Heavy Hops Ep. 022: A Printmakers Journey (Bryn Gleason)
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Bryn Gleason is a Chicago-based visual artist and printmaker specializing in Intaglio. Her work has been featured in galleries, art shows and festivals in Minneapolis, New York, Denver, and her adopted hometown Chicago. Bryn lends her creative talents to cocktail programs wherever she lives, showcasing specialized knowledge in agave spirits. In our discussion we speak about Bryn’s journey to Chicago,
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 021: Me(n)tal Health (Jonny Boucher/Hope For The Day)
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This week we are joined by Jonny Boucher, Founder and CEO of Hope For The Day (HFTD), a Chicago-based non profit movement that empowers conversation on proactive suicide prevention and mental health education. Jonny discusses how he found his calling through the punk rock scene and music promotion, the stigmatization of mental health and illness, HFTD’s work with the service
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 020: Into The Hops (Magnus Tannergren/Into The Void)
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Magnus Tannergren is the founder and editor of Sweden’s Into The Void Podcast. It’s a sonic fanzine covering the heavy underground that has been active since 2014 featuring interviews with underground bands and living legends of heavy rock. Magnus has previously been in rock radio and is a longtime staff writer for Slavestate Magazine – one of Sweden’s oldest and
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 019: Paid In Soup (Karl Neurauter/Chicago Music Exchange)
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The pandemic has put no stop to the world of music retail. Demand is through the roof and COVID has heavily impacted instrument manufacturing, creating challenges for retailers to keep up with demand. Karl Neurauter who runs the acoustic room at Chicago Music Exchange, a legendary local retailer of high end and vintage guitars, basses, and drums, describes the factors
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 018: Pandemic Pizza (Derrick Tung/Paulie Gee’s)
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A few Fridays ago Alexi was leaving his apartment to pick up pizza from a neighborhood restaurant. At 7:30pm there were three cars double parked on the block, all delivering pies to neighbors. The coincidence begged the question: is Pizza pandemic proof? Restaurants have to be creative during the pandemic. With local and statewide restrictions changing – sometimes at odds
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 017 – Part II: Critical Tasting And Evaluation (Eymard Freire/Siebel Institute)
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Eymard Freire of the Siebel Institute walks us through critically assessing beer. How do we go about judging a beer based on its appearance, color, aroma, and flavor in order to build our overall impression? Building on lessons from Part I, we dive deeper into what chemicals or compounds produce the aromas and flavors we are familiar with. This conversation
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 017 – Part I: Perceiving Aroma and Flavor (w/ James Altwies & Eymard Freire)
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This week is about sensory. How are we perceiving the aromas and flavors from our beers and beverages? How are memory and sensory linked? What is the sustainability and environmental impact of current trends in beer? Does 6lb per barrel of Mosaic in a double dry-hopped milkshake monstrosity deliver the maximum impact of the ingredients? How do we look at
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 016: The Nirvana of Doom? (Thomas Jäger/Monolord)
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We’re beyond stoked to welcome Thomas Jäger, guitarist and vocalist of Swedish doom trio Monolord on Heavy Hops for Episode 016. We touch on what’s on the horizon musically and creatively for Monolord, as well Thomas’ solo endeavors. Thomas reveals how Monolord’s songwriting and the organic nature of their recording has evolved over time. In promotional materials and in reviews
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 015: Rustic Ales of Chicago (Mike Schallau/Is Was Brewing)
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Belgian ales of all styles are favorites at Heavy Hops. Whether its a farmhouse ale with spelt from Brasserie de Blaugies, a beautiful unsweetened lambic from Cantillon or a hoppy pale ale from De La Senne, these beers all carry a strong sense of place. Their sensibilities are clear and intentional: from aroma and flavor to the designs on the
Continue ReadingHeavy Hops Ep. 014: The Oozepisode (Zach Weil/Oozing Wound)
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We sit down with Zach Weil, guitarist and vocalist of Chicago’s most difficult to characterize heavy trio Oozing Wound. We touch on the bands formation, where DIY ethics took them and their relationship with Thrill Jockey Records, where they sit with new material and why they shouldn’t be categorized with Slayer. Oozing Wound’s music is difficult to define, and we
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