Nib Making, Engine Turning, & Hand Chasing: the Art of Pen & Pencil Making with Giles English of Yard-O-Led
Since 1822, Yard-O-Led has been making some of the finest pens and pencils in the world. They’ve survived wars, they created the “self-propelling pencil,” and today, we talk with Giles English, about the nearly 200-year history of the company that invented the mechanical pencil and still hand-crafts every sterling silver pen in their Birmingham workshop. We dig into the artistry behind engine-turning and hand-chasing, Yard-O-Led’s story of wartime survival, and what it means to carry Victorian tradition into the 21st century.We Want to Hear from You!Have a topic, craft category, or craft company you’d like to see us cover? Email us here to share those or any other thoughts you have about CRAFTED.RELATED LINKS:SennzaFinneBlister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberYard-O-LedTOPICS & TIMES:The Custodian of Yard-O-Led (3:41)Origin Story of Yard-O-Led (5:36)Nibs & Nib Making (9:30)The Self-Propelling Pencil (13:33)The Craft of Penmaking (22:27)Ink Propulsion (34:20)Yard-O-Led’s Lineup (40:50)Why Pens Matter (44:38)Surprises in the Pen Making World (48:34)The Yard-O-Led Arcade (54:42)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister PodcastBLISTER NEWSLETTER:Get It & Our Weekly Gear Giveaways Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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“Get Thee To A Cheese Monger!” Cheesemaking w/ Jasper Hill Farm
Jasper Hill Farm is one of the most respected names in American artisan cheese, and in today’s episode, Jonathan & Eli talk with Zoe Brickley — Jasper Hill’s “Minister of Culture” — about how a struggling Vermont dairy made a big gamble that grew into an award-winning operation. We dig into the 9,000-year history of cheesemaking; the science and craft of “affinage”; and why caves, microbes, and even lard are central to great cheese. Zoe also makes the case for seeking out real artisan cheese and why food this good can be so great for local communities and local farms.We Want to Hear from You!Have a topic, craft category, or craft company you’d like to see us cover? Email us here to share those or any other thoughts you have about CRAFTED.RELATED LINKS:Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberJasper HillTOPICS & TIMES:The North East Kingdom (2:00)Zoe’s Background, Minister of Culture (3:51)Cheese Terminology & Mongers (6:09)Jasper Hill Origin Story (11:05)History of Cheese (14:18)Recent Fascination w/ Cheese (19:11)Cloth Bound Cheddar & Cave Aging (29:42)Cultures & Inoculation (35:30)Preservation Techniques (38:19)How Would One Get Started in the Cheese Industry? (45:14)Which Styles are Most Difficult to Make? (50:31)Blooming Rind (52:32)A Pitch for Artisan Cheese (58:19)Current State of Cheese (1:03:43)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jonathan Gagné on Astrophysics, Coffee, & The Physics of Espresso
Jonathan Gagné is producing some of the best work in the world in terms of increasing our understanding and appreciation of coffee. And his new book, The Physics of Espresso, is incredibly smart, impressively easy to understand, and…fun! So it was an honor to have Jonathan on to talk about astrophysics, boulders, dust, soup, crema, headspace, and more. We Want to Hear from You!Have a topic, craft category, or craft company you’d like to see us cover? Email us here to share those or any other thoughts you have about CRAFTED.RELATED LINKS:Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberThe Physics of EspressoThe Physics of Filter CoffeeInstagram: Jonathan’s Gagné Jonathan’s site: coffeeadastra.comTOPICS & TIMES:Jonathan’s Work in Astrophysics (2:54)Brown Dwarfs (4:54)Origins of His Interest in Coffee (12:07)Filter Coffee & Espresso: His 2 Books (17:29)Is This the Most Interesting Time in Espresso? (26:45)Soup & Low-Pressure Espresso (28:00)Crema (34:02)Grinders (Weber EG-1 & Turin DF83 v2) (38:28)Burr Size: Is Bigger Always Better? 50:14)Boulders (58:26)Headspace (1:03:23)Puck Screens & Other Variables (1:08:19)Baskets & Bed Depth: 49mm vs 58mm (1:14:21)Jonathan’s website: Coffee ad Astra (1:16:33)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Business of Craft Beer
With all the economic & cultural shifts swirling about these days, we wanted to get a handle on the state of craft beer: what does the current landscape look like, what are the biggest challenges, and what are the most interesting opportunities? Eli Brown and I discuss all of the above with New Image Brewing founder, Brandon Capps.We Want to Hear from You!Have a topic, craft category, or craft company you’d like to see us cover? Email us here to share those or any other thoughts you have about CRAFTED.RELATED LINKS:Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberNew Image BrewingBLISTER NEWSLETTER:Get It & Our Weekly Gear GiveawaysTOPICS & TIMES:Brandon on Running the Leadville 100 (4:38)Backstory of New Image Brewing (6:19)Defining Craft Beer (14:07)State of the Union (27:47)What are People Drinking Today? (34:16)Contract Brewing (44:14)What Counts as “Craft” Beer? (55:10)What’s Going on at New Image? (1:06:37)Where to find New Image (1:15:53)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Coffee Gear, Pt. 5: One-Year Update on Jonathan’s Coffee Setup & Journey
What happens when an obsessive gear reviewer dives headfirst into the expansive world of espresso? It’s now been over a year since our last update on Jonathan Ellsworth’s coffee journey, so Eli and he talk about what’s new in his setup; what he’s learned (or rejected) from the depths of coffee videos and online forums; and whether this whole thing has been a brilliant pursuit of flavor, or just an expensive rabbit hole.We Want to Hear from You!Have a topic, craft category, or craft company you’d like to see us cover? Email us here to share those or any other thoughts you have about CRAFTED.RELATED LINKS:Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberIn Search of the ‘Best’ Coffee Gear, Pt 1 (Ep.19)In Search of the 'Best' Coffee Gear (& Ski Boots), Pt. 2 (Ep.20)Drinking Gold: Coffee Gear, Pt. 3, with ON3P Skis’ founder, Scott Andrus (Ep.25)Coffee Gear, Pt. 4: “Hero Espresso” & Jonathan’s Current Setup (Ep.43)TOPICS & TIMES:The Significance of Coffee Gear (1:14)Espresso Techniques and Preferences (4:19)Exploring Coffee Beans and Roasts (8:33)Adjusting Techniques for Optimal Flavor (17:23)Consistency in Coffee Preparation (21:40)Decaf Discoveries and Coffee Preferences (30:28)Espresso Pressure: The Great Debate (30:28)Personal Taste vs. Internet Trends (33:00)Reflections on Coffee Gear Purchases (38:59)The Importance of Quality in Coffee Gear (47:02)The Importance of Precision in Espresso Making (51:32)The Role of Milk in Coffee Drinks (56:30)Exploring New Coffee Techniques and Equipment (59:43)Finding Happiness in Coffee Rituals (1:02:00)Return on Investment in Coffee Equipment (1:04:02)The Impact of Coffee Chains on Quality (1:08:33)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister PodcastBLISTER NEWSLETTER:Get It & Our Weekly Gear Giveaways Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
CRAFTED is the podcast from BLISTER that dives deep into the craft world of beer, coffee, whiskey, watches, wine, and more. Our guests are some of the very best and most passionate brewers, distillers, winemakers, coffee producers, retailers, and founders that launched craft companies when success was unlikely, but their passion and principles caused them to forge ahead anyway. CRAFTED explores how things get made, and does so with the remarkable people that insist on making things well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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