It’s a walk down memory lane as Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy reminisces about being a member of the “Class of 1988” and breaking into the craft beer scene back when Bushwick was a battleground and New York was a huge beer import town. Steve joins Beer Sessions Radio™ host Jimmy Carbone as he discusses his new book, The Craft Beer Revolution: How a Band of Microbrewers Is Transforming the World’s Favorite Drink. While the book encompasses the beer revolution dating back more than forty years, Brooklyn Brewery was one of 13 breweries launched (most originally as brewpubs) in 1988 that have gone on to greatness (Rogue, Deschutes, Goose Island among them).
Among the changes Steve highlights is the growth of craft beer breweries (up to 2800) and the number of Craft Brewers Conference attendees (at the first CBC in 1984, Steve said there were fewer than 50 people; last week’s conference held 10,000 participants). He also reveals a history of competing against big brewers and how the camaraderie of craft beer makers has allowed them to gain a foothold of 10 percent of the market (with approximately 16 percent of money spent).
And it’s Queens Beer Week! From April 18th-27th, Queens will be celebrating its burgeoning craft beer scene (latest brewer Anthony Accardi of Transmitter Brewing Co. in Long Island City, talks about his month-old brewery) with a kick-off party a Singlecut Beersmiths this Saturday at “Taste of Queens” from 7-11 p.m. Joining Anthony from Queens are Tommy Ortega (owner of Good Beer Seal bar Sunswick 35/35), Dan Bronson (organizer of Queens Beer Week), and Ben Sandler (also a GBS bar owner at Queens Kickshaw). The group is tasting “Queen of Tarts”, the official Queens Beer Week brew, made by our good friends (and honorary Queensians) Barrier Brewing Co.
Steve talks about his “frenemy” Jim Koch and how his beer almost was called the Brooklyn Eagle Beer. Plus, get the lowdown on his interviews with distributors as a watershed moment in the evolution of the craft beer revolution.
And Mike Lovullo chimes in on behalf of Union beer distributors and his own birthday party today (Wednesday, April 16th) at Blind Tiger.
It’s a great episode for both historians and new brew lovers alike. Listen to the full episode here.