Things Are Not What They Seem — Hildegard Ferments & Botanicals in Seattle, Washington
By Holly Regan
“The labor hours for Rosa Vissers’ elderberry syrup are more than she and her husband, Howard Kuo, can count. First, someone hand-harvests the berries. Next, Vissers manually strips the berries from the branches for the long process in which she prepares three separate infusions—with honey, alcohol, and water—that she later combines. Despite the extra effort and local, organic ingredients, Hildegard charges half the price commanded by commercial syrups.”
By Louis Livingston-Garcia
At first, standing in Sendai elicits experiences similar to other Japanese cities: Giant buildings of modern engineering are interwoven with old temples, concrete jungles amid patches of nature that look like real-life inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s “Princess Mononoke.” You can visit the Zuihoden mausoleum enshrined in deep forest greens, the final resting place of the famous ruler and Sendai founder Date Masamune, and turn around to be greeted by towers reaching toward the clouds.
TG-009 The One with the Pivot
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times—beverage companies are going to have to expand their offerings not just to grow, but to survive at all. In this episode of The Gist, lead Sightlines reporter Kate Bernot joins me, Beth Demmon, to take a big look at 2023 and what the numbers mean for 2024, why diversification is the word of the year, and what a brewery buying into CBD could signal to the rest of the industry. This is the Gist.
EP-401 Jen Blair of Under the Jenfluence
In this episode, Jen Blair, who recently became a Master Cicerone—the highest level of certification and a title just 28 people in the world hold today—shares details from her almost decade-long journey to reach this pinnacle. If you’re interested in becoming a Cicerone, this episode is for you. But even if you’re not planning to take these tests, you’ll learn so much about what it means to explore beer, its history, and all the sensory experiences it can provide.
EP-400 Julia Astrid Davis of Burke-Gilman Brewing
In this episode, we’re talking about process. And it’s not just in context of the brewing of beer, but everything that leads up to it, what happens during, and how a brewer can get better after. Helping us get into the detail of it all is Julia Astrid Davis, the head brewer and zygurmatrix at Burke-Gilman Brewing Company in Seattle.
Lost Dog — Lagunitas Tries to Find Itself After Leadership Turnover, Sales Slumps
Hits Different — Some Breweries Don’t Shy Away from Confronting Dry January This Year
Sticky Tentacles — Asahi Grabs First U.S. Manufacturing Plant with Acquisition of Contract Brewer Octopi
Next Germination
Underwriting Collection in Partnership with Guinness
Lady Lager On a Mission — How Alisa Bowens-Mercado Is Using Beer to Bring Economic Empowerment to the Black Community
Social Security — The Hospitality Businesses Offering New Opportunities for Former Prisoners
A Land of Rice and History — The Role of Tuak, the Traditional Fermented Rice Drink, in Sarawak, Malaysia
‘I See You’ — The Evolution of SoCal Cerveceros
Olly Olly
Underwriting Collection in Partnership with Oskar Blues
Our Wilder Selves — The Hunt for Sasquatch in Middle America
Unplugged Under the Stars — How Black Beer Organizations are Diversifying Camping
Ursa Major — Recalibrating for Risk in the Land of Grizzlies
Dead Castles — Exploring the Ruins of the Fortress That Abercrombie & Fitch Built
B-Roll No. 723 Sean Emerson
“Haggis is revered and reviled in equal measure. I love the stuff, but I know plenty of people who can’t stand it. It is made from sheep offal–predominantly lung, but can also include heart and kidneys–as well as suet, oats, onion, and a good helping of spices. It’s then encased in a sheep stomach (though now it’s mostly artificial lining). It’s easy to see why it might not be for everyone, but I once heard someone say “if you’ve eaten a hotdog, you’ve eaten worse” and they’re not wrong. When cooked, haggis has a rich smell; a moist, crumbly texture; and a peppery, gamey taste that is incredibly moreish.”
Every year, we reflect on how lucky we are to chronicle the stories of folks making the beer world better. From incredible leadership to innovative ways of thinking, these are the people shaping the future of the industry—and we’re thrilled to share them with you. These are the 2023 Signifiers.