the cost of obsolete refrigerants skyrocketing, sometimes the fix costs more than the unit is worth. G&D Chillers is there to help, whether you’re a small brew pub or large full-scale production brewery. Don’t throw good money at bad equipment. Invest in a solution that grows with your brewery—and keeps your tanks cold when it counts. Big thanks to G&D Chillers for supporting this podcast since 2019. Reach out to them at gdhillers.com/podcast to learn how they can support your next six years of growth.

Berkeley Yeast

Berkeley Yeast just launched Dry Tropics London! Our best-selling liquid yeast strain, now with all the ease-of-use benefits of dry yeast. Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you’d expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passion fruit. A lot of brewers love the clean passion fruit you get from Tropics, but they don’t want every IPA to be a tropical-fruit bomb. At the dry yeast price point, you can pitch and ditch without breaking the bank. Or, you can co-pitch with your house strain to adjust the intensity of the notes. And with nationwide free shipping, there’s never been a better time to try Dry Tropics. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com and experience the ease and impact of Dry Tropics London Yeast.

PakTech

This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com.

Indie Hops

Oregon hop country is heaven to world-class lager varieties, and Indie Hops is proud to have introduced Oregon’s newest lager hop, Lórien, in 2022. Lórien is in a growing list of beers that have found their way to the podium and—more importantly—into the hearts of lager lovers across the country. Discover Indie Hops Lórien. (Side effects may include rampant festivity, sales bumps, and exceeded expectations.) Indie Hops—Life is Short. Let’s Make It Flavorful.

Midea 50/50 Flex

If you’re like many podcast listeners, you’ve got a lot of beers at home, and your regular fridge is at capacity. Enter the Midea 50/50 Flex—the industry’s first dual-compartment three-way convertible freezer. Here’s what all that means for you: options! The 50/50 has the power to be all freezer, all fridge, or a little bit of both. But you’ll probably want to use those 20 cubic feet as a massive, garage-ready beer fridge. You can also change which side the door is on or how you want the shelves to be arranged—the 50/50 totally flexes to fit your life. Plus, it’s designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled conditions—so you can crack a cold one even on the warmest days in the man cave. Take your garage to the next level! Check out Midea.com/us/ to get more info about this game changer today.

Old Orchard

If your brewery is using fruit-juice concentrates, purees, and blends, then why not source everything from a one-stop shop? We might be best-known for flavored blends, but if you need 100 percent purees or concentrates, then we can likely help—even with options not listed on our website. Let us know what you need at oldorchard.com/brewer.

ADM

Are you ready to shake up the beverage world? ADM is passionate about helping you craft your next breakthrough. From cutting edge natural ingredients like hops to advanced technologies, ADM brings together science and creativity to elevate taste, quality, and recipe design. Whether you’re developing a beer innovation or a bold new flavor experience, ADM is your trusted partner in innovation. Let’s create something extraordinary—because the future of beer and brewing starts with inspired ideas and exceptional expertise. ADM is where nature meets precision! Learn more at adm.com/alcohol

Arryved

Running a brewery means juggling a lot—managing production, serving guests, selling online, and keeping everything moving behind the scenes. That’s where Arryved comes in. What started as a point-of-sale system has grown into the technology your brewery runs on—built specifically for the teams behind great beer. Unlike generic systems, Arryved brings together taproom service, online sales, brewery management, payments, reporting, and growth tools into one complete platform. So instead of bouncing between systems, you can brew, serve, and sell—all in one place. See it in action at CBC 2026, Booth 1626, or visit arryved.com to learn more.

Ss Brewtech

Pumps are critical to any advanced homebrewing setup. From mash recirculation to wort transfer, and even for cleaning, a quality pump is a key part of every brew day. The Ss Brew Pump from Ss Brewtech is engineered to tackle even the messiest brew days. Featuring an IP55 water resistance rating, an easy-to-use DIN head with 360-degree rotation, and a flow rate of up to 11 gallons per minute, it has the power to keep your brew day moving. Visit www.SsBrewtech.com/Pump to learn more about how the Ss Brew Pump can upgrade your homebrewery.

The IPA gang is back together with some special guests for this star-studded episode recorded in front of a live audience of brewers at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River, Kelsey McNair of North Park, and Evan Price of Green Cheek are joined by Ben Edmunds of Breakside and Oregon State University’s Tom Shellhammer—this year’s recipient of the Brewers Association Recognition Award—for a ranging conversation. Among the topics they cover: managing sulfur in hop-forward beer, evolving dry-hopping techniques, thiols and mercaptans, and reducing the dry-hop load for better beer—plus, they take questions from the audience.

