If you’re a beer enthusiast, you’ve likely come across Jeff Alworth at some point. The longtime blogger, journalist, author, and podcaster is one of the most valued in the country, and his research and storytelling is nearly unmatched. This isn’t meant to be hyperbole, as the reason Jeff and I are talking on this episode is because we got to catch up as he traveled the country to promote the second edition of his book, The Beer Bible.

We sat down outside at Asheville, North Carolina’s Zillicoah Beer Company, to talk about his book and his own education and growth as a journalist and human. In the first half of this conversation you’ll learn about what went into creating The Beer Bible and then recreating new parts of it for its new edition, and on the back half we chat about what it means to explore ideas of beer today, whether that’s the hops that go into a beer, or the way we think about styles.

And if you haven’t yet read, heard, or met Jeff, I hope this conversation is a worthy introduction to someone who is kind and meaningful in their work and how they move in the world. We can learn a lot about beer by reading and listening to Jeff’s work, but I hope this episode helps you appreciate him as a person as well.