All Aboard the Hazy Hype Train [with Beau Schiner from Austmann]

Beer fans in the 21st century have never had it so good! Go onto Untappd and you'll find everything from the Pomegranate Berliner Weisse, Double Peach Candy Popcorn Sour, and Maple Bacon Coffee Porter, right through to a Macadamia White Chocolate Stout or the Yorkshire Pudding Best Bitter. And whenever - fill in the blank - brewery makes a DIPA with the sexy new hop variety or releases their barrel aged blended mixed ferms, you can guarantee without a shadow of a doubt that the Untappd massive will be pushing little old ladies out of the way just to be seen with the latest wax topped bomber. But why do beer styles and breweries like these command such reverence among a faithful few? Why are certain breweries upheld as the saviour’s of craft beer, while others - who make equally good if not better beers - not get a look in? And what makes one brewery seem more appealing and desirable over another? All the while, beers you drink rather than beers you experience, go quietly unnoticed, just… doing their thing. These are the accompaniment to conversations rather than the focus of it. It’s funny how there is a sense of frustration among many brewers surrounding hype beers. While on a deep, intrinsic level we all know that hype is just that - hype! - a vacuous here-today-gone-tomorrow, and yet somehow we still get sucked into its vortex. How do you separate the beers that are really worth celebrating from the noise? Because some breweries really are worth talking about. One brewer who has been around the block and witnessed this first hand is American Beau Schinner. Beau is a brewer at Norway’s in Trondheim. Having worked at breweries, including Lervig and a variety of craft breweries, he has been subject to it all! In this discussion, we dig down deep into why certain brewers and their beers receive over-attention and are hyped, while others go largely unnoticed; we talk about the habits and behaviours of avid beer fans; and throw around ideas about how marketing plays into all of this. THIS WEEK'S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY... TEP Machinary’s fleet of lifting equipment, forklifts, and vehicles, coupled with their highly experienced team and extensive knowledge gained over 40 years means they can support you with all your equipment installation, removal, and movement requirements as well as providing support for your ongoing maintenance and repair access needs Ensure your equipment is placed in the right location first time, every time - give TEP Machinery Movement a call today on 01937 558203. BREWERY SHOUTOUT Check out some of the best beers you'll ever try from a pair of the most modest people you will ever meet. Our shoutout this week goes to our good friends Dann and Martha over at Sheffield based Saint Mars of the Desert. Buy their beers from www.beersofsmod.co.uk FOLLOW US Follow us on all the socials @hopforwardbeer Check out our work and website at hopforward.beer