There is perhaps no crop that illustrates the success of agricultural science like corn. It has been bred to grow well, with strong stalks and robust disease resistance. And scientists have engineered multiple uses for it, making it a very agronomically successful plant.
But that success has resulted in an almost monoculture of modern corn in North America. Historically, corn was a diverse crop, with many varieties grown throughout the land. Some brewers are helping to revive these heritage corn varieties and embracing the unique characteristics that they bring. This produces a unique product, is friendly to the land and harkens back to a simpler time. In a way, beer made with heritage corn is time travel in your glass.
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This episode is sponsored by:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, where trailblazing runs in the family. From crafting a movement with their iconic Pale Ale, to taking the IPA haze craze nationwide with Hazy Little Thing – it’s an adventurous spirit you can taste in every sip. Find your next favorite beer wherever fine beverages are sold. With new brews for every season, there’s always something to discover. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Still Family-Owned, Operated & Argued Over.
Em Sauter
Called the “Bob Ross of beer” by Imbibe magazine, Em Sauter is an award winning cartoonist, author, beer judge, journalist and public speaker based in the US and is the founder of the website Pints and Panels which teaches visual drinks education. She has an MFA in cartooning from the famous Center for Cartoon Studies, is an Advanced Cicerone®, holds WSET Level 2 in Spirits and Wine and is an BJCP certified international beer judge who has judged high-profile competitions on every continent but Antarctica. She is the co-host of the All About Beer podcast along with Canadian drinks writer Don Tse. She has contributed to Forbes, Brewers and Distillers International, Craft Beer and Brewing, Vinepair, Outside, The Alcohol Professor and more. She is the author of four books on beer.
Don Tse
Living near seven malthouses, Don Tse is a freelance beer and malt writer and consultant known globally as The Don of Beer. He has been active in craft beer for over 25 years and has famously sampled and written tasting notes on over 31,000 different beers. He is the co-host of the All About Beer podcast. Don has also written for magazines and presented on beer in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ukraine and Singapore. Nobody in those countries thinks his jokes are funny.
