Beer Guys Radio: Recent Episodes
Beer Guys Media
A show about craft beer! Hosts Tim and Brian cover the basics of craft beer and deeper dives into some of the nerdy science and business. Casual conversation, terrible puns, and tasty beers. Grab a pint, have a seat, and tune in!
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This week, we’ve got brewery shutdowns, tax trouble, distributor bankruptcies, fading beer brands, political drama, and an endangered brewing tradition involving free candy.
We start with the troubling news that Salted Nut Rolls may be endangered. For brewers, these are more than just a gas station snack. Grain suppliers have been known to toss free Salted Nut Rolls into grain orders, and over the years they have become a bit of a brewing legend. If they disappear, brewers may have to face the horrifying possibility of ordering thousands of pounds of malt without receiving a complimentary candy bar.
From there, we get into the shutdown of Terrapin Brewery and what it means for one of Georgia’s most recognizable beer brands. Terrapin has been part of the craft beer landscape for decades, so we take a look at how things reached this point and what could happen next.
There’s also more drama surrounding Ballast Point. The brewery has changed hands, expanded, contracted, and survived a billion-dollar acquisition that became one of the biggest cautionary tales in craft beer. Now there are new questions about whether Ballast Point is in serious trouble again or possibly finished altogether.
21st Amendment Brewery is dealing with a massive tax bill, Minocqua Brewing has had its license revoked, and Bud Light continues to lose ground. We look at what is happening with each of these stories and whether Bud Light’s decline is finally beginning to level off or if the brand still has further to fall.
We also check in on Conservative Dad’s Ultra Right Beer. The brand arrived with a lot of attention, plenty of political messaging, and big promises about becoming an alternative to Bud Light. So where is it now, and did it ever become a serious beer company?
Meanwhile, the second-largest beer distributor in the United States has filed for bankruptcy. That is a massive development with potential consequences for breweries, retailers, employees, and drinkers across the country. We break down what happened and why distributor problems can ripple through the entire beer industry.
Finally, we lighten things up by asking a very important question: What exactly is a Pennsylvania Swankey? Is it a beer, a cocktail, an old regional drink, or something that sounds far more exciting than it actually is?
Grab a beer and join us as we work through another week of strange, frustrating, and occasionally ridiculous beer news.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Happy Holidays, y'all!
Recently we got together to celebrate Christmas in July. We've heard the term for a long time and just thought it was something that was really nothing, but apparently it has an origin story and we'll share that with you.
To celebrate we did the only appropriate thing. On the 25th of July we sat down and cracked into all 12 of the Bruery's 12 Beers of Christmas, in order. Way back in 2024 Brian acquired this set and it took us a couple of years to come together and enjoy but here we are.
We'll share our tasting notes and favorites. Let us know yours. Cheers!
The beers...
- Partridge In A Pear Tree| Belgian Quadrupel with spices | ABV: 12.0%
- 2 Turtle Doves | Belgian Strong Dark Ale Brewed with Orange Peel and Spices | ABV: 10.6%
- 3 French Hens | Oaked Belgian-Style Dark Ale | ABV: 10.0%
- 4 Calling Birds | Belgian-style Dark Strong Ale with Spices | ABV: 11.1%
- 5 Golden Rings | Belgian-Style Golden Ale with Pineapple and Spices | ABV: 11.7%
- 6 Geese-A-Laying | Belgian-Style Dark Ale with Cape Gooseberries | ABV: 11.7%
- 7 Swans-A-Swimming | Belgian-style Quadrupel Ale | ABV: 9.1%
- 8 Maids-A-Milking | Belgian-style Imperial Milk Stout | ABV: 11.3%
- 9 Ladies Dancing | Belgian Strong Dark Ale Brewed with cacao nibs, milk sugar, coffee, and vanilla | ABV: 11.0%
- 10 Lords-A-Leaping | Dark imperial wit ale brewed with dried apples and spices | ABV: 10.8%
- 11 Pipers Piping | Scotch-style ale brewed with Candi sugar and coriander | ABV: 11.0%
- 12 Drummers Drumming | Belgian-style quadrupel ale with bourbon barrel-aged old ale | ABV: 12.0%
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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This week, we start on a somber note as we remember Alan Sprints, founder of Hair of the Dog Brewing and one of the true pioneers of American craft beer. Sprints helped define what bold, unconventional brewing could look like, and his influence can still be found in breweries and beer cellars across the country.
From there, we move into beer politics. The Teamsters are pushing for a massive 75% tariff on imported beer, a proposal that could have a major impact on breweries, distributors, retailers, and anyone who enjoys grabbing a European lager without taking out a small loan. We break down what’s behind the request and what it could mean for the beer aisle.
Vermont breweries also scored a significant victory on self-distribution, giving smaller producers more control over how they get their beer into the hands of drinkers. It’s a development that could help local breweries compete, grow, and avoid some of the headaches that come with the traditional distribution system.
Elsewhere, Oktoberfest beers have already started showing up on shelves, because apparently summer is over the moment the beer industry decides it is. We discuss the annual race to release fall seasonals earlier and earlier—and whether anyone is actually ready for Märzen weather yet.
Goose Island has unveiled the 2026 Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup, bringing another round of barrel-aged variants, anticipation, debate, and inevitable bottle-hunting. We take a look at this year’s releases and decide which ones sound exciting, which ones sound questionable, and which ones we’ll probably buy anyway.
In BrewDog news, James Watt is reportedly trying to buy the company again. Yes, again. We revisit the ongoing BrewDog drama and try to figure out what another Watt-led takeover attempt could mean for the brewery, its employees, and the brand’s already complicated reputation.
Finally, Twisted Tea has introduced a split pack made for breakups. Because when a relationship ends, the most important thing is apparently making sure everyone gets an equal share of the hard iced tea.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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We crack open another one and dive straight into our Beers of the Week before tackling the age-old debate: is there really just one best local brewery, or are we all just fiercely loyal to whoever's closest to the house? From there we take a lap around the beer world — the 2026 US Beer Open Championship results, a Senate race with an unexpectedly beer-adjacent name in Kleban, and the ongoing trade war fallout from the CANADA Act that's got our imports on edge.
Then things get weird (in the best way): amino acid-boosted beers are apparently a thing now, so we try to figure out if that's genius or just gym-bro marketing wearing a hop cone costume. We give a well-earned shoutout to Truck & Tap before turning to whether Gen Z is actually drinking more than we give them credit for. And because no episode of ours is complete without the macro-brew circus, we close it out with Natty Light's "CoolShed" and Busch's genuinely unhinged "Live Worm Can."
Crack one open with us, this one's got a little bit of everything.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Christmas in July, a 21-Foot Tallboy, and Farewell to a Brewing Legend
We're back from the 4th and comparing notes on cookouts, coolers, and what we actually drank while the burgers burned. There's also some obligatory World Cup chatter, because apparently we're a soccer podcast now, plus some fun stats on just how much beer this tournament is moving.
Then we take a stand. Every year the autumn seasonals creep earlier and earlier, and this year we're saying nein. No pumpkin, no Oktoberfest, not yet. Instead we're flipping the script entirely and cracking Christmas beer in July, because if the calendar doesn't matter anymore, we're going all the way.
In beer news, it's a busy one. Voodoo Ranger is unleashing a 21-foot tallboy tanker on the East Coast for the G-Force Tanker Tour, and it's kicking off right here in Atlanta. Costco is quietly killing off its Kirkland Signature beers as the Deschutes partnership comes to an end, so grab that Helles Lager while you can. We also tackle the big question of the week: is a $20 4-pack ever actually worth it?
Then things get heavier. Humphrey Smith, the famously eccentric owner of Samuel Smith's, has died at 81, and we raise a glass to one of the strangest and most stubborn figures in brewing history. Untitled Art is reportedly shutting down, Lost Coast Brewery is up for sale as founder Barbara Groom looks to retire, Ballast Point abruptly closed its San Francisco taproom, and we've got the latest on the never-ending Anchor Brewing saga, where there are signs of life at the Potrero Hill brewery but still no beer coming out.
Grab a pint (or a Christmas ale, we won't judge) and settle in.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Big thanks to Coach Rogers for the show idea!
This year America turns 250, and we figured there's no better way to celebrate than to crack open the history books (and a few cold ones) and trace the whole wild story of beer in this country.
We start all the way back in 1612 with the first commercial brewery in New Amsterdam, then jump into how beer became a genuine act of political rebellion in the lead up to the Revolution. Turns out the Sons of Liberty were planning the Tea Party over pints of local ale, and George Washington had his own version of "Buy American." We even found a transcription of Washington's actual home brew recipe, and we sample a modern version from Talea Brewing and the NY Public Library.
From there we trace the German immigration wave that gave us lagers (and a literal riot in Chicago over Sunday beer sales), the refrigeration and pasteurization breakthroughs that made national beer brands possible, and the gut punch of Prohibition that nearly wiped the whole industry out.
Then we get into the comeback. The three tier system, the first beer can, Fritz Maytag saving Anchor Brewing, the Miller Lite "tastes great, less filling" boom, and the moment that changed everything for guys like us: Jimmy Carter legalizing homebrewing in 1978. From there it's a straight line to the IPA arms race, the IBU wars, the late 90s shakeout, the hazy NEIPA revolution, and 2015 when American breweries finally broke the record set back in 1873.
It's a lot of ground to cover, but that's kind of the point. 250 years of beer deserves a proper toast.
Grab a pint, settle in, and let's talk about how we got here.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Archaeologists in Scotland just unearthed a 1,100 year old Norse drinking hall on Orkney, complete with stone benches, sea views, and possibly the personal watering hole of a legendary Viking chieftain. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, Minocqua Brewing Co. just had $25,000 worth of beer seized by state officials in a tax dispute the brewery's outspoken owner claims is political payback from the governor, and now there's a lawsuit to match.
On the science side, a new study throws a wrench into "gluten-free" beer claims, revealing some labeled options in Germany still carry detectable gluten residue that standard tests miss entirely. That's bad news if you're brewing or buying gluten-free and assuming zero risk.
Then we head to Boston, where Scottish World Cup fans have reportedly drained planes, bars, and entire beer store fridges dry ahead of their opener against Haiti. Sam Adams needed an emergency resupply to keep up.
Plus: Tilray's plans to pour SweetWater, 10 Barrel, Terrapin, and other craft brands through BrewDog's UK taps, and the most baffling beer collab of the year: Heinz and Heineken's official six pack featuring five beers and one bottle of ketchup. We rank it against our own dream pairings (a PBR Pickle Pack, anyone?).
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Are you ready for the World Cup?
As beer nerds this would have been a great opportunity to capitalized on the World Cup hype. Maybe try to find a beer from every country playing? That sounds like a lot of work. Best we can do is some stats.
The "experts" say World Cup Fans will drink about a Billion pints of beer over the 31 days of the World Cup. I can believe that. But, a stat they compared it to was 2.6 Billion beers are consumed during the Super Bowl. You sure about that? We dug in a bit and it seems I'm not the only one that's skeptical. 2.6 Billion beers is a LOT of beer, and in one day, on a Sunday? Some say the number is closer to 500-600k, OK, maybe. We do like our beer and football.
Brian recaps his Kentucky trip that was a lot more bourbon heavy than last time. He got into some good stuff. And his wife got her hair did. Win-win.
And we're on the lookout to score the Coors Tallerboy. It looks like a triple-length can of beer to the uninformed eye but it's actually a koozie that holds 3 cans of beer. We need this.
In other news Atwater brewing is being sold back to one of the former owners, scientists are brewing a mummy beer, a 100-year old barrel sees new life.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Happy 250th, America!We're less than a month away from America's 250th birthday and there are some cool beers releasing to celebrate.
George Washington took some good notes on his beers and the NY Public Library collaborated with Talea Brewing to bring his "Small Beer" back to life. They brewed a version as true to the original recipe as possible and another that's revised to take advantage of modern materials and methods. Naturally, Boston Beer Co. / Sam Adams is releasing some patriotic brews as well, a limited 4 pack with recipes from four of the founding fathers.
If you want to take a shot at brewing your own presidential beer the National Archives have Obama's recipe for Honey Ale available online.
Vermonters are on the verge of having more friendly self-distribution laws. This is a fight many states have, we know it all too well in Georgia. In most states the distributors have the bulk of the power (and money) in the three-tier system so it's a tough battle. Congrats, Vermont.
If you're looking to take the family out for dinner and want an option other than Chuck E. Cheese or McDonald's we have good news for you - Hooter's is revamping their practices to be more family friendly. They say they were always meant to be a family restaurant but over the years many locations lost their way. So round up the kids and head to your local Hooter's for some wings... or breasts.
In other news a record-breaking 168 pack of beer launches, the world's largest craft beer museum opens in China, and Miller puts a "Juke Keg" up for auction on eBay.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Nate's on the road this week and Brian and I start off praising the glory of a good night's sleep. It's quite elusive these days, so we appreciate it even more. It can really work wonders.
We also discovered Haas Euphorics and chat about those. Botanical extract meant to be added to finished beer. They've got blends to add a rounded tropical profile or just a single fruit note if that's your thing. We're not sure what brewers are using these, we'll have to do some digging.
We just can't seem to get rid of James Watt. After the sale of BrewDog he's planning to open a new brewery called "Second Best." Is anyone excited for this? Sounds like he plans to give shares to the people that got the shaft in the Equity for Punks program. We'll begrudgingly follow this news to see where it goes.
On a more positive note it sounds like there's been some activity at the Anchor Brewery. Not much to report now outside of speculation but local reported seeing contractors there for things like refrigeration work. We'll follow this news with much more interest.
In other news scientists unearthed a 2,300 year old bottle of beer in pretty good shape for its age, Voodoo Brewing faces trouble but franchises should stay open, proof that Nubians drank antibiotic beer, and your Blue Moon is gonna get even more blue, temporarily.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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In this week's show...
- Pabst Is Calling It Quits on Schlitz
- Bale Breaker Buys Seattle's Cloudburst
- Gruit: We've Got It All Wrong
- Beer Drama: Armed Forces Brewery Lawsuits
- France Drinking More Beer Than Wine?
- Macro Beer Marketing Shenanigans Roundup
We forgot to publish this one on time so we're being lazy with the notes. We're ashamed but here we are.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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We need a nap.Must have been something in the air this week as all of us seemed to be struggling getting a good night's rest. I remember my youth, way back in the late 1900s, and 4 hours of sleep on a concrete slab and I was good as new. Maybe that kind of activity is why it's a whole damn project to get a good rest these days. Zzz.....
Right in line with our chatter last week 10 Barrel reached out to us about some of their "functional beverages." That's the word we couldn't think of last week. They've got an NA RTD cocktail now that has guarana, ginseng, caffeine, mushrooms, and sea salt in it. We're not sure we need an energy RTD, but we're down to try it.
In the Apple Beer Battle we didn't know existed Kestone Light comes out swinging with "the most American" apple beer you can find. Take that, Busch! This reminded us of Natural Light's Naturday's, something we enjoyed sitting on the beach in FL. Good times.
Sad beer news this week that UK pubs are really struggling these days and closing at an alarming rate. With their pub culture that's some grave news. If everything wasn't so damn expensive these days maybe they could keep those pubs full.
Positive news though, Creature Comforts Brewing is growing and will surpass 100,000 barrels brewed this year as they also expand their spirits offerings. More good news from Maine Beer Co. as they announce they're doing well and planning a large expansion.
In other news Yoko Ono shrieks a lawsuit at a small brewer and Ball Corp. says their can supply is mostly spoken for this year, and possibly in 2027.
Wild stuff.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Gas, wings, beer... everything is too expensive.The wild times continue and everything is too expensive. I had to get a loan to fill up my tank this week, and 2nd mortgage for a six-pack. Is Two Buck Chuck even two bucks anymore? Doubtful.
With the rising costs of everything the tradition of pre-gaming is back. Knocking back a few before you head out for an evening can save a good chunk on your drink bill. It's just good financial sense. Drink wherever you want to, just keep support those breweries. Drinking everywhere is on the decline, even the Czech Republic reported it's at an all time low. Oof.
The results of the World Beer Cup are in and we break it down a bit. Some interesting details from the categories to the countries winning medals. Are any of your favorites on the list?
As expected the OG Fat Tire is making a return, for a limited time, at least. We call it McRibbing. Hyping a popular item for a limited return to get the fans to buy it. It works, and not just for beer or pork sandwiches. Even more rare than McRibbing is pulling a Lazarus. But Iron Hill Brewery seems to be doing just that, with the original founder as part of the team. They said they'll be streamlined this time around. We're curious to see what happens here.
Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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This week, we let the beer do the thinking.
We kick things off with our Beers of the Week before diving headfirst into chaos: breaking down malt liquor for the uninitiated, introducing a dangerously fun new boilermaker (hello, Naughty Chouffe), and reacting to big industry moves like Sapporo scooping up Stone Brewing.
From there, it’s a whirlwind—saying goodbye to local staples, questioning whether high gas prices might actually help beer, and geeking out over the art of the Japanese sharp pour. Along the way, we’ve got shoutouts, strange trends (yes, pickle beer is real), and one absolutely ancient beer tab that has to be heard to be believed.
It’s part beer news, part deep dive, part “what are we even talking about anymore?”—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Home distilling may be coming soon, legally!Some big news this week as the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans declared the ban on home distilling unconstitutional. Now this doesn't mean we can all run out and get our gear to start making whiskey, some states (like Georgia) have bans in place on top of the federal ban. The reason it was overturned is interesting, too. Not a free card to get distilling, but a step in the right direction.
Boston Beer Co. is facing a big lawsuit from one of the suppliers for not buying as many cans as they committed to, $175 Million worth. That's a lotta cans.
The Brewers Association has announce the 2025 list of Top 50 craft breweries. We do enjoy seeing this list each year, but we take it with a grain of salt. There are a lot of the big companies buying up breweries that make the list, like Tilray, so the info is a bit skewed. Still, some pretty great breweries are on the list as well.
In other news... Bapple is back, back again. The Guinndex is keeping pint prices in check. Pabst collabs on a pickle beer. And 12.5% of all beer dollars go to one brewery group.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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You see that? Episode 500. Crazy.We've been running our mouths about beer for over a decade now. What a time it has been. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Big news for the beer world this week as it was announced that Mitch Steele would be joining Abita Brewing. Mitch is best known for his time at Stone Brewing and also co-founded New Realm Brewing here in Atlanta. He's been a very active member of our craft beer community and we'll miss having him around, but he seems like a great match for Abita and we're curious to see what they'll do together.
Copacking seems to be a hot item now. Many breweries are leaning on it pretty heavily for growth. It's part of Abita's growth strategy, Tilray has worked it into their model, and Firestone Walker is partnering with Trumer Pils for their US production. Is this a good way to stay afloat in the modern beverage climate? I guess we'll see.
In "tech" news this week Heineken has created a device they're calling The Clinker. You put it on your beer glass and when you clink with another user it can share your social media profiles and music playlists. I hate this idea, what do you think?
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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One last report this week on the numbers for BrewDog's sale to Tilray. The deal is done and it's wild to see where it landed.
Nate's back after an adventure through the Midwest. Lots of breweries along the way and he naturally brought some back to share.
Brian shares a "Boilermaker of the Week." He's a bit obsessed but we'll let him at it, he's not hurting anyone.
You remember Innis & Gunn? Seems they were hot stuff a decade or so ago. They had some tasty offerings. Well, they went bust, but they were bought and the beer should keep flowing. We'll have to keep an eye out for them
We talk beer and taxes and historical beer prices. How much was a 6-pack when you turned 21?
In other news... pulling CO2 out of the air, special Craft Malt category at the 2026 GABF, and we "invent" Foam Toppers.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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In this episode, we kick things off with a surprise Irish whiskey that caught us off guard, then quickly pivot into venting about gas prices and the reality of celebrating without the usual green beer gimmicks. Somewhere along the way, we tell you why you should follow Garron (trust us, he’s “delicious”) and break down our Beers of the Week.
We revisit the legend of the infamous “4th segment” before jumping into industry news, including Tilray and BrewDog making moves with U.S. acquisitions and Sycamore reopening as Club West Brewing. We also give a shoutout to Truck & Tap and check out some legit green beers from Phantom and Lindeman’s.
From there, we zoom out a bit—talking about how non-alcoholic beer is oddly becoming an inflation tracker in the UK, taking a nostalgic look at the lifestyles of high-earning 1980s hired guns, and discussing why craft beer might be cooling on cans. We also dig into how Guinness helped pioneer scientific statistics long before most people realize.
To wrap it all up, we explore the discovery of a 100-year-old beer cave in Iowa and react to George Clooney jumping into the non-alcoholic beer game.
It’s beer, news, history, and plenty of tangents—just the way we like it. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
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It is indeed a lovely day for a Guinness.
Despite all the madness in the world today it's nice that we have occasions to come together for a pint or two. St. Patrick's Day makes everyone Irish. Wear you green, grab a pint of Guinness, have an Americanized meal of corned beef and cabbage, and trade in your cheers for sláinte. You've earned it.
We have a special treat this year as Colm O'Connor from the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin joined us on the show. We learn about the festivities going down at the brewery and some of what makes Guinness special as we chat about some of the social media trends around this legendary beer.
In keeping with tradition we also share some news and stats, lore and legends of the holiday. Sláinte indeed.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
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We just can't get these guys outta the news...
That's right, more BrewDog news. This one caught me off guard but maybe it shouldn't have. Tilray continues to stockpile breweries, and they got this dog for cheap. Let's see how it goes.
In funner news, we had a bottle share last weekend. Good times, it's been way too long. We had some sour beers, grilled meats, played some cards, and smoked some cigars. You should have been there.
We've got a new hop out of Australian, or at least a new named hop - Luna. It's a fruity blend and suggested for use in lagers. Interesting.
In the legislative world our Georgia beer bill failed. We used to that, but it still stings every time. On a bigger scale the CHEERS Act returns, pushing for more eco-friendly draft systems.
Next week... our livestream will be on Thursday to accommodate a special guest. Colm O’Connor, Guinness Brewery Ambassador from the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. He'll join us for our St. Patrick's Day show and it's sure to be a great time.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Tilray strikes a deal that we're OK with.. for now.
Big news this week is that Tilray has struck a deal to brew and distribute several Carlsberg beers. From our point of view this is good to keep folks working at the breweries in their portfolio, and we love that. Let's see how it goes.
The FBI had some beer drama this week when Kash Patel chugged a beer while celebrating with the US Men's hockey team at the Olympics in Italy. Folks said he had work to be doing and shouldn't be wasting taxpayer dollars. We get that but if (big if) he was there on official business and happened to get the chance to hang with the team and celebrate we won't hold it against him.
We also talk about one of our favorite topics again, Gen Z's drinking habits. We're watching them like ants in an ant farm. This week, where they do spend money when their drinking and a classic tradition they think is cringe. Damn you, Gen Z!
Some chaos in Mississippi after a state ABC warehouse upgrade. Apparently the software that runs their conveyor belts has some bugs in it and has caused a huge backlog, like places not getting any liquor. They're currently working through the backlog but no news on fixing the issue.
In another news... super heavy beer mug challenges, the Topo's gone dry like Mississippi, and more tariff talk.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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We open the show with some sad news. Tim Very, drummer for Manchester Orchestra, died unexpectedly at just 42. We didn't know Tim well, but in our interactions he was always happy and super friendly. The death was unexpected and no cause has been reported. We're all big fans of their music and were saddened by the news. We wish all the best to his bandmates, family, and friends.
Curling is hot news right now. Olympic drama, guys curling cases of beer. I mean, it is an Olympic sport but from the stories of my Canadian friends it sounds like it's much like joining a bowling league here in the US. Get together and have a little fun while you drink some beers. Now that's what I call "training for the Olympics."
Speaking of sports... the Super Bowl was good for beer sales. No shocker there. Super Bowl parties and beer are a match made in heaven. I'll be concerned when I hear beer sales went down before Super Bowl Sunday. Definite sign of the apocalypse.
We also got some more chicken wing drama of the boneless variety with a guy suing Buffalo Wild Wings for fraud, and some hard data on the Chicken Wing Index. We got facts, y'all.
BrewDog is almost too easy of a target. Are y'all tired of hearing about them? I kind of like it, it's always some stupidity that they likely created themselves. They entertain me. The latest is that they're up for sale, quick sale apparently. Let's see what happens.
In other news... Boston Beer Co. to close a brewery we didn't know they owned and Australians are big mad about short pours.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
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In this episode...
- Bottlesharing and Amaro-Inspired Stouts
- Dropping By Frog Rock Brewing
- Wholesalers vs. Brewers Association Takes
- Surprising 2025 N/A Beer Insights
- Generational Booze Stats
- 2026 Edition of Beer Style Guidelines Out
- Political Beer Drama in Wisconsin
- 150-Year Old Beer Found in Arizona
- Bear Poop Beer For The Super Bowl
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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2026 shaping up to be the year of convenience store beer. It's got Goldman Sachs feeling particularly bullish. They're throwing around "buy" recommendations on beer stocks. We're obviously long on beer. And by that I mean, Brian is driving the sales of Long Beers at Atlanta-area convenience stores.
BrewDog is also all over news lately, and in keeping with tradition it's all bad. James Watt- is he coming back? Did he ever really leave? Does anyone care? Did anyone know they had a distillery? All these questions and more are asked in this episode.
And then there's 44-year old bottle of bourbon that set an auction record, and study that raises doubts about neo-prohibitionist alcohol claims. Take that, activist teetotalers.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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70% of people doing Dry January are liars.
Here's one I find hard to believe. Apparently 70% of people taking part in Dry January so they won't go back to drinking. C'mon, you ain't fooling me. Maybe they asked them like a week into January and they were feeling good and high and mighty and thought they would keep it up, but I just don't see that many people calling it quits. We'll see what the numbers tell us.
Some news that didn't shock us this week is that former Rogue employees are suing the company claiming they didn't proper followed proper procedure per the WARN Act that says you have to notify employees of larger companies before a plant closure effecting 50 or more people. (I think it was 50.) Considering the company is going (went) out of business there may be exceptions in play here. Another that we'll see how it develops.
The oldest monastic brewery in the world has been sold. Weltenburg Abbey in Bavaria has been brewing for 1,000 years and they're being bought by Munich's Schneider Weisse. Another sign of the times but sad considering all the brewery has been through.
In other news, Beer Brulee is trending, Brian gets a new t-shirt, the Most Interesing Man in the World is coming back, and The WHO thinks beer is too cheap. Whatever.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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We got new drinking rules, Y'all!
New federal dietary guidelines came out in the US recently and there are some changes to the recommendation on alcohol consumption. Rather than the old 1 drink for women, 2 drink for men it's been changed to "Drink Less." That's it, just an ambiguous suggestion to drink less. Do with that what you will.
And we've found a loophole to comply, along with another Guinness trend - The "60/40." Apparently some pubs are mixing 60% regular Guinness with 40% of the NA variety. Technically this would meet the new guidelines and also provide some justification to say you're doing Dry January. I mean, you are drinking NA beer, right?
Firestone Walker is celebrating a big birthday as they turn 30. They do good work and it's one of the few breweries not in Georgia that I'd love to see here. Maybe one day.
In other news we've got another Sycamore update (which I promise will be the last one unless something notable happens), crazy laws don't allow vintage dates on cider and mead, and Bapple is coming back, Baby!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Did you miss us?
Seems like forever since we did a show. Hope you had a nice Christmas and New Year! 2026 is starting off exhausting, good thing there's beer.
We probably should have made a bigger deal of this but with all the other stuff in our lives we didn't get to throw a big party. But, we turned 10! That's right, 10 whole years of Beer Guys Radio. It's been a crazy ride.
Of course with the new year comes the calls for Dry January. We chat about the stats on who's participating, and what their success may look like as well as potential loopholes for staying dry. Our vote? Enjoy your beers responsibly, as always. Your breweries need you to keep going and if everyone took a month off it would be a heavy hit. If you do choose to skip the booze maybe go check out their NA offerings, or grab a meal or two.
It seems alcohol sales were up over the holidays, but of course that's followed by the aforementioned Dry January. We'll still take any positive news available.
In other news... a beer that's also a vaccine, spent yeast helps lab-grown meat, and more updates on the Sycamore Brewing fallout.
Cheers! Happy New Year!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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We start the show this week reminiscing the days of chasing beers. Brews like KBS, CBS, BCBS (I see a trend here) were hard to come by and disappeared quickly. Now, they sit on shelves getting dusty. Do we have too much good beer?
We correct some bad intel we got recently. It seems that Anchor Brewing isn't leaving San Francisco and never intended to. American Craft Beer used AI to create their article and it got some info wrong. Never trust AI.
We also heard of the horrible charges against the founder of Sycamore Brewing. Initial a single charge but more has been added. And it looks really, really bad.
Note: Sycamore made the Top 3 in our Holiday Beer show. The show was recorded and scheduled for release prior to the news breaking.
Irish Stouts seem to be having a moment. First Guinness said they're doing well and now Murphy's said things are going swimmingly. What happened that made these dry stouts have a moment?
ABInBev is making some changes. They'll close some breweries and sell others. All about efficiency in a tightening sector.
All that American alcohol that Canada decide not to sell? It's stuck in warehouse, taking up space, costing money. Although their reasoning may have made sense it was really more of a shooting yourself in the foot situation. Many provinces have state run liquor boards, so that alcohol was bought with taxpayer money. They should have bought it all up to get that money back in the system. Oh well.
In other news... Trashed Panda is the hero we all needed, Kirin is developing beer with AI, and Gen Z is giving up on giving up. Finally.
We are off next week for Christmas!
Thank you all for riding along with us this year. We'll be back for one more show in 2025 before ringing in the New Year. We hope you all have a Merry Christmas, or other holiday of your choosing. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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It is time once again to share some of our favorite holiday beers with the help of our Jewish friends Ron and Michael from Rainy Day Brewing.
We keep it simple. Blind tasting a bevvy of holiday brews and picking our favorites. No specific styles, just holiday themed and rated on how much we enjoy them.
This year's beers...
- Bell's Brewery Christmas Ale
- Brasserie d'Achouffe N'Ice Chouffe
- Brasserie Dubuisson Scaldis Noel
- Brouwerij Corsendonk Corsendonk Christmas Ale
- Brouwerij St.Bernardus Christmas Ale
- Deschutes Brewery Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale
- Highland Brewing Cold Mountain
- Huyghe Brewery Delirium Noel
- Rogue Ales Santa's Private Reserve
- Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Classic
- Spoetzl Brewery Shiner Holiday Cheer
- Sweetwater Festive Ale
- Sycamore Brewing Christmas Cookie Ale
We won't give any spoilers here but will say we had a solid showing this year and you have plenty of great beers to choose from.
Let us know what you think of the rankings and any favorites that we didn't try.
Happy Holidays, Y'all!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Are you a connoisseur of cask ale?
Cask ales aren't wildly popular in the US, but they have their fans. For folks in the Atlanta area we do have a couple of places known for the quality of their casks, and they put up some unique offerings.
In a huge announcement the Siebel Institute announced they'll be leaving Chicago, a city they've called home for 157 years. The prestigious brewing school cited immigration policies as part of the reason for the move. Users on Facebook debated the validity of that claim. Either way, they'll be heading to Canada very soon.
Tilray is all over the news lately. A reverse stock split, closing Revolver, and rumors they may be interested in buying Rogue. They're really all over the place.
Boston Beer Co. is facing a class action lawsuit on the way they enforce non-competes. Apparently they're bending rules some in the way they compensate exiting employees that are under a non-compete. I generally think favorably of Boston Beer Co., but this sure doesn't sound good.
NO LIVE STREAM NEXT WEEK! We're recording our annual Interfaith Holiday Craft Beer Spectacular this weekend which will drop next Saturday, so no stream on Wednesday, but don't miss the show.
Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Pioneering brewery Rogue Ales announces closure.
Reading the news of Rogue Ales' closing I saw several people react with surprise. These don't surprise me anymore, every brewery is at risk. Rogue isn't the biggest we've seen fall and I'm sure there will be more. It does still sting. Craft beer is really taking a beating.
Rogue Ales is credited with introducing the "bomber" to the beer world. The 22 oz. bottles were extremely popular for a while. My cellar is still full of them. I recall drinking macros in 22s back in the day, but we called the Double Deuces. I thought it was before Rogue, but Rogue was launched in 1988, even before my drinking days began, so maybe they did introduce them. Props to Rogue for that one.
Surprising news from the ashes of Iron Hill. Some of the recently closed locations have been purchased and may reopen, as Iron Hill. No real details on this one right now but we'll keep an eye out.
Not beer news here but the hemp ban passed. We don't love the competition with craft but we also don't think an entire industry should be banned. We're adults here and should be able to make these choices on our own. The industry does have a year to prepare and efforts are definitely in motion to loosen the restrictions.
In other news... GenZ invents coffee stout, Wilding Brands expands their portfolio with the purchase of Upslope Brewing, and a sweet new pinball machine is coming.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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The giants keep falling...
New came out this week that Monster will shutter the original Cigar City Brewing in Tampa. It's been nothing but a downward trend for Cigar City since Monster took over, even before the overall industry started to slide. Corporate and craft just don't mix. A sad day. (After the show taping we also learned that Rogue Brewing will be closing.)
More lighthearted fun news in the beer world - Carlsberg is making the world's smallest beer. This lil' guy isn't much bigger than a grain of rice but it is a real bottle, with a real cap, that hold real (non-alcoholic) beer.
We've also got a new Winter seasonal coming for Sam Adams. It's the first new Winter seasonal in over 30 years. BOLO for Sam Adams Winter White Ale and let us know what you think.
In other news Sierra Nevada's Celly Drippins gets a "national" release, a sour beer pioneer retires, and the beer institute is gunning for THC bevs... but I think our government just made that fight pointless.
Have a great week, Y'all. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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In this week's episode...
I normally like to do a nice write up here but I was off this week and haven't had a chance to listen through. I hope you'll forgive me for the lazy list this week. Cheers, y'all!
- Saying goodbye to Independent Distilling
- Innis & Gunn's 1875 Arctic Ale
- Beer From 45 Million Year Old Yeast
- Untappd For All Beverages?
- Big New Glarus Expansion Update
- The BA's “Brews to Barns” Tax Credit
- Faster Lambic Production With... Peas?
- Red IPAs The Next Big Thing?
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Do you remember the Randall?
Maybe 10 years ago you couldn't go into a craft beer bar or many breweries without seeing a Randall. If you missed this fad the Randall was/is a device that attached to beer lines and allowed you to serve the beer through ingredients to add flavor. Like berries, cinnamon sticks, coffee beans, etc. They were neat, but the fad was short lived. But they may be making a return, or at least a variation, the Renee. Now you can Randall at home. It's pretty fun and a neat way to experiment. Give it a shot.
We've heard about beer going to space a few times. Sometimes just yeast or hops, but I Japanese company is brewing a beer in space to see what kind of impacts it has on the beer, if any?
In other news... Brewery failure (may) present opportunities for trademark acquisition, craft beer makes its way to Jeopardy, meet the Vienna Lager, and what not to drink with your hot wings.
Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Can AI make our beer better?
AI is everywhere these days, and now it's coming for our beer. Is that a good thing? AI research was used to optimize beer fermentation and reduce the time to get to a finished beer, supposedly with the same quality. I don't trust it, but I'm open to tasting the results.
In keeping with tradition when Sam Adams Utopias releases every news outlet mentioning it has to include the fact that it's "illegal in 15 states." We know, we know. This year's version hit a milestone, clocking in at 30%. Are you going to try it?
More beer science suggest that both regular beer and NA beer improve our guy biome. I'm all for gut health and bringing beer to a health routine sounds good to me.
A Canadian airline is offering free beer on flights. Air Canada is making the "generous" offer to it's passengers. The catch, they're also implementing a $35 carry-on baggage fee. You'll pay for your beer one way or another.
In other news Main Beer Co's Dan Kleban is ending his running for Senate, Molson Coors is cutting jobs, and Godzilla-themed PBR cans are coming. Rawr.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
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Another GABF is in the books...
Reports from the field say this year's Great American Beer Festival was a shell of what it once was. That's not surprising considering the overall craft landscape, but still a bummer.
Seeing the beers and breweries that win, and what categories are popular is always fun. I learn about new breweries every year. Also, the West Coast IPA continues to make a comeback. There were 300 entries in the category with Hazy/Juicy edging it out for the top spot but just 1 more entry. Impressive.
More news on Iron Hill that somewhat unexpectedly shuttered all their locations. Their financial are pretty shocking. It's a bit surprising they stayed open this long.
On the international front, India is facing a major can shortage that could impact beer supplies and more news on pre-Incan psychedelic brews. Groovy.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
How much beer would it take for you to change your name?
What kind of beer? For how long? How about 19 years worth of Busch Light? That's the dream for someone, I'm sure. And Busch Light is ready to deliver.
Oktoberfest is officially over in Germany but in keeping with American traditions it will be going strong here for about another month. We're OK with it. More festbiers and schnitzels are fine with us. A little scare at Oktoberfest last week, it had to be shut down briefly due to a potential bomb threat.
We got an update on Asahi. Seems like they're back online after the cyberattack last week. We're getting mixed signals on whether or not data was leaked. We'll update if we find out more.
Gen X is now the king of packaged goods, including beer. That honor has gone to Baby Boomers for a while now, but Gen X took the lead. We're very proud of our accomplishment.
In other news... Winston Churchill's work around for American Prohibition, Dubai chocolate (stouts?), a real beer whale, and the longest of long beers.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Another week and more Oktoberfest fun. We got out for some barrel aged goodness and hot pretzels as the Fest season rolls on.
Big news on a couple fronts this week as Iron Hill announces the closure of all locations. They'd previously stated few were slated to close so this was a surprise. Asahi also announced all (or several, it's unclear) of their breweries were shut down due to a cyberattack.
Michelob Ultra takes the top spot as the best selling beer in America, dethroning Modelo which took a bit quicker rise to the top after Bud Light alienated a large portion of their fanbase. Let's see how long they stay there.
Rumor is that Gen Z may be saving cask ale. Brian actually called that one. Good for them, they've been taken the blame for too much lately.
In other news there's some cool new science for using spent grains, Charlie Sheen's got an NA beer coming, and chimpanzees are total lushes. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It is time once again to drink a bunch of Oktoberfest beers, for science.
Is it Oktoberfest again already? Almost. But we're ahead of the curve. Not enough to be seasonal creepy, mind you, just enough to get you prepped for the festivities.
Our annual Oktoberfest blind tasting is one of our (and your) favorite episodes. We sit down and sample a dozen Oktoberfest beers and pick our favorites. This year was a fun one.
Shout out to the Nates for hosting and catering the event. We had brats, charcuterie, beer cheese dip, hot German potato salad, and soft baked pretzels. Quite the smorgasbord.
The Contenders
- Ayinger Privatbrauerei Oktober Fest-Märzen
- Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Oktoberfest
- Fat Orange Cat Brew Co. Bavarian Kittens
- Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen
- Hofbräuhaus München Oktoberfestbier
- Spoetzl Brewery Shiner Oktoberfest
- Tucher Bräu Festbier
- Samuel Adams Octoberfest
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. / Störtebeker Oktoberfest
- Six Bridges Brewing Feierabend
- Warsteiner Oktoberfest
- Weihenstephaner Oktoberfestbier
Have you tried these this year? Let us know what you think and how our list compares to yours.
Prost!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
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How much would you pay for brewery swag???
Brian and I checked out Atlanta’s new soju distillery this week and learned a lot—everything from smooth 17% pours to a fiery 40% bottle, plus makgeolli, the cloudy, tangy rice wine that surprised us in the best way. Back at Halfway Crooks, I nearly bought a tote bag until I saw the $20 price tag, which sparked a whole chat about brewery swag sticker shock.
We also dug into the sad news that 21st Amendment is closing after 25 years, shared our beers of the week (including Focal Banger, Cold-Hearted IPA, and a big port-and-bourbon-barrel stout), and laughed about Gen Z putting ice in beer. Add in some global stories—Africa’s beer boom, mosquitoes loving beer drinkers, and even trace MRI chemicals in European lagers—and it was a packed episode.
Next week’s our Oktoberfest tasting show, so no livestream, but plenty of Märzens on deck!
Cheers!
Tim
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
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Big booze gets a beating from boycotts
Beer adjacent news here. It seems Canadian boycotts are hurting American whiskey wine report sales down massively across Canada. I imagine these aren't the only international pains we'll be feeling.
Some beer growth is happening, even if it's for Big Beer. Guinness announced they're undertaking a massive expansion to relieve pressure on their main brewery. The new location will also brew other brands under parent company Diageo's umbrella.
RIP to an OG. Gordon Bowker, co-founder of Redhook (and Strabucks!) has died. He was 82.
In other news more BrewDog drama as co-founder leaves suddenly, Maine Beer Co. founder Dan Kleban is making a run for US Senate, and the science of beer foam and why it matters.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
With so many ups and downs it's no wonder we need a beer.
Mo Mic Nate will be on the road next week on a great New England beer adventure. Hopefully he drinks a lot of great beers we can't get here, and brings plenty back to share.
Survey says that beer consumption is at an 86 year low. We're not sure we trust the math, but we know it's a struggle out there. Aluminum costs on the other hand, they're up, and may get even more upper. I'm sure higher costs will help breweries to do well and get people drinking more. It's foolproof.
In other news... More drama from BrewDog, as is tradition. Ballast Point is alive and kicking, and just got a big investment. Best of luck to them. In the world of SCIENCE! Apparently sound makes beer brew faster. Neat.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
What would be the first beers you put in the Craft Beer Hall of Fame?
We've talked a good bit about the Craft Beer Hall of Fame since their early planning stages. They added their inaugural group of brewers not long ago and new they've welcome their first beers. Those had to be some tough decisions.
The Great American Beer Fest is just around the corner and they've got some new things planned for 2025. There were some interesting changes last year as well. As we all know our beloved beverage is having tough times. The BA is doing amazing things to make GABF interesting to beer lovers and others. It's sure to be a good time.
We learned of some crazy laws in Wisconsin that is seriously hurting the brewfest scene. Apparently, out of state brewers will now have to pay a huge fee to come in for festivals. Reports are anywhere from $1,000 - $1,300, which is a massive amount for a small brewery. At one event over 60 breweries have already canceled their participation.
In other news... Fat Tire wants to give a Gen-Zer $100,000 to take a year off and chase their passions, Boston Beer Co. is closing a couple of taprooms, and a craft beer video game has a sequel coming. Check out Dude, Where's My Beer? on Steam for the free demo.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It's a daggum good time to drink a beer, I tell you hwhat...
Have you watched the reboot of King of the Hill yet? It's pretty good. Push on through to Episode 2 and see Hank Hill take up a hobby that merges two of his true loves.
It's hold and cold here in Georgia. Hot, and cool. Either way, it's important to stay hydrated. We got tips.
Whether we like it or not, the Oktoberfest beers are out in full force. I know these breweries have to be first to market to get the early birds. But Brian found some Oktoberfest beers on the shelf from a brewery that's been closed for quite a while. Sad.
There's big shake ups for big beer companies at the executive level. Jim Koch is returning as CEO of Boston Beer Co. and Pabst has a couple c-level swaps happening.
Some good news for Europe. Beer production is up. I'm sure we'll here news next week of it being down, flat, whatever. But for now, it's up.
We also learn what draws people to buy a beer that they're not familiar. Packaging is important, and the "experts" think they have some insight.
That's all for this week. Cheers, Y'all!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It's been a hot one here in Georgia. We had a few days where it "felt like" it was over 100 degrees. Terrible temps make for good drinking weather, though.
In this week's show...
- Hulk Hogan passes away but that seemed to boost his beer sales
- Brewdog announces closure of several brewpubs
- A new record is set in the Beer Mile
- King of the Hill beer release is delayed
- Bearded Iris is sold (And we didn't even know they broke up with Scofflaw)
- Buffalo Brewery vandalized and then shafted by insurance
- And Coors Light drops a cold-activated... deodorant?
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We finally got our hands on some Bapple, for better or worse. We'll find out if it's worth the hype.
We've also come to one of our favorite times of the year for complaining, Oktoberfest beer releases in July. I even saw an local business pitching their Christmas party events. Pure madness.
New Zealand was hit with heavy rain and widespread flooding. The hop growing region was hit pretty hard. What does this mean for the NZ hop harvest this year, and next?
As tourists avoid the US a Vermont beer fest has a plan to try and woo them back stateside. I hope it works.
In other news... winners and some trends from the 2025 US Open Beer Championship, how to efficiently load a cooler, and some unfortunate news on Anchor Brewing.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Sad news this week with the passing of Jack McAuliffe of New Albion beer. When you talk OGs in craft beer his name should definitely be in the conversation. Jacks was an innaugural inductee into the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame along with co-founder Suzy Stern and Jane Zimmerman.
How many of you have seen a bar on a plane? I feel like I flew on a couple when I was a youngin. I remember thinking how interesting it was to have a bar on a plane - then I took my seat in coach and carried on. Virgin Atlantic says people have moved on from the novelty of bars on planes and they're phasing them out. Sad.
More drama with Hulk Hogan's beer brand. Their facing a lawsuit that says the idea for Real American Beer was stolen. The Hulkster always seems to be in hot water.
Much to Brian and Nate's delight, we found out Spaghettsicles are a thing. But they're an expensive thing. Nate's going to try crafting his own. Maybe.
Rounding out the week we've got better beer taxes in Missouri, conveyor belt sushi, and unusual drinking customs from around the world.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Welcome back for another amazing episode of Beer Guys Radio.
We can't seem to get a full house lately. Nate's out this week but Tim and Brian roll on. Lots to recap from the holiday, some good and not so good brewery news. Always an adventure.
- Brian's Colorado Cold Brew
- 4th of July Excitement
- Beers of the Week
- How About Some Guinness Waffles?
- Alamo Beer: Broke to Breaking Out
- Braille Beer Label Printer Invented
- Shoutout: Truck & Tap
- Rice Could Improve N/A Beer Flavor
- TRVE Brewing Closing
- Zillacoah's 1st Beer Since Helene
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Tim's back after a battle with Covid that took him out had for two days and took his sense of smell for a week. Rough.
We re-hash the NA story from last week about it being not-so-healthy. We didn't think it was, but maybe some folks thought the absence of alcohol made it a health drink. I think it's just more bad press from the haters.
In our Style Profile series Nate breaks down the Italian Pilsner for us and we turn to ChatGPT to get the exact scoop in the difference between German, Czech, and Italian Pilsners.
We discuss our drinking habits across the seasons and whether not they change. Although we all said not really I think it changes up a bit just due to the availability of beers. Like the big and beautiful stouts of Winter.
In other news the Incans may have been powered by beer and even tossed in some hallucinogenics for the fun of it, big retailers share their predictions for Summer beverage trends, beer in bed, and the Giants are giving fans FREE BEER. What a time to be alive.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Tim was out sick again this week, Covid really hanging on. Brian likes to call it "being on assignment" for some reason. Covid is a terrible assignment.
But Brian and Nate held down the fort, here's what they talked about...
- Snow Beer and Bapple
- New "Publicly Developed" Hop Vera
- Is N/A Beer Really Healthier?
- US Alcohol Guidelines Being Dropped
- Constellation and Diageo Getting Sued
- Is Rice The Next Big Thing In Beer?
- Pairing Beer With Spicy Food
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
This week Brian and Nate recap their casual bottle share which they didn't invite Tim to or even tell him about. What the hell? Anyhow... they kept it chill and shared a few brews just like the old days. Good times were had by all those that knew it was happening
A company claims to have been the first to formulate a beer meant for drinking on a flight and brewed for the higher altitude. We feel like we've heard this before though.
More online conversations from a few places about kids in taprooms but it seems opinions may be changing. Our views vary, but what is usually a hot topic seemed to keep mostly level heads.
More brewery closures as Tilray closes the Redhook brewlab, a Voodoo Ranger and Malort collab with a twist is out, and knocking back boilermakers around the world.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
As we get things going this week we find out Nate has been flexing his culinary muscles on some ice cream adventures. Naturally, we ask if he's made any with booze. He has not. He continues to be a source of disappointment.
Seems like every week there's something new to blame on Gen Z. We've decided to embrace it. It's all Gen Z's fault - and they'll pay for this, one beer at a time.
GABF announced some new beer styles for this year's competition and in interesting one-time category for a new hop. On the competition front there's also a new #1 in Africa, a unique and traditional style called umqombothi. Neat.
We also found out Hulk Hogan's beer company is making a push to buy Hooter's, and they're apparently bidding against - Hooter's? Whatever happens it will have to get creative because, thanks to the 3-tier system, you can't own a brewery and a retailer. Let's see how this pans out.
To wrap things up we chat about the worst beers we've ever tried and the brews ranked as the worst in the world. We've tried a few and can confirm they deserve their spot on the list.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Before diving into the terrible news of increasing tariffs on the aluminum needed to make our beer cans we "review" the Miller & Pringles collaboration chips we talked about a while back. Are they good? Do they taste like beer can chicken and beer brats? Find out!
Nate gives us a style profile on American Cream Ale. We're fans, and there's more out there than you might realize. Coffee versions are especially tasty.
In some surprising news, or maybe note, Non-Alcoholic beer is poised to surpass Ale as the 2nd largest beer category. As beer nerds we get into a lot of ales but, around the globe, Lager still dominates - by a lot.
Another loss for the beer community this week with the passing of esteemed writer Martyn Cornell. Through blogs, articles, and books Cornell educated many on beer and debunked some popular myths on the origins of certain beers.
We've got a very small update on Anchor Brewing. Spoiler: Things are happening, but not much.
If you're a homebrewer, we've got some tips from the Brewers Association on how to win at beer competitions. Take notes and good luck!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Kentucky roads, Drop Bears, and weird drinking traditions
Fresh off a tiring vacation Brian shares his drinking adventures in Louisville, KY and educates on the proper pronunciation of it's name. A bit of beer, a lot of whiskey, and a disappointing chicken fried steak.
Two beer legends pass away
Oscar Wong, founder of Asheville's Highland Brewing Co. passed away this week. Highland was the first brewery in Asheville and Mr. Wong contribute immeasurably to the beer scene there and across the country. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.
George Wendt, know to many as Norm from the 90s sitcom Cheers, also passed away this week. For those of a certain age bracket Norm's dry humor was an important part of their weekly entertainment. RIP, Norm.
Some good news out of Asheville
Hi Wire Brewing recently re-opened in Asheville after the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. We also round up updates on a few others breweries in the area. Great to see some of them bouncing back.
Also on the show...
Weird Aussie drinking traditions, calories in popular beers, and Brian learns about the deadly Drop Bear. Spooky.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
What beer pairs with caviar and Doritos?
I should be able to answer this question as I have had caviar on Doritos. It's not bad, but I forget what beer I had with it. I'll have to revisit.
Outside of crazy caviar parties we learn there's a new world's strongest "beer." The method for making it means it doesn't technically qualify as beer some places, but that's how it's being billed.
We learn about distro laws for Thailand. I had no idea some of the limitations craft brewers had there. Guess there are struggles everywhere.
More news on Gen Z's drinking habits. That's such a hot topic these days. Gotta keep them coming to keep the industry alive.
In other news... We get falsely imprisoned, DoorDashing your booze is on the rise, and a six-way collaboration is coming.
Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
This week, we’re raising a glass to American Craft Beer Week—because if there’s one thing we do best, it’s drinking local and talking about it loudly into microphones.
Tim’s off on a secret beer mission (probably), so Brian calls in reinforcements in the form of Mo Mic Nate— beverage philosopher, and man of many hats (most of them ball caps).
The Setup
It’s been one of those weeks. Nate’s fresh off sweating through a Georgia scorcher with a frosty pint in hand, and Brian’s just survived a medieval dental visit where his dentist told him—get this—he has a small mouth. (Cue audience laughter.)
But never fear, the mics are hot and the beer is cold.
American Craft Beer Week – What's the Big Deal?
Craft Beer Week isn't just a clever excuse to drink more (though it helps). It’s a time to:
- Support local taprooms and breweries
- Try something new on the menu (yes, even the rice lager)
- Remind ourselves why independent beer still hits different
Brian and Nate break down what breweries are doing to celebrate—from limited releases and glassware drops to brewery crawls and collabs.
What Else Is on Tap?
- Brian’s post-dentist drinking logic
- Nate’s glassware superiority complex
- Craft beer trends that need to chill out
- Craft beer trends that need more love
- Shoutouts to the folks keeping local beer alive
Final Thoughts
It's a fun, slightly unhinged episode full of good laughs, better beer, and a reminder that even when the world feels like a flat IPA, craft beer still brings people together.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
"Bitter" Truths, Big Beers, and Bold Moves
This week, we crack open a triple dose of hop-fueled commentary, brewery gossip, and World Beer Cup bombshells. We even got a little salty—literally.
In Beers of the Week we pay tribute to a fallen Georgia brewer with Jekyll Brewing’s Big Creek Kölsch. Jekyll, a longtime staple with both supporters and haters, is set to shut down all locations on Mother’s Day. We dove deep into their history, rise, Kickstarter roots, and the harsh economics of brewery expansion in a post-industrial park taproom era.
Then came the ESB talk. What the heck is an ESB anyway? Brian broke down the style—medium malt, medium hop, and no, it’s not actually that bitter. We dug into the surprising World Beer Cup win: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale taking gold in the American ESB category. Wait, what? Pale Ale is an ESB now? According to the new guidelines, apparently so. The lines blur, styles evolve, and Brian drops knowledge.
Speaking of the World Beer Cup, Georgia showed up big: 6 breweries, 9 medals. New Realm, Bold Monk, Wild Heaven, and others brought home serious hardware. We raised a glass to our local heroes and called out a few surprise absences (no Creature Comforts?).
Economic chatter followed, and for once, the news wasn’t all doom and gloom. The U.S. beer industry contributed over $470 billion in 2024, thanks to jobs, taxes, and of course, your favorite six-packs. But challenges remain—Tilray teeters on delisting, and even success stories sometimes mask hard decisions behind closed taproom doors.
And finally, Tecate went weird: a salty light lager made with Gulf of Mexico water, available only on a floating bar off the Yucatan. No, really.
So whether you're crushing cream ales with bourbon chasers, debating beer style semantics, or lamenting your favorite brewery’s closure, this week’s episode has you covered.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Drink Local!
We've discovered over the years that local beer can mean different things to different people and that can vary depending on where you are. We're a bit flexible with the term and even our opinions have changed a bit over the years. How do you define local beer?
Analyzing beer with your phone. An app has been developed that can measure the level of DMS in beer. Scientifically known as Dimethyl Sulfide, it's presence can give beer flavor of cooked corn, cabbage, tomato juice, and even seafood. There's a bit more to it then just taking a pic of your beer, but it's still pretty neat.
Why do we put limes in Mexican lagers? The short of it? We're not sure where or why it started. Maybe it just tastes good. Brian built us up to expect an answer, but didn't deliver. There are a few theories though.
1.5 liters of beer for only 67 cents. That's a bargain no matter how you look at it. Aldi in China offers up this insane deal. I can't expect it's a medal winning beer but I would like to try it.
In other news... Beer made from urine (really), some big anniversaries, and we say goodbye to Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
I do love a good hotel bar
Hotel bars. Like regular bars (OK, I guess they are regular bars) they run the gamut from super divey to classy. They've got their own vibe though and in some smaller towns they may be the best thing going. What are your thoughts?
With all the news of closures lately it was nice to see that Fifty-Fifty Brewing is planning a major expansion. These folks had a lot of hype 8-10 years ago. Their big, barrel-aged bombers commanded a hefty price and were always exciting to see at bottle shares. I haven't heard as much about them lately but maybe that's on me.
We can't get away from taxes and tariffs. Honestly, we don't really have a good idea of what is and isn't tariffed and from where. We share with you what we can, but it's confusing. Plus, Washington state is trying to hike up their taxes on beer. I think now would be a good time to chill, it's tough enough as it is.
It's not just the US that's feeling the pinch on beer. The German beer industry is struggling, too. And they've got a long-standing drinking culture without as much of the stigma that it has to some people here. Come on, Germany. Get to drinking.
In other news... Brian can brew coffee but cooking stresses him out, the beer delivery strike in Manhattan is avoided, and we recap our trip to the Georgia Craft Brewers Fest.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Everything sucks, but at least we still have beer
The Brewers Association released their 2024 brewing industry stats recently. As expected, it wasn't great, but it could be worse. There are still passionate people opening breweries and us consumers still have more options for great beer than we ever have before. Praise be.\
ChatGPT and Beer (and other things)
Do you use AI in your job? For Brian and I it's become a daily tool. It's advancing amazingly fast. There are fun beery things you can do with it, too. Get beer recommendations, have it create labels and action figures from your description, or research info on beer and breweries. One caveat - it gets things wrong, a lot, and it states them rather confidently. Question everything it tells you and verify the info. If something doesn't look right then call it out and the AI will take another look to verify its info... but it may tell you something else wrong again.
It's hard not to be political these days
Y'all, we have been doing this show for going on 10 years and we've always avoided politics. That's becoming difficult to do but we will (in most cases) try to present things as facts and information. But, it's getting crazy out there. The tariffs are hitting the industry already with one smaller local brewery saying the tariffs have already cost them an extra $60,000. Constellation Brands reports that the immigration policies are impacting their sales. I hope our countries can get their acts together, cause it's not looking good.
In other news...
More brewery closures announced of brands owned my Tilray and Monster, and Miller releases a beer-infused record of dive bar sounds. Seriously.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Record setting vintage beer can sold
I enjoy breweriana but I always struggle with saying it. Serious collectors will pay big money to add to their collections. Last week, a vintage beer can in excellent condition sold for over $100,000. Now that's a serious brewerianaian.
From the "We'll take any good news we can get" files, people are still preferring to go out for beers vs. grabbing them to drink at home. A surprising percentage of the population said they'd still go to a bar or restaurant even if they were tight on money. Hey, we all have to get out every now and then.
Utah's alcohol laws have always been a bit... unique. In a big move for Utahans, they'll soon be able to get beer delivered to their car. Sounds odd but it's really just allowing them to get the beer brought out to them when they do a curbside grocery order. Small victories are still victories.
In other news, we get an update on what's going to happen with Dry Dock Brewing, talk about the states with the most expensive cases of macro beers, and chat about contract brewing. Good times.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Spring has sprung and everything is covered in pollen
We attended Little Beer Fest in Duluth, GA last weekend and the Atlanta area set a record for pollen count. The sky was a bit yellow-green hazy. Madness. The sneezes and itchy eyes didn't keep us from enjoying a lot of great beers, though.
You ever think about the various "eras" of craft beer? The IBU wars, the race to be the most sour, Haze Craze. We ponder what the various eras have been and what may be next.
The tariffs we've been talking about have finally rolled out, so we share the latest on those. It's going to hit everything. Buckle up.
Some big news on the buyout front this week with Anderson Valley and Great Divide being acquired. Locally, our beloved Terrapin Brewpub at Truist Park is now a Blue Moon brewpub. Since Terrapin was sold and Miller-Coors has rights to beer at the stadium it was kind of expected this might happen.
In other news a thirsty gentleman has invented a self-cooling beer can and we find out what each generation's favorite beers are.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Craft beer is having some tiny victories.
Most of the news about craft beer these days, is not good. Breweries closing, being bought, layoffs. Blech. But there are some tiny rays of hope out there that shows this ol' drink still has life. In some locations craft beer is up. That's right. Up. And in others it's taking market share from wine and spirits. We'll take all the good news we can, now matter how small.
We also was poetic about being able to sell beer from your house, which is totally cool in some countries. I'm sure if we'd had this option when we were heavy into brewing we would have sold a few bottles. Imagine the utopia if every neigborhood had 4-5 pubs.
No new tarrif news, how about some tax news?
As far as we know there's nothing new to report on the tariffs this week. I'm sure there will be soon. But taxes, we got news on taxes. In the UK there's a proposed tax increase on their beloved, threatening to push the average price of a pint over £5, and the Brits aren't happy about it. In Oregon there's a proposed sales tax on beer which is double crazy since Oregon doesn't have sales tax at all right now. It's been proposed before and didn't go anywhere. Let's hope that trend continues.
In other news we reminisce on the old days when your beer didn't even have to be good for you to be a successful brewery, share some great news if you're over 90, and talk about the growing popularity of cans.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Four more beers!
We just can't get away from talking about tariffs. The ever changing topic that politicians are using to swing their johnsons around at each other. Well, it's really just one politician, but it's impacting everyone. And, it could impact your beer in a big way.
On a lighter note we learn about the highest brewery in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Did you know the records thing was started by Guinness the brewery? Sir Hugh Beaver (seriously) got into a debate about the fastest game bird and commission a book for records and facts that eventually became the Guiness Book of World Records. They're no longer officiially connected, but they do have common heritage.
Science! The scientists say hanxiety is a real thing. That anxiety you feel a day (or two) after having one too many. We've got the details on why.
Canada is really taking a lot of heat in this political circus. Moosehead has a cure, at least a treatment, they created a Presidential Pack of 1,461 cans - one for each day of Trump's presidency. If you want to grab one you're out of luck, they sold out fast.
Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Grab a pint of Guinness and let's go!!!
As you all know, Brian and I are also cologne nerds. In the cologne world (fragcom) you have niche (craft) and designers (macro/Big Beer) but there are a few designers that get a pass by the "niche snobs" as being acceptable. Kind of like Guinness. It's really big beer, but most craft crazies don't mind and will still enjoy a Guinness. St. Patrick's Day is the perfect day for it.
You don't have to drink Guinness, there are several other great Irish stouts available. And many local breweries offer up a great Dry Irish Stout for the holiday. We share some suggestions for you to check out. Brian is also a fanboy of the "Half and Half," with the old Black and Tan being the most well known. There are a lot of other options there, too.
Outside of the beer we dive into who St. Patrick was, or might have been. Some info on the lore and legends of St. Patrick's Day, and some consumer predictions for this year's celebrations.
However you do it, have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
On again, off again tariffs will impact beer prices
I don't know what to say about these tariffs. We record a show and talk about them going into effect, then they're paused again. We can't keep up. However, a lot of folks aren't buying the delays and making big changes to the way they do business. In the end, if they do go into effect, it's going to impact the price of your beer, and mostly likely everything else.
Monster Beverage took a huge loss on their beer business. Good. They gobbled up some great breweries and did terrible things with them. Most of the people we cared about at these places have moved on. I don't wish ill will for any that remain, but Monster can go pound sand.
We've always said, "It's OK, if it's an a 3-way." It's kind of our motto. Monks took note and there's a 3-way Trappist collaboration brew coming out. Hopefully we can get our hands on it.
In other news... pairing beer and chocolate, Teamsters go after Boston Beer Co., and Isaac Newton's beer mug is on display in all its glory. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
The American Craft Beer Hall of Fame announces their first inductees
Recently the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame held a ceremony to announce their innaguaral group of inductees. Lots of familiar, and deserving men and women made the cut. I'm sure it wasn't easy to choose.
NA beer continues to have lovers and haters. Despite the haters, the popularity continues to grow and the NA beer category continues to break its previous sales records, most recently in January.
If you've went to a bar and had a beer that you know you love and it just wasn't hitting, it's likely the bar wasn't taken care of things properly. Storage temps, clean draft lines and glassware, and even the way a beer is poured can have a huge impact on how that beer drinks. The Colorado Brewers Guild aims to combat that by certifying bars that do everything right. We're totally behind the idea and hope it expands.
In other news... Brian shares info on the most expensive airport beers, we anxiously await the release of Beer Can Chicken Pringles, and a shift in sales to on premise? Madness.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
As craft beer struggles, brewers fight for better beer laws
The battle for better beer laws is a long one. I've personally been involved in the grassroots efforts for a decade now and many of Georgia's breweries have been at it 3x that long.
Beer laws don't get changed easily. The three-tier system is lonstanding and, with one tier have the majority of power (hint: it's not the brewers) they aren't keen on change.
This year Georgia's brewers and the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild have put forward Senate Bill 122 to fight for more change. The key elements are allowing limited self distribution, allowing breweries to donate to charities, and raising the to-go sales cap for breweries which is currently at 288 oz, or 1 case of 10 oz cans.
Schoolhouse Brewing's Thomas Monti joined us to talk about the bill, and beer laws in general. Thomas knows very well the tough times breweries are going through as he recently closed one location of his brewery. Fortunately, Schoolhouse's original location remains open. Although this bill is for Georgia this issues aren't unique to our state.
It's not likely breweries will get all they're going for with this bill, verbiage to reform franchise law has already been cut. But, hopefully some change will happen. And the people will continue to fight next year.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Big Beer doesn't love you like craft beer does.
We're back and we're ready to party. We missed a Super Bowl show but we're recapping the game and, more importantly, the beer commercials this week. On that note, Atlanta's Monday Night Brewing isn't happy about Coors' "Case of the Mondays" campaign. Monday Night has been selling a mix pack with the name for many years now. A cease and desist sent to Molson was replied with, essentially, "too bad, it's done now."
In Presidential news... tariffs. So hot right now. They're on, they're off, they're back on. We can't keep up. If they are on, they could hit your beer prices. Proposed aluminum tariffs will impact packaging costs for most producers. And if all these other tariffs go into place it could hit malt, hops, and who knows what else.
Some sorta good news as one beer purchasing index shows sales aren't down as much as they have been. It's a bummer when things been down less is good news. With all the breweries closing their doors (this week, Alamo) we'll take any ray of sunshine we can get.
Looking ahead, the folks at Total Wine shared some of their predictions for trends this year. What do you think will be the hot item???
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Quicksand isn't nearly as prevalent as I thought it would be when I was a kid.
Have you ever been stuck in quicksand. I have. Seriously. But, I really expected my adult life to be a constant battle to dodge the killer soup and I'm pretty thrilled that's not the case.
Brewers Association and American Homebrewers Association to split
Some big news this week with the BA and AHA announcing they'll split. The two have operated together for decades but feel the split will allow both groups to focus on their members more. It seems amicable and hopefully will mean good things.
Brian shares an update on the We Love LA relief beer. The movement has a website now and more breweries are joining the cause.
San Francisco's Toronado is up for sale. After 38 years the owner is calling it a day. Sounds like his hope is someone will buy it and carry on the torch.
Sapporo news is always disappointed. In the latest punch, they've laid off 2% of their workforce. Par for the course in beer these days, but still a bummer to hear.
In other news we talk about the weirdest beer names, QuikTrip (convenienve store change) is bringing back their own beer after a long hiatus, and the states with the highest beer taxes.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Are you dry, damp, or wet this January?
We're not gonna let this one go. It's January, and folks are dry all over. It's almost done though, we'll make it through this. Nate is dry, Tim is moist, and Brian is so, so wet right now.
The folks at Pub Beer are fighting back against all this dryness with their Wet January initiative. Leonardo DiCheapio shares cheesy videos, contest, and deals on Instagram @CheapFunBeer. Check it out.
It's not all fun and games though. The TTB is implementing some major labeling changes, and it could impact what and where we get our beer. We'll stay on top of this, but there are some huge changes proposed regarding nutrition labeling.
