Welcome to the latest episode of Desert Island Beers which this week features Rob Tod, Founder and Brewer of Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, Maine, USA.

Rob’s interest in brewing began when he worked for Otter Creek Brewery in Vermont after graduating from College. While working at Otter Creek he sampled many styles of beer and was struck by the inventiveness and depth of Belgian beers. Though Belgian styles were scarcely heard of in the U.S.A. at the time, Rob knew that if people could experience them, they would love them.

Rob established Allagash in 1994 as a 15 barrel brewery and sold his first batch of beer in the summer of 1995, beginning his venture with the release of the award winning Allagash White, which he modeled after the traditional Wit beers of Belgium.  (more…)

The second ‘episode’ of our all new co-produced Desert Island Beers features Adrian Tierney-Jones. 

Adrian loves beers and pubs. So much so he has a job writing about them!  As well as visiting the best inns and public houses of the UK for The Telegraph, Adrian is secretary of the British Guild of Beer Writers and has written extensively – from national newspapers to the Society of Independent Brewers South West’s Brewers Herald (say that after a few pints!)

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The first ‘episode’ of our all new co-produced Desert Island Beers starts with a bit of a bang, with George de Piro, Brewmaster at C.H. Evans Brewing Company at the Albany Pump Station, Albany, New York, USA,  brewers of Kick-Ass Brown: three times winner of the Best American Brown Ale at the Great American Beer Festival (2000, 2002 & 2008), and a World Beer Cup Bronze (2004)!

George lives in Albany.  He graduated from Syracuse University with a BS in biology (concentration in biochemistry) and has completed brewing courses at the Siebel Institute. He originally earned a reputation as a very good hobby brewer, winning several major contests and writing about beer for a home brewing magazine and on the Internet. He then met Neil Evans at a homebrew contest where they  judged together, they got along, and a couple of months later Neil got in touch to see if George wanted to join his project to build a brew pub in Albany. (more…)