By Kelly Taylor, WKTV
WKTV will air Modern Ahabs Craft Beer Special on Monday, August 21 at 8:00pm; Tuesday, August 22 at 6:30pm; and Friday, August 25 at 7:30pm.
Craft beer enthusiast Jason Ley from Grand Rapids, MI, had been quietly brewing an idea for a TV show for almost two years.
The show, titled Modern Ahabs, explores the hunt for the world’s most elusive craft beer. With this generation’s boom in brewing, craft beer has become more than a casual pastime hobby. Like rookie cards in mint condition or vintage toys still in their original packaging, craft beer is a worldwide phenomenon — a drinkable collector’s item. Modern Ahabs dives into the unique fanaticism that steers the pursuit for these highly sought-after, coveted trophies — known to enthusiasts as “whales.”
The pilot episode features Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) by Founders Brewing Co., of Grand Rapids, MI.
Ley, who created the show, also wrote and produced the episode. He enlisted the help of director, Ben Wilke and his video production company, Deep End Films, to film and edit Modern Ahabs. The result is a non-staged, reality-style episodic series.
Filming took place in Grand Rapids, MI in March 2016 during KBS’s city-wide release festivities, KBS Week. Locations featured in the pilot episode include HopCat, Derby Station, The Winchester, The Meanwhile, and Founders Brewing Co.
Ley’s ultimate goal for Modern Ahabs is to partner with a major TV, cable or streaming network — to develop a series of multi-episode seasons, with each episode featuring a different national or international craft beer whale.
For more information, and to join the hunt, visit modernahabs.com.
