In this fascinating episode of the BeerWise podcast, host Mark Denote sits down with Khris Johnson, head brewer and co-owner of Green Bench Brewing Company in St. Petersburg, Florida. Their conversation offers a deep dive into brewing philosophy, technical processes, community building, and the powerful story behind Green Bench’s name.
Khris’s journey into brewing began during his college years at USF when he switched from pre-med to literature and found himself with more free time. Inspired by his father’s homebrewing hobby, Khris began exploring craft beer by methodically sampling different styles while studying the Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines. This structured approach to understanding beer flavor profiles would later inform his professional brewing career.
The conversation takes a profound turn when Khris explains the meaning behind the Green Bench name. In early 1900s St. Petersburg, over 3,000 green benches lined downtown streets, serving as symbols of the city’s social and communal spirit. However, during segregation, Black residents were prohibited from sitting on these benches. By naming their brewery Green Bench, Khris and his partners made a deliberate choice to acknowledge this painful history while committing to create a truly inclusive community space—one that delivers on the promise of community that the original green benches failed to fulfill.
This commitment to inclusivity extends beyond the brewery’s name. Khris details his involvement with organizations like the National Black Brewers Alliance of America and the Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling, which work to increase diversity in brewing industry ownership and production. These initiatives reflect Green Bench’s dedication to creating pathways for underrepresented communities in craft beer.
The technical aspects of brewing receive equal attention as Khris offers an extraordinarily detailed explanation of decoction mashing. This traditional brewing technique involves removing part of the mash, boiling it, and returning it to raise the temperature of the main mash. This method, while time-consuming, creates distinctive flavors and textures impossible to achieve through simpler brewing processes. Khris’s passion for this traditional technique demonstrates how craft brewing often finds innovation by rediscovering and respecting historical methods.
The development of Green Bench’s flagship Sunshine City IPA provides another window into the brewery’s evolution. After initially struggling to create an IPA that resonated with Florida beer drinkers, Khris found inspiration in Portland’s brewing scene. The resulting beer—featuring Citra, Azacca, and Mosaic hops—captures the essence of St. Petersburg itself and has become the brewery’s top seller.
Throughout the conversation, Khris emphasizes that quality trumps innovation, arguing that many “innovative” approaches are actually rediscoveries of traditional techniques that were abandoned as brewing became industrialized. This philosophy of respecting tradition while embracing diverse perspectives encapsulates Green Bench’s approach to brewing and community building.
As craft beer enthusiasts increasingly embrace lager styles after years of IPA dominance, Green Bench stands at the forefront of this trend with their commitment to traditional brewing methods and exceptional quality. The conversation concludes with Khris sharing his greatest lesson from beer: that the industry thrives when it embraces diversity and inclusion—not just as social values, but as pathways to better products and experiences for everyone.