Throughout history, various beer styles have developed due to taxation. Focusing on the main brewing regions - the United States, Belgium, Germany, and England – Jen Blair and Rachel Hudson discuss how each country’s taxation practices affected the development of some of the regions’ most well-known beer styles. From brewing rights to brewing ingredients to brewing equipment, beer styles have been affected through taxation.

Jen Blair is an Advanced Cicerone and National BJCP Beer Judge. She is the Beer Quality and Education Manager at Orpheus Brewing. Prior to joining Orpheus Brewing as the Beer Quality and Education Manager, Jen was the Beer Program Manager for New Realm Brewing Company, where she focused on internal beer education and training as well as the in-house sensory program. Jen was previously the Executive Director of the North American Craft Maltsters Guild, where she worked closely with the Board of Directors and membership to advance and amplify the craft malting industry. Jen co-hosts a brewing podcast called False Bottomed Girls and is the Chapter Lead of the Atlanta Pink Boots Society.

Rachael Hudson is the co-owner and head brewer of Pilot Brewing in Charlotte, NC. She has been in the beer industry for over a dozen years, six of which were spent as a professional brewer at award-winning breweries such as Hardywood Park, Left Hand, and NoDa.

THIS SESSION IS SUPPORTED BY:

EVAN TRENT + KERRY ANN WALSH