As Western North Carolina marks two years since Hurricane Helene, we have a guest episode from On the Blue Ridge, a podcast by former All About Beer Managing Editor Jon Page. He recently sat down with Chris and Jessica Whaley of Whaley Farm Brewery in Old Fort, a town of fewer than 1,000 people about 25 miles east of Asheville, just off Interstate 40. The brewery was severely damaged by the storm, and their conversation looks back at what happened, the long road to rebuilding, the support they received from their community, and what it took to finally return to brewing.

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Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

All About Beer
At All About Beer, we’re honored to share the stories that define the beer community, and we couldn’t do it without the generous support of our underwriting sponsors. Their commitment helps sustain independent beer journalism, allowing us to highlight the people, places, and passion behind every pint. Their partnership ensures these stories continue to inspire, connect, and celebrate the craft we all love. Join our underwriters today and help make an impact on independent journalism covering the beer industry.

Host: Jon Page

Guests: Chris Whaley, Jessica Whaley

Sponsors: All About Beer

Tags: On the Blue Ridge
Photo: by Jon Page

A conversation with Shelley and Eric Desmarais of CLS Farms in Moxee, Washington about the 2026 hop harvest and what life is like for families during the regions busiest time of the year.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
This episode is brought to you by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, innovators in craft beer since 1980 and still 100% family owned. Experience the finest quality and purest ingredients in person by visiting the iconic Sierra Nevada breweries in Chico, California – where it all started – or Mills River, North Carolina, the country’s only Platinum LEED certified production brewery. Visit Sierra Nevada dot com to learn more. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Still Family-Owned, Operated & Argued Over.

All About Beer
At All About Beer, we’re honored to share the stories that define the beer community, and we couldn’t do it without the generous support of our underwriting sponsors. Their commitment helps sustain independent beer journalism, allowing us to highlight the people, places, and passion behind every pint. Their partnership ensures these stories continue to inspire, connect, and celebrate the craft we all love. Join our underwriters today and help make an impact on independent journalism covering the beer industry.

Host: John Holl

Guests: Shelley and Eric Desmarais

Sponsors: Berkeley Yeast, All About Beer

Tags: Hops, Harvest, Family, Farming, Business
Photo: By John Holl

Back in Yakima for a second week and visiting another brewery. This time it’s Bale Breaker, the famed Washington brewery with its very own hop fields. Don Tse is again in the host seat and sitting down with brewmaster Kevin "Smitty" Smith.

Visit AllAboutBeer.com for more podcasts, to read original articles, and to get info on upcoming events.

Click here to support independent journalism covering the beer industry.

This Episode is Sponsored by:

Berkeley Yeast
Our Tropics yeast is based on a London Ale strain, but we added a new gene to its genome that codes for a unique thiol-releasing enzyme. The enzyme converts the precursors in barley to free thiols that smell and taste like passionfruit and grapefruit. It’s super clean. No off-flavors like burnt rubber or other sulfurous notes. Just tropical aromatics. You don’t have to do anything unusual either, like mash hopping. Just pitch dry Tropics and supercharge your hazy IPA.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
This episode is brought to you by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, innovators in craft beer since 1980 and still 100% family owned. Experience the finest quality and purest ingredients in person by visiting the iconic Sierra Nevada breweries in Chico, California – where it all started – or Mills River, North Carolina, the country’s only Platinum LEED certified production brewery. Visit Sierra Nevada dot com to learn more. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Still Family-Owned, Operated & Argued Over.

All About Beer
At All About Beer, we’re honored to share the stories that define the beer community, and we couldn’t do it without the generous support of our underwriting sponsors. Their commitment helps sustain independent beer journalism, allowing us to highlight the people, places, and passion behind every pint. Their partnership ensures these stories continue to inspire, connect, and celebrate the craft we all love. Join our underwriters today and help make an impact on independent journalism covering the beer industry.

Host: Don Tse

Guests: Kevin Smith

Sponsors: Berkeley Yeast, All About Beer

Tags: Hop Harvest, Washington, Brewing, Farming
Photo: By John Holl