Craft N/A Cocktails & Why They Matter More Than You Think
Craft N/A Cocktails are on the rise, but there is still much that needs to change in this space — fundamental things like what we should and shouldn’t be calling this whole category, and why that matters. Today, Jonathan Ellsworth discusses these things with our CRAFTED co-host and professional mixologist Eli Brown, who sees the real-world importance of these things every day. You’ll hear about the project Eli’s working on to create change, and you’ll learn why one of the fastest-growing whiskey companies in the world, Uncle Nearest, is so interested in the N/A space.RELATED LINKS:Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberRaise the Bar programCRAFTED ep 66: Eli w/ Bar 5TOPICS & TIMES:Eli’s ‘Raise The Bar’ Project (1:46)Zebra Striping & Other Consumer Behavior (7:51)Current Stats in N/A (12:09)Defining a Category By What it Isn't (16:24)Ice Cream Analogy (21:05)Inclusivity (36:37)More on Conventions & Terminology (40:03)Cocktail Creation (45:42)Uncle Nearest & Historical N/A Ties (49:51) SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-------- Â
57:20
The Madness of Nile Zacherle, Mad Fritz Brewing
Madness. That’s what you call it when a former sponsored skateboarder gets a Ph.D. in fermentation, then starts brewing super-premium beer in Napa Valley. In this conversation, Eli Brown talks with Nile Zacherle, the founder & master brewer of Mad Fritz.RELATED LINKS:Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberMad Fritz BrewingMad Fritz MembershipWinemaker’s Review (Nile’s Podcast)TOPICS & TIMES:Origins of Mad Fritz (5:31)Nile’s Background (10:08)Hawaiian Beer: Culture & Challenges (16:07)Skateboarding (25:08)Winemaking (27:27)Transition Back to Brewing (35:34)Diving into Mad Fritz (42:00)Jupiter & Camel (44:41)Brewing System (47:13)Barrel Aging (1:03:32)Where to Find the Beer (1:11:09)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-------- Â
1:23:05
Steve Matthiasson on Wine, Punk Rock, Bikes, & Fireworks
Steve Matthiasson is one of the most respected winemakers in Napa Valley, and together with his wife Jill, they make wines under the label of Matthiasson Wines that buck some of the most fashionable trends in Napa wine. Steve is also a passionate mountain biker and snowboarder, a teacher, and a wine consultant; today, we dive into all of these aspects.RELATED LINKS:Check out the Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberTOPICS & TIMES:Sherry (1:58)Orange Wine & White Grapes (4:17)Tannins (15:53)Complexity & Punk Rock (22:28)Principles of Matthiasson Wines (29:47)Trademark Wine & Proof of Concept for Wine World (39:55)Alcohol Content in Wine (46:23)Why Matt Got a New Bike (50:36)Small Wine Producer, Large Airline (56:18)Natural Wines (58:54)Being an Outlier in Napa? (1:04:42)Wine Consulting & Sustainability (1:09:31)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-------- Â
1:13:40
America’s Founding Spirit & the Most Important Distillery You’ve Never Heard Of
Brandy doesn’t get the love that it deserves, especially given that it was America’s founding spirit, and no category has a bigger folk hero tied to it (Johnny Appleseed, anyone?). At its core, it’s distilled fruit—wine’s fiery cousin—born from orchards and alchemy, and few do it better than Clear Creek Distillery.In this episode, we dig into what brandy really is, why it nearly vanished from American drinking culture, and how Clear Creek is helping it make a long-overdue comeback. We also cover pears, patience, and how to make brandy that doesn’t just sip smooth, it sings.RELATED LINKS:Check out the Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberClear Creek DistilleryTOPICS & TIMES:What is Brandy? (3:26)Johnny Appleseed (8:58)History of Clear Creek (9:55)Everett’s Background (14:31)The USA & Brandy (17:47)Rise & Fall of Popularity (24:29)Why Distillers Like Brandy (30:25)Provenance of Brandy (34:15)Distillation Process (38:20)Fir Brandy (45:17) Checking the Stills & Types of Pears (54:50)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-------- Â
1:03:09
Amateur Hour: Blister reviewer, Zack Henderson, on Paella
Today on CRAFTED, Eli is joined by fellow Blister contributor Zack Henderson to talk all things paella. What started as a casual interest has turned into a full-blown culinary rabbit hole — and we dig into everything from technique to tradition, with some very unconventional twists.We also dive into the mysteries of the socarrat; explore a Pacific Northwest take on the dish; and brainstorm potential flavor combinations (some more plausible than others). Along the way, we talk table beer, saffron, Fernet, and confront Eli’s long-running rice curse.RELATED LINKS:Blister Craft CollectiveBecome a BLISTER+ MemberTOPICS & TIMES: Bike Season (1:11)Why Paella? (3:26)What is Paella? (7:40)The Process (10:20)Best Potential Flavor Combinations (16:15)The Fernet and Saffron Diatribe (24:35)Potential Beverage Pairings (34:10)Paella Mixing and Pan Bottom (41:31)Serving (43:13)Paella Rules (46:02)SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Blister CinematicBikes & Big IdeasGEAR:30Blister Podcast 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.
Ireland