PORTLAND, Maine — Maine is a state full of people who are crazy about beer, and a sizable number of them would no doubt happily change jobs with John Holl. One look at his resume and you’ll see why.
Holl was the editor of “All About Beer” magazine and senior editor of “Craft Beer and Brewing” magazine. He has written two books, “Drink Beer, Think Beer” and “The American Craft Beer Cookbook,” visited more than 1,300 breweries and brewpubs in the U.S. and around the world, and served as a judge at events ranging from the Great American Beer Festival to the Brussels Beer Challenge. Let the record show, as lawyers say, the man knows his beer.
Holl came to Maine in 2020 to attend the New England Craft Brew Summit, a gathering of some 450 people who take their beer very seriously because for them it’s not a treat they enjoy after a hard day of work, it is their work. When he dropped by the 207 studio, we talked about what is, for better or worse, one of the most liquid of holidays—St. Patrick’s Day. Watch our interview because he’s got a few thoughts on Guinness and some other stouts, including a few made here in Maine. When it comes to beer, John Holl is worth listening to.