Meg Gill critiques a brew in Beerland Season 2. / Photo credit: Viceland

I recently had the chance to, once again, interview Meg Gill, co-founder and president of Golden Road Brewing and star of Beerland, a television show on Viceland that follows Gill’s travels across the country as she meets some of the nation’s most interesting, unusual and fervid homebrewers.

After a successful debut last spring, Beerland has been renewed for a second season, and its five episodes tackle a  cornucopia of themes just in time for fun family discussions during the holidays: among them, race, immigration, poverty, disability, illness, and the call to utilize one’s talents and capabilities to better the larger community.

Beerland’s Season 2 Cast Members

Mark, a man diagnosed with ALS and “frankly brilliant” brewer who has beer volunteers helping him brew to stay alive.

Adrian and Sean, a biracial son and his white father working together to reignite the arts in their Detroit community by funding a nonprofit gallery with their beer sales.

Miki, a Japanese woman who brings her food, culture and homeland-inspired homebrews to an almost entirely white, suburban Alabama town.

Willy Bob, an art therapist brewing beer to raise money for art supplies as he works with disabled adults living in government housing.

And a group of brewers in Florida who divide their time between lifeguarding, EMS, and in the case of Episode 4, disaster relief in the face of Hurricane Irma.

Some Final Thoughts on ‘Beerland’ Season 2

Although I haven’t seen any episodes yet, I have high hopes for this season. First, it promises to weave a heightened sense of purpose into an otherwise lighthearted premise; while season one followed a foulmouthed female brewer hanging out and drinking/critiquing beers with a bunch of beer makers, season two is a call to action to homebrewers to brew for a higher purpose than quenching their physical and creative thirsts.

Secondly, say what you will about the show’s casting this season, but in our current political climate, I see it as a step in the right direction. For a show made possible by the world’s largest and richest brewer (this show is only possible because Gill sold her brewery to Anheuser-Busch InBev a few years ago, freeing up her time and her budget), to acknowledge and blatantly put the spotlight on such importantly underrepresented populations is a bold move, even if it is for Vice.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Season 2 stories, read my exclusive interview with Meg Gill on MensJournal.com. 

Exclusive: Viceland Renews ‘Beerland’ For a Second Season (Watch Trailer)

Cheers,
Beer Affair