The HOP: A Craft Beer Podcast

With the end of another year in sight, The HOP presents a very special 2023 edition of our annual beer in review! The boys (and their livers) put in work again in 2023, having featured a total of 67 beers from 42 breweries this year, including visits to 17 states and 4 countries. If you’re keeping score at home, that brings The HOP grand total to 448 beers over the past 157 episodes, including beer from nearly 200 breweries across 31 U.S. states, as well as Washington D.C. and 5 other countries. This week, after an obligatory shot of whiskey, Stephen & Gabe crack open an “event beer” worthy of the festive occasion, heading out to Illinois for a look at Goose Island’s coveted Bourbon County Stout. We’ll also revisit our favorite toasts of the year and reveal our top 5 beer rankings for 2023. Raise your glass and join us as we ring in 2024 in style! Featured beers: Two variations of Goose Island’s 2022 Bourbon County Stout, (Original & Sir Isaac’s Edition w/ figs.) Plus: With The HOP heading into hibernation, Stephen & Gabe look back and reflect on 4 years of podcasting.

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 12/23/2021 Ho! Ho! Ho! It’s that wonderful time of the year when breweries everywhere pull out all the stops to deliver festive, holiday brews. As Santa loads his sleigh, Stephen & Gabe set out on a mission to break down a variety of Christmas ales from around the country. A holiday beer can be many things, proven once again this year as we sample everything from IPA to Belgian Ale, from milk stout to cherry Kriek. And with three of the four beers clocking in at more than 10% ABV, this is one of our booziest episodes in recent memory. Featuring two returning breweries and two HOP newcomers, this episode is jam packed with offerings guaranteed to put the “merry” in Merry Christmas! Featured beers: Ever Grain Missile Toad, The Bruery 2 Turtle Doves (2021,) Virginia Beer’s Evil Santa & Tröegs Mad Elf Grand Cru. Plus: Hot beer is a thing in Colorado and a new listing on Zillow hints that Santa may be moving!

Merry friggin’ whatever everybody! Sleigh bells are ringin’, snow is a’glistenin’ and, as usual, The HOP boys are rockin’ around the Christmas tree with beer in their hands. It’s a jam-packed episode this week as Stephen & Gabe travel the world to explore all that the Christmas Ale can be. First up, we’ll welcome two new breweries to the show. Gabe heads to the Midwest for a stop at Great Lakes Brewing while Stephen samples one of the world’s most iconic Christmas beers, coming to us out of Watou, Belgium and Brouwerij Sint Bernardus. Then, a pair of HOP alumni breweries returns to the show, both marking the holiday with the release of rare, unique beer styles. We’ll also break down the latest industry news including a slew of recent craft beer acquisitions, and Stephen & Gabe make an announcement as we reach the end of our 4th year on the mics. Featured beers: Great Lakes Christmas Ale, St. Bernardus Christmas Ale, Bell’s Christmas Scotch Ale and Brewery Ommegang Everything Naughty. Plus: Jingle balls, Michael Bübs, pooping logs and Kentucky Fried Christmas!

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 8/27/2020 This week, the boys head back to the great state of Massachusetts to profile a young brewery with a unique business model. Loophole Brewing was born out of a desire to lessen the financial strain and barrier to entry for New England’s upcoming craft brewers. Their three-pronged approach to business allows them to brew their own beers, offer an extensive contract brewing service and, (most excitingly,) uplift newcomers through their Aspiring Brewers Program. Featured beers: May the Road Rise to Meet Ewe and Movin’ Thru Kashmir NEIPA. Plus: A new edition of “This Week in Gross,” and the Netherlands has found a breakthrough solution to an unusual problem!