This episode even features a first for the podcast—a Pick 6 speed round, in which Vinnie Cilurzo asks Tom Shellhammer to share six beers that inspired him.

Thank you to our presenting sponsors:

Encompass

If you're a producer trying to get better visibility into how your products are performing at retail, there's a better way—and it's officially in Orbit. Orbit gives bev-alc producers real-time depletion, shipment, and inventory data alongside a CRM built for managing distributor relationships in the field. No more week-old data. No more chasing distributors over email.

Yakima Valley Hops

YakimaValleyHops.com is your direct source for the finest HAAS hops and innovative hop products. Top varieties like Citra®, Mosaic®, Galaxy®, and more are available in just a couple clicks whenever you need them, no contracts required. Fast fulfillment. Reliable service. Consistent supply. Discover how easy hop sourcing can be at YakimaValleyHops.com, a John I. Haas company. Be sure to experience both the euphorics line designed for cold side additions and Lupocore line of next generation hop pellets.

And thank you to our supporting sponsors:

Haas

Paktech

Tripleseat

The founders of South New Jersey’s Wander Back Beerworks are no strangers to the beer world, but the industry veterans had modest expectations for the young project—barely two years old—when they submitted entries to the 2026 World Beer Cup. Winning a medal in one of the top-five categories, Munich-Style Helles, with over 150 entries, would be an uphill battle. But as the awards were announced, they found themselves on stage accepting a gold sash for the core beer named after the brewery itself, and a beer that they’d envisioned from the start as an expression of their passion for beer making and a celebration of local agriculture and malting. The beer, Wander Back Lager, is brewed with 100% locally-grown and floor-malted pils malt from Rabbit Hill Malt, and cofounder and head brewer Brian Hink is convinced that this malt—often kilned just days before they brew with it—is responsible for the fresh and vibrant malt flavor that defines the helles.

In this episode, recorded the day after their win, Hink discusses:

being inspired by local ingredients to start the brewery

exploring the idea of freshness in malt and the brightness that it contributes to pale lager

nibbling at the margins to improve recipes and process

closely monitoring pH through the sparge to avoid over-extracted tannins

stepping up dry 34/70 pitches with IPA before harvesting and pitching into lager, for optimal generation flavor

mash-out decoction for body without sweetness

West coast pils dry hop approach with Krush and Motueka

And more.

G&D Chillers

G&D now offers their Elite 290 Micro-series with 5H chillers—bringing even more flexibility to their propane-powered lineup. In fact, they’re building one right now for Red Clover Ale Co in partnership with Efficiency Vermont. It runs on a Natural Refrigerant with near-zero Global Warming Potential—projected to deliver around 10% more efficiency than A2L refrigerant systems. That’s smart sustainability backed by proven engineering and trusted performance. With 24/7 support and remote monitoring, your cold side stays dialed in—day or night. Explore the Elite 290 Micro-series and more at gdchillers.com/podcast.

Berkeley Yeast

Berkeley Yeast just launched Dry Tropics London! Our best-selling liquid yeast strain, now with all the ease-of-use benefits of dry yeast. Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you’d expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passion fruit. A lot of brewers love the clean passion fruit you get from Tropics, but they don’t want every IPA to be a tropical-fruit bomb. At the dry yeast price point, you can pitch and ditch without breaking the bank. Or, you can co-pitch with your house strain to adjust the intensity of the notes. And with nationwide free shipping, there’s never been a better time to try Dry Tropics. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com and experience the ease and impact of Dry Tropics London Yeast.

PakTech

This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com.

Indie Hops

The multi-layered wonders of Indie Hops Strata are now easier than ever for brewers to tap into. Introducing Strata Cryo, in collaboration with Yakima Chief Hops. Whether brewing up a single hop Strata IPA to wow customers with the depth of flavor this variety delivers, or modernizing your flagship IPA to continue setting the highest standards, Strata T99, Strata CGX, Strata HyperBoost, and now Strata Cryo provide the tools for brewers to create their unique masterpiece. Indie Hops Strata. Life is short. Let’s make it flavorful!

Midea 50/50 Flex

This podcast is sponsored by the Midea 50/50 flex—the industry’s first dual compartment three-way convertible freezer. The 50/50 Flex is designed to flex with your life. It can convert to all fridge, all freezer, or half and half with just the touch of a button. Plus, with reversible doors and adjustable storage compartments, you can stay organized no matter your food-storage needs. The 50/50 Flex is also designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled spaces. So it’s perfect for your garage, man cave, or wherever you need a little more space. Maybe use all 20 cubic feet as a beer fridge! Check out Midea.com/us/ for more information on how to take your beer storage to the next level.

