This episode we forage with s ome of the best in the craft beer industry… Scratch Brewing out of Ava, IL, a small town 90 minutes east of St. Louis. Marika Josephson joins us to discuss what to look for while foraging ingredients and how to utilize them in your craft beer and soda.

A huge thanks to Jason Glunt from Salud Beer Shop in Noda for setting this up for us. As we all know they are the best craft bottle shop in Charlotte, validated by Creative Loafing this week. Tickets for Salud’s Sourfest 3 Funkonia on sale October 1, 2015. Get them now. This will SELL OUT!

We touch on several styles of Gruits, porters, sours and farmhouses utilizing bark, sap, harvested crops and wild mushrooms. Marika guides us through the processes of using foraging to enhance aroma, reduce bittering, and maximize taste in beer styles generally without using hops. Personally, we were blown away at their souring techniques from a yeast perspective, a must listen if you are a sour brewer and someone who loves to source ingredients locally.

Jason Glunt shares with his foraging story for a collaboration brew with Free Range Brewing for a Gruit beer. Remember foragers; bring your shoes and pants…

We cover a great story from GABF as well about all the NC winners including: Sycamore, Triple C, Fonta Flora, Wicked Weed, Duck Rabbit, Raleigh Brewing and Gibb’s Hundred. Huge Congrats from the Fermentation Nation!