The weather outside is getting frightful, which makes it the perfect time to head out west and hit the beach! The HOP swings down to San Diego’s Coronado Island this week for a visit to Coronado Brewing Company. Founded by brothers Ron & Rick Chapman in 1996, the company has grown from humble brewpub to widely renowned craft brewing operation with a steadfast commitment to crafting exceptional beers. Building off the success of their hoppy, West Coast-style ales, Coronado Brewing has expanded their reach to 14 U.S. States and 12 countries, garnering accolades and attention along the way, (most notably the title of “Best Mid-Sized Brewery & Brewmaster at the 2014 World Beer Cup.) Stephen & Gabe take a look at how it started vs how it’s going while sampling several popular beers that offer a slight rebranding to the phrase, “find your beach.”  Featured beers: Mango Farm Hazy IPA & Never Better DIPA. Plus: Stand aside flag football, another new sport is joining the 2024 Olympics and Gabe may try out for the team! **Sponsored by ⁠FNX Fitness⁠! Check them out and use the promo code HOPOD15 for 15% off.**

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 11/26/2020 In a very special Thanksgiving episode, Stephen & Gabe journey through several takes on the Black is Beautiful beer initiative! Created this summer by San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing Company, Black is Beautiful has quickly exploded into a global movement raising awareness for racial injustice. With the base recipe and label design freely available online, breweries are encouraged to participate by putting their own spin on the brew, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting local foundations supporting justice and reform. Featured beers: Black is Beautiful offerings from Wild East Brewing, Gun Hill Brewing Co., Departed Souls, Lickinghole Creek and a collaboration between Trillium / White Lion Brewing. Happy Thanksgiving!!

The HOP boys are splitting up this week, criss-crossing the country for a multi-brewery episode! Stephen heads east to the Empire State, checking out the “beer balanced by science” offered at Equilibrium Brewing. An independently-owned operation out of Middletown, NY, Equilibrium was dreamed up by a group of MIT students that fell in love with craft beer. As it turns out, engineers make great brewers, (and we highly recommend peeping their Instagram for some of the prettiest beer pics we’ve ever seen!) Meanwhile, Gabe’s off to Denver, CO for a visit to Great Divide Brewing. Founded by Brian Dunn and first featured on Round 44, Great Divide has been producing high quality ales and contributing to the Denver community for nearly 30 years. Sour people – this one’s for you!  Featured beers: Equilibrium’s String Theory w/ Watermelon & Dragon Fruit and Great Divide’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Sour Ale. Plus: Forget the Olympics, we’ve just discovered the “Florida Man Games” and it’s worse than whatever you’re thinking!

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 7/22/2021 Like many of us, Alfred Rotimi developed a passion for beer in college. He quickly took to home brewing on the side while studying neuroscience in the post-baccalaureate program at Tufts University . . . no big deal! Apparently beer is more fun than psychology, and in 2017 Joyhound Beer Company was born. Stephen & Gabe head down to Baltimore to sample their two original beers, including a classic IPA with an overwhelmingly impressive hop bouquet. We’ll also address the latest development out of Sweetwater Brewing as they continue their move out West. We think we can guess what’s to come! Featured beers: Pincer Belgian Pale Ale and Oba IPA. Plus: There’s a new sport coming to the Tokyo Olympics and it’s time to get hyped!

The HOP is back in California this week, heading down to the San Diego area for a stop at Booze Brothers Brewing Company! Booze Brothers was founded by David & Donny Firth, (the titular brothers,) in 2008, beginning as a garage hobby and growing quickly into 3 taprooms and an impressive beer lineup. Focused on delivering innovative takes on classic beer styles, the company continues to expand its reach, now distributing to much of the west coast. If that wasn’t enough, they also operate two event spaces as well as a sibling pizza company, aptly named Pizza Bros! Join our honorary “booze bros,” Stephen & Gabe, as they sample a pair of beers from the core lineup and take a look at all that this SoCal brewery has to offer.  Featured beers: Gonzo Mania Japanese Lager & Ramble On DDH West Coast IPA. Plus: An Atlanta construction company made an “oopsies” and one woman is not happy about it!

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 11/12/2020 This week, Stephen & Gabe head up to the Hudson Valley for a hoppy round of beers from Industrial Arts Brewing Company. Founded by Ithaca Beer Co.’s Jeff O’Neil in 2016, Industrial Arts embraces the interplay between art and science, creation and innovation. With a commitment to local ingredients, quality product and sustainability from the farm to the glass, this growing operation represents some of the best that Upstate NY has to offer. Featured beers: Yes Farms Yes Beer, Power Tools IPA, State of the Art: Piña Colada DIPA and Impact Wrench Triple IPA. Plus: Possibly the BIGGEST news ever reported on The HOP! (Spoiler alert: It’s Panera related.)