Old Orchard

Your brewery deserves a supplier that can keep your customers engaged with new flavors. That's why Old Orchard releases juice concentrates and blends with trending flavor profiles like White Sangria and Passion Orange Guava. If you need a custom solution, Old Orchard’s R&D team wants to hear from you. Fruit ingredients that get you: get Old Orchard's free samples at oldorchard.com/brewer.

ADM

Are you ready to shake up the beverage world? ADM is passionate about helping you craft your next breakthrough. From cutting edge natural ingredients like hops to advanced technologies, ADM brings together science and creativity to elevate taste, quality, and recipe design. Whether you’re developing a beer innovation or a bold new flavor experience, ADM is your trusted partner in innovation. Let’s create something extraordinary—because the future of beer and brewing starts with inspired ideas and exceptional expertise. ADM is where nature meets precision! Learn more at adm.com/alcohol

Arryved

Running a brewery means juggling a lot—managing production, serving guests, selling online, and keeping everything moving behind the scenes. That’s where Arryved comes in. What started as a point-of-sale system has grown into the technology your brewery runs on—built specifically for the teams behind great beer. Unlike generic systems, Arryved brings together taproom service, online sales, brewery management, payments, reporting, and growth tools into one complete platform. So instead of bouncing between systems, you can brew, serve, and sell—all in one place. See it in action at CBC 2026, Booth 1626, or visit arryved.com to learn more.

Ss Brewtech

Pumps are critical to any advanced homebrewing setup. From mash recirculation to wort transfer, and even for cleaning, a quality pump is a key part of every brew day. The Ss Brew Pump from Ss Brewtech is engineered to tackle even the messiest brew days. Featuring an IP55 water resistance rating, an easy-to-use DIN head with 360-degree rotation, and a flow rate of up to 11 gallons per minute, it has the power to keep your brew day moving. Visit www.SsBrewtech.com/Pump to learn more about how the Ss Brew Pump can upgrade your homebrewery.

When you look at the top restaurants around the world, no matter what cuisine they may focus on, there’s one commonality they all share, and that’s deep relationships with those who grow and raise the very best ingredients. It’s the same in beer—you can’t be the best at what you do without the meaningful, personal, financial, and long-standing relationships that ensure the brewery has access to the very best quality ingredients. These relationships don’t materialize overnight, but for Firestone Walker, they’re the product of 30 years of work. In this series, we highlight a number of these crucial growers, brokers, and processors who have played a role in the world-class beer that Firestone Walker makes.

*Episode 2: Deep Roots & Twisting Bines *

One of the keys to maintaining a consistent supply of the very best hops is long term relationships and deep commitment paired with the very best analytical science and process improvement, and the purpose of this series is to explore just what that means with some of the key players in this story of ingredient quality. In this episode, Firestone Walker Head Brewer Dustin Kral and Bud Hollingbery of hops broker Hollingbery and Son talk about the way that Hollingbery has worked closely with Firestone Walker for decades now to source and process hops, how current dynamics in the brewing and hops industries are impacting hops growers, and a lot more. Over the years, Bud has seen some remarkable change in the hop industry, and he’s not afraid to tell you exactly what he thinks.

Intro music: VintageGroove / Pond5

Scotty Hargrave didn’t invent extra-pale ale—he reinvented it, giving the style the definition it had lacked before. Tinkering away on his homebrew kit in New South Wales, he developed the recipe for what would become Balter XPA—a beer that took off and popularized what has arguably become Australia’s signature beer style. It’s also a beer that also has inspired certain American brewers, including Craft Coast cofounder Blake Masoner. Craft Coast XPA medaled at the 2024 and 2025 World Beer Cups and is now a core beer at their two brewpubs/taco stands in San Diego’s North County.

In this episode, Craft Beer & Brewing executive editor Joe Stange—interviewing them for a feature article in our upcoming issue—gathers Hargrave and Masoner for a trans-oceanic dive into the details of what makes a great XPA. With its lean malt base, full-spectrum hop character, soft mouthfeel, and addictively dry finish, it’s a simple beer that may not be so simple to execute.

Among the topics they discuss:

why they believe in Australian base malt for XPA

the importance of hot-side hop additions—from first wort to whirlpool—and “spreading out” those IBUs

water chemistry and the trick of achieving both soft mouthfeel and a crisp, dry finish

how brewing XPA has improved the West Coast IPAs at a medal-winning West Coast brewery

the wider value and benefits of learning how to nail a challenging style

And more.

