Barely 30 minutes outside of Yakima, but still well within Eastern Washington’s hop country, the town of Sunnyside houses what’s been called one of the best-kept secrets in Washington craft beer, Varietal Beer Company, and has built quite an impactful reputation since its inception in 2018. Co-owner and head brewer Chris Baum sat down with the Grit & Grain to tell all in Episode 74. From his humble beginnings as a homebrewer/wildlife biologist, his first brewing job with Snipes Mountain, a small stint with our friend Kevin Quinn at Bale Breaker, and a happenstance offer from the Port of Sunnyside, Baum and his four partners took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and brought suds and smiles to Sunnyside. Despite this fantastic resume and a long history in the science and brewing world, plus tons of awards in the past five years with Varietal, it becomes clear in our chat that Baum has two simple goals in his work — do justice to the incredible ingredients he has access to and serve the community that has so graciously welcomed his business.
It is that simple (if you have access to good water, that is).
Do not miss this episode with Baum and be sure to grab a can of Varietal Beer next time you see it.
Tap, tap, tap
Alright, Grit and Grainers! Email us at cheers@gritandgrainpodcast.com with your comments and opinions and if you agree with Baum that Buzz and Genie malts are the bombs. You can subscribe to GGP on Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, iHeartRadio, and Stitcher, and please leave us a review. Be sure to also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
If this podcast is not what you expected, please alter your expectations. No such thing as a bad time to visit Tacoma. No such thing as too much barleywine. Tune in next Friday for more sweet chatter. Cheers!
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