After news of MolsonCoors closing the Leinenkugel brewery broke the original owners offered to buy it back. MC said no, we waited for more info, after we recorded our show it was reported that they plan to use it as a pilot brewery. Sad ending for an OG.
Is pounding Guinness the key to a healthy, long life?
Probably not, but for one old Irish dude it seems to be working. He claims to down around 20 Guinness in a weekend, but he doesn't drink during the week. Docs say he's pretty healthy for his age. Rock on, old dude.
Breweries are taking the opportunity to renovate during the slow month of January. I'd say if someone is renovating that's a pretty good sign. If you're on the verge of closing you wouldn't be sinking money into upgrades, right?
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
A bit of good news for beer...
Per Brewbound the New Year started off OK for beer. Sales were up double digits for the sector as a whole, and craft beer saw an 8.7% increase.
After ringing in 2025 the numbers may dip a bit, as is tradition for January. For those choosing to go dry, NA beer is the beverage of choice. A poll showed 60% of those participating in Dry January chose NA beer over other NA beverages. 10% preferred NA spirits, and 13% chose NA wine. We have sampled NA win but the numbers aren't surprising based on the NA liquors we've tried. They still got some work to do.
Brewers come together for wildfire relief
Brewers are the best. As expected, there's a collective effort to support relief for the Los Angeles wildfires, spearheaded by Common Space Brewery. You can get more info at www.commonspace.la.
Tilray to eliminate 300 alcoholic beverages from their portfolio
Tilray just keeps at it, announcing a huge cut to their offerings. They say this will mostly impact products that are "duplicative." Let's see how they define that.
In other news... USDA issued their National Hop Report, with plantings down, as expected. And VinePair tells us all about the states that drink the most alcohol.
Hope you have a great week! Stay moist!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
You ever done some Zebra Striping?
The trend has been around for a while, but now there's a term for it. Alternating alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage is... Zebra Striping. Seems the practice may be a bit more refined than just having glass of water after a few beers, but it ain't new.
Is your January still dry?
Nate is dry, I'm kinda moist, and Brian is nearly drowning. But if you're still dry we've got a mocktail recipe using Guinness 0 that you might want to try out.
If you're in the pool with Brian we also have some tips on pairing beer and whiskey. Now we're talking.
Is beer good for you or not?
Science can never agree on this, or anything health related it seems. The Surgeon General wants to expand the warning on beer to note that it can cause cancer. At the same time another group of scientists say they've re-confirmed that moderate alcohol consumption can have health benefits. Our suggestion, play it cool and enjoy life.
This week in News We Thought Was Done Years Ago, the Stone vs. Molson Coors judgment has been upheld. Molson Coors has to pay out a big chunk for their Keystone marketing that Stone said confused consumers. Seems the courts agree.
In some good news for brewers the TTB has added several common brewing adjunts to their exemption list. This means if a brewer already has an approved beer they can add these ingredients without the need for a new approval. We'll take all the good news we can get, even if it's small.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Happy New Year and Happy 9th Anniversary to us!
We made it to 9 years. Wild. I know everyone looking back on things says how much they've seen change, but wow, we sure have seen a lot change since we started this thing. What a ride. Thanks for joining us for the trip. Maybe we'll throw a big party for the 10 year celebration.
This week we talk about Dry January. Nate's going dry, I'm dry for now due to #DoctorsOrders, and Brian is still very wet. If you do go dry, don't forget your local breweries. Go grab a bite, see if they have any NA offerings, maybe try a mocktail. They need you now more than ever.
Big news from the Brewers Association as Bart Watson is appointed President and CEO. Bart was formerly the Chief Economist at the BA and shared all the facts and figures on what was happening in the craft beer world. He joined us on the show back in 2018, you can check that out here. (I have no idea where the Duke's Mayo ad on that show came from.)
For the crappy news that seems so common these days we report that RateBeer is shutting down and that beer drinking in 2024 was the lowest it's been in a generation, and the report that it's possible the popularity of Ozempic is impacting beer sales. Pfft.
Cheers to 2025, Y'all! Hope it's a great one!
Tim
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Oh come all ye faithful, let's have a beer!
Once again it's time for one of our most favorite shows of the year, the Interfaith Holiday Craft Beer SPECTACULAR.
A few years ago our Jewish friends Michael Syrop and Ron Mitchell of Rainy Day Brewing joined us to help sample our holiday beers. We decided that was awesome and made it a tradition. The Rainy Day crew is back this year to blind taste holiday beers and choose our favorites.
The Holiday Beer List
- Bells Christmas Ale
- Barrel of Monks Father Christmas Holiday Ale
- Breckenridge Christmas Ale
- Bronx Brewing Jingle Jangle Holiday Ale
- Delirium Noel
- Fat Bottom Noel
- Highland Cold Mountain
- N'Ice Chouffe
- Ommegang Everything Naughty
- Samichlaus Classic
- Scaldis Noel
- Shiner Holiday Cheer
- Sierra Nevada Celebration
- Sloop Brewing (No) Santa NEIPA
- Southern Tier Chestnut Praline
- St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
- Straffe Hendrik Xmas Blend (Vintage)
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
THC and CBD beverages are on the rise, and they're taking over valuable shelf space that could hold delicious craft beer. What are you thoughts? Continuing trend or fad?
Beer stats show mixed signals for the industry. The Beer Purchasers Index (BPI) offers insights into industry trends with overall beer purchasing show "cautious optism" with a neutral score of 50. However, the craft beer sector isn't looking great, with a concerning BPI score of 18, indicating contraction.
Trump Tariffs are coming for your beers.
If all the tariffs that are planned are actually put in place it could have a widespread impact on the beer you drink. We import aluminum and grain from Canada and if you're on the trend of Mexican imports you Modelo and Corona are going to cost more. It remains to be scene what comes to be, and what impact that will have. We'll hold tight, for now.nd nostalgia.
Sapporo takes Stone Brewing down another peg. They are going to cease all international distribution in January 2025, and limiting US distribution to their core beers. Sad to see Stone as such a shadow of what it once was.
We chat about farm breweries. In some areas they're growing tremendously, but other areas aren't seeing the same spike. I like the concept, and if it's better for keeping breweries alive then lets get to farming beer.
Debunking Hangover Myths
Do you have a miracle cure for a hangover. Most of us probably do. Unless you one of the lucky 25% of the population that doesn't get hangovers. We talk about some of the myths of hangover cures, and give you the straight truth
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
OK, we got the sound fixed! Well, we found a fix where we shouldn't have the same issues again. (fingers crossed)
Our Brewery Closure of the Week is.... Elysian! AB-InBev is shutting down the Seattle production facility of Elysian. We can't even keep up over here.
We mentioned them earlier in the year but we have more info on the annual Bourbon County Brand Stout releases with ABV info. Looks like we'll be out of luck here in Georgia as our gov-mint thanks they're too boozy for us to handle.
Big Beer or not, we appreciate the ridiculous things Miller Lite offers up at the holidays. This year, a YuleLager, a beer tower/fireplace combo. You can try to snag one at shop.millerlite.com but these kitshcy items sell out fast.
Another fun discussion from a VinePair article. Brewery Taproom red flags. We've got a few of our own.
Because we care about your health, we're sharing some info from the nerologists about what age you should totally quit drinking to protect your brain and body. We'll share the info but it's totally up to you if you follow it.
Thanks for bearing with us through the technical issues. Hope you enjoy the show. Cheers! 🍻
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Keeping Beer Cold: The Physicist’s Verdict
Brazilian physicist Claudio Pellegrini found the pilsner glass—narrow at the bottom, wide at the top—keeps beer cold the longest. His research highlights how glass shape affects temperature, but he notes smaller glasses finished faster might work best in tropical heat.
Prague Bans Late-Night Pub Crawls
Prague, famous for its beer culture, has banned organized pub crawls from 10 PM to 6 AM to reduce public drunkenness and noise. Violators face fines up to $4,300, though earlier crawls remain allowed.
Historic Leinenkugel Brewery Closing
Molson Coors is shutting down the 157-year-old Leinenkugel Brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, moving production to Milwaukee. The closure affects an estimated 56 employees, part of a broader effort to cut costs amid declining sales.
Brewers Call Out Overrated Trends
Brewers critiqued beer trends like negative online reviews, overly fruited sours, triple IPAs, and cold IPAs. Many argue for prioritizing balance and quality over fleeting fads.
NA and High-ABV Beers Thrive
Non-alcoholic beers (+6%) and high-ABV beers (+7.4%) continue to grow in popularity, reflecting a consumer shift toward extremes, while mid-range ABV beers lose market share.
Quit Drinking by 65 for Brain Health
Neurologist Dr. Richard Restak recommends reducing alcohol intake in your 60s and quitting by 70 to prevent neuron loss, dementia risk, and slower injury recovery.
Beer Drinkers and Poor Diets
A study shows beer drinkers score lowest on diet quality compared to wine and liquor drinkers, likely due to demographic factors like age, income, and lifestyle.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
No more brewery closure talk. Let's talk about drunk animals.
Did you know that animals enjoy booze, too? I'm sure we've all seen videos of some wild beast eating fermented apples and getting gazeboed. Turns out that may not just be a happy accident and animal friends may seek out the joys of alcohol. OMG, they're just like us!
So I don't want to talk about brewery closures, but there were a couple of notable announcements this week. Wicked Weed is closing their Funkatorium "indefinitely" and Revolution closed their original brewpub in Chicago. OK, moving on....
More in this week's show as we talk about French brewers and taxes, questionable beer art, and upcycled coffee beers.
Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We've made it through Halloween and and the Holiday beers are already on the shelves. Here is Atlanta we're still seeing temps in the 80s. It's hard to get too excited for a Belgian quad when it's still t-shirt weather. The beers releases through the last few months of the year are some of our favorites. Let's cool it down so we can break them out!
As pseudo-foodies we were excited (mostly me) for the Michelin awards to return to Atlanta this week. We got 4 new 1-star restaurants but overall it was a bit underwhelming. I guess you just can't recreate your first time.
The American Craft Beer Hall of Fame announced their innaguaral group of nominees. So many great people in craft beer that had to be tough to come up with. You can't have everyone in the 1st year, then where do you go? Nevertheless, they've got a solid group to get things started.
Some good beer news
In light of all the closures it was nice to see New Glarus is in the process of a $55 Million expansion. Sounds like they are doing OK. Wisconsin loves their New Glarus.
More this week...Brooklyn Brewery launches Calling All Makers program, the cost of an NBA game (including beer), and a new simulator lets you brew with monks. Neat.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Sorry, Y'all! I totally spaced out forgot to upload the show! I'll keep it short and sweet.
This week....
- GABF recap and changes
- Coors and Wrangler collab?
- USA Curling has an official beer
- Elysian brewers plan strike
- Tilray's plans to take the craft out of craft
- Customers don't like it when their favorite breweries sell out
Cheers! Have a great week!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
What beer would you sip at a seance?
In preparation for Spooky Season Sam Adams has a seance kit available to help you connect with one of America's true patriots. So far, the problem there has been that it's always sold out. We'll keep trying.
As if regular life isn't spooky enough right now we are coming up on Halloween. We'll take any excuse to have some seasonal beers so we ponder what would be a good beer for Halloween. There are a few that directly target it, but several others seem like they could be appropriate.
In the category of "stupid fun" we have the latest social media trend of "Splitting the G." Grab a pint of Guinness and try it for yourself.
Big Changes at the Great American Beer Festival
Consumer expectations and beer fests have changed a lot over the last few years. Previously, as long as you had a lot of great beer, you had a great fest. That's not going to do it anymore. The Brewers Association took note and this year's GABF will see a shift. Beverages other than beer will be featured and the event and it will be a more "experience" focused fest. Hopefully it all works out for them. If you're a craft beer fan you're sure to have a good time.
In other news we're seeing more brewery mergers and acquisitions, a German company is using the waste from the hop harvest to make building materials, and New Belgium answers my prayers with their new Mini Ripper cans. Praise be.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We recorded this show on 10/02 and info was current as of that time. As with any developing story additional news could have been shard since then
Asheville and Western NC was devastated as Tropical Storm Helene moved through the area last week. The town was mostly destroyed, along with many breweries, other businesses, and homes.
Updates were difficult as Asheville was cutoff from passage in or out and cell phone and electricity were out. I'm sure that posting updates to social media was not high on the priority list, but we did the best we could to find out what info was availble.
North Carolina needs you
A lot of support will be needed for everyone to recover. Now, and in the future. We curated a list of some charities that are reported as reputable, but we recommend you vet any charity you choose to donate to. If you're in the area and able to volunteer resources are needed there as well.
How you can help:
- Drink!
- Buy and drink North Carolina beer. A simple one that doesn't require much change from your regular drinking schedule.
- NC Craft Brewers Guild Charity Beer | The guild is asking breweries to dedicate an existing tap to Helene recovery efforts. More info: https://drinkncbeer.org/nc-beer-helene-relief
- Donate
- North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund | https://nc.gov/donate
- Red Cross Hurricane Helene Relief Fund | https://www.redcross.org/donate/dr/hurricane-helene.html/
- New Origin Brewing GoFundMe | https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-new-origin-brewing-after-hurricane-helene
- Volunteer
- Visit the North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NCVOAD) for info on verified volunteer organizations | https://ncvoad.org/
- Additonal Resources
- https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2024-09-28/list-ways-to-donate-and-help-flood-victims-in-western-north-carolina-after-hurricane-helene
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
12 beers, 4 guys, and a bunch of sausage and pretzels
It's hard work, but we're up for the challenge. We sat down with 12 beers Oktoberfest beers, Festbier and Marzen, sampled them blind, and picked our favorites. Some Oktoberfest fun and lore thrown in for good measure.
The Rules
We're not beer judges and don't judge like beer judges. The simple criteria here is whether or not we enjoyed the beer and it's appropriate to the style. Our favorite gets 3 points, 2nd gets 2 points, and 3rd gets 1 point then we tally up the cumulative score and pick our Top 3. Boom.
The Beers (In alpabetical order, tasting order is different)
- Ayinger | Oktober Fest-Märzen | Märzen
- Edmund's Oast | House Oktoberfest | Märzen
- Highland Brewing | Clawhammer Oktoberfest | Märzen
- Paulaner | Oktoberfest Märzen | Märzen
- Samuel Adams | Octoberfest | Märzen
- Sierra Nevada / Brauerei Gutmann | Oktoberfest | Festbier
- Six Bridges | Feierabend | Märzen
- Terrapin Beer Co. | Oktoberfest | Märzen
- Tucher | Festbier | Festbier
- Warsteiner | Oktoberfest | Märzen
- Weihenstephaner | Festbier | Festbier
- Yuengling | Oktoberfest | Märzen
Have you tried these this year? Let us know you favorites or what else we should look out for before they get swapped out for Christmas decorations.
Prost!
Tim
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
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This week on Beer Guys Radio...
Kernza Lager and Kernza NA Golden Brew are out. A collaboration between Deschutes and Patagonia using a pretty interesting grain.
Did you know France is growing hops? They want people to take notice of what they're doing. And French hops may be in some of your favorite beers already.
Stats are in for beer sales during NFL's opening weekend. We're curious whether people drink more when their team is winning or losing. What do you think?
Black Tuesday is turning 15 and throwing a big party. If you're looking for a big and boozy, sweet stout then this one's for you.
Weathered Souls announced the closure of their brewery. Despite gaining fame with their Black is Beautiful collaboration beer, they've obviously faced the same struggle as many others.
As the cold weather starts to creep in it's PSL everything. Are we softening on our disdain for pumpkin beers? Maybe.
NEXT WEEK! We're much later than we wanted to be but it's time for our annual Oktoberfest Blind Beer Tasting. Good times.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Bad news keeps coming for craft beer
A commenter online noted, "I thought they were the good guys," when discussing a recent round of massive layoffs at Tilray-owned breweries. We did too. Good guys or not, when breweries are owned by a huge corporation most (all?) of the emotional attachment is removed from ownership. Where a family-owned brewery may push through tough times and try to keep people working, for better or worse, a large corporation has no interest in such tomfoolery. Plus, when you merge several breweries you're definitely going to have some duplication of duties in the workforce.
And with that said Tilray cleaned house at 10 Barrel, Sweetwater, and Terrapin. No one was safe with Terrapin laying off brewery co-founder Spike Buckowski and President Dustin Watts. The entire Innovation Brewing team at 10 Barrel was let go, and several salespeople across all three breweries. This news always sucks, but this one hit us close to home with many of our friends impacted.
In other news... Anderson Valley Brewing is for sale. President and CEO Kevin McGee joined us in March (Beer Guys Radio Ep. 408) and everything seemed great then. His plan was for the brewery to be a multi-generational venture. Looks like those plans have changed.
The insane costs of attending an NFL gameAccording to data from bookies.com taking your family of 4 to an NFL game could cost you nearly $2,000 (including beers) if you're going to see the Lions. Their numbers include the cheapest tickets, parking, food, sodas, and beer. If you want a more affordable experience you better be a Jaguars fan. See all the data here.
We can't take much more over here, y'all. We need some good news for beer. Well, at least we have beer.
Cheers!
Tim
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It's drinkin' season, Baby!
We made it! September 1st, the self-imposed Oktoberfest beer embargo has been lifted! I celebrated the occasion with a local offering, Feierbend from Six Bridges Brewing. Many more to come.
There are many styles that are traditional Oktoberfest beers but here in the US of A we mostly consider Festbier and Marzen to be seasonally appropriate. As we all know, many have been on the shelves and taps for a while, but more are coming. What's your preference during Oktoberfest? Team Festbier or Team Marzen?
September is Craft Malt Month
There are a lot of great reasons for using local malt in your brews. Supporting local farmers and making less impact on the environment are a couple of great ones. Craft maltsters have grown exponentially over the last decade, and the Craft Maltsters Guild wants to celebrate them. For more info check out this article.
GoFundMe for Rooftop Brewing staff after fire
We don't share GoFundMe's much, almost never, but this seems like a good cause. Rooftop Brewing is raisings funds to support their staff while they rebuild from a fire. You can check it out here.
More on this week's show...
- We know they are, but why are craft beer prices rising? We found a few possible causes.
- Pre Labor Day beer sales predictions.
- Discussion: Price vs. quality. What's your opinion?
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Do you really want to see the calorie count on that barrel aged stout?
The requirement for brewers to list ingredients and nutrition info on beers has been going around for a while. Regulators want it, breweries are fighting it. Listing all the ingredients and nutritional data isn't as simple as printed a label. There's a lot of time and cost involved. If implemented this would have a huge impact on smaller breweries, and ultimately on consumers as well.
BEER SCIENCE!
Courtesy of Hop Queries from Stan Hieronymus we're talking thiols this week. Those are the compounds that bring most of the flavor to beer. Scientists in Germany studied a lot (but not all) hops to give some data on the impact of thiols in various varieties.
Stone Virginia looks to unionize
More union talk, another brewery sold
Stone Virginia employees are moving forward with an effort to unionize. While I'm generally not a fan of unions, there are definitely situations where they are needed. We'l keep an eye on this story as it develops.
Magnolia Brewing has sold again. The brewery has changed hands a few times over the last several years. Much like Anchor Brewing, Magnolia has a long history and the effort to keep it alive is still strong.
More in this week's episode on milk-washed and clarified cocktails, the magic of ginger drink, and BANNED beer ingredients.
Hope you have a great week and drink all the good beers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Seasonal creep IS the spooky season!
Yes, we're still ranting about this, dammit. First the Oktoberfests hit the shelves in early July and now the pumpkin beers are out. I even saw one for "Spooky Season." Please. Stop. We still have a full month of Summer left and we want to enjoy it.
However.... Brian did propose a compromise. It's not a bad idea and it gives every beer the season and love it deserves. More info in the show.
Some cool news from NB2A (National Black Brewers Association) as two breweries received equipment grants from established breweries. A 20 bbl brewhouse and a canning line and heading to new homes. Always great to see how craft breweries help each other.
Not so cool news, Cambridge Brewing is closing after 35 years. Close to home, Southern Brewing Co. in Athens, GA announced their closure but said they hope to return one day. That Lazarus move is a tough one for brewery to pull off. Good luck to them.
In other news beer prices are rising faster than inflation, Abu Dhabi gets it's first brewery (the only one in 100,000 sq mi!), and more on brewing in space. Far out, man.
Have a great week and drink something good.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Tilray to buy 4 breweries from MolsonCoors.
Big beer news this week (or is it Big Beer news?) with weed warrior Tilray buying 4 breweries from MolsonCoors. Included in that sale is our beloved Terrapin Beer Co. If my math is right this will bring 15 breweries under the Tilray brand, plus some distilleries and cideries. Per Brewbound, the move will make them the #4 largest craft brewery on the Brewers Association's ranking. On the flip side of that coin, Monster Beverage is doing terrible. They posted a nearly 32% sales decline YoY. As we've seen with their huge layoffs and changes at Cigar City, they haven't shown much skill in being brewery owners.
Tough news for hop farmers in the Pacific Northwest as they announce a loss of acreage this year due to the declining craft beer market. They took a 12% loss last year as well. The domino effect of craft beer impacts so many more people and businesses than just brewers and breweries.
Some fun news for our friends at Athletic Brewing as they announced a partnership with English football club Arsenal to be their official non-alcoholic beer partner, the first for Arsenal. Good for them.
In the realm of Bro Science we discuss how ABV impacts hydration and what you can do to mitigate the negative effects. We won't stand by what we say though, Bro.
Hope you have a great week and drink some great beers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Who would you nominate for the Craft Beer Hall of Fame?
A lot of great people made craft beer what it is today and a group of passionate fans is working to recognize them. Craft beer writer, judge, and educator Marty Nachel kicked things off and selected and amazing group to help put things together. The website is live now with intentions to announce the first inductees this Fall. You can check it out here - American Craft Beer Hall of Fame.
It not-so-great news, World of Beer announced their entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Their locations in Atlanta didn't do well but the chain had a huge, and successful, presence in Florida and other areas. They were one of the last places we remember seeing a beer randall. J Wakefield announced their closing their taproom in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood but they're not going away. Expect more info on that soon.
More news in beer taxes, amazing grains, and we had to talk about tinned fish and our daily cologne. You don't want to miss it!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
No, Summer is not "almost over!"
It always happens around this time of year. Kids start going back to school and all the folks with children think that means Summer is over. They start yapping about it, stores have sales for it. Well, Summer isn't over, and I need you all to shut your mouth with trying to make it over. We got nearly 2 months left and I'm going to enjoy it.
As I enjoy my Summer sun, Summer heat, and (of course) Summer beers I'm gonna be smelling good, too. Our buddy Seth come through town from Houston last week and, after showing him some of the Atlanta beer scene, he gave us a mess of Texas beer. I cracked into a Lone Pint Yellow Rose this week, and Brian was sipping some Spindletap 5% Tint and Martin House The Silk Road. Good seeing ya, Seth. Thanks for the beers.
In the news this week Brooklyn and Carlsberg collab to do a larger release of a beer brewed with fonio. We've talked about this tough grain on past episodes and it's cool to see what they do with it. Diageo is down overall, but Guinness is killing it. Tilray's craft beer bet is paying off. What started with the acquisition of Sweetwater Brewing has grown to a substantial portfolio of breweries. Most recently purchasing a handful from AB InBev a year ago.
Have a great week, enjoy some great beers, and don't forget IT'S STILL SUMMER!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Would you drink a beer that tasted like a cowboy boot?
Hop Valley Brewing in Oregon has introduced a Pale Ale brewed with Elixir hops that are... “a robust and complex hop that offers unique aromas of cognac, leather, and tobacco…” I mean, OK? I'd try it out of curiosity but that does not sound like a flavor I'd be keen on.
Brian got to party last weekend with Atlanta United and Sweetwater Brewing. Their new collab, Rowdy Peach IPA, made it's debut and Sweetwater through one heck of a tailgate party to celebrate. Brian said the beer is tasty, and very peachy.
More beer stats this week as we talk about the countries producing the most beer. Any guesses who has the top spot? Japan is trying to get drinkers to slow down so one brewery they created a slow beer glass.
Goose Island announced the lineup for this year's Bourbon County Brand Stout release. We've still got a few months to wait for the release but it's never too early to start planning for drinking season!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Sometimes you're cursed, but just a little bit.
This week was... an adventure. Our streaming service didn't want to work and I found out they don't have live tech support. What kind of crap is that? We eventually got things going and then I immediately dumped ice water on myself. Brian said it was a Weak Witch curse. You know what we mean, something that happens to you but is just a minor inconvenience, we've all been there. This drink sounds like a Weak Witch curse. Evil Malort. A bartender decided to take Malort and make it worse. That's quite a mission.
The Brewers Association released some stats on drinking habits and it seems folks in general are drinking less craft beer. The drop is small, but it is a drop. Seems pretty consistent with other reports we've seen. The cause of the drop in consumption could be many things - younger generations drinking less in general, an aversion to carbonation, or maybe people are getting their buzz on with the advancing legalization of weed.
A couple big bits of news in the retirement of Bob Pease, CEO of the Brewers Association. He's been there for over 30 years and has led some major changes. Thanks for your service, Bob. Good Beer Hunting announced they're going on hiatus, potentially permanently. It's a big loss for true craft beer journalism.
And what's this about Pretzel Printers? A genius idea, that's what!
Thanks again for hanging with us. Hope you have a great week filled with great beers. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Dan Kopman knows a thing or two about beer.
Some of you may recognize the name Daniel Kopman. If you don't know his name, you undoubtedly know some of his work.
Currently, Kopman is a Professor and Lecturer at American University's Kogod School of Business and, likely more notable to us beer nerds, a Senior Policy Advisor for the World Brewing Alliance. Previously he was the co-founder and CEO of Schlafly Beer in St. Louis, CEO of Heavy Seas, voting member of the Beer Institute, and board member of the Brewers Association.
What is the World Brewing Alliance? In short, they're the trade association for trade associations. Over 70% of the world's beer production is represented by the WBA from small brewers to multinational conglomerates. Their mission is to corporate social responsibility, sustainability, responsible marketing practices, and invocation in the brewing sector. On the other side of things, they represent brewers to organizations like the UN and the World Health Organization. Bringing the two together their goal is for brewers to be responsible with their brewing and for health organizations to realize and support the cultural and economic benefits that brewers bring.
Low alcohol, no alcohol, and changing trends in drinking
We've talked about NA beer a good bit on the show and I think most of us know that lower alcohol beers are gaining popularity. Studies show younger generations are being more responsible in their consumption and aren't looking for a 15% stout. As the NA sector continues to grow, there are still plenty of people that will still want to grab a beer with some booze in it.
Despite the growth we've seen in NA beer in America, our market is still way behind many other countries. Through technological and scientific advances more brewers are now offering high quality low and no alcohol beer. We've still got plenty of room to grow in this sector.
Brewing around the world
Craft beer is booming in many places you may not think of. There's a growing scene in South Africa and you've probably enjoyed some South African hops in your hazy IPA. The scene in India is up and coming as well. Much like out locally sourced grains, hops, and fruits there's plenty of unique ingredients in these countries. Expanding the offerings of grains, hops, and other ingredients in local markets around the world is a boost for the environment as well as local economies.
We got deep into some amazing topics this week. We enjoyed it and hope you do, too. Let us know. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It's Episode 420 - Drink 'em if you got 'em.
A momentous occasion as we celebrate our very own 420 day. We don't really get into the cannabis side of things much. We've sampled it and it just doesn't agree with us. I get sick and Brian gets all congested. Beer treats us much better. But, we know lots of people enjoy their THC and CBD, is that an issue for craft beer?
Some research suggests that, in states where legal weed is available, some people are opting to smoke/eat instead of having beer, or another beer. Will we see more of this as more states legalize? Beer Twitter even gave cannabis beverages a slight lead when asked if we were more likely to see more NA beer or THC-infused beverages on tap in 10 years.
The research was self-reported, and it's important to remember respondents were either high or drunk. If even they weren't, people tend to a very poor job of assessing themselves when asked, and some just lie.
Move over THC, Coca beer is here
As we fight to get cannabis legalized across the US, Colombia is coming out full force with coca-infused beer. You know, coca leaves, as in cocaine. Coca leaves are sometimes chewed or made into a tea for a bit of a stimulant bump. According to some Googling, a cup of coca tea prepared from one gram of coca leaves (the typical contents of a tea bag) contains approximately 4.2 mg of organic coca alkaloid. In comparison, a typical dose (a "line") of cocaine contains between 20 and 30 milligrams. So it's just a lil' bit of cocaine. Drink up!
More chatter or what would be on our Mt. Rushmore of beer, crazy Patagonian hybrid lager yeast, and why beer on the beach can give you a (worse) sunburn.
PS - My AI image generator wouldn't allow me to create a cover with two guys standing in a field of cannabis. What a prude.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
In a sea of closures Jekyll Brewing continues to grow
It's not a story you hear often these days. Not only has Jekyll Brewing weathered the storm of the last few years, they're thriving. Founder and CEO Michael Lundmark joins us this week to chat about beer, taking care of yourself, and what's been key to his growth.
Jekyll opened in the Dark(er) Ages of Georgia beer. Breweries weren't allowed to serve food and couldn't even sell beer direct to consumers. It was a land of tours and tastings and anyone around in these days may have some tickets or tokens stashed back.
In addition to expanding his locations, he's also expanded his offerings. Alongside a variety of beer you'll find spirts, seltzer, and wine. As the laws changed Jekyll took advantage of the new rules. They opened a restaurant brewery in city center of Alpharetta, GA. Woodstock and Gainesville, GA would follow, and Jacksonville Beach, FL. Jekyll's not done yet, Mike has his sites of a few more Florida locations in the near future.
Take Care of Yourself
Mike and his wife were always active and healthy people. His wife was very fit and never had any health issues, so she rarely visited the doctor. Unfortunately, after feeling unwell, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. Mike reminds us to make sure to get checked regularly, no matter how we feel. Mike also supports cancer research with annual brew and fundraiser at Jekyll Brewing.
Brewery Closures and Bottle Shares
Some bummer news this week as we hear of Cascade Brewing's closure. They were a favorite in the fruited sour game, we'll miss them for sure.
We also reminisce on he bottle shares of yesterday. They don't seem to happy like they used to, and it's nice to get any excuse to dust off something from the cellar.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Would you pay more for sustainably brewed beer?
We made it through another week and we have definitely earned a beer or five. It's hawt in Georgia. We're supposed to top 100° heat index this weekend. Say a prayer for us.
A survey suggests 50% of beer drinkers would pay 30% more for a beer that was sustainably brewed. I'm skeptical of those results, but that's what the survey says. Sustainably seems to be a goal of nearly every brewer now so I kind of expect my brewery is trying to be sustainable. How about you?
No more "best by" dates! We have to take a stand, y'all. Breweries have to start putting canning dates on cans. None of this best by stuff that you have to decipher. What do they consider best by? 3 months, 4 months, 6 months? Just tell me when you put that juice in the can and I'll make my own decision, thank you very much.
Following up on our discussion of adding a bit of saline solution to cocktails, Brian experimented with adding some distilled water to whisk(e)y. He says a bit of water really does open them up and can take a really good rye or bourbon to great. I'll have to play around some more. Based on previous tests I haven't found one I like more once it's been diluted a bit. Maybe I wasn't doing it right.
More news on Anchor Brewing as the deal with Chobani's founder moves along, a brew fest in Chicago that's been delayed for 4 years with no word from the organizer (and no refunds), and some chatter on the delicious contraband that is Cuban rum and cigars.
Next week we'll talk with Michael Lundmark of Jekyll Brewing. One of our local joints. Despite many others closing up shop, Jekyll is expanding. We'll find out what he's secret is.
Cheers! Make sure you drink something good this weekend!
Beers of the Week
- Smith & Lentz - Quackenbruck Pilsner (German Pils w/Sapphir)
- Good Word - Ron's Dinner Ale
- Created with the British beer writer Ron Pattinson. A historical AK Bitter made with marris otter and invert sugar.
- Hop Butcher - Super Megabite (NE TIPA, Citra & Amarillo)
- SweetWater 420 Citrus Haze Pale Ale
- Topo Chico with Lime and Salt (Nate's Dry Junuary pick)
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
New to tinned fish? We got you covered.
This was bound to happen. With our recently found love of tinned fish we had an expert join us to talk about the benefits of tinned fish and offer up some beer pairing suggestions.
We know cans of sardines and oysters aren't for everyone. But these delicious fishes get a bit of a bad wrap, especially here in the States. Season Brand marketing manager Sara Kelly hung out with this to share some of the pros of tinned seafood, info on their offerings, and even throw out some beer pairing suggestions.
Tinned fish is trendy now. I don't know how or why, but it is. TikTok influencers are throwing up videos of their favorite tins and recipes. It's crazy. BUT... sardines and other tinned fish do have a lot of benefits - not only are they convenient but they're packed with nutrients (get all those Omega-3s) and protein. Just watch that salt intake since they're usually pretty high on that as well.
If you're not down with skarfing whole little fishies there are boneless and skinless sardines or you can opt for salmon, trout, oysters, mussels, calamari, and octopus. Go all Pokemon on the tins and catch them all.
Don't worry, we've got some actual beer content as well!
Anchor Brewing has been purchased! This is the big one this week. The founder of Chobani (yes, the yogurt folks) has purchased Anchor Brewing. It sounds like he intends to honor it's legacy in his plans. We're very hopeful and we'll keep an eye on progress here.
Sam Adams sale rumors. Buzz around the internet this week said Sam Adams was in talks to sell to Suntory. Suntory said that's BS, Sam Adams said they don't comment on rumors. Is it possible this billion-dollar-brewery is up for grabs?
Shout out to Native Brew Works. I recently visited the old stomping grounds of Arkansas and was pleased to find Native Brew Works in Jonesboro. They're in a dry county and, as beer laws go, they are required to sell food to serve beer. But they CAN sell beer... even though it's a dry county. I tried their Kolsch and Dunkel and both were very solid. And the queso was banging, too.
Beers of the Week
- Sweetwater American Lager
- Anchor Steam beer
- Fairhope Brewing Willie Mays Haze (Hazy IPA)
- Q Mixers - Ginger Beer (Dry June for Nate so he'll offer up some NA suggestions)
- Brasserie de Blaugies / Hill Farmstead La Vermontoise Saison
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Former Cigar City brewmaster opening a North Carolina brewery
No shocker at all to hear that Wayne Wambles, the former brewmaster at Cigar City that was unceremoniously let go by the Monster Energy overlords, is opening his own brewery. Wambles has purchased UpCountry Brewing in Brevard, NC. Can't wait to see what he brews up.
In our constant (for some reason) pursuit of Malort news we hear bars in Chicago are serving shots infused with... cicadas. And people say craft beer comes up with crazy ingredients.
A legend of Oregon brewing has passed away. Art Larrance founded the Oregon Brewers Festival and co-founded Cascade Brewery. The industry definitely lost a great one.
More this week on yeast being used to recycle metal, using saline in cocktails, end of the Molson-Coors strike, and the Lagunitas Chicago closure.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We do love our Georgia beer
Last weekend we attended the Georgia Craft Brewers Fest in lovely Atlanta, Gee A. It's always nice to see what's happening across the state. We've grown in numbers to the point where we can't get to ALL of them, despite our best efforts. We tried some brews from new to us breweries like Crooked Culture, Local Ties, and Southern Philosophy and enjoyed some from old favorites as we caught up with our friends.
Speaking of Crooked Culture, Lucy Teusink joins us on the show to talk about their new brewery in Cumming, GA. We chat about brewery locations, alcohol laws, staying relevant, pergolas, and pinball. Good stuff.
We also sat down with our friend Skinny DeVille from Atlantucky Brewing and Nappy Roots. They've recently celebrated their 2nd anniversary and Skinny talks about what he's learned and where he wants to go with things next. We talk about the struggles with overindulgence for the regular guy, and for a hip hop star turned brewer. We ponder getting older, drinking lighter, and living our best lives.
Skinny also pitches the upcoming Crafted for Action beer conference taking place at Atlantucky and online. It's a great event focused on diversity in craft beer. Click here to get more info.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
All Tequila is Mezcal, but not all Mezcal is Tequila.
In my younger days grabbing a bottle of Mezcal was just taking the fast track to getting gazeboed. The bottle always had a worm in it, or at least I think it did. Exploring Mezcal today has a lot less worms, and a lot more tasty options. Learn a bit about this agave spirit from a couple of newbs.
Ibiza and Mallorca (and a handful of other islands) are sick of drunk tourists. To discourage people coming to visit just get ripped, they've made it illegal to buy alcohol after 9:30. There seem to be some loopholes in the law, so let's see how this pans out.
From the world of SCIENCE! there's a new gel that can convert alcohol to harmless waste before it hits the liver. It must be "applied" (we're not 100% sure what that means) before you get your drink on.
More brewery stats as we dive into which states have the most breweries per capita. Some surprises in the list, and others you'd expect. Also... Austria's Beer Party is back and they are super serious now, Harley Davidson collabs on an NA beer, and everything is so damn expensive.
No live stream this coming week! We'll be at the Georgia Craft Brewers Fest this weekend and recording a show there, look for it next week. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Beer and other things for a laid back week.
We took a bit of a road trip last weekend to beautiful Cartersville, GA to visit the Savoy Auto Museum. I can't explain the allure of Cartersville to museums, but they have 4 in a town of like 20,000 people. Crazy, right? The Savoy was a fun trip. Lots of classic cars, race cars, and a handful of famous cars from movies - like the Family Truckster from Vacation. Neat.
After our museum trip we headed over to Drowned Valley Brewing to try their World Beer Cup medal winning Bartow Brown. Definitely a winner. We also discovered a quirky beer bar with a crazy beer list. All in all our road trip was a successful one.
We recap some Cinco de Mayo drinks, make our plans for the upcoming American Craft Beer Week, share some more BrewDog stories, crazy Ballast Point updates, and some science behind the perfect serving temperatures for beer.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Another CBC is a wrap, and we have some new World Beer Cup winners
The Craft Brewers Conference wrapped up last week and as part of the festivities the World Beer Cup winners were announced. We're stoked to have a few home state winners in the mix, and we discovered a lot of new breweries that are (apparently) making great beer.
In news that we love, VinePair shared some stats on the Booziest Counties in the US. Can you guess who was #1, and who has the most teetotalers?
Some interesting beer-adjacent news as the FTC has banned non-competes. We've seen these battles play out in the past when a brewer from a popular brewery heads out on their own, most famously with Toppling Goliath. However, companies will still have some protection of their intellectual property via non-disclosure agreements. Also, some top execs could still be subject to non-competes. There will likely be some fighting on this one, so we'll stay tuned to see where it lands.
How much would you pay for an (empty) can of beer?
A record was set recently for the price of a single beer can. An empty one, at that. An undisclosed buyer paid over $60,000 for a vintage oil can of Perone Beer. I hope he feels he got his money's worth.
More news of acquisitions, surprising closures, seal hunts, and spruce beers. Good times.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
At least there's beer after Total Nuclear Annihilation
Brian and Nate have disappointed deeply with their lack of excitement for the Fallout TV series. I've played the games for 20ish years and am a huge fan. When the show was announced I was skeptical, like any video game fan when their fav game is "adapted." But they killed it with Fallout. Such an awesome series, and there's plenty of beer.
The State of Craft Beer
The Craft Brewers Conference was this week and Brewers Association chief economist gave us the scoop on the current state of craft beer. Overall, it's not great, but it could be worse. One ray of hope, 2023 ended with more net breweries that we had in 2022. So people are still opening, despite all the closures we're seeing. The Top 50 largest craft breweries were also announced. An interesting list for sure.
Oh yeah, we did something we haven't done in a long time, had a bottle share! It was great to get the crew together and open some bottles that have been collecting dust. A variety of IPAs, stouts, and sours were enjoyed, and an interesting wine-beer hybrid from the Bruery.
BrewDog does not have a green thumb
Any time I see BrewDog mentioned I assume the worst. Maybe I shouldn't, but they have been tied up in a lot of scandals. This time it sounds like they tried to do a good thing, and failed. After planting 10s of 1000s of trees to regrow a forest, most of them died. They say the harsh weather the past year did them in, and they're going to go back and try again. Good luck, Dogs.
This week market the 508th anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot. A lot of jokes are made about these laws, but they had good reason to enact them back in the day. Brewers were putting all kinds of questionable things in their beer, just like folks in America with your steak sauce. Check out the show for the full story. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Last Saturday was our favorite beer fest of the year. Good Word Brewing's Little Beer Fest.
This event brings the best of the very best of low ABV beers to Duluth, GA each Spring. It's been an adventure in previous years with weather ranging from scorching hot to sleet and snow, but this year gave us beautiful sunny skies and temps in the 70s.
We love little beers. Pilsners, low alcohol stouts, English Ales, bring it on. It's great to attend an event where you can try nearly every beer and still keep your senses. We did out best to make the rounds.
For the show this week we sat down with Todd Boera of Fonta Flora Brewing and Jason Glunt of Salud Cerveceria. We chatted a good bit about what makes a good tap list and low alcohol beers, of course.
We talk about adding fruit to beer and Todd tells Tim why his opinion on the matter is wrong, in the nicest way possible. We talk about breaking out of a mold of being known for a certain style of beer when you brew across the spectrum.
Jason shares his Michelada lager with us, and it's damn tasty, so we talk more about that cocktail and the Mexican Ashtray (New to me. Must try it.) and we talk about staying small and brewing great beer.
Keep an eye out in years to come for Little Beer Fest. In a time when festivals and bottle shares and beery get togethers in general seem on the decline we think this fest has the magic sauce to be something special. If you come next year, be sure to stop by and say hi, cause we'll definitely be there.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Beer Families, Closing Times, and a Bankruptcy
Glad to be back to it this week with all the beery talk we can handle.
You know we dabble in beer cocktails and Brian finally gets to try one he's been wanting for a while and shares how that turned out.
Remember when all of those crazy light macro beers came out making a big deal out of how few calories they had? Well Molson Coors says the consumer is now more concerned with lower ABV than calories, so they're making some changes to showcase that.
Beer families seem to be the thing these days. Both Voodoo Ranger and Two Hearted have had a family of beers for a while, and SweetWater announced they're going that route with their flagship 420 brand. Look for new brews soon.
We've talked about tinned seafood a lot but if we want you all to join us on this adventure we figured we better offer some actual recommendations. So this week we share our first one and ponder some beer pairings.
In news that was totally expected, D9 Brewing has filed for bankruptcy protection. If the name isn't ringing a bell they are part of Community Brewing Ventures, the parent company that also owns Bevana. Yep, exactly.
Some realllllly loose research suggests that couples that drink together and have similar drinking habits live longer. We don't know if that's a promise or a threat, but we do know their "research" was pretty weak.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Exploring the Future of Beer and Beyond with Anderson Valley Brewing
Anderson Valley Brewing president and CEO Kevin McGee joins us this week to discuss NA beer, FOMO, keeping it classic, and sustainability. The world of beer is constantly evolving, and we dive into some of the exciting trends and hidden gems that are shaping the industry.
NA Beer Stats and Future: A Sobering Rise
Non-alcoholic (NA) beers are no longer the afterthought at the party. Thanks to a growing health-conscious population and innovative brewing techniques, NA beers are experiencing a surge in popularity. The global NA beer market is expected to reach a staggering $40 billion by 2033. This trend suggests a future where delicious, alcohol-free options are readily available for everyone. But others aren't impressed with NA beer's growth, so is it "the next big thing," or not?
Beer Solera: A History Steeped in Tradition
For a taste of history, let's explore the Solera method. This unique aging process involves stacking partially filled barrels, blending aged and young beer to create complex flavors. Imagine a family recipe passed down through generations, each adding their own twist – that's the essence of Solera!
Surviving & Thriving in Beer Today: Beyond the Hype
But the craft beer scene isn't just about chasing trends. In a saturated market, breweries need to focus on building a loyal customer base and focusing on some key points like quality and consistency.
As the beer market becomes saturated with choices, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is losing its MO. If the latest big pastry stout or juicy and hazy IPA has another bigger and juicier and hazier release the next week, then we aren't really missing anything if we miss one. Wild One-Offs Are Good For One Time, But Consistency is King. Limited-edition releases can be exciting, but breweries that consistently deliver quality beers are the ones that stand the test of time.
Evolution: More Than Just The Beer
The craft beer scene is about more than just the beverage itself. It's about fostering a culture of community, creativity, and exploration. Let's celebrate the stories behind the beers, the passion of the brewers, and the ever-evolving landscape of this fascinating industry.
Decoding Boontling & Anderson Valley's Sustainability Efforts
Ever heard of Boontling? It's a nearly extinct language spoken by the indigenous people of the Anderson Valley region. The brewery honors this herita
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Ale Max Day - A celebration of Air and ale
Much like craft beer, sneaker fans love to see cool collaborations. And much like craft beer fans, they'll wait in crazy long lines and search local shops and the internet to get that elusive pair.
Atlanta's Ale Sharpton teamed up with marketing magician Craig Stroud to bring the culture of craft beer and sneakerheads together and Ale Max Day was born. 2023's inaugural even feature an intimate gathering and collaborative beer with Decatur, Georgia's Inner Voice. This year they're kicking it up a notch with a larger release party at Monday Night Brewing's Garage location followed by a release with Bearded Iris in Nashville. Ale and Craig share the origin story of Ale Max, what's happening now, and their plans for the future.
Ale Max 1 MAX IPA
We can't forget the beer! A juicy and hazy NEIPA hopped with Citra Cryo, Mosaic Incognito, Nectaron Cryo, Riwaka, and Strata. Expect big citrus and melon notes on this one. If this is your kind of beer, then this is one you don't want to miss.
It's all for a good cause, too. A portion of the proceeds from Ale Max Day will support PAWKids, an incredible, Atlanta based nonprofit and community hub that exists to support and provide holistic resources to children and families in need.
For more information follow Ale Max and Ale Sharpton on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/realalesharpton/
https://www.instagram.com/alemaxday/
https://www.instagram.com/alemax.official/
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
WTF is Bapple?
Bapple. Busch Light Apple that is. Apparently this abomination has quite a cult following. It's come and gone over the years and people are hoarding it when they can find it and paying crazy prices online. We had no idea.
Even crazier? R.E.M.'s Out of Time turned 33 this week. Making us feel old and stuff. For those in Atlanta you likely heard lots of R.E.M. on 99x back in the day. One of the last great radio stations. 99x is back, and they've got a collaboration beer with Mutation Brewing. 99Xtra West Coast Pilsner. A perfect pairing for an iconic album anniversary.
More St. Patrick's Day news, Savannah's SPD parade is turning 200! By our math that means it started in 1824. Madness.
Shifting gears, we'll head west to Wyoming where craft beer lovers are celebrating a big legal win. We'll break down the details and what it means for the future of suds in the Cowboy State.
Over on Beer Twitter there was some hot glassware talk this week. Discussions of the importance of branding on brewery glasses and one brewery dropping a super hot take on their glassware opinions.
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! Go out and enjoy a pint or two. Green or otherwise. We don't judge.
Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
A pint of plain is your only man...
Drinking holidays are the best holidays. St. Patrick's Day is a drinking holiday now, but it wasn't always that way. The story is kind of crazy.
Join us as we talk about the lore and legends of St. Patrick and St. Patrick's Day while we sample some Irish beers and whiskey.
The Beer (and Whiskey) List
- Guinness & Smithwick's - Blacksmith (“Pint of Special”)
- StillFire - O’Farrell’s Irish Red (Red Ale)
- Sullivan’s - Black Marble (Dry Irish Stout)
- Sullivan’s - Maltings Irish Ale (Red Ale)
- Fat Orange Cat - Baby Leprechauns (Session IPA)
- Evil Twin - Even More Irish Jesus (Dry Irish Stout)
- Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
- Slane Irish Whiskey
- Whistle Pig 10, 11, and 12 (OK, not Irish, but tasty.)
TRIVIA! Order a ‘Black Bulldog’ in Malaysia and you’ll be handed a bottle of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. This is because the first export bottlers of Guinness used to add their own symbols to the label to distinguish their bottles and exclusive territories. There were dozens of different symbols, the most famous of which were the bulldog, the wolf, the dog and a cat
Sláinte!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
**Wooden Robot co-founder dies in brewery fall
We send our sincere condolences to the family of Dan Wade and his brewery family at Wooden Robot. Dan tragically lost his life in a fall at the brewery last week. If you'd like to help support his wife and newborn son with immediate and long-term expenses you can give to the GoFundMe here**.The weather here has been crazy lately. This would be expected if it was the end of March or beginning of April, but this is (or was) February. We've had temps hit nearly 70°. The madness brought storms through here and got Brian excited to see a tornado. A sentiment only expressed by those that haven't been through a tornado, or maybe storm chasers. Brian is in Group A. I brag about my new fancy pants bath towels. Seriously, they're really nice. Y'all drop me a line if you want to come by for a shower some time.
AB InBev brewers were going strike, but they didn'tSo, this story updated right after we recorded the show. ABI brewers were close to a strike, but reached a deal to stop that happening. Just ignore this part of the show.
Fishwife partners with Keystone LightThis was a collab we didn't expect. We're not mad at it, just a bit confused. Tinned seafood purveyor Fishwife has partnered with Keystone Light to launch The Smooth Snackle Pack. The combo gets you three tins of smoked trout, and insulate snackle box, and a coupon to get you some Keystone Light from Uber Eats. We'll get one (update: we did) but Fishwife is not to be very proud of their upscale image. Kind of a surprise to see them partner with Keystone Light.
Dry February > Dry JanuaryNon-alcoholic beer continues to grow. Sales are still up through February showing some people are stretching out that Dry January. Whole Foods Market now sells more Athletic Brewing than any other brand.
Beer laws are stupid everywhereNo matter what state you live in you're likely face some type of stupid beer laws. A bill to improve laws in Georgia (SB 163) failed to get out of committee this year. Leaving the state's brewers struggling with current regulations. A bill in Tennessee propose to ban the sale of cold beer with the intention of combatting drunk driving. However, recent updates suggest that one the sponsor learned about the impact
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We sat down with our friends Zach and Cliff at Truck & Tap along with our new friend Tiffany Dillon of Gwen Tajz wine bar. We poked some beers, we mulled some wines (wine wine and barleywine) and we talked about serving traditionally cooler beverages warmer. Luckily, when we recorded the show it was a seasonally-appropriate cooler temperature, the only cool day in the last couple of weeks actually.
While the image of a frosty mug overflowing with cold beer might be the first thing that comes to mind, the history of enjoying warmed brews stretches back centuries. Tonight, we're venturing beyond the icebox and exploring the comforting world of hot drinks, with a special focus on the surprising (and potentially delicious) realm of hot-poked beers.
A Toasty Tradition: Hot Drinks Through the AgesFrom mulled wines enjoyed by medieval nobility to steaming cups of tea that fueled revolutions, hot beverages have long held cultural and practical significance. In colder climates, they provided warmth and comfort, while spices and herbs added flavor and potential health benefits. Even beer, that seemingly summery beverage, has a warm past. In fact, some historians believe that heated ales were the norm in ancient Europe, offering a safer alternative to potentially contaminated water.
Mulled Magic: Crafting the Perfect Winter Warmer
Mulled wine, a timeless classic, remains a popular choice for chilly evenings. The process is simple: simmer wine with spices like cinnamon, cloves, and citrus, creating an aromatic and warming concoction. But did you know you can adapt this recipe for beer lovers? Experiment with different styles and spices to find your perfect match.
Beyond the Bottle: Wine for the Beer-CuriousFor those open to exploring new territory, natural wines offer a fascinating journey. These unfiltered, unfined wines focus on minimal intervention, showcasing the unique characteristics of the grape and terroir. If you're a beer enthusiast looking to expand your palate, natural wines with their emphasis on freshness and complexity might surprise you.
Poking Fun & Flavor: The Hot-Poked Beer CrazeNow, let's delve into the slightly unconventional world of hot-poked beers. This trend involves heating a mug of beer with a red-hot poker, supposedly caramelizing the sugars and creating a unique flavor profile. While opinions vary, there's no denying the intrigue and potential for experimentation. We'll compare and contrast the experience of a hot-poked beer versus
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Disclaimer: Ride the Clydesdales at your own risk
Touchdown for Beer Commercials: The episode kicks off with a high-energy discussion about Super Bowl Sunday and its iconic beer commercials. Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, and Michelob Ultra all vie for our attention, but according to the latest buzz, Michelob Ultra emerged as the top-selling brew of the big game. It's a fascinating peek into the battle for marketing supremacy in the world of sports and suds.
Busch Gardens & Sweet Memories: From the bright lights of the stadium, the conversation takes a nostalgic turn with a visit to Busch Gardens. Memories of childhood trips come flooding back, along with a mention of Eagle Brand snacks. This unexpected pairing sparks a discussion about branding strategies and the strange yet sometimes successful partnerships that emerge in the food and beverage world.
Monster Shakes Up the Craft Beer Scene: Speaking of unexpected turns, the episode dives into the surprising news of Monster Energy eliminating Cigar City Brewing's brewmaster Wayne Wambles' position. This sparks important questions about the relationship between craft and corporate brewing, and whether such collaborations ultimately compromise the spirit of craft beer.
Tax Time for Beer?: But not all discussions are lighthearted. The episode tackles the serious issue of domestic beer tax rates, comparing 2022 and 2023 numbers. This insightful segment shed light on the challenges faced by independent breweries and the potential impact of tax reform on the craft beer industry's future.
Crafty Triumphs: Despite the tax hurdles, there's good news on the horizon! The episode highlights the positive statistic that craft beer sales are actually outpacing total beer sales in early 2024. This is a major win for the craft beer community, showcasing its resilience and innovation in the face of challenges.
Global Beers & Pinball Perfection: Beyond the United States, the episode celebrates a historic moment: the United Arab Emirates opens its first-ever craft brewery after years of contract brewing in the US. This exciting development marks a significant milestone in the global expansion of the craft beer scene.
Beyond the Brews: But brewing isn't all there is to life! The episode throws in some fun segments, including "Beer Flights, The Dadverse, & Pinball." This lighthearted diversion offers a refreshing break from the industry discussions and showcases the diverse interests of the podcast hosts and listeners.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
The stovepipe is gonna take over the world.
If you follow us on Twitter, errr... X, then you've seen the posts for #LongBeerFriday. That's Brian's doing. He loves a good stovepipe and he's finding more beers in these 19.2 oz. cans. North Coast just announced their Old Rasputin RIS is coming out in a stovepipe can. Dangerous.
With the "Big Game" this weekend we explore some stats on NFL fans and their drinking habits. Any guesses on which teams have the drunkest fans? Not to leave out the places without an NFL team, we also take a look at which state has the drunkest residents. I wonder if there's any correlation.
We've another Anchor Brewing update. The Anchor Union isn't in the mix any more to buy the brewery, but they aren't totally out. We'll keep an eye on what develops here.
The closures keep on keeping on. New Belgium announced this week they were closing their San Francisco brewery and taproom. Based on the surprise from some San Fran residents on the beer forums that New Belgium even had a taproom there, it seems like that's not a shocking end.
COME SEE US NEXT WEEKEND AT TRUCK & TAP DULUTH!
We have to move our Hot Drinks for Cold Weather show and drinking event to 02/17 at 2PM. Come hang with us and have a toddy or two.
Beer of the Week
- Stillwater - Extra Dry (“Sake Style Saison Ale”)
- Sierra Nevada - Dank Little Thing IPA
- Iron Hill - Winter Warmer (winter ale w/ cinnamon, nutmeg, & star anise)
- Anderson Valley Black Light - Light Dark Ale - 95 calories, 3.8% ABV. Brewed with Chocolate Malt, Midnight Wheat, and Black Rice
- Northern Monk - Rocket Lolly IPA (from the the UK)
- 49th State - Alaska 8 Star Lager with Cranberry & Hibiscus (“Winter Lager”)
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We made it to FOUR HUNDRED episodes. Whew.
This week marks the 400th episode of Beer Guys Radio. Crazy. We've been pretty steady with the show since we launched in January 2016, and here it is 2024. Thanks for joining us for the ride.
We open up with a little WTF action as Truly launched a Hot Wing Sauce Hard Seltzer "just in time" for the Super Bowl. Maybe it would pair well with our cellared Hormel Chili Cheese Beer?
Just like everything else the average price for a case of craft beer is up, and I learned there are several categories of craft beer at retail, all the way up to Apex Craft.
Bids are in for Anchor Brewing and it's expected a winner will be announced soon. The Anchor Union is still in the mix but no word on where they stand in the race.
We share some thoughts on Dry January and hop water, now that it's all behind us, and thoughts on what breweries can do to keep people coming in during those challenging months. We definitely support giving your body a break, but we sure don't want to hurt our favorite bars and breweries. In related news, NA beer is the NA beverage of choice (next to NA wine and spirits) for Dry January.
We take a little side venture into hot sauce chat, and about if listening to a book counts as reading a book.
More closures. So many more closures. Buffalo Bayou Brewing got locked out of their building for non payment of rent. The CEO says he's trying to come back. We ponder the likelihood of that happening. You gotta have a bold strategy to pull off a Lazarus move.
AB InBev continues to close down craft breweries it acquired. But it's keeping some of the brands alive at its other breweries. Let's see what they have left when it's all said and done.
Finally, a shout out to our friends Jason and Leslie from Orpheus Brewing. They're having a going away party this weekend ahead of a move to Amsterdam where they'll start up a much smaller brewing operation, The Hollows. We wish them luck!
Beers of the Week
- Scofflaw Juice Quest (Hazy IPA)
- Three Taverns Decatur 200 (Cold Pale Ale)
- Dogfish Head / Rodenbach - Crimson Cru (Red Ale, blend of Rodenbach Grand Cru and “an off-centered red ale” infused w/sumac & sweet orange peel.)
- Bearded Iris Pep Talk (Lager)
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Live from the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting!
ACAT has become a tradition for us. We've gone every year since we launched and always look forward to it. This year's event, the 18th, was no exception. Plenty of awesome cask beers and great people. It was actually pretty packed, which was nice to see with all the negative talk about craft beer and beer festivals.
In keeping with tradition we sat down with the event organizer, Owen Ogletree of Brewtopia Events. We chatted about cask ale and why you'll sometimes see "Ale, Beer, and Stout" mentioned together as though they are distinct things. (They are, or they were.) We talk about beer foam, lacing, and how fests like ACAT inspire homebrewers.
Georgia Craft Brewers Guild executive director Joseph Cortez sits down with us to talk beer laws and the current bill up for consideration, knows as The FOAM Act, SB163 would provide various relief for brewers in relation to self-distribution, sales limits, franchise law, and direct donations to charities. You can view the bill here and sign a petition to show your support here.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Beer Mints and Potato Chips
Miller Lite always has some interesting swag. For Dry January it's mints that are supposed to taste like Miller Lite, which I guess is a good thing. More my taste (maybe?) are potato chips that taste like a citrus IPA. Honestly, that doesn't sound great, but I would try them.
AB InBev does Paris
As a beer sponsor backs out in protest of Russian and Belarussian athletes being allowed to participate in the olympics, AB InBev steps in to be the beer sponsor. Good for them, they always do make sound business decisions.
Mikkeller goes macro and our favorite gueuze scales back
Carlsberg has acquired a minority stake in Mikkeller. They wanted to buy them outright, but Mikkeller wasn't up for that. More sadder for us, Drie Fonteinen announced team changes and the climate of craft beer means they'll be scaling back production. Hold on with all you've got, 3F.
Uber drops Drizly
After acquiring the company for over $1 Billion just a few years ago, Uber is shuttering the Drizly alcohol delivery service. Since you can still get alcohol via UberEats it may just be unloaded the name and some of the tech, but that's speculation.
New Jersey's beer bill is SIGNED!
We've followed this all year and it is done. The governor signed the bill and brought much needed relief.
Local Scene
Here in Georgia Pontoon Brewing recently reopened. They're one of the breweries caught up in the mess at Bevana which forced their closure last year. Also, visitors went to Dry County Brewing to find locked doors with no comment from the brewery as to why. We reached out to one of the owners who told us the taproom is closed temporarily and more info will be released soon.
Beer Guys on the move
If you're in the Atlanta are or ready for a trip come see us at the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting on 01/20 and join our Hot Beer, Cold Weather show at Truck & Tap Duluth on 01/27! See you there!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We've always been supporters of Dry January. We love beer, but we know you need to take it easy sometimes and if you want to take January to purge your liver, we're all about it. But... a side effect of that is that our pubs and breweries have an even slower month in a month that's already traditionally slow.
With that in mind, Jeff Alworth at Beervana suggested we make it #PubJanuary. You can still stay dry if you choose to, but go out to your pubs (or breweries, if appropriate) and have a meal with some friends or family. Show them love, give them business, we know it's a tough time out there and they need all the support they can get. We're totally on board with that.
New Jersey beer bill heads to governor
We've updated this throughout the year and it looks like a bill was reached that made everyone, including the governor, happy. It passed nearly unanimously in both houses - some chose to abstain from voting, but everyone that did vote was in support. Now, it's headed back to the governor's desk for a signature. Good luck, NJ!
Asahi buys Octopi Brewing
Another big acquisition. Octopi is a contract brewer whose owner also owns Untitled Art, who offers up some tasty NA and not-NA beers. Asahi acquired Octopi recently. More details in the show!
Call the PPO Police!
Beer Twitter sprung into action this week when Other Half's new Chicago taproom opened with some pints costing $16. The addressed it quickly and prices were lowered, with the highest priced pint now at $9. But still, $16 to start. Madness. Related, we talk about pricing at NFL stadiums. Where is a beer a (relative) steal and who's robbing you?
Beer Guys out and about
We've got a few events coming up soon so come see us if you're in the area. We'll be at the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting on Jan 20th and we've got a fun event coming up (Cold Weather, Hot Drinks) with our friends at Truck & Tap on Jan. 27th. More details coming soon!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Eight years of talking about beers
This week marks the 8th anniversary of Beer Guys Radio. Cheers to us. So much has changed over the last 8 years it seems like we've been at it a long longer. Cheers to the next 8!
It's Dry January
The annual holiday of people deciding they need to chill on their drinking. If you're playing along we've got some recommendations for you. It's a bit more controversial this year. Several brewers have noted that craft beer sales are down (they are) and that January is one of the tougher months for your bars and breweries. They need you now more than ever.
We share an update on the lawsuit against Treee House Brewing, some news about hops and their ability to combat Alzheimer's, talk travel for beer, and how to get more Gen Z'ers in your taproom.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Looking back on the big styles and big stories of 2023.
We've almost made it through another year. Whew. Seems like they hasn't been a ton of sunshine and puppies for craft beer since before the plague and 2023 definitely brought its share of challenges.
The Most Loved Styles
We'll start off with some non-negative news and recap the top rated beer styles per Untappd. I'm a bit surprised here, but I talk it through and see why these styles landed where they did.
Is the Bubble Bursting?
The big Bubble Burst has been predicted for several years now for craft breweries. We're not really seeing a bubble burst, but we are seeing, as Bart Watson of the Brewers Association put it, market correction. Brewery closures, sell offs, bankruptcies, and mergers were the norm this year with a few lawsuits thrown in for good measure.
Bud Light Blunder
Another story that stayed in the news for most of the year. This one made everyone mad, and AB chose not to take sides on either front and just move on. Their moves cost them dearly, with lasting effects.
A Look Ahead
Who the heck knows what 2024 holds. We make some predictions and wishes. Unfortunately, signs point to more challenges for the industry. But, we're still going to get great beer from great brewers, so I guess it will be alright.
Thanks for spending 2023 with us. We appreciate you and hope 2024 is a banger of a year for you!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
What a fun way to "work." As is tradition, it's time for our annul Holiday Blind Beer Tasting, aka The 12 Beers of Christmas, aaka The Interfaith Holiday Beer SPECTACULAR.
13 (so close to 12) beers, 7 beer drinkers, blind tasting and picking our favorites. Mixed in with some fun facts about drinking and the holidays.
The Beers
- N'Ice Chouffe
- St. Bernardus Christmas
- Ommegang Everything Nice
- Ommegang Everything Naughty
- Noda Cheerwine Holiday Ale
- Bell's Christmas Ale
- Scaldis Noel
- Barrel of Monks Father Christmas 2018
- Delirium Noel
- Prairie Christmas Bomb!
- Highland Cold Mountain
- Hardywood Christmas Morning
- Deschutes Jubelale
We're taking next week off for the holiday break but we'll be back the next wek.
Cheers, Y'all! Happy Holidays!!!!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
What's your favorite brewery?
Just before we recorded this week's show VinePair dropped an article about 30 of the best breweries in America. These "best of" lists always bring out some controversy, but we're pretty happy with the spots from Georgia that made the list. Any of your favorites get mentioned?
As the holidays approach the Costco beer advent calendar is out again. Folks seem to love grabbing this and then complaining about it. I'm always cautious about a dozen or so random beers, they always seem to be about 50% duds in my experience. On the holiday note, Miller Lite continues with some interesting swag. They recently dropped a beer nutcracker, their beernaments are back, and they've even got a neon Christmas tree that smells like a diver bar. Crazy.
In the beer drama lane, as there always seems to be plenty of that to go around, Joyride Brewing sued one of its co-founders saying he diverted over a $1M to other businesses. This comes a few weeks after the brewery announced they were filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Even more drama in Russia. We've talked about Heineken's delayed withdrawal from Russia and Carlsberg was holding out even longer. Bad move for them as Russian authorities seized the brewery and arrested some top management and accusing them of fraud.
Oh yeah, the foam story... Seems that foamy things are all the rage in craft beer these days. I kind of thought this already happened but news stories say it is happening right. now. If you say so.
WARNING! INCOMING CHRISTMAS BEER SHOW! Two weeks from now we'll drop our annual Interfaith Holiday Craft Beer Spectacular. It's gonna be great. If you can't wait then check our what we had to say last year.
Beers of the Week
- Sierra Nevada - Celebration (Yes, again. YOLO.)
- Wrecking Bar - Big Slurp Imperial IPA (Strong Beer Fest 2023 Best IPA Winner)
- Delirium Noel 2022
- Goose Island / RTJ - Golden Ale
- Trillium - Fort Point (Pale Ale)
- Bells - Hopslam (DIPA with Hon
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Lawsuits and taxes and beer laws, oh my!
2023 has been a hell of a year for craft beer. Breweries continue to close their doors or move in together. Like when you had to go back to your parents' house after college to save some money. Shit happens and you gotta do what you gotta do.
Bevana Drama and Trouble at Tree House
Craft beer is no stranger to lawsuits but there are a couple heavy hitters lately. You've heard us talk about Bevana several times. Some of our friends breweries have partnered with them. Well, things are not going well at Bevana. One brewery claims money owed to them by Bevana forced them to close and file bankruptcy and others say monies are owed and promises have not been delivered on. There's a lot to this one and it's just getting started so we'll keep our eyes open for more. Also, a minority shareholder of Tree House brewing claims majority stakeholders paid themselves excessive salaries and amassed real estate holding while no paying proceeds to others. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out.
Taxes and Laws and Big 'ol Stouts
Britian has frozen their beer taxes until next Summer. Seems people were getting pretty upset about recent increases. News from New Jersey, Gov. Murphy vetoed a bill that would have eased restrictions on breweries. However, there's more to it as the governor vetoed the bill as he said it doesn't go far enough. More to come here.