G&D Chillers

The Craft Brewers Conference is coming up April 20 through 23, 2026—and G&D Chillers will be there. If you’re heading to CBC, swing by and talk shop with the folks who know brewery operations inside and out. G&D’s biggest strength isn’t just the equipment—it’s our deep understanding of how a brewery runs. From cellar layout to production flow, our team brings decades of hands-on experience to every install and every conversation. Whether you’re running a single-stage 5H unit or scaling up with a Vertical Air Chiller, G&D builds systems that are reliable, efficient, and built to last. Because when your chiller’s solid, your beer stays cold—and your operation stays on track. Plan your visit at gdchillers.com/podcast—and come see us at CBC, Booth 1518.

Berkeley Yeast

Berkeley Yeast just launched Dry Tropics London! Our best-selling liquid yeast strain, now with all the ease-of-use benefits of dry yeast. Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you’d expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passion fruit. A lot of brewers love the clean passion fruit you get from Tropics, but they don’t want every IPA to be a tropical-fruit bomb. At the dry yeast price point, you can pitch and ditch without breaking the bank. Or, you can co-pitch with your house strain to adjust the intensity of the notes. And with nationwide free shipping, there’s never been a better time to try Dry Tropics. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com and experience the ease and impact of Dry Tropics London Yeast.

PakTech

This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com.

Indie Hops

Taste the flavors of Indie Hops at CBC this year in Philly! Fourteen incredible beers will showcase Strata, Luminosa, Lórien, and Audacia—plus our most promising new experimental hop IH19082 in a single-hop XPA! Experience our newest hop, Audacia, in an IPA by Grand Fir, a hoppy lager by Meanwhile, and a hazy by Worthy Brewing. Explore the wonders of Strata in IPAs from Odell, Russian River, Grains of Wrath, and Grand Fir. Refresh your palate with the crisp summery flavors of Lórien in an Italian pils by Sun River and a Mexican lager by Hold Out. And bask in the “liquid sunshine” magic of Luminosa with an IPA from Fort George. Check out the full CBC beer lineup at www.indiehops.com and plan to stop by our booth #926. We’ll be as happy to see you as you’ll be that you made the effort! Indie Hops—Life is short, let’s make it flavorful.

Midea 50/50 Flex

If you’re like many podcast listeners, you’ve got a lot of beers at home, and your regular fridge is at capacity. Enter the Midea 50/50 Flex—the industry’s first dual compartment three-way convertible freezer. Here’s what all that means for you: options! The 50/50 has the power to be all freezer, all fridge, or a little bit of both. But you’ll probably want to use those 20 cubic feet as a massive, garage-ready beer fridge. You can also change which side the door is on or how you want the shelves to be arranged—the 50/50 totally flexes to fit your life. Plus, it’s designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled conditions—so you can crack a cold one even on the warmest days in the man cave. Take your garage to the next level! Check out Midea.com/us/ to get more info about this game changer today. Cheers!

Old Orchard

The beyond-beer space is booming, and Old Orchard is here for it, supplying breweries with fruit ingredients for all your beverage needs: low/no alcohol, hard lemonades, seltzer, cider, and more. Old Orchard has supplied hundreds of industrial customers across 49 states, including nationally and internationally loved brands, so you'll be in good company. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. That's oldorchard.com/brewer.

ADM

Are you ready to shake up the beverage world? ADM is passionate about helping you craft your next breakthrough. From cutting edge natural ingredients like hops to advanced technologies, ADM brings together science and creativity to elevate taste, quality, and recipe design. Whether you’re developing a beer innovation or a bold new flavor experience, ADM is your trusted partner in innovation. Let’s create something extraordinary—because the future of beer and brewing starts with inspired ideas and exceptional expertise. ADM is where nature meets precision! Learn more at adm.com/alcohol

Arryved

Running a brewery means juggling a lot—managing production, serving guests, selling online, and keeping everything moving behind the scenes. That’s where Arryved comes in. What started as a point-of-sale system has grown into the technology your brewery runs on—built specifically for the teams behind great beer. Unlike generic systems, Arryved brings together taproom service, online sales, brewery management, payments, reporting, and growth tools into one complete platform. So instead of bouncing between systems, you can brew, serve, and sell—all in one place. See it in action at CBC 2026, Booth 1626, or visit arryved.com to learn more.

Ss Brewtech

Pumps are critical to any advanced homebrewing setup. From mash recirculation to wort transfer, and even for cleaning, a quality pump is a key part of every brew day. The Ss Brew Pump from Ss Brewtech is engineered to tackle even the messiest brew days. Featuring an IP55 water resistance rating, an easy-to-use DIN head with 360-degree rotation, and a flow rate of up to 11 gallons per minute, it has the power to keep your brew day moving. Visit www.SsBrewtech.com/Pump to learn more about how the Ss Brew Pump can upgrade your homebrewery.