Beer Guys Radio Show: Recent Episodes

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Exhibit 'A' Brewing with Kelsey Roth was voted the most underrated brewery in Massachusetts by Thrillist.  When we asked General Manager Kelsey Roth if agreed with the distinction we got a hesitant shrug.  Their Goody Two Shoes Kölsch earned a 96 from Wine Enthusiast and landed in their top spot.  Do these two "awards" go hand-in-hand, or contradict each other?  The world may never know. Roth doesn't seem too wrapped up in either.  He just wants to offer good beer and a great place for people to hang out.  And they want everyone to feel welcomed and comfortable as evidenced by their Autism Welcoming hours that present the brewery in a more sensory-sensitive environment. We chat with Roth about his brewery, crazy-expensive beers, and how to pour a good pint.  If you find yourself in Massachusetts, or you happen to be in one of the states they can deliver beer to your directly, make sure to check them out. The Beer List Ironmonger Naughty Soda Lemon Cucumber Hard Seltzer Switchback Bisounnay Smoked Saison Genesee Red Lager Six Bridges Love Tractor Peach Milkshake IPA Mortalis Hydra Fruited Sour

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Philly Beer Week... It's Essential Living in Atlanta I can tell you it's not an easy task to host a great beer week, but has it down pretty good. A lot of this is thanks to and the efforts of Executive Director Christina Dowd.  She works with local brewers and bars to promote beer across Philadelphia and much of her time is spent coordinating the events of Philly Beer Week.  Dowd and owner Rich Colli joined us on the show to talk about what it takes to make a great beer week and share some of the fun things they've got planned for this year. The theme this year is "It's Essential" and after being locked up for over a year some good beers with good friends has got to be one of the most essential things good, food and shelter can step aside.  Events will be a mix of in-person and virtual for 2021 so you can enjoy some of the festivities no matter where you are.  Check out the for a full list of what's happening. Cheers to you if you're already in Philly, if not then maybe you're ready for a beercation.  Philly Beer Week 2021 is June 4th - 13th. (I'm no mathologist but that sounds like it's more than a week.)

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Social Fox Brewing powers through the pandemic to celebrate 1st Anniversary It wasn't by choice that opened at the start of the pandemic.  However, they've made the best of it and soon they'll be celebrating their first anniversary.  The Social Fox crew joined us in the studio this week to share some beers and chat.  Head Brewer Craig Smith along with co-owners Mike Greene, Mark Klafter, and Scott Norwood all came along for the ride. Social Fox recently released their first beers in cans and has more in the pipeline.  They recently released Straight Outta Norcross, a West Coast IPA, to give visitors a break from all the haze out there.  Gold Belt Golden Ale also offers a drinking beer when you just want to take it easy and not overthink what's in your glass.  On the opposite side of that coin they've also released some Oenobeers, a beer-wine hybrid, and plan to brew more of those as well. As the weather warms up (at least here in the South) we talk about seasonal drinking and how much that impacts our beer choices.  You know we're not scared of a stout in Summer, but it is nice to look forward to those fair weather beers. Look for Social Fox cans around Georgia or visit their taproom in downtown Norcross. Social Fox Brewing 20 Skin Alley Norcross, GA  30071 470-359-4109 The Beer List Social Fox Gold Belt Golden Ale Social Fox Straight Outta Norcross West Coast IPA Social Fox Tumblefield IPA Alesmith Kickbackrelax Crushable IPA Highland Brewing High Pines IPA Craft Beer (and Coffee) News Check out these other great episodes

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Bringing coffee and beer together makes for one great beverage Adding coffee to beer in modern brewing only goes back a few decades but individually both have been enjoyed for centuries.  For coffee, the story traces back to an Ethiopian goatherder who noticed his flock full of energy and "dancing" after eating a small red fruit off of some shrubs.  The goatherder  figured he'd give it a shot as well and soon joined his energetic goats.  The origins of beer, , isn't crystal clear, but suffice it to say beer has been a part of our lives for a long time. We sat down this week with Apotheos Roastery's Adam Silverberg, Dale Hughes, and Jason White to learn more about that coffee origin story and how it spread across the world.  White also shares some info with us on the roasting process and the flavors in coffee that compliment our beloved beers.  We sample a few brews as we chat and we all left dancing like a bunch of goats. Visit Apotheos Roastery in Kennesaw, GA or order online.  Apotheos also has a subscription service to try their newest blends every month. Apotheos Roastery 2871 Cherokee Street Kennesaw, GA  30144 404-665-5350 Hours | Mon-Fri 10-6, closed on Saturday and Sunday Shop and Subscribe | The Beer List Allagash Barrel and Bean Carton Regular Coffee Founders KBS 2017 Founders KBS 2020 Monday Night Brewing Loving Cup Craft Beer (and Coffee) News Check out some of our other episodes