More in the show as we talk about Blackout Wednesday, the return of Bourbon Country Brand Stout, and interesting collaborations in Colorado. Cheers!
Beers of the Week
- Sierra Nevada Celebration
- Halfway Crooks / Three averns - Tiene Pils (10th Anni Belgian pils w/100% Belgian ingredients.)
- Bell’s - HopSlam (DIPA with Honey)
- Parish / Tripping Animals - Animals in the Machine (Double NEIPA)
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Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
This new hop sounds fishy...
With our recent love of tinned seafood we were pretty stoked to hear about Anchovy hops, and even more stoked to hear they don't taste like anchovies. We'll have to find a beer with these soon.
Y'all remember a couple of years ago when someone stole two truckloads of beer from Sweetwater Brewery? Well, some folks in Memphis beat that by stealing "17 or 18 truckloads" of Twisted Tea. What in the world will you do with that much Tea? I can't wait to hear how this shakes out.
Spice up your boring beer
I'm not sure this is exactly new, but the internet says to upgrade your cheap beer to put a few dashes of hot sauce in it. Some places really go all out with that like a Loaded Tecate or the Dressed Hamm's. I decide to try it with a Three Taverns Beeps and gotta say, pretty good.
On the note of spicy beers... remember when chile pepper beers were cool? Habnero Sculpin, Stone's horrendous Crime and Punishment. We loved No Label's Don Jalapeno. Another one last to the sand of time, mostly.
More brewery closures coming at us and another big one this week with the announcement that Ecliptic Brewing would close their pub and restaurant. However, the brand's beer will still be available.
Happy Thanksgiving!
We're talking off this week to stuff our fat faces with turkey. We hope you'll do the same. Have a great holiday and we'll see you in two weeks!
Beers of the Week
- Featured! Parish's Holy Ghost 3X NE IPA - Deep dive on the show.
- Parish Ghost in the Machine
- Parish Reve Coffee Stout
- Sierra Nevada Celebration
- Allagash Gatherwell
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
If it's gonna be dark at 5:00 I'm gonna need more stouts.
Oh. My. God. I hate this time of year. Set the clocks back an hour and I'm off schedule for two weeks. I don't sleep right, day is night, up is down. What is even happening here?
Fortunately last weekend was nice so we hit some patios, drank some good beers, ate some oysters, and visited our local barcade. Good times that we'll take advantage of while we can.
The brewery closures keep coming. The Brewers Association says craft beer is now a "mature market," listen in for more on that. We saw Hippin' Hops close a location here in Atlanta, big news out of Austin as Oskar Blue's shutters, and after we went to press news came out that Ecliptic Brewing has been sold and while the brand will live on, the pub and restaurant will close. We'll see more of that, no doubt.
As it is the season and we are all for playing along, we discuss pumpkin beers this week. I even drink one. Madness. Pumpkin beers aren't my thing but NoDa was nice enough to share some of their medal-winning Gordgeous so I gave it a shot. It's pretty good, opens up at cellar temps IMO. I may not go for pumpkin beer often but we've all got opinions on what we want IF we do happen to have one.
While beer fests are down in popularity the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer (FoBAB) in Chicago is still a hot one. We talk about the winners this year and get excited to see a Brett beer get some love again.
In other stories can sales are down, could this mean the end of the shortage? Brian, for some reason, shares a story about alcohol and sexual assault in Antarctica. Seriously, I don't even know why this was included. But here we are.
The Beer List
- Trillium - Deciduous (Hoppy Pale Rice Lager)
- Fast Fashion / HW Crooks - Catch of the Day (Fresh Hop NE IPA)
- Iron Hill - Spruce Moose IPA
- Homebrew - Tiny Trout (Pilsner)
- Green Man - ESB
- Wild Leap - Alpha Abstraction vol. 25 (DIPA)
- NoDa Gordgeous (Pumpkin Ale)
- Anchor Steam
Sources
- https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/beer-cans-maker-ball-misses-quarterly-sales-estimates-slowing-demand-2023-11-02/
- https://www.wxyz.com/news/michigan-laundromat-expands-business-t
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Would you pay $250 for 25 ounces of beer?
It's once again time for the semi-annual release of Sam Adams Utopias and with that, the slew of websites touting that it is illegal in 15 states. Technically a beer, but drinks more like a spirit, and hits a hefty 28%. Have you tried it? What did you think?
Along with Utopias we recently saw the annual release of Bruery's Black Tuesday and Founders teased the return of their CBS (that's Canadian Breakfast Stout). We talked with Founders Brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki about these big beers back in 2019.
What's the deal with beer fests?
Beer fests are a hot topic these days, too. People are divided on whether they're still cool, if they ever were, or if it's just a huge group of nerds getting drunk. We like beer fests. Well, some beer fests.
NA beer and bacterial growth, a bit of pee in your TsingTao, Alcohol and Loose Morals
A recent report says NA beer is a "breeding ground" for bacteria. We get the point they're making, but the headlines make it sounds a bit more scarier than we think it actually is.
An employee was caught on camera urinating into some malt at a TsingTao brewery in China. The brewery said they have secured the malt. They didn't say they tossed it, just that they secured it.
A study shows "one drink" of just 7 oz of spirits can impact your moral compass and have you dancing nude on stage at concerts BUT your loyalty won't waiver. Alrighty then.
Beers of the Week
- Sierra Nevada - Celebration IPA
- Four Fathers Brewing - The Gadget Milkshake
- Voodoo Brewing - Grindin’ (Imperial Coffee Stout, 9%!)
- Halfway Crooks - Exporrrt (Belgian - Style Export Lager)
- Blackstack Brewing - 100 Year Jubilee - TDH DIPA
- Highland Cold Mountain Winter Warmer
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Oh, Spyglass has hazies alright, but there's so much more
John Wagner and Isaac Boucher from Spyglass Brewing Co. join us on this week's show. They brewery made their name with their hazy IPAs. Thanks to a recent expansion there's now a lot more on tap Isaac tells us he's been enjoying brewing some lagers and playing with all the new hops. We joke about people wanting more variety in their IPAs... as long as they're still hazy/juicy/tropical. Good times.
We chat about all the cool innovations in ingredients available to brewers now. Modified yeasts (yay GMOs!), new hops, craft malts. We're living in the future, people. So much great beer out there. Make sure to drink it all and keep these breweries open.
To take things to a whole. 'nother. level. Spyglass has a Quad IPA. We chat about the difference between a QIPA and a Barleywine, and sipping on those big boys. We chat more on raw ales, maybe we'll see one of those from Spyglass soon.
If you're near Nashua, NH make sure to stop and have a beer or two with the crew. If not, follow them on the socials to see what they're up to,
Atlanta has a Michelin guide!
Y'all, we had to talk about this. The Foodie... Oscars? finally hit Atlanta. This week we got our first Michelin guide. We haven't visited any of the spots that got a star, but several of the Michelin Recommended and Bib Gourmand spots we've raved about and, if you follow us on the socials, you've likely seen pics. Cheers to Deer and the Dove, Little Bear, and Fishmonger on their awards.
More from Georgia. Creature Comforts Brewing's union vote failed to pass with a vote of 32-21. We think that says a lot these days. More info and opinions in the show.
25th Annual Learn to Homebrew Day is 11/03
Check out the website for more info or look for an event in your area. If you've never homebrewed now is a perfect time to ask someone that does if you can join them for a brew day.
The Beer List
- Smith & Lentz - German Pils (Nashville pickup!)
- Barrique Brewing & Blending - Wet Hop Reserve (Wild Ale w/ Wet Hops)
- Other Half - 11 Pounders (DDH IPA)
- Two Tides / Halfway Crooks - Waterfall (Pilsner)
- Green Man - Porter
- Timber Ales - Pancakes by C
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We don't recommend this beer drinking challenge...Seems a guy in the UK has "challenged" himself to drink 2,000 pints of beer in 200 days. I'm fully opposed to this challenge, but it's hard to look away. Last I saw he was running behind as he didn't start off with the goal of 2,000. So, to make his goal, he'll have to drink more than 10 pints of beer a day. Ridiculous and dangerous. I hope he gives up.
Still controversial but less dangerous, VinePair shared an article discussing some of Reddit's polarizing beer takes. Nitro beers, six packs, saisons, and candy beers are in the mix. What are your thoughts on these hot takes?
Much to Brian's joy, Ukraine has a tomato beer they've submitted for approval as a BJCP beer style. As you may know, we dabbled with some sun dried tomatoes back in our homebrewing days with Johnny Saisoni. We nailed what we were going for, and most agreed, but not everyone thought that was a good thing.
Support better beer laws for Georgia's breweries
Georgia's beer laws aren't great, but we've got some folks trying to change that. The Georgia Craft Brewers Guild is presenting Senate Bill 163 - The FOAM Act to help improve laws for small breweries. Check out the bill and we'd really appreciate if you'd sign this petition.
We also share another Anchor update, info on New Zealand's Raw Ale movement, and the most expensive airport beers. Whew!
Beers of the Week
- Anchor Steam
- Round Trip Instant Krüsch | Kölsch
- Hi-Wire Brewing - Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Manhattan Ale | Barleywine
- Line Creek The Real Dill | Dill Pickle Sour
- Creature Comforts / Heater Allen - Heater Action | Dortmunder Lager
- Birds Fly South - Nights Like These | Dry Irish Stout
- Three Taverns Pilsen Liberation | Czech Pils
Sources
- https://vinepair.com/booze-news/reddit-polarizing-beer-takes/
- https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/s-f-anchor-brewing-on-the-market-18422512.php
- https://www.vice.com/en/article/93kzj3/jon-may-2000-pints-200-days-livestream
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We have no idea what's going on anymore.
Some of the beer (or at least alcohol) news we see is just insane. Maybe we shouldn't judge too hard, we've all had our moments, remember Brian's BORG phase?
Seems another ridiculous TikTok trend has people de-carbing their White Claws. If you're gonna do that, why not just get some crazy flavored vodka and mix with some water. I think that would actually be cheaper. Madness.
And from the "I shouldn't be surprised that I'm surprised" file, Ultra Right beer is a hit. A special edition with Trump's mug shot on it apparently sold 20,000 six packs in record time.
A little less insane, the popularity of hop water is increasing. We've dabbled. Hop Lark was on the show a few years ago and we've even made some hop water ourselves. It's not really my thing, but Brian digs it.
And we've got one last round of stats from this year's Oktoberfest. They hit record attendance in 2023, but sold less beer than previous years. Oh well, at least people were showing up.
Beers of the Week
- Reuben’s Brews / Monday Night - Surround Sound
- Xul Beer Co - Rhymes Like Dimes
- Halfway Crooks - Whole Cone Fest Marzen
- Untitled Art/ Collective Arts Brewing - Cotton Candy
- Good Word - Any Day Now
- Burnt Hickory Brewing - Big Shanty (Graham Cracker Stout)
- Hi Wire 10 Years of Hi Wire | Blend of BBA 10W-40 Imperial Stout, BBA Barleywine, and BBA Belgian-style Quad
Sources
- https://allaboutbeer.com/why-hop-water-is-great-for-breweries-and-consumers
- https://vinepair.com/articles/urine-in-corona-hoax/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/dontse/2023/10/07/2023-oktoberfest-was-the-biggest-beer-party-ever/
- https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/04/molson-coors-ceo-on-non-alcoholic-drinks-were-moving-beyond-beer.html
- https://vinepair.com/booze-news/iwsr-data-at-home-drinking-trend/
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Y'all, the Wagner Group owns a brewery in Africa...
Yes, that Wagner Group. The story is crazy. You'll have to stick with us til the end but we give you the rundown on this craziness.
For some reason, we start the show talking about crazy sandwiches and stupid pizza with stupid toppings that are stupid. The we get into a new take on Tank 7 that we can't wait to try, and other odd beer flavors that just work
Tilray finally complete their purchase of breweries and other things from AB InBev. The breweries seem pretty excited about it. For us here in Atlanta, home of SweetWater, that should mean a lot more brands on tap at the brewery. We'll check it out and report back.
Draft beer struggles but Voodoo Ranger is riding strong
Brian's not been shy about his love for the 19.2 oz can, and he shares them each week for #LongBeerFriday on Twitter or, X, I guess. But is the 19.2 part of the problem with draft beers decline? We may never know, but that won't stop us from talking about it. Personally, I want to see smaller cans, gimme everything in an 8 oz. and I'd be happy.
Voodoo Ranger is killing it in grocery and convenience stores. Between the standard Voodoo Ranger and Juice Force they've got the #1 and #2 spots. We're still disappointed the water park never happened.
Run the Jewels turns 10 and celebrates with some collaboration brews
We got our hands on the Run the Jewels / Monday Night Brewing collaboration RTJX Southern IPA. Full disclosure, Monday Night hooked us up with a 4-pk. We featured the brew on the show this week and tell about the brew and the cause it's supporting.
Anchor Brewing update
We're not sure what to make of this, but it sounds.... interesting. Anchor Brewing's assets have been donated to the San Francisco Historical Society and the Smithsonian Institution. What's this mean for the Union trying to buy the brewery? Guess we'll have to wait and see.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We remember falling in love with Hop Drop N Roll...Back before we started BGR, NoDa Brewing's Hop Drop N Roll was one of the beers we would mule back when we went to the Carolinas. Pickings were still a bit slim here in Georgia and it was a banger of a West Coast IPA. It still is, but there's so much more beer out there now.
You'll notice (hopefully) that I'm (Tim) absent from this episode (show). Brian noted it as "on assignment," that assignment was a health scare with my dear old (83) dad. He's stable now, but not great. Y'all keep send him some good vibes or send up prayers if you do that sort of thing, please. Thanks.
Fortunately, Nate and Brian kept the party going as they chatted with NoDa's co-founder and head brewer Chad Henderson. They start the show off with some discussion on which generation drinks the most, with Gen Z really lagging on doing their part for the alcohol beverage industry.
You look Gordgeous!Chad shares about their lovely beers, like Hop Drop N Roll, SLURP, their medal-winning Gordgeous pumpkin ale, and some upcoming Holiday goodies.
We learn about NoDa's support for Pints for Prostates, talk all about they Cheerwine collaboration ale, and some chatter on raw ales and their Nordic Raw Stout.
The Great American Beer Festival just wrapped up and announced their winners list. We talk some about NoDa's success at the fest and some overall GABF medal stats.
NoDa Brewing keeps their distro tight, you'll only find them in the Carolinas, so grab some when you or a friend visit.
Beers of the Week
- NoDa Lil Slurp | Juicy IPA
- NoDa Gordgeous | Pumpkin beer
- NoDa Cheerwine Ale | Cheerwine inspired What Ale
- NoDa Hop Drop N Roll | West Coast IPA
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Are you ready for an extra long Oktoberfest?
The official Oktoberfest celebration in Munich is 18 days long this year, an extra 2 days over the typical 16 to include German Unity Day.
If you're celebrating in America that doesn't matter because we start celebrating in September and run all the way through October, and sometimes November. Because if there's a drinking holiday we're going to stretch it out as long as we can.
To get the party started we headed to Der Biergarten in Atlanta for the firs day of Oktoberfest. The celebration included a whole roasted pig, an official "first" keg tapping, oompah music, and plenty of beer.
We talked with Austin Edwards, head brewer at STATS Brewpub (STATS and Der Biergarten are both part of the Legacy Ventures family) and Jay Toxey, the Southeast Regional Manager for Paulaner USA. We enjoyed Paulaner's Festbier and Marzen and STATS Oktoberfest during the festivities. In keeping with tradition we learn a bit about Oktoberfest - fun facts, stats, and trivia, and about the beer served at Munich's festival.
If you're in Atlanta and looking for some great German beer and food to celebrate then head to Der Biergarten, get you a liter of bier, and party on.
And if you haven't listened yet, be sure to check out our 6th Annual Oktoberfest Blind Beer Tasting!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We're so busy festin' this year that we had to do an extra episode to work in our annual Oktoberfest blind beer tasting. But, we're dedicated so we made it happen.
We (OK, Brian) grabbed 5 German and 5 American takes on the the Festbier and Marzen styles and we blind tasted them and picked our favorites. In keeping with tradition we had some big, soft pretzels (praise be to QT) and some brats, and a bit of fish dip. We enjoyed these before and after tasting so we didn't mess up our delicate palates, and had some plain crackers and coffee to clear out our taste and smell.
As always, this was a fun show to do. Hard to argue with drinking through some great Oktoberfest beers. There were some definite surprises this year, and a few that performed as expected. Prost!
The Beer List (In alphabetical order)
- Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen - Märzen
- Bell's Octoberfest Beer - Märzen
- Hacker-Pschorr Oktboberfest Märzen - Märzen
- Hofbräuhaus München Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier - Festbier
- Paulaner Oktboberfest Märzen - Märzen
- Sam Adams Octoberfest - Märzen
- Sierra Nevada / Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei - Festbier
- Victory Festbier - Festbier
- Warsteiner Oktoberfest - Märzen
- Yuengling Oktoberfest - Märzen
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Our beer fest tour continues...
Last weekend we took our happy selves to Duluth, GA for the Les Bon Beer Festival hosted by our good friends at Good Word Brewing.
Good Word always puts on a great event and this highly-curated selection of brewers and oyster farmers was no exception. We enjoyed a variety of saisons, mixed fermentation brews, and oysters as we chatted with some of the events participants.
We always love to learn more about things we don't know about. Ed Mera of Mera Brothers Oysters joins us to drop some general knowledge on oysters, the impact of hurricanes on oysters, green gills, and merroir.
Averie Swanson from Keeping Together tells us about her brewery and the journey from Texas, to Chicago, to New Mexico while educating us all on mixed culture beers. We get a shot of Underberg to keep our digestion in check, and discuss the wonders of Malort.
There are a few people we know well and always have good conversations with. Orpheus Brewing's Jason Pellett is one of those people. Jason's been on the show a handful of times over the years and was one of first guests wayyy back in 2016. Jason recently closed his taproom in Atlanta and is in the process of moving to Amsterdam where he'll open a much smaller brewery, The Hollows, thanks in part to more friendly brewing laws. We talk with Jason about these changes, the "protections" of the three-tier system, and why everything is so damn expensive these days. FYI... even though the taproom is closed you can still find Orpheus beers at retail and on draft thanks to their partnership with Bevana.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Did you see all the madness going around last week over the rumor that the Biden administration was going to tell Americans they can only have 2 beers a week? It was crazy and, from what we read, seemed to be an off the cuff comment blown out of proportion, but it made for some good discussion.
Larry Horwitz, currently with Crooked Hammock Brewery, but with a long resume, joined us on the show this week. We learn a bit about his brewery and what they're up to, talk about the changing craft beer industry, and ponder the impact that legal weed has on craft beer. There's some lager talk, and Larry debunks his nickname of the Light Lager Whisperer, but that doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy them.
As part of the Brewers Associations draft beer committee Larry tells us about the challenges facing draft and the "state of the industry" for draft beer. We also get a great story about (the beer writer) Michael Jackson and peanut butter beer. Good times.
Annnnnnd.... we are now OFFICIALLY able to get into Oktoberfest beers! We did exactly that last weekend and there's more to come. Happy Holidays!
The Beer List
- Crooked Hammock Brewery - Wide Eyed Wit
- Ommegang - Gnommegang Belgian-Style Blonde Ale
- Other Half Triple Mylar Daydream
- Victory - Prima Pils
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Last weekend we hung out with the crew at Terrapin Brewery Atlanta for the Live at the Battery beer fest. It was an awesome time filled with BBQ, beer, and great conversation.
Joining us on the show we had Terrapin co-founder Spike Buckowski and lead brewer Chad Martin. We covered a lot of ground in our conversation.
We discuss the art of whiskey blending. It's not easy to produce a consistent product, or to put out a new one that's a winner and offers something unique.
Spike gives us the scoop on Terrapin's 25th Anniversary beer, BBA Old Snapper Barleywine. We can't wait to get our hands on some of that one.
We open a few Terrapin vintage beers from Brian's cellar and talk about the fortress of wax on Terrapin's early wax-dipped bottles. Tiramisu Hoo, Cinnamom Roll'd WnB, and a Tart CherryWnB.
We reminisce about Belgian beer and how for many of us that was our gateway to the wonderful world of craft.
Spike share's info on his travels to Canada and the malty adventures there and Chad chats about brewing with some fun ingredients, like Phantasm and thiolized yeast.
We get in some hot Cold IPA talk, more reminiscing on macro beers, lagers, and Malort. Ahhh, Malort.
Terrapin Beers of the Week
- Clara Bell Kolsch
- Just a Bit OTP
- Tripel Buzz
- Tiramisu Hoo VINTAGE!
- Cinnamom Roll'd WnB VINTAGE!
- Tart CherryWnB VINTAGE!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Apparently Germany has a raccoon problem. Drunken ones at that. The population has exploded in recent years and the furry troublemakers are breaking into homes, tearing stuff, and getting lit. They sound like they'd be cool to hangout with.
We got a new beer style, or do we? I've been using my skeptical face lately with some of these new beer styles. Apparently, West Coast Pilsner is a thing. But it sounds like the flavor isn't what you'd expect from something with "West Coast" in the name.
British Brewers battered by Brexit. In addition to the standard issues facing brewers today it sounds like Brexit is causing grief for some of Britain's brewers. Many are noting huge losses of export sales due to Brexit, and some are closing. That'll teach 'em.
Billy Busch Wants To Make Bud Light Great Again. Ol' Billy claimed on a recent interview he'd buy back the brand. Sounds like just some puffing of the chest for attention, but who even knows these days.
Vintage... fish? You know Brian and I are currently going through a tinned seafood phase. As dive into this more we are learning so many fun things. Like there are "vintage" tins of sardines. Apparently the flavors mellow with a few years age on them and soak up more of whatever they're canned in - oil, tomato sauce, peppers.. From what I've seen so far about 5 years is as you want to go. I'm curious to try some cellared fish, and a bit scared.
IT'S BEER FEST TIME Y'ALL!!! Atlanta peeps! Come join us this weekend at Terrapin Brewery Atlanta where we'll be getting our beer fest on and talking with Terrapin founder Spike Buckowski. On 09/09 catch us a Les Bon at Good Word in Duluth, GA and on 09/16 we'll be at Der Biergarten in Atlanta for some hot Oktoberfest fun. Wooooo!
The Beer List
- Bitburger Pils
- Fonta Flora / AZ Wilderness - Doom Tree Kölsch (Aged on fresh lemon zest and local elderflower)
- NoDa Brewing - Hop Drop ‘N Roll West Coast style IPA
- Monday Night - Surround Sound American Pilsner
- Dalton Brewing - Space Cow Milkshake NEIPA
- Jack’s Abby Post Shift Bavarian Pils
Sources
- https://twitter.com/Beervana/status/1692313696226427269
- https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/aug/19/craft-beer-boom-uk-firms-bust-brexit
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Maui Brewing is leading efforts for wildfire relief
Earlier this week a fire ripped through the town of Lahaina on Maui. The losses were devastating, a nearly total loss of the entire city. Maui Brewing is leading the initiative for relief efforts through direct contributions, sharing resources, and starting the Kokua Project for a collaborative brew inspired by Sierra Nevada's Resilience project. Follow the links below for more info on ways you can support these efforts.
- TS Restaurants Legacy of Aloha - which will help the affected employees and their families
- Makai Foundation - which will support rebuilding efforts
- Maui Brewing Fire Fund - which will raise funds to deal with additional needs on the ground.
And if you’re a brewery and you would like to sign up to participate in the Kokua Project, you can find out more on the Maui Brewing website.
Go to: MauiBrewingCo.com/kokua What's the price for a case of beer in your state?Beer prices across the country vary greatly. Taxes, shipping, and other silliness can all impact cost. A survey from Alcohol Delivered shares the average cost of a case of macro brews across the US.
Take a trip to Treehouse for nine holes and a hazy
Breweries are always trying to come up with new ways to attract guests. For Treehouse brewing, that's opening a location with a 9-hole golf course. The move isn't unprecedented, Strange Duck Brewing here in Georgia has a (mini) golf course on site as well. FORRRE!
Ocean aging alcohol never seems to work out
A winery in California recently had the authorities step in and put a stop to their underwater aging efforts. The FDA said the wine was adulterated and not fit for human consumption. This reminds us of a story from a few years ago when a brewery tried aging a barrel of their beer on the ocean floor. The end result? The barrel of beer was stolen. Bummer.
The Beer List
- Oyster City - Tates Helles
- Prairie Artisan - Spicy Pickle Monster
- Terrapin - Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout
- Captain Lawrence - Citra Dreams
- Jester King - Queen’s Order
- Sierra Nevada Summerfest (Cause Su
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We had to wing it this week...
Unfortunately, our guest had a last minute emergency this week and we'll have to reschedule Larry for another time. It's cool, we've got this. We can always talk about beer.
Canned Fish and Beer Pairing?
One of our latest obsessions is tinned seafood. Sounds like we're kind of late to the party here but at least we made it to the party. I've always enjoyed a nice kipper or some tuna salad but there's a whole world out there I had no idea about. Fish lovers have their own forums, inside jokes, and memes just like beer nerds. Weirdos. We offer up some pairing suggestions for those that want to explore this salty world with us. Grab yourself some deens (that's what the cool kids call sardines) and grab a brew. If you've got any favorites please let us know.
Tilray Buys a Bunch of Breweries
The big news in beer this week is Tilray's purchase of 8 brands from Anheuser Busch. There's plenty of debate on whether this is a smart or dumb move for Tilray. It seems they got a great price on the package, less than AB paid for just one of the breweries when they acquired them.
The purchase of Sweetwater started Tilray (Aphria at the time) down the beer path and they acquired a few others since then. Here in Atlanta we've enjoyed Alpine and Green Flash brews on tap at the Sweetwater taproom. Maybe we'll see a cornucopia of these legacy brands there in the future.
German beer sales down, Guinness has a record year
Sounds like our German friends are easing up their drinking as sales are reported to be down 2.9% compared to last year. The country saw a bit of a boost once Covid restrictions lifted but that has gone away. In contrast to that, Guinness had it's best year ever with sales up 9% across all regions. Truly a lovely day for a pint.
The Beer List
- Deschutes / Bitburger - Dry Hop’d Zwickl
- Meier’s Creek - Dark Logger
- Decadent Ales - AC/DC PWR⚡UP Juicy IPA (6.66%)
- Bluejacket - They Both Melt (Dunkel)
- El Segundo - Greetings from El Segundo Anniversary Ale (TIPA)
- Three Taverns Beeps - Lager
Sources
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/hudsonlindenberger/2023/08/08/tilray-brands-deal-with-anheuser-busch-inbev-sets-them-firmly-on-the-national-stage/?sh=6d317f4424a8
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Black is Beautiful Vol. 2 is coming
Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Souls Brewing didn't intend to start a movement when he created his Black is Beautiful beer. Intentional or not, the movement happened, with 1,200+ breweries across all 50 states and 22 countries brewery their take on the Imperial Stout. Vol. 2 is underway, this one will be a NEIPA.
National Black Brewers Association
Less than 1% of the nearly 10,000 craft breweries in the US are black-owned, the National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) aims to change that. Through raising awareness the organization aims to the number of African Americans in brewing while raising awareness of the African American brewing history, opening more opportunity and resources for black brewers, and much more. Listen as Marcus shares about the organization and their goals.
Seasonal Creep and Pumpkin Hate
It's going to happen. I can't stop it. But we don't have to like. Hear our takes on seasonal creep of all things and our exception for a bit of Christmas in July.
You will never see a pumpkin beer from Weathered Souls. We can appreciate that. Marcus shares about his early, explosive experience with pumpkin that solidified his stance.
Learn more about Black is Beautiful and the National Black Brewers Association
There's a lot more than we could cover in an hour. Check out the links below for more info.
- https://www.nationalblackbrewersassociation.org/
- https://blackisbeautiful.beer/
- https://weatheredsouls.beer/
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
What do you think of GMO yeast in your beer?
They're definitely controversial, but there are some interesting things being done with GMO yeasts like "diacetyl-free" yeast, or yeasts like Sourivisae that produce lactic acid. Recently, thiolized yeasts have received a lot of press. American brewers are using these yeasts in beer every day, but due to stringent GMO guidelines they aren't available outside of the US yet.
And we've got some interesting hop talk this week, too. A farmer in Bavaria us growing hops under solar panels. This setup provides enough electricity for 250 households and the hops benefit from a bit of shade from rising temps, requiring less water. Reports are the hops are doing well, and may even increase yield. A scientific analysis of the project will be concluded in October.
More brewery drama this week as Leinenkugel's Wisconsin brewers have gone on strike for higher wages, which they say are lagging behind similar businesses. In one case, a brewer is only making $5.50/hr more than he was in 1990. Madness.
And don't think we forgot about Anchor Brewing. This one just keeps on developing. The Anchor Union has launched a bid to buy the brewery. However, Sapporo has said they will continue to move forward with liquidation and the beginning of August, so they don't have much time to make it happen. Good luck, Anchor!
Beers of the Week
- Brewery Bhavana Brisk (Pilsner)
- Three Taverns - Beeps
- Woven Water - Solace (English Coffee Porter)
- Newgrass Brewing - 11° (Czech Pilsner)
- The Veil - We We Ded Ded (Hazy DDH TIPA)
- River Rat Broad River Red Ale
- Liability Brewing Athleisure Hefeweizen
Sources
- https://www.wired.com/story/the-secret-ingredient-in-your-craft-beer-gene-edited-yeast/
- https://www.brewbound.com/news/beer-sales-8-3-over-july-4-but-52-week-volume-still-down-per-circana
- https://news.yahoo.com/workers-156-old-wisconsin-brewery-164317167.html
- https://apnews.com/article/climate-beer-solar-panels-hops-germany-ee3d00a1877837eb85053335e3b68a00
- https://www.probrewer.com/beverage-industry-news/news-from-the-breweries/sapporo-to-upgrade-stone-breweries-to-accommodate-brewing-sapporo-beer-for-us-market/
- https://vinepair.com/booze-news/anchor-employees-brewery-takeover-bid/
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It's tough to find positive news when looking at beer and brewery stats right now. New permit applications are down, beer festivals are on the decline, and we've all seen the closures of some of our favorite breweries this year.
However, there's a small ray of hope for Anchor Brewing after announcing their closure last week. A few investors have stepped forward to express their interest in buying the brewery. Two have said they'll keep things small and focused to start, and one wants to make the relaunch a reality TV show. Oof.
Beer Festival Bust
Speaking of beer fests... Some of the biggest festivals in the country are on hiatus, or cancelled. Folks just don't seem to be as in to them as they used to be. With that country's largest festival, Great American Beer Fest, coming up soon all eyes are on the turnout there. We think it may not be beer fests as much of the type of fests, with a preference for smaller, specialized events. What do you think?
On the science front, Omega Yeast Labs has found the gene responsible for bringing the haze to your hazies. They're calling it HZY1. After comparing yeast strains that produce hazier beers and isolating this gene, they've got the magic formula. We'll have to wait to see what this may mean in the future.
Beer Cocktails on the rise
Survey says more people are trying beer cocktails these days, or they're expressing an interest in trying them. For now, the research is on gateway cocktails like beeritas, shandies, and radlers. But once they're through the gate who knows what may happen.
For our Midwest listeners, have you had Red Beer? Is it still a thing? My dad drank "Tomato Beers" back in the day but I just thought it was a crazy thing he did. Google says this beer cocktail is still pretty popular in the region. Pops was a trendsetter.
Beers of the Week
- Anchor Steam Beer
- Sierra Nevada Flipside (Red IPA, Fan Favorites Pack Re-release)
- Deschutes Black Butte XXXV (Imp. Porter w/ Cherries, Cocoa, & Vanilla)
- Homebrew Schwarzbier
- Drowned Valley Mexican Lager with Lime
- El Segundo Smooth Deep Blues
- Göller Lager
- RAR Saving Astoria - Gose with tangerine and blood orange
- Jack’s Abby Post Shift Pilsner
Sources
- https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/save-anchor-steam-18199818.php
- https:/
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It's been a sad week for craft beer lovers. A story we couldn't skip, Anchor Brewing is closing after 127 years in business.
This one hits you right in the nostalgia as a craft beer drinker, but I'll be the first to admit I was part of the problem here. The last few years I think Christmas Ale is the only Anchor beer I've purchased. There are just so many great choices today. Whether I'm at my local brewery or bottle shop, there are tons of amazing beers to be had and some of the old faithfuls don't get the love they once did.
Close to home Atlanta Brewing Co. reported their lease was cancelled at Underground Atlanta, where they planned to re-open after closing last Summer. Although we thought this was the end of them news came out after the show that they aren't giving up yet.
We start off the show with tomato talk. Right, tomatoes. In beers, not in beers, and in the glorious BLT. Tis the season.
There's also some fun news with a new champ for the Beer Mile. Chug, run, chug, run. The chug time was a bit slow but the run time made up for. And Asia is getting a brewery on a cruise ship. We didn't know until we started digging around but apparently there's already one in North America - Carnival Vista's Red Frog Pub & Brewery.
A new (well, old) grain is making waves in brewing. Funio is a gluten-free grain that is very eco friendly and, apparently, has a closer taste to "real" beer than other gluten-free alternatives. Brooklyn Brewing has made beer with it and they're encouraging others to do the same.
We were thirsty during the show so here are our Beers of the Week
- Anchor - West Coast IPA
- Sierra Nevada - Ruthless Rye IPA
- High-Wire - Big Boy Thiolized NEIPA
- Halfway Crooks - Farina Lager
- Vitamin Sea - Greetings from Weymouth IPA
- Sweetwater - Gummies Fruit Punch IIPA
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
With rising costs for everything would you rather your favorite beer lose a bit of ABV or see the price go up a bit? According to our Twitter poll, about 75% of you would rather pay a bit more for your pint. "Drinkflation" is a hot topic in the UK as some brewers are choosing to drop the alcohol content of popular by 0.2% or so, and Brits are not happy about it.
If you want to see some hardcore Drinkflation, head out to your nearest cocktail bar. We enjoyed several Tiki cocktails this weekend and have the receipts to prove it. Drinking great is not cheap, for sure.
Back to beer we look at current trends, and I may have to eat my words for not believe that Bomb Pop beers were having a moment. I must have seen 4-5 release notices just this week. Never would have guessed, but I'm not scared to admit when I'm wrong. Red and Amber Ales are on the uptick as well, they're coming from all angles.
What's not on the rise is Sorachi Ace beers. This hop popped into our heads this week and we remember a few really nice beers that featured it. Seems lately that crop yields are very low and the lion's share of the harvest goes to Sapporo, who still features Sorachi Ace in the Asian markets.
We know this Bud Light story just keeps going on, but Anheuser-Busch continues to (somehow) keep wrecking this train. Their US CEO Brendan Whitworth appeared on the CBS Morning Show where he avoided every single direct question and instead chose to talk about their focus on unity and their employees. They've managed to make everyone upset, not matter their stance, and their sales continue to pay the price for their hubris.
To end on a positive note, New Jersey is very close to overturning some extremely restrictive beer laws that limited food, events, and everything fun at breweries. A bill is headed to the governor for signature that would reverse these laws and make things much better for the Garden State's breweries. Way to go, NJ!
Beers of the Week
- Halfway Crooks Radix - German Pilsner
- Hair of the Dog Adam Batch 89 - Adambier, ~2013
- Monday Night Juice Raptor - NE IPA
- Austin Brothers Alpena Amber - Amber Ale
- Austin Brothers Sno Drift Rally: Bonfire Alley - Brown Ale
- Terrapin Imperial Luau POG - Imperial IPA
- Eighth State Com Truise - Imperial IPA
- Shiner Prickly Pear - Fruit Beer
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It's hot, Y'all. So hot. Summer beers are here to save the day.
Now you know we're not scared to go dark in the Summer, but we do enjoy the lighter, crispy, refreshing beers that Summer brings. Kolsch, Pilsner, Pale Ale, and a lot more. We share some of the most popular styles for the season and an unexpected trend this year with... Rocket Pop beers?
Another hot item for Summer - the backyard barbecue. Maybe you call it a cookout, or just grilling. Call it what you like as long as the end result is delicious grilled meats. We've got pairings for some of the most popular grilled/smoked meats - ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and good ol' burgers and dogs. We also talk about some of the regional barbecue styles across the country and the city that's the most BBQ obsessed, which may be a surprise to many.
What's your favorite Summer beer? What's your favorite kind of barbecue? We've got ours, but we'll be doing research this year to verify.
Summer Beers of the Week
- Dos Equis Especial Lime & Salt (Lager)
- Sierra Nevada Summerfest (Summer Lager)
- Westbrook Key Lime Pi (Sour)
- Three Taverns Beeps (American Light Lager)
- Oyster City Mangrove (Mango Pale Ale)
- Deadwords Timberline (West Coast-ish IPA)
- Oyster City Tates Helles (Helles Lager)
- Good Supply Beer Co. (Easy Lager)
- Liability Brewing Stainless Steel Magnolias (Kolsch)
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
There's a lot to love about Belgian beers.
Once upon a time, many craft drinkers in America turned to Belgian beers for their quality and complexity. Either for a break from the limited American beers or due to lack of availability in their area. Golden ales, dubbels and tripels and quads, lambic and geuze, there was a bounty of flavor coming from Belgian breweries.
On the heels of his Belgians in the Garden beer festival John Roberts of Bold Monk joins us this week along with fellow brewer Brian Purcell of Three Taverns. We five into the styles, traditions, trends, terroir, glassware, and ingredients of Belgian beer.
A few of the topics covered:
- Belgians in the Beer Garden Recap
- Belgians vs. Belgian-style
- St. Bernardus 12 vs. Westy 12
- Singels, Dubbels, Tripels, & Quads
- The Short History of the Quadrupel
- Long Lost Belgian Styles Still Lost
- What Makes a Pilsner Belgian?
- Three Taverns Steps Out - A Night On Ponce
- Saisons: The Beer of the People
- All Beers Were Once Rauchbiers
- Growing Interest in Tripels & Quads
- Tekus and Belgian Beer Glassware
- Patersbier / Belgian Singels
- Lambics, Geuzes, and Spontaneous Ales
- Flanders Red Ales and Oude Bruins
Belgian Beers of the Week
- Orval
- Three Taverns & Brick Store - Total B.S. (Brett Saison, 2017)
- Oude Geuze Boon
- Bold Monk - The Virtue of Patience (Flanders Red Ale)
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Huge thanks to our Patreon supporter Coach Rogers for the suggestion for this show. We appreciate it!
Father's Day is a little over a week away. Are you ready for it?
Dads. We all have them. Questionable fashion, cheesy jokes, mad love for our idiotic selves. Dads don't get the credit they deserve, which is probably why they need a beer.
We delve into all things dad in this episode. Discussing what a dad beer is, or maybe what it was and what it is today. We share stories of beers we had with our dads, our dads' favorite beers, offer some gift ideas for dad, and share a slew of really awful dad jokes.
Don't forget Dad next Sunday. Get him his favorite beer, take him out to his favorite dinner, and make sure to laugh at his jokes.
Beers of the Week
- Heileman’s Old Style | Lager
- Mickey’s Big Mouth | Malt Liquor
- Miller High Life | Champagne of Beers
- Atlanta Brewing Kentucky Beer Dad | English Barleywine
- Southern Pines Malty By Nature | Scottish Export
- RJ Rockers Brown Eye Squirrel | Brown Ale
- River Rat Broad River | Red Ale
- The Eighth State Daily Routine | Pilsner
Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
We made it through the holiday weekend unscathed and are almost done with this short work week. Nice.
On this week's show we recap Brian and Nate's trips to Florida and the beer they got into on their travels. Smalls and I stayed here but Smalls threw a party so we had some grilled meats and beers with friends and then I binged the rest of Ted Lasso.
I sip on a new Scofflaw brew called Hop Shatter. Here's what the brewery has to say about the beer.
Originally brewed for the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference, this potent IPA showcase CGX Cryogenic Lupulin Pellets, jam-packed with resins and oils for Flavor and Aroma and less environmental impact and production waste. Featuring Motueka CGX, Amarillo CGX, and Cashmere T-90 for notes of zesty citrus, with a touch of floral, white grape, and fresh berries.
Interesting. Very tasty beer, too.
We discuss Sima, also known as Finnish Spring Mead. It's a very low alcohol beverage brewed for May Day festival, known as Vappu in Finland. Brian tried a commercial take on the style this weekend but it's also a very easy one to brew at home.
A bill is up to allow shipping alcohol by USPS. We won't get too excited for that just yet as it's been talked about before, but we'll see. Brewers are buying their breweries back from Big Beer. Quite the turn of events, I wonder if we'll see more of it?
And the monks are really sick of people reselling their beer and they're cracking down. If you go to the Netherlands and buy a Trappist ale at a convenience store don't be surprised when a bunch of guys in robes come after you. You've been warned.
The Beers of the Week are....
- Deadwords Brewing - Timberline Pacific Northwest IPA
- Beer Zombies - Zombie Duck Hunter (WC IPA)
- J. Wakefield - UJP Porter (Smoked English-style Porter)
- The Seed: A Living Beer Project - Moments (Ordinary Bitter style Ale)
- Eighth State - Coating Consistency (Imp Stout w/ toasted coconut, almond, walnut, and 5 different vanillas)
- Scofflaw Hop Shatter Hazy IPA
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Ever struggled to adapt in a constantly changing landscape?We discuss the challenges that breweries face and how they must evolve to stay afloat. We delved into the latest updates on the New Jersey Brewery Law while also sharing our recent visit to Six Bridges Brewery in Milton, Georgia. We even touched on the stigma that comes with a struggling brewery..
As we sipped on various craft beers, we explored unusual concepts like carbonated pork rinds (a guy can dream) and the ABV limit on beer. We also emphasized the importance of supporting local craft breweries and their ongoing battle to stay alive in a competitive market.
But wait, there's more! We ventured into the realm of craft beer cameos and collaborations with movies and TV series, such as the partnership between Athletic Brewing and Netflix for the Witcher series. Plus, we talked about the emerging trend of 19.2-ounce stovepipes in craft beer and why convenience stores are the perfect place to find them.
Beers of the Week
Brought you you by The Nest Kennesaw!
- Southern Pines Malty by Nature Scottish Export Ale
- Genesee - Cream Ale
- Octopi - Belgian Chocolate Toffee Vanilla Stout
- Other Half - All Green Everything (TIPA).
- Burial - This Is All Much Too Subtle To Be Translated To the Intangible. (Imperial Pastry Stout)
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Beer cocktails, Cheerwine Ale, World Beer Cup stats, and the magic of mushrooms are all on deck for this week's show.
Shout out to friend of the show Billy for hanging with us on a recent trip to Atlanta. We had a chance to hit some our favorites spots like Brick Store Pub and Three Taverns Brewery and swap some beers. He hooked us up with NoDa's Cheerwine Ale that we'll dive into. It's pure madness and we gotta try it. We also taste some delightful brews from Eighth State Brewing, Three Taverns, and Wild Heaven.
Delving into the 2023 World Beer Cup, we analyze beer style trends and the evolving palates of beer drinkers across the country. Georgia beers make their mark with some medal wins, and we highlight a thrilling collaboration between Three Taverns and Pilsner Urquell's experimental brewery Pivovar Proud. Plus, a fascinating study reveals the power of free drink samples for boosting sales and brand awareness – a strategy we can certainly get behind!
With grilling season upon us there's sure to be a lot of beer can chicken happening in backyards across the country. Thanks to Perdue Chicken and Torch & Crown Brewing Company you won't have to wonder the best beer to use. Their Beer Can Chicken beer has the flavors you need to stuff up that chicken's butt.
In Mo' Mic Nate's Cocktail Corner he shares a super-simple recipe for a beer cocktail known as Spaghett. Grab a Miller High Life and check this one out
Lastly, we explore the amazing world of mushrooms and their remarkable ability to cool down their surroundings. Can you imagine a DIY air conditioning system made of styrofoam and mushrooms?
Join us for this fun and informative episode, and as always, cheers to great beer!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
A couple weeks ago we took our fine selves down to Atlantic Station in beautiful Atlanta, GA for the Georgia Craft Brewers Fest. The event is sponsored by our friends at the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild and showcases over 60 of our state's awesome breweries.
One of the highlights of the festival is the collaboration competition. Brewers team up with each other, or maybe with a local restaurant or charity, and brew a collaboration beer to be served at the event and judged by a panel of esteemed judges.
In that spirit we focused on collaboration chat in this episode and, since one of the collabs was a malt liquor, we decided to chat a bit on that as well. In the first half of the show we sit down with John Doss and Jay Harris from Southern Brewing Co. who partnered up with Akademia Brewing for Eagle Fang malt liquor. We talk about why you collab, what you get out of it, and veer a bit into lager talk. (Spoiler: We'll be doing a deep dive lager episode in the future.)
Next up we talk with Craig Mycoskie from Round Trip Brewing and Matt Curling from Variant Brewing Co. We've known Craig for a couple of years and we've known Matt from way back in our homebrewing days. We've brewed together a handful of times and went up against each other in homebrew comps. Matt's brewery is now one of the best in the state. Grab some Variant if you get the chance.
We carry on with collab talk with Craig and Matt and get into some talk on Pilsner variations, overcoming language barriers, Rauch IPAs
Free Spirit Charitable Collaboration
Of all the collabs we talked about on the show, this one is the most special. The beer is brewed in memory of Britney Fox Watts as a collaboration between Small Dreams Foundation and Terrapin Beer Co. You should definitely head to the website and learn more.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
This is it, Folks! BGR 2.0 is live! We made some changes to our look and to the show and we hope you enjoy it. Let us know what you think.
In this episode we tackle everything from magically un-soured beers to arrests over beer reviews. We'll fill you in on the Zwanze Day celebration and the Georgia Craft Beer Festival, sharing some of the fantastic brews we enjoyed there. We also dive deep into the serious topic of Founders Brewing's racial discrimination lawsuit and its impact on the beer industry.
We Ask a Robot about Saccharomyces Alkalitolerans and we'll delve into the fascinating world of homebrewing and the impact of beer packaging artwork on our purchasing decisions.
Finally, we'll shed some light on the Thai craft beer review controversy and the changes ahead for Zwanze Day and its importance to the beer community, as well as discussing how the brewery scene has changed over the years.
So pull up a seat, grab your favorite brew, and join us for this jam-packed episode. Cheers!
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Celebrating the love of low ABV beers
Last year's Little Beer Fest provided unusually cold temps in Duluth, GA with a bit of "wintery mix," aka rain, snow, and sleet. Fortunately we didn't see a repeat and this year's event provided plenty of sunshine and temps in the 70s. Perfect weather for enjoying some low ABV beers. Huge shoutout to Todd DiMatteo and Good Word Brewing for hosting a great festival.
Matty Hargrove - Blackberry Farm Brewery
As we sipped our way through the festival we talked with Matty Hargrove from Blackberry Farm Brewery. He brought us Bloody Marys so w were off to a good start. Matty talked about the farm and the brewery and doing things (brewing, food, service) with intention. We reminisce about the Nuit Belge festival and how much we enjoy their Classic Saison.
John Holl - All About Beer & Steal This Beer
Fresh off his Lager Panel at Little Beer Fest beer journalist John Holl joined us to chat. When asked if we were in a lager moment John pauses to remind us that lagers have been king in America for many years, and craft lager is catching up. We also discuss the rise of hazy IPAs and how it coincides with the popularity of Instagram and other photo and video sites where image is more important than quality. On the quality note, many craft brewers are focusing on classic European and German lagers where nuance is more important than all that juice.
You can hear more from John, and Augie Carton, on the Steal This Beer podcast.
Lisa Allen - Heater Allen
Heater Allen was an early entry into craft lager with their brewery coming up on 15 years. Their taproom is currently undergoing renovations and will soon feature beers from a fun side project, Gold Dot Beer - a joint venture with Wayfinder Beer's Kevin Davey, the creator of the Cold IPA. Gold Dot will bring IPAs and English styles to the taproom. Lisa also shares the unique aspects of brewing beer in Wine Country as we ask about wine barrels and grape must in beers.
Augie Carton - Carton Brewing & Steal This Beer
Chatting with Augie Carton was a great way to wrap up the show. He now holds the record for the most swear words in a segment. We should get him a trophy. Augie shares how much he enjoyed h
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Cheers to 7 years: Turning the page to BGR 2.0This episode is the final episode we will record in the Beer Guys Radio studio and the final radio broadcast of the show. We're not going away, BGR 2.0 is around the corner, but it is a bittersweet moment as we say goodbye to the old and get excited for what's next.
We reminisce about our favorite moments from the past seven years, including meeting Beer Archaeologist Travis Rupp, talking to Dan Carey, and interviewing Alan Sprints of Hair of the Dog. We also discuss the decline in craft beer sales and ponder the reasons behind this decline. Additionally, we explore the closure of Mikkeller's final US location and Heineken cutting draft sales to five states due to supply chain issues. Join us as we celebrate the end of an era with our last studio session and radio broadcast, featuring a special appearance from our friend Fish Scales of Nappy Roots and Atlantucky Brewing. And remember, we'll be back as a podcast, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcasting app!
Craft Beer Sales Decline in 2022
According to the National Beer Wholesalers Association, craft beer dollar sales were down 4.8% in 2022, with case sales down 8.6%. We ponder the reasons behind this decline, such as changing tastes, health consciousness, and supply chain issues during the pandemic. The craft beer industry is facing several challenges, including increased competition from other beverages like hard seltzers and non-alcoholic beers. However, despite these challenges, the craft beer community remains strong and continues to produce innovative and delicious beers for fans to enjoy.
More news in this episode
- Mikkeller's Final US Location Closes
- Heineken Cuts Draft Sales Due to Supply Chain Issues
Celebrating Craft Beer Friendships
As we wrap up this chapter of Beer Guys Radio, we want to take a moment to celebrate the friendships and connections that we have made in the craft beer world. Through our travels, interviews, and collaborations, we have met countless amazing people who share our passion for craft beer. From celebrities like Adam Carolla and the guys from Foreigner to local brewers and fans, the craft beer community is truly a special and welcoming place.
As we embark on our next adventure as a podcast, we encourage you to continue exploring the world of craft beer and supporting your local breweries. Cheers to the future of craft beer.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Craft beer is always on fire for April Fools. I have to admit, not a fan. But Brian is, so he made a Twitter thread with as many as he could find. Ham beer, dried beer, exxxtra long cans. But then you have the ones that are supposed to be jokes, but actually exist. Pickle beer and cucumber Kolsch? Come on, Y'all gotta give it more than that.
It was a spicy week for Bud Light after their partnership with a trans rights activist. Kid Rock broke out the guns and a lot of folks dumped their Bud for Coors Light, which probably didn't work out as well as they thought.
We reminisce about last weekend and our first trip to a biergarten Kolsch service at Halfway Crooks. If you've never been to a good Kolsch service, you should change that.
Guinness is making big moves. Baltimore brewery is closing, and Chicago brewery is coming soon. Sounds expensive. But NA is doing OK. Our friends at Athletic Brewing continue to grow and are on track to be a Top 15 brewery.
Is it beer healthy? That's one of those questions that will always be debated. We talk about a couple articles with conflicting opinions. And I'm sure we'll have more opportunity to do the same in the future.
All this beer drinking and so little recycling. Turns out many beer labels make cans un-recyclable. How do we fix this one?
We'll be back in the studio next week for our final radio broadcast then it's off to Little Beer Fest for a remote broadcast before we go podcast only. It's gonna be a busy few weeks over here.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
The last time I was in Colorado was for the Great American Beer Fest back in 2016. I know how much Georgia's craft beer scene has changed since then and no doubt it's the same for Colorado. Outside of the festival we visited awesome spots like Mockery, Trve, Crooked Stave, Great Divide and a few more. I need to get another visit soon to try some of the stuff I missed last time.
Jagged Mountain's Chad Bratt and Executive Director of the Colorado Brewers Guild join us on the show this week. We learn about the challenges facing Colorado's brewers and a couple of fun events like the recent Collaboration Fest and upcoming Colorado Pint Day, and protecting good beer laws.
The Beer ListOf course we have some Colorado beers on deck with Weldwerks Juicy Bits IPA and Odyssey Beer Works I'm Not Dead Vienna lager.
We got some sad news this week that one of our favorite local spots Orpheus Brewing is closing it's taproom. We opened their The Bridge (Wild Ale with botanicals) to mourn the loss.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
New Brewmaster brings fresh take to Steady Hand's offerings
Steady Hand Beer Co. just celebrated their 4th anniversary with the first batch of brews from Andrew Wenk.
Andrew joined the team in December after 5 years at Three Taverns Brewing. We've enjoyed many of Andrew's brews during his time at 3T and didn't even know it. Now, his brewing is in the spotlight at his new home. He's revamped favorites like Lager, Cloudland Hazy IPA, and Flower Business DIPA as well as offering new beers like Nuts, Nuts, Nuts, and an Oreo Stout.
Andrew shares how he got into brewing as a hobby and as a career, we talk about the controversial Tonka bean, long boil stouts and the counterpoint of no boil beer.
Other hot topics on deck include the annual Orval Day and some stats on SWD - Shopping While Drunk.
If you haven't been to Steady Hand in a while stop in and try the new brews from Andrew soon.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
Homebrew competitions are a great place to get judgmental
The Peach State Brew Off, organized by the Covert Hops Society, is Georgia's oldest and largest homebrew competition. We've competed in the comp a few times but this is the first time we've taken the show on the road to the event.
Georgia's got some weird homebrew laws and the event has struggled to find a home in recent years. Legislation was passed that was supposed to legitimize running these events, but it added some rules and hoops to jump through that made it more difficult with required permits and forbidden locations. No matter, the event has persevered.
As the sampling goes on we talk with Scott Lathrop about homebrewing, the event, and the club then we dive in a bit deeper with Covert Hops President Nate Watkins as we sample the Best of Show winners from the meads and ciders categories.
Phil Farrell joins us for a bit of a deep dive into judging beers and why a beer may get the score it does, even if the brewer (it's me) thinks it deserves a higher score. Farrell also shares some tips on what it takes to become a BJCP beer judge and what you can do to get there.
If you're a newer brewer then entering a beer into competition can help you get some honest feedback on how to take a good beer to a great beer, even if you don't take home a medal.
Note: We intended to list the winners here, even promised it at the end of the show, but we don't have that info yet. We apologize for being dirty liars.
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!
It's almost time for us all to turn Irish for a day.
St. Patrick's Day. Another great holiday for Americans to kick back some beers. I'm not arguing, it's a great excuse to grab some nitro stouts and red ales.
In keeping with tradition, we share some of the legends and history of St. Patrick and St. Patrick's Day while cracking into a few brews. There's talk of breakfast beverage booze, and where the hype went for craft beer.
In our glass this week
- The classic St. Patrick's Day beer - Guinness, along with...
- Smithwicks
- Harp
- Left Hand Dry Irish Stout (Nitro)
- Sullivan’s Irish Ale (Red) and Irish Gold
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Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSVisit our website:https://beerguysradio.comFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTubeSupport the show:Patreon
Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "No Mic Nate" Ellingson.
Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon. Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to and exclusive Discord server, and more!
What's the best sandwich in the world?
Sandwiches. So hot right now. A chart circulated around Twitter claiming to list the World's best sandwiches. We disagree with some of the answers, and so did many others, so we discuss (gripe) about on the show this week.
Big news from Heineken this week and their promised exit from the Russian market. Well, they're not gone yet. Also big news that Bill Gates just snagged a huge Stake in the company.
In our Big Beer Just Can't Catch a Break series we discuss drama from Miller-Coors and some whining from AB-InBev about watery beer.
And from the world of NA beers, Athletic is launching a pre-workout brew. NA for pre-workout and all the ABVs afterward. On that note, should you drink beer every day? If so, how much. We'll tell you what happens to your body if you're a daily drinker.
President Carter is in the news as his health is declining and he's entered hospice. Beer drinkers and non-beer drinkers alike have been talking about him this week. He was instrumental in getting the beer boom started in the US by signing legislation making it legal. But, homebrewing was a side effect and we have Senator Alan Cranston to thank for adding it to the bill.
New Podcast from New Belgium
Shout out to New Belgium on the launch of their new podcast - Green Flags: How to Humanize Business and Get Rich Trying. Discussions based around better business models that put humanity at its core. Check it out on your favorite podcasting app.
We DID drink some beers this week....
- Creature Comforts - Bigger Dream Hazy IPA
- Weldwerks - Luminosa DDH Juicy Bits
- Other Half - Bagel and Schmear DDH IPA
- NoFo - Blue Bird Day (Pilsner) (Couresy of NoFo. Thanks!)
Sources
- https://www.thestreet.com/retail/people-are-boycotting-this-popular-beer-after-breaking-its-promise-to-pull-out-of-russia
- https://nypost.com/2023/02/22/bill-gates-buys-nearly-1b-heineken-stake/
- https://www.brewbound.com/news/molson-coors-appeals-national-advertising-divisions-call-to-stop-its-light-beer-shouldnt-taste-like-water-claim/
- https://www.brewbound.com/news/2023/molson-coors-to-settle-false-advertising-claims-lawsuits-against-vizzy-for-9-5-million
- https://www.brewbound.com/news/suped-up-athletic-brewing-and-super-coffee-team-up-on-pre-workout-brew
- https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8031691/is-beer-good-for-you/
- https://www.americancraftbeer.com/how-president-jimmy-carter-ignited-the-craft-beer-revolution/
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We're channeling our inner punk this week.
If there's one thing you think of when you think of Beer Guys Radio, it's punk. Then beer, but we're sure punk is first. With that, we reminisce on our punk days and talk about the punkest of punks and their latest totally punk move.
We also talk about discontinued beers we'd love to see come back. Inspired by a Tweet from the folks at Untappd. Not to spoil the show, but we really need Boulevard's Coffee Ale to return so we can try it with some king cake. Please hurry.
Terrapin's Wake-N-Bake Off is this Saturday and we've been invited to judge the competition. It's a good time and you an join as well, so hopefully you see this in time and grab your ticket right here. We wouldn't mind seeing some of the one-off WnB variants come back as well.
More brewery buy outs/mergers are going down with Drake's buying Bear Republic. Brian used to love that Racer 5 but it's been a minute since we got into that one.
Some interesting news out of the Brewers Association on hop supply and what to expect there, and in our That's Not Even Beer segment we talked about more tasty bourbon, in 5-7 years, of course.
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In this week's episode of Beer Guys Radio......
We're not sure if we manifested this with our minds or if we saw something about it subconsciously and then talked about it. Either way, NoDa has released a Cheerwine Ale, and we need some of it. We recap the beer commercials in the Super Bowl. Even without exclusivity, AB InBev still ran more than any other brewer.
With Mardi Gras upon us we talk King Cake beers and beer pairings. I've never paired a beer with a King Cake, but I gotta try that out.
More union news with the brewers at Widmer Brothers joining the Teamsters. We'll get an update on Georgia's BUG soon. But, in Georgia news, we've got a new beer bill and we run down the high points of what's in it.
We're seeing some big beer fests go away. Sad stuff. So we share some news on one in Georgia and one in Oregon, plus some drama in the Oregoin bourbon world.
Plenty happening this week and some good beers were shared.
Beer of the Week
- Deschutes Black Butte Porter
- Iron Hill Philly Phavorite IPA
- Juice Gymnastics DIPA (Collab Cellar Maker and Trillium)
- Humble Forager Enchanted Island (Hurricane Tiki Sour)
Good times.
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It's time for the Super Bowl and if there's one thing we're big fans of, it's Super Bowl parties. Wings, pizza, plenty of beer, and chili cheese dip. Great news, this year you can have your dip in a bowl or a glass thanks to Hormel and Modist Brewing's Chili Cheese Brew. We tried it, and we can say it definitely delivers as promised. For better or worse.
We've got our party plans for the weekend and we're pulling for the Eagles. Should be a close game either way, the Chiefs are hitting hard this year, too. We also sampled the old and the new Fat Tire side by side and share our thoughts. Whether or not it ends up a winner, the re-launch was definitely great marketing. A little more under the radar, Sam Adams is tweaking their Boston Lager recipe.
In the news we talk about the Brewers Union of Georgia. It's a fiery battle right now between the much-loved brewery Creature Comforts and a group of employees who say they're playing dirty in an effort to discourage union support.
To wrap up the show we sip on Bold Monk's Virtue of Patience Flander's Red (stellar) as we look at which states drink the most. We're tried our best but Georgia didn't even make the Top 10. We promise to do better next year.
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Foam Brewers Robert Grim enjoys a good lager but he admits that it's still all about the hops in Vermont.
Foam is in Burlington, VT where you can swing a hop bine and hit a handful of breweries making great IPAs. When making your choice of where to visit, you should know that Foam is a James Beard semi-finalist for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. How about that?
We kick things off discussing underrated beer styles. Shout out VinePair for inspiring this discussion. We learn about Bob's brewing background and how he came to co-found Foam. We celebrate the end of Dry January and find out if anyone at Foam gave it a shot and Bob tells us about the Woman of Foam's recent Amber Ale brew.
In addition to Foam, Bob's other business include a restaurant (Deep City), farm winery (Natural Hack), and mixed ferm brewery (House of Fermentology) and there's a cannabis beverage company (Taunik), too.
We've got to get up and visit Vermont soon. We're going to drink all the beers.
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Hey Folks! We ventured out last week to the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting and spoke to a handful of really cool people.
A bit of a change up from our usual ACAT shows where we typically have a few of Georgia's soon-to-be breweries. Maybe a sign of the times, but this year we didn't find anyone new in attendance.
No worries, we still have some great guests. Owen Ogletree, festival organizer and owner of Brewtopia Events joins us to talk about cask ales, the festival, and beer tours.
Mitch Steele of New Realm Brewing sits with us for a spell to chat more on cask ales, their 5th anniversary, and whether or not he's forming a brewers band in Georgia.
Charlie Meers of Magnanimous Brewing joins us. We just met Charlie at the event but we have several mutual friends that said Charlie was cool and we needed to chat wit him. So we did.
Wrapping up the show Joseph Cortez, Executive Director of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild shares some of what the Guild is up to this year and Steve Hamburg, Chicago's Cask King joins to share his love for all things cask ale.
The event was awesome, the people were awesome, and the show is awesome. So much awesome.
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Wild Leap Brew Co. launched their brewery in LaGrange, Georgia. A town of, give or take, 5,000 people. It wasn't a small brewery either. Their building was an old tire shop and service station. A big building with great, vintage architecture. Despite the location Wild Leap took off quickly. People were soon searching for their beers across the state. When you make great beer people will find it.
Fast forward 5ish years and WIld Leap has recently opened a taproom in Atlanta just across a walking bridge from Mercedes Benz stadium. They'll be a great pre-game location for Atlanta United and Falcons games. Their expansion into spirts and canned cocktails, knows as RTD (Ready to Drink) cocktails, has helped fuel their growth.
Chris Elliot and Rob Goldstein from Wild Leap joined us in the studio this week to talk about their growth and a few other random topics, like Watermelon Hard Mt. Dew.
If you want to see what the buzz is about stop by the LaGrange or Atlanta location. Atlanta's Grand Opening party is set for Feb. 26, 2023. It's gonna be a great time.
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What's up, Party People?
We're back with more beery info to share. This week we sample a few brews and talk about some of the hot stories happening in craft.
On this week's episode...
- Is Beer Getting More Expensive? (USA Today)
- Rough Start to 2023 for Constellation Brands (The Drinks Business)
- The Huge Number of Small Breweries Creates a Beer Glut (WSJ - Paywall)
- BrewDog’s James Watt Pays ~$570K To Gold Can Winners (BBC)
- Beer Journalist Josh Noel Departs Chicago Tribune (Brewbound)
- Stone Ruination IPA Returns (via Press Release)
- Reclosable Beer Cans Are Here (Packaging Digest)
Beers of the Week
- Delirium Black Barrel Aged (Aged in bourbon barrels)
- Untitled Art N/A Italian Pilsner.
- Unibroue 30 Anniversaire (Belgian-Style Stout, with maple syrup, nat flavors).
- Silver Bluff Golden Isles IPA.
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We're here to help you make it through Dry January
We've made it through another year and here we are with our livers beaten senseless through the holiday celebrations. If you're giving the body a break and trying to go dry we have some good news. There are some pretty decent options available now to allow you to still have drink with your friends.
People always have questions about the Beer Guys drinking NA beers. Hey, we like beer, but we know that too much of it is not a good thing. We also like the taste of beer so having an occasional day, week, month where we ease up on the alcohol can be a good thing. Speaking of just doing a day or so... we heard of Damp January this year. That's kind of the principle we've been going by. It can still be beneficial to take a break even if you don't go totally dry.
With that in mind... here are a few of our favs.
NA Beers
- Athletic Brewing - Most of what we've tried from Athletic is solid. They are our favorite all around NA brewer
- Partake - Another one that is mostly solid.
- Bravus - Their Peanut Butter Dark is our single fav NA beer, and the one that would be most difficult for us to tell from an alcoholic version of the same style
- Ceria - Only a couple offerings right now but they are tasty. If you're in CA or CO, they offer NA brews infused with THC and CBD. (Ceria was founded by Dr. Keith Villa, the creator of Blue Moon.)
- One to pass on.... Hairless Dog. We tried several of their offerings and did not find any we thought were palatable.
NA Spirits
NA spirits have some catching up to do with NA beer. The quality is just not there and they are VERY far off from tasting anything like what they are trying to replace.
Most brands do say they are meant to be mixers rather than drinking them straight. We highly suggest you follow this guideline. The "bite" and mouthfeel is the hard part here. Some brands add pepper and capsaicin to try and mimic the heat, but it's still a long shot
We recently tried Drink Monday gin and whiskey. They are some of the better ones we've tried, but still not sippers. Nate made an NA Old Fashioned with them and it was a decent cocktail, but not really passable as an Old Fashioned.
BIG WINNER - Lyre's Italian Spritz is pretty tasty. Even on it's on. A cocktail of 1 part Lyre's, 1 part Drink Monday gin, over ice and topped with Fever Tree tonic made a very enjoyable cocktail that would pass for a gin and tonic.
If you're shooting for Dry January we're rooting for you. We know you can do it.
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You've (almost) made it through another year. Congrats. There was a lot going on in 2022 and you may have missed some of the beer stories with all
PBR started off the year with some interesting Tweets. We saw some big acquisitions and mergers, a few major closures, and we lost a legend. NA beer continued to grow, and it continues to be highly-debated whether or not the sectors growth is meaningful.
West Coast IPA came back around for a visit, and we're guessing we'll see more of it. Brian's betting on more rauchbiers, but I'm not so sure about that one.
Our biggest concern is that breweries are out of Covid money and some that may have been ready to call it quits in 2020 are facing that now, along with others. I'm afraid we'll see a lot of closures in the new year.
Well. Whatever happens. We'll be at the studio having a nice, cold pint and waiting for it all to blow over.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
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It's the most wonderful time to drink beer...
Winter beers are the best beers. I know it, you know it, we all know it.
