CL-042 Beth Demmon On The Punk Rock Version of The Secret

Witches are having a moment in the current cultural zeitgeist. It’s impossible to ignore. And, as Beth Demmon mentions, the resurgence of witchcraft and wizardry have a sort of nostalgic feel that appeals to us older millennials. 

Beth is a freelance writer, and published her first piece for Good Beer Hunting called, “Witch (Craft) Beer — How a New Wave of Brewers are Incorporating Magic into Beer,” as part of our Mother of Invention series with Guinness. In the article, Beth talks about modern-day brewers who utilize magic in their brewing. They range in type and tradition, from those that practice “chaos magic,” or what Beth calls the Punk Rock version of The Secret, to folks who rely on ideas and practices passed down from generation to generation, and employ specific rituals to brew their beer. 

It might sound gimmicky, or perhaps a little silly, but we examine why that is. Where does the gimmick come from? Likewise, the stories that Beth tells and the folks she interviews reveal a level of intentionality, respect, and regard to history that transcend whatever preconceived notions you might have about the idea of magic. And they also reveal a lot about the way we view women—past and present—in the context of beer brewing. 

We also talk about what it means to tell a story, as she says in the beginning, not a witch, and how to handle things like tradition and ancestral knowledge respectfully. We also talk about what a little bit of positive thinking—and perhaps a little magic—might have to do with Beth’s recent beer fortune. We start at the very beginning of this piece.