Brian Hunt

[TapItGood]

I thought the show was very entertaining, it did seem like Brian was half serious half the time and completly half cocked the other half of the time. It was what it was... "beer-focused news and entertainment."

[AugustinaBarruna]

Great info but the feigned self-deprecation and apparent condescension made it impossible to listen to.

[bikefoolery]

They failed to get a recipe out of him too. That would have been entertaining. I really wanted some real beer informacion about using redwood or spruce tips.

Oh Well, Brian is who he is.

The Fool

[brewerTristan]

The most apparent contradiction of his was between the statement that 'we should brew according to taste, not according to style' and the thought that 'we should brew in a way that reflects the local environment.' What if you don't like the taste of what is locally available or characteristic?

Furthermore, the idea that one should only brew a style if one can do it as well as it is done in its place of origin is silly. Most styles were/are in fact created by imitation. So without this common, useful, and appealing practice, we wouldn't have most beer styles.

Also, Brian seemed to have much to say about what good beer is, but I didn't hear anyone on the show praise his beer all that much. A lot of posturing and not much substance, if you ask me.

[Mills]

I have listened to every podcast that the BN has produced and this was the first one that I could not finish. I found Brian impossible to listen to and repetitive. All his bs about style wasn't even what bothered me. It was that he has such a condescending tone and clearly finds himself clever. It was all lost on me. Shit, get Shea Comfort back in, thats a MAUN! I am not trying to be a dick, I loved the parts that Brian wasn't talking, but he just talked too much. I was hoping that there would be a quality meltdown w/o him, but no luck. I does make me all that more pumped for the next live Sunday Show!

[Chupa LaHomebrew]

Bikefoolery said,

Oh Well, Brian is who he is.

Yeah, I agree with that too. He seems like a nutjob but his beers are pretty good, some might even be great. I haven't tried that many. I didn't like Death and Taxes (it tasted like sucking on an unlit cigar) but I was clearly in the minority on that one. I just couldn't believe how incredibly judgmental he was being, even if some of it was for show.

One thing I think we can all agree on is that we should be glad we are no longer in the days when each region produced only one style of beer and that was all you drank. Hallelujah for diversity!

[Motor]

Thinking outside the box really bothers folks, doesn't it?

The whole discussion of what if I had tree needles and not hops to flavor my beer was fascinating. Thinking about how to use different ingredients to get a good flavor. The idea of a beer specific to a place was great. I think he could have gone much father asking why San Diego, with its balmy climate, has gone apeshit for IPA. Brian's logic was pointing to more of a pils oasis, Beliner Weisse or other "refreshing" style to be the style prevalent in San Diego. Arrogant Bastard is not my idea of a beer to have when it's perpetually 74 degrees outside.

He's almost a one-man shop and seems to do pretty well. Grows hops, brews beers and delivers it. Something to respect.

-Motor

[captain carrot]

I respect a brewer that believes in his convictions. You don't have to agree with his views or methods. From every brewer there is always a few useful nuggets. As a fan of beer history he is correct in how region, climate, water supply, taxes, etc. shape beer flavor and culture. Take the "hop crisis" as example. This screwed a lot of brewers and their products. What if yeast prices tripled? How many homebrewers would repitch then? If you like canned responses then maybe producer Shat should line up Auggie Busch. I like the variety of interviews on The Session.
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