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Mikerphone Brewing's Mike Pallen is inspired by music Mikerphone Brewing founder and owner Mike Pallen didn't set out to be a brewer.  Although his dad worked at Miller, he didn't want his son to follow in his footsteps and urged him to go to college.  So Pallen did just that.  After getting his degree he began a career in the music industry with the ultimate goal to work at Capitol Records in Los Angeles.  That didn't happen.  However, along the way he found his love for brewing and after working at a couple of Chicago breweries he decided to start his own. Music was still very much in his blood and that inspires every beer made at Mikerphone.  Each beer is named after a song our group.  The artwork reflects the names with some familiar nods as well as some that take a bit of thought.  The artists portrayed on the beers have been mostly supportive.  When Pallen received an email from Eminem's management over his Slim Hazy beer he expected a request to cease and desist.  Instead, they loved the name and even met with Pallen in New York. Mikerphone Brewing's Mike Pallen having fun with some barrels. (Photo: Mikerphone Brewing) The allure of Smells Like Bean Spirit If you have limited knowledge of Mikerphone's beers you probably know of Smells Like Bean Spirit stout.  The label reflects Nirvana's Nevermind album, very accurately.  "Bean Spirit" has seen many variations with different coffees and adjuncts.  Pallen put a lot of work into the best method to use to get the coffee into Bean Spirit to get the best flavor and minimize the possibly of bringing the green pepper taste that can happen.  It worked.  We sampled the Barrel Aged Super Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit as we talked.  It's thick and luscious and paints the inside of your glass while delivering huge dark chocolate, coffee, and maple.  Mikerphone has plenty more to come in this series. Mikerphone Brewing Malört Crush Crush Crush is coming for your enjoyment. (Photo: Mikerphone Brewing) Beer aged in Malört barrels? If you know Malört you'd think it would be the the last barrel a brewer would reach for to age their beer.  But when the distiller reached out to Pallen to see if he wanted first crack at some to age beer he didn't hesitant to jump at the opportunity.  The brewery received excellent feedback on the first beer they did in the barrels, a Pilsner.  Coming up are a milkshake IPA and solera saison, and Smells Like Bean Spirit will get the Malört treatment as well.  Pallen said he can't wait to showcase, and for others to see, what the barrels impart to their base beers. The pandemic may prevent a huge party but Mikerphone is going to celebrate their 6th anniversary the best they can.  They're brewing up six beers for the occasion that will be available at the brewery.  Pallen is also starting to think of a second location for the brewery in Wisconsin and he reveals the name he has in mind as well as the awesome concept. The Beer List Crush Crush Crush | Vanilla Orange Milkshake IPA Do You Remember the Time | Brett Farmhouse 2 year Solera Flagpole Citra | DDH IPA In a Blender Smoothie | Berliner with strawberry peach and banana Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit Double Canadian Maple Barrel Aged Super Imperial Smells Like Bean Spirit Thursty DIPA Craft Beer News More Chicagoland Beer

