Across the country, disruption reigns. It’s the stuff of Hollywood movies, a global virus pandemic. Bartenders, servers, barbacks, dishwashers, along with hundreds of other professions had no choice but to report to work in order to provide for their families. Now even that option is gone. Hundreds of thousands of people if not more have been laid off. The service sector is decimated. Bars and restaurants have stripped down to the very bare minimum staff necessary to provide basic services to people. And it’s just the beginning.

Welcome to the Beer Edge podcast, a look at the business and culture of beer. My partner John Holl and I originally envisioned a very different podcast but that too will have to wait. For now, we’ll be releasing at least one if not more episodes every week as the COVID-19 story continues to unfold. We’ve talked to many dozens of brewery owners, workers, distributors, bartenders, and others to gather their stories and take stock of where we are as an industry and where we’re headed.

In this episode, we talk with Max Toste, owner of one of Boston's best beer bars, Deep Ellum. We also catch up with Doug Veliky, the Chief Financial Officer for Revolution Brewing in Chicago.

For more information on the Beer Edge Podcast, or to check out Beer Edge: The Newsletter for Beer Professionals, follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and subscribe to our beer industry focused newsletter. There is more information, articles, and engaging content at Beer Edge.