Every year around Halloween, The HOP jumps at the opportunity to highlight one of the spookiest and most polarizing beer styles out there — the pumpkin beer! Love it or hate it, as American coffee shops roll out the Pumpkin Spice Latte, American breweries hit the shelves, eager to offer a fresh take on the classic flavor of Fall. The pumpkin beer can be almost anything from lager to ale, wheat ale to stout, high ABV, low ABV or boasting a cinnamon-sugar rim. In a jam-packed episode, Stephen & Gabe hit four different breweries to cover as much pumpkin terrain as possible and have a bit of spooky Halloween fun along the way! Featured beers: Shipyard Pumpkinhead, Community Beer Works’ Pumpkin Spice Whale, Elysian Night Owl & Schlafly Pumpkin Ale. Plus: A Minneapolis woman has an innovative jewelry idea and this thing is rigid!

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 7/29/2021 This week, Stephen & Gabe head back up to the Pine Tree State for a stop at one of the fastest growing breweries in the United States! Mast Landing Brewing began in 2015, operating out of co-founder and current president Ian Dorsey’s garage in Freeport, ME. Today, the Westbrook taproom is wildly popular, and just this month the company debuted a 2nd, state-of-the-art facility in Freeport Crossing. If that wasn’t enough, the company is a major contributor to the local community, having developed a scholarship that donates thousands of dollars to one graduate of Westbrook High School every year. Featured beers: All the Way Up Sour, (w/ Tangerine, Passion Fruit & Lactose) and Gunner’s Daughter Milk Stout. Plus: Stephen risks his life on-air and the boys fail a geography test!

The HOP returns to the Windy City this week for a stop at Half Acre Beer! With a history going back to 2007, Half Acre should be recognized as a pioneering company, largely responsible for bringing craft beer to the Midwest. Under the leadership of founder Gabriel Magliaro, what started from humble beginnings in Black River Falls, WI has today grown into a regional powerhouse, collaborating with breweries and pouring beer at festivals around the world. Sharing the same beers for the first time in a while, Stephen & Gabe break down the operation for a look at what makes Half Acre worthy of being a household name.  Featured beers: Daisy Cutter Pale Ale & Beer Hates Astronauts IPA. Plus: Gabe’s got big news and a teacher in Missouri gets frisky! #eggplant

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 7/15/2021 Any beer lover spending time in Burlington, VT would do well to become acquainted with Burlington Beer Company. In less than a decade, founder Joe Lemnah has turned his former home-brewing operation into one of the best beer brands in one of the greatest beer cities in America. Described as a place “where fermentation meets imagination,” BBCO boasts a truly mind-blowing beer menu, showcasing everything from the classics to creative, funky offerings to the utterly insane. Stephen & Gabe are back to sample several beers and take a look at everything BBCO has to offer, including an outrageous food menu. (WARNING: This episode may cause serious hunger!) Featured beers: Petal Prophecy Honey IPA and Heart Swap Double Stout, (w/ Raspberries, Chocolate Fudge Brownie & Milk Sugar!) Plus: We gather here today to mourn the loss of Coors Seltzer . . . RIP.

O’zapft is! Fall is here which means only one thing in the beer world: Oktoberfest is officially tapped! Every year, an estimated 6 million people don the dirndls and lederhosen, flocking to Munich for a chance to experience the beloved festival. This week on The HOP, Stephen & Gabe mark the occasion with a specially curated lineup of German lagers. After kicking things off with several authentic German imports, we’ll return to some of our favorite American breweries to see how they compare. As always, we also discuss news and notes around the beer industry, including a new hop variety and Weathered Souls’ search for an equity partner. Grab a pretzel, a brat or a stein and join us in the tent. Prost! Featured beers: Spaten Oktoberfest Marzen, Warsteiner Oktoberfest, Sierra Nevada Festbier and Crowns & Hops döpetoberfest. Plus: No matter how many times they arrest him, Reza Baluchi won’t stop acting like a hamster!

