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
Em Sauter is an Advanced Cicerone®, cartoonist, author, beer reviewer, international beer judge and public speaker who runs the award winning website Pints and Panels, which focuses on visual beer education. Her first book "Beer is for Everyone! (of Drinking Age)" was published in 2017 by One Peace Books. Her second book "Hooray for Craft Beer!" was released in April 2022 with Brewers Publications. Em is also co-host of the All About Beer Podcast. She lives in New England with her husband Matt and two cats- Milbo and The Geen.
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 almost 27,000 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.