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Whiskey comes in many forms, but bourbon is America's spirit The origins of bourbon are both known and debated.  We know early settlers in Virginia and Kentucky made use of the abundance of corn to distill their whiskey, but there are a variety of stories on who was first to put it in a new, charred oak barrel and to actually call it bourbon.  No matter the exact origins of bourbon we now have a spirit that is all American to enjoy.  Congress declared so in 1964 stating that bourbon is a "distinctive product of the United States."  Score one for America. We're joined this week by Bruce Tierney, all around aficionado and spirit consultant to .  Tierney shares with us the history of bourbon, let's us know what it takes to call a whiskey bourbon, and offers some suggestions on affordable options to test the waters as well as some of the rarer bourbons to seek out.  We also discuss what flavors to look for when tasting as well as common off flavors, and a quick course on how to taste your bourbon. There's much more information on bourbon than we could cover in this show so we've included additional information and resources here.  Side note, if you're used to sampling beer in 4 oz pours know that 4-5 1 oz pours of bourbon kick harder than you think.  Proceed with caution. Copper pot stills at ASW Distillery in Atlanta, GA (Photo: Thechadwix, CC BY-SA 4.0) What makes a whiskey bourbon? Must be produced in the United States Many people mistakenly believe bourbon must be made in Kentucky but it can be made anywhere in the US.  Several other countries support the American origin, but some do not.  Be careful when purchasing overseas. Must be made from at least 51% corn Has to be aged in new, charred oak barrels Can be distilled to no more than 160 proof.  Higher proof distillation begins to strip flavors. Has to be entered into the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof Must be bottled at 80 proof or more There is no minimum age requirement for bourbon as long as it meets the above guidelines Outside of these requirements there are several variations allowed such as wheated and "high rye" bourbons, bottled-in-bond, straight bourbon and blended bourbons. How to begin your bourbon experience Tierney has offered up his very detailed advice on how to get started with bourbon including notes for selecting a bourbon, glassware and tasting. My first recommendation for someone new to bourbon is to start your experience by tasting standard bourbons from the major producers first before deciding if you want to branch out and try other brands. I recommend brands that tend to be between 90-100 proof. Yes, that may seem a bit hotter at first but they also tend to be more flavorful. The minimum permitted proof is 80 proof and at that point you are drinking a good bit more water than bourbon anyway! If it seems intimidating to shell out the money to buy a bunch of different bourbons you are right! Although all of the major bourbon producers have a brand that costs in the $20-35 range it can still be a lot of money. Pick a couple that are of interest or are readily available in your area and start with those first. Don't try too many different brands to start with. Or if you are fortunate enough to live near a bar with a good bourbon selection start by tasting different bourbons a glass at a time if you don't want to commit to buying a full bottle. Any bourbon bar worth its name will have many if not all of the standard brands from the major distilleries. If they don't then you are in the wrong place! Try to learn a bit about the different bourbons you have selected. The internet can be your friend here. I can personally recommend as a good source for information about bourbon and many other types of spirits. Remember all bourbon is made from at least 51% corn but what is the rest of recipe of grains, known as the mashbill, that makes up the bourbon? Most bourbon use either rye or...

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Crooked Run Brewing is more than just beer When Crooked Run Brewing opened co-founders Jake Endres and Lee Rogan were just 25, making them the youngest brewery owners in Virginia. They've had great growth in the last seven years. The duo has opened a second location, started making wine, and launched their Native Culture sub-brand offering wild and spontaneous ales using Virginia ingredients. Endres joined us on the show this week to talk about the journey. We've got more hot coolship talk this week, a staple of their Native Culture series. They released their first Lambic-style beers in late 2020 and will release a Geuze-style later this year. Coolships, wine, and fruity seltzers In addition to beer they've also began making "low-intervention wine", also called natural wines, that use less or no additives in the process. Crooked Run has also got into the seltzer game, making massively overfruited versions. (How did we get here? Wasn't seltzer supposed to be a lighter, lower calorie alternative to beer??? Now we're overfruiting them and even making smoothie versions? Sheesh.) Like many breweries, Crooked Run has taken a hit from the pandemic. But shifting into more packaged product to go has helped them weather through. Enders is excited for what they've got planned this year, with big releases from the Native Culture series, more wine, and yes... even more of those fruit-filled seltzers. The Beer List 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze Ommegang Three Philosophers Southern Grist Batida with Passion Fruit WeldWerks French Toast Stout Craft Beer News More Sour and Wild Beer

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Monday Night Brewing's Peter Kiley talks about taking "safe" beers to the next level started as a Bible study group with founders Jonathan Baker, Jeff Heck, and Joel Iverson.  In addition to learning the word the group brewed beer together, on Monday nights.  When popularity among their friends continued to grow they realized they may on to something.  Monday Night Brewing opened their original taproom in Atlanta in 2013. Brewmaster Peter Kiley tells how they brewed "safe" beers in the early days.  Golden ales, a "pseudo Pilsner", a simple IPA.  The beers weren't bad, they just weren't necessarily exciting, and the craft crazies demand excitement.  Kiley and I had a conversation many years ago about ideas he had for beers that would be expensive to make, and he wasn't sure that craft consumers would be on board with that.  In time, consumers demanded bigger, bolder, better beers, and they were willing to pay for them.  One of the early breakout beers was Bourbon Barrel Drafty Kilt, a barrel-aged version of their Scotch Ale. Fast forward to 2021 and Monday Night now has three locations making amazing beers.  Their original brewery and taproom on Trabert Avenue in Atlanta, The Garage on Atlanta's West End focusing on wild and barrel-aged beers, and a brewpub in Birmingham, AL.  In addition to The Garage they also have the Hop Hut at their original location that focuses on bold, small batch IPAs. We also dive into the wild world with Kiley.  He tells us about their coolship (dubbed The Crunkship) and what makes it special, the details of spontaneous and mixed fermentation beers, and why blending is important.