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 10/22/2020 This week, Stephen & Gabe head to the bottom of the subway map for a journey around the great borough of Brooklyn, an area with an extensive brewing history dating back to the 1800s. The beer scene exploded after the opening of Brooklyn Brewery in the 1980s, so much so that today there are nearly 3 dozen craft breweries registered in Brooklyn alone. First up, Gabe spearheads another edition of Taproom Special, featuring a family-run brewpub and two very special guests. Then, we’ll head back to the mics for a bit more BK fun! Featured beers: B. Rustin Saison / Holding Hands from Daleview Biscuits & Beer, Brooklyn Brewing’s Bel Air Sour and Other Half’s Superfun! Pale Ale. Plus: Our friend Chester offers the most poetic description of beer we’ve ever heard!

The HOP is back in The Empire State this week to visit a death metal gypsy brewery . . . yeah you read that right! When Billy Powell founded Nightmare Brewing in 2017, it was little more than a side project for the then head brewer at Sand City Brewing in Long Island. Guided by a passion for death metal and horror movies, Powell wanted to create a brand that celebrated a grunge aesthetic. Today, Billy’s dream, (or rather his nightmare,) has become a reality as the company grows its brand recognition and distribution network. Stephen & Gabe take a look at how it started and how it’s going for Nightmare Brewing while sampling several crazy beers with even crazier stories! Featured beers: The Defenestration of Prague Bohemian Pilsner & Blood Eagle Scandinavian Sour. Plus: The boys are [just a bit] hyped for tonight’s NFL kickoff, and a bunch of peacocks get snipped in South Florida!

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 3/11/2023 This week, Stephen & Gabe head to the Windy City and visit a brewery known for raising beer from the dead! Chicago’s Off Color Brewing was founded by industry veterans John Laffler and Dave Bleitner in 2013 with a strong focus on lost, forgotten beer styles. Today, the expansive tap list includes styles like Gotlandsdrick, Serf Stout, Biere de Miel & Casa de Campo. Perhaps most impressive of all: Not a single IPA! Featured beers: “Socks” Wild Fermented Saison and Dino S’Mores Marshmallow Imp. Stout. Plus: Fruit Loop pizza is a thing and Gabe’s too Italian to stand for it.

Evil Twin Brewing is insane – which is exactly why Stephen & Gabe were ecstatic at the opportunity to get their beers on the show! While you may have heard of “Sweet Baby Jesus,” one of the most popular peanut butter stouts on the market, Evil Twin’s beer lineup is as varied and nomadic as the brewery itself. Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso, (the “evil twin” brother of Mikkeller’s Mikkel Borg-Bjergso,) launched the operation in 2010. At the time, Jeppe was living in Denmark and operating without a brick & mortar location. In 2016, the opportunity finally arose to land Evil Twin in NYC where the company now operates two taprooms and offers hundreds of unique, creative, inspired brews, each more impressive than the last. Featured beers: Low Life Pilsner, “OMG HOW FUNNY” Triple IPA, Imperial Biscotti Break and Molotov Cocktail, (Chili Version.) Plus: Poop-inspired beers and Stephen’s tips & tricks on how to avoid being sued!

The boys are staying sober this week which means a return to our THROWBACK THURSDAY series! Enjoy this trip down memory lane and we’ll be back with a brand new episode next week. Originally posted 8/20/2020 Yep, you read that right. This week, the boys sample beers from Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery in Goochland, VA. While this episode may be a bit NSFW, the operation is so much more than a silly name. An award-winning farm brewery located on 290 pristine acres, Lickinghole Creek has been crafting small-batch concoctions for premium beer lovers since 2013. As stewards of sustainability, the farmers place a heavy focus on locally sourced ingredients and even go so far as to source and filter their own water on site. Featured beers: Rotating Juicy IPA Series #21, La Calavera Catrina Three Chopt Tripel, Blueberry French Toast Imperial Brown Ale and “Absolute Coup of Enlightened Despot” Russian Imperial Stout. Plus: Fall beer season is just around the corner!