Our holiday beer blind tasting has become a tradition. Last year our friends from Rainy Day Brewing joined us for the tasting. They commented that you know it's getting bad when they have to "Call in the Jews" for a Christmas beer tasting. We liked their style so we rolled with that this year for the 2nd Annual Interfaith Holiday Craft Beer Spectacular, cause we're inclusive like that.
Rules are the same as always. Blind taste the beer and pick your favorite. Simple. At the end of the show we tally everyone's favorites for an overall Top 3.
This year's holiday beers included...
- Abita Christmas Ale
- St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
- Highland Cold Mountain
- Bold Monk Leon
- Anchor Christmas Ale
- Shiner Cheer
- Rogue Santa's Private Reserve
- Delirium Noel
- N'ice Chouffe
- Bell's Christmas Ale
- Southern Tier 2XMAS
- Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome
- Sierra Nevada Celebration
- 21st Amendment Fireside Chat
I'm gonna be straight with you here. Overall, this year's offerings didn't seem to meet the mark we expect of many of these beers. We've had many of these before and had high expectations. However, there are a few standouts and you'll no doubt have some good selections to enjoy through the holidays.
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and we hope you enjoy any other holiday you celebrate.
Cheers!
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When I first experienced beer cocktails I don't think that was even a term at the time. As a kid my parents used to enjoy what they called "Tomato Beers." It their simplest form it was simply tomato juice and a macro lager over ice with some salt and pepper. To fancy it up they may use V8 juice or shove a celery stalk in the glass. Sort of a podunk Michelada. I stole sips at the time and I guess I enjoyed it; I sure do enjoy a Michelada now.
It's likely you've dabbled with beer cocktails as well. A simple Boilermaker or Black & Tan are technically beer cocktails. Now we've got a whole variety to check out liked the Dublin Iced Coffee, Hazy Day Afternoon, or maybe an El Chapo.
Beer cocktails can be pretty simple or overly complex. But they're a fun way to mix things up with your beers. If you've got a favorite let us know!
And here's one to get you started...
Hazy Day Afternoon
Ingredients
- 1.5oz light rum
- 0.5oz guava nectar
- 0.5oz pineapple juice
- 0.5oz orange juice
- 0.25oz lime juice
- 0.5oz simple syrup
- Hazy IPA
Preparation
- Combine all ingredients except IPA in a shaker and shake. Strain into Collins glass with fresh ice and top with IPA.
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We survived Thanksgiving and are back in the studio this week with our friends from Printer's Ale Manufacturing Co.
Printer's is located in Carrollton, GA, about 50 miles west of Atlanta. Not a bad trip for ATLiens on a weekend but far enough they don't get as much hype as some of the in town breweries. That's too bad, because they are making some great beers and doing a lot of other cool things in Carrollton.
On this visit we introduced their Woodcut Wild series of beers in Kriek, Framboise, and Peche. After brewing, the mash for these heads to Printer's coolship but does get a little punch up with some commercial strains when going into barrels. Oh yeah, they also brew with aged hops grown right at the brewery, and future beers will use fruit from their orchard. Neat.
We chat with Specialty Brewer Josh Watterson and owner Greg Smith about the importance of terroir in brewing, something that was previously (mostly) ignored by American brewers. We discuss the Qatar/FIFA World Cup kerfuffle with Budweiser, mall Santas, what's in the pipeline at Printer's, and the size of Batman's mouth.
Hope you enjoying this episode! Coming up we'll be talking beer cocktails and the Beer Guys Radio Interfaith Holiday Craft Beer Extravaganza with our Jewish friends from Rainy Day Brewery drops on Dec. 17th. Woot.
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I promise we didn't mean to talk about knives so much...
OK, just listen to the show and you'll see why knives get such a prominent spot this week. I met Sam Riggins of Cosmic Eye Brewing on a knife forum. (Shout out to to the Spyderco Millie, PM2, Para3 Club!) We had to at least mention our love of knives, but it ended becoming a whole segment. If you're just here for beer talk, pop on over to the 2nd segment. But there is some hot knife chatter to start things off.
Plenty of beer talk, too. We discuss a Twitter initiative to rebrand the Amber Ale, Thanksgiving beers, and learn about the beer scene in Nebraska. Sam shares about his artwork and rebranding, and we learn about Dampfbier.
Oh yeah, and Smalls joins us to talk about her Alaska adventure and share some BIG news.
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
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What's up, Y'all? How's your week gone? Drink anything good?
This is gonna shock you, but we did drink some good things. And we talked to some good people. Jason Pellet from Orpheus Brewing and Nathan Schieber from Cherry Street hung out in the studio with us. We cracked some new brews and some vintage brews and covered some hot craft beer topics.
On the show this week...
- Pumpkin beers, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin spice
- Is everything we know about lambic wrong?
- Pandemic impacts and the Chicken Wing Index
- Slowing your roll on beer releases
- Expansion, right sizing, and "growing down"
- Learn to Homebrew Day
- What's coming from Orpheus and Cherry Street
The Beer List
- Rothaus Pils / Tannen Zäpfle
- Cherry Street - Peach Damebier (Aged in Peach Brandy Cask).
- Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze
- Lost Abbey Track #10 (BBA with Coffee and Cacao Nibs)
- Orpheus - Like A White Curtain Blowing In the Draft From A Half Opened Window Beside A Chair On Which Nobody Sits (Wild Ale aged in Wine Barrels)
We popped a few more that I forget now. So many good beers. Cheers!
News Sources / Credits
- https://zythophile.co.uk/2022/10/31/is-everything-you-have-ever-read-about-the-history-of-lambic-and-gueuze-totally-wrong-raf-meert-thinks-so/
- https://www.probrewer.com/beverage-industry-news/a-new-tend-in-craft-brewing-lost-abby-announces-bold-move-to-grow-down/
- https://www.craftbrewingbusiness.com/packaging-distribution/green-flash-unveils-refreshed-branding-lets-take-a-look/
- https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/aha-events/learn-to-homebrew-day/
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Coffee. Beer. Food.
Good Measure Pub & Brewery makes it easy to know what you're getting when you visit. Coffee. Beer. Food. emblazoned across the front of the building. The Brewery recently added food to their offerings and they share ownership, and a building, with Carrier Roasting Company. Sounds like my kind of place.
Andrew Leichthammer is the owner and head brewer at Good Measure. He digs a table beer and offers several at his pub and we talk about what exactly a table beer is.
We also talk cask ales. We're seeing more mentions of these lately so we discuss if this old style is the next big thing in American craft beer. Andrew's on board with it and has a beer engine on the way.
Pastry peanut butter, coffee beers, and vintage ales round things out. It's a good one. Enjoy!
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Modist Brewing has you covered for your THC and ABV fix
Did you hear that Minnesota "accidentally" legalized weed? The story circulated earlier this year and it's somewhat true. They did unintentionally legalize hemp-derived THC edibles, like infused snacks, and drinks. Way to go, Minnesota.
Modist co-owner and head of marketing Daniel Paul Wellendorf chuckles when telling the story that opens our discussion on their Tint THC seltzers. They keep the dosage pretty low at 3-5mg per can. This is a chill kind of drink, not a baked out kind of drink. They also have Pastry Lagers, (Thank you Lord for answering our prayers) along with "normal" beers like your NE IPA, West Coast IPA, some tasty fruited sours.
Wellendorf shares about their unique brewhouse that helps them brew with much less water than a normal brewhouse. Being eco-friendly is a nice side effect but the main reason they have the brewhouse is to get as much out of their beers as they can.
We wander across other random topics this week as well. Talk about our new Beer Caramelizer we can't wait to try, offer up beers for Spooky Season, and more talk of packaging sizes cause were kind of obsessed with that right now.
Modist's beer is available in good chunk of Minnesota and select areas of Wisconsin, Ohio, Chicagoland, and... Arizona? Yep. Arizona.
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Beer and Biscuits with Brahmari Brewing
Brahmari Brewing doesn't currently have any bees but their name is from the Sanskrit term for "like a bee." Brahmari specifically refers to a black Indian bee and is the Hindu goddess of bees. Neat.
Despite their lack of an apiary, Beekeeper Arthur Jefferson shared the brewery does have a way of attracting bees. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. Arthur and Head Brewer Brian Quade joined us on the show this week to talk about their awesome Asheville brewery.
Brahmari brews batch of beer with a bunch of Bo Berry Biscuits, gets busted by Bojangles
Yep, you read that right. Probably. We get the full scoop on Brahmari's It's Biscuit Time blueberry sour. If you've had it once you're lucky, this one won't be back, at least not under the same name.
As we sip some tasty Brahmari brews we chat about the great beer scene in Asheville, NC and get Arthur and Brian's picks on where to go after we visit Brahmari. We talk beer fests and music and bringing the two together, a quick mention of Brahmari's new location in Charlotte, candles, and leichtbiers.
The Beer List
Thanks to Brahmari for the awesome sampling of their brews.
- Murder on the Mountain (Black Kolsch)
- Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives (Kolsch)
- Cubism Dream (BBA German Pilsner)
- Special. Magical. Shirtless. Power (IPA)
- Polyphasic Echo (IPA)
- Out Loud (DIPA)
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Did you miss us?
It's been an... adventurous... couple of weeks.
While driving down the interstate another car decided to see how fast they could go and I got in his way. After ping-ponging me off a couple of other cars, I walked away, but my trusty Ford Explorer did not. RIP. Brian was going to carry on, but then he got the flu and spent a week locked away from everyone. BUT, we're back and (mostly) good as new.
Fireside Beer Chat Vol. 2
Smalls joined us in the studio this week along with our friend Earnest Hansley so we opened some beers and ran on about the hot topics in beer right now. I'm calling these episodes our Fireside Beer Chat. We have no fire, but it's there in spirit.GABF is underway in Denver and expects 40,000 attendees this year. It's a great event that every beer lover should attend at least once. Denver pulls out all the stops for the week and it's a great time all around. We talk seasonal creep that leads to Spooky Season, Thanksgiving sides, and Holiday beers and talk about how big we like our cans. And we argue about Rauchbier and American vs. English Barleywines.
We had a good time and cover some burning topics. Enjoy.
Beers of the Week
- North Coast Old Stock Ale 2013 (Bourbon Barrel)
- Brooklyn Brewing Black Chocolate Stout
- Goose Island BBA Oatmeal Stout with Coffee and Maple Syrup
- Bold Monk Festbier
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Come and share a brew with Our Mutual Friend
I once heard a story that when a mobster introduces someone to another mobster they're introduced as "a friend of ours" if that person is also in the mob. I was excited to think that Our Mutual Friend Brewery had some mob ties but, unfortunately, the name simply refers to beer being something everyone can enjoy, a mutual friend.
Despite my extreme disappointment we still had an amazing conversation with Head Brewer Jan Chodkowski. He's pretty laid back and he likes beer. I can appreciate that. Jan was even a good sport as we bantered about Cold IPA and my argument that it's not a real thing. He defended talking something about the brewing methods and all that making it unique. I'll admit he had a strong case, and he's a fan of the style.
With the Great American Beer Festival coming to Denver soon Our Mutual Friend has a little party of their own planned. Gratitude 9 is a thank you to the community and a special beer release. Sounds like a great way to pre-game for the madness of GABF.
Jan is also a fan of saisons and mixed fermentations and Brett and foeders. He's quickly becoming our favorite person. OMF (we can call them that now 'cause we're tight like that) used to do some spontaneous brewing but they like the results they get better with a bit more control.
If you find yourself in Denver stop on by and see Our Mutual Friend. Tell 'em we sent ya.
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Mike Potter and Ale Sharpton are on a mission to bring craft beer to minority communities, and to bring those communities to craft beer
Most of the 9,000+ craft breweries across the US are white-owned businesses with predominantly white clientele. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, and that doesn't automatically mean anyone is excluded. But, having representation of your community in anything can make you feel much more included. And that's where Ale and Mike come in.
Mike Potter was one of the founders of Fresh Fest, America's first black craft beer festival. Since then he's founded Black Brew Culture to focus on the beer, culture, food, and lifestyle of craft beer. This month he'll kick off Blacktoberfest, a multi-city celebration of beer, food, art and entertainment.
Ale Sharpton has been a Friend of the Show since we launched. He's joined us to talk about his adventures and articles as well as introducing us to Leaders of the Brew School. You may have seen Ale's writings for Thrillist, Craft Beer & Brewing, Forbes, and many others.
His collaboration stout brewed with New Belgium, Piano Keys, is coming back soon for another release as well as some exciting events at the Great American Beer Festival. Proceeds from the brew benefit his non-profit, BrewGether.
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Break out the Festbiers and Marzens
We made it another year to one of our favorite shows, it's time to taste Oktoberfests! 12 beers, 6 guys, pretzels and brats and kraut. Good times.
Nothing fancy here, we're not BJCP judges or Sissyrones, we just know what we like. We sample the beers and pick our Top 3 based solely on how much we enjoy them.
We also share some stats and fun facts about Oktoberfest in Munich. Origins, changes in the beer, and the rules for serving your beer at Oktoberfest.
The Beer List
Here are the beers in this year's tasting. NOT in tasting order. We reveal that at the end of the show.
- Athletic Oktoberfest | N/A Festbier? | 0.5%
- Ayinger Oktober Fest | Märzen | 5.8%
- Brooklyn Brewing Oktoberfest | Märzen | 5.5%
- Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen | Märzen | 5.8%
- Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier | Festbier | 6.3%
- Ironmonger Oktoberfest | Märzen | 5.5%
- Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen | Märzen | 5.8%
- Samuel Adams Festbier | Festbier | 5.8%
- Samuel Adams OctoberFest | Märzen | 5.3%
- Spaten Oktoberfest | Märzen | 5.9%
- Weihenstephaner Festbier | Festbier | 5.8%
- Yuengling Oktoberfest | Märzen | 5.4%
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Why homebrew with all the great beer that's already available?
With all the great beer available at every corner today it's easy to say there's no reason to homebrew. When we started brewing there was good beer available, but not like it is today. Big stouts, funky saisons, and NEIPAs weren't that easy to come by. Brewing it ourself was a way to get beers we couldn't get otherwise. Plus, homebrewing is fun. Creative. Scientific. Social. There are plenty of reasons to homebrew other than simply making beer.
Bill Boyer joins us again (as promised) along with Friend of the Show Michael Syrop to talk about why to brew, how to get started, entering competitions, and a few resources to help on your journey. We cover beer, mead, and cider in this episode, but mostly just general homebrewing banter.
The hobby can be simple and cheap to start or you can pour $1,000s into an all electric home setup that rivals pro breweries. If you're thinking about starting, do it. Let us know if you have any questions. Cheers!
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Kelly Meyer isn't saying not to start a brewery, just maybe you shouldn't. If you do, he's got a few life lessons to share with you.
Like many others Meyer got caught up in the allure of owning a brewery. He and his wife had ran and sold a successful business so the brewery was his fun project. Make beer, make friends, make money. It's that last part that ultimately made his dreams go flat.
After nearly a decade in the business Meyer sold New Braunfels Brewing Co., the brewery he founded. He wrote a book about his experience, sharing mistakes he made along the way in the hopes of helping others avoid them. He's also started a podcast to talk with others that have similar stories.
When invited on the show some people are eager to share. Perhaps it's somewhat therapeutic. Others, not so much. Sometimes crushed dreams are just too hard to bring into the light.
Meyer admits his a bit less bitter now than when everything was fresh. The tone of his podcast is a bit lighter than his book. But the lessons in the book still ring true.
If you're determined to start a brewery maybe you should check out the book or the podcast and find out the exact way not to do it. Good luck.
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Skateboarding is not a crime
This week we sat down with Joey Charpentier, head brewer at Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. in Hammond, LA.
The brewery opened in 2014 and within a few short years were named one of the Top 50 fastest growing breweries in America. Gnarly Barley continues to grow and are in the process of opening a restaurant next to the brewery.
Charpentier was there from the beginning but started off with slightest less glorious jobs. He shares how the brewery got started and the popularity of their Jucifer IPA, their support of the skateboarding community, and working with fun, new ingredients, and we look ahead to the beers of Fall.
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
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Fertile Ground Beer Co. brings Brewery 2.0 to Jackson, MS
Mississippi moves at its own pace. A bit slower, more relaxed. Most folks don't get caught up in trends and hype. Of course, this can be an issue for craft beer since it loves both of those things.
Despite the boom in most areas Jackson hasn't had a single production brewery open since 2019, when the lone brewery (Lucky Town) closed. A few months ago Fertile Ground Beer Co. brought brewing back to The City with Soul.
Introducing Brewery 2.0
Connor Reeves and Matthew Mclaughlin know a thing or two about the legal side of craft beer. Their law firm has helped many breweries navigate opening. When their hometown was without a brewery they decided they'd be the ones to change that.
Putting their plans together they noticed the taproom trend was dark wood, brushed nickel, and iron. They didn't want to follow that trend (told ya) so they opted for a light and bright taproom with a splash of color, Brewery 2.0, as they call it.
Mississippi Loves Saison
Jackson may not be ready yet for a bunch of American Wild Ales, but they do enjoy good beer. Fertile Ground offers brews like Pilsner and other Lagers but their Small Batch Sundays bring in Hazy IPAs, Kettle Sours, and Saisons. The locals have really taken to Saisons and I'm all about that. Be our savior, Mississippi, help us make Saisons cool again.
Fertile Ground is a young brewery but things are going well. In any good-sized city people love great beer. Being the lone brewery in town, for now, they can do a lot of good to get their customers ready to chase them whales.
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That's Pair-uh-dole-ee-uh
Pareidolia - The tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus, usually visual, so that one sees an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none. Faces in clouds? Jesus on toast? Pareidolia.
Pareidolia Brewing Co. is also a brewery in Sebastian, FL, on the Treasure Coast. Owner Pete Anderson joined us and we yammer on about beer and cheese. We love good cheese and just had a fancy new shop open in Atlanta. Maybe we'll do another cheese show? Pete likes cheese, and his wife is a proud cheesehead.
Pete also moved to the Eastern coast of Florida from Oregon and was saddened at the beer selection, so he started a brewery. He also started the Treasure Coast Wine & Ale trail, and he's a member of the Florida Brewers Guild.
We had to talk beer laws with Pete. Self distro, franchise reform, the usual pain points for small brewers. Pete's working to change that in Florida.
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What's up, party people?
Dry County Brewing Co. is about the celebrate their 6th anniversary. We've known founder Trey Sinclair since the brewery was just a dream. Well, mostly. We met Trey when he was contract brewing a couple beers and spreading the word about them around his hometown. When the brewery was just being built we stopped by for a preview. Check it out right here.... https://youtu.be/_VeAUJv2th4
Since our preview way back in 2016 DCBC has expanded to offer spirits and cider along with their brews and they're about to move to a fancy new location. On the spirit side they've got frozen cocktails in the taproom and a line of RTDs (that's "ready to drink" canned cocktails) that are extremely popular.
Trey joined us and brought along Director of Hoperations Winn Chastain and Head Brewer Ryan Polk. They shared some of their beers and cocktails as we bitched more about seasonal creep, pondered pairings for their Lechuza line of Mexican lagers, discussed the growing trend back towards more West Coast(ish) IPAs and discussed the agave shortage.
There's some tasty stuff coming out of Dry County Brewing. Check 'em out.
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Great Lakes Brewing Co. is going strong 34 years on
We all know cans are cool. Right? All the hype beers come in cans. Great Lakes Brewing Co. has been around since before cans were cool for craft. Good, craft beer came in bottles, and the macro stuff was shoved into cans. When you're 30+ years old in American craft beer you're going to have some fans that still think a craft beer needs to come in a bottle. That's exactly why classic like Edmund Fitzgerald Porter (aka Eddie Fitz, aka Fitz) and Eliot Ness Amber Lager stay in bottles. When they tried to make the switch to cans their OG fans weren't having it, so back to bottles they go.
But Great Lakes Brewing Co. isn't just about their classic beers. They've got new hotness like their Crushworthy Lo-Cal Citrus Wheat and TropiCoastal Tropical IPA (fun fact for the Georgia folks, TropiCoastal was inspired by Creature Comforts Tropicalia) goes into cans. A little something for everyone at GLBC.
Brand Coordinator and Beer Educator Michael Williams joined us this week to talk about the old and new, employee ownership, and hot dog pairings and toppings. We also discuss moves and mergers and sellouts and acquisitions. Great Lakes Brewing recently hired Steven Pauwels to join the team, the legendary brewer previously at Boulevard. You can check out our 2019 show with Pauwels on Ep. 180.
There's a lot going on here, folks. Crank up some Gordon Lightfoot and give it a listen.
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From brewer to beertender, how satisfied are brewery employees with their jobs?
"I want to be a brewer." Every homebrewer has had the thought cross their mind. But, once you land that dream job at a brewery, will you be happy? Like any job, there are many factors to consider. Pay, benefits, management, training, etc. It may be a "cool" job but working in a brewery is still a job.
Andrew Coplon from Craft Beer Professionals and Michael Varda from Craft Beer Advisory Services surveyed employees at 217 breweries across front of house, operations (brewers!), business, and ownership to see what people had to say. Every job and company is different and the survey presented some interesting results.
Coplon and Varda share the methodology and findings from the report as we discuss some interesting information and some of the factors that may contribute to these findings. Click the link to request a copy of the full 2022 Employee Satisfaction Report.
About Craft Beer Professionals and Craft Beer Advisory Services
Craft Beer Professionals launched in 2017 simply as a Facebook group bringing together those working in the industry throughout the United States. Though craft beer is a highly collaborative industry, few opportunities existed for peer sharing and learning. In the three years that followed, CBP grew from a community forum into a rich educational resource serving the entirety of the craft beer community including the myriad of positions within a brewery and the support industries such as ingredient suppliers, equipment manufacturers and professional services. With an engaged online audience, CBP evolved to develop original and critical content to help the industry grow. Through virtual conferences, podcasts, videos and more, CBP has positioned itself as an industry leader while keeping resources 100% accessible to all at no cost. In 2021, CBP further expanded its offering to in-person opportunities for sharing and learning through CBP Connects, a unique series of intimate workshops. CBP Connects is designed for the industry decision maker and provides an experience focused on both personal and professional growth.
Craft Beer Advisory Services is a full-service market research firm exclusively dedicated to the craft beer industry. They provide custom insight on beer drinker behavior and tell you why customers come and what makes them stay, or what makes them go somewhere else. Their research is customizable to dial in to the specific challenges your brewery is facing.
The Beer List MOUNTAIN DEW HARD SELTZER, BABY! Ferrous Falcon / Parish Collab Ghost Hawk (DDH IPA) Wild Barrel Vice Watermelon Apricot (Berliner Weisse) Cherry Street Dark Side of the Strawberry Moon (Berliner Weisse)
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Summer is coming and it's time for some Mexican Lagers
Mexican Lagers are so hot right now. The CEO of Constellation brands even goes as far as saying he believes Modelo is about to become America's favorite beer. The data kind of supports that claim, with Consellation's brands (including Modelo, Pacifico, and Corona) seeing 14% growth in the most recent quarter. Craft breweries are cranking out more Mexican Lagers as well. Most are simple drinkin' beers akin to a Pale Lager / Clara. But some are going deeper into the genre with Vienna Lagers and others.
To make matters even more confusing, if you look at Modelo Especial on Untappd it calls itself an American Lager, then description says it's a Pilsner. This thing has quite the identity crisis going on. Either way, Brian enjoyed this one but I thought it was a bit too sweet, especially if they are claiming it's a Pilsner. Corona brought by memories of drinking in my younger days and I'd still crush several of these by the pool or on the beach if that's what's available. For some craft representation we sampled Tactical Brewing's collaboration with Cholo Dogs - El Campéon. This elote-inspired lager is brewed with smoked malt, flaked corn, tajin, and limes and was much more enjoyable than I expected.
As the temps heat up many of these beers are perfect for cooling down. No matter if they are America's favorite or not they're nice to pack in the cooler.
Correction:We mention in this episode that Modelo is poised to take the top spot in American beer sales Although this claim was made by Constellation's CEO, the data reflects sales for all Constellation brands and not just Modelo. We apologize for lying to you like that and we'll do better in the future.
The Beer List Macro
Modelo Especial Modelo Negra (formerly Negra Modelo) Corona Extra Corona Premier Tecate Craft
Tactical Brewing El Campéon Chihuahua (Blue) “Mexican American Lager” Arches Mexican Empire Stone Buenaveza Terrapin Los Bravos Iron Hill Lemon Cerveza
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Craft Collaborations inspire Nappy Roots to open Atlantucky Brewing
If you're a regular listener of the show then you've heard us talking with the Nappy Roots crew a few times before. We met the guys back in 2017 as they brewed a collaboration with Monday Night Brewing, Front Porch Pale Ale, to go along with the album of the same name. We were a young show at the time and thrilled to land an interview with the Grammy-nominated quartet. Fish Scales, admittedly the most passionate craft drinker of the group, had a thirst for more beer knowledge. We started chatted regularly about beer, attending festivals, and brewing in Scales' garage. We may not be the typical friends for a couple of rappers, but never underestimate the power of beer.
Originally, the plan was to brew collaboration beers to help promote the group. Find a brewery near one of their upcoming shows and brew a beer with them. Through these collaborations they discovered they really loved to brew beer and found many similarities with the music industry in pursuing your creative side. The idea shifted from promotion to a business plan for Atlantucky Brewing. Just like any brewer, the guys learned a lot through process and Skinny shares some tips and pitfalls for those that are looking to start a brewery. Daily operations are handled by Skinny and Scales as they're in Atlanta, but B. Stille and Ron Clutch are behind the project as well, just from their old Kentucky home. You'll see them at the brewery for special events and occasional concerts.
Nappy Roots hasn't left the rap game to pursue brewing. They balance a full schedule with studio time early in the week and they're back in the brewhouse later in the week. They have had to cut back on their shows some, performing about two a month compared to 6ish prior to opening the brewery. If you're only familiar with their old stuff, make sure to check out some of their newer music as well.
The Atlantucky Brewing Taproom
For the most part, taprooms are generally the same. Atlantucky brings a special twist to their space adding an art gallery, event space and, of course, concert venue. They're located just a stone's throw from Mercedes Benz stadium so if you're in town for a game or concert you've got a great spot to pre-game. The location also attracts other artists to work at the brewery. As Skinny says, the space allows them to be around other creatives and continue their passions while having a job.
Atlantucky Brewing 170 Northside Dr SW Suite 96 Atlanta, GA 30313 https://atlantucky.com/
The Beer List Atlantucky / Pontoon Maple Barrel-Aged Blondie Brownie Atlantucky / Monday Night The Humdinger 2018 Wren House Valley House (American Lager) Good Word / Green Bench No Direction Home (French-Style Pilsner)
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Snafu Brewing Company is your new favorite dive bar
If you love a taplist full of classic beer styles then this episode is not for you. However, if you're intrigued by the R&D department of a brewery including a NutriBullet, beer, fruit, and cereal you're in the right place.
Snafu Brewing Company has been called a "dive brewery." Koon that's fair, and accurate. Snafu likes to have with their beers and wants everyone to feel welcome. When a guest asked if they could bring their goat to the taproom he said, "Sure thing."
Koon is a career brewer. He says he knew in middle school he wanted to brew for a living and started homebrewing when he was in high school. Before opening Snafu he learned the trade at a few other breweries, including a position as head brewer for Westbrook.
Snafu does offer a few more traditional styles - a golden ale, some IPAs and stouts. But if you pass on the fruit and cereal sours you're missing out on the magic.
A very scientific test of Bodega Glasses
Brian stays hard at work on Twitter wasti... researching the latest in craft beer. His most recent "discovery" is the Bodega Glass. These are new to us but apparently popular in some places, like Mikkeller bars.
The Bodega Glass is sort of a short and thicc pint glass. Some people love them but the official review by the team gave them two mehs and one thumbs up. Brian is a fan and says he feels they improve aroma on hoppy beers. But Brian also thinks Cold IPA is a unique beer style. No Mic Nate and I aren't convinced. We both found the glass to be fine, but they didn't really offer any improvement to our overall drinking experience.
If you want to check out the Bodega glass for yourself we're told this is the one that Mikkeller uses, or you cant try the ones we have from Crate & Barrel.
The Beer List Snafu Brewing Company
Watermelon Jolly Rancher Sour Stoned Age (Fruity Pebbles cereal sour) Strawberry^2 Nesquik Sour Primo Golden Ale
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Kros Strain Brewing Co. shows us what's happening in Nebraska beer
We met the crew from Kros Strain Brewing Co. when they visited Atlanta for The Juice Strikes Back festival in 2019. This invitational beer fest brought some amazing beers to Georgia and introduce a lot of new breweries to the Peach State. We chatted at the time about getting together for a show and it's only taken us three years to make it happen. Better late than never.
Co-founder Bobby Kros and Head Beer Pusher Jeff Hardy sat down with us this week to share a few beers and tell us about their brewery. As we sip their Fairy Nectar (the #1 IPA in Nebraska) I get chastised for mentioning loose meat sandwiches. Hardy tells me that's an Iowa thing and I better recognize the Runza. Where I grew up in the little town of Norfolk, NE we had the loose meat sandwich. Perhaps we were infiltrated, indoctrinated by those dirty Iowans. My life is a lie, my lesson was learned, it won't happen again.
Kros Strain joins us this week hot off a World Beer Cup medal win for Saison 635 in the Brett Beer cateogry. We learn about the beer, talk about Brett, bringing back saison, and the "big barrels" that are foeders and what happens with the ones at Kros Strain. We talk about beer in green bottles and the joys of intentionally skunking your funky saisons, micheladas and more lager talk. Why they're popular and what American brewers might do with these classic styles over time.
Wrapping up we sample the to-be-released "Barrelywine", a Barleywine from a forgotten barrel and talk all things "wine" beers - Wheatwine, Barleywine, Munichwine, and even Hopwine.
The Beer List Kros Strain Brewing Co.
Krossteiner (Czech-style Pilsner) Fairy Nectar (Hazy IPA) Web of Lies (Hazy DIPA) Barrel Concepts Mixed Fermentation Sour Barrel Concepts Foeder-Aged Golden Sour And a few more...
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The Original 40 Brewing Company is a new OG
We caught Cosimo Sorrentino just in time to talk about San Diego's The Original 40 Brewing Co. before he heads for Lazarus Brewing in Austin, TX. Cosmo's a San Diego native and spent time brewing in Europe before returning home. When asked about the departure he shares that he likes where the beer scene is in Austin and wants to be a part of that, also the overall culture of the city. And, of course, BBQ.
As we chat with Sorrentino about brewing in San Diego and Europe, Maibock, Cashmere hops, and the insanity of moving to Austin in the Summer we drink through some of their lineup. Contrary #beertwitter rumble lats week about there being nothing but IPAs at breweries, Original 40 runs the gamut with Pilsners, Rice Lagers, Smoked Brown Ales, super-thicc stouts, and yes, some NE and West Coast IPAs. And they're all damn tasty.
If you're in San Diego you should take a trip to the taproom. This Saturday (05/07/22) would be a good day, they're releasing Rafiki's Ritual, a glass-paintingly thick bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. Grab a bite, get a beer, enjoy that San Diego weather and bid farewell and good luck to Cosimo on his next adventure.
The Beer List The Original 40 Brewing Co.
Ashes From The Grave (Smoked Brown Ale) Check To Czech (Bohemian Pilsner) Cloud Noises (DDH Hazy IPA) Snap! Crackle! Hop! (West Coast IPA with Rice) Rafiki’s Ritual (Imperial Stout) - Releasing at the taproom 05/07/22 Tachi (Japanese Lager)
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Hanging out with Cherry Street Brewing and The Real DJ Jelly
Cherry Street Brewing's original location in Cumming, GA isn't far from Atlanta. But city folk aren't big on leaving their circle so Cherry Street was somewhat of a hidden treasure in Georgia beer for a while. Us folks out here in the 'burbs can be scary, ya know. The opening of a 2nd location in Alpharetta put them closer to the masses, and within a distance more people weren't too scared to visit. Their beer is worthy of the trip and every bit as good as some of the best in Atlanta proper. Plus, you can get some killer chicken tenders at their Cumming location or the best fish and chips I've had in the Metro at their Halcyon location. Take the trip, order the fish, try several beers. It'll be worth it.
Director of Sales and long time friend of the show Ramsay Florence joined us this week to fill us in on the latest happenings. They've recently opened a location in Chattanooga, TN and the beer laws there allow them to do some self distribution. Beer laws, what fun. We've talked about them enough in the past we'll move on this time. Ramsay talks about some of their core beers, some fun wild ales in the works, and future plans for the brewery. I misunderstood some of the notes when chatting before the show and told a dirty lie regarding news on their 4th location. Sorry about that, it's totally Ramsay's fault, though.
Atlanta hip-hop icon DJ Jelly joined us in the studio as well. We met him recently at Atlantucky Brewing where he was spinning some records for the Nappy Hour. We shared a few beers and learned about his history in the Atlanta music scene. Working with LL Cool J, Goodie Mob, Bubba Sparxxx, Doug E. Fresh, and premiering some of the best acts of 90s on Atlanta radio. He even produced the classic Flo Rida's Get Low.
Pairing exotic Kit Kats and Cherry Street beers
We've all seen the beer and Girl Scout cookie pairings. Well we're kicking that up a notch. Brian took a trip to the local Asian market and grabbed some of their unique Kit Kat bars. Melon, Strawberry Chocolate, and Matcha. Madness. Ramsay samples each and tells us what Cherry Street beers we should pair up with them.
The Beer List Cherry Street Brewing
Sa’bro DDH DIPA Lake Beer Lager Strawberry Side of the Moon (Berliner with Strawberries and Blackberries) Irie Hop (DDH DIPA) Monday Night Brewing / Atlantucky Humdinger
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Teamwork makes the dream work at Bevana
It's not easy to build and grow a brewery. Starting small can make expansion hard, and costly. Distribution adds it's own challenges and even just getting your name out there is a struggle amidst 9,000+ breweries. That's where Bevana comes in.
Originally founded as Community Brewing Ventures, the company rebranded this year as Bevana to represent their growth in non-beer beverages. Sr. Director of Business Development Aaron Gore joined us this week to share what Bevana does for brewers and where they're headed in the future. It's all about joining forces - for brewing, distribution, and marketing. Bevana helps smaller brewers grow while minimizing the cost and effort to do so.
If you're a small brewer looking to grow, maybe finding Bevana is just what you need.
The Beer List Halfway Crooks Farina SweetWater 420 (Tis' the season!) Sixpoint Pineapple Resin Southern Prohibition Spoils of War (Milk Stout with Maple) Weldwerks Coffee Coconut Stout (Imperial Milk Stout)
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All the cool kids are drinking Little Beers
Braving the snowy (yes, snowy) April weather in Georgia, 100s of beer lovers gathered in Duluth, GA recently to celebrated their love of low ABV beers. Little Beer Fest II brought brewers together from across the country for this invitation-only event. Brewers shared their best beers under (or close to it) 4.0%. Lots of lagers, some sessionable IPAs and other hoppy ales, some mixed fermentation brews, and even some small stouts and porters were poured at the event.
Wrapped in our hoodies and holding down our tent we managed to chat with of the brewers in attendance, plus some of the crew from The Atlanta Podcast featuring Myron Green and Christian Andrews. TAP covers events in and around Atlanta while enjoy local beer. Give 'em a listen. Next up is Nashville's Barrique Brewing and Blending where we talk with Spencer Longhurst about mixed fermentation beers and 2nd use hops. Chris Tropeano and Jon Eberhart from Charlotte's Resident Culture Brewing join to talk about experimental hops, the Charlotte beer scene, and the great Cold IPA debate. Rounding out the show we talk with Wren House Brewing Co. out of Phoenix, AZ with Mason and Kyle about lager production, Phoenix breweries, and crisp vs. crispy beers.
Cheers to Good Word Brewing and Public House and the City of Duluth
Huge thanks to the crew from Good Word Brewing and the City of Duluth. As you'll hear in the show, everyone that's been to Good Word has nothing but praise for the food, beer, and people. If you get the chance to visit you don't want to miss it. Cities are getting better about embracing beer, and the city of Duluth is fully on board. Cheers to them for their support of this event.
If you missed the first fests, go ahead and mark your calendars for Little Beer III. Good Word has already announced April 15, 2023 for the next party.
The Beer List Bold Monk Brewing Chant Lager Barrique Brewing and Blending Petite Afternoon Saison Resident Culture Aren't We All Pilsner Wren House Můstek Czech Pilsner
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Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. makes big beer in small batches
What do you talk about when you get one of America's most legendary breweries on your show. Mushroom hunting, of course. As we chatted with Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.'s founder Clark Lewey and brewmaster Mike Saboe before the show we discovered we shared a love of mushrooms. We want to hunt morels, and they're experienced morel hunters. They love them so much they even brewed a beer in honor of morels, Scorpius Morchella. We promise the whole show isn't mushroom talk, but for a beer show there is a hell of a lot. Hang in there with us, we'll get to the beer soon enough.
Toppling Goliath has some pretty major accolades. They're the 2021 US Beer Open Grand National Champions and Beer Advocate ranked them the #2 brewery in the world. Their Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout has held the #1 highest rated beer spot on Untappd since 2015. Clark and Mike say the high praise keeps them on their toes and they always strive to keep up their high standards.
We sampled a couple of their brews, including Strawberry Shortcake Fandango, which is stellar. This leads us into lactose talk (there's no lactose in the Fandango) and ponder if it's the MSG of beer, as well as discussing another MSG-like contender, Phantasm powder.
Stouts and Stouts and Stouts
With beastly stouts like Assassin, Mornin' Delight, and the sought after Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout we talk... stouts. What goes into making a beer like this? Brewing, aging, blending. We talk secondary beer market, where a 2014 bottle of KBBS can cost up to $1,300. If you want the more affordable version get your name in the hat for a ticket to the release, where a single 12 oz. bottle will cost you $100. Not all Toppling Goliath stouts will cost you a C-note. Their Rover Truck is an easy-drinking Oatmeal Stout that you can grab for around $10 for a 16 oz. 4-pack. Now that's a deal.
We haven't tried the KBBS yet, but we've got plans to get back on with the TG Brews crew for an online tasting. Until then, I'll keep trying to invite myself to bottle shares for a taste.
Craft Beer News Modern Times faces court-ordered receivership sale Brewers Association Has Released Their Annual Industry Report for 2021 Due To Onerous Financial Obligations, Stone Has Considered Selling
The Beer List Toppling Goliath Dorothy’s New World Lager. Toppling Goliath Strawberry Shortcake Fandango. (Kettle Sour) Iron Hill Resist Ukrainian Anti-Imperial Stout. Tactical Brewing Co Zombie Curbstomp (Sour)
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FlyteCo Brewing is cleared for takeoff
Denver's FlyteCo Brewing opened their first location in 2019. Although Colorado has no shortage of breweries, owners Morgan O'Sullivan and Jason Slingsby knows there's always room for more great places to grab a beer. Their second location will open soon, in a decommissioned air control tower. O'Sullivan and Slingsby want visitors to see FlyteCo as their own Cheers. Where the bartenders know your name and have a beer ready for you when you walk in. Norrrrm! If getting to know people isn't your thing then maybe your and your beer can spend some quality time at the on-site mini golf or bowling.
If the air traffic control tower didn't give it away, the brewery has an aviation theme. Two of the three owners are pilots. In addition to drop-in fishing trips (I'm so jealous) they've even flown to Western Colorado to pick up hops fresh from the farm and back to the brewery to get them in a beer in a little over an hour. How's that for freshness?
The guys knew the way to our hearts and sent us a sample of their Tipsy Nipper, a stellar Belgian Saison. We sample Heading 270 West Coast IPA and Ski Plane Stout as well. We reminisced on the old days of 2014 when saisons were cool and praise the versatility of the style while pondering if getting crazy with them might make them cool again. We even come up with a collab, look for Milky Disco DDH LactoGlitter Saison coming soon.
Craft Beer News Heineken Has Announced Plans to Permanently Exit Russia Carlsberg Also Announces Its Exit From Russia Molson Coors Should Have Put The ‘Key’ Back in Keystone
The Beer List FlyteCo Brewing
Tipsy Nipper - Belgian Saison Heading 270 - West Coast IPA Ski Plane Stout - American Stout
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Enjoy the classics at Ironshield Brewing
We're bringing you one from our backyard this week! If you're a Georgia beer nerd you may know the name Glen Sprouse. If you don't know his name then you probably know some of his breweries. The old timers may recall Phoenix Brewing which opened in Atlanta at The Prado in 1996, slightly less older timers likely know 5 Seasons that took over the space in 2001. Sprouse was part of both of those ventures.
He stepped away from brewing for a while before opening up Ironshield Brewing in Lawrenceville, GA. The brewery features classic European styles including Seven Sisters Munchner Lager, which was a staple on the taps at 5 Seasons. With the addition of Jason Carroll to the team some true Irish beers have hit the taps. Carroll came to America from Ireland where he brewed at Guinness's Open Gate Brewery, among others. In addition to their Ironshield brand the brewery also contract brews under Big Kettle Brewing and expects to brew 30,0000 barrels for their customers in 2022.
Welcome back Lorelei Hefeweizen
Ironshield offers several returning seasonals, like Lorelei Hefeweizen which returns this weekend. (Release party March 26th, 2022) We got a sneak preview of this one and it's one fine Hef. Next up is Warhammer Maibock in late May. We're all in for that one on the name alone.
Although contract brewing is the largest part of the brewery's business right now they are working diligently to grow the Ironshield brand. If you're a fan of classic ales and lagers do yourself a favor and check them out.
The Beer List Ironshield Brewing
Lorelei Hefeweizen Seven Sisters Munchner Lager Irish Stout
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Prison Pals Brewing makes a break for it in Miami
In 2018 Argentinian businessman and race car driver Juan Pipkin was dreaming of starting a business in America. He'd grown tired of the challenges in his home country and feeling like a prisoner in his own land. After some consideration he decided craft beer was the goal. Pipkin admits he had zero background in beer before the idea for Prison Pals Brewing started, but he saw a great opportunity and he knew how to put a powerhouse team together.
Pipkin reached out to Diego Setti and Bruno Laperchuck to join him on the adventure and the duo joined as Brewmaster and Head Brewer/Lab Manager to open their brewery in Miami. Originally, the plan was to operate much like breweries in Argentina - skipping the taproom and brewing beer to send out to bars and restaurants in distribution. Prison Pals started under that model but quickly realized a taproom was the key to success for American craft beer. Now they have two, with more on the way.
Setti brings an impressive list of credentials to the team. He's a BJCP Beer Judge and has served as the Latin America Regional Representative and Associate Director since 2019, a Certified Cicerone, Doemens Akademie Biersommelier, and started Zeta Atelier de Cervezas (a beer education institute) and Mental Brewing Co., a gypsy brewery only brewing historical beer styles. Deep breath... And, he's participated in major competitions such was the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, and Brussels Beer Challenge. Whew.
Don't fight the Smoothie hype
Given his choice, Setti would stick to brewing classic beer styles and exploring his love of lagers. When he was first asked him to brew a Smoothie beer he responded with an emphatic, "No." Prison Pals now has a line of Smoothie beers with plenty of hazy IPAs and heavily fruited sours in the lineup. You gotta give the people what they want, Diego.
We also learn a bit about the craft beer scene in Argentina. The most popular style is Honey Beer, typically a Blonde Ale with honey, it's the beer that pays the bills for most breweries. Argentinian brewers struggle to get imported ingredients and have to rely on limited availability of malts and yeast. Of course, as it goes with craft brewers, this brings in a lot of creativity to get the styles they want. Setti tells us the quality is still top notch and they are starting to see some growth in domestically available ingredients.
Due to time, we had to cut some info on what's next for the brewery. Pipkin tells us they'll open more taprooms offering their beers and some tasty eats, brew more beer, and expand distribution. Things are just getting started for Prison Pals.
The Beer List Resident Culture Radical Empathy Pilsner WhistlePig Piggy Back canned cocktail Blackberry Lemon Fizz (Damn tasty, highly recommended.) Monday Night Blind Pirate blood orange IPA Great Notion Pink Sabbath Black IPA
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We're all Irish on St. Patrick's Day
Are there any better holiday than drinking holidays? Oktoberfest, Cinco de Mayo, and St. Patrick's Day are all pretty much excuses (at least in America) to drink like we'll never drink again. In our constant quest for knowledge, and beer, we dug into the history of St. Patrick's Day as we sample some Irish beers. What is this holiday even about? Something about snakes? Potatoes? It really doesn't matter to most people. Put on something green and grab a pint of green beer or a Dry Irish Stout and you're officially celebrating. Sláinte!
Who was St. Patrick and what did he really do?
First off, St. Patrick wasn't Irish. Crazy, right? He was likely Italian or of indigenous Celtic decent, born around 390 AD. He ended up in Ireland after being kidnapped as a teenager and forced into slavery. He escaped and GTFOd, but he eventually returned to Ireland. He didn't drive the snakes out of Ireland, but he is credited with brining Christianity to the country by using an Irish clover to explain the Holy Trinity. It's believe he died on March 17, 461 and so we celebrate St. Patrick's Day every March 17th.
St. Patrick's Day beers
If you're in the US and you like a good craft beer then your best bet is going to be heading to your local brewery to enjoy the Dry Irish Stout or Irish Red Ale they've likely brewed up for the holiday. Bottle shops are mostly stocked with macros - Guinness, Murphy's, Harp, etc. You'll also find no shortage of green beer at your local bars. Usually a super cheap lager with some food coloring. We ran an Instagram poll on the debated topic of green beers. Check out the show to hear the results!
After a few beers we do get a little sidetracked but we dive deep into the invention of the Bacon Bacon Bacon sandwich and analyze the Chicken Wing Index.
Irish or not, go have some fun and enjoy a nice nitro pint of Guinness and some corned beef. It may not be traditional, but it'll be pretty damn good.
The Beer List Guinness Dry Irish Stout Murphy's Dry Irish Stout Smithwick's Irish Red Ale Harp Lager Manger's Cider Biggerstaff Daddy Jack Dry Stout Southern Tier Irish Cream Stout Bushmill's Black Bush (not beer)
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There's a lotta beer in Michigan
Author Patti Smith joins us this week to talk about her book, Michigan Beer: A Heady History. If you've been with for a while, you may remember our episode with Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle discussing their book, Atlanta Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Hub of the South. This is like that, but with much more Michigan.
We start with the early days of brewing where, like most of the US, Bavarian immigrants had heavy influence. Except in the Upper Peninsula where French-Canadians helped make spruce beer a hot item.
There were a few powerhouse brewers in the 19th century across the state, many wiped out by Prohibition. Michigan was an early-adopter of state prohibition - but also the first to ratify the 21st Amendment to end it. I hope they learned their lesson.
Modern brewing in Michigan saw the state peak at over 400 breweries, they've taken a bit of a hit with the pandemic, but their still going strong.
We just brush the surface in the show so make sure to pick up the book if you want to know the full story of Michigan beer. (The link goes to the publisher's website, 'cause they get more money that way, but it's also available on Amazon.)
The Michigan Beer List Bells Tequila Barrel Aged Flamingo Fruit Fight Founders KBS Hazelnut Old Nation B43 Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noir
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TRU Colors Brewing is on a mission to end gang violence
When a shooting took the life of a young man in Wilmington, NC local businessman George Taylor wanted to do something about it. You likely know some of Taylor's other businesses, like Untappd or National Speed. Rather than just talking about making a change, Taylor contacted the local gang task force and spent two years getting to know gang members and the challenges they faced. After careful consideration and identifying some of the roots causes of gang violence he founded TRU Colors Brewing.
TRU Colors has a mission to end gang violence. Not only by providing jobs but by offering support and education on how to know your self worth. Fitness and nutrition classes, yoga, counseling, and discounted meals are some of offerings at the brewery. 80% of the breweries employee's are rival gang members.
Spree is the Assistant Director of Marketing at TRU Colors, and an active gang member. He was serving time in federal prison when he first heard about the brewery and their mission. With some skepticism, he contacted them to see what they were about. Spree shares how TRU Colors has made a difference in his life, the challenges faced living in "the hood," the appeal of joining a gang, and how he's taking what he's learned back to his community.
Kevin was working at a local brewery when he heard about the mission of TRU Colors. He was impressed with their goal and reached out to them to join the brewing team. Kevin shares with us why he joined TRU Colors, some info on TRU Light (their flagship beer), and what's coming in the future from the brewery.
TRU Light is an approachable beer to bring people together
Deciding on what style to launch with wasn't a tough call. The humble light lager is an easily approachable beer. Us beer nerds may think our numbers are strong but there's no question the light lager captures way more people than any IPA or pastry stout. Kevin tells us the brewery isn't even really about the beer, it's just a vehicle to fund the mission. That said, they do have some fun collaborations in planning and we're told some hops will come into the mix.
The Beer List Boulevard Chocolate Ale Good Word Divine Intervention Rice Lager Equilibrium Experiment and Enlightenment DIPA Rupee Premium Lager Beer
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Our first Arkansas brewery on the show!
The crew from Fossil Cove Brewing Co. joined us this week to shed some light on what's happening in Arkansas craft beer. If they're a good example, AR is doing OK.
Tyler, Ben, and Andrew tell us about the growing beer scene in their state where a lot of folks still enjoy their light lagers. No matter, there are still plenty of IPAs and Stouts for those that want to branch out a bit. But they tell us they don't think there's anyone doing a Milkshake IPA. Can you even imagine?
We talk beer laws (AR has very friendly brewery laws), dinosaurs, brown ales, beer fest, and toe suckers. (What?)
They've got a Solid Session IPA, a pretty-darn-good Brown Ale, and solid DIPA. These guys were a blast to talk with and got me wanting to go back to old Arkansas and see what's up.
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The crew from Atlanta’s Fire Maker Brewing Co. joins us in the studio this week to talk sweet tea, dragons, winning awards, and beer laws,
Brewery founder Elliott Hall has worked across all three tiers of beer - wholesale, retail, and now as a brewery owner. This experience gives him unique insight into what it takes to be successful in today’s competitive craft beer landscape. As Vice President of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild Elliott is working to improve the laws for Georgia’s craft brewers and bring the brewing community closer together.
Marketing Director Rachel Bramer makes sure the brewery has a solid identity that people can connect with and shares the latest on Fire Maker via interesting videos and social media. The team’s efforts won them a Craft Beer Marketing Awards, known as a “Crushie”, in 2021 for their can artwork of their core beers.
Head Brewer Kevin Wright brings experience from a large corporate brewery as well as well-known breweries in Chicago and some island brewing in Hawaii. He keeps a careful eye on beer trends and makes sure Fire Maker’s fans enjoy every drop that they brew.
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Cheers to American Beer
Around the world there are still plenty of people that see American beer as watery lagers with no real character. We may have taken a while to catch up, but today American beer offers a huge variety of top notch styles in every state. Jason Murphy, staff writer for PorchDrinking.com, wanted to explore the map of American beer so he set out on a mission to try a brew from all 50 states and write about his adventure. It was a huge undertaking but he came out victorious. You can read his full article right here - Craft Beer Across America | 50 Beers From 50 States.
Jason is local to the Atlanta area and we've chatted on Instagram about the beers and breweries we enjoy. He's even suggested breweries for the show that he was impressed with, like South Dakota's Covert Artisan Ales who joined us on the show a few month's ago. We thought what Jason was doing was pretty darn cool and we'd discussed getting together for a beer so we said, why not turn it into a show. So, here we are.
In the lead up to this episode I gave the heads up to some of our friends and radio affiliates that we'd be featuring breweries in their states and which ones we we talk about. When I reached out I may have said these were smaller, lesser known breweries. People took offense to that. My bad. What I should have said is that these are some breweries that may not get as much hype or press as some others, but they are still stellar breweries that people need to know about. That's what I should have said. It's likely you'll recognize a lot of these names, but you're sure to find a few new ones as well.
We sampled a few of the beers on his list as we talked about how this came to be and what trends he saw as he gathered his breweries. We didn't have time to mention all 50 breweries, but definitely hit the link up there to see the full list. Jason tells us some of the stand outs for him and we grieve on Untappd a bit.
Give this episode a listen, read Jason's article, and go out and find a new favorite brewery.
The Beer List Epic Big Bad Baptist In The Rye Dogfish Head Utopias Barrel-aged World Wide Stout (not in the article, but we wanted to drink it.) Zony Mash King of Carrot Flowers (Carrot, Tangerine, Mango, Lactose) Icarus Brewing - Build Me Up Butternut (Butternut squash, Guajillo & Chipotle Peppers) Finch - Songbird Pilsner
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Silver Bluff Brewing is passionate about Mexican Lager
Jeff Coyle loves Mexican lagers. So much so that he wrote a detailed article to help others understand the style. If you think Corona when you think of Mexican beers, you should definitely read the article. But first, make sure to listen to our interview with Jeff and his brother Kevin Coyle. The duo are part of the team behind Silver Bluff Brewing Co.
Their Mexican lager is a hybrid of sorts. Riding the line between the Clara (Corona) and another traditional Mexican style, the Vienna Lager. Right, Vienna Lager, traditional Mexican beer. Seriously. Locals went crazy for their take on this refreshing brew and it's their top selling beer now. If you're looking for something else they've got plenty of other beers on tap. As we talked they had just brewed a Dry Irish Stout to get ready for St. Patrick's Day, making us realize the holiday is closer than we realized.
The Brothers Coyle love their community almost as much as they love beer and making a place where people could gather over a well-made, approachable pint is something their most excited about at Silver Bluff. If the beer and beer garden don't reel you in maybe the coastal scenery of Georgia's Golden Isles will. Maybe both?
For now, their beer is distributed in a fairly small area but they are making more beer and hope to expand even further soon.
Silver Bluff Brewing Co. 1325 Newcastle Street Brunswick, GA 31520
The Beer List Silver Bluff Brewing Piercing Point Juicy Pale Ale Silver Bluff Brewing Holiday IPA with juniper berries Highland Brewing Cold Mountain Super Spice Iron Hill Brewery Dystopias | Imperial Stout aged in Sam Adams Utopias barrels
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Who's ready for some hot, flat beer?
For most breweries a review saying a beer was "hot and flat" would be an insult. Not so much for Primitive Beer. If you attended their recent Hot Bierfest in Colorado then you had a choice of a few beers to try, with one being flat ("still" sounds better, let's go with that) and... hot. Glühbier, literally "mulled beer", is served like a mulled wine or cider. Warmed with cinnamon, honey, and spices If you're not feeling spicy then maybe go for a mug of beer you take out by the fire and have a red hot poker plunged in it. You want unique beer? You got it.
Brandon and Lisa Boldt aren't all about hot beer. Their "beer blendery" offers a great variety of spontaneously fermented brews. Some aged in spirit barrels or blended with fruit, and even some served still in a bag-in-box container. Even if some of their methods aren't trendy with the masses they know a thing or two about great beer. We're big fans after sampling their Circular Logic, Willfully Obtuse (still/uncarbonated), and Back in Vogue.
Primitive Beer practices spontaneous fermentation for all of their beers. The results are somewhat unpredictable, although you can increase the chance of success with a bit of knowledge and practice. The real magic comes in the blending where they can create the exact profiles they are looking for. You won't find a hazy IPA or pastry stout from Primitive Beer, but if you're looking for some unique and complex beers they've got you covered.
Primitive Beer 2025 Ionosphere St. Longmont, CO 80504 primitive.beer
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American craft sake is creeping on a come up
This isn't the first time we've talked about sake on the show, but it is the first time we've talked to a sake brewer. Josh Hembree of Setting Sun Sake Brewing Co. is one of a small handful of American craft sake brewers. A few short years ago there were only 5ish in the states but that number has grown to over 20.
Although sake is usually referred to as a rice wine the brewing process is more closely related to beer. Hembree tells us about the different types of sake, the differences in brewing beer and sake, what Americans get wrong about sake, and how American brewers put their own, beautiful spin on the process. We also talk about good pairing and get some tips on how to pair outside of the typical sushi and other Asian cuisine.
Kanpai! Sampling sake
The traditional Japanese toast is Kanpai! Which, literally translated is "dry sake cup." More than likely the translation would be approximately "drink your cup dry." OK, if you insist. We sample a few sakes (including one American brewed version) and give our 100% uneducated opinions on each one.
The Sake List Kiku-Masamune Junmai Taru Sake We Sake (Junmai Ginjo) Sake One Joy (Junmai Ginjo Genshu) Choya Umeshu (Japanese plum wine, which we thought was sake when we bought it.)
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Sam Calagione talks 26 years of of Dogfish Head
Many people consider Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione to be one of the pioneers of modern American craft beer. Sam is quick to clarify he's part of the 2nd wave of craft and others, like Sierra Nevada's Ken Grossman, paved the way for his off-centered ales.
Calagione's method of continuously hopping his beers throughout the boil allowed him to pack in immense hop flavor without making the brews overly bitter. The contraption he used to add the hops in his early batches of 60 Minute and 90 Minute IPA was fashioned from a vibrating football game and now sits in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Museum. The brewery also offers 120 Minute version of their IPA at a whopping 15-20% ABV and revivals of beers from the past in their Ancient Ales series as well as big stouts, pilsners, light sours like Sea Quench and soon, Crush-inspired canned cocktails. Although his beer may have been 2nd wave, Dogfish Head was one of the first brewery's to add distilling to their portfolio.
If it wasn't enough to found such an iconic brewery, Calagione is also an accomplished author and TV personality. His latest book, The Dogfish Head Book: 26 Years of Off-Centered Adventures, takes a look back at the brewery's history and the life and business lessons he's learned along the way.
The Beer List Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Slightly Mighty Lo-Cal IPA 60 Minute IPA Bitches Brew (2013)
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Why are Shiner bottles twist-off?
So you can get the beer out!
We had a blast talking with Brewmaster Jimmy Mauric and Brand Manager Nick Weiland about the long history of Shiner Beer. We don't talk with many 100+ year old breweries, so we had plenty to talk about. Jimmy's been with the brewery for 44 years so he knows a thing or two about the history. He tells us how the brewery survived Prohibition by selling ice and non-alcoholic (wink wink) Near Beer, and how their Bock dates all the way back to 1913.
Jimmy admits that the shift into these crazier brews was a bit tough for him at first, but he's all on board now. Berries and Cream beers, trail mix ales (that absolutely nails the flavor) and even cocktail-inspired seltzers.
The Beer List Shiner 1909 Heritage Lager Shiner Holiday Cheer Shiner S'more Shiner Trail Ale Shiner Toasted Amber Shiner Tall 'Tails Mexican Martini (Hard Seltzer)
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Why are Shiner bottles twist-off?
So you can get the beer out!
We had a blast talking with Brewmaster Jimmy Mauric and Brand Manager Nick Weiland about the long history of Shiner Beer. We don't talk with many 100+ year old breweries, so we had plenty to talk about. Jimmy's been with the brewery for 44 years so he knows a thing or two about the history. He tells us how the brewery survived Prohibition by selling ice and non-alcoholic (wink wink) Near Beer, and how their Bock dates all the way back to 1913.
Jimmy admits that the shift into these crazier brews was a bit tough for him at first, but he's all on board now. Berries and Cream beers, trail mix ales (that absolutely nails the flavor) and even cocktail-inspired seltzers.
The Beer List
- Shiner 1909 Heritage Lager
- Shiner Holiday Cheer
- Shiner S'more
- Shiner Trail Ale
- Shiner Toasted Amber
- Shiner Tall 'Tails Mexican Martini (Hard Seltzer)
Harpoon Brewery is an East Coast IPA OG
In 1986 Harpoon Brewery received brewery permit #001 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The first brewery in the state since Prohibition, only 35 years ago.
IPAs were more of a West Coast thing at the time and the launch of Harpoon IPA in 1993 was a bold move for an East Coast brewery. Fans to took these crazy, hoppy beers and the rest is history.
Chief Brewing Office Al Marzi, Senior Brewery Mike Kelly, and Director of Digital Strategy Megan Baker cracked a few cold ones with us as they shared their knowledge with us. We chat about the evolution of the IPA, emerging ingredients in craft beer, what it means to be an employed-owned company, and smattering of other topics.
It's hard to believe the craft beer scene in the Northeast is a mere 35 years old. Harpoon was there to see (and make) it happen, and there's more to come.
Oh yeah, how could I forget... this is EPISODE 300 of Beer Guys Radio. Woot!
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Best Christmas Beers of 2021
Christmas, the most wonderful time to drink beer
Ahhh, who am I kidding? It's ALWAYS the most wonderful time to drink beer. But, Christmas is a great time for beer. Beautiful Belgian ales, spiced Winter Warmers, maybe some glühkriek?
Christmas beers are some of our favorites and we look forward to this show each year. With a sampling of Christmas brews from around the world we blind taste them with our friends and pick our favorites. This year, Ron and Michael from Rainy Day Brewery joined us on the show. We didn't even think about the fact they are Jewish when we invited them over for Christmas, but they were happy to join us and the show became a nice, interfaith celebration. L'chaim!
There are no set rules for our "competition." We simply taste the beers and decide if we like them. Make some notes, share our favorites, and then tally the scores for a top three.
To keep things festive we share some fun trivia and facts about Christmas and drinking traditions. Wassailing and such. It's a good time all around.
The Beer List Anchor Christmas 2021 Brasserie d'Achouffe N’ice Chouffe Delirium Noel Deschutes Jubelale Highland Brewing Cold Mountain St. Bernardus Christmas Samuel Adams Winter Lager Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale Sierra Nevada Celebration Southern Tier 2XMas Sweetwater Festive Ale
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When Dokkaebier founder Youngwon Lee attended craft beer festivals he noticed he was one of the few (or only) Asian people at the events. He said everyone was friendly and welcoming, he just wanted to find a way to attract more diversity to craft. Bring on the Dokkaebier. Many of their beers are both familiar and unique. A Pilsner with bamboo tea, a Kimchi kettle sour made with lactobacillus cultured from actual kimchi.
What started as a pop-up served with Korean tapas blossomed into a full brewing venture. Working with local brewers to gypsy brew his offerings, Dokkaebier is now available in stores and shipping across California, with more expansion planned in the future.
THE BEER LIST
Dokkaebier - Bamboo Pilsner - Classic Pilsner with bamboo tea - DIPA - Lemon Ginger Kettle Sour - Milk Stout - With green peppercorns and cardamom - Yuza Blonde
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If you brew it, will they drink?
Textile Brewing is just a few miles from the Field of Dreams. My clever mind thought of the "if you brew it" line as soon as I heard this fact. Of course, it's the same line that everyone thinks of. Great minds, right?
I managed to hold off for most of the show on making the "joke," but it is a fun fact about the brewery. Another fun fact, founder Tom Olberding had no brewing experience when he decided he was going to open a brewery. To compliment his skills he hired Nick Ashton as his assistant brewer, who also had no brewing experience.
Lack of experience aside, Textile is offering up some really tasty beers. We sampled a Blonde Ale, Vienna Lager, IPA, and a coffee-pumpkin ale and all were damn good. Cheers to the new guys.
If you find yourself in Dyersville, IA stop in and find out for yourself. We hear their beer pairs great with a Canadian bacon and sauerkraut pizza.
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There's a lot more to lager than just Pilsner
We all have a friend that has made a statement like, "I don't like lagers," or, "I don't like dark beer."
It's likely the lager-hater is thinking of something like a Pilsner when they think lager, and the dark beer-averse has a thick and boozy stout on their mind. Dark Lagers are here to change those opinions.
There's a huge variety of flavor in the dark lager world. On the lighter end, something like a Czech Dark Lager will deliver a touch of toffee, dates, and chocolate. On the bolder end an Eisbock can be sweet and boozy, with big malt presence of toasty caramel. If you like Imperial Stouts and Quads, give an Eisbock a try.
German Beer Terms
The Germans make it pretty easy to know what you're getting in your beer. Learn these terms and you'll be ready to do some shopping. Doppel = Double Dunkel = Dark Hefe = Yeast Schwarz = black Weiss = White Weizen = Wheat Bock = Male goat / Buck (Listen to the show to see how this became associated with beer.)
Now you know that Dunkelweizen is a darky, wheat beer. Boom.
Drink Local, Give Local
Our friend (and show sponsor) Adam Silverberg from The Nest Kennesaw joined us this week. We sample some brews and he tells us about his annual event to help those in need at the holidays.
Through his Drink Local, Give Local event and The Nest you can enjoy some great brews and get on on the raffles for some awesome beer gifts. Bring a toy for MUST Ministries to add to their holiday store to make sure everyone can have something under the tree for Christmas.
If you're not in the metro Atlanta area there's sure to be a similar organization near you.
The Beer List Aventinus Eisbock (Germany) Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock (Germany) Duck-Rabbit Schwarzbier (US) Samichlaus Doppelbock (Austria) Einstock Icelandic DoppelBock (Iceland) Arches Mystic Bock (US) Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel (Germany)
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This week we have RockSolid Brewing head brewer Bryan Crass joining us in the studio!
Plenty of places offer up craft beer pairing suggestions for your favorite Halloween candy, Reese's Cups, Skittles, Snickers. We've got some pairings as well, but our suggestions are for that bottom-of-the-bag candy as we pick the Top 5 most hated candies to pair up. Necco Wafers? Got it. Circus Peanuts? Check. You know you'll be eating the leftovers your kids don't want so you might as well have a nice beer to go with it.
Bryan shares some info about his time brewing in California and making his way to Georgia, collabs with other breweries and even one with a haunted house. We make some recipe plans to go full circle with his blueberry cheesecake beer, and sample his BBA Barleywine as he tells us about their 1st anniversary plans.
Happy Halloween, Y'all! Go Braves!
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About a month ago Jason Murphy from porchdrinking.com hit me up on Instagram and said, "You gotta check out Covert Artisan Ales." So I did.
Covert founders Dan and Stacey Berry joined us this week to talk about their Sioux Falls, South Dakota brewery. SD was a holdout on jumping on the BGR train. Back in 2018 we even did a Sucking up to South Dakota segment in one of our episodes with Stan Hieronymus. I'm happy to say that SD is now one our Top 50 states for listeners.
As we talk about controversial beer opinions and pleated pants we sampled some of Covert's brews. Gin and Rye barrel-aged BANG! BANG! mixed fermentation ales, Dana wild ale dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin, and my favorite, Basis sour quad fermented on blueberries then aged in bourbon barrels. Dan shares some of the meaning behind the shapes and colors of Covert, and everyone gets an invite to visit South Dakota to enjoy the beer, the parks, and the food. Let's do it.
The Beer List Covert Artisan Ales DANA | American wild ale dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin Basis | Sour quad with blueberries conditioned in a select bourbon barrel. Gin Barrel-Aged Bang! Bang! | Mixed fermentation ale aged in gin barrels Rye Barrel-Aged Bang! Bang! | Mixed fermentation ale aged in rye barrels Primtemps - Wild ale fermented in red wine barrels, dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin
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Partake Brewing takes their non-alcoholic brews from the Dragon's Den to distribution
Partake Brewing founder Ted Fleming was (is) a huge craft beer fan. He loves hanging out with friends and sharing a brew. Unfortunately, after a visit to the doctor diagnosed him with Crohn's Disease he had to ease off the alcohol, and eventually give it up all together.
But Fleming wasn't ready to give up sharing a drink with friends. He did some research on the non-alcoholic beer market and discovered there weren't a lot of great offerings to be had at home in Canada, or in North America in general. This led him to building a website to offer what he did find, many from Europe. His website turned into a passionate community and when he finally decided to launch Partake he had a lot of support, even though it meant he would have to give up his website.
Partake even visited the Dragon's Den, Canada's version of America's Shark Tank. Fleming got a deal on the show but says they were ultimately not able to finalize it. He did have a strong backing on a Kickstarter with an IPA and got the ball rolling.
Now offering a full lineup of core beers as well as seasonal offerings like Lime (an easy-drinking lager'ish brew with a lime hint) and a Peach Gose.
The NA beer market continues to grow, and we are all here for it. You know we love a good, boozy brew but it's nice for those that can't or don't want to have alcohol to still be able to enjoy a craft brew. They're popular with health-conscious folks and some of the brews have only 10 calories in a 12-oz can. Madness.
With the Cheers to Adulting campaign Partake Brewing is encouraging everyone to consider Sober October. With the extravagance of the holidays just around the corner that may not be a bad idea. Maybe next year.
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Big Draft Brewing is helping to bring small town West Virginia back to life
Big Draft Brewing is located in the tiny town of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Population 3,000, give or take.
The town, and the larger Greenbrier Valley community, has faced some hard times in recent years. The opioid epidemic chipped away at the community and the "1,000 year flood" of 2016 caused widespread destruction and loss of life.
Our show this week is as much about the tenacity of the residents of White Sulphur Springs as it is about beer. You'll have to humor me, this one is kind of personal. My family is from White Sulphur Springs and I spent some of my childhood Summers there. It's a close community with strong family ties. Turns out, by complete chance, my family ties run right to Big Draft Brewing. It's quite a story so make sure to listen in to hear the full scoop.
Founders David Bostic, Clay Elkins, and JW Groseclose join us on the show this week to talk about their brewery and the overall revitalization of their town. They've built up a city block with Big Draft Brewing, a BBQ spot, a cafe and coffee house, and a concert hall and events venue. They intend to grow it as as destination that reaches far beyond the city line.
But we do talk about beer plenty as well. JW is the brewmaster and his goal is to make classic and approachable beers that everyone can enjoy. We sampled the Foreman American Lager, Sudsy's Pale Ale, Bo Red Bohemian Red, and the seasonal Festbier and can vouch for all of them. There are barrel-aged beers in the works, a saison in the fermenters, and some mad scientist brew utilizing ramps (the wild vegetable) in the works.
In addition to tasty beer and BBQ the crew tells us about the fishing, hunting, hiking, and off-roading adventures in the area. Sounds like a great time all around. I better get on those country roads now.
Side note.... you may not know White Sulphur Springs by name but you may have heard of The Greenbrier Resort. It's got quite a story, you should check it out. If you're a gamer and a fan of Fallout 76, you might recognize the Greenbrier as The Whitespring Resort.
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Dead Low Brewing co-founder Kyle Havens and investor and member of the board Yvan Demosthenes join us this week to talk shop!
We discuss the many faces of dark lager and how a lot of people have misconceptions about lager beers PLUS the wonders of a Country Lager. We learn what Dead Low means and how that ties in with the brewery, rocking concerts near by, and give some love to Ohio for their support of the show.
For our Beers of the Week, we go with a Tiki theme, including: Left Hand Getting Tiki With It (Pina Colada wheat) Creature Comforts Athena Paradiso (Pineapple, Lemon, Coriander) Great Divide Margarita Gose Destihl Hawaii Five Ale (Blond ale with pineapple, coconut, mango, peach, & guava)
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It's Oktoberfest, time for some blind beer tasting
For the second year in a row, the famed Oktoberfest in Munich has been cancelled. Sad. But, the beers are still flowing and there are pretty of great offerings available across the States. We gathered up with a couple friends and fellow beer lovers recently for our annual Oktoberfest Blind Beer Tasting. Anthony Storey of Storey Time Construction joined us along with repeat Oktoberfest taster, Nate Scheiber of Cherry Street Brewing.
Our rules are pretty simple. Taste the beer and make some notes on whether or not you like it. Easy stuff. We've got Marzen and Festbier in the mix together, it's just all about the season. We sampled 10 beers for the competition and sampled Bold Monk's Festbier after the tasting courtesy of owner John "JR" Roberts.
Listen to the show now to hear our picks. We'll post our Top 3 list at beerguysradio.com on Monday, September 20th. Prost! The Beer List (In alphabetical order, not tasting order.) Bells Oktoberfest | Marzen | 5.5% Hacker-Pschorr | Oktoberfest Marzen | 5.8% Hi Wire Zirkusfest | Marzen, 6% Hofbrau Munchen | Oktoberfestbier | 6.3% Ironmonger Oktoberfest | Marzen, 5.5% Paulaner | Oktoberfest Marzen | 5.8% Sam Adams Oktoberfest | Marzen style, 5.3%. Generally one of our favs, but has had off years Sam Adams Festbier | 5.8% Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest | Marzen, 5.5%, not a collab this year Yuengling Oktoberfest | Marzen-style And the after party palate-pleaser, Festbier from Bold Monk.
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A few years ago the Braves made a controversial move to Cobb County, GA... but that's a story for another time. Attached to the ballpark is The Battery. A live-work-play complex with restaurants and shops and condos, and the Terrapin Atlanta Taproom.
Terrapin's Taproom sits just beside the main gate to the Brave's stadium. You can even get a beer from the taproom from inside the park. (Pro tip, they're cheaper than the ballpark beers.) Along with the beers they also serve up Fox Bros BBQ, some of the best in Atlanta.
Commercial Operations Manager Mark Crouch hosted us at the taproom. He fed us all kinds of great BBQ and let us sample all the new beers, then we recorded a show. I think we should have done that the other way around.
Mark is one of my favorite people in the beer industry. Always smiling and friendly, just one of those people that makes feel happy to be seen. He's a corporate man from Miller, and then their craft division Tenth & Blake, but we don't hold that against him. He's got passion for the community and for making great, small batch beers, and that's really what it's all about.
The Terrapin Taproom is also known as the ATL Brew Lab. The testing grounds for rookie beers before they get called up to The Show at Terrapin's production brewery in Athens. When you visit the taproom you'll always find a great selection of lagers plus IPA, stout, some sours, and everything else. When we visited they'd just put on a fantastic Kellerpils, and tapped their Festbier just as we arrived.
You might even catch a beer from some Braves players. Terrapin collaborated with Chipper Jones for CJ10 Kolsch and Jeff Francouer for Frenchy's Blues, a blueberry Berliner-Weisse made with blueberries from Francouer's farm. Neat.
If you're taking a trip to a Braves game make sure to put the Terrapin Taproom on your list. Even if you aren't going to a Braves game put them on your list, the taproom is open year round serving up great beer and tasty BBQ. The Beer List Terrapin Atlanta Taproom Kellerpils Festbier One Hopper Mosaic
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Cask Ales and camaraderie in Athens, GA
A lot has changed in craft beer in the last 25 years, and Classic City Brew Fest has been there through it all. Organizer Owen Ogletree tells us about the changes over the years and the great cause the fest supports.
We've been attending this event for several years now. We always grab a few of the brewers and chat a bit about what's happening with their brewery. This year we sat down with Carey Charles from Arches Brewing for some hot lager talk. Arches is one of the first breweries in Georgia to take the bold step of being lager-focused, and they're doing a damn fine job of it.
Nick Tanner and Ramsay Florence from Cherry Street Brewing join to talk about Nick's two brewpubs, crazy beer laws, and why that helped them make the choice to open a production brewery across state lines in Chattanooga, TN. Note: Chery Street's Halcyon location has some of the best fish and chips I've tried. I want some more right now.
Speaking of crazy beer laws... Joseph Cortes, Executive Director of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild, joins us as well. He was new to craft beer when he took on his role, but not new to politics. Cortes shares that the political side of beer is a crazy place to be. We learn about some of the challenges facing brewers and what's on the agenda for the Guild. The Beer List Arches Brewing Bob's Your Uncle ESB Cherry Street Brewing Grease Monkey BBA English Barleywine MAZURT The Time of Returning Nordic Quad And a whole lot more...
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Neutral Ground Brewing Co. lets you have your cake and drink it, too
Ft. Worth... Funkytown, a great place for a brewery. Friends Stan Hudson and Sean Doublet definitely think so. When they originally met Sean wasn't even into craft beer. He noted that Stan came around with growlers pouring 4 oz samples for everyone. We know this to be likely as we've known Stan for many years and have experienced his proclivity to share his brews. Interestingly, beer isn't what originally introduced us to Stan, we have cigars to thank for that. However, we quickly find we shared a common love for craft beer as well. We've enjoyed beers with Stan around the country. This was well before Neutral Ground was a thing, but he was a passionate homebrewer. He's visited us here in Atlanta, I've visited him in Texas, and we've met at cigar meetups in Tennessee, where Stan shipped kegs of his beer up from Texas to share.
Sean really didn't have much a choice about being a beer fan around Stan and over the years he developed the same passion. At the time, he still lived in Louisiana when the two decided to start their brewery. The name comes from a strip of disputed border between Texas and Louisiana. We're told sometimes they still stand on opposite ends of the brewery and shake their fists at each other.
We chat with Sean and Stan about our history with Stan, and even throw some true/false questions at Sean about some of Stan's adventures. We chat homebrewing, Louisiana, cajun food, and learn all about their brews.
King Cake beer?
It's a bold move to go with a pastry-inspired beer as your flagship, but the King Cake brew is working out pretty well for NGBC. The fairly light and very drinkable brew delivers on the flavors, and if you visit the taproom in the trendy River East area of Ft. Worth you can even get it in a sugar rimmed glass. Laissez le bon temps rouler!
For the full scoop on Neutral Ground Brewing Co. follow them on Facebook or head to ngbc.beer. The Beer List Neutral Ground Brewing Co. King Cake Force Majeur Hazy IPA Renaissance English Mild Juices & Berries IPA Synesthesia Saison (Yep, that Synesthesia Saison!)
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Bespoken Spirits says they can make a delicious whiskey in days instead of years, while using a fraction of the wood and water of traditional methods. Sounds like voodoo to me, but founders Stu Aaron and Martin Janousek claim their spirits are voodoo-free.
They've taken the art of distilling and aging spirits and added some science to it. Instead of using barrels, they use "micro-staves" plus some heat and pressure to produce the desired result. They offer your traditional bourbon, rye, and rum but they can get a bit more creative from there. When the pandemic had breweries sitting on stocks of unsold beer, Bespoken worked with brewers to turn that beer into spirits. They distilled the brew then worked with their customers to craft the exact aroma, color, and taste they were going for.
We sampled a couple of these beer-its while we talked with Martin and Janousek. They offered pleasant aromas of caramel, tropical fruit, butter, floral notes and delivered these flavors as well. We did feel the woody notes in each offering were a bit sharp. Unfortunately, we didn't sample the bourbon or rye to make a comparison against ones made in the traditional method. One note, although they do process their bourbon the same as all of their other spirits, it does spend 3 months in barrels prior to that so it is actually bourbon.
Bespoken has stacked up several medals for their spirits, so their method must be working. We'll have to keep an eye out for the bourbon and rye so we can really test them out.
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In beautiful Jackson Hole, WY sits Roadhouse Brewing. They're one of several breweries in a town of about 10,000. Although the full-time population may be small, the city welcomes as many as 55,000 visitors every day. Vacationers enjoying Jackson Hole or on their way to one of the West's amazing National Parks. And when you're on vacation, you're going to need some beer.
Roadhouse Brewing wants you to Live Deep. We got to running out mouths and forget to find out exactly what that means. However, we trust Brewmaster Max Shafer gives it to us straight, so we're going to try our best to follow his advice. We chat with Shafer about the Mountain IPA. What it is, how it differs from it's NE and West Coast siblings, and what commonalities they share. We sip on Wilson, their take on the style with a great story on the can, and we're sold.
Roadhouse Brewing is a certified B-Corp. This means they're dedicated to purpose and profit, and they're "legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment." From our conversation Roadhouse is very serious about their impact on the world, and they've gone to great lengths to embody that. Shafer shares a few of the things the brewery has done to reduce their impact on the environment.
We've never been to Jackson Hole, but if there are more breweries like Roadhouse and more people like Max Shafer then we need to get a trip set real soon.
THE BEER LIST Roadhouse Brewing Breath & Bramble Sour Ale with Raspberries and Lemon Highway Pilsner Wilson Mountain Style IPA
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Exhibit 'A' Brewing with Kelsey Roth
Exhibit 'A' Brewing 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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Did you know you can turn your shed into a brewery in Massachusetts?
Wandering Soul Beer Co. founder Matt Smith is a gypsy brewer. Well, he has his own brewery, a small setup in the shed behind his house. Local laws allow Matt to sell beer from his shed brewery... brewery shed? He recently held a bottle release and had folks lining up in his neighborhood to grab some of that sweet nectar. I hope he has cool neighbors.
The shed won't meet the demand for Wandering Soul Beer so large batches are gypsy-brewed at a few local breweries. The original plan for Wandering Soul was to be a one-and-done brewery. When Matt and his wife suffered a tragic loss, he found peace in brewing. Eventually, he came up with a recipe he wanted to brew and share with the public, Melody Maker. The intent was to brew it one time only, but the popularity of the release took him back for another batch. Now Wandering Soul brews one batch a month and once it's gone, it's gone.
We talk with Matt about what led him to brewing, ska bands, love/hate for El Dorado hops, and plans for Wandering Soul in the future.
The Beer List Wandering Soul Beer Co. Melody Maker IPA Wandering Soul Beer Co. Things We Don't Say IPA Wandering Soul Beer Co. Young Mouse Belgian Ale with Mango Wandering Sour Beer Co. From Wreckage Imperial Stout
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NA beer is here to stay, and Athletic Brewing Co. is leading the way
We last talked with Athletic Brewing Co. in 2019. They were just getting their roots set and spreading the word of their non-alcoholic craft beer. The last two years of seen explosive growth for them, and the NA beer sector, so we decided to catch up with them for an update.
Bill Shufelt and John Walker are the co-founders of Athletic. Bill man's the fort at their production brewery in San Diego while John watches over their original Connecticut Brewery and taproom. Both breweries are in the process of expansion.
Even though the segment has grown there's still a stigma with many people about non-alcoholic beers. Some recall the weird taste of previous NA offerings, and some just don't get the point of a beer with alcohol. Athletic wants to see NA become a choice just because you like it, rather than a "penalty box" decision for designated drivers, pregnant women, and recovering alcoholics.
Bill and John share info on their collaborations and charity work, and their involvement in the recent awards of brewing diversity scholarships with Sacred Heart University. They also talk about their expanded distribution (including Georgia!) and where they are headed next. Bottleshare is helping the good people of craft
Christopher Glenn of Bottleshare joins us again as well. Spreading the word on his non-profit that helps those in the craft beverage industry that fall on hard times, and about the upcoming Nestober Fest on Oct. 2nd to raise funds for Bottleshare. Chris's organization started as a local project to help craft employees in Georgia but as word spread he stretched beyond the state and Bottleshare is now a nationwide effort. Look for Bottleshare collaborations from some of your favorite breweries for an easy way to help the cause. The Beer List Athletic Brewing Co. Run Wild NA IPA Athletic Brewing Co. All Out Extra Dark NA (It's like a stout but they can't call it a stout.) Ceria Brewing Grainwave NA Belgian White Ceria Brewing Indiewave NA IPA Craft Beer News Denver Beer Co. Has Sold a “Beer for Life” NFT Taxes on Beer in Connecticut are Dropping 16.7% AC/DC is Getting a Line of Craft Beers
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Cannabis in a can with CERIA Brewing's Dr. Keith Villa
As state's legalize the casual consumption of marijuana I think we knew a time would come when it found it's way into a beer. No doubt that homebrewers have tried this combination out a time or two, but for CERIA Brewing THC and CBD is the focus of their brews.
Dr. Keith Villa is best known as the inventor of the iconic Blue Moon Belgian White. Whether you're a fan or not, it's hard to argue the impact this beer has had on craft beer, and the beer world in general. We promised Villa we wouldn't dominate the show with Blue Moon questions. We lied. We get a good segment in on the history of the brew and the small change that launched it to stardom. It's a pretty great story.
But cannabis beers are the them of the day and we talk plenty about them. They're are multiple levels of illegality in putting cannabis and alcohol together, so all of CERIA's brews are non-alcoholic, and 0.0% at that. The brewery didn't want to run afoul of any regulations with the
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Collaboration makes the (craft beer) world go 'round
The pandemic may have made beer collaborations more difficult, but it didn't stop great brewers from coming together to make tasty beers. Like most things in our lives these days, collaborations have gone virtual with Zoom meetings and emails and text messages getting the job done. We're thankful for these virtual collabs because it brings us amazing things like Alesmith Brewing and Alvarado Street Brewing's Oso Under. A West Coast IPA loaded up with Australia and New Zealand hops.
Alesmith's Ryan Crisp and (with the last minute tag in) Alvarado Street's Dave Ilderton, aka Party Wave Dave, join us this week to talk collaboration, brewing mishaps, love for those West Coast IPAs, and the trends that have come and gone. Crack open something packing a few IBUs and join us.
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July 4, 1776. America is born. There are high fives all around. Samuel Adams breaks out his homebrew to celebrate. Life is good.
This week we take a look at some classic American craft beers. American craft is fairly young in the grand scheme of things. Where many European countries have hundreds of years of tradition, we've got 40ish years - with maybe a couple of exceptions. A little thing called Prohibition threw us off for a while but when we got back in the game, we went all out. Anchor Steam hit the scene in 1971, Sierra Nevada in 1980, Sam Adams in 1984. The 90s gave us bold beers from Dogfish Head and saw the brewpub boom where you could always find a Blonde Ale, a Pale Ale a Porter, and in Irish Red. There were 90 craft breweries in American in 1978 and today there are over 8,800.
Our crafty pioneers brought hoppy beers that not everyone took a shine to. Many people that were used to their American lagers thought the beers were flawed. But the brewers pushed on and the people developed a taste for hops and bitterness in their beers. This led to the IBU Wars with 1,000 IBU beers, the soft NEIPAs, and the fruited glitter milkshake DDH I-can't-even-taste-beer beers we have today. What a ride.
To celebrate this journey we sat down with our friend (and show sponsor!) Adam Silverberg from The Nest Kennesaw. We talk some about the beers that introduced us to craft, dive into the history of these classic brews, and discuss some of the trendy phases we've seen.
Whatever you choose to pack your cooler with this 4th of July there's no shortage of amazing American beer to celebrate with. I'll drink to that.
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How many Peets does it take to run a brewery?
Kettlerock Brewing in Peachtree Corners, GA is a family affair. When patriarch Stephen Peet retired in 2019 he figured the easiest way to relax was to build a brewery, and bring the whole crew with him. Stephen and Sterling Peet joined us on the show this week with Diana, Christa, Taylor, and Devon Peet holding down the fort. That's a lotta Peets.
Stephen tells us the focus of the brewery is community, nature, and the environment. He recalls a slow time and the brewery a a handful of guests sat apart in pairs but soon started chatting with each other, and that's exactly what he hopes Kettlerock fosters.
When Sterling isn't brewing, he's a rocket scientist at Georgia Tech's Space Systems Design Laboratory. He shares some of the projects they've worked on and tells us about CubeSats. We asked if he's launched any yeast or grain into space and we're disappointed that he hasn't.
The Peets were also founding members of the PC Mashers homebrew club. If you've been following the show for a while you may recall Jay as the winner of our Homebrewer of the Year in 2018. Even though they've gone pro they still stay involved with the club.
As we chat we get the story behind the Kettlerock name and each beer. We talk about working with the whole family, and the cozy vibe at the taproom. Those that think every new beer today is an IPA will be pleased that the taplist is pretty diverse with a Blonde Ale, Belgian Tripel, Kettle Sour, Seltzer, Wee Heavy, Milk Stout, and a couple of IPAs, of course.
When you visit the brewery and order the Kettle Sour or Seltzer you'll get a basic, unflavored brew that you can add a flavored syrup to. As we sampled the sour we realized how long it's been since we've seen one that didn't have fruit in it.
Although their beer is only available at the taproom right now they've recently purchased a canning line and will have some available in the market soon. Maybe we can talk Sterling into turning one of those cans into a CubeSat. The Beer List Kettlerock Brewing Bear Tracks Wee Heavy High Humidity Hazy IPA Mountain House Milk Stout Trailhead Blonde Ale Tripping Hazard Belgian Tripel Variable Conditions Kettle Sour Craft Beer News Denver’s Iconic Falling Rock Taphouse Has Announced It’s Shutting Down An Update on The Black is Beautiful Beer Project Founder Lynne Weaver is Buying Three Weavers Back From CANarchy
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Beers don't have to be big to be beautiful
Last weekend we headed over to Duluth, GA to party with our friends from Good Word Brewing as they celebrated the beauty of small beers.
The festival had brewers from all over the country offering up beers under 5% ABV. There were plenty of lagers as well as some saisons and grisettes, sours, and even some porters and stouts. In the day of TIPAs and double-digit pastry stouts it's nice to celebrate the drinkin' beers. We've been preaching Pilsners for year; we knew others would eventually come around.
Fighting our best against the DJ that I swear aimed a speaker right at us, we sat down to chat with a few of the brewers at the event. We talk with Ryan and Todd from Good Word about how the fest came to be and why they wanted a festival of all low ABV beers. Joran and Shawn from Halfway Crooks Beer chat about their love for lagers and the cult following their LAGER LAGER LAGER LAGER merchandise has.
We ran into Crooked Run's Jake Endress who joined us early this year and talked with him about small beer and small wine and Andrew from Thin Man sits down to talk macro lagers and the interesting bowel movements of the wombat. Enjoy
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How much beer do you need to brew to serve 200 restaurants?
Alex Puchner has been with BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse since they started brewing 25 years ago. It's a unique setup they have there at BJ's, with a group of breweries across the country supplying beer to the 200+ restaurants in their chain. A lot of beer.
Alex joined us this week to talk about his early days of brewing with the legendary Maltose Falcons homebrew club and his adventure with BJ's. We learned about their core beers, their new brew club, and some of the brews coming out of their R&D brewery.
We sampled a few of their beers including a fantastic Coffee Blonde and their Cookies and Cream Pizookie Porter. A mild take on a pastry brew, which Alex says is about as wild as he's going to get.
The Beer List BJ's Brewhouse 25th Silver Bock Brewhouse Blonde (Kolsch) Coffee Cult Blonde Committed DIPA Cookies and Cream Pizookie Porter Jeremiah Red
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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 Philly Beer Week has it down pretty good.
A lot of this is thanks to Philly Loves Beer 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 Varga Bar 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 calendar 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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R&D makes the world go 'round at Oskar Blues
Oskar Blues Head Brewer Juice Drapeau loves to brew experimental beers. These R&D batches give them the chance to try out new hops, malt, and yeasts, and ultimately impacts the beers we see brewed in huge quantities to be distributed across the country. Their Guava Rodeo uses a very cool yeast known as Sourvisiae that makes a beer lightly tart without the need for lactobacillus or lactic acid. Pretty cool stuff.
Drapeau and Sr. Marketing Manager Aaron Baker joined us on the show this week to chat about the fun of R&D brewing and a host of other topics. We learn about what it means to be part of the CANarchy Collective and the benefits it affords the member breweries. On the heels of their Mustard Beer collaboration with French's we talk about any other possible condiment beers, and offer some terrible ideas of our own. We also talk about their "Death by" series with the ever-popular Death by Coconut and the upcoming Death by Flapjacks.
SMaSH for Stache to support brain cancer research
Another recent collaboration for Oskar Blues was with StacheStrong, a charity that supports brain cancer research. This Single Malt and Single Hop (SMaSH) IPA is brewed with Sabro hops and Pale Genie, an award-winning Colorado malt. Drapeau tells us the malt offers a wonderful taste of the local terroir. I couldn't taste the Colorado myself, but can verify it is a tasty beer for a great cause.
And a special shout out to Bryan Crass of RockSolid Brewing who stopped by the studio to say hello and share some of his tasty beers! The Beer List Oskar Blues Brewery Guava Rodeo Sour with tangerines Oskar's Lager SMaSH for Stache IPA Thick Haze NEIPA RockSolid Brewing Coconut Cojones Imperial Pastry Stout No Limes Required Mexican Lager Weekend Juice West Coast DIPA Craft Beer News A Tidal Wave of Sexual Harassment Allegations Have Hit the Brewing Industry After a 2 Year Hiatus Het Anker is Returning to the U.S. A Man in Ohio Attempted to Steal a 14 Cases Of Beer More Colorado Beer WeldWerks Brewing is Always Innovating | Ep. 250 Ancient Ales and Historical Brewing with Beer Archaeologist Travis Rupp | Ep. 191 Gluten-free craft beer with Holidaily Brewing Co. | Ep. 167
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Hoplark with Hot Talk on Hop Tea and Hop Water
You know we love our beer, but we do dabble in alternative beverages. This week we're getting all fancy and sipping tea... with plenty of hops.
Hoplark co-founder Dean Eberhardt joins us on the show this week to talk about his Hop Tea and Hop Water. We learn what got the ball rolling on Hoplark, and we get educated on the many varieties of teas.
We ask Dean for some pairing suggestions for his hop teas, but he tries to get us to exercise and tells us the pair great with a long bike ride. That may be, but I'm gonna try mine with some wings, Dean.
Seriously, though. These teas and waters are pretty tasty and give you another choice if you want something crafty and hoppy but can't (or don't want to) have alcohol. Take one into the next meeting with your boss and sip it while he goes over those quarterly reports. It will make it so much better.
Since there's no alcohol you can get Hoplark direct from their website at www.hoplark.com. They're also available in whole foods, with future plans to get distribution at bottle shops. Check 'em out.
Their core varieties are: The Citra Bomb | White Tea double dry-hopped with Citra The Really Hoppy One | Black Tea with Simcoe and Citra (this is the one for IPA fans) The Green Tea One | Green tea and Mosaic The White Tea One | White Tea with Lemondrop and Simcoe (lighter, Tim dug this one) We also tried the Sabro and Mosaic Hop Waters and those are pretty dope.
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Victory founder Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet talk 25 years of Victory Beers
After 25 years, Victory Brewing isn't slowing down. They're goal to Brew Forward means they're doubling down on quality, commitment, and community.
As we talk with founder Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet we discovered what it means to be a successful brewer. Barchet is once again able to homebrew. That's success, growing to a point where you don't have to be on the brew deck all the time and can finally enjoy a homebrew. He's done it up right, too. His barn is designed for brewing, with the drains and all, plus a 1 Hectoliter (around 25 gallons) brewhouse. That's how you do it.
Victory's Brother Love IPA is a tasty brew and we learn more about that beer and its mission. We talk about what it was like 25 years ago, what they think of today's brewing scene, and what they see in their crystal ball for the next 25 years.
We sip some of that Brotherly Love and some Sour Monkey. And Brian brings the heat with a vintage bottle of 2015 Sour Monkey. Good times. #drinkyourcellar
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Jackie O's Brewery doesn't seem to be interested in bringing back malt liquor
We started out our talk with Jackie O's Pub & Brewery founder Art Oestrike by talking on a topic we're passionate about - 40s of malt liquor. The brewery has brewed malt liquor in the past and we asked Art if it was time to do another one, and make it available in 40-oz bottles. "Who wants that?" he replied. We do, Art. We do.
After gathering ourselves, we carried on with co-Directors of Brewing Operations Seth Morton and Alan Gordon. We learned about the origins of Jackie O's brewery and how Art's mother inspired the name, Oestrike shared his passion for sustainability in his business, they brew with 40% solar power and return what they don't use to the grid. They also have a farm where they grow some of the ingredients for their beer and food, and a bake shop to supply pastries and breads.
Morton and Gordon tell us about a few of their new beers and we get into a discussion on CO2 recapture and the costs and benefits to a brewery. Finally, we learn about their upcoming Columbus, OH expansion. Our friend in the area tells us they've got a huge patio coming up. Good times all around.
The Beer List Jackie O's Brewery Dark Apparition BBA Imperial Stout Hank's Premium Pilsner Thread Count BBA Imperial Stout brewed with honey and lactose and conditioned on cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and orange zest Under a Cloud NEIPA Craft Beer News St. Bernardus is Turning 75, and They’re Doing Some Fun Stuff To Celebrate Brits Are Drinking More Beer Than Brewers Can Make States Are Beginning to Roll Back Meal Requirements with Drinks Service
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An unfortunate situation at Red Top Brewhouse gave them time to shine
Red Top Brewhouse is located in the fairly quiet town of Acworth, GA. Most everyone is pretty chill, but people can get out of line anywhere. Brewer Dave Sheets and Marketing Director Chris Henderson joined us this week to talk about a recent incident at their brewery, barrel-aged beers, cocktails, and soleras.
Recently, a female guest used a "code word" with the bartender to let him know she was uncomfortable with the advances of a male guest. The bartender took immediate action and removed the guest from the premises without further issue. In each restroom at Red Top there is a sign letting guests know the code word to use if they feel unsafe. One word if they just want to be separated from the person and another if they want them removed and the police called. Previously, these code words were only listed in the women's restrooms, but at the urging of guests they are now in the men's room as well as their gender-neutral restroom. Henderson notes that everyone should feel safe when they visit Red Top Brewhouse.
We also talked about the brewery's new beers, self-serve tap wall, their barrel-aging program and sour beers and soleras. Sheets is a fan of lambic-style beers and plans to have American versions of these styles on at the brewery as well as a great selection of beers from other breweries.
As a full-service brewpub, they are also working on a new cocktail menu, Sheets came to the studio with a full cocktail bar and whipped up some Old Fashioneds to get things started, what a way to start. The Beer List Red Top Brewhouse Honey Honey Saison Mercy Risin' DIPA Monday Night Brewing Taco Time Mexican-style Lager Craft Beer News The States With the Most Craft Breweries in 2020 New Belgium Has Released an Intentionally Awful Ale Beer Consumption Was Down Big in the Czech Republic. Really Big. More Georgia Beer Iron Hill Brewery celebrates 25 years | Ep. 269 Getting Wild with Monday Night Brewing | Ep. 259 Like Father, Like Son at Six Bridges Brewing | Ep. 251
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While other 90s brewpubs have disappeared, Iron Hill Brewery only gets stronger
Do you remember the brewpub boom of the 1990s? It seemed like there was one on every corner. John Harvard's and Hops were a couple favorites in Atlanta, and Sundays on the patio of Atlanta Beer Garten listening to 99x's Resurrection Sunday still conjures very fond memories. All of those brewpubs are long gone, along with many others founded during the 90s boom. Beating the odds, Mark Edelson's Iron Hill Brewery is still going strong, and getting stronger.
Edelson joined us on the show this week to talk about what gave his brewpub staying power over the years and what's in store for the future. We talk about his days as a member of the board at the Brewers Association alongside the likes of Mitch Steele, Ken Grossman, Peter Bouckaert, and Mr. Charlie Papazian. He tells us about the challenges of defining a "craft brewery" and shares his thoughts on the biggest challenges today's brewers face.
Iron Hill has the impressive distinction of winning medals at the Great American Beer Festival for 20+ consecutive years included being named Best Brewpub. As the brewery approaches their 25th anniversary this November Edelson has plans for some big beers, he reveals the "big one" on the show this week. We chat about their new production brewery in Exton, PA and their entry into the distribution market, as well as recent events at their newest pub right here in Atlanta. Oh, and some chatter about cave-aged beers and cheeses. The Beer List Iron Hill Brewery Homestead Farmhouse Ale Dankonia NEIPA Partake Blonde (Another dive into our #DoctorsOrders NA beer series) Craft Beer News Sam Adams is Buying A Beer For People Who Post Vaccination Proof on Social Media Busch Wants to Put Your Pup To Work as Its Official Dog Brew Taster 100% Cave-Aged, Spontaneously-Fermented Beer Collaboration Being Released More Great Brewpubs The Cannon Brewpub with Brewmaster Charles McLendon | Ep. 220 Wrecking Bar Brewpub | Ep. 123
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Sometimes Roadmap Brewing Co.'s Dustin Baker misses the classroom
Before opening Roadmap Brewing Co. founder and brewer Dustin Baker was a middle school teacher. He admits that sometimes he still misses the classroom. When we spoke Sant Antonio had hit 100° that day, I think a cool and comfortable classroom would sound pretty good to me, too. Baker got started brewing after he received a homebrew kit as a wedding gift and with lots of help from his wife and parents, Roadmap Brewing came to life in 2018.
Although Dallas / Fort Worth and Houston have thriving beer scenes, Baker admits San Antonio is just starting to catch up. He's doing his part by offer awesome brews like Italian Pilsners, English Pub Ales, and of course plenty of IPAs and Sours. We talk some on the Italian Pilsner and even dive into Gruit, a beer-like brew made without hops - although they cheated a bit and added a few to theirs... We even discuss the greatness of the minivan, as Baker is a proud Mini Van Dad.
If you take a trip to San Antonio make sure to stop by for a pint or two. The brewery is a short walk from the Alamo, which we're told is actually kind of underwhelming. Oh well, that will leave plenty of time for enjoying tasty beers. The Beer List Roadmap Brewing Craven Cottage ESB Electric Skateboard Session IPA Lil Rhody NE IPA Mini Van Dad DIPA Minor in Italian (Italian Pilsner) Professor Plum’s Alibi (Fruited Kettle Sour) Samoa Cookie Stout Craft Beer News Brewers Association Has Released Their Industry Production Report for 2020 Bart Watson Says Craft Beer Will Likely Return to Growth in 2021 Beer Brewing Simulator Game is Coming to PlayStation in 2022 More Great Texas Breweries Pat Korn heads to Texas as Brewmaster at Vista Brewing | Ep. 175 Sipping Sasquatch with 903 Brewers | Ep. 173
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Back Paddle Brewing brings craft beer to tiny Lincolnton, Georgia
Back Paddle Brewing is a newer brewery in the small town of Lincolnton, GA. They are the first, and only, brewery in town and in an area that isn't exactly craft-focused. Owner Kyle McCloud and Head Brewer Jason Slater spend time with their new customers educating them on craft beer but they still get plenty of people looking for something that "tastes like Bud Light."
McCloud opened his brewery on a tight budget and built much of the space himself, including his brewhouse. Without the budget for expensive, jacketed fermenters that would allowing cooling his beer to proper fermentation temperatures for most yeast he decided to brew with all kveik and Norwegian Farmhouse yeasts instead. These unique yeasts are able to do their work at higher temperatures than most others. Back Paddle offers many styles that you don't typically see using kveik, like an Imperial Stout and Scottish Ale. We also discuss the brewery's mission to support his community through his #beer4good program and donate to veterans' organizations.
[caption id="attachment_47626" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Back Paddle Owner Kyle McCloud presents a check to The Fallen Outdoors Georgia Chapter as part of his #beer4good program. (Photo: Back Paddle Brewing)[/caption] Never Alone IPA seeks to raise mental health awareness and suicide prevention
We also speak with DJ Brian Orlando about his collaboration with Long Island's 1940s Brewing Company. Never Alone is a DDH NEIPA that supports mental health awareness and suicide prevention by donating a portion of their proceeds. Orlando lost a friend to her battle with depression and he supports these causes any way he can.
Two years ago he brought members of Candlebox, Wheatus, and Sponge together to shoot a video for Choose Song at the brewery for the same cause. You can view the video by scanning a QR code on a can of Never Alone, or right here. Mental health awareness and suicide prevention resources National Institute of Mental Health - Awareness and Education National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call: 800-273-8255 Chat: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/ Official Website The Beer List Back Paddle Brewing Battle of Dunvegan Scottish Ale Cat Lying in the Sun Tripel Couldn’t See the Ground Imperial Stout Old Fashioned Superstition Lager Sheets of Empty Canvas Back IPA W.A.P. IPA Craft Beer News The Brewers Association’s List of the Top 50 Breweries for 2020 An Illegally Bulldozed London Pub Was Reconstructed Brick By Brick A Virginia Brewery Is Seeking Recognition For The World’s Hottest Beer More Great Breweries Going Strapless with Bootstrap Brewing | Ep. 252 Sixpoint Brewery talks Lager Love and Beer Education | Ep. 247 Non-alcoholic craft beer with Bravus Brewing Co. | Ep. 244
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Switchback Brewing is going to smoke all the beers
Switchback Brewing founder Bill Cherry has a passion for smoked beers. He approaches smoke from a culinary standpoint, not to overwhelm the beer with smoky notes but to add depth and character to the beer while showing smoke as a legitimate flavor component.
Through their Flynn of Fire Smoked Beer Initiative Switchback shows off the world of smoked malts. Their "Smoke-ometer" shows you what percentage of smoked malt is in each beer and you may be surprised at the subtleties of a beer with 25% of the malt bill smoked. However, Switchback's top-selling beer is smoke-free. Switchback Ale is not only the brewery's top seller but also the #1 selling beer in Vermont. The beer was developed as a "flavor concept" and doesn't necessarily adhere to any specific style. It's a drinkable amber-ish beer that blurs the lines between complexity and simplicity.
We also discuss Switchback's upcoming 20th anniversary and the decision to make the brewery 100% employee owned.
Although I went into the show a smoke hater I left with a greater appreciation for smoky beers and what can be down with smoked malt. I'm still not on board for in in-your-face Rauchbier, but I'm down with what Switchback is doing.
The Beer List Switchback Ale (American Amber) Barrel-Aged Blackstrap Ale (Flynn on Fire Series) Bisounnay Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Saison (Flynn on Fire Series) Unkel Dunkel (Flynn on Fire Series) Craft Beer News Stone Has Agreed to Pay In Excess of $1.8 Million To the TTB Sierra Nevada Set a Guinness Record With a Keg and a Trebuchet A Hack Forced Molson Coors To Stop Making Beer More from Vermont breweries 14th Star Brewing with co-founder Steve Gagner | Ep. 193 Lawson’s Finest Liquids with Sean Lawson | Ep. 190 von Trapp Brewing | Ep. 127
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We want to Make Saisons Cool Again
It wasn't that long ago that saisons were one of the popular styles. Several breweries offered up some variation or another and a lot of great collaborations came about. The saisons are still there, they just don't have the hype they used to. We'd love to see them come back around.
The saison style started in 1700s in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium. Each farm brewed their own take on these Farmhouse Ales in the cold months for seasonal farm workers (Saisonnièrs) to drink during the warm months. This gave farm workers something to do in the cold months, used up any excess grain, and provided a clean and safe source of hydration for farm workers. Each worker may drink up to 5 Liters per day of these low ABV (3.0-3.5%) beers as they toiled away. As each farm used the resources they had available it was difficult to nail down an exact saison style at the time. Today, the style has some definition but still offers up a lot of variation. The alcohol content has creeped up a bit and the ones that fall into the range of the originals are known as a Table Beer.
Saison lovers Britt Teusink of brewery in planning Frameshift Fermentation and Brandon King of Stout Brothers Beer Markets joined us on the show this week to dive into the style. Teusink plans to brew a variety of saisons at Frameshift and has his own blended culture to provide a unique character to each of his brews.
Saison Lovers Unite! (L-R) Brian Hewitt, Britt Teusink of Frameshift Fermentation, Brandon King of The Stout Bros., and Tim Dennis. The Award-winning Synesthesia Saison Recipe
Saison is a great style for new homebrewers to try out as the yeast is very open to higher temperatures that don't require temperature control. Pitch your yeast at room temperature and let it go and you should end up with a great saison. For the malt bill you can use all Pilsner malt, or toss in some spelt or wheat to your liking. Experienced homebrewers can expand on the style with the huge variety of yeasts available or culture their own.
Here's our recipe for Synesthesia Saison. We've consumed gallons of this beer and it's won a handful of medals in homebrew competitions. If you try it out let us know what you think. Synesthesia Saison
Type: All-grain Batch size: 5.5 gallons OG: 1.053 FG: 1.006 Efficiency: 70% ABV: 6.2% IBU: 23
Ingredients 8 lbs 8 oz Pilsner Malt 1 lb 8 oz White Wheat 1/2 oz Hallertauer @ FWH 1/2 oz Saaz @ 60 minutes 1 lb Belgian Simplicity Candi Syrup @ 10 minutes 1.0 oz Mosaic @ flame-out for 10 minutes WLP566 Belgian Saison II Yeast
Process
Mash for 75 minutes at 148°F and sparge to target volume. Boil 120 minutes following addition schedule above. Chill to 67°F and pitch healthy yeast into well oxygenated wort. Start fermentation at 67° and ramp 5° every 24 hours to 90°, allow to ferment for a total of 14 days, verifying FG is reached. Bottle condition to 3.0 vols for at least a month (you can drink it earlier but it’s much better after a month+), beer develops champagne-like characteristics with age.
The Beer List Allagash Saison Violette Boulevard Saison Brett Creature Comforts Common Things Dupont / Allagash Brewer's Bridge Jester King / Buddha's Brew Collab (saison and kombucha hybrid) Saison Dupont Variant Dream Balloon Craft Beer News An Overwhelming Majority of Beer Drinkers Want Direct-To-Consumer Shipping An Online Writing Platform is Looking for Beer Hangover Testers Goldman Sachs Says No- and Low-Alcohol Beers Could Reach $3 Billion by 2025 Check out these farm-fresh episodes Saison Season with Logsdon Farmhouse Ales | Ep. 235 Boulevard Brewing’s Steven Pauwels | Ep. 180 Farmhouse Funk with Fonta Flora’s Todd Boera | Episode 152
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Social Fox Brewing powers through the pandemic to celebrate 1st Anniversary
It wasn't by choice that Social Fox Brewing 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 https://www.socialfoxbrewing.com/ 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 Platform Beer Company Has Closed Their Columbus, OH Tap Room Researchers Have Made Big Strides in Expanding Our Understanding of the Hop Genome Aging Beer Was Stolen From A Sunken Ship of the Coast of Argentina Check out these other great episodes Tomme Arthur of The Lost Abbey and Port Brewing | Ep. 242 Ninjas and Unicorns and Pipeworks Brewing | Ep. 238 Stouts are for Summer with Orpheus Brewing’s Jason Pellett | Ep. 179
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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, as we've discussed before, 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 | https://www.apotheosroastery.com/ 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 A High Percentage of Hawaiian Competition-Winning Coffee Lots Using Controlled Fermentation Del Hall is Going on a Beer-Only Diet For Lent Again This Year Heineken is Cutting 8,000 Jobs As Part of Their Plan To “Move Beyond Beer” Check out some of our other episodes Bourbon: Origins, tasting, and recommendations | Ep. 261 Diversity in Craft Beer with Atlantucky and Leaders of the Brew School | Ep. 248 Ancient Ales and Historical Brewing with Beer Archaeologist Travis Rupp | Ep. 191
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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 The World’s Oldest Mass Production Brewery Has Been Discovered in Egypt Los Angeles Health Inspector is Caught on Camera Dancing in a Brewery Heineken is Cutting 8,000 Jobs As Part of Their Plan To “Move Beyond Beer” More Chicagoland Beer Off Color Brewing with co-founder John Laffler | Ep. 223 Revolution Brewing with John “Jumpy” Palos | Ep. 202 The Chicago Brewseum | Ep. 198
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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 Dekalb Bottle House. 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 straightbourbon.com 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 wheat as the "flavoring grain" in addition to the corn and a little bit of malted barley when you are buying brands from the major distilleries. Many people think of rye as making bourbon a bit spicier although to meet it seems a bit earthier than spicier. Is it mostly corn with a little bit of rye? Buffalo Trace falls into this category. Or does it have a lot of rye? Four Roses Single Barrel is one of the higher rye content bourbons. Maybe make those two your first choices and see which you like better! Most other brands tend to fall somewhere in between. Or is it a bourbon with wheat as the flavoring grain? This type is a bit less common but still readily available. Basic options include Maker's Mark, Larceny and Weller. Perhaps start your journey with a rye bourbon and a wheated bourbon. After you have tried your choices several times you can decide which one you prefer and then try something more similar to see what appeals to you. Try tasting the bourbon without adding anything at first. That means no ice, no water. Once you find a few you like you can then drink them however you like. But learning how to taste Bourbon is different from drinking Bourbon. Try to acquire a glass made for tasting bourbon and other spirits. A typical rocks glass works fine for drinking but to appreciate the aroma as well as the flavor a glass like a Glencairn that narrows a bit at the top helps hold in the aroma. A small tapered white wine glass can also work well but just be careful how much you pour! What looks like a small pour in a wine glass can be quite large. Have some water available. Water is useful to cleanse your palate between tastes in addition to keeping you well hydrated! It is also useful if you want to add a drop or two to your bourbon but only after first trying it without any water. An eye dropper is useful for adding water a drop or two at a time rather than just trying to pour a small amount in. You can always add more drops but you can't take water back out if you pour too much in. Try to think about what you taste and smell as you drink the bourbon. It is very useful when first starting out to take notes about each bourbon you try. Consider getting a small notebook to take those notes and be able to look at the notes from bourbons you may have tried earlier. Bourbon drinkers tend to refer to the flavors they appreciate when tasting by a variety of names. Does it have caramel or vanilla flavors? Fruity or herbal flavors? Woody or buttery flavors? If you are struggle to come up with descriptions don't panic! Instead, perhaps try looking up a Bourbon Flavor Wheel on line to help you try to determine what you are tasting. Four broad categories to think about when trying a bourbon include Appearance, Aroma, Taste, and Finish. Try not to look at reviews by somebody else before you taste. That will tend to put certain flavors and characteristics in your head. Instead do your own review first and then see what others said afterwards. Also, everyone's palate is different and your own palate can change over time depending on what you have eaten or been doing recently so what somebody else describes may not be what you taste. You may also want to taste the same bourbon several times over a period of days before making a decision on whether you like it or not. Note the color of the bourbon by holding it up to a light or placing a clean white sheet of paper behind the glass. Is it light and amber or dark brown? Is there a reddish hint to the color? Swirl it gently and see how quickly it and slides back down in the glass. The streaks or “legs” that appear may quickly drip down or it may happen a bit slower suggesting a more thick or viscous whiskey. Check the smell or "nose" of the bourbon. Open your mouth slightly and give it a gentle sniff by putting your nose practically in the opening of the glass. Do so gently because initially you make pick up strong scent of alcohol before you get the aroma of the bourbon itself. Don't gulp the bourbon down in a single quick swallow! Instead take a moderate sip and then let the liquid move across your mouth and tongue. Yes, it may burn a bit initially but you will eventually adapt to that. You will pick up different flavors on different parts of your tongue and mouth that you will otherwise miss out on. You can even “chew” on the bourbon gently to let it coat your mouth. Take your time before you swallow! Finally swallow the bourbon and try to appreciate the finish of the bourbon before reaching for the water! Does the taste linger awhile or disappear quickly? Did the flavor change by getting more sweet or bitter or fruity in nature?
Pulling barrel samples at the Buffalo Trace Distillery (Photo: Buffalo Trace Distillery) The ten major bourbon distilleries
Barton 1792 Distillery Sazerac owned Barton's primary brand is known these days simply as 1792. In the past they made an excellent budget bourbon called Very Old Barton 100 proof, a six-year-old bourbon that delivered great flavor for less than $20. But it was not not widely available and the six-year age statement was eliminated a few years ago. Barton doesn't really have a special limited release but has recently moved to expand their line of whiskeys with several new brands. But for someone new to bourbon the 1792 brand is the place to start.
Brown Forman This distillery is primarily known for the brand Old Forester although the also make a brand called Early Times. Old Forrester 100 proof is readily available at a decent price and the recent release of Early Times Bottled in Bond is also well priced if sometimes less readily available. Brown-Forman has an ongoing release of other specialty bourbons and one annual allocated release known as Birthday Bourbon that celebrates the birthday of the founder, George Garvin Brown. It used to be more readily available and decently priced but has more than tripled in price over the last 8 or so years and is as hard to get as any of the special releases. The best place for the new bourbon drinker start is the standard Old Forester 100 proof.
Buffalo Trace Buffalo Trace is a distillery with many brands that is owned by the Sazerac company. It has of course become the darling of the bourbon world primarily because of one name and that name, of course, is Pappy Van Winkle. But Pappy is the brand of another company run by the descendants of Pappy Van Winkle. They currently source all of their bourbon from Buffalo Trace using the same mashbill as the Weller line of what is known as “wheated bourbon”. It is different from bourbon made under the various Buffalo Trace brand names because the Van Winkle family chooses bourbon that fits a particular flavor profile that they feel best represents their products. Among the different Buffalo Trace brands that you may be familiar with are Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, EH Taylor and the Weller line of bourbons. Also from Buffalo Trace are several sought after but currently hard to find brands like Blanton's and Elmer T. Lee. The big annual special release from Buffalo Trace is known as the Antique Collection which includes George T Stagg, William Larue Weller and Eagle Rare 17 year-old bourbons along with Thomas H. Handy and Sazerac 18 year-old rye. These have become extremely difficult to find and are usually marked up well above the suggested retail price much like Pappy Van Winkle bourbons.
Four Roses There are four standard bottlings - Yellow Label (Which now has a beige label but is still often referred to as yellow label), Small Batch, Small Batch Select and Single Barrel. Yellow label is the lowest proof and least expensive but both small batch and single barrel are excellent bourbons well worth considering when starting your bourbon journey.
Heaven Hill This distillery produces several bourbon brands that you may not even know are from Heaven Hill. They include Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna, Fighting Cock and Larceny. Old Fitzgerald and Parker's Heritage Collection are currently two of the primary annual special and allocated releases and periodically they release Elijah Craig 12 and Elijah Craig 18 barrel proof bottlings.
Jim Beam Jim Beam is a well know and long-standing bourbon producer of many different brand names. The classic Jim Beam "White label" can be found almost anywhere in the country. Other brands from Beam include, Bookers, Bakers and Knob Creek which tend to be a bit more expensive although Knob Creek can still be a decent value. In addition, Beam makes a second mashbill or style of bourbon that include Basil Hayden's and Old Grandad which has long been regarded as an excellent budget bourbon. It comes in several proofs at 80, 100 and 114. The 114 may be a little strong for the novice bourbon fan but consider the 100-proof version or a Knob Creek 100 proof as examples of Beam bourbon.
Maker's Mark Once an independent distillery making a wheated style of bourbon exclusively. It is now part of the Beam family (officially known as Beam-Suntory after they were purchased by the Suntory company of Japan). Maker's Mark used to make only one bourbon for domestic consumption now they have three, having expanded first with Maker's 46, which many think is a bit better than the standard, and the cask strength Maker's Mark bourbon. They don't really do a particular special release each year but have been doing variations on Maker's 46 lately.
Midwest Grain Products / MGP MGP is unique in that it was the only major whiskey distillery not located in Kentucky. Instead, it is located just across the Ohio river in Indiana. They are also unusual in that they don't sell their own whiskey save for a few very limited exceptions. They do now have their own brand called Rossville Union which is a rye whiskey but to my knowledge they don't routinely sell their own Bourbon. Instead, they distill and age whiskey for other companies to buy and sell under their own label. As a result, there is tons of it on the market. The best way to tell if you have an MGP whiskey is to look at the label and see if it says "Distilled in Indiana". This most likely means the company either doesn't distill bourbon themselves or have only recently started distilling and need time for their own Bourbon to mature. And while bourbon enthusiasts sometimes make fun of the fakers and schemers who carelessly bottle MGP as if it were their own whiskey, it is important not to forget the great MGP bourbon and rye that has gone into various bottlings of excellent whiskey from places like High West, Smooth Ambler, Willett and others.
Wild Turkey Wild Turkey has long had a large and loyal following and is often a spirit that bourbon enthusiasts look for old and rare bottlings from. Brands include the basic Wild Turkey bourbon at both 80 proof and 101 proof along with Russel's Reserve, Rare Breed and Kentucky spirit. They have also started a premium line called Master's Keep which is a unique and different style of whiskey every year. This is a case where I would suggest the Wild Turkey 101 bourbon over the standard 80 proof version as the best place to start.
Woodford Reserve Woodford is owned by Brown Forman but made it its own separate distillery. Well sort of! It is unique for being made by using pot stills rather than the more common column style still other major distilleries use. Some people, find the Woodford has a bit of a coppery or metallic component to the taste. In any case, typical Woodford whiskey is reportedly blended with whiskey from Old Forester to create a more balanced flavor. The basic Woodford Reserve is my recommendation to try if you want to compare it to other brands. (Tierney notes this is not one of his favorites.)
Newer Distilleries Here are a few new up and coming Kentucky distilleries to look for after you have had time to develop your bourbon preferences: New Riff, Wilderness Trail, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Luxrow Distillery (recently purchased by MGP), Angel's Envy (Port finished Bourbon)
Drink Local!In addition to these well-known distilleries many areas have local options for Bourbon. Check and see what's available near you.
Still want to learn more? If you've got Hulu check out Neat: The Story of Bourbon, a great documentary featuring many of the master distillers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJHBLEaNZ3c The Beer Bourbon List Elijah Craig Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Four Roses Small Batch Georgia T. Stagg (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection) Old Forester 1910 Old Forester 1920 William Larue Weller (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection) Craft Beer News Hop Growers of American Have Released Their Annual Report For 2020 ABInBev Is Moving Production of Stella Artois To The US By The End of The Year Draft Sales Were Down 46% Nation-Wid During the Super Bowl Check out these other episodes... Beer & Bourbon & BBQ at The Nest | Ep. 254 Kombucha and Fermentation Fun with Cultured South | Ep. 236 Sake Primer with the Taps @ Ph’East | Ep. 214
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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 Uber Is Acquiring the Drizly Alcohol Delivery Service Achel Has Lost Their Official Trappist Designation Just the Taste of Beer Can Trigger a Rush of Chemical Pleasure More Sour and Wild Beer Getting Wild with Monday Night Brewing | Ep. 259 New Glarus Brewing’s Daniel Carey | Ep. 163 Sour Beer: Lambic, Geuze, Gose, and Berliner with Orpheus Brewing and The Woodlands | Episode 147
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Monday Night Brewing's Peter Kiley talks about taking "safe" beers to the next level
Monday Night Brewing 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.
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Welcome to the Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast! We love craft beer and we love sharing with others. Join hosts Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt every week as we talk with the amazing people of craft beer.
We talk new beers and new breweries, brewing science, beer history, homebrewing, beer culture, and much more. Grab a pint, have a seat, and tune in!
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Six Bridges Brewing celebrates 2nd anniversary as they eye expansion
Just ahead of the kickoff for the 2nd Anniversary month Six Bridges Brewing's Clay Gridley joined us the studio for this week's show.
Clay is one half of the father and son team behind Six Bridges, dad Charles Gridley makes up the other half. A Georgia Tech grad, Charles enjoyed homebrewing in his spare time as a chemical engineer and notes his engineer background brings valuable experience to the team. Clay took some time off to be a professional ski bum in Colorado before becoming a firefighter. He enjoyed his homebrewing as well and the pair often talked about opening a brewery one day.
In 2018 they made it happen with their opening in Johns Creek, GA. The initial plan was to never brew the same beer twice but after the overwhelming popularity of some of their inaugural beers they decided it's OK to have a few staples. Medlock IPA and their Pink Guava Sour Continuum are always favorites.
We talk with Clay about how things are going working with his dad, the pros and cons, and whether they compliment or contrast each other. (Hint, it's both.) We also discuss growth at their current location as well as plans for additional taprooms in the future, and we get the rundown on the special brews planned for their anniversary month. Visit Six Bridges Brewing
11455 Lakefield Drive Suite 300 Johns Creek, GA 30097 470-545-4199 https://www.sixbridgesbrewing.com
Craft Beer NewsI Charles Hamaker, Creator of Many Well-Known Abita Beers Has Died Rudy Giuliani and Notorious Four Seasons Press Conference Lampooned By New Beer Beer Sales are Strong Again in U.S. Retail Stores Beers of the Week Six Bridges Brewing Bears on Unicycles Whiskey barrel-aged stout with cherries, chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla Medlock IPA Shelby American Golden Ale Silent Accord Coconut Milk Stout Sour Continuum with Key Lime Space Hawk TIPA (Collaboration with NoFo Brewing) More Georgia Beer Diversity in Craft Beer with Atlantucky and Leaders of the Brew School | Ep. 248WeldWerks Brewing with Neil Fisher and Jake Goodman | Ep. 160 Bees and Brews with Steady Hand Beer Co. | Ep. 246 La Fria cerveza con Second Self Beer Co. | Ep. 240
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WeldWerks Brewing has way too many barrels
We last talked with WeldWerks Brewing in early 2019 as Jake Goodman and Neil Fisher joined us on the show. This week, we catch up with them again as CEO Colin Jones and Innovation and Wood Cellar Lead Skip Schwartz join us.
We're big fans of WeldWerks and I don't think I've had a beer from them I didn't enjoy. They're most known for their Juicy Bits IPA but they brew amazing sours and stouts as well. Just like us, they're fans of that long boil, with some stouts boiling for a day and a half or more. The flavor and viscosity of these beers is hard to match with weak little 1-2 hour boils.
The brewery has kept up its aggressive release schedule, with five new beers debuting this week. Schwartz helps keep things fresh and exciting with new brews, but also looks at the processes to continuously improve there as well. The barrel program has grown well beyond their initial intentions and they currently have some pretty amazing barrels (Birthday Bourbon, anyone?) with beer soaking up all the goodness.
Jones talks to us some about his approach as CEO and focusing on the "us" much more than the "me." He strives to build a strong team and let them do what they are good at. For his efforts he was recognized with the Titan 100 award this year, recognizing influential CEOs in Colorado.
Whatever he's doing, it seems to be working. Visit WeldWerks Brewing 508 8th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631 3043 W. Pikes Peak Ave. Colorado Springs, CO 80904 (Coming soon)
Craft Beer News Influential Beer Importer Shelton Brothers is Calling It Quits Jason Buehler, Header Brewer for Denver Beer Co. Has Died in a Climbing Accident Beer Sales are Strong Again in U.S. Retail Stores Beers of the Week WeldWerks Brewing Advanced Fluid Dynamics DIPA Blueberry Cobbler Berliner Cereal Killer Pilsner-Style Lager French Toast Stout Starriest Night More Colorado Beer Ancient Ales and Historical Brewing with Avery's Beer Archaeologist Travis Rupp | Ep. 191 Fruit and Funk with Troy Casey of Casey Brewing & Blending | Ep. 169 WeldWerks Brewing with Neil Fisher and Jake Goodman | Ep. 160
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Work Sucks, Drink Beer
Lupulin Brewing sounds like they've got things figured out - Work Sucks, Drink Beer seems appropriate, especially now. Founder Jeff Zierdt and Matt Schiller focus on making delicious beers for your off-hours. Although they're known for their hoppy offerings, as their name implies, they offer up many other styles as well. They've won several awards for their German-style lagers, make some tasty porters and stouts, and have a thriving sour program. We caught up with Schiller as he passed through Atlanta and sat down to talk shop and share some of his brews.
We had to talk hops so we discuss the different methods of hop delivery and what Lupulin prefers to use. We dive some into experimental hops and the interesting flavors that are coming out today (oak barrel and coconut?), and we dive into lagers some, with talk of their GABF Doppelbock and other German goodies. Visit Lupulin Brewing
Lupulin has two tasting rooms for you to enjoy: Minnesota | 570 Humboldt Drive, Suite 107, Big Lake, MN | 763-263-9549 South Dakota | 2425 South Shirley Avenue, Suite 112, Sioux Falls, SD | 605-275-5544
Craft Beer News Sweetwater Brewing Company is Being Acquired by Global Cannabis Company Aphria Inc. BrewDog is Going All Willy Wonka With 24-Karat Gold Punk IPA Cans VinePair Says They Can Guess Who You Voted For Based On What You Drink Beers of the Week Lupulin Brewing 8 Count IPA CPB Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter Imperial CPB - Like CPB but more Imperial Fashion Mullet IPA Hooey IPA Monks Meadery Dragon's Nectar More from the Midwest August Schell celebrates 160 years of family brewing | Ep. 243 Ninjas and Unicorns and Pipeworks Brewing | Ep. 238 Off Color Brewing with co-founder John Laffler | Ep. 223
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Diversity in craft beer is improving, but we still have a lot to do
Leaders of the Brew School (LOBS) is an Atlanta-based organization celebrating people of color in craft beer. The industry has a fairly accurate stereotype of being dominated by bearded white guys, but people of all races and colors love craft beer, and LOBS wants to encourages others to drink, brew, and enjoy.
We're ahead of the curve in Atlanta. There are at least half a dozen black-owned breweries opened or opening in the city. Speaking with members of LOBS they mention that they have new ideas and new flavors to bring to craft. Just like we enjoy foods from many cultures, black brewers want to express their culture through beer.
Even with the boom of black breweries in Atlanta there are still many challenges ahead. Business education, funding resources, and other core needs are lacking in the community. LOBS wants to spread the word on what is needed for true acceptance and growth of black brewers in Atlanta and across the country. The group is actively seeking allies for idea generation, education, and brewing opportunities.
One of the group's most well-known breweries is Atlantucky Brewing, founded by members of Nappy Roots. Fish Scales and Skinny Deville joined us this week to talk about their brewery and their vision. Through various collaborations as part of their Great American Beer Run tour (paused due to Covid-19) they've introduced many new people to craft beer. Their brick and mortar brewery will be opening in Atlanta very soon. Leaders of the Brew School Members Down Home Brewing | https://www.instagram.com/downhomebrewing Khonso Brewing | https://www.instagram.com/khonsobrewing Our Culture Brewing | https://www.instagram.com/ourculturebrewing Atlantucky Brewing | https://www.instagram.com/atlantucky Indigo Brewing Project | https://www.instagram.com/indigobrewingproject Soul Brothers | https://www.instagram.com/soulbrosbrewing Off the wall Brewing | https://www.instagram.com/offthewallbrewing Penelahpes | https://www.instagram.com/penelahpes Ale Sharpton | https://www.instagram.com/realalesharpton Art of Business Consulting | https://www.instagram.com/aofbconsultingllc
Resources and Useful Links
The MJF Foundation created by Garret Oliver Website: https://www.themjf.org/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/igarrettoliver
The 8 Trill Pils Initiative created by Crowns and Hops Website: https://www.8trillpils.org/mission Instagram: https://instagram.com/crownsandhops
Crafted for all and Craft by edu ran by the awesome Dr. J Website 1: https://craftedforall.com/ Website 2: https://craftxedu.org/ Instagram 1: https://instagram.com/craftedforall Instagram 2: https://instagram.com/craftbyedu
[caption id="attachment_47343" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Fish Scales, one of the members of Nappy Roots and co-founder of Atlantucky Brewing, enjoying some Good Word IPA. Atlantucky recently held their brewery soft opening in Atlanta.[/caption] Craft Beer News Homebrewer’s Association Has Published Their 2020 List of the Best Beers in America Guinness Has Released an Alcohol Free Version of Its Famous Stout If You Turned 30 in 2020 Breckenridge Brewery Wants to Give You Free Beer Beers of the Week Arches / Atlantucky Kentucky Mud Down Home Brewing Georgia Hooch IPA Down Home Brewing T-Pom Pomegranate Wheat Ale Our Culture Josie's Pilsner More from the Black Beer Community The Real Ale Sharpton | Ep. 185 Belgian Beers with Kraig Torres and Jen Price | Ep. 122 Brothers That Brew / Khonso Brewing | Beer Guys Radio Ep. 106
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Sixpoint Brewery talks Cicerone certification, crispy lagers, and nuclear submarines
Sixpoint Brewery first came to recognition for their bright Resin DIPA. As the name implies, this isn't a hazy and fruity beer. Resin packs a punch of pine and citrus to quench your thirst for that West Coast goodness. Education and Training Manager Max Finnance wants you to enjoy Resin, and all your beers, a bit more and he joins us this week to talk about just how to do that.
Before his life in beer Finnance was stationed on a nuclear submarine and tells us some of the science background he gained has helped in his brewery life. He's a certified Advanced Cicerone as well as a BJCP Certified beer judge. Read, he knows his beer. He admits that this type of in-depth education isn't for everyone but if you're a passionate beer fan you can still learn a bit more about your beers, and how to drink them. Sure, we all think we know how to drink, but do we really? Some of the classes he teaches are designed to educate retailers, distributors, and employees on the art of beer. How to properly store, serve, and sip your brews. Finnance enjoys traveling and sharing his knowledge but with the Covid Curse upon us he's taken his classes online.
Hazy IPAs still rule when it comes to questions he gets about beer, but he'd also like everyone to know more about lagers. There's a huge variety out there well beyond the Crispy Boy pilsners but lagers still have a reputation with many people as clear and light beers. If you're in a larger area it's likely there's a local brewery brewing up a variety of lagers, so take a trip and see what's on tap.
As a silver lining to the Covid cloud, Sixpoint has been able to take advantage of some temporary laws to host an outdoor tasting room. A more permanent taproom (or two) is in the works, although there have been some delays due to landlord issues. Follow Sixpoint on social media to get the scoop as thing develop. Craft Beer News The Great American Beer Festival 2020 Results Are In Mikkeller is Closing Their New York City Location Heineken Has Been Fined $2.6 million in the UK Beers of the Week Sixpoint Brewery The Crisp Pilsner Sixpoint Brewery Meltdown NEDIPA Sixpoint Brewery Resin DIPA More Beer from the Northeast Burning the Ships with Able Ebenezer Brewing Co. | Ep. 245 Wandering Into the Fog with Abomination Brewing | Ep. 230 Brewery Ommegang with Brewmaster Phil Leinhart | Ep. 227
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Steady Hand Beer Co. talks collaborations, charity brews, and the booze hookah
We're drinking local this week as Brian Sullivan from Steady Hand Beer Co. joins us in the studio!
Steady Hand celebrated their first anniversary just before Covid shut everything down. They used that time to partners with others that were struggling and do some collaboration brews, as well as getting a beehive up and running at the brewery for future honey-brewing.
One of the great charities that Steady Hand partnered with is the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance as they weren't able to hold their annual gala fundraiser. This one hits home for me as I lost my mother to cancer in '92. Check out their site for more info and definitely show them support if you're able to. We chat with Brian more about what's brewing and the plan for more lagers and sours, tiki drinks, culinary influences in brewing, their Liquid Lab, and a lot more.
We had a lot of Steady Hand Beer to sip on while we talked and really enjoyed the new Baratza sour ale with apple and quince as well as and old favorite, the Circles of the Sun white stout.
Visit Steady Hand Beer Co. in Atlanta's West Midtown Brewery District at 1611 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd NW UNIT F, Atlanta, GA 30318.
[caption id="attachment_47312" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Brian Sullivan (left) checks on his beehive and gets some tips for keeping it healthy. (Pic: Steady Hand Beer Co.)[/caption] Craft Beer News Surly Employees Voted Not To Unionize Saturday Night Live’s Sam Adams Pumpkin Ale Sketch Ball Corp is Reporting a 10 Billion Can Shortage in the US this Year Beers of the Week Steady Hand Beer Co, Baratza Sour with Apple and Quince Circles of the Sun White Stout Cloudland NEIPA Confirm Humanity Foggy Lager GOCA Benefit Blonde Ale (Benefitting the Georgia Ovarian Cancer Alliance) Tangerine Flower Business DIPA More Georgia Breweries La Fria cerveza con Second Self Beer Co. | Ep. 240 Burnt Hickory Brewery Explains it All | Ep. 237 Kombucha and Fermentation Fun with Cultured South | Ep. 236
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Burn the Ships and press on, there's no turning back at Able Ebenezer Brewing Co.
Able Ebenezer co-founder isn't a New Hampshire native, he's a California boy. But when Frizzelle and partner Carl Soderberg were looking for a place to call home the Granite State won it. The brew scene was vibrant but not too crowded, and Frizzelle liked the Live Free or Die motto.
They even named their brewery after a local hero, Ebenezer Mudgett, who defied the British crown in 1772 to fight oppressive laws. Frizzelle shares the story of Ebenezer with us as we talk about his beer and brewery and the stories behind some of the beer names. Their best seller Burn the Ships (a cherry wood smoked IPA) is a reference to a military tactic where you leave no option to retreat, success is the only choice. We also sample their Victory Nor Defeat, a tasty DIPA. Interestingly, both of the IPAs we got from this New England brewery were very clear. Crazy.
We also discuss the booming craft beer scene in New Hampshire, whether it feels crowded there, and what the density means as far as collaborations. Frizzelle also shares how self-distribution was key to launching and growing his brewery.
Able Ebenezer beer can be found only in New Hampshire. If you're in the area you can visit the taproom at 31 Columbia Circle, Merrimack, NH.
Craft Beer News No Event, Dark Lord is Going Curbside Pickup Yuengling and Hershey’s Chocolate Porter is Returning Snyder’s is Collaborating with New York’s Captain Lawrence on a Pretzel Keg Beers of the Week Able Ebenezer Brewing Co. Burn the Ships | Cherry Wood Smoked IPA Able Ebenezer Brewing Co. Victory Nor Defeat | DIPA Variant Brewing Co. Snake Money | NEIPA
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Bravus Brewing has helped usher in a new wave of non-alcoholic beer
It wasn't that long ago that your choices were limited to a few macro brews if you want a beer but didn't want the booze. O'Doul's and... what are the others? Today, Bravus Brewing and a handful of other brewers are offering up an increasing variety of non-alcoholic options.
There are myriad reasons someone may reach of a non-alcoholic brew. For me, the doc told me to take it a bit easy on the alcohol - a tough thing for a Beer Guy. You also have people who need to totally avoid alcohol, pregnant mothers, designated drivers, and calorie conscious folks looking to enjoy a brew.
Under doctor's orders I started exploring some of the options available. I've found a few good alternatives and a lot of not-so-good ones. The big struggle for NA brewers is that, whether you taste it or not, alcohol does add to the flavor profile of a beer. This makes it easier to brew alcohol-free options with bolder flavors, and pretty tricky to nail a beer light a light lager.
Bravus Brewing has been honing their art since 2015. They offer IPAs, and Amber Ale, fruited gose, and even some stout variations including a bourbon barrel-aged brew. We really enjoyed the Raspberry Gose and the Peanut Butter Stout and we're pleasantly surprised at the flavors they delivered.
We talk with Bravus Brewing founder Philip Brandes this week about the many reasons people choose non-alcoholic beer, whether he drinks exclusively NA beers, the benefits of choosing an NA brew (outside of the obvious), and what's coming up in the future.
Even if you don't need to avoid alcohol you may find an NA beer you enjoy. Plus, you can party hard and not have to worry about that hangover the next day.
CRAFT BEER NEWS The Covid-19 Pandemic Will Cost the U.S. Beer Industry 651,000 Jobs Munich Has Banned Alcohol on its Oktoberfest Grounds
BEERS OF THE WEEK Bravus Brewing Amber Ale IPA Oatmeal Stout Peanut Butter Stout Raspberry Gose
In addition to Bravus Brewing be sure to check out our great show sponsor Athletic Brewing Company!
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August Schell Brewing Co. embraces their past as they look ahead to a bright future
There aren't many breweries in America that can say they are working through their second global pandemic, but August Schell Brewing Co. has that "honor." Founded in 1860, the brewery sold candy and other items to survive Prohibition and the sixth generation of the Marti Family is still running the brewery today.
VP of Operations Kyle Marti and Brewmaster Jace Marti joined us on the show this week to talk about their breweries history and future. With gardens, a museum, a mansion, and even a small family of deer and some peacocks, Schell's is a lot more than just a brewery. In addition to brewing their famous Deer Brand pre-Prohibition style American Lager they also have an impressive mixed fermentation sour beer program.
Craft Beer News Molson Coors and Yuengling Have Formed a Joint Venture Boston Beer Company is Getting Into the Non-Alcoholic Beer Game A Man in Vacaville, California Saved His Home With Beer The Beer List Contrast Artisan Ales Brownie McBourbonface Hitachino Nest XH Monday Night Brewing With a Little Help From My Friends Off Color Brewing Sparkles Finds Some Trouble
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Tomme Arthur talks state of the industry, beer trends, dextrose farmers
The Lost Abbey and Port Brewing are well known to most craft beer fans. Many of their beers make "White Whale" lists and see fans clamoring for short pours at bottle shares or searching trade forms to land their catch.
Founder and Chief Operating Owner Tomme Arthur discovered craft beer while pursuing an English degree. By the time he he graduating his mind was set on a career in brewing. Prior to starting The Lost Abbey he earned several accolades at other breweries including Small Brewpub and Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival along with Small Brewpub and Small Brewery Brewer of the Year.
Arthur talks with us about brewing in those early days and the styles that were popular, comparing beer to music and where we are as an industry. We discuss the role and importance of terroir in brewing, and how each beer tells a story. We also sample offerings of his other brands (The Hop Concept and Tiny Bubbles) and discuss why each deserves it's own identity. Craft Beer News Surly Brewing Closing Beer Hall After Employees Announce Their Intent to Unionize USDA is Trying to Cut the Definition of Moderate Alcohol Consumption For Men Deep Ellum’s Founder Has Been Thrown Out of the Brewery He Founded The Beer List The Lost Abbey Judgement Day My Black Parade Number of Beast Red Poppy Veritas Key Lime The Hop Concept IPA Port Brewing Hop 15 DIPA Tiny Bubbles Orange Guava Brut Ale The Original Brut
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Oktoberfest brings Festbiers, Märzens, and Mustard Flights
Once again it is time for our annual Oktoberfest blind beer tasting! We look forward to this show every year and its frequently my first dip into Oktoberfest beers after my self-imposed ban from drinking any before September 1st. It’s my little way of standing up against seasonal creep. Just say no to Oktoberfests and pumpkin beers in July.
To help us with this daunting task we invite some of our friends from the industry to help us out. This year’s judging panel: Joe McIntyre | Brewmaster at Scofflaw Brewing Co. “Digi-Dude” Nate Hanson | Executive Producer and On-Air Personality at Bailey and Southside on Atlanta’s Rock 100.5 Nathan Schieber | Renaissance Man. Nathan has worked at a couple of brewers and can frequently be found collaborating with other brewers in the South. Nathan Ellingson (aka “No Mic Nathan”) | Beer Buyer for Vintage Bottle Shop in Acworth, GA and occasional Beer Guys Sound Assistant
That’s right, the studio was 50% Nathans this week. Weird. I’m glad that’s over.
We go all out for this show and bring in a bit of a German buffet. This year we had Brats, a flight of four mustards and pepper kraut made personally by me, some soft pretzels, and various cheeses and pickles. It was all delicious and a perfect accompaniment to our beers. We also share a few facts and fun stuff about the Munich Oktoberfest. If you’re ready to party and need to get in the spirit check out our Spotify Oktoberfest playlist. Oktoberfest Blind Beer Tasting 2020| Ep. 241 Tim Dennis September 4, 2020 Oktoberfest Blind Beer Tasting 2020| Ep. 2412020-09-04T23:34:07-04:00ShowsNo Comment
Oktoberfest brings Festbiers, Märzens, and Mustard Flights
Once again it is time for our annual Oktoberfest blind beer tasting! We look forward to this show every year and its frequently my first dip into Oktoberfest beers after my self-imposed ban from drinking any before September 1st. It’s my little way of standing up against seasonal creep. Just say no to Oktoberfests and pumpkin beers in July.
To help us with this daunting task we invite some of our friends from the industry to help us out. This year’s judging panel: Joe McIntyre | Brewmaster at Scofflaw Brewing Co. “Digi-Dude” Nate Hanson | Executive Producer and On-Air Personality at Bailey and Southside on Atlanta’s Rock 100.5 Nathan Schieber | Renaissance Man. Nathan has worked at a couple of brewers and can frequently be found collaborating with other brewers in the South. Nathan Ellingson (aka “No Mic Nathan”) | Beer Buyer for Vintage Bottle Shop in Acworth, GA and occasional Beer Guys Sound Assistant
That’s right, the studio was 50% Nathans this week. Weird. I’m glad that’s over.
We go all out for this show and bring in a bit of a German buffet. This year we had Brats, a flight of four mustards and pepper kraut made personally by me, some soft pretzels, and various cheeses and pickles. It was all delicious and a perfect accompaniment to our beers. We also share a few facts and fun stuff about the Munich Oktoberfest. If you’re ready to party and need to get in the spirit check out our Spotify Oktoberfest playlist.
Our Blind Beer Tasting Methodology
We taste the beers in flights for each of the shows four segments. 2-3 beers per round. We consider appearance, aroma, and taste in our judging. Overall the final vote is all about how much we enjoy each beer. We pick a favorite from each flight then we are allowed to re-taste our favorites for the final round. We tally up everyone’s Top 3 for a final list as judged by the group as a whole. Informal, fun, and delicious. The Beer List Arches Festbier | Märzen | 6.3% Ayinger Oktoberfest | Märzen | 5.8% Brooklyn Oktoberfest | Märzen | 5.5% Highland Clawhammer | Märzen | 5.0% Hofbrauhaus Festbier | Festbier | 6.1% New Realm The Bavarian Prince | Märzen | 6.3% Paulaner Oktoberfest | Märzen | 5.8% Sam Adams Octoberfest | Märzen | 5.3% Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest | Festbier | 6.0% Spaten Oktoberfest | Märzen | 5.9% Tucker Tucktoberfest | Märzen | 5.5%
If you’re interested in some of our past info and thoughts on Oktoberfest check out our episodes from 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.
As always and as expected, we had a great time with this tasting. Our next one is our Christmas beer tasting which I’m sure will be here before we know it. For now I’m just going to hope for some cooler temps and get all over as much Oktoberfest beers as I can. Prost!
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La Fria es la nueva Caribbean Lager de Second Self Beer Co. y es muy sabrosa
Second Self Beer Co.'s co-founder Jason Santamaria joins us on the show this week to talk new beers, new beverages, heading to Puerto Rico, and what beers pair best with classic video games.
In their sixth year, Second Self reflects on the past to help brighten their future. Santamaria tells us there will be some changes to the beer line-up and branding, and plenty of new beverages on the horizon. There were plans for a big remodel of the tasting room this year to fit a Bladerunner retro theme, complete with some retro games, but Covid but the brakes on that for now. The brewery recently launched two new beverage brands with Cirrus CBD water and Rudi's Hard Seltzer. Ready-to-drink canned cocktails are in their future as well.
We sample two of the newest offerings from Second Self's beer portfolio as we chat - La Fria Caribbean lager and Game Night DDH IPA. Santamaria corrected me a couple of times when I likened La Fria to a Vienna Lager or Festbier noting that it is lighter. It is, but it does offer up toasty sweet notes similar to those beers. Game Night is a super-balanced IPA with tropical hops and a light bitterness for balance. You could have a few of these and not Punch Out your palate.
With distribution in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama now the brewery has a decent footprint in the South. They'll soon ship out their first order to Puerto Rico as well. If you're feeling caliente, look for some Second Self to cool you down. THE BEER LIST Second Self Beer Co. Game Night DDH IPA La Fria Caribbean Lager New Contender IPA Rudi's Hard Seltzer Ginger Tumeric Blue Razzberry
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Luminous Brewhouse is helping introduce their small town to craft beer
Although they weren't the first brewery in town, Luminous Brewhouse is still helping to introduce a lot of non-craft drinkers to craft beer. It wasn't that long ago that your typical macro lagers were the only game in town, and plenty of folks are just fine with that. With just 18,000 people Sheridan, Wyoming is home to three breweries. Impressive.
Co-founder Cooley Butler and General Manager Jonny Law (yes, his real name.. well, Jonathan Law) joined is this week to talk about what's popular in their area, utilizing local ingredients, and tell us all about the Chilluminati. Sponsor Spotlight: Southern Recipe Small Batch pork rinds - Beer pairing, discount code!
We also had Donn Paul with Southern Recipe Small Batch join us, our super-tasty pork rind show sponsor. He gives us some fun pork rind facts (so fun) and we talk about pairing their interesting flavors with beers. Seriously, we love these pork rinds. You can get some at your local Kroger (get a coupon for Buy 2 Get 1 Free here) or order online on their Amazon Webstore. Order via their Amazon store and use code BeerGuys for 10% off your order!
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Pipeworks Brewing focuses on controlled expansion and innovative brews to keep things moving forward
Since opening in 2012 Pipeworks Brewing has received praise for their brews. As their became more and more popular the brewery chose to keep their growth controlled, only sending beer to areas where it would be appreciated and move quickly. Locally, Pipeworks makes sure only their freshest and best beers get to consumers by self-distributing. In addition to allowing the brewery to keep more of the money from the beer they sale it also allows them to remain hands on with all of their accounts.
This week we're joined by Director of Sales Ricky Boehm and Brewers Scott Coffman and Nate Morton. We talk about the early days of the brewery and the days of killing it on Kickstarter, their Abduction stouts and any new variants that may be in the works, scaling up, and what Pipeworks beer would pair best with an Italian beef... there's some debate on this one.
Pipeworks Brewing Co.3912 West McLean Avenue Chicago, IL 60647 * As of this post Pipeworks is open for contactless curbside pickup pdubs.netFacebook | Instagram | Twitter 773-698-6154
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Meet brewery owner, punk rocker, and Emmy-winning TV news camera man... Burnt Hickory Brewery's Scott Hedeen
Burnt Hickory Brewery's founder and brewmaster Scott Hedeen has been a "friend of the show" since before the show was even a show. In the early days of Burnt Hickory (when Georgia breweries could only do tastings) we visited for the monthly gathering to enjoy their core beers and sneak a small pour of their rarities like Kolb's Farm stout and Charred Walls of the Damned Quad. The tastings started with small groups of 30ish people but over time grew to welcome 1,000 or more at their events.
Hedeen has never shied away from doing crazy things with beer. You'll find basic IPAs, Pilsners, and Stouts available but you also might find a beer loaded with coffee and stroboscopes, or blended with Butterfinger bars. Most of his creations are excellent, although he admits the candy corn IPA was a bad call.
With opinions on every subject it's easy to get Hedeen on a roll. When asked, "How was your week?", we get a 10 minute dissertation on the impact of Covid on breweries. We also discuss brewing trends, his life before beer, punk rock, Georgia's new beer delivery bill, and what's next for Burnt Hickory.
Burnt Hickory Brewery2260 Moon Station Ct. NW #210 Kennesaw, GA 30144
burnthickorybrewery.comFacebook | Instagram | Twitter 770-514-8812
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We take a trip away from beer to talk kombucha and fermentation with Cultured South
Cultured South may not brew beer but they are craft brewers making some tasty artisan beverages like kombucha and kefir. Although they are fermented, like beer, the process is a bit different. Kombucha starts as sweet tea and fermentation is done via a SCOBY, a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast. Sarah "Petals" Adams, Cultured South's Fermentation Manager, explains you can't just create a SCOBY even if you know the cultures present in one. They come together only under very specific conditions, and only when they damn well feel like it. Cultured South Founder and CEO Melanie Wade Styles tells us the SCOBY used to make Golda Kombucha comes from her grandmother and is over 40 years old. They work hard to keep it alive and healthy so it can continue making great kombucha.
Since we took up food fermentation as our lockdown hobbies we talk about getting started with simple ferments at home, Adams recommends starting with a basic sauerkraut. We also talk probiotics (Golda Kombucha is 100% raw with live cultures) and how some brewers pasteurize and then add cultures back, rather than allowing the natural probiotics to remain. As we chat we sample some of their fermented offerings like their Kraut-Chi, Collard Green Kimchi, and Luna Cashew Cheese.
If you're in the Atlanta area and looking for something fun and a bit different, head to the Cultured South taproom and order up a kombucha flight and vegan cheese plate.
Cultured South Taproom 1038 White Street SW Atlanta, GA 30310 www.culturedsouth.com | Golda Kombucha | Atlanta Fermentation Fest 404-549-8314
THE BEER LIST Golda Kombucha
CBD Hopped Georgia Citrus Lavender Lemonade Peach Ginger Strawberry Mint Atlanta Brewing Co. / Red Brick Conjuring Cultures Volume 1 Boulevard / Sierra Nevada | Terra Incognita | Blend of ales and barrel-aged ales Sudwerk Brewing Microfauna | Barrel-aged Golden Sour Beer
THE FERMENTED FOOD LIST Cultured South Kraut-chi | Sauerkraut / Kimchi hybrid Collard Green Kimchi Pure Abundance Luna Cashew Cheese
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You can take the beer out of the farmhouse, but you can't take the farmhouse out of the beer
Logsdon Farmhouse Ales was founded in 2009 in Hood River, Oregon on a true farm in the picturesque Columbia River Gorge. David Logsdon and Charles Porter partnered on the brewery and their first batches rolled out in 2011. Brewers and homebrewers will know of another company Logsdon founded - Wyeast Laboratories. The story from 2009 - 2020 for Logsdon has a lot of turns and detours. But with a new brewery in Washougal, Washington they continue brewing delicious saisons, Brett beers, sour ales, fruit beers, and lagers.
Head brewer Shilpi Halemane and co-owner John Plutshack joined us this week to share some of their story. We talk about the mighty saison, what makes a good one, and the difference in a saison and grisette. There's more love for Brett beers all around, coolship chatter, and we also discuss some malting science.
There's not as much love from the beer community for saisons as there was a few years ago. But, whether they're trendy or not, we still love 'em - and Logsdon makes that easy.
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Parish Brewing Co. is bringing the heat to Cajun Country
Above photo: Parish Brewing Co. Head Brewer Ryan Speyrer.
If you're a local you may know Parish Brewing Co. for their Canebrake American Wheat Ale. It's the first (and only) beer the brewery launched with that got people coming back for more. Nearly 10 years later non-locals know them best for their hoppy offerings like Ghost in the Machine.
Head Brewer Ryan Speyrer started with Parish in those early Canebrake days. He fell in love with the brewery and asked them for a job, offering to do whatever they needed done. When an opportunity came open, Speyrer got the call to join the team. He brought an impressive homebrewing background with him and still finds time to brew some drinkin' beers on his impressive 1-barrel system.
We talk with Speyrer about homebrewing, the Cicerone program (he's an Advanced Cicerone), Ghost in the Machine, their "Sips" series, fruited Berliners, boil times, and what else we should expect to see from the brewery in the future. CRAFT BEER NEWS A Brewery in Calgary Has Pulled a Beer After Public Outcry There’s a Robot Bar Serving Free Beer in Sydney, Australia Molson Coors Has Pulled The Plug on Saint Archer Gold THE BEER LIST Parish Brewing Co. Ghost in the Machine IPA (Regular and DDH) Greetings From Grand Isle (Fruited Berliner with coconut, key lime, and kiwi) Rêve Coffee Stout Strawberry Canebrake (American Pale Wheat with strawberry) Swamp Stacks (Imp. Stout with Coconut, maple, marshmallow, and graham cracker) Athletic Brewing Co. Cerveza Atletica NA Mexican-style Copper Ale Athletic Brewing Co. Smooth Ascent NA Coffee Stout Terrapin ATL Brewlab Heller Bock
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Welcome to the Hops & Ledgers Podcast!
Hops & Ledgers is a series of quarterly podcast episodes that will focus on the business aspects of the craft beverage industry. Presented in partnership with Wipfli CPAs and Consultants, each episode will cover a different area of interest to launch or grow your brewery. Reopening Your Brewery Amid the Coronavirus Crisis
Speakers on this episode: Chris Herron | CEO | Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Eric Hashberger | Director of Retail Operations | Weldwerks Brewing Co. Pat Tuley | Partner/CPA | Wipfli, LLP Justin Wenzelman | Partner/CPA | Wipfli, LLP Tim Dennis | Host | Beer Guys Radio (Moderator)
On Episode 1 of Hops and Ledgers we discussed the financial resources available to brewers as we entered the coronavirus shutdown. As the crisis continues many breweries are looking at ways to reopen their taprooms. In this episode Chris Herron and Eric Hashberger share their expertise on several subjects related to reopening your brewery.
Topics discussed: What brewers have changed, and not changed, during the pandemic How each brewery has fared through the pandemic Specific items each brewery implemented to adjust their business What reopening taprooms may look like What steps to take for the safety and health of employees and guests The impact that the lack of legal protection from Covid-related infection has on business decisions What risks need to be addressed Any challenges that may be unforeseen by some Additional financial resources to help brewers as the pandemic continues What day-to-day things will be different as breweries reopen Adapting to create the best customer experience Alternate sales methods during/after coronavirus CraftCellr, curbside pickup, local delivery, shipping Impact on business plan for direct sales vs. distribution How this may impact the future of beer festivals Additional Resources For Wipfli’s COVID-19 Resource Center, see https://www.wipfli.com/covid-19-resource-center Have Questions?
Please contact your financial advisor with any questions or reach out to Pat Tuley or Terry Hoover at Wipfli for assistance. Pat Tuley - Atlanta, GA Office pat.tuley@wipfli.com Justin Wenzelman - Lakewood, CO Office justin.wenzelman@wipfli.com Legal Disclaimer
The information included and discussed in this presentation is general in nature and should not be relied upon in providing tax or legal advice without independent research and analysis.
Tax and legislative policies are ever evolving. Current updates to information and analysis included and discussed in this presentation should be considered.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
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Urban South Brewery is giving the people what they went with new seltzers and an R&D brewery
Just in time for the pandemic, Urban South Brewery opened a new R&D outpost in Houston, TX. Head Brewer Alex Flores tells us they’ll brew up fun and experimental beers that are (usually) different from what you’ll find at their main taproom in New Orleans. One exception, both breweries recently brewed the Black is Beautiful collaboration beer, although each location put their own touch on their batches.
Flores and Sales & Marketing Manager Abby Perkins joined us this week to chat about the new brewery, their recent dive into craft seltzers and their serious approach to making them a true craft beverage. We also reminisce on Brett beers, something we (sadly) don’t see as much as we did a few years ago, and we get a commitment from Flores to make a Brett seltzer. You’re welcome.
Of course, the real magic at Urban South is in their tasty IPAs and sours. We sample through several of their fruited goses and their Snoball Juice IPA as we chat, we recommend you crack into one and give the show a listen. Laissez les bon temps rouler.
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Talking wild yeast and craft malt with Sceptre Brewing Arts
Sceptre Brewing Arts has had an interesting life. Originally opened in 2017 as Oak Brewpub, it quickly closed. Then it reopened... then closed again. After closure #2 the owners of Atlanta's Argosy beer bar scooped it up to open Sceptre. What a ride. Trevor Jones knew the owners from Argosy. He's brewed with Atlanta Brewing Co. (Red Brick Brewing at the time) and Orpheus. Sceptre's beers use 100% craft malt and, when possible, craft malt sourced from the Southeast.
We chat about Sceptre's first year, what's coming up from the brewery, their collaboration with ATL Beer Gang to brew Black is Beautiful, craft malt, and wrangling wild lager yeast. Good times.
Trevor Jones relaxes in the Beer Guys studio after sharing and discussing some of his beers. CRAFT BEER NEWS A New Study Finds A Daily Drink May Improve Brain Function The Brewers Association Has Cut Budget and Staff Again Dos Equis Announced The Perfect Social Distancing Beer Cooler THE BEER LIST Sceptre Brewing Arts Drean Pillow DDH DIPA Pipelime Agave Lime Gose Quoyas IPA Thrash Can Wild American Lager Transmetropolitan DDH Sour Ale Abomination Social Distancing NE DIPA Hopstix Super Dry Rice Lager La Cumbre Zuzax Kolsch Monday Night Brewing / Weldwerks Head Full of Doubt 3X NEIPA Single Speed Brewing Zack's Mexican Donuts Stout ICYMI: More great craft beer interviews Off Color Brewing with co-founder John Laffler | Ep. 223 SingleSpeed Brewing with founder Dave Morgan | Ep. 207 Craft beer and cheese pairing with Brick Store Pub’s Bernard McCoy | Ep. 166
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La Cumbre Brewing is helping Albuquerque keep cool
Prior to taking starting La Cumbre Brewing founder Jeff Erway was a music teacher. After tiring of the bureaucracy of the education system and discovering he was pretty good at making beer and after working for others for a short while opened his brewery 10 years ago this year.
Erway joined us this week to talk about his brewery and dive into beer judging and brewing science. He shares his tips and tricks for avoiding palate fatigue when tasting several flights of beer, and whether it's easier over the long haul to judge beers with delicate or bold flavors. We talk about brewing those hazy IPAs and how La Cumbre recently "broke up" with an old (and popular) yeast.
La Cumbre has one several medals for their beers at the Great American Beer Fest, like this one for their Acclimated IPA. CRAFT BEER NEWS Founding Brewer for MIA Beer Company Died in an Automobile Accident Last WeekendLink to the GoFundMe as mentioned in the show. Bud Light is Promising Free Hard Seltzer to Columbus, Ohio If They Change Their Name Magic Hat is Closing its Brewery and Will Be Contract Brewed By Genesee THE BEER LIST Abomination Wandering Into the Fog with Sabro | BEDIPA Bruery Saule | Barrel-Aged Old Ale Monday Night Brewing / Weldwerks Road Full of Promise (2X NE IPA). Fat Orange Ca Ask Forgiveness, Not Permission | NE IPA Wild Leap Alpha Abstraction Vol. 12 | DIPA ICYMI: More great craft beer interviews It’s Not All Trix and Skittles at Pontoon Brewing | Ep. 225 Hops & Ledgers Ep. 1 | Protecting Your Brewery Through the Coronavirus Crisis FiftyFifty Brewing’s Alicia Barr | Ep. 215
Starting at just $1 per month, you can show your support and help us keep bringing you the best in interviews and insights in craft beer. In return, we'll give you every episode commercial free, occasional bonus episodes, access to our private Facebook group, input on future shows, and more - plus our eternal gratitude! Get more details on Patreon.
A selection of beers from La Cumbre Brewing.
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Big beers and bold art are where it's at for Abomination Brewing
Like man breweries, Abomination Brewing was started in a garage by friends Joe Feldman and Josh Arno. Word got around that they were making great beers and people started to ask them to brew beers for their events, finally growing to the point they needed to expand and become an actual brewery. The pair tells us that the name comes from the abomination that was their homebrew kit. Pieced together from whatever could be find, in the true spirit of the hobby.
Abomination is a nomadic brewer, partnering with Twelve Percent Beer Project. You've likely heard this type of arrangement referred to as "gypsy brewing", but that term can be considered offensive. Arno and Feldman speak very highly of their friends at Twelve Percent. In a couple short years they've been able to get their beer into 32 states thanks to the partnership. However, they are on the lookout for their own space. Feldman tells us a bit about that, but says to stay tuned for the full story soon.
As the conversation goes on and the beer keeps flowing we dive into the more important topics, like a heated discussion on the best type of hot dog and condiments. We talk long boils and blow the minds of Abomination when we tell tales of 24-hour boils which leads us to invent the "boil solera." With art being a big part of their brand we also discuss the labels and artists and find out there is a common connection between beer art and cigar art. Abomination Social Distancing Collaboration
A global pandemic can really put a damper on the community aspect of brewing. Collaborations allow brewers to get away from home for a bit and share and learn from other brewers, all while making tasty beers. Abomination Brewing was feeling down about the current state of the world (gestures broadly at everything) and decided to get their brewing friends together for Social Distancing Collaboration. The goal is to "brew a beer together, but responsibly apart," with each brewery putting their own spin on this DDH DIPA. Check out more info and the list of participating breweries right hurr.
We had a fun conversation with some great beer talk and a bit of going off the rails. Make sure to check out the show and look for Abomination at your local stores. CRAFT BEER NEWS Brewery Owner in Seattle Moved Into His Brewery Off Premise Beer Sales Topped $1 Billion During Memorial Day Week One of Australia’s Largest Breweries Temporarily Shutdown by Cyber Attack THE BEER LIST Atlanta Brewing Co. Baked Goods II Sour Ale DSSOLVR 36 Stairs to Rankin NEDIPA Terrapin Strawberry Dreamsicle IPA Three Taverns All Joy Almond Joy-inspired Stout TrimTab Peanut Butter Coffee Stout ICYMI: More beer from the Northeast Brewery Ommegang with Brewmaster Phil Leinhart | Ep. 227 14th Star Brewing with co-founder Steve Gagner | Ep. 193 Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer with Athletic Brewing Co. | Ep. 164
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Monkey Town Brewing carries on the legacy of Dayton, Tennesse
Unless you're a history buff, or maybe a bit older, you may not be familiar with Dayton, Tennessee, the home of Monkey Town Brewing. They don't make a lot of waves these days but back in 1925 they were national news. Local schoolteacher John T. Scopes was accused of teaching evolution to his students, which was forbidden by Tennessee's Butler Act. However, Scopes didn't recall teaching evolution, but after some discussions he agreed to take the fall as people believed it would be good publicity for little 'ol Dayton. Known as the Scopes Trial, or Scopes Monkey Trial, it's a pretty wild story. Admittedly, I was unaware that Dayton was the home of the Scopes Trial until I sat down at my table at Monkey Town Brewing. The walls are covered with pictures and news clippings that quickly explained the name of the brewery and the history of the town. Neat.
I probably would never have taken a trip to Monkey Town but on the advice of the guys from the Brew Chatt Podcast we headed up. We did get fooled a bit though as we were told Dayton was "just outside" of Chattanooga. I'd consider 40 miles a bit more than "just" outside. However, the trip was definitely worth it as the staff were friendly, the food was tasty (the Irish nachos tho), and the beers were great. We sampled through lagers and hazy IPAs, a kveik-brewed beer, and a slew of diabetes-industry pastry stouts like Not Fat, Just Fluffy fluffernutter stout.
Kirby Garrison, co-owner and brewer at Monkey Town joins us this week to tell the story of his hometown and the reception to his brewery. We chat about the canvas of craft beer and the experience of enjoying the Jackson Pollocks of the industry, the pros and cons of brewing in a small town market, and about a dude that "spent some time" in Tennessee.
Monkey Town may not be a convenient stop for most people but if you find yourself within 40 miles or so of Dayton it's definitely worth a visit. Enjoy their great selection of beers, shoot some pool, and make sure to order the Irish nachos.
Why don't more breweries have pool tables these days? Monkey Town has a few to enjoy while sampling their brews with friends. CRAFT BEER NEWS Weathered Souls Has Launched The Black is Beautiful Collaboration Initiative Jester King is Turning Their Property into a Park To Address Social Distancing Needs Firestone Walker is Pulling Out of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut THE BEER LIST Atlanta Brewing Co. / Georgia Aquarium Jellyfish strawberry and rhubarb Berliner Weisse Hidden Springs Aleworks Drone Thugs N Harmony Berliner Weisse with passionfruit and hibiscus Parish Brewing Ghost in the Machine Westbrook Mexican Cake 2020 Stout ICYMI: More Tennessee beer Cold Beer and Hot Chicken with Yazoo Brewing Co. | Episode 149 Elkmont Exchange and Hop Soul Brewery | Beer Guys Radio #132
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Ology Brewing sees growth and expansion amid Covid-19 lockdowns
Any time you turn on the news these days there's plenty of gloom to go around. The hospitality industry, including breweries, has been hit extremely hard. However, Tallahassee's Ology Brewing is keeping busy and planning expansions. They opened their 3rd taproom in April and will be starting up a distillery soon, and a new canning line is also on the way.
We met Ology founders Paul Woodward and Nick Walker in Atlanta at a beer festival a couple of years ago and visited their original taproom in 2019. Their aggressively-hopped Sensory Overload IPAs and delicious fruit beers from the Juice Lab series were some of our favorites on our trip. We talk about these beers as well as the resurgence of the West Coast IPA and long-boil, super #thicc stouts. Walker's family has a long history with the scientific side of our senses. His grandfather researched how we perceive taste and his father researched the sense of smell. In Ology's brews there's a heavy focus on the science without sacrificing the artistic qualities of craft beer. Keep an eye out for the Ology distillery soon. Woodward tells us they'll offer several spirits with a big focus on quality rum.
Tallahassee has a small but growing beer scene with a passionate fan base. If you find yourself in the panhandle make sure to put Ology on your list.
Team BGR at Ology in April 2019. Just in case you missed it Brian and Smalls will point the way. CRAFT BEER NEWS Two Real Men of Genius Went Viral with their Beer Catapult A Pennsylvania Convenience Store Has Collaborated on A Hot Dog Beer 125 Colorado Breweries are Collaborating on Colorado Strong Pale Ale THE BEER LIST Ology Brewing All Together IPA (A worldwide collaboration from Other Half with processed going to displaced workers in the hospitality industry) Ology Purple Telescope Berliner Weisse with Raspberry, Blackberry, Strawberry Ology Resolved Enigma West Coast IPA Ology Sensory Overload Hazy Citra IPA Ellipsis Hey Hefe! Ommegang Neon Neon Rainbows Sideward Tiki Sour ICYMI: More Florida beer Tallahassee Craft Beer with Proof Brewing and SGI Brewfest | Ep. 176 Diving in with DEEP Brewing | Episode 144
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Brewery Ommegang brings trendy new beers to their classical Belgian-style offerings
If you're as old as dirt like Brian and me then there's a good chance Brewery Ommegang was part of your craft beer journey. The late 90s to the early 2000s where was when I really started to explore craft beer. Mainly because I got my tail out of Arkansas where there was a bit more to explore.
Ommegang's estery and spicy beers we're a welcome change of pace from the typical Ambers, Golden Ales, and too-bitter-for-me IPAs of the time. I love Belgian beers. Back in the old days, a brewery could offer just 3-4 beers and be successful. Times have changed, and Ommegang is well aware of those changes. In the last few years they've introduced Blenderie Ommegang and collaborations with their sibling breweries Boulevard and Firestone Walker, and parent Duvel Moortgat. They've also got a Belgian Pilsner in the mix and a handful of IPAs. Beer nerds fret no more, Ommegang has you covered.
We talk with Ommegang Brewmaster Phil Leinhart about his background and long brewing career, the new stuff happening at Ommegang, hop farming in New York state, how they partnered to brew the Game of Thrones series of beers, and more.
CRAFT BEER NEWS 3 Floyds Has No “Immediate Plans” to Reopen The 3 Floyds Brewpub A 12-Ounce Can Shortage Looms Due to People Stocking Up on Beer 125 Colorado Breweries are Collaborating on Colorado Strong Pale Ale THE BEER LIST Brewery Ommegang Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Smoked Porter Game of Thrones: My Watch Has Ended Hennepin Farmhouse Saison Rare Vos Belgian Pale Ale Saison Rosé 2019 Saison Rosé 2020 Three Philosophers Belgian Quadrupel Original Blueberry Coffee Bourbon Barrel Wine Barrel Odd 13 Razooka Jane Fruited Sour Piedmont Brewery Satisfied American Lager Pipeworks Punch In Punch Out Pale Ale with pineapple, cherries, and tangerines Weldwerks Coffee French Toast Stout Wild Heaven Fauci Spring Acai Pale Ale ICYMI: More from The Beer of the North 14th Star Brewing with co-founder Steve Gagner | Ep. 193 Lawson’s Finest Liquids with Sean Lawson | Ep. 190 Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer with Athletic Brewing Co. | Ep. 164
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DSSOLVR Takes Old School and New School and Brews Until Surreal
What exactly does it mean to be Brewed Until Surreal? DSSOLVR founders Mike Semenec and Vince Tursi (pictured above) explain it to us, and then things get weird.
The pair are old homebrewing buddies that took their separate paths then came back together to start their own brewery. Tursi previously worked with amazing breweries such as Night Shift, Lord Hobo, and Burial Beer Co. while Semenec has a background in animation and design.
We talk about DSSOLVR's strong art and branding, which extends to their amazing Instagram account, how much it sucks to open 3 months before a global pandemic, dimensional portals, Freaky Friday, acid rock, and a lot more. We even work in some beer talk about their desire to honor the classics while bringing out new and fun beers, their tasty and balanced Born in the Juicy IPA, and boatloads of collaborations. And... we find out what the hell a Chippy Boy is. CRAFT BEER NEWS Six Harbor Brewing delivers beer with brew dogs An Irish pub one-ups delivery by dog with delivery by drone A Brewery in Germany Has Given Away 690 Gallons of Free Beer During the Pandemic THE BEER LIST DSSOLVR Before Barleywine Raised in the Juicy IPA Thank You For Existing Kölsch TV Wasteland German Pilsner Eventide Pair of Kings IPA Good Word / Blackberry Farm Any Day Now Italian Pilsner Ruse / Moksa Wafel Iron Stroopwafel Stout Six Bridges Spilled Coffee Brown Ale Tucker Roaring Twenties Radler
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Pontoon Brewing made waves with their Rainbow Smiggles release, but there's more to their beers than cereal and candy
Sean O'Keefe, owner and CEO of Pontoon Brewing, is cool with the flack he got when he launched Rainbow Smiggles. He expected it. The Berliner Weisse infused with fruit and Trix and Skittles is part of the brewery's Serious Series after all. Pontoon likes to have fun with their beers, and the people that enjoy them.
However, there are still some big and bold beers available from the brewery. They frequently offer up generously-fruited Berliners and their Brownie Batter stout has seen plenty of variants with every adjunct imaginable. If you're looking to play it a little more safe then you can enjoy their Sol Crush Mexican Lager or a Galaxy Drifter IPA.
O'Keefe and Brewmaster Chris Baratz joined us in the studio this week. We talked about how their coping with Covid, brewing with lactose, crowdsourcing beer ideas, pilsners, and the plan for unique releases moving forward. We also get some details on the 2020 Brownie Bash Beer Festival with lots of collaborations and guest breweruies. Plus, O'Keefe make a BIG announcement about the brewery.
Pontoon Sol Crusher is a delicious Vienna-style Lager. The latest version drops the fruit from the previous release to let the beautiful malts shine through. (Photo: Pontoon Brewing) CRAFT BEER NEWS American Craft Beer Week is coming May 11-17th! Check out the link for more info on how you can support independent American brewers. Sierra Nevada donates their lab to help create "test medium" to aid Coronavirus efforts AB InBev wins latest round of the Corn Syrup Wars THE BEER LIST Pontoon Brewing 2017 Black Squall Russian Imperial Stout Dem Bones Dry-hopped Pilsner Galaxy Drifter IPA Sol Crusher Mexican / Vienna Lager Tropical Clusterf#$%! Berliner Weisse with tropical fruit Creature Comforts Automatic Pale Ale Highland Brewing Rising Haze IPA
The Pontoon Brewing Crew at the Beer Guys Radio studio. L-R: Earnest Hansley, Chris Baratz, Sean O'Keefe. ICYMI: More beer (and mead) from the Dirty South The Cannon Brewpub with Brewmaster Charles McLendon | Ep. 220 Ironmonger Brewing and Viking Alchemist Meadery bring you the Ironmonger Experience | Ep. 218 18th century yeast, slow pour Pils, and craft seltzer talk with Fractal Brewing Project | Ep. 217
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Almanac Beer Co. wants to capture a specific place and time with every beer
We last spoke with Almanac Beer Co. at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival in Denver*. Co-founder Jesse Friedman and (current) Brewmaster Phillip Emerson joined us just after collecting a silver medal for their White Label. As you might expect, everyone was in good spirits and we had a great conversation. Emerson joined us again to talk a bit more in depth and update us on their growth. Four years ago Almanac was a gypsy brewer, utilizing other breweries to brew their beer. In 2018 they opened an expansive barrel house and taproom in Alameda, CA.
We talk with Emerson about his life before beer, the history of the brewery and its name, harnessing the power of science over time, farmer's markets, advancements in yeast, craft malt, and brewing with kveik.
*Our 2016 interview with Almanac is available to our Patreon supporters as part of the BGR Vault. Sign up starting at just $1/month and get access to this episode and many others. Plus, you'll get all new episodes commercial free. CRAFT BEER NEWS
This week, more Coronavirus vs. Craft Breweries news and the Brewers Association announces layoffs and salary cuts for management, Atlanta's Monday Night Brewing shares the results of their customer survey on what people expect when they return to taprooms, and distilleries are helping out by making sanitizer out of beer that would otherwise be dumped. We are so ready for some blue skies for our brewers. THE BEER LIST Almanac Vibes Hoppy Pilsner Almanac Boost Coffee Stout Almanac LOUD! Hazy DIPA Almanac Love Hazy IPA Almanac Passion Project Farmhouse IPA Almanac BA Sunshine & Opportunity Tart Ale Reformation Brewery / Atlanta Beer Boutique Drink Well With Others Peach Cobbler Sour Three Taverns / Good Word Three Words (It Goes On) NE DIPA Wild Heaven Don't Stand So Close To Me Euro Lager ICYMI: More California breweries Wild Barrel Brewing’s Dr. Bill Sysak | Ep. 222 FiftyFifty Brewing’s Alicia Barr | Ep. 215 AleSmith Brewing’s Peter Zien | Ep. 197
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Almanac Beer Co. wants to capture a specific place and time with every beer We last spoke with Almanac Beer Co. at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival in Denver*. Co-founder Jesse Friedman and (current) Brewmaster Phillip Emerson joined us just after collecting a silver medal for their White Label. As you might expect, everyone was in good spirits and we had a great conversation. Emerson joined us again to talk a bit more in depth and update us on their growth. Four years ago Almanac was a gypsy brewer, utilizing other breweries to brew their beer. In 2018 they opened an expansive barrel house and taproom in Alameda, CA.
We talk with Emerson about his life before beer, the history of the brewery and its name, harnessing the power of science over time, farmer's markets, advancements in yeast, craft malt, and brewing with kveik.
*Our 2016 interview with Almanac is available to our Patreon supporters as part of the BGR Vault. Sign up starting at just $1/month and get access to this episode and many others. Plus, you'll get all new episodes commercial free.
CRAFT BEER NEWS This week, more Coronavirus vs. Craft Breweries news and the Brewers Association announces layoffs and salary cuts for management, Atlanta's Monday Night Brewing shares the results of their customer survey on what people expect when they return to taprooms, and distilleries are helping out by making sanitizer out of beer that would otherwise be dumped. We are so ready for some blue skies for our brewers.
THE BEER LIST * Almanac Vibes Hoppy Pilsner * Almanac Boost Coffee Stout * Almanac LOUD! Hazy DIPA * Almanac Love Hazy IPA * Almanac Passion Project Farmhouse IPA * Almanac BA Sunshine & Opportunity Tart Ale * Reformation Brewery / Atlanta Beer Boutique Drink Well With Others Peach Cobbler Sour * Three Taverns / Good Word Three Words (It Goes On) NE DIPA * Wild Heaven Don't Stand So Close To Me Euro Lager
ICYMI: More California breweries * Wild Barrel Brewing’s Dr. Bill Sysak | Ep. 222 * FiftyFifty Brewing’s Alicia Barr | Ep. 215 * AleSmith Brewing’s Peter Zien | Ep. 197
Off Color Brewing was founded with a goal of brewing forgotten beer styles and swears they'll never brew an IPA
Off Color Brewing co-founder John Laffler has remained true to his word. Despite the hotness of trendy IPAs, he's yet to offer one at his brewery. Instead you'll find sahti, chicha, and kotbusser or slightly more familiar styles like gose, saison, and wild farmhouse ales. In addition to beer Laffler enjoys bourbon, honey and bees, and he loves the interplay of yeast and bacteria. Before starting his brewery he spent time at Goose Island and had a hand in crafting many of their most famous beers, like Bourbon County Stout and King Henry. He does offer up one beer that might be considered a trendy brew, Dino S'Mores is an adjunct stout with graham flour, marshmallows, vanilla, and cocoa. Trendy or not, it's delicious. As we talked with Laffler he sipped a bottle of Miller High Life. It's no secret that he's a fan of the beer and even brewed a collaboration with Miller. a Wild Ale built on a base of High Life. As mentioned, he has a passion for bees and honey and uses honey in his beers, although Illinois law prevents him from brewing mead due to his licensing.
Off Color Brewing offers a variety of unique and tasty beers like Sparkles Finds (some) Trouble (Hibiscus Gose) and Yuzu Fierce (Yuzu Berliner Weisse. THE BEER LIST Off Color Dino S'Mores | S'Mores Stout Off Color Jerk Bird | Belgian Strong Golden Ale Off Color Space Tiger | Farmhouse Ale Off Color Sparkles Finds (some) Trouble | Hibiscus Gose Off Color Yuzu Fierce | Berliner Weisse with yuzu Halfway Crooks Memory | Peach Saison ICYMI: More from the Midwest Revolution Brewing with John “Jumpy” Palos | Ep. 202 The Chicago Brewseum | Ep. 198 New Glarus Brewing with Daniel Carey | Ep. 163
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San Diego's "Dr. Bill" talks changing preferences, beer cellars, bottle shares, and brewing what the people want at Wild Barrel Brewing
Wild Barrel Brewing co-founder and CEO Dr. Bill Sysak is a legend in the San Diego beer scene. He started his craft beer journey at the tender age of 15, holding tastings with his dad. These tastings also sparked his passion for beer pairing when he made a PB&J while sampling a Barleywine. His passion never slowed down and as Dr. Bill got older (and of legal drinking age) he developed a love of teaching and sharing beer with others. Whether at his home in San Diego or at events like Denver's Great American Beer Festival his bottle shares are as legendary as he is.
We talk with Dr. Bill about the early days of craft beer, getting started with beer pairing, brewing the beers that people want to drink, converting non-craft drinkers.
Wild Barrel Brewing's founders. (L-R) Chris White, Bill Sobieski, and Dr. Bill Sysak. (Photos courtesy of Wild Barrel Brewing) The Beer List In the order Dr. Bill suggested we drink them: Wild Barrel Brewing Vice POG Berliner Weisse Wild Barrel Brewing Catch You on the Hazy Side NEIPA Wild Barrel Brewing Vice Apricot Cherry Berliner Weisse Wild Barrel Brewing Price of Dankness West Coast/San Diego Style DIPA Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn NA Golden Ale Halfway Crooks Ada German Pilsner Halfway Crooks Fiets Dry-hopped American Farmhouse Ale ICYMI: More California breweries FiftyFifty Brewing’s Alicia Barr | Ep. 215 AleSmith Brewing’s Peter Zien
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Breakside Brewery's co-founder and brewmaster Ben Edmunds talks changing business practices, brewing with unusual ingredients, and a ton of collaborations for their 10th anniversary
Like every other brewery Portland, Oregon's Breakside Brewery is doing things a bit differently for now. Co-founder, co-owner, and brewmaster Ben Edmunds tells us they are operating on to-go and delivery options. When asked if he's learned anything through this that might impact business going forward he quickly notes that it's too soon to tell, they're just trying to make it through the pandemic.
Breakside is know mainly for their stable of award-winning IPAs but Edmunds shares with us some of his more adventurous brews with ingredients like mushrooms, seaweed, and bonito flakes. We also chat about all the amazing hops out there and what varieties are exciting him right now, and discuss a bit about hop terroir.
Amid all the madness Edmunds will brew 26 collaboration beers to celebrate their 10th Anniversary this year. He promises there will be a party at some point, but in the meantime they'll have plenty of beers to enjoy. The Beer List Breakside Wanderlust IPA Breakside What Rough Beast Hazy IPA Breakside Rainbows & Unicorns IPA
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The Cannon Brewpub has been serving up classic brews for over 20 years
In 2018 we took a Georgia Brewery Tour and visited every brewery and brewpub in the state, including our first trip to The Cannon Brewpub. It's surprising to me I'd never been there before as it's one of the oldest breweries in the state.
The Cannon doesn't brew anything too crazy (OK, occasionally a Purple Drink might hit the taps) but they know their customers and keep a steady flow of classic beers flowing. The military influence of Fort Benning is obvious in many of their beer names, like their best selling Red Jacket Amber Ale or Special Ops IPA. Brewmaster Charles McLendon says he has started brewing a few sours and other some kveik IPAs to liven things up, but The Cannon's customers enjoy their good 'ol drinking beers.
We talk more with McLendon about Columbus, how their handling things during the Covid Crisis, his pre-brewing career, and what macro he likes to reach for.
Technology has been our friend these last few weeks as we've recorded our shows remotely from home. We hope you are all staying safe and healthy! The Beer List
Brian decided to have some fun with his beers and drink brews appropriate for a pandemic quarantine Cherry Street Shutdown Stout Oprheus Transmigration of Souls Sierra Nevada Rain Check
Tim's Beers Borderlands Noche Dulce Vanilla Porter Highland Daycation Session IPA
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Welcome to the Hops & Ledgers Podcast!
Hops & Ledgers is a series of quarterly podcast episodes that will focus on the business aspects of the craft beverage industry. Presented in partnership with Wipfli CPAs and Consultants, each episode will cover a different area of interest to launch or grow your brewery. Our intentions with the launch of this new podcast were to bring you much more positive content, but due to the severe impact on the craft beverage industry we felt that our first episode should address Coronavirus / Covid-19 and the resources available to help ease the strain on brewers. Protecting Your Brewery Through the Coronavirus Crisis
Pat Tuley and Terry Hoover of Wipfli are our presenters in this episode and will cover the many options available to breweries. The information presented here is up-to-date as of the recording but this is a constantly changing situation. Please consults your financial advisor or contact Wipfli with any questions.
Topics discussed: Overview of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) SBA Loans for Breweries Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) What brewers should be doing TODAY Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act Emergency Expansion of Family Medical Leave Act Tax Credits Delayed Federal Tax Deadlines and Payments Tax Provisions for Individuals Employee Retention Credit Delayed Payment of Employer Payroll Taxes Modifications to Net Operating Loss (NOLs) Limitation on Losses for Taxpayers other than Corporations Limitation on Business Interest Expense Temporary Exception from Excise Tax for Alcohol used to Produce Hand Sanitizer Resources For Wipfli’s COVID-19 Resource Center, see https://www.wipfli.com/covid-19-resource-center For an IRS summary of filing and payment deadlines FAQs, see https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-and-payment-deadlines-questions-and-answers For IRS guidance updates on coronavirus tax relief, see https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus For a 35-page Senate staff summary of the overall CARES Act, see https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/CARES%20Act%20Section-by-Section%20(Tax,%20Unemployment%20Insurance).pdf For the CARES Act text, see https://files.taxfoundation.org/20200325223111/FINAL-FINAL-CARES-ACT.pdf Have Questions?
Please contact your financial advisor with any questions or reach out to Pat Tuley or Terry Hoover at Wipfli for assistance. Pat Tuley - Atlanta, GA Office pat.tuley@wipfli.com Terry Hoover - Appleton, WI Office terry.hoover@wipfli.com Legal Disclaimer
The information included and discussed in this presentation is general in nature and should not be relied upon in providing tax or legal advice without independent research and analysis.
Tax and legislative policies are ever evolving. Current updates to information and analysis included and discussed in this presentation should be considered.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
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Making the best of our quarantine with some Belgian beer talk
Like everyone else we're having to make some adjustments as the country is on lockdown. We've had some guests cancel as they try to take care of their personal matters so this week Brian and I logged on from our personal pandemic bunkers to talk Belgian beer.
Wayyy back in the 1990s and early 2000s we didn't have a huge variety of beers available in Georgia and Belgian beers helped us keep a nice mix of styles. From light and crisp Golden Ales to big and beautiful quads, we really enjoyed our Belgians and it's great to revisit them from time to time.
We talk about the major styles of Belgian beers and some history around them. Hopefully if you haven't experienced Belgians before you'll go out and give them a try.
Stay safe, Everyone!
[caption id="attachment_46995" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Up the stairs at Decatur, Georgia's Brick Store Pub you'll find cozy Belgian beer bar. Grab some friends and tuck away in the nook and enjoy a huge variety of Belgian beers.[/caption] The Beer List Chimay Red Belgian Dubbel Duvel Belgian Golden Ale Gouden Carolus Cuvee van de Kaiser Blau Belgian Strong Dark Ale Orpheus Methode Traditionelle Everything Lasts Forever Reformation Barrel-Aged Jude Belgian Tripel
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Ironmonger Brewing and Viking Alchemist Meadery team up for destination location in Marietta, GA
March was supposed to be a big month for celebrations in Cobb County, GA. The local tourism bureau dubbed the county-wide event Bubbles & Brews to celebrate all their great craft beverage makers. They did not plan for a global pandemic to take over mid-month.
Ironmonger Brewing and Viking Alchemist Meadery had big plans as well. Ironmonger landed the coveted St. Patrick's Day party for the Bubbles & Brews event and Viking Alchemist planned to debut their new Ironmonger-adjacent taproom in early April. The doors are still open at Ironmonger and the plan to keep it that way as long as they can, they have taken steps to be extra clean and to encourage social distancing. Viking Alchemist continues the work on their taproom and will debut as soon as they can.
If you do make the trip up to Ironmonger you can enjoy a cold beer while throwing some axes with your friends at the Ironmonger Axe Throwing Range. Or take it easy in the tasting room and stare at the big screen that would have the game on, if there were any games being played.
Grab your friends for some axe throwing at Ironmonger Brewing. (Photo: Ironmonger Brewing)
We chat with Ironmonger about the beers they have on new, including a popular Vienna Lager in conjunction with ATL Rugby, as well as some sodas from their Naughty Soda brand. In addition to the brewery, meadery, and axe throwing the Ironmonger team would like to add some food choices or perhaps a distillery to their complex to complete the Ironmonger Experience.
Viking Alchemist gives us a primer on mead styles and tells us about their TWO new taprooms opening soon, and we try to talk them into making some Smoothie Meads.
Check out Ironmonger and Viking Alchemist to sling some axes and grab a drink. If there's no baseball on maybe you can see what's playing on The Ocho.
A sampling of the meads from Viking Alchemist Meadery. (Photo: Viking Alchemist Meadery) The Beer List Ironmonger Celtic Cross | Barrel-aged Dry Irish Stout Ironmonger Rugby ATL | Vienna Lager Viking Alchemist Pompeii | Semis-sweet Mead aged in Lazy Guy Distillery Smoke City bourbon barrel Viking Alchemist Skol | Cherry Mead Arches Brewing / Nappy Roots Kentucky Mud | Chocolate Milk Stout
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Beer and math and ancient yeast mix it up at Fractal Brewing Project
Fractal Brewing Project is one of the new kids on the Huntsville beer scene but their Head Brewer Bradley "Robo" Robison isn't new to the game. Robo previously brewed at Huntsville's Below the Radar and Rocket Republic, and he also served the good 'ol US of A in the United States Marine Corps.
Robo and brewery owner Larry Lowe joined us in the studio this week to open some beers and chat. We talk about their awesome Grisette that uses a revived 18th Century yeast and the origins of this style, originally brewed for miners. We press them on their stance on hard seltzer and why craft breweries are jumping on that bandwagon, and if there's much difference in a seltzer or a beer with cereal or candy in it.
Fractal is in Straight To Ale's original building (Straight to Ale has moved to the Campus 805 development in Huntsville) and how they want to preserve everyone's good memories of the place while offering them a new and exciting experience. We really enjoyed the brews we tried - the aforementioned Grisette, a Saison, an Amber Ale, a Fruited Sour, and a fantastic Baltic Porter. If you're heading to Huntsville stop by the taproom and try your hand at a math problem or two while enjoying some of their tasty brews.
A peek inside the sparkling taproom at Fractal Brewing Project. (Photo: Fractal Brewing Project) The Beer List Fractal Amber Ale Fractal Baltic Porter Fractal Black IPA Fractal Guava Mango | Sour Ale Fractal Grisette Fractal Saison Fractal Time Taker | German Pilsner Six Bridges Circus Mind | Tart Ale with blueberry, cherry, guava, cinnamon, Peach Roasters coffee, and lactose Wild Leap Alpha Abstraction DIPA Vol. 11 ICYMI | More from the Dirty South Experimental Brewing and Hydroponic Hops with Wild Leap Brew Co. | Ep. 216 StillFire Brewing with Phil Farrell and Walt Wooden | Ep. 203 Drinking Drinkin’ Beers with Manchester Orchestra’s Tim Very | Ep. 196
One of the tasty beers offered at Huntsville's Fractal Brewing Project. The taproom also features ciders and non-alcoholic choices. (Photo: Fractal Brewing Project)
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Wild Leap Brew Co. keeps jumping with new beers and distilled spirits Wild Leap Brew Co. has been making waves with a huge showing in our Best of Georgia Beer awards and being named Best New Brewery by USA Today. They've earned their honors with a constant stream of tasty beers like the Truck Chaser series of ice cream truck-inspired brews and their DIPA Alpha Abstraction series feature the same base beer but with new hops in each release, currently on Volume 11.
We sat down this week at the BGR Studios with the Wild Leap crew to talk beer. Chris Elliott, Chief Brewing Officer; Rob Goldstein, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Office; and Doug Sayler, Lead Brewer all made the trip to hang out and chat over a few brews. We talk about having fun with experimental ingredients and the challenge of planning around those ingredients, their cool Three Harvest collaboration with Extreme Hops AL, an IPA utilizing hydroponically grown hops, and what that could mean for hop farming in the future. We press Goldstein on the possibility of a taproom in Atlanta and what we're going to see in Alpha Abstraction Vol. 12.
In addition to brewing up beer after beer, Wild Leap has also ventured into distilled spirits. They currently offer a vodka for cocktails at the taproom and in retail 750s. Elliott tells us they're experimenting with distilling at the brewery/distillery now to see what's next. A distilled IPA, maybe?
Hanging with the cool kids from Wild Leap! (L-R) Brian, Doug Sayler, Chris Elliott, Rob Goldstein, and Tim D.
The Beer List * Wild Leap Alpha Abstraction Vol. 11 | DIPA with HBC472 hops * Wild Leap Caramel Cake Stout * Wild Leap Chance | IPA * Wild Leap Three Harvest | DIPA with hydroponic hops * Wild Leap Truck Chaser Creamsicle | DIPA with orange, vanilla bean, and milk sugar * Carton Regular Coffee | Imperial Cream Ale with coffee and lactose
ICYMI | More from Georgia * StillFire Brewing with Phil Farrell and Walt Wooden | Ep. 203 * Good Word Brewing and Public House's Todd DiMatteo | Ep. 199 * Wild Leap Brew C0. | Ep. 99 - Hear Chris and Rob's thoughts from November 2017!
Wild Leap Alpha Abstraction Vol 9 took the #1 spot for our 2019 Best of Georgia Beer awards in the Best New DIPA category. (Photo: Wild Leap Brew Co.)
FiftyFifty Brewing's Alicia Barr talks craft beer and cannibalism FiftyFifty Brewing's co-founders Alicia and Andrew Barr were both working as engineers when they decided they'd had enough of the rate race and wanted a change of pace. After some planning, they loaded up the truck and the moved to Truckee... California that is.
The Barrs homebrewed prior to starting their brewery but chose not to bring any of their recipes over to production. They hired a pro to take care of the brewing and recipe development. That seemed to work out pretty well as it didn't take long before the brewery's Eclipse variants became highly sought after. I recall (mostly) my first time trying Eclipse, a couple of variants at a bottle share. Deep, rich, and luxurious stouts in bourbon or rye barrels or treated with coffee. 2019 even saw a Jägermeister variant. Although Eclipse is what most people know them for FiftyFifty brews a variant of beers, including the tasty West Coast Haze.
Alicia Barr joins us this week to talk about their growth from a pub to a production brewery, the challenges of finding warehouse space in a tiny town, earning GABF's Brewery Group of the Year Award, and the "fun" of having a brewery in the same town where the Donner Party spent their fateful winter. It's about time we worked some good cannibalism conversation into the show.
[caption id="attachment_46914" align="aligncenter" width="800"] You may know them for Eclipse, but FiftyFifty Brewing offers more than just big 'ol stouts. (Photo: FiftyFifty Brewing)[/caption]
The Beer List * FiftyFifty Brewing 2015 Eclipse Grand Cru * FiftyFifty Brewing 2019 Eclipse Rye Cuvee * FiftyFifty Brewing 2019 West Coast Haze IPA * Creature Comforts / Allagash Get Comfortable Belgian-Style IPA
ICYMI | More from California brewers * Brülosophy’s Marshall Schott talks exBEERimentation | Ep. 204 * AleSmith Brewing’s Peter Zien | Ep. 197 * Beer and Freedom with 21st Amendment’s Shaun O’Sullivan | Ep. 182
[caption id="attachment_46915" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Get all the variants and taste the rainbow with FiftyFifty Eclipse imperial stouts. (Photo: FiftyFifty Brewing)[/caption]
The Taps @ Ph'East offers a variety of beer, whiskey, and of course... sake When we originally scheduled to meet up with the crew at the Taps @ Ph'East (the awesome bar inside the new Asian food hall at The Battery Atlanta) the plan was to talk about their new concept, a bit about Asian beers, a bit about sake, and a bit about pairing. That was the plan, anyhow.
Zach Yurchuck and Cliff Crider have supported Beer Guys Radio from the beginning. They were our very first sponsor, back before we every aired our first episode. They'd just opened their first Truck & Tap location and chose to get the word out via our show. They are some of our favorite people. Over the next four years they've opened two additional Truck & Tap locations and now the Taps & Ph'East. Those guys have been busy.
[caption id="attachment_46865" align="aligncenter" width="800"] (L-R) Zach Yurchuck and Cliff Crider share info on their new location and the wonders of sake.[/caption]
We started off talking about their growth, their unique concept, kayak fly fishing, etc. Once we dove into sake talk that's where the night took us. We did manage to get in one Asian beer, a Beerlao paired with our squid on a stick that was really good.
Zach shared a selection of sakes from a "table sake" in a juicebox to a high-end "Daiginjo" sake. We talk about some basic sake terms and how it's fermented as we sip through the lineup. I even found out there are hazy sakes, and they're pretty good. Fruited ones, too. Seems like sake and beer have a lot in common.
[caption id="attachment_46874" align="aligncenter" width="800"] If you find yourself at Ph'East, make sure to gran a Squid on a Stick and a Beerlao Dark Lager.[/caption]
The Beer and Sake List * Creature Comforts Tropicalia IPA (as a sake bomb with mango sake) * Green Bench Postcard Pils * Revision Glitter Moon NEIPA * Chiyomusubi Kitaro * Gekkeikan Black & Gold * Nakano Kunizakari Nigori * Sakari Onikoroshi Demon Slayer
MadTree Brewing looks to give back as they celebrate 7 years This week we head to Ohio to chat with MadTree Brewing's Trevor Self. Trevor has worn a lot of hats during his time with the brewery. He started out like many others, volunteering his time to help can delicious beers. This eventually let to a real, paid position and finally into a QA role where he helped transition MadTree to their fancy new (and much larger) brewhouse.
Today, Trevor is Assistant Brand Manager, spreading the word about MadTree mission and beers. We find out about the plans for their 7th anniversary, their recent commitment to 1% for the Planet, the brew scene in Ohio, and lots of hot coffee beer talk.
In the news Brian shares another story about how Big Beer just can't catch a break, and the fact that there are laws when you're drinking Claws. We also dive into Pontoon Brewing's Rainbow Smiggles again, and I continue my exploration of NA Beers with a trio from Bravus.
Photos: MadTree Brewing Co.
The Beer List * Bravus Amber Ale | Non-alcoholic Amber Ale * Bravus IPA | Non-alcoholic IPA * Bravus Oatmeal Stout | Non-alcoholic Oatmeal Stout * MadTree Lift | Kolsch * MadTree Local Blend CIN | Lactose Porter with coffee from Deeper Roots Coffee * MadTree Local Blend CBUS | Lactose Porter with coffee from Stauf’s Coffee Roasters * MadTree Local Blend CLE | Lactose Porter with coffee from Phoenix Coffee Co. * MadTree Local Blend DAY | Lactose Porter with coffee from Boston Stoker * MadTree Wheat Pray Love | American Pale Wheat * Pontoon Rainbow Smiggles | Berliner with pineapple, strawberries, lactose, Skittles, and Trix
ICYMI: More breweries giving back * Maine Beer Co. | Ep. 156
Rainy Day Brewery wants you to brew your own beer and explore some classic styles Amid the craze of massively-hopped IPAs and boozy, barrel-aged stouts there's a bit of a resurgence in the love of classic beer styles. Here in Georgia, and I'm sure some other places as well, we're seeing breweries focus on these drinkin' beers. Pale Ale, Pilsner, Blonde Ale, and even a simple Porter or Stout can be a great beer to relax and enjoy. No hype, no lines, no madness, just great beer.
Michael Syrop and Ron Mitchell of Rainy Day Brewery share how these simple beer styles can really test a brewer's skill. There's nowhere to hide with these beers. No huge fruit additions or bourbon-barrel to mask flaws. What you brew is what you get. Rainy Day Brewery won the top Homebrewers spot in our Best of Georgia Beer 2019 survey so we invited them to join us on a show and share their tips for homebrewing.
The best part of creating your own homebrew recipes is the research Ron and Michael share with us what got them started in homebrewing and why you would want to start homebrewing with the huge variety of beers available today. They share their process for creating your own homebrew recipes. My personal favorite step is all the research that goes into it. I'm all about the hard work.
We also talk about new developments in brewing processes and science, experimental hops and other interesting ingredients, and a special #5thSegment on brewing for competitions.
Homebrewing can be simple and relatively inexpensive to get started. It's a great way to spend a day with your friends, or a quiet day doing a solo brew. Go on and find yourself a homebrew club and dive in.
BGR+RDB! Rainy Day Brewery's Ron Mitchell and Michael Syrop shared their brewing tips and their beer with Tim and Brian this week. (Photo: Rainy Day Brewery/Michael Syrop)
ICYMI: More homebrewing talk * + Homebrewing IPAs and Stouts with Little Cottage and Jay Brantley | Ep. 165 + Off-flavors in homebrewing | Ep. 115
The Superb Owl is coming and you're going to need some beer... It's time for the biggest football matchup of the year, which is also a great excuse for some killer parties. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers throw down in Miami this Sunday and we're ready for the party. To prep for the festivities we sampled a few beers from the team's cities and talk about Super Bowl stats, food and beer stats, and pairing pork rinds with your beers.
We kickoff with San Francisco's 21st Amendment's El Sully Mexican Lager, then move into Q2 with some Kansas City brew and Boulevard's Tank 7 American Saison. San Fran comes back strong in the 3rd with Anchor Brewing's Old Foghorn English Barleywine and we finish out the game with a wildcard from Michigan, Bell's Hopslam.
Fun fact... Super Bowl Sunday is also National Pork Rind Appreciation Day. Seriously. To celebrate this glorious holiday we're joined by Chef Reuben Wood who offers up pairing suggestions with a variety of Southern Recipe pork rinds. He also shares some info on a contest at porkrinds.com running during the Big Game where they'll be giving away over $2500 in prizes and supporting the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.
No matter who your root for, make sure you're party is in point!
ICYMI: More beer and food pairing * Craft Beer and Cheese Pairing with Brick Store Pub's Bernard McCoy | Ep. 166 * Beer and BBQ Pairing | Ep. 131
Despite Mother Nature's best efforts, the 16th Annual Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting was a huge success It was an unusually warm day for the 16th Annual Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting and this brought with it some crazy weather. As attendees filled Bold Monk Brewing to sample the cask ales the rain started coming down strong and with about an hour left the hammer dropped. The parking lot flooded and the very well-covered patio was drenched, and finally, the power went out. Fortunately, we had completed our show taping but it did cause some chaos for the Bold Monk and cut a few festival-goers off from their cask ales a bit early. Even with the craziness, I think everyone had a great time.
This is our 4th year partnering with Brewtopia Events for ACAT and we kept our tradition going by speaking with festival organizer Owen Ogletree about the event and the ever-changing world of cask ales. We also spoke to a few of the breweries currently under construction in Georgia that we hope to see debut in 2020.
The team from Social Fox Brewing is ready to bring some brews to Norcross.
A few of Georgia's Next Breweries * Outrun Brewing | Founders Josh Miller and Ryan Silva (formerly of Decatur, GA's Three Taverns) join us to discuss the plans for their retro 80s-themed brewery coming to Stone Mountain. We did confirm there will be an Outrun arcade machine at the brewery. * Sabbath Brewing | Founder Jeff Oparnica joins us to talk about his struggles fighting through zoning laws with the City of Atlanta, his plan to ferment 100% in oak vessels, and brewing raw ales. * Social Fox Brewing & Storey Time Construction | We didn't have enough mics to get the whole team on with us but they all came out to support the cause. Mike Greene joined us to represent Team Social Fox to talk about their brewery coming to Norcross. Anthony Storey joins us from Storey Time Construction as well to discuss building out their brewery and some others that are in the works. (Storey Time is one of BGR's super awesome sponsors.)
The Beer List A few favorites from the festival:
- Best End Hawker Hornet ESB
- The Eighth State Arcus | Sour Ale with blueberry, lemon, cinnamon, and marshmallow
- Rainy Day Brewery Double O Buzzin' | Coffee and vanilla Milk Stout with lactose
- StillFire Brewing Olde Chief Inspector '19 | Traditional English Barleywine
The 16th Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting offered up over 50 casks including ESBs, Emglish Milds, Barleywines, and plenty of pastry stouts.
ICYMI: Previous ACAT episodes * 15th Annual Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting with Bold Monk Brewing, Halfway Crooks, and Schoolhouse Brewing * 14th Annual Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting with Banyan Roots (now Best End Brewing), Line Creek Brewing, and Split Batch Brewery * 13th Annual Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting with Good Word Brewing, New Realm Brewing, and Variant Brewing
Bottleshare founder Christopher Glenn lives to help those in need Last week we sat down at Bottleshare Benefit Bash Vol. 1 to talk with Bottleshare founder Christopher Glenn as well as his collaboration partners Trey Sinclair of Dry County Brewing and Sean O'Keefe of Pontoon Brewing.
Chris' story is pretty amazing, after a serious accident left him unable to return to his previous career his former boss (Sinclair) shared an idea he had for "The Bottleshare." Chris was excited, ran with it, and has grown it into something much bigger than the original idea. Bottleshare's motto is Raising Glasses, Raising Hopes and their mission is to help those in the craft beverage industry that face hardships that pose a financial burden. At the Benefit Bash, Chris presented a check for $15,000 to Jennifer Barnes, widow of Modern Hops co-founder Philip Barnes.
[caption id="attachment_46754" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Bottleshare founder Christopher Glenn presents a check for $15,000 to Jennifer Barnes, widow of Modern Hops co-founder Philip Barnes, at the Bottleshare Benefit Bash Vol 1.[/caption]
Collaboration is key Glenn tells us many times how the support of Dry County and Sinclair helped grow Bottleshare. One of the ways the organization raises funds is through collaboration beers. Dry County was Bottleshare's first collaboration partner and have partnered with them on other beers as well. More collaborations are coming up from breweries like Atlanta's New Realm and New Orleans' Urban South.
Although slightly delayed due to some medical needs, early this year Glenn will embark on his #RGSA2020 tour. That's Raising Glasses, Saving Asses; a slight spin on the core slogan. RGSA will take Bottleshare across the US with stops in New Orleans and Denver already scheduled. The mission is to raise awareness of the organization, brew up some collaborations, and find partners for their new Bottleshare Collective.
[caption id="attachment_46755" align="aligncenter" width="708"] Bottleshare raises funds through many channels, including sales of collaboration beers like Vol. 1 with Dry County Brewing.[/caption]
The Beer List * Bottleshare / Dry County / Pontoon / Leprechauno Meadery Collaboration Vol. 6 | Fruited Braggot * Dry County Low Key IPA * Dry County Plank Pils * Dry County Kennesaw Bourbon Ale (KBA)
ICYMI: More to listen to Check out some previous appearances from Bottleshare, Dry County, and Pontoon Brewing.
- DuClaw brewing and The Bottleshare | Ep. 151
- TinyPalooza 3.5 with Dry County Brewing | Ep. 118
- Pontoon Brewing | Ep. 110
Results from our Best of Georgia Beer Readers' Choice Awards for 2019. Highlighting the best Georgia beer, breweries, brewpubs, homebrewers, beer bars, bottle shops, and more.
BEST OF GEORGIA BEER CATEGORIES
Best New Georgia Beer and Breweries For beers and breweries released or opened between December 1, 2018 and December 1, 2019.
Best New Georgia IPA Best New Georgia Imperial or Double IPA Best New Georgia Wild or Sour Beer Best New Georgia Stout Best New Georgia Lager Best New Georgia "Something Different" Beer For beers that didn't fit into one of the other categories.
Best New Georgia Brewery or Brewpub Overall Best of Georgia Beer No release or opening date requirements, all Georgia beer and breweries were eligible.
Best Georgia IPA Best Georgia Imperial or Double IPA Best Georgia Wild or Sour Beer Best Georgia Stout Best Georgia Lager Best Georgia "Something Different" Beer For beers that didn't fit into one of the other categories.
Best Georgia Brewery or Brewpub Best Georgia Homebrewer Best Georgia Beer Festival Best Georgia Beer Bar Best Georgia Bottle Shop Best of Georgia Beer - Previous Winners * Best of Georgia Beer 2018 * Best of Georgia and Alabama Beer 2017 * Best of Georgia Beer 2016
A lot happened in craft beer this year... This week we take a look back at some of the biggest stories in craft beer in 2019. Breweries continued to open in record numbers, finishing the year with over 8,000 craft brewers operating across the US. However, brewery closures climbed as well, with over 300 shuttering this year. Big brewers struggled to maintain market share, closing locations or cancelling planned expansions. Breweries sold to Big Beer, and merged to form larger craft breweries. Consumers continue to have more variety than ever and that presents it's own challenges for retailers and brewers. Shelf space and tap handles are beyond crowded, and with a brewery close to most neighborhoods more people are drinking their beers at the source. Both racial and gender diversity continue to be a focus for the industry with Founders very public mishandling of a discrimination suit this year making it clear we still have some work to do. Craft beer saw a surprising competitor with hard seltzer booming this year from both macro and craft brewers. A lot happened in the beer world this year, 2020 should be wild ride.
Beers to ring in the New Year Champagne may be the traditional toast for your New Year's Eve festivities but there are plenty of great beers that can deliver the same light, fruity, and effervescent character you get with a bottle of bubbly. We share a few recommendations as we cover our news stories
The Beer List
- Brasserie Dupont - Saison Dupont
- Brasserie Dupont - Avec Les Bons Voeux
- Blackberry Farms - Classic
- Prairie - Prairie-vous Français
- Jester King - Provenance Batch #2
- Duvel Moortgat - Duvel
- THE CHAMPAGNE OF BEERS
ICYMI: More to listen to Check out some of our other great episodes.
- pFriem Family Brewers with Josh Pfriem | Ep. 201
- AleSmith Brewing’s Peter Zien | Ep. 197
- Deschutes Brewery with Brian Faivre and Kyle Matthias | Ep. 194
SingleSpeed Brewing When SingleSpeed Brewing founder Dave Morgan decided to open a brewery he'd never brewed a single batch of beer. Morgan saw a need for a brewery in his area and decided he would be the one to do it. He headed to the Siebel Institute to figure out this brewing thing. Everything seemed to have worked out pretty well.
Morgan gives us the rundown on his journey to opening his brewery and the challenges of expanding into an old Wonder Bread plant. As we sip SingleSpeed's Gable Helles Lager we get some info on Iowa wrestling legend Dan Gable, and find out Tim and Dave have an unusual connection through some wrestling friends. We also learn what a single speed bike is and how it differs from a "fixie." And we get the scoop on Tip the Cow Day and all the variants of their delicious cocoa espresso stout they'll serve up.
The Beer List * SingleSpeed Gable | Helles Lager * SingleSpeed Tip the Cow | Cocoa Espresso Milk Stout * SingleSpeed Zach's Mexican Donuts | Mexican Imperial Stout
The SingleSpeed Brewing patio look inviting at dusk. (Photo: SingleSpeed Brewing)
Craft Beer News * Congressional Leaders Agree on 1-Year Tax Extender Package For Breweries * New Belgium’s Employee Ownership Votes to Approve Sale of Brewery to Kirin * Researchers in Denmark Have Tested the Theory that Tapping A Shaken Beer Prevents it From Exploding
More from the Midwest Check out some of our other great episodes from Midwest guests.
- Revolution Brewing with John "Jumpy" Palos | Ep. 202
- The Chicago Brewseum | Ep. 198
- New Glarus Brewing with Daniel Carey | Ep. 163
Sampling a dozen Christmas beers as we talk holiday beer history and traditions Christmas is a wonderful time for beers. As the temperatures dip brewers release a variety of spiced stouts, piney IPAs, and Belgium sends out some amazing offerings. This is definitely one of our favorite episodes we do each year. The premise is pretty simple, we sample a dozen Christmas beers and pick our favorites. Along the way we discuss some of the history and traditions of holiday brews, share what we like to see in a Christmas beer, and learn about a 12th century law that required households to brew a beer for Christmas. (Credit to larsblog for the story on 12th century Norwegian brewing laws.)
Sampling through all these brews in an hour is a bit of a task for two people so we invited our friend Brij Patel from Sprayberry Bottle Shop to help us out. Sprayberry offers an awesome selection of craft beer, whiskeys, and wine and has placed in our Best of Georgia Beer competition every year. If you're near Marietta, GA make sure to stop in and check them out.
Because Brian struggles with counting while sober our 12 Beers of Christmas became 13, which we found out as we got the bottles together for the last round of tasting. Way to go, Brian.
Our 12 13 Beers of Christmas * 21st Amendment Fireside Chat (Winter Ale) * Abita Christmas Ale (Winter Ale) * Bell's Christmas Ale (Scotch Ale) * Anchor Merry Christmas & Happy New Year (Our Special Ale) (2019) (Winter Warmer) * Brasserie d'Achouffe N'Ice Chouffe (Winter Ale) * Corsendonk Christmas Ale (Winter Ale) * Delirium Noël (Winter Warmer) * Samuel Adams White Christmas (Witbier) * Prairie Christmas Bomb! (Stout - American Imperial / Double) * Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA 2019 (IPA - American) * Shiner Holiday Cheer (Dunkelweizen) * Slaapmutske / Kerstmutske Christmas Nightcap (Winter Ale) * St. Bernardus Christmas Ale (Winter Ale)
Craft Beer News * A Brewery Was Forced To Change A Beer Label Depicting Reindeer Kama Sutra * The Brewers Association Has Released Their Year In Beer for 2019 * In 12th Century Norway, It Was Illegal To Not Brew A Beer For Christmas
More to Listen To Check out some of our other great episodes:
- The 12 Beers of Christmas 2018
- Big Game Craft Beer Showdown
The spirit of Portland beer is alive at Chelawasi Beer Co. Chelawasi Beer Co. is tucked among the colonial-era architecture of Arequipa, Peru, decorated with many mementos from American craft brewers and a bold KEEP AREQUIPA BEERED sign as nod to owner Casey Workman's Portland roots. When asked how he moved from being an electrician in Portland to opening a beer company in Peru he says, "Because nobody was paying attention." With a variety of popular beers and a recent medal win at the Copa Latinoamericana de Cerveza, they're paying attention now.
We talk with Workman about the young craft beer scene in much of Latin America and the challenges brewers face getting ingredients like malt, hops, and yeast. He shares info on the styles that are popular, the crazy politics of brewing in Peru, and some of the collaborations he's done with American brewers traveling in his area. Workman is also planning a Portland tour for Latin America brewers to visit breweries, hop farms, and "build a bridge" for his brewing community.
American and Latin American beer stickers decorate Chelawasi Beer Co. (Photo: Chelawasi Beer Co.)[/caption]
The Beer List We sampled the following beers while chatting with Chelawasi.
- Ironmonger Blue Monday Blueberry Stout
- Creature Comforts / Bearded Iris / Manchester Orchestra Lost in a Whirlpool Hazy DIPA
- Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Craft Beer News * Constellation Brands is Selling Ballast Point to Chicago-Based Kings & Convicts * Professor From Amsterdam University Says “Strong Beers” Are Good For Gut Health * Boulder Beer is Partnering with Sleeping Giant Brewing to Continue Selling Beer
More to Listen To Check out these other great episodes...
- AleSmith Brewing's Peter Zien | Ep. 197
- Drinking Drinkin' Beers with Manchester Orchestra's Tim Very | Ep. 196
- Stan Hieronymus talks hops, yeast, and South American craft beer | Ep. 192
Brülosophy’s Marshall Schott talks exBEERimentation We all know the saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, Marshall Schott of Brülosophy reminds us that just because something isn't broken doesn't mean it can't be improved. Schott and a team of other hardcore homebrewers at Brülosophy examine some of the long-held traditions of brewing to see if there's a better way to do things. Sometimes they do find a better way, and occasionally that upsets a few people. It can be tough to let go of traditions.
Through their "exBEERiments" the Brülosophy team has tested the idea that a lager needs months of lagering to be great, the importance/necessity of long mash times and boils for your beers, fermentation temperatures, and a host of other brewing methods. They've helped a lot of homebrewers in making better beer, and even a few professional brewers. One of the best things about these exBEERiments is it gets people talking about the way we brew.
Brülosophy shares Short & Shoddy recipes to give you a tasty beer and a quick brew day. (Photo: Brülosophy)[/caption]
Learn more about hops and yeast from Brülosophy Brülosophy has a host of other resources on their site as well. The Hop Chronicles examine the performance of hop varieties in single hop beers and Short & Shoddy offers up quick recipes for various brews. They also share several methods for brewing including mashing, kegging, fermenting, and how to harvest your own yeast. It's a one-stop information shop over there.
If you're more of a listener than a reader (and we definitely hope that's the case) you can check out the Brülosophy Podcast for more on their exBEERiments, Q&A sessions with the team and industry experts, and plenty of other brewing-related topics.
Won't you take me to, Monkey Town We took a quick road trip to Tennessee recently and found ourselves at Monkey Town Brewing in Dayton, home of the Scopes Monkey Trial. None of my friends were familiar with the case, but it's a pretty interesting case. The short of it is that a high school teacher (John T. Scopes) was accused of teaching evolution in school at a time when that was illegal. He didn't recall ever teaching evolution but took the fall as he thought it would be good publicity for the town. As promised in the show, here's the link to the Wiki on the Scopes Trial.
The folks at Monkey Town were extremely friendly and offered up some great beers, especially their NEIPAs and pastry stouts. If you find yourself in Dayton we recommend you stop by.
Shout out to the crew at Brew Chatt for the recommendation!
The Beer List * Monkey Town Not Fat, Just Fluffy | Fluffernutter Stout * Orpheus When All Goes Black My Shadow Seeks Me | Black Coconut Milk Stout * Terrapin Dispensary Pack + Terrapin Dancing Gummy Bear | Hemp Cherry Berliner Weisse + Terrapin Jazz Cabbage | Hemp IPA + Terrapin Magic Brownie Ale | Hemp Chocolate Brown Ale
Craft Beer News * A Brewery in Canada Lost $2.1 Million Dollars in a “Social Engineering Cyberattack” (via Kitchner Today) * Two Beer Distributors Sign Exclusive Deals For Pouring Rights at UNC Wilmington (via Port City Daily) * A Colorado State University Plant Scientist Has Achieved Four Hop Cycles In A Year (via Craft Brewing Business)
More shows for Homebrewers Check out these other shows for homebrewers and hardcore beer nerds
- Stan Hieronymus talks Hops, Yeast, and South American craft beer | Ep. 192
- Homebrewing IPAs and Stouts with Little Cottage and Jay Brantley | Ep. 165
- StillFire Brewing with BJCP Grand Master Phil Farrell | Ep. 203
Talking homebrewing, hazy IPAs, and brewing to style with StillFire Brewing Phil Farrell and Walt Wooden
StillFire Brewing didn't mess around when selecting a brewmaster. Phil Farrell is well-known in homebrewing circles around the world as well as the beer community in general. He's been homebrewing for over 30 years, is a Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Grand Master Level 5 beer judge (one of the top 10 ranked judges in the world), previously served as Vice President of the BJCP, and has even been named Beer Drinker of the Year.
We asked Farrell why he's going pro after all these years. He explains that it's all about timing. He lived a rockstar beer life as an "amateur", brewing with some of the biggest names in the industry - Sierra Nevada, Rogue, Wynkoop, Fill Sail, and many more. He'd thought of starting a brewery a couple of times but it just wasn't right at the time. Things fell into place at StillFire when he was approached by one of the founders explaining he wanted to open a brewery in an old firehouse not far from Farrell's home. Finally, after 30 years, it's time to go pro.
StillFire Brewing brings approachable beers to their local community Teaming up with Head Brewer Walt Wooden, StillFire is bringing many recipes that have been perfected over 30 years to taps for everyone to try. They want to offer a variety of approachable beers to their local community. Taps are flowing now and they've got some tallboy cans with awesome labels available to-go. There's no distribution yet, so you'll have to visit the brewery to get your hands on brews like the awesome Glory Haze NEIPA.
We had a lot of notes on what to talk about with the guys, but we threw that out the window and just let the conversation flow. The discussion covers a lot of homebrewing, entering competitions, the evolution of beer styles, and more. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to talk about Farrell's well-traveled rubber chicken. Maybe next time.
Revolution Brewing's Jumpy Palos talks FoBAB, experimental brewing, pairing Revolution beers with iconic Chicago foods
Revolution Brewing's John "Jumpy" Palos got his start about the same time we launched Beer Guys Radio in early 2016. He worked his way up from the packaging department and is now the Lead Pub Brewer at their Chicago brewpub.
In addition to keeping the taps flowing at the brewpub Palos also takes on R&D, brewing with a variety of experimental malts and hops. We talk about some of the fun brews he's done, including his most recent creation - a hazy Black IPA. We discuss beer and band collaborations on the heels of their recent La Gargola beer, brewed with rockers Chevelle. We talk FoBAB, the Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer, where Revolution just brought home two medals, and we get the take on the current craft beer scene in Chicago.
After discussing the similarities to creating music and creating beer we put Palos on the spot to tell us which songs would go best with their recent FoBAB winners and get his pairing suggestions for some of Chicago's most iconic foods.
Follow Revolution Brewing * Website: https://revbrew.com/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revbrewchicago/ * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RevBrewChicago/ * Twitter: https://twitter.com/revbrewchicago
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast Ep. 202 Revolution Brewing with John "Jumpy" Palos
Lagers, brewery expansion, and Thanksgiving pairing with pFriem Family Brewers We talk with Josh Pfriem about the brewery and barrel program expansion, his love of lagers, and get some tips on craft beer pairing for your Thanksgiving dinner. pFriem Family Brewers co-founder Josh Pfriem is proud of the beer he makes and proud of his family, that's why the brewery bears his family's name. We talk with Josh about his love of lagers and the resurgence in popularity in lager styles, as well as his concern with breweries chasing the trend and cutting corners. We also discuss their upcoming brewery expansion and growth of their barrel program, the changing beer scene and how it's impacting brewers in his home state of Oregon, and we get some tips on pairing craft beer with your Thanksgiving dinner.
For more info check out pFriem's website or follow them on the socials:
- pfriembeer.com
- pFriem on Instagram
- pFriem on Twitter
Craft Beer News * Founders Has Issued a Final Statement on Lawsuit and the Outcome * A Federal Judge Says MillerCoors Intentionally Withheld Marketing Material * An 89 Year Old British Man Returns Home After His Local Pub Renovates It
More Lager Love Check out some of our other lager-centric episodes...
- Oktoberfest and German beers with Arches Brewing
- Drinking Drinkin' Beers with Manchester Orchestra's Tim Very
- Big Game Craft Beer Showdown
Tombstone Brewing joins us for our 200th episode Tombstone Brewing's Matt Brown joins us on Beer Guys Radio this week for our 200th episode. We learn about the craft beer and homebrewing scene in Arizona, working with unique yeasts, and the anatomy of a tumbleweed.
Matt Brown was a lawyer before founding his brewery. We've mentioned before how strange it is that so many attorneys go on to open breweries. We should take a head count... maybe start a club.
Brown opened Tombstone in 2016, bringing in Weedy Weidenthal (formerly of Huntsville, AL's Blue Pants Brewery) to be his head brewer. The pair brews up a variety of hoppy and barrel-aged beers, and has a pretty extensive wild ale program. On its best day, Tombstone has a population of about 1,300. However, the town is the 2nd most popular tourist destination in the state, just behind the Grand Canyon.
Craft Beer News * Molson Coors to close office, cut 500 jobs in massive restructuring * Scientists Have Discovered that Some Belgian Beers are Fermented with Unusual Hybrid Yeast
Next Week on Beer Guys Radio We'll talk with Josh Pfriem of pFriem Family Brewers!
More From the West Check out some of our other episodes with breweries in the Western US.
- WeldWerks Brewing with Neil Fisher and Jake Goodman
- Beer and Freedom with 21st Amendment's Shaun O'Sullivan
- Deschutes Brewery with Brian Faivre and Kyle Matthias
Good Word Brewing is serving up great beer and food in the Atlanta suburbs
When Good Word Brewing opened in Duluth, GA the sleepy Atlanta suburb was just beginning to see some revitalization. The town has welcome new neighbors offering craft beer and great food to the area and Good Word is making its mark on craft beer.
On this week's show Good Word Brewing's co-owner and brewer Todd DiMatteo joins us in the studio. We've known Todd a long time, back when he was the general manager at the famed Brick Store Pub in Decatur, GA. His partner at Good Word, Ryan Skinner, also worked many years at Brick Store as the Beer Manager.
Good Word has been making waves recently. They were invited to this year's Shelton Fest in Buffalo, NY and they've received praise in the press from Thrillist and Hop Culture for their amazing beers. We talk with Todd about what this means for their brewery, Asheville breweries and beer bars, their upcoming 2nd anniversary, and we get his suggestions for pairing beer and Halloween candy.
You Can Brew Good Word Brewing's Never Sleep IPA Thrillist named Never Sleep one of the best IPAs in America. Todd generously shared his homebrew recipe with the Homebrewer's Association if you want to have a go at it.
Never Sleep NEIPA Homebrew Recipe
Craft Beer News * Beer and food writer for the Chicago Tribune has been blackballed by Goose Island * Founders Brewing Manager claims he didn’t know his black employee is black
Next Week on Beer Guys Radio EPISODE #200 with Tombstone Brewing!
More Georgia Beer Check out some of our other episodes from some great Georgia breweries
- Oktoberfest with Tucker Brewing | Ep. 195
- Line Creek Brewing | Ep. 188
- Contrast Artisan Ales | Ep. 159
The Chicago Brewseum highlights history and culture through beer Beer and brewing have been a part of America since before our nation was founded and the Chicago Brewseum wants to share "the dynamic culture and innovative history of one of the world’s most vibrant industries."
Liz Garibay, Executive Director of the Chicago Brewseum, joins us this week to share more about their mission and projects. Their current exhibition at the Field Museum, Brewing up Chicago, tells how beer transformed the city through the 19th century. Outside of Chicago they've presented an exhibition on Beer + Glass at Seattle's Pilchuck Glass School and more projects are in the works over the next two years.
We also sample All the World is Here, a Cream Ale inspired by the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. The brew is a collaboration with the Chicago Brewseum, the Field Museum, and Temperance Beer Co.
Beer Culture Summit Chicago Brewseum will host the first Beer Culture Summit October 24-27, 2019 in Chicago. This even brings together an impressive array of researchers and professionals discussing topics such as beer in ancient civilizations; how immigrants impacted American beer; sex, gender, race, and class in beer; and what's in store for beer's history. Attendees will also be able to view the Field Museum exhibition, visit local breweries, and take part in a walking tavern tour.
Craft Beer News
- Boulder Beer Company, Colorado’s Oldest Craft Brewery, is Downsizing, Ending Distribution
- Carlsberg is Working on the World’s First Paper Beer Bottle
Next Week on Beer Guys Radio South American craft beer with Peru's Chelawasi Beer Co.
More Beer History Check out some of our other episodes cover the history of beer and brewing:
- Ancient Ales and Historical Brewing with Beer Archaeologist Travis Rupp | Ep. 191
- Rupp will be speaking at the Beer Culture Summit
- North Alabama Beer History with Sarah Bélanger | Ep. 87
- Atlanta Beer History with Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle | Ep. 43
Beer, cheese, and baseball legends with AleSmith's Peter Zien We caught AleSmith Brewing owner and CEO Peter Zien right after his return (and medal win) at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Zien serves as a judge at the beer competition where a record number of beers were presented this year. AleSmith was founded in 1995 with Zien purchasing the brewery in 2002. The brewery has grown a lot in that time and boasts one of California's largest tasting rooms.
After purchasing the brewery, Zien tells us he missed homebrewing. He's tried many hobbies since then including curing olives, candle and soapmaking, and cheesemaking. The cheesemaking stuck and CheeseSmith now shares space with the brewery.
We also talk about San Diego Pale Ale .394, a collaboration brew with Padres legend and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. We hear how AleSmith got the called up to the mound for the collaboration and the progression of the beer after the unfortunate passing of Gwynn.
Of course, we sample some beers as we chat, including the .394, Juice Stand, and a 2016 Speedway Stout.
AleSmith's Private Stock Ale took Gold in the Old Ale or Strong Ale category at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival. (Photo: AleSmith Brewing)
Craft Beer News * News from the Great American Beer Festival
Next Week on Beer Guys Radio We'll talk about America's beer history with the Chicago Brewseum.
More from GABF 2019 Medal-winning Breweries Check out these episodes for more from GABF 2019 medal-winning breweries.
- WeldWerks Brewing with Neil Fisher and Jake Goodman
- Boulevard Brewing's Steven Pauwels
- Wooden Robot Brewery with Josh Patton
What's better than rock and roll and a good, cold beer? When you've got to go on stage and drum your heart out it's hard to load up on big, boozy beers. Manchester Orchestra's Tim Very has learned his lesson and prefers to reach for a good, crisp drinkin' beer before a show. Stella and Bud Light are stocked for them when on tour but during his downtime, he's a regular and his local craft beer bar and even has a few collaborations under his belt. A new one is coming soon with Creature Comforts and Bearded Iris, which will launch just before (and be on tap at) The Stuffing festival in Atlanta this November.
We share a few craft drinkin' beers with Tim as we chat about beer and band collaborations, playing shows at breweries, the growth of the Georgia beer scene, beards, and what's in store for Manchester Orchestra in the near future.
Tim Very Podcast Tim has recently launched a podcast where he talks with creative people doing awesome things, you should check it out. Recent guests include O'Brother drummer Michael Martens, Kraig Torres of Hop City and Barleygarden, and Bryan Schroeder of The Giving Kitchen. He's also active on Instagram and YouTube.
Craft Beer News * Saturday was the Official Beginning of the 186th Oktoberfest in Munich * A Guy With a Need-Money-For-Beer Sign Goes Viral and Raises Over $1 million For Charity
The Beer List * Young Veteran's / Manchester Orchestra Pride Session IPA * Arches Lloyd’s Light * Bells Lager of the Lakes Bohemian Pilsner * Cigar City Tampa Lager * Creature Comforts Classic City Lager * Sierra Nevada Sierraveza * Samuel Smith’s Organic Lager
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Prost! We're talking and drinking Oktoberfest this week with Tucker Brewing This is one of our favorites shows of the year. We cook up some brats, some soft pretzels, break out the spaetzle and obatzda, and taste through a sampling of Oktoberfest beers while talking about the history and tradition of the OG Oktoberfest in Munich.
Tucker Brewing Co. joins us for this time around. With a focus on German-style lager and Georgia's largest beer garden they are primed and ready for Oktoberfest. Brewmaster Tucker Eagleson and owner Ashley Hubbard share their beers and their story as they help us taste and rank nine Oktoberfest beers. NOTE: Yes, the brewmaster of Tucker Brewing is named Tucker, he started there about a year after they opened, and the brewery is in Tucker, GA. TUCKER! TUCKER! TUCKER!
The end result of this year's tasting is that we have a lot of great beers available to us in the US these days. There were no losers here. Well, OK, there were some losers, but we're trying to be positive. Prost!
Mark your calendars... if you're in the Atlanta area join Tucker Brewing for their Tucktoberfest celebration on Sept. 28, 2019.
You're going to need some music for your Oktoberfest party We've got you covered on the tunes. Check out our Oktoberfest playlist on Spotify.
Craft Beer News * A New Founders KBS Variant, and KBS is Becoming Year-Round Beer * The Smithsonian’s “American Brewing History Initiative” * America’s Top 10 Drunkest States
The Beer List * Ayinger Oktoberfest * Benediktiner Festbier * Tucker Brewing Tucktoberfest * Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen * Sierra Nevada / Bitburger Oktoberfest * Spaten Oktoberfest * Sam Adams Oktoberfest * Erdinger Oktoberfest * Highland Brewing Clawhammer
Next Week on Beer Guys Radio We'll talk with John "Jumpy" Palos from Chicago's Revolution Brewing.
ICYMI Check out our Oktoberfest episodes from previous years:
- Oktoberfest 2018 with Arches Brewing | Episode 142
- Oktoberfest 2017 with Der Biergarten | Episode 92
- Oktoberfest 2016 with John Roberts and Owen Ogletree | Episode 41
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Diving into the Abyss with Deschutes Brewery Deschutes Brewery was founded in 1988. For a craft brewery, that's a long time ago. Kyle Matthias, the Assitant Brewmaster at Deschutes' Pilot Plant tells us that innovation and agility are key for their continued success.
We're joined this week by Matthias and Brewmaster Brian Faivre to hear more about what's going on at Deschutes. While sipping a few of their amazing beers we discuss beer trends, staying ahead of the game as a bigger brewery, their new flavored malt beverage Modified Theory (NOT a hard seltzer!), brewing beer in the land of legal weed, and Deschutes' new Reserve Club.
Craft Beer News * Constellation Brands is Closing Its Ballast Point Taproom in Daleville, Virginia
The Beer List * Deschutes Abyss 2015 * Deschutes The Dissident * Deschutes The Stoic 2015 * Creature Comforts Eukaryote * Monk's Mead Abstinence in the Abbey
Next Week on Beer Guys Radio It's time for our annual Oktoberfest show! Join us as we sample some Oktoberfest brews as we chat with Tucker Brewing Co.
ICYMI Earlier this year we talked with New Glarus Brewing's Daniel Carey. It's one of our most popular shows ever. If you missed it the first time, make sure to give it a listen.
14th Star Brewing is craft beer Brewed With a Mission 14th Star Brewing co-founder Steve Gagner tells us how a late night of drinking led to a WalMart run for soapmaking supplies, and how this all ties in with his eventual interest in brewing and opening his own brewery. Despite the humorous roots, Gagner takes his beer very seriously and strives to serve his community, especially veterans.
The original business plan was jotted on the back of a notebook while Gagner served on the battlefields of Afghanistan. Upon returning home, the plan was refined with the help of his best friend and fellow soldier Matt Kehaya. 14th Star opened their doors in 2012 with a 3.5-barrel brewhouse. As demand for their beer grew, 14th Star moved their current location in 2014 and upgraded to a 30-barrel brewhouse.
We talk with Gagner about hazy IPAs and the difference in a Vermont IPA and NE IPA, maple beers (we kind of had to), and we talk about his efforts to serve veterans, common misconceptions the public has about veterans, and the best thing we can do to support veterans once they return home.
[caption id="attachment_46453" align="aligncenter" width="800"] 14th Star Brewing's core line-up. (Photo: 14th Star Brewing)[/caption]
Craft Beer News * Founders Has Sold The Majority of Its Ownership to Mahou San Miguel * AB-InBev Has Decided To Not Purchase the Rest of Craft Brew Alliance
The Beer List * Nappy Roots / Dancing Gnome Bluegrass Stain'd * 14th Star Oktoberfest * 14th Star B-72 New England IPA * 14th Star Tribute DIPA * 14th Star Maple Breakfast Stout
Next Week on Beer Guys Radio Join us as we talk with Bend, Oregon's Deschutes Brewery.
ICYMI Need more Vermont beer talk? Check out our recent episode with Sean Lawson of Lawson's Finest Liquids.
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Stan Hieronymus knows a thing or two about hops
Stan Hieronymus has forgotten more about the beer industry than most of us will ever know. He's typically leaned on for his knowledge of hops, but his expertise extends to many other areas in craft beer. Hieronymus relocated to the Atlanta area about 1 1/2 years ago and we bend his ear every chance we get. He joined us in early 2018 (BGR #120) and we thought it was about time to have him on again for an update.
Naturally, we talk a lot about hops in this episode. We get the update on the hop harvest across Europe and the Pacific NW and discuss hop terroir, a topic that hasn't been mentioned often but is generating more buzz after recent tests. Some yeast talk happens as well, and we talk about our latest obsession - kveik. We hear about the durability of true kveik strains and how real Norwegian farmhouse brewers make their beer, and it's likely nothing like what you've had at your local brewery. With Hieronymus's recent trip to South America, we hear about the craft beer scene there and what styles are popular. Spoiler... haze is an international craze.
To get regular update from Stan you can subscribe to his newsletter via his website at appellationbeer.com.
Craft Beer News
- New York Farmers Are Looking For New Hops (We discuss this more in the show.)
The Beer List
- Ironmonger Rivendale| Norwegian Farmhouse Ale
- Browar Grodzisk APA | American Pale Ale
- Live Oak Grtodziskiee | Grodziskie
- Cascade Black Cap Raspberry
- Temperance Beer Co. / Field Museum / Chicago Brewseum All the World is Here | Hoppy Cream Ale (1893 World's Fair recreation)
Plus, and we feel kind of bad about this one, we "treated" Stan to his first White Claw. We're sorry.
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Beer Archaeologist Travis Rupp is bringing history back to life one beer at a time As far as cool job titles go, Beer Archaeologist is pretty high on the list. Travis Rupp holds that title, as well as R&D Manager at Colorado's Avery Brewing Co. In addition to his boozy life, Rupp is also a professor of classics, art history, and anthropology at University of Colorado Boulder and he's currently working on a book - Brewing in the Ancient World. I'm not sure if he ever sleeps.
Rupp joined us this week to talk about the history of brewing around the world. We discuss the beers of ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt, Viking brews, monastic ales, and George Washington's penchant for beer and wine. Attitudes towards beer varied in each culture with some celebrating it as the drink of the goods, while others imbibed in secret as they decried beer as the beverage of Plebians.
We also dig into the ingredients and methods used and the difficulty some of these ancient additions impose when trying to bring them back to life. Ancient yeasts are the hardest to acquire, and some of the spices used in the past are now known to be toxic. Rupp tells us the other brewers cringe as he brews some of his ancient ales, gumming up the brewhouse with sticky corn or dragging and entire spruce tree into the brewery.
Avery has released many of his recipes in their Ales of Antiquity series. We enjoyed the latest release, George Washington Porter and coming soon is an 18th century IPA. Rupp has no intentions of slowing down and has plans for beers years into the future. He'll continue to travel the world scouring archaeology sites for signs of brewing and do his best to bring something to life that will allow us all to get a taste of the past.
Avery Ales of Antiquity Series A sampling of the other beers from the Ales of Antiquity Series
- Nestor’s Cup - Ancient Mycenaean Beer c. 1350 BCE (Release Sep 2016)
- Khonsu Im-Heb - Ancient Egyptian Beer c. 1800 BCE (Release Dec 2017)
- Pachamama - Ancient Peruvian Beer c. 1100-1400 CE (Release Dec 2017)
- Ragnarsdrápa - Ancient Viking [Finnish] Beer c. 900-1000 CE (Release April 2017)
- Nursia - Ancient Monastic Beer c. 825 CE (Release Jan 2018 – Rerelease Oct 2018)
- Benedictus - Ancient Monastic Beer c. 825 CE (Release Jan 2018 – Rerelease Aug 2018)
- Beersheba - Ancient Israeli/Jordanian Beer c. 3rd cent. BCE (Release May 2018)
- George Washington’s Porter (Released Feb. 2019)
- 1752 India Pale Ale (Release in Oct. 2019)
George Washington Porter is the latest release in Avery's Ales of Antiquity series. A historic barrel-fermented American Porter. (Photo: Avery Brewing Co.)
Craft Beer News * A 1,100-Year-Old Viking Beer Hall Has Been Discovered in Northern Scotland * Finnish Scientists Have Come Up With A New Process to Prevent Bottle Bombs
The Beer List * Avery Bon-Bon Cerise | Barrel-aged Stout with chocolate, vanilla, and cherry * Avery George Washington Porter | Barrel-fermented American Porter (Ales of Antiquity Series) * Avery Raspberry Truffale | Bourbon barrel-aged Stout with raspberry and chocolate * Avery Samael's | Oak-aged Strong Ale * Avery Twenty-Three | 100% Brett-fermented Dark Farmhouse Ale * Avery White Rascal | Belgian-style White Ale
Next Week on Beer Guys Radio Author and journalist Stan Hieronymus joins us in the studio. He's recently returned from a tour of South American beer sampling and we'll discuss what he found on his journeys. Of course, we'll talk hops and get the latest from the scientific world as well as what the new, hot hops are.
Hieronymus joined us previously on Ep. 120, you can listen to that here.
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Lawson's Finest Liquids is always ready to share a little Sip of Sunshine When Sean Lawson founded Lawson's Finest Liquids in 2008 he wasn't sure if his "hobby" would work out. His original brewhouse was built to accommodate his fallback plan, a sugar shack to process maple syrup. He never had to execute the backup plan and today Lawson's beers are distributed to nine states in the northeast with appearances at bottle shares and gatherings across the country.
Lawson tells us that although Sip of Sunshine got their name out to the masses, Double Sunshine was the first beer that folks started lining up for. Each release brought the crowds in earlier, grabbing breakfast and sitting up their chairs. Outside of New England, most people probably still know the brewery for their hoppy beers. However, in addition to amazing IPAs, the brewery produces several maple beers, stouts, pilsners, and more. Lawson even collaborated with a local distiller to make a spirit dubbed Hop Scotch.
We cover a lot of ground in our conversation with Lawson including the early days of the brewery as well as growing into their new location, their focus on conservation and philanthropy, the continued popularity of Sip of Sunshine, and more on the other beers they brew.
Lawson's Finest Liquids 155 Carroll Road Waitsfield, VT 05673 lawsonsfinest.com
Craft Beer News * AB-InBev Has Acquired Cleveland, Ohio’s Platform Beer Company
NEXT WEEK: Avery Brewing's Travis Rupp joins us to talk Beer Archeology and reviving ancient ales.
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Load up the golf cart and bring your friends to Line Creek Brewing Co. Line Creek Brewing Co. was the first brewery to open in Peachtree City, GA. Their small community has a bit slower pace than Atlanta, and golf carts are a common mode of transportation. You're likely to see a few in the parking lot if you visit the brewery. PTC'ers have welcomed Line Creek with open arms in their first year. Their spacious taproom offers plenty of seating as well as TVs for watching the game and a large window to watch the magic happening in the brewhouse.
We sat down with Paul Costick (Co-founder), Jason Carroll (Head Brewer), and Alex Knoll (Asst. Brewer and Lead Cellarman) at their anniversary party recently to find out how things went in their first year, what they've learned, and what's in store for the future. They give us the scoop on the three variations of their anniversary stouts, we talk (more) about kveik, Jason's background brewing in Ireland, and adding seaweed to beers. Plus, Paul gives us the scoop a collaboration Line Creek Brewing made for the Southern Conservation Trust, #ConserveGeorgia. Proceeds from this Pecan Amber Ale will help protect lands across the state.
NEXT WEEK: Tune in for our conversation with Sean Lawson of Lawson's Finest Liquids.
The Beer List * Line Creek Barrel-aged Maple, Bacon, Coffee, Chocolate Stout * Line Creek Barrel-aged Toasted Vanilla Stout * Line Creek Barrel-aged Triple Coffee Vanilla Stout * Line Creek Catalina Brine Mixer | Seaweed Sour * Line Creek Non-Rev Helles Lager * Line Creek Tenacious B | Blueberry Saison * Line Creek Total Consciousness Ep. 3 | DIPA
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NXNW has been a part of the Austin beer scene since 1999 NXNW Brewing Company was founded in 1999 and built on the tradition of the great breweries in the Pacific Northwest. They still brew on the original copper brewhouse that head brewer David Manley said is like a "big homebrew system."
David is new to the head brewer position, assuming the role at the end of June, but he's got big plans. He's going to up the barrel-aged and sour beer production at the brewpub, and experiment with various styles. They've recently tapped a kveik-fermented beer and we dive into this new, hot yeast trend.
We also discuss homebrewing roots and David remembers those days fondly. Brewing beer for his friends' underground parties and living it up at NYC's Pony Bar.
NEXT WEEK: Tune in for our conversation with Peachtree City, GA's Line Creek Brewing Co.
Craft Beer News * Craft Beer Drinkers Are Less Adventurous Than They Used to Be * A List of the 5 Hottest Beer Trends of 2019 * The AB InBev Empire Was Built on Debt, And It’s A Problem
The Beer List Due to shipping delays we weren't able to sample NXNW's beers, we'll get into those next week.
- Southern Prohibition Altered Beast
- Cherry Street Juicy Suzy
- 3 Fonteinen Oude Gueuze
- Creature Comforts Imperial Trop Haze
- Wild Heaven / Little Monsters Wild Monster
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Wooden Robot Brewery combines Belgian traditions and American innovation Wooden Robot's robot's name is Albert Beerstein. That's what the people voted for and it stuck. But we hear his friend's call him Woody Barrelson.
Co-founder and CEO Josh Patton joins us this week to talk about his urban farmhouse brewery. Their brewing is inspired by Belgian tradition while also leaning on the innovation and technology of American brewers. They produce a variety of wild, funky, fruity, and hoppy beers and aren't concerned with being the biggest kid on the block.
We talk about what it means to be an urban farmhouse brewery, using local and foraged ingredients, balancing taking care of yourself with taking care of your retail partners, and the pros and cons of self-distribution.
We also discuss the results of our Twitter poll on hard seltzers and share some stats on the rising popularity. We even sample a few, for science.
NEXT WEEK: Tune in for our conversation with Austin's NXNW Brewing Co.
Craft Beer News * Boston Beer’s Angry Orchard Has Been Accused of Racial Profiling and Discrimination * Police Were Called on a Kid with an “Ice Cold Beer” Stand in Brigham City, Utah
The Beer List * Wooden Robot Razz Hands | Raspberry Farmhouse Ale * Wooden Robot What He's Having | American IPA * Wooden Robot Bot in the Dark | Dark Lager * Monday Night Brewing Darker Subject Matter | BBA Imperial Stout * Wild Leap / Trim Tab Coco Flamingo | IPA with coconut, tangerine, and lime
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Ale Sharpton is living the life we all want to live As Ale Sharpton joined us in the studio he'd recently returned from a trip to Montreal to take in the city with the goal of letting others know about their city. Earlier, he was given the grueling task of evaluating a new Corvette. Outside of travel and cars, he's well-versed on craft beer, gourmet food, fashion (especially sneakers), and a variety of other topics.
We sat down with Ale to talk about his travels, diversity in craft beer, staying fit while still enjoying great food and beer, and his quest for the world's best crab cakes, and meeting the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Ale doesn't sit still for long, there's too much to see, do, and drink. He's already off on his next adventure to Baltimore, where I'm sure he'll take on more contenders for best crab cakes.
Follow Ale Sharpton's adventures on his website, Cruisin' for a Brewsin', and on Instagram and Twitter.
Craft Beer News * Founders Brewing now available in all 50 states * “Secret” Busch Beer Pop-Up Being Held in Undisclosed U.S. National Forest
The Beer List * New Glarus Spotted Cow * Creature Comforts Automatic * Six Bridges Sour Continuum with Pink Guava * Unibroue La Find du Monde * Evil Twin / Westbrook Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break * Wild Leap Alpha Abstraction #8 * Terrapin Jazz Cabbage * Tucker TKR Pilsner
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Asheville's Highland Brewing Co. just celebrated 25 years. In American craft beer, that's a long time. They've got a new look and some new beers, while balancing consistency of their classics for their long-time fans
R&D Brewer Trace Redmond and Communications Specialist Eeva Redmond made the trek from Asheville to Atlanta to join us in the studio. We talk about the new brews from Highland, get nerdy with some yeast talk, get some info on the brewery's relatively new barrel program, and find out the unique tool Trace uses to process one of the additions for their Slow Crush Tart Spritz Ale.
Plus, we discuss the results of our very first Twitter poll on coffee beers and Brian gives us some craft beer news.
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Lonerider Brewing celebrates 10 years of "Ales for Outlaws" At 10 years old Lonerider Brewing is part of the Old Guard in North Carolina craft beer. Like many southern states, North Carolina was slow to change outdated beer laws. They plan to celebrate throughout the year, the big party was in April but they'll continue to brew up special beers to mark the milestone.
Head brewer Galen Smith joined us this week to talk about his time with Lonerider. We discuss going from homebrewer to pro and what his tips are for the aspiring homebrewer. Smith also shares his thoughts on beer trends, including the Brut IPA and whether it's fading fad or here to stay. We sip some Pistols at Dawn and discuss its evolution, get the scoop on their new Wake Forest taproom, and just bit of mention on their newest venture, Lonerider Spirits.
Craft Beer News * UPDATE: Celis Brewery Has Filed For Bankruptcy, Causing Foreclosure Auction to be Canceled * Thousands of Barrels of Jim Beam Bourbon Were Burned in a Warehouse Fire
The Beer List * Lonerider Hoppy Ki Yay IPA * Lonerider Saloon Style Pilsner * Lonerider 2015 Pistols at Dawn * Monday Night Brewing Chocolate/Orange Fistful of Cake * Tombstone Brewing Passion Fruit Berliner * Creature Comforts Brewing Everything Is... Dry-hopped Pilsner * Line Creek Brewing Slow Lane Peach Wheat
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Beer. BBQ. Fireworks. Freedom. Right there in their name 21st Amendment Brewery celebrates one of the greatest freedoms of beer drinkers. Just in case you aren't aware, the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition in the United States, bringing beer (and other booze) back to the people on December 5, 1933, Repeal Day. Although the 4th of July is a big party for the brewery, co-founder and brewmaster Shaun O'Sullivan tells us Repeal Day (understandably) is their biggest celebration of the year.
O'Sullivan joins us this week to talk about all those amazing freedoms. With label art that is all about America any of their beers are ready for the holiday. We talk grillin' out and get the scoop on their new Sparkale, a sparkling Rosé Ale and O'Sullivan's pick for the best Independence Day beer. Homebrewing and recipe development, the early days of canning craft beer, and reminiscing on some 21st Amendment beers of the past all come up in the conversation.
If you're in San Franciso stop in their brewpub or check out their brewery and taproom in San Francisco. Otherwise, put on on some red, white, and blue, fire up the grill, and celebrate FREEDOM.
Craft Beer News * Celis Brewery is Being Sold at Auction on July 2nd * The Trappist Monks of Saint Sixtus Abbey Have Started Selling their Beer Online
The Beer List * 21st Amendment Hop Crisis | DIPA * 21st Amendment Toaster Pastry | Red IPA * Bearded Iris Offbeat | NE DIPA * Three Taverns Tropical Luxure | Fruited Cream Sour Ale
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How two friends went from education to inebriation Schoolhouse Brewing's founders Thomas Monti and Justin Waller became friends when they were both teachers. They both shared a love for good beer and brewing, and educating others. Schoolhouse started as a bottle/growler/homebrew shop where the guys continued a strong focus on the educational aspect. Recently, they graduated to the pros with the opening of their taproom in Marietta, GA.
Monti and Waller join us in the studio this week (along with a surprise visit from our friends FishScales and Skinny DeVille of Nappy Roots) to talk about their journey, share some brews, and reminisce on some mostly forgotten beer styles. We also learn about their open-source brewery concept, all of Schoolhouse's recipes are available on their website. If you have a question on one of the recipes they'll happily give you some advice.
Craft Beer News * Miller Lite Has Made a Functioning Game Controller out of a Beer Can * Experts Say that the Latest Trend of “Wellness Beers” are B.S.
The Beer List * Schoolhouse After School Amber * Schoolhouse Oreo Speedwagon Stout * Schoolhouse Sack Lunch | PB&J Kvass * Schoolhouse Course Syllabus Saison * Creature Comforts Lupulus | Double IPA * Hi-Wire White Grape Grisette * Line Creek Chinchillin' | Session IPA
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Innovation and collaboration at Boulevard Brewing Back when Georgia had very few craft beer options Boulevard Brewing was always a favorite. Our cellars are well-stocked with vintages of Saison-Brett, Love Child, and Rye-on-Rye. Brian still cries a little that Harvest Dance Wheat Wine has been retired, but he'll get over.
Steven Pauwels is the man behind many of those amazing beers. He's been with Boulevard for 20 years and won many awards for his creations. Pauwels is from Belgium and is one of the very few Belgian breweries in the United States. His career in beer started when he was young, working at Brouwerij Krüger in his hometown of Eeklo. After completing a Biochemical Engineering degree he worked at other breweries in Belgium before making his way to the US.
Pauwels joins us this week to talk about his craft beer journey and what enticed him to come brew here in the states. He shares his passion for the innovation and creation at American breweries and how important that is for continued success. We discuss his brewing methods, Boulevard's First Friday's initiative, collaborations, and some of Boulevard's new brews.
Space Camper - It's an IPA, it's a video game
Click here to try your luck at Boulevard's Space Camper IPA game. Think Galaga meets Space Invaders. Retro goodness.
Craft Beer News * More Than Half of the Top 50 Craft Breweries in the US Saw No Growth in 2018 * The CEO of an Australian Beer Company Posted a Homophobic Meme to Facebook * We’ve Got Some Interesting Legal Developments in Texas
The Beer List * Boulevard Space Camper IPA * Boulevard Tank 7 Saison * Boulevard Hold The Pancakes * Boulevard Love Child #4 * Boulevard Saison-Brett (2013)
Mother Nature can't tell us when to drink our stouts With the temps hitting the 90s in Atlanta we thought this was the perfect time to do a show about stouts. Big, boozy, malty, delicious stouts. Since Orpheus Brewing brewmaster Jason Pellett shares our love of stouts in the Summer (he released several at Orpheus's anniversary Memorial Day weekend) we invited him to join the fun.
We talk about the varieties of stouts available for Summer sippin'. Dry Irish, Foreign Export Stout, Tropical Stouts... the list is a long one. Plus, Jason tells us all about the benefits of a long boil (like, really long) when brewing his stouts, we talk about barrel-aging, pastry stouts, and dumping beer. We also get into an in-depth conversation about plums.
Don't let the heat scare you away, crack open a barrel-aged stout the next time you're hanging poolside.
Craft Beer News * Seattle brewery apologizes for Crips and Bloods themed beers
The Beer List * Orpheus Stouts All the Way Down Vol 8 (BBA with ghost peppers, vanilla bean, cinnamon, cocoa nibs, and nutmeg) * Orpheus The Dark Everlasting (BBA with vanilla beans and black coconut) * Ironmonger Goodbye Toby (Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout) * Wrecking Bar Mexican Siberius Maximus * Westbrook Mexican Cake * O'Dempsey's Your Black Heart (O'Dempsey's closed around 2015-2016) * Hubbard's Cave Coffee & Cakes * Firestone Walker XXII
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Green Man Brewery was the first taproom in Downtown Asheville Lovingly dubbed Dirty Jack's, Green Man Brewery's original taproom opened in downtown Asheville, NC in 1997. nearly 201 years later the Green Mansion opened, an impressive three-story brewery and tasting room with a "Brewtique" for souvenirs and beer to-go.
Green Man brewers Geoffrey Ebner and Kyle McKenzie stopped by the Beer Guys studio on a recent trip to Atlanta, with plenty of Green Man beer in tow. We sampled through brews like their Wayfarer IPA, Hazy Cosmic Jive (part of their Hazy Homage series), Keller Pilz, and Moe's Goes Camping (a smoky s'mores stout collaboration brewed with Moe's Original BBQ) while Ebner and McKenzie share their love for lagers and dive bars.
The guys also share with us some of the brewery's environmentally-friendly initiatives like using high-efficiency equipment where possible, recycling all packaging and pallets, and buying grain in bulk to reduce the number of shipments they receive. Brewery's produce a lot of waste in spent grain. Fortunately, many brewers (like Green Man) partner with local farmers to use this grain as feed for livestock. Some of the animals raised on the grain make their way into burgers at the nearby White Labs Kitchen & Tap.
Ask the Brewers Homebrewers are a big reason the American craft beer scene is as awesome as it is today. Through the creativity and experimentation of homebrew, we've had amazing new styles of beer created. The Green Man brewers are huge supporters of homebrewing and have a section on their site to ask a brewer any questions you have. Ebner and McKenzie warn us that they can get long-winded with some of their answers.
Through the explosive growth of the Asheville beer scene, Green Man has been a staple. Stop in for a pint of their classic ESB or see what experimental beers are on tap. If you're a soccer fan you'll be in luck, if there's a game on TV it will be on in the taproom. Hail United!
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Palmetto Brewing is South Carolina's oldest brewery The history of Palmetto Brewing dates back to the end of Prohibition. In its current life, Palmetto is 26-years old, making it South Carolina's oldest operating brewery. Billy Pyatt, founder of Asheville's Catawba Brewing purchased Palmetto in 2017. They've got a new look and some new beers, but still hold on to their traditions.
Pyatt joined us from his sound-proof recording studio (his car) while taking a break from building out a new beer cooler. We talk about the recent update to Palmetto's branding, their new beers, the South Carolina beer scene, and what else we should do for a weekend in Charleston.
Palmetto may have a few years on Catawba but the North Carolina brewery will celebrate their 20th anniversary this July. As part of the celebration, they'll launch three new beers. We tried to get Pyatt to spill the beans on exactly what those would be, but he said he has to keep that under wraps for now. While sipping some of their coffee blonde ale (Evening Joe) Brian had to get in some coffee chat and we find out about Catawba's best-selling beer.
Craft Beer News * Boston Beer Co. merges with Dogfish Head | The big story this week was the merger of Boston Beer Co., maker of Sam Adams, and Dogfish Head. Since Pyatt had experience merging two breweries we took the opportunity to get his opinion on the pros and cons of this massive merger.
The Beer List We enjoyed the following beers before, during and after our show taping. It's a non-stop party in here.
- Palmetto Brewing Idle Speed | Salted Lime Lager
- Palmetto Brewing Nice & Brite | Gose
- Catawba Brewing Evening Joe | Coffee Blonde Ale
- Creature Comforts Feel Free | IPA
- Old Nation Boss Tweed | NE DIPA
- Proof Brewing Royal Bloodline | BBA Imperial Stout with coffee and vanilla
- Terrapin Beerista | BA Imperial Stout with cold brewed coffee
- Terrapin / Miller High Life Hoppin Bubbly | Brut IPA
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We took a craft beer road trip to Tallahassee and St. George Island, FL When our Tallahassee radio affiliate (RealTalk 93.3) reached out to see if we'd like to attend the SGI Brewfest with them we jumped at the chance. We've never done a Tallahassee trip and spending a weekend on the beach at a beer fest is not a bad way to waste a weekend.
Our first stop in Tallahassee was Ology Brewing (OK, technically it was Whataburger) where we sampled through all of the beers on tap. Their Sensory Overload IPA was amazing, and the DDH version takes it to another level, one of our favorite beers of the trip. Don't miss their Juice Lab series of fruited Berliners, on Sundays they tap a new version and you might even find it pouring from the slushie machine. We then headed over to Proof Brewing's relatively new and gorgeous tap room where we had IPAs, sours, and Brian even got his glitter beer fix. Mike Kauffman and James Davis from Proof join us on the show to talk Tally beer.
After a crazy Friday that peaked with quarts of Olde English 800 back at the hotel, we headed to St. George Island early Saturday morning for the SGI Brewfest. I'm telling you, it would be difficult to beat the weather and the location for this festival. The large, open yard of Paddy's Raw Bar hosted the event and sunny skies and mid-70s temps made for a great day. In Atlanta, it can be tough to get people to travel 20 miles for an event but the trip from Tallahassee to SGI is 1 1/2 hours and there's no issue get the crowds down for the event. In addition to Proof, other Tallahassee favorites like Ology Brewing, Deep Brewing (BGR #144), Grasslands Brewing, and many others we are the fest as well as a handful of brewers from the rest of Florida and around the US.
RealTalk's Real Mornings hosts Greg Tish and Bobby Mac join us to kick off the show, chatting general beer info and reminiscing about the wine cooler-y beverages of our younger days while sipping Naturdays. Yeah, we know, don't hate us. Although Naturdays is very far removed from anything I'd consider beer, it is a refreshing and tasty alcoholic lemonade.
We wrap up the show with Danny Aller and Matt Crumbaker from Tallahassee Beer Society. In addition to cheerleading Tally beer, they host the Saturday Morning Bottle Share show. These guys love their Tallahassee breweries and work hard to spread the word. We share some Georgia goodness with Monday Night's Overnight Celebrity while they share some info on the local beer scene.
Tallahassee isn't the first place most people think of for a craft beer trip but it's definitely worth putting on your radar. The scene is solid now and continues to grow. Make a point to schedule your trip to head on down for the SGI Brewfest, too.
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If you've been a craft beer fan for a while you may have heard the name Pat Korn. Before joining the team at Vista Brewing, Korn was the Barrel Master for Green Flash's Cellar 3 - the offshoot responsible for beers like Silva Stout, Lustrous Fermento, and Natura Morta.
After departing Green Flash in early 2018 he worked a short stint with Atlanta's SweetWater Brewing. Korn was also part of the initial team slated to launch a brewery concept called My Yard Live in San Diego, along with SweetWater founder Freddy Bensch. Korn tells us as the project moved along it became clear to him that their visions didn't align. So begins his life in Texas at Vista Brewing.
Located in the Texas Hill Country just outside of Austin, Vista is a brewery, restaurant, and farm. In addition to their beer this "destination brewery" features hyper-local food, an impressive wine list (with on-site sommelier), and a large beer garden. Future plans include an "eco-friendly tiny home hotel", event pavilion, and native fruit orchard.
We chat with Korn about making the move from San Diego to the Texas countryside and what his plans are for the future of Vista. As expected, there are many things he doesn't intend to change. He tells us that, in time, he'll bring his own character to the brewing in places where it matches with the personality of Vista Brewing. He's excited to work with some local Texas wine barrels and expand the barrel program and shares some info with us on the Vista Barrel Club, offering exclusive beers to members and recently expanded to 100 total memberships.
We wrap up with some details on the Destination Brew Fest. An invitational beer festival featuring lagers and farmhouse style ales benefiting the Texas Brewshed Alliance.
Vista Brewing 13551 FM 150 Driftwood, TX 78619 howdy@vistabrewingtx.com 512-766-1842
Founders Brewing's brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki got a job at the brewery because his girlfriend told him he needed to find work. He didn't even really care for their beer. Kosmicki says the beer was fine, but at the time Founders focused on unexciting, basic styles. Unable to make a connection and establish their identity Founders started losing money and eventually faced bankruptcy. Rather than cutting back and skimping on quality to cut costs, co-founders Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers decided that if they were going to go down, they were going down on their terms.
They pulled out all the stops and switched up what they brewed. With the introduction of extreme beers like Dirty Bastard the brewery started to grow. Beer geeks sought out their brews and whales like KBS and CBS had people chasing trucks to catch deliveries before they sold out. Founders expanded, got more barrels, and expanded some more. They'd finally found their groove.
We talk with Kosmicki this week about those early days and what they did to get over the hump. He shares why the Mountie left his mount on CBS labels, we chat about Founders Black Party (a celebration of black beers), the Catch-22 of expanding the availability of KBS, lagers and malt liquor, and some of the beers we'll see from them soon.
Beers we drank on this show * Creature Comforts Athena Tiki Painkiller * Founders All Day IPA * Founders Green Zebra * Founders Solid Gold * Founders KBS * Founders CBS After Party Beers * Creature Comforts / Mikkeller I Can't Find This Feeling Anymore * The Bruery Bakery Macaroon * Scofflaw POG Basement * Scofflaw Double Jeopardy * Scofflaw Barrel-aged Scotch Ale
Sasquatch lives at 903 Brewers 903 Brewers founder and head brewer Jeremy Roberts is happy to sit down and chat with visitors about the legendary Sasquatch. He's never seen the beast in the wild, but he's keeping an eye out. 903's big milk stout is named after the ape, Sasquatch's base is a sneaky 10% and some of the Reserve variants (like the Double Chocolate Cherry Stout we sampled) hit at a heavy 15% ABV. The box encourages you to "Age it. Drink it. Trade it. Share it." We skipped step one and didn't make it past step two.
Roberts admits they haven't quite nailed an IPA that's caught on, but they aren't worried about riding that hype train. They're happy to brew their stouts, a huge variety of cream ales, and many other styles. Their Down with PastryArchy series takes those cream ales and adds crazy additions like strawberry cake and cinnamon rolls. Some fruity versions even get served from a slushie machine to help beat the Texas heat. The brewery is celebrating their 6th anniversary this May and they are in the process of expanding to a new building, an old 3-story schoolhouse in downtown Sherman. The new space will offer a larger tasting room, large ballroom and meeting area, and expanded brewing capacity.
We also talk about the restrictive direct sales laws in Texas. Brewpubs, distilleries, and wineries are allowed to sell beer to go, but production brewers aren't. 903 switched to a brewpub model because of the limitations the laws put on his growth. Fortunately, Texas HB762 is up this year looking to change that.
If you find yourself in Sherman, TX make sure to stop by 903 Brewers. You're guaranteed to see Sasquatch.
Beers we drank on this show * 903 Brewers Sasquatch Reserve - Double Chocolate Cherry Stout * 903 Brewers Oak-aged Maple Coffee Pecan Porter Reserve * Line Creek Maverick | Helles Lager * Other Half / Genesee Dream Ale | Dry-hopped cream ale * Three Taverns Cocoa Cafe | Chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, coffee Milk Stout * Three Taverns Saporous | Sour Ale with guava, passionfruit, and lactose
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The Classic City Brew Fest in an Athens institution. In its 24th year, a lot has changed since organizer Owen Ogletree founded the event. Last year, the festival made a big switch amid the flood of "regular" beer festivals and went to a primarily cask ale format.
This year, we catch up with Akademia Brewing to see what the last 12 months held for them. Their beer is available in cans now, and they've recently remodeled and added a larger lounge to their brewpub. Owners Matt Casey and Morgan Wireman join us to fill us in.
We also catch up with a soon-to-be brewery in the Normaltown neighborhood of Athens. Athentic Brewing gives a nod to their city and their logo (shaped like a guitar pick) pays homage to the rich musical history of Athens, home to bands like REM, THe B-52s, Drive by Truckers, and Widespread Panic.
Tinypalooza is one of Georgia's most underrated beer fests The booming city of Snellville is just far enough from Atlanta that it's easy for metro residents to brush it off. If you're not from Georgia, you may have heard Snellville mentioned as the home of American Idol contestant Diana DeGarmo. It's also home to a great beer bar/bottle shop/cigar bar The Lincoln Fill Station.
Tinypalooza 4.5 was part birthday celebration for co-owner Tiny McClannan and part anniversary party for "The Lincoln." Tiny and his business partner Brad Tomlinson scour the country to bring in amazing beers. There's plenty of great Georgia beer, and some bottle pours you won't find anywhere else close by. As we found out, they also have basketball-and-trashcan beer pong at the event, which was very popular with people of questionable skill.
We've partied with The Lincoln crew since their first festival. As a matter of fact, their first event was our very first live remote, when Beer Guys Radio was just a few months old. Each year, we try to talk to a few of the breweries in attendance as well as other cool people who happen to be around. We also catch up with Tiny about the festival and what's new at the pub.
Brian Roth of The Southern Brewing Co. always greets you with a smile and a hug. He's straight up one of the nicest people in the craft beer world, and there are a lot of great people in craft beer. Brian was kind enough to hang around as we struggled through some technical difficulties and chat with us about his brewery, his upcoming second location in Monroe, Ga; the recent collaboration brew they did with Beer Guys Radio and the crew from Reddit ATL Beer, and brewing in clay pots called amphoras.
Caroline King (along with co-host Ashley Powers) is spreading the good word of craft beer from a women's perspective on the Bitch Beer Podcast. Caroline joins us to take about her recent anniversary, what the goal of her show is, and some of the challenges women still face in the craft beer community. We've seen some of these biases towards our own Becky Smalls, and although many may be unintentional, they still exist.
Alcovy Brewing's Joe Paul and Cody Winters sit down with us to chat about their up-and-coming homebrewery. They've won several awards on the homebrew circuit and collaborated with some local breweries to get their beer on at festivals. What's in store for Alcovy? We're not really sure. Right now it sounds like they're just doing their thing and having fun.
See you for 5.5, Lincoln!
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Talking with Barrel Culture and Une Année/ Hubbard's Cave at one of the Southeast's best beer fests Recently one of the best beer festivals in the Southeast descended on Atlanta, GA (OK, technically Chamblee). I'm sure I'm a bit biased with it being on my home turf, but when you have nearly 70 highly regarded breweries from around the country bring out their best IPAs, Sours, Stouts, Pilsners, and Meads it's going to be a great party. In addition to Barrel Culture and Une Année/ Hubbard's Cave, breweries like Carton, Civil Society, Horus, Old Nation, and The Answer were also pouring. Blue Pants even had a Pilsner on slow pour, and if you're a regular listener you know we're loving that right now.
Barrel Culture's head brewer Paul Wasmund joined us to talk about what's coming up at their brewery. One of Wasmund's goals when joining Barrel Culture in late 2018 was to introduce clean beers alongside their delicious sour beers, which they launched just before the festival. Wasmund also talks about the addition of spontaneously fermented beers and brett Saisons, and we get his thoughts on superheroes.
Jerry Nelson, the founder of Hubbard's Cave and Une Année, has quite a story. He initially launched Une Année with a focus on classic Belgian Ales, but consumers didn't want classic Belgian Ales. Coupled with a few other hurdles, his brewery nearly went bankrupt. Nelson decided to create a new identity in Hubbard's Cave to offer more popular beer styles. Soon, he'll open a new brewery in Niles, IL. In a development with a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. No kidding.
None of this would have been possible without the hard work of the guys from distributor Modern Hops. Partners Philip Barnes and Michael Lowenberg (pictured bottom center in the above photo) talk about their unique approach to beer distribution and how they made the festival happen, as well as their support for the Georgia Transplant Foundation with the event's proceeds.
Places and things mentioned in this episode * Modern Hops * Boneflower Meadery * Old Nation Brewing * Idyll Hounds Brewing * Barrel Culture Brewing & Blending * Une Année / Hubbard's Cave * The Georgia Transplant Foundation
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Troy Casey adds the brewing to Casey Brewing & Blending, plans to offer clean beers Troy Casey expected to be a "company man" at Coors, following in the footsteps of his father. After working in the Coors pilot brewhouse for a few years, he decided to open Casey Brewing & Blending. Originally, the brewing part was done at other breweries where the wort was then transferred to the Casey facility for fermentation and blending. Recently, they've added a 7-barrel brewhouse, additional fermentation, and a coolship. With the new gear, Casey plans to add clean beers to their offerings.
Casey's location in Glenwood Springs, CO gives them the unique opportunity to brew with 99% local ingredients. Malt, hops, and lots of fruit all sourced in Colorado. Each fruit is available in a multitude of varieties, offering a huge spectrum of character in each batch. We sampled a Casey Family Preserves featuring Attika and Utah Giant cherries, a sweeter variety that complements the tart character of the base beer.
Blending the beers is just as critical as the brewing. Each barrel offers its own unique profile and selecting the individual parts to create the final blend takes a great palate and a special touch. Casey's a fan of modern hip-hop, especially producers. He compares blending to producing hip-hop beats, taking various samples and bringing them together to make something amazing.
We're also joined by Joe Lasko with Res-Tek for some sexy floor treatment talk. Joe is as passionate about flooring as brewers are about beer. He tells us why a brewery or restaurant should choose a floor treatment to protect their investment. You may not think flooring talk is hot, but you haven't heard our flooring talk yet.
Funky Blender, Casey Family Preserves, and Fruit Stand are just a few of the offerings in Casey's line up of wild, fruited ales. (Photo: Casey Brewing & Blending)
Places and things mentioned in this episode * Casey Brewing & Blending | Brewery and blendery in Glenwood Springs, CO. Offering amazing fruited and hoppy sours and soon, clean beers, too. * Res-Tek | A Beer Guys Radio sponsor. Res-Tek manufacturers protective flooring for your brewery or restaurant * Monday Night Brewing | Craft brewery in Atlanta, GA (We enjoyed their Fistful of Cake on this episode.) * Genesee Brewing Co. | Brewery in Rochester, NY. Recently brewed a collaboration with Other Half. Prepare yourself for Genny Dream. * Other Half Brewing | Craft brewery in Brooklyn, NY. * UC Davis | Home of one of the finest brewing education programs in the US.
Three Taverns welcomes new brewmaster, presses ahead with Imaginarium Three Taverns Craft Beers is known for their diverse portfolio of hoppy IPAs, tasty sours, and thick and rich long-boil stouts. The brewery opened under Georgia's "old laws" and initially weren't allowed to do direct sales out of their brewery. Owner Brian Purcell tells us one of the great things going for breweries in Georgia today is those direct sales allow small batch creativity, which didn't make financial sense for many brewers under the old laws. While others are opening new, larger brewers to expand, Purcell is going the other direction and opening his Imaginarium at the Atlanta Dairies development. Visitors can expect a Willy Wonka meets Ripley's Believe it or Not as brewers flex their creative muscles on an ever-changing list of experimental beers.
Heading up the brewing at both locations will be Riley Finnigan, the new Brewmaster at Three Taverns. He joins the team after a year-long search prompted by the departure of Joran Van Ginderachter, who left to open his own brewery, Halfway Crooks Beer. Finnigan is still getting settled in Atlanta, but already loves the strong craft beer community. His brewing background has taken him around the world, most recently at Edge Brewing in Barcelona and previously with Colorado's Avery Brewing. Finningan caught the brewing bug while he was managing a sustainable ranch in rural Mexico.
Atlanta United wasted no time in turning Atlanta into a soccer town. Before the fancy Mercedes Benz stadium was completed fans packed out Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd stadium for games. Purcell is one of those fans, as are many others at Three Taverns. They attend tailgates, host watch parties, and their Rowdy and Proud IPA is always on hand to celebrate. Brewed in collaboration with Resurgence, the Atlanta United supporters club, the beer has taken on a life of its own. Purcell announced the launch of rowdyandproudbeer.com to tell the story of the beer, share pics of the rowdy and the proud as well as a calendar of events, and (soon) to get your Rowdy and Proud merchandise.
Make sure to visit Three Taverns original brewery in Decatur, GA and stay tuned for updates on the Imaginarium.
Places and things mentioned in this episode... * Three Taverns Craft Beers | Craft brewery in Decatur, GA * Edge Brewing | American craft brewery in Barcelona, Spain * Avery Brewing | Craft brewery in Boulder, CO * Halfway Crooks Beer | Joran Van Ginderachter's upcoming Atlanta brewery * The Southern Brewing Co. | Craft brewery in Athens, GA * Creature Comforts Brewing Co. | Craft brewery in Athens, GA * Resurgence | Atlanta United supporters group * Thank you to our newest sponsors! + Res-Tek | Manufacturer of protective flooring for breweries and restaurants + CraftCellr | Mobile solution to facilitate online brewery pre-sales for beer releases, events, and memberships.
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Real craft beer, real grains, completely gluten-free As part of her cancer treatment, Holidaily Brewing founder and Chief Brewista Karen Hertz's treatment was going on a gluten-free diet. As a life-long sports fan and outdoor enthusiast, she missed having a beer at the game or at the end of a day on the slopes. She tried the gluten-free options that were available at the time but none of them hit the mark for what a craft beer should taste like. With a passion for craft beer and a background in the beer industry Hertz had a "simple" solution, she'd start a craft brewery focusing on gluten-free beers that actually tasted like beer.
The process starts with using real grains. Barley and wheat are out, but Holidaily uses primarily millet and buckwheat in their beers. Hertz shares how the brewing process is similar, with a few tweaks to accommodate for the small grains. The end result is beer that actually tastes like beer, and is 100% safe for anyone with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
The gluten-free beer industry is young but, in addition to Holidaily, there are about 12 breweries specializing in gluten-free craft beer. Now everyone can cheer on their favorite team's win by raising a glass of their favorite brew.
Episode Guide Beer Guys Radio Ep. 167 Gluten-free craft beer with Holidaily Brewing Follow Holidaily: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
- Karen Hertz introduction | 00:52
- Holidaily Favorite Blonde Ale | 01:18
- Grain-based vs. non-grain-based gluten-free beer | 01:54
- Slow pour pilsner | 05:15
- Beers of the Week |
- SweetWater Brewing Peach Love and Happiness | Peach Berliner Weisse
- Holidaily Favorite Blonde | Gluten-free Blonde Ale
- Holidaily Fat Randy's IPA | Gluten-free IPA
- Holidaily Riva Stout | Gluten-free Stout
- Craft Beer News | 08:50
- Gluten-neutralized grains? | 11:50
- Gluten and distilled spirits | 14:32
- Why open a gluten-free brewery | 15:50
- Gluten-free malts | 17:50
- The story of Fat Randy | 22:53
- Gluten-free vs. gluten-reduced | 24:45
- Gluten-free lines in bars, restaurants, and breweries | 27:55
- Holidaily Riva Stout | 33:45
- Gluten-free brewing process | 35:10
- Nutritional comparison to "traditional" grain beers | 37:55
- Holidaily's new brewhouse | 41:00
Shout Outs / Links * Holidaily Brewing Company | 100% gluten-free, grain-based craft brewery * SweetWater Brewing Co. | Craft brewery in Atlanta, GA * Grouse Malt House | Gluten-free malt house based in Colorado offering millet, buckwheat, oats, maize, and quinoa * Boxcar / Hop City | Craft beer bar, wine bar, bottle shop, and restaurant in the Lee & White development in Atlanta's West End
Step aside, wine. We're pairing craft beer and cheese. Wine and cheese get plenty of love but craft beer is gaining more respect for pairing with cheese. I'll admit, this show was all for us. Selfish, I know. However, Chef Bernard McCoy shares some amazing info on pairing craft beer and cheese and we think you're going to enjoy it.
McCoy is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, a passionate craft beer fan, and a member of the "Kitchen Killaz" team at the renowned Brick Store Pub. During our selfish session, we get some info on how to set up your pairing, how to best enjoy your beer and cheese pairing, and we sample a few cheeses with a few beers and see how well they play together. Although there are guidelines when pairing, there are no rules. McCoy says the main goal is to enjoy yourself. Ideally, you'll find a combination that brings out flavors of the cheese or beer that you wouldn't have tasted, or a combination that makes muted flavors pop. However, you do it, just have a good time.
Cheeses and beers we tasted * Karst Cave-aged with Creature Comforts Bibo Pilsner + Cheddar/gruyere blend from Karst in Vermont + Sharp and buttery + Also pairs with Kolsch or Cabernet Sauvignon + Accompaniments: Dark chocolate, soppressata, caramelized walnuts, dried apricots * Ewephoria Sheep’s Milk Gouda with Trim Tab Mosaic Singularity and Old Nation Boss Tweed + From a small family farm in the north of Holland, aged 9-12 mos + Butterscotch sweetness and nuttiness + Also pairs well with bourbon, Malbec, Riesling + Accompaniments: Pears, whole grain bread, Italian speck. Gouda melts well and makes an excellent grilled cheese. As a dessert cheese with white or green grapes * Bellamy blue and St. Bernardus Prior 8 + From Sequatchie Cove Creamery in Tennessee + Raw milk cheese aged 90-120 days, rind is washed with applewood smoked sea salt + Also pairs with a smoky Rauchbier or Sauternes wine + Accompaniments: Toasted nuts, strong honey, cured meats and olives. * Cravanzina and Zillicoah Saison + From Caseificio dell‘Alta Langa in the Southern Piedmont region of Italy + Cow and sheep’s milk soft rind cheese, ripened for about 15 days + Very soft and buttery, with earthy mushroom character
Shout Outs / Links * Beats Brews & Life | Bernard's podcast feature craft beer talk, interviews with music producers, and live beat sessions. Very cool show, make sure to check it out. * Brick Store Pub | One of the world's best beer bars is nestled on the square in Decatur, GA. They offer an impressive tap list, overwhelming bottle list, and fantastic food. If you haven't been to BSP you're missing out. Make sure to catch one of Chef Bernard's beer and cheese pairings.... and ask to see the cellar menu. * Star Provisions | If you're in the Atlanta area we highly recommend Star Provisions for your cheese and charcuteries needs. * Karst Cave-Aged Cheese * Sequatchie Cove Creamery * Caseificio dell‘Alta Langa * Creature Comforts Brewing Co. * Trim Tab Brewing Co. * St. Bernardus * Zillicoah Beer Co.
We asked some of Georgia's best homebrewers for a few tips Jay Brantley and Jon Shari (Little Cottage Brewery) took top honors in our 2018 Best of Georgia Beer Awards. We do these awards annually and the homebrewer category was a new addition last year. Our readers/listeners voted for their favorites, and Jay and Jon beat out a strong pool of nominees. When it came time for another homebrewing show we figure these guys were the ones to come join us, so here we are.
Little Cottage Brewery has been a friend of the show from the beginning, Jon joined us on Show #1 way back in 2016. He's well-known throughout the Georgia beer community for brewing up amazing stouts and sour beers. Little Cottage made an appearance at the 2018 WeldWerks Invitational beer fest and even got a shout out from Cool Material as one of "8 Breweries About to Blow Up." It's easy to mistake Jon's homebrew for a "real" brewery, he puts a lot of work into custom labels for his bottles and the quality of the beer inside rivals the best commercial breweries. He's even managed to land the #12 spot on Untappd's best US breweries. Impressive.
Beernice gets some homebrew tips from (L) Jay Brantley and (R) Jon Shari/Little Cottage Brewery.[/caption]
Jay Brantley takes more of a walk softly and carry a big stick approach. He's not much for social media, hasn't given an official name to his homebrewery yet, and his beers aren't listed on Untappd. However, Jay keeps his head down and brews away - 52 batches in 2018. With a full-time job, wife, and three kids, that's even more impressive. He's a fan of nuance and balance in his beers and meticulously plans and tracks his brews.
In addition to their tips for nailing IPAs and Stouts, we talk with the guys about what got them started in homebrewing, homebrew clubs (shout out to Jay's club, PC Mashers), homebrew competitions, and Jon even shares tips on how to build and keep your own house wild culture.
Most of you probably enjoy having a bit of booze in your beer. However, there are times when alcohol isn't appropriate, or allowed. Athletic Brewing Co. wants to offer the taste of craft beer without the alcohol.
We talk with founders Bill Shufelt and John Walker this week about what prompted them to start a non-alcoholic craft brewery, the process of making NA beer, and who's buying their beers.
They offer all the same styles that your regular craft breweries do but each at less than 0.5% ABV.
Craft breweries and distilleries thrive in downtown developments Georgia's craft beer and spirits industries are booming. Thanks to recent legislation, breweries and distilleries can now offer sales direct to the consumer from their location. Cities such as Woodstock, Roswell, Athens, and LaGrange thrive with breweries as part of their downtown areas. Nationwide craft beer and spirits continue to grow in popularity across with craft beer sales up 8% in 2017 and craft spirits seeing an impressive 23.7% growth rate.
Consumers also have a renewed passion for their city’s Downtown areas. Many people make the choice to enjoy their leisure time closer to home, and having a variety of amenities available helps them to accomplish that. Breweries and distilleries frequently become key destinations in downtown areas, helping to spur the growth of related shopping and dining businesses and increasing tourism.
In this podcast, we'll hear from local government officials, real estate and project developers, as well as brewery and distillery owners on the benefits of attracting these businesses to your developments, along with advice on how to do so.
Presented by the Georgia Municipal Association.
For more information visit https://www.georgiacitiesfoundation.org
PANELISTS * Mayor Mike Eason of Dawsonville * Cheryl Wood, Founder of Dawsonville Distillery * Keri Stevens, Assistant City Manager of Avondale Estates * Nathan McGarity, Co-owner and Developer of Oconee Brewing * Taylor Lamm, Co-owner and Brewmaster of Oconee Brewing * Rob Hopek and Stacia Familo-Hopek of The Lost Druid Brewery
MODERATOR * Tim Dennis, Co-host and Co-founder of Beer Guys Radio
Presentation Guide * Podcast Introduction | 00:00 * Panel Introduction | 00:51 * A distillery in city hall | 01:17 * Challenges of opening a distillery in a public space | 03:02 * Structuring the partnership | 03:57 * City, state, and federal hurdles | 04:28 * Addressing public opposition | 06:32 * New laws allow direct sales from breweries and distilleries | 08:54 * Increasing tourism (visit brewery/distillery, festivals and events) | 09:33 * Changes for an existing brewery after the passage of SB85 | 10:32 * Georgia's standing in breweries per capita and economic impact | 11:40 * More on increasing tourism and direct sales, new brewery definitions | 13:04 * Oconee's Project Hummingbird - Easing cost of entry for new breweries | 14:48 For more information on Project Hummingbird contact Nathan McGarity at Oconee Brewing) * Equipment costs to open a brewpub | 16:55 * Selecting a building for your brewery or distillery (financial and construction considerations) | 18:05 * Assistant City Manager on why breweries and distilleries are appealing | 23:53 * Lost Druid Brewery on why they chose to build in a smaller community | 25:03 * Building a brewery with own-premise sales in mind, catering to your local community | 26:12 * Advice for city managers or other officials to attract breweries and distilleries | 27:54 (Addressing ordinances, permitting, zoning, tax incentives, assisting with county/state issues) * Encouraging changes from cities without existing ordinances | 30:00 * Breweries and distilleries are an "economic catalyst" for their communities | 30:55 * Breweries offer gathering spaces and encourage community events | 32:08 * Industry growth and trends, what the future holds | 33:51 * Craft beer is for everyone | 35:28 * Combining a restaurant with your brewery / partnering with food trucks | 37:07
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The Benefits of Attracting Breweries and Distilleries to Your Downtown Developments by Georgia Municipal Association / Beer Guys Radio is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
New Glarus Brewing isn't coming soon to a store near you (unless you live in Wisconsin) Daniel and Deb Carey sent their beer to a few other states for a while, but today New Glarus is Wisconsin's beer. The Careys want control of their beer and their company, and the easiest way to do that is to keep it as close to home as possible. The plan seems to be working well for them as New Glarus Brewing is the 17th largest craft brewer in the US, and the 25th largest overall brewery.
Carey's brewing history spans over 30 years. He earned a degree in Food Science with an emphasis in malting and brewing from UC Davis in 1983, and was valedictorian of the 1987 Siebel Institute course in Brewing Technology. He apprenticed at a small brewery near Munich and worked for Anheuser-Busch, where he tells us his desk was right next to Mitch Steele's (Stone/New Realm).
Daniel Carey joins us on the show this week to talk about his brewing history and the growth of his brewery. He shares insight on why they choose to stay in Wisconsin, passing on buy-out offers, and the importance of being a moral business. We also discuss the Bud Light Super Bowl commercials and get insight on the big deal with corn syrup. We sample a few New Glarus beers and get info on the brews and the styles. Plus, we find out the connection that New Glarus has to good 'ol Atlanta.
Episode Guide New Glarus Brewing with co-owner and brewmaster Daniel Carey Beer Guys Radio Ep. 163
- Daniel Carey Introduction, Topics | 00:51
- New Glarus Uff Da Bock | 01:11
- Decoction Mashing | 02:38
- Discussing Bud Light's "corn syrup" Super Bowl commercials | 03:10
- Beers of the Week | 06:39
- Craft Beer News | 07:40
- AB InBev acquires 100% of RateBeer.com
- Bell's Brewery pulls out of Virginia
- Daniel Carey's brewing background | 11:46
- Old school Henry Weinhard | 15:39
- The benefits of professional brewing education | 16:05
- New Glarus 2019 Flanders Sour | 19:30
- New Glarus's many awards | 23:05
- The growth of New Glarus and staying close to home | 24:38
- New Glarus Spotted Cow | 28:30
- Passing on selling out / building a moral business | 29:40
- New Glarus and Atlanta | 34:00
- New Glarus Serendipity | 36:25
- Pioneering sour beer in the US | 38:00
- New Glarus's "caves" | 40:40
- Capturing big fruit flavor in your beer | 42:25
- Next Week | Athletic Brewing Co.
Halfway Crooks, Bold Monks, and a Schoolhouse coming soon to the Georgia beer scene Recently, we sat down at the 15th Annual Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting and talked with a few of the folks behind some of Georgia's upcoming breweries. This is our 3rd year at the festival and it's become a tradition to catch up with some of our upcoming breweries. We also talk with festival organizer Owen Ogletree about cask ales and the changes he's seen hosting the festival over the years. As a bonus, we're joined for a quick chat with UK beer writer Rob Macardle, editors of CAMRA's Leicester Drinker.
Halfway Crooks Beer founders Shawn Bainbridge and Joran Van Ginderachter pose with their furry friend at their brewery in Atlanta's Summerhill neighborhood. They are targeting a Spring 2019 opening.[/caption]
Brewery Guests The Bold Monk | John "JR" Roberts is currently building The Bold Monk in Atlanta's hot Westside neighborhood. In addition to the new venture, JR also owns Max Lager's brewpub in downtown Atlanta. The area is also home to the recently opened Steady Hand Beer Co. and the recently announced second location for Scofflaw Brewing Co. The Bold Monk Stained Rose, a barrel-aged Wild Saison with grapes and cherries, took 1st Place for Specialty Beer at the event.
Schoolhouse Beer | Thomas Monti and Justin Waller are the masterminds behind Schoolhouse. The schoolhouse theme is inspired by their background as teachers. The brewery is a "graduation" of sorts, the duo currently owns Schoolhouse Beer & Brewing in Marietta which sells packaged beer, growlers, and homebrew supplies. For those lamenting the closure of a local homebrew shop don't worry, the brewery will also have a homebrew shop inside.
Halfway Crooks Beer | One of Georgia's most anticipated breweries, Halfway Crooks Beer is building out in a new development coming to Atlanta's Summerhill neighborhood, just next door to the former Turner Field. Owner Joran van Ginderachter and Shawn Bainbridge weren't able to join us at ACAT, so we took a trip down to check out their space and hear what's coming up.
Listen to past Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting episodes: ACAT 2018 with Line Creek Brewing (Open), Split Batch Brewery (Planning) and Banyan Roots (Under construction as Best End Brewing Co.)
ACAT 2017 with New Realm Brewing Co., Variant Brewing, and Good Word Brewing (All open)
Drinkin' Beers go head to head for King of the Cooler at your Big Game party Drinkin' Beers, party beers, session beers, "crushable". Whatever you call them sometimes you just need a no-fuss, low alcohol beer to help wash down your nachos and wings. Sure, there are suggestions for the "perfect" beer to pair with pizza but a good clean Pilsner or American Lager is pretty multipurpose. This week, we drink eight lower ABV beers, pitting them 1-on-1 and then picking our gameday champion.
We share some stats on the insane amount of food and drink folks consume during the Super Bowl, the crazy things they bet on, and we even give a few suggestions for those expert pairings if you want to get fancy. We talk macro beer and pick the one we'd be "OK" with sipping if it was all that was available. Because if you're going to a watch party it's likely there will be a cooler or fridge full of macros.
THE CONTENDERS * Round 1 | Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils VS Rogue Yellow Snow * Round 2 | Creature Comforts Bibo Pilsner VS Atlanta Brewing Co. Homestand * Round 3 | Narragansett Lager VS Creature Comforts Classic City Lager * Round 4 | Ironmonger Too Legit to Wit VS Southbound Scattered Sun * Championship | ?????
WeldWerks talks Juicy Bits, big stouts, and beer fests Greeley isn't the first city people think of when you mention craft beer in Colorado, or the second... or the third. But WeldWerks Brewing isn't letting something like geography stand in their way. At just over three years old they've been named the best new brewery in America, won Gold and Silver medals at the Great American Beer Fest, and they recently purchased the land their taproom is on for a big expansion. Not bad, WeldWerks. Not bad.
This week we're joined by Co-Owner and Head Brewer Neil Fisher and Director of Sales & Marketing Jake Goodman to talk about their booming brewery. They brewed 137 new beers in 2018. with over 100 going into packages. They share the success of the first WeldWerks Invitational beer fest and the charitable causes it will support, plus planning for 2019. We talk about their flagship Juicy Bits IPA (which Neil shared the recipe for online) and their 14.2% stout, Medianoche, which is boiled continuously for up to 36 hours. Neil talks about the upcoming Brewers Retreat he's taking part in, and amazing opportunity for a serious beer geek to brew with some of the best brewers in the country.
Episode Guide Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast Episode 160 WeldWerks Brewing with Neil Fisher and Jake Goodman
- Neil Fisher and Jake Goodman Introductions | 01:02
- DDH Juicy Bits IPA | 01:25
- Week in Review | 02:32
- Another trip to Contrast Artisan Ales
- New Realm Oaxaca Choca stout release
- Drinking all the Resilience IPA
- WeldWerks charity brews
- Pontoon anniversary beer preview
- Big Beers, Belgians, and Barleywines Festival
- Beers of Week | 07:42
- Creature Comforts Pineapple Lemon Tritonia Gose
- Sierra Nevada Resilience IPA
- WeldWerks DDH Juicy Bits IPA
- WeldWerks Medianoche Stout
- Craft Beer News | 08:21
- Government shutdown impacts craft beer
- Brewery sues US Attorney General over stalled label approvals
- WeldWerks gets its start | 11:50
- WeldWerks purchases land for expansion | 12:56
- Growing in Greeley | 14:16
- WeldWerks Invitational Festival | 15:08
- Little Cottage goes to Colorado | 19:08
- Charitable causes supported by the WeldWerks Invitational Festival | 22:51
- Planning for the 2019 Invitational | 23:58
- Expanding WeldWerks exposure beyond Colorado | 25:08
- Winning Best New Brewer of 2016 and GABF Gold | 26:45
- WeldWerks Medianoche Stout | 28:23
- The benefits of the long boil stout | 29:20
- Craft Beer & Brewing Brewers Retreat - Boothbay Harbor, Maine | 33:50
- Releasing a new beer every week, and 137 in 2018 | 36:25
- Juicy Bits and is there Colorado beer style? | 40:15
- Sharing is caring | 41:39
- Juicy Bits homebrew recipe
- We out | 43:10
- Next week: Beers and Bites for the Big Game
Chase Medlin's journey to open Contrast Artisan Ales Before opening Contrast Artisan Ales founder Chase Medlin got his start in brewing at Decatur, Georgia's Twain's Brewpub & Billiards. After learning the ropes from a couple of other brewers he moved into the head brewer role. Medlin found his love for brewing and soon began to look into opening his own location. After few false starts, Contrast opened their doors in Chamblee, Georgia in December of 2018.
We sample Medlin's newest IPA, Luminiferous, along with their Hypnotize Biggie Coffee Stout while we discuss what's brewing and what's coming up for Contrast. We also talk about the changes to the definition of craft brewer and whether or not Contrast will delve into "alternative beverages", the growing beer and food scene in Chamblee, and we travel back in time to talk about some thoughts Medlin shared in a 2015 interview.
Episode Guide Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast Episode 159 Contrast Artisan Ales' Chase Medlin
- Chase Medlin introduction / show topics | 01:04
- Contrast Artisan Ales Luminiferous IPA | 01:27
- Week in review | 03:10
- Fūdo grand opening in Chamblee
- Bad Daddy's Burger Bar Beer list
- Mounting a $#&% TV
- Chase brews beer
- Shout out to Taylor Harper (The Georgia Craft Beer Lawyer)
- Beers of the Week | 06:23
- Terrapin Beyond the Galaxy IPA
- Creature Comforts Innoculous IPA
- Atlanta Brewing Co. Post-bel-lum BBA Imperial Stout
- Contrast Artisan Ales Luminferous IPA
- Hypnotize Biggie Coffee Stout
- Craft Beer News | 07:15
- Charlie Papazian to depart Brewers Association
- Overweight, coffee-drinking, alcohol-loving people live longer (some conditions apply)
- Contrast Artisan Ales Hypnotize Biggie Coffee Stout | 12:02
- The road to opening Contrast Artisan Ales | 13:35
- Twain's Brewpub & Billiards
- Terminus City Brewing
- Locomotion Brewing
- Slow Pour Brewing
- Brewers supporting brewers | 18:36
- Why Contrast chose Chamblee, GA / Contrast business model | 19:22
- Welcome WWDC HD2 104.67 FM Washington, DC | 22:36
- Chamblee or "Chamblis"? | 23:00
- Chamblee growing as a food and beer destination | 23:25
- Hot chicken (and fried okra) accessibility | 25:54
- Contrast's brewery art | 26:15
- Collaborative works from Jagua Martian and Austin Blue
- Atlanta street art and murals
- Art for sale at the taproom
- Living Walls Atlanta
- Contrast brewhouse details | 30:20
- Woodlands Circle Gunnison Series #2 | 31:19
- Double Barrel (bourbon and dark rum) Imperial Stout with coconut and lime
- Living that 4th Segment life | 33:50
- A look back at 2015: bitter and juicy and hazy IPAs | 34:10
- Chase doesn't make predictions on the next big thing in craft beer | 36:45
- Apple Brandy "Barrel" Midnight Snack | 37:12
- More Drinkin' Beers (pilsner, session ales, ESB) | 37:40
- Brewers Association revises the definition of craft brewer / brewing alternative beverages | 38:38
- Contrast considers gluten-free / gluten-reduced beer, hard water | 40:51
- Next week: WeldWerks Brewing with Neil Fisher and Jake Goodman
Listen and Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Stitcher | RSS
Camino Brewing was born during a journey the co-founders (Nathan Poulos and Allen Korenstein) took down the Camino de Santiago. The Camino used to be a pilgrimage for religious types, but today people from all walks of life take the trip. Some to clear their head or find themselves, others just want to get away from the rat race for a while.
Poulos joins us this week to talk about that journey and how it inspired opening his brewery and continues to inspire him today. He met a lot of strangers that became friends on the trip, and he wants Camino Brewing to offer that same connection.
Beers like N 120 Bohemian Pilsner and KM 0.0 West Coast IPA take their names from the Camino, while other offerings like Auld Lang Syne Brut IPA say goodbye to the past and welcome the future. Poulos has big plans in 2019 with each season offering beers that celebrate a leg of the journey on the Camino de Santiago.
We also talk a bit of college football here as the National Championship game comes to the Bay Area. Alabama will take on Clemson for the third time in four years. Our Georgia Bulldogs broke the combo last year when they played Alabama for the title but fell to the Crimson Tide.
Best of Georgia Beer 2018 - The Results 2018 brought many new breweries and amazing beers to Georgia and made for some stiff competition in this year's awards. In several categories, only a handful of votes (sometimes less than 1%) separated the winners or bumped someone just out of the Top 3. Over 2,000 Georgia beer fans voted for their favorite beers, breweries, brewpubs, beer bars, bottle shops, beer fests, and even their favorite homebrewer.
On this week's show, we share the results from the final voting round as we enjoy a sampling of the award-winning beers. We had several expected winners, as well as a few surprises. It's great to see so many Georgia beers and breweries making everyone's favorites list.
A few notes on the awards:
- Only beers brewed in Georgia are eligible for an award.
- For the "New for 2018" categories, a brewery had to open, or a beer had to be released between Dec. 15, 2017 and Dec. 1, 2018.
- Winners came from two rounds. A write-in nomination round and a final voting round comprised of the Top 10 (+/-) from the nomination round.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast Episode 157 Best of Georgia Beer 2018 - The Results Best of Georgia Beer - Categories New for 2018 Best New IPA Best New Double / Imperial IPA Best New Wild / Sour Beer Best New Stout Best New Lager Best New "Something Different" Best New Brewery Best New Brewpub Best Overall Best IPA Best Double / Imperial IPA Best Wild / Sour Beer Best Stout Best Lager Best "Something Different" Best Homebrewer Best Brewery Best Brewpub Best Beer Fest Best Beer Ba
Maine Beer Co. was started with a goal to "Do What's Right" Dan Kleban and his brother David founded Maine Beer Company with a single recipe and the goal to "Do What's Right." That mantra carries through in every aspect of running their business from the beer they brew, to employee relations, and how they support and give back to their community.
Dan joins us this week to talk about that philosophy and the passion he has to see it through. We enjoy a few Maine Beer Company beers as the conversation moves on to a discussion about the collapse of DME, a large brewing equipment manufacturer, and how that could be a nail in the coffin for some new brewers. Of course, we talk about brewing hoppy and balanced beers and teaching craft beer neophytes that hoppy and bitter are not the same thing. Dan also shares his passion for environmental causes and how their pledge to 1% For The Planet supports those causes, as well as the impact that brewing with local ingredients has on our environment.
[caption id="attachment_45659" align="aligncenter" width="800"] While most of Maine Beer Co.'s beers are meant to be enjoyed fresh, our 2106 King Titus Porter was still drinking very well. Hops had faded but it still delivered big roasty and chocolatey notes. (Photo: Maine Beer Co.)[/caption]
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast Episode 156 Maine Beer Company's Dan Kleban
EPISODE GUIDE
- Guest Introduction | 00:58
- Dan's trip to Atlanta | 01:10
- Maine Beer Co. MO | 02:20
- Maine Beer Co. Peeper Ale | 02:58
- Brewing for balance | 03:55
- Bringing American hoppy ales to New England | 04:35
- Hoppy ≠ Bitter | 05:38
- The Week in Review | 06:23
- Monday Night Situational Ethics Release
- Contrast Artisan Ales grand opening
- Tap & Six Anniversary
- SweetWater releases Sierra Nevada Resilience IPA
- Beers of the Week | 08:25
- Harpoon Dunkin Coffee Porter
- Good Word Brewing Anna Fantastic
- Maine Beer Co. MO
- Maine Beer Co. Woods & Waters
- Maine Beer Co. King Titus 2016
- Untitled Art Neopolitan Stout (surprise addition)
- Craft Beer News | 09:48
- Discussion on brewing equipment manufacturers DME's collapse
- Maine Beer Co. Woods & Waters (VinePair #3 beer of 2018) | 15:17
- Maine-grown barley | 16:48
- Brian's poutine epiphany | 17:34
- Vote in the Best of Georgia Beer awards | 18:42
- Maine Beer Co.'s beginnings | 19:15
- "Do What's Right" | 20:17
- Maine Beer Co. King Titus | 27:04
- Arguing with a monkey scientist | 28:55
- Drink Fresh! | 29:14
- Brewing a beer for aging | 29:44
- 16 beers in 10 years | 30:46
- Shifting brewery business models | 31:21
- Are breweries releasing too many new beers? | 32:30
- Keeping your beer relevant | 36:00
- 1% For The Planet | 39:30
- Solar power at Maine Beer Co. | 41:45
- Sourcing local ingredients | 44:52
- Choosing where to give back | 47:12
It's actually been cold here in Atlanta lately and it's time to break out the Christmas beers.
This week we invited Tim Cailloux, winner of our Catlanta charity art auction, to join us in the studio and sample through the 12 Beers of Christmas. We share a little info on each beer, Brian tells us about Christmas beer festivals and beer cocktails like Glühkriek. We had some naughty and some nice beers, and at the end of the show we share our Top 5 and why we chose our #1 beer.
Let us know if you've tried any of these beers and what your favorite Christmas beers are. Cheers!
Our 12 Beers of Christmas were...
- Barrel of Monks Father Christmas
- Corsendonk Christmas Ale
- Delirium Noël
- Gouden Carolus Noël
- Hardywood Gingerbread Stout
- Highland Cold Mountain
- Rogue Santa's Private Reserve
- Samichlaus Schwarzes
- Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale
- St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
- Straffe Hendrik Xmas Blend
- Three Taverns Feest Noël (2015)
- Gouden Carolus Noël
Craft Beer in the Coastal Empire with Chris Haborak If you're not familiar with the lay of the land, Savannah, Georgia is the Coastal Empire. Once you cross the bridge into South Carolina, you enter the Low Country. Got it? Good.
Chris Haborak is the co-founder and brewer at Coastal Empire Beer Co. Founded in 2011, the brewery is a middle child of the Georgia beer scene and the second to open in Savannah. After some spooky experiences with glitter and ghosts, we sat down to talk with Chris about his beer and brewery while enjoying a few pours, of course.
After chatting with Chris we continued our tour of coastal Georgia with stops at Service Brewing and Southbound Brewing then headed south to visit Hop Soul Brewing, under construction in Brunswick, GA) and down to St. Mary's to visit Brackish Beer Co.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast Episode 154 Chris Haborak of Coastal Empire Beer Co.
Episode Guide
- Guest Introduction | 00:47
- Keller's Milk Stout | 01:11
- David Loves Jam Bands | 01:55
- Smalls gets Handicapped | 03:00
- Week in Review - Savannah | 03:15
- Visiting a haunted brewery | 03:50
- Coastal Empire / Moon River collaboration | 05:30
- Brut IPA with spruce tips
- Beers of the Week | 05:55
- Craft Beer News | 06:55
- Omnipollo Yellow Belly trademark troubles
- PBR is saved
- Stella Artois's robot bartender
- Smoked TIPA for Atlanta's Strong Beer Fest | 11:50
- Opening Coastal Empire | 13:48
- Starting as a contract brewer - Would you do it again? | 17:00
- What sets Coastal Empire apart | 18:28
- Keeping up with small batch brewing | 19:45
- Bramble on Blonde / Rum Barrel Coco Piña Gose | 22:45
- Award-winning beers | 23:23
- GABF beer categories | 24:36
- Dawn Patrol gets a cease and desist | 26:43
- Upsetting people with
Sarah Green is the new Head Brewer at Ironmonger Brewing. Sarah has strong opinions on what needs to be done at the brewery. She's released her first original beer at the brewery and reformulated some existing recipes.
Ramsay Florence remains part of the team and moves into the role of Sales and Operations Manager. Ramsay is in the process of introducing new packaging for Ironmonger's beers and will undertake a massive taproom remodel very soon.
Sarah and Ramsay talk with us about the goals they've set for Ironmonger and the plans they have to achieve them.
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If you've ever taken a trip to Asheville, NC you've likely heard, "If you can find the time, take a trip to Fonta Flora."
Todd Boera opened his original brewery about an hour east of Asheville in Morganton. Slightly closer is Fonta Flora's new Whippoorwill Farm location, a 9-acre farm and 15-barrel brewhouse. Being away from the action of Asheville hasn't hurt his brewery. His unique brews with ingredients like beets, carrots, and tulsi bring in plenty of fans, and many do make the side trip from Asheville.
Boera uses only local ingredients in his brews and his farm will have a sizable orchard as well as garden areas to grow other ingredients. For those he can't grow himself he'll source from other local farmers. Fonta Flora also has their own house culture used to ferment their "Appalachian Wild Ales".
With the growth the new location has allowed, you'll see some more "normal" beers like Kolsch, Maibock, and even a Light Lager. The funk will keep flowing as well. Boera admits some of his creations are for a very specific audience, but they're what put Fonta Flora on the map and continue to be very important beers for them to brew.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 152 With: Todd Boera, Fonta Flora Brewery Episode Guide
- Apology 'cause we screwed up | 0:00
- Guest Introduction | 1:06
- Fonta Flora Rind | 1:26
- Week in Review | 4:15
- Catlanta Charity Art Auction | 6:15
- Beers of the Week | 7:20
- Craft Beer News | 8:13
- Fonta Flora Whippoorwill Farm | 11:40
- More beer, more cans | 14:47
- Planting plans for the farmland | 15:43
- Brewing with polarizing flavors | 19:10
- Fonta Flora Lunar Aqua | 22:38
- Terry Perry of Perry's Berry's[sic] | 23:59
- The doomed community of Fonta Flora | 25:10
- What is Farmhouse Brewing? | 27:19
- Appalachian Wild Ale | 33:40
- North Carolina hops | 34:50
- Aging hops | 35:55
- Hop character in wild beers | 37:05
- Secondary beer market | 39:35
- Outro | 43:10
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Even if you're not in DuClaw Brewing's distribution area, you probably know about Sweet Baby Jesus, their chocolate peanut butter porter. It's DuClaw's flagship beer and it's sought after across the country.
DuClaw's head brewer Brandon Stanko joined the brewery as in IT Technician and worked his way up the ranks. He joins us this week to talk about their beers, hop guns, Maryland's weird beer laws, and to share some tips for homebrewers on brewing a chocolate peanut butter beer.
Christopher Glenn joined in the studio this week to talk about his non-profit, The Bottle Share. A charity supporting the people working in the craft beer industry in times of need. He shares the story of how The Bottle Share came to be and how the organization helps others.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 151 Guests: Brandon Stanko, DuClaw Brewing | Christoper Glenn, The Bottle Share Topic: DuClaw Brewing Co. and The Bottle Share
Episode Guide
- Guest Introductions | 00:30
- Sweet Baby Jesus | 1:05
- Week in review | 3:08
- Beers of the week | 6:10
- Sweet Baby Java | 11:39
- Espresso in a Hop Gun | 11:50
- Dry hopping and proteins | 13:45
- History of DuClaw | 14:45
- Baltimore beer scene | 16:15
- Awards stacked on awards | 17:38
- DuClaw's bread and butter | 19:50
- The Bottle Share | 22:47
- Homebrew tips from Brandon | 28:15
- Brewing with Lupulin powder | 29:35
- Dirty Little Freak: "There is no safe word" | 33:43
- "Randalling" with a French press | 35:59
- "Sour Me This" series | 37:05
- DuClaw moving to all cans | 38:30
- DuClaw 2019 releases | 41:33
When Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project founder and brewmaster Chad Yakobson published his master's thesis online as The Brettanomyces Project very little was known about brewing with this unusual yeast. Common knowledge at the time said you couldn't use Brett as a primary fermenter in beer. Yakobson wasn't buying that and set on a path to find out all he could about this fascinating funk factory. Ten years later, brewers know a lot more, in large part thanks to his research. There is a huge variety of beers using Brett both as the primary fermenter and in blends.
We're joined this week by Yakobson and brewhouse and cellar manager Troy Montrone to learn more about brewing with Brett. Montrone tells us what a cellarman's main job duties are (lots of cleaning) and the importance of barrels and other wood vessels in their brewing. We discuss the differences in Belgian and American sour beers, and Yakobson shares a few flavor descriptors he thinks we need to drop from our vocabulary.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 150 Guests: Chad Yakobson, Troy Montrone Topic: Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project | Denver, CO
Episode Guide
- Intro | 00:30
- Props to Orval | 1:18
- Week in Review | 3:00
- Crooked Stave Fort Collins | 4:55
- Beers of the Week | 5:45
- Craft Beer News | 6:21
- Live culture beer in a can (Sour Rosé) | 11:35
- Aging on second use fruit | 14:30
- The Brettanomyces Project | 15:50
- Fast fermentation with Brett | 18:38
- Wild Wild Brett Series | 23:15
- Crooked Stave IPA / No dirty beers | 24:50
- Three breweries in one | 25:25
- Stop saying horse blanket and barnyard! | 27:00
- Duties of the Cellarman | 28:58
- Controlling oxygen in barrels | 30:05
- High altitude brewing | 30:56
- Foeders, barrels, and puncheons | 33:44
- Why ferment in foeders | 34:50
- Crooked Stave cooperage | 35:24
- Belgian sours vs. American sours | 38:10
- What do we know now about Brettanomyces | 40:04
- What we don't know about Brettanomyces | 40:50
- Crooked Stave Coffee Baltic Porter | 41:20
- Outro | 43:17
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A beer named Sue and a new place to brew for Yazoo Yazoo Brewing Co. founder Linus Hall left the exciting world of tire engineering to found his brewery in 2003. Currently in their 2nd home, Yazoo is in the process of moving to a new, much larger location in Madison, TN. We sample a few of Yazoo's beers, including the new 15th Anniversary Ale brewed with Sabro hops, a new (a very tasty) variety. Hall shares some of the legal challenges Tennessee brewers have faced over the years and why he had to get a distillery license to brew his smoked beer, Sue. Brian digs in on the Nashville Hot Chicken scene and the "laws" that surround it and we discuss Yazoo's Embrace the Funk sour program.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 149 Guests: Linus Hall | Founder and Brewmaster Topic: Yazoo Brewing Co. | Nashville, TN
Episode Guide
- Intro | 00:30
- Hot Chicken terroir | 1:04
- Week in Review | 2:51
- Beers of the Week | 4:50
- Craft Beer News | 5:30
- History of Yazoo Pilsner | 11:40
- From tire engineer to brewery owner | 12:46
- Homebrew recipe to commercial brew |14:19
- Yazoo's 15th Anniversary | 15:10
- Evolution of Yazoo's brews | 15:50
- Keeping it local | 16:18
- Country music influence | 17:45
- "Bro Country" | 18:30
- Yazoo distribution | 19:40
- Yazoo 15th Anniversary Ale | 22:40
- Sabro hops | 23:30
- Hop Project | 24:29
- Pilot Batch brewing | 25:40
- Tennessee brewery/beer laws and taxes | 26:46
- ABV caps and sales laws | 28:04
- Brewing a beer named Sue | 29:25
- Beer and BBQ | 33:50
- Moving a brewery | 35:50
- Changing industry dynamics | 38:13
- Embrace the Funk sour program | 40:06
- Outro | 43:00
Upland Brewing Co. celebrates 20 years and still pushing innovation Upland Brewing Co. was founded in 1998 in Bloomington, Indiana. They've grown over the years and opened several other taprooms as well as splitting the breweries for their clean and sour beers. We're joined this week by Adam Covey, Matt Wisley, and Eli Trinkle to talk about what's going on in Indiana beer. In addition to their clean beers like NE IPA and their popular Champagne Velvet Pilsner, Upland also offers a variety of sour beers and they've recently started experimenting with kombucha. Adam shares some info on their sensory training program, a very important part of keeping the same standards across all of their taprooms, and how it's important to be a part of the communities you serve.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 148 Guests: Adam Covey, Matt Wisley, and Eli Trinkle Topic: Upland Brewing Co.
Episode Guide
- Show and guest intro | 0:30
- Week in Review | 1:05
- Coolship sleepover | 1:38
- Yorkville Hop Farm | 2:50
- Beers of the Week | 5:00
- Craft Beer News | 6:35
- Toppling Goliath and the $100 beer | 6:47
- Planters peanut IPA | 8:58
- Upland Revive, an approachable sour ale | 11:36
- Upland celebrates 20 years | 14:23
- History of Upland Brewing | 15:15
- Upland's new Fountain Square location | 18:05
- Being part of the communities you serve | 18:55
- Innovating new brews | 22:37
- Kettle sours / The Tart Series | 23:18
- Self-promotion, STREWZü can release | 25:24
- Brewing kombucha | 25:55
- Avoiding secondary fermentation in packaged beer | 30:10
- Sensory training program | 33:40
- Upland Secret Barrel Society | 35:40
- Upland's NE IPA series | 37:50
- Upland Cherry. So much cherry. | 39:05
- Champagne Velvet Pilsner | 39:42
- The popularity of Pilsners | 41:20
- Teddy Bear Kisses variants | 42:05
Orpheus Brewing and The Woodlands talk sour and wild beers Wild and sour beers continue to grow in popularity. From "simple" sour beers like Berliner Weisse and Gose to complex, spontaneously fermented ales with funky, earthy, cheesy character. There's a huge variety out there.
When you think of SweetWater Brewery, you may not think of sour beers - but you should. Nick Burgoyne, Lead Brewer and Blender at SweetWater's The Woodlands focuses on brewing wild, sour, funky and barrel-aged beers. He recently won a Silver Medal for Cambium (an American Wild Ale) at the US Open Beer Championship.
Orpheus Brewing opened in Atlanta in 2014. Brewmaster and President Jason Pellett had a goal to introduce an approachable, sour beer that anyone could afford and his Atlanta (Tart Plum Saison) did just that. In the past 4 years, Orpheus has brewed many more sour beers, and recently won Bronze for Lambic-style Ales at the Great American Beer Fest.
Burgoyne and Pellett join us this week to talk about the adventure of expanding the acceptance of sour beers. We talk simple kettle sours like Berliner Weisse and Gose, and more complex sours like Lambic and Gueze. We also discuss the challenges facing American brewers as they mimic these styles and try to name them without offending traditional Belgian brewers, and how that brought about the move towards the Méthode Traditionnelle under the guidance of HORAL (High Council for Artisinal Lambic Beers). As we sip through several beers, the conversation moves to the process of traditional spontaneous brewing and blending sour beers.
The show was taped at SweetWater Brewery during ZCON Atlanta's brewery night. We talk with Z Car Club Association President Chris Karl about Z Cars, the club and ZCON - their annual national convention.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 147 Guests: Nick Burgoyne, SweetWater Woodlands | Jason Pellett, Orpheus Brewing | Chris Karl, ZCCA - The Z-Car Club Association Topic: Sour and Wild Beer Primer and intro to Z-Cars
Episode Guide
- Sponsor thanks and show intro | 0:00
- Nick Burgoyne intro | 01:50
- Jason Pellett intro | 2:08
- Week in Review | 2:29
- Woodlands Circle Beer Club | 3:04
- Blue Ridge, GA Brewery visits | 3:59
- Brian's wrong opinion on stouts | 5:08
- Beers of the Week | 6:58
- Craft Beer News | 7:45
- Climate change and craft beer
- Sustainability in brewing
- Orpheus "Even the Furies Wept" and Tribute Barrels | 12:52
- Breaking down "sour" beers | 14:13
- American brewers naming of sour beer styles | 16:10
- Orpheus process in canning sours | 16:32
- Kettle sours: Berliner Weisse and Gose | 17:35
- Substituting lactic acid for lactobacillus | 19:23
- Heavy fruit blurring Berliners and Goses | 20:59
- Z-Car Talk and ZCON Atlanta | 23:50
- Oud Bruin / Flanders Red discussion | 29:27
- How not to pronounce Belgian beer names | 34:40
- Lambic and Geuze discussion | 35:32
- Spontaneous fermentation and koelschip/coolship | 35:32
- Kriek, Framboise, Faro | 38:40
- Méthode Geuze / Méthode Traditionnelle | 40:35
- HORAL (High Council for Artisinal Lambic Beers) | 42:07
- American Wild Ale | 43:00 BEGIN 5th SEGMENT | 44:40
- Orpheus Everything Last's Forever / Méthode Traditionnelle MT III | 45:15
- ABV potential in spontaneous brewing | 47:34
- Wild wine | 45:55
- Introducing sour beers to America | 52:58
- Orpheus markets sours to the masses | 54:55
- Tim gets tipsy, rambles | 55:15
- SweetWater introduces hop heads to sour ales | 56:18
- How SweetWater got involved with sour brewing | 56:50
- SweetWater alumni | 59:50
- Blending sour beers | 1:00:20
- Alternative lambic brewing - Labeau and DKZ methods | 1:04:50
- Green bottles and skunking your lambics | 1:07:28
Examining the Craft Beer Bubble with the Brewers Association's chief economist Bart Watson Craft beer is booming in America. We're likely to hit 7,000 breweries by the end of the year, more than double the number just five years ago. With the explosion of new breweries many fear that we're in a bubble, and it's about to bust. But is that the case?
Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association, joins us this week to discuss the existence of the craft beer bubble and examine the numbers of what's really happening. Watson shares some details on the rate of brewery openings and closures and what those numbers mean. Attendance at the Great American Beer Festival, from brewers and consumers, is up and every competition category gets its fair share of entries. We discuss how excise tax cuts and higher tariffs are impacting brewers and consumers, how the industry today looks compared to the late 1990s, and what more legal weed could mean for craft beer.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 146 Guest: Bart Watson, Chief Economist, Brewers Association Topic: The Craft Beer Bubble and State of the Craft Beer Industry
Episode Guide
- Sponsor thanks and show intro | 0:00
- Bart Watson introduction | 01:35
- Ultimate Frisbee talk | 01:52
- GABF attendance recap | 02:54
- Beer Guys Week in Review | 03:50
- Georgia homebrew laws | 06:40
- Beers of the Week | 07:08
- Craft beer news | 08:40
- Oops! Data correction | 12:50
- Craft beer collectives and status as craft breweries | 13:25
- GABF medal analysis and trends | 14:21
- Popular GABF categories outside of IPA | 15:21
- Does the Craft Beer Bubble exist? | 17:20
- Brewery openings and closures | 19:15
- Craft beer industry today vs. the late 90s | 19:50
- US brewery numbers and growth potential | 23:35
- Brewery excise tax relief - Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) | 27:24
- Aluminum and steel tariffs | 30:35
- Challenges for new breweries | 34:40
- Wine and spirits vs. craft beer vs. big beer | 36:00
- Alternative alcoholic beverages | 38:00
- Breweries making other beverages | 39:00
- Legal cannabis/marijuana vs. craft beer | 40:29
- Independent Craft Brewer seal | 42:07
Hair of the Dog Brewing has been a Portland craft beer staple for 25 years. This week, founder Alan Sprints joins us on the show. We talk about the old days on the craft beer frontier, extreme brewing, the biggest challenges facing new brewers today, why he chose to keep his brewery small, his $800 bottle offerings, and what's in store for his upcoming 25th Anniversary.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 145
Episode Guide:
Sponsor thanks and show intro | 0:00 Beer Guys week in review | 02:40 Beers of the Week | 04:30 Beer Guys collab STREWZü preview | 06:02 Craft beer news | 6:30 - Lagunitas layoffs - Scofflaw UK Trump controversy - New Jersey brewery laws take a step back Alan Sprints Interview | 12:28 Hair of the Dog Fred / Fred Eckhardt | 12:40 Brewing outside the lines | 13:50 Back it up, introducing Alan Sprints | 14:26 Life before Hair of the Dog | 14:40 Making "holiday beers" year round | 15:30 Sprints on what it takes to be a brewer | 16:10 Travel and brewing around the world | 17:18 Starting in 1990s Portland | 18:20 1990s Portland beer scene vs. today | 19:00 Georgia beer boom | 20:40 Get your Hoppy Halloween tee | 23:28 Hair of the Dog brewery equipment | 24:10 Keeping it small | 24:38 Brewing around the clock | 25:37 Brewing Adam in Germany | 26:38 An Adam from Adam with Adam | 27:10 Hair of the Dog 25th Anniversary and reflection | 27:43 Exploring creativity through brewing | 28:30 Brewing Don and the Horse Brass Pub | 28:40 Sharing your passion | 29:59 "The Godfather" on extreme beer | 31:00 Scaring a Reinheitsgebot brewer | 32:20 Sprints on the challenges for new brewers | 34:30 Changing definition of extreme beer | 35:26 Brewing in concrete fermenters (From the Stone beers) | 36:23 Brewing alternative vessels (wood barrels and amphoras | 38:25 Hair of the Dog's most expensive beer: Dave | 40:19 Pairing cigars and beer | 42:45 Outro | 43:55
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Ryan Lapete had a career as a deep-sea diver before starting his craft brewery. He studied underwater crime scene investigation, lived underwater for a month, and participated in a mission with Fabien Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Cousteau. His job was dangerous, and after telling his wife he'd leave it behind if he could start a brewery, he founded DEEP Brewing.
Lapete shares how his diving experience helps him in brewing craft beer (quite a bit, actually), how being named 2017's Best New Florida Brewery impacted his business, and he spills the beans on a whole season of coffee beer releases. We also talk about the awesome artwork at his brewery and on his labels, and the difference in alcohol distribution laws in Florida and here in Georgia.
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 144
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Burnt Hickory Brewery's Scott Hedeen is part idea man, part madman
I first met Scott Hedeen when Burnt Hickory Brewery was just a few months old. Over the years he has become one of my very favorite people in the whole world. He's also very high on the list of people that drive me crazy. It's a weird relationship, but it works.
Hedeen is an idea man. He's constantly thinking (and talking) about what's next. For him, for others, for everything. The wheels are constantly spinning. This makes for some great conversations, amazingly creative ideas, and a 5-minute phone call about hops turning into a 50-minute phone call about IPA, playing the theremin, 80s punk, and standup comedy.
Hedeen founded his brewery in 2011 and produced his first commercial batch in April 2012. Back then, his Wonka World of craft beer only opened to the public one Saturday each month. Initially, 20-30 dedicated fans showed up for the tastings but it wasn't long before they numbered in the hundreds. BHB's fans weren't just normal beer lovers, they felt connected to the brewery and the beer, they were passionate about it. Those who didn't "get" what Burnt Hickory was about went as far as calling their fans a cult. That's not far from the truth.
This week, Hedeen and Burnt Hickory taproom manager Heddy Proctor join us to talk about their adventure. We talk a little bit about their brewery and growth, a lot about music, why it's important for breweries to support homebrewers, and several other topics that I was not able to keep up with. Scott has something to say about everything, and we tried to catch as much of it as we could.
This is Burnt Hickory Brewery's third appearance on Beer Guys Radio. They also joined us on Ep. 13 in March 2016 and Ep. 56 in Jan. 2017.
In this week's news we talk about comedian Jim Gaffigan's jab at craft beer, I oldest brewery in the world is found, and Atlanta taking the #1 spot in a list of growing craft beer destinations.
Beers of the Week
- Burnt Hickory Brewery CWOTD Act of God (chocolate quad), The Didjits (blood orange IPA), Die Kreuzen (imperial pumpkin pie porter), The Revivial (Pilsner)
- Monday Night Brewing Piranha Dealer (strawberry milkshake IPA), Neighborhood Watch (India pale Kolsch)
- Arches Mexican Empire (Vienna Lager)
- Deschutes Hopzeit (Autumn IPA)
The Burnt Hickory Brewery 2260 Moon Station Court NW #1210 Kennesaw, GA 30144 Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 143
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O'zapft is! Oktoberfest is coming, and we're ready Munich Oktoberfest officially kicks off on September 22nd for 2018. Germany's largest volksfest has been going strong for over 200 years. Traditions have changed but the beer keeps flowing, a lot of it.
This week we're joined by Ryan Folgegren and Jamey Adams from Arches Brewing in Hapeville, Georgia to sample a dozen American takes on Oktoberfest beers and share our favorites. We talk about the history and traditions of Oktoberfest, German beer styles, lager brewing and water chemistry, and genetic mix-ups of snakes and dogs. Ryan and Jamey share their love for lagers and keeping their brewing traditional when extreme is the norm.
In this week's news, we talk about the dirty dirndl, German super-police, and an amazing yeast discovery in Argentina that could mean big changes for beer.
Our Oktoberfest beer sampling list We sampled the following beers while snacking on brats and sauerkraut, pretzels, and Obatzda cheese dip. At the end of the show, we each share our thoughts on some of the beers as well as our Top 5. #4thSegmentLife
- Arches Festbier
- Bells Oktoberfest
- Brooklyn Oktoberfest
- Cigar City Oktoberfest
- Highland Clawhammer
- Jekyll Seven Bridges
- Red Hare Hasenpfeffer
- Sam Adams Octoberfest
- Sierra Nevada / Weihenstephan Oktoberfest
- Victory Festbier
- Yuengling Oktoberfest
For even more festival talk check out our previous Oktoberfest episodes:
- Oktoberfest with Der Biergarten | Episode 92
- Oktoberfest with John Roberts and Owen Ogletree | Episode 41
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast 142
Oyster City Brewing Co. is spreading the good word of craft beer in the Florida Panhandle
There's not a whole lot in Apalachicola. When visitors to this small coastal town asked for a local beer, the best they could do was from a brewery a couple of hours away. The owners of the Owl Cafe and taproom saw an opportunity and after plenty of practice and planning, they opened Oyster City Brewing Co. in 2014.
Clayton Mathis has been a craft beer fan since college and is now the Head Brewer at Oyster City, but his LinkedIn profile says he's the Head Brewvangelist. He explains that more than just brewing beer, he wants to spread the word about craft beer to everyone. A noble mission indeed. We talk with Clayton about the craft beer scene in small-town Florida, brewing with unique ingredients, what beer pairs best with oysters, the interesting story behind their tap handles, and their upcoming Apalach Oktoberfest.
In the news this week Brian continues his "Big Beer Can't Catch a Break" series with layoff news at MillerCoors, breweries pulling together to raise awareness via Pints for Prostates.
We sampled a lot of Oyster City beer this week, including their award-winning Hooter Brown, enjoyed a Morning Snack from Three Taverns, and a couple of brews coming up from upcoming High Card Brewing in Tucker, GA.
Oyster City Brewing Co. 17 Avenue D Apalachicola, FL 32320 (850) 653-2739 Website | Facebook | Untappd
Riverbend Malt House makes craft malt for craft brewers Hops get all the love when it comes to craft beer but malt is getting more attention thanks to a small network of craft maltsters. For brewers in the South, Riverbend Malt House in Asheville, North Carolina offers up several barley, wheat, and rye artisan malts from locally sourced grains. By working with local farmers, Riverbend reduces the average food miles travel for their malts from 3,000 to about 300, reducing the carbon emissions by 4.5 tons for each truckload of grain. (Source) Their small batch grains also offer unique flavor profiles in specialty malts for craft brewers. Much like a craft brewery, independence is at the heart of a craft malt house. The North American Craft Maltsters Guild also requires maltsters to source at least 50% of their raw material from the local area, and produces less than 20 million pounds of grain per year.
Riverbend's Brent Manning and Matt Thompson join us this week to answer all our malty questions. We know malt, but we don't know malt, you know? We discuss what malt is, what makes a craft malt house, local sourcing grains, and what that means for the environment. Gavin McKenna from Atlanta Brewing Company also joined us to talk about craft malt from a brewer's perspective and we sample his Homestand, a Pilsner brewed with Riverbend malt. After our malt talk, we sat down with McKenna and Cameron Davis to talk more about the new Atlanta Brewing Company. You can listen to that episode here.
Riverbend Malt House | 12-C Gerber Road | Asheville, NC | 28803 Website: https://riverbendmalt.com/index.html Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riverbendmalt/
New people, new beers, and an old name for Atlanta Brewing Company
Opened in 1993, Atlanta Brewing Company is the oldest production brewery in Georgia. They started with that name but changed to Red Brick Brewing Co. in 2010, named after their most popular beer. It’s surprising that our oldest brewery is only 25, but with that little Prohibition thing in America and Georgia’s historically awful brewery laws, that’s quite a feat. Others have come and gone, some moved on to open other breweries, but Atlanta Brewing Co. has stood strong, even when they shouldn’t have.
Director of Brewing Operations Gavin McKenna joined Atlanta Brewing Co. in June 2017 after four years at the popular Wrecking Bar Brewpub. Although there’s renewed popularity of the beer since McKenna came on board, he’s quick to admit there were many others that helped build the brewery well before he stepped foot inside. A visit to the taproom offers up 20 varied and unique beers from popular hazy IPAs to classic English ales and even a “Lagerwine.” When McKenna joined the team he offered suggestions to improve beer quality and was met with some resistance. Many people on the team had been there for years, and he was the new guy. Over time his suggestions worked, the beer improved, and the craft beer community began to take notice.
To celebrate their 25th-anniversary Marketing Director Cameron Davis shares the details of their month-long celebration all around Atlanta, culminating with the official anniversary party at the brewery on September 29th. The team collaborated with several breweries for the festivities and will release these collaborations in the taproom and at collaborating breweries throughout the month. Imperial Stout Hype Whale will also see three new variant releases at their Hangover Party on the 30th.
McKenna and Davis sat down with us this week to talk about the rebrand and the anniversary events. We sampled their newly-packaged Homestand Pilsner while planning out our month for maximum enjoyment. The impetus for the change was a desire to move forward while reconnecting with their Atlanta roots. There are big changes to the beer but with the same branding many people have their opinions set and may pass over new offerings. With the change to Atlanta Brewing Company, the team hopes the retro-modern packaging will help beer drinkers take notice once again.
Collaborating Breweries: Cherry Street | DISSOLVR | Etowah Meadery | Good Word Brewing | Hopstix | Max Lager’s | Old Rail Brewing Co. | Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen | Southern Grist | Twain’s | Wrecking Bar Brewpub
Monks Meadery says there's a story in every drop Monks Meadery owner Justin Schoendorf started his business because the brewery scene was already "crowded" in Georgia with four breweries here, and he wanted to offer something different. He started homebrewing beer in college and eventually migrated to meadmaking. He enjoyed it, and so did his friends, and Georgia's first meadery was born.
Schoendorf tells us exactly what mead is, we talk about the growth in popularity and availability, current mead trends, and Renaissance Festivals - Monks Meadery is the official mead of the Georgia Renaissance Festival, with a festival map on the can. (Pro tip.. he said his mead pairs perfectly with a roasted turkey leg.)
Our beers (and meads) of the week...
- Monks Meadery Monks Mead | Traditional Mead
- Monks Meadery Peachin' to the Choir | Peach Tea Session Mead
- Monks Meadery Stigmata | Hibiscus Session Mead with rose, elderflower, and lightly hopped
- (Preview) Monks Meadery Abstinence in the Abbey | Belgian-inspired mead with coriander and hops fermented with Belgian yeast
- Creature Comforts Automatic | Pale Ale
- Hi-Wire Horchata 10W-40 Horchata | Horchata-inspired Stout
- Monday Night Dust Bunny | Hazy IPA
In the news this week we hear about Brew Dog's new beer hotel, New Realm opening in Virginia Beach, and China's love of Budweiser.
Be sure to tune in next week as we talk with Riverbend Malt House about craft malts.
What's luck if you ain't from Kentucky? The founders of Louisville, Kentucky's Against the Grain Brewery got their start because they weren't satisfied with the way beer was being represented in their town. After a disappointing visit to a local brewpub, whose brewhouse sat unused in a dark and dusty corner, they hunted down the owner and offered to buy the place. Today, Against the Grain Brewery and Smokehouse is nestled in that spot at Louisville Slugger Field, home to baseball's minor league Louisville Bats.
This week, co-owner Sam Cruz joins us to talk about their journey to opening the brewery, how beer names drive recipe creation, and how Japan and Europe are just small steps in their plan for world domination because "Everyone deserves Against the Grain beer."
We're also joined by Fish Scales and Skinny Deville of Nappy Roots and Atlantucky Brewing. If you're a regular listener of Beer Guys Radio you've likely heard us talk beer with the Nappy Roots crew before. We discuss their collaboration with Against the Grain, Water-Melon Chiquen & Gritz, and how that collaboration is launching new beer adventures for them.
Our featured beers this week were all about Against the Grain:
- Pome and Grabbit | Tart Wheat Ale with ginger and pomegranate
- London Balling | English-style Barleywine aged in Angel's Envy bourbon barrels (A Beer Guys favorite)
- Stave it for Later: Maple Bockin’ Pastries | Doppelbock with West Virginia maple syrup
- Kamen Knuddeln | Kentucky Common
In the news this week we discuss a 'raid" on a Georgia homebrew club meeting, additional evidence of the world's oldest beer, and improved brewery laws in Illinois.
Make sure to tune in next week as we talk with Athens, Georgia's Monk's Mead.
Tim and Brian pontificate on the many styles of IPA We had a guest lined up for this week, we were all set up and ready to go, but we weren't able to connect with them. We're all about making lemonade (or maybe a nice lemon Gose) out of lemons so we fired up the mics and freestyled a short show. We're sampling some IPAs so we discuss the many styles of IPA and if all IPAs are really IPAs. We also introduce a fairly new team member, Sam Kempe. Sam's been behind the scenes for a while, he's a man of few words, but as our Audio Engineer, he makes sure all our ramblings get recorded each week. Brian even sings about beer for a few seconds.
There were a few new beers in the rotation this week, like Creature Comforts' Goodie Pils, and Monday Night's Locals Only and Mischief Managed Peach. Trusty Tritonia was in the mix along with a beer that sounds like a high school athlete, Tre Fontaine. Founders' Barrel Runner made an appearance and made Brian cry because he still has 3 left to drink. I gotta say, I didn't hate it. The flavor reminded me of those little rum barrel hard candies. I'd be hard pressed to say this is a good beer, but once my brain equated it with those little candies I enjoyed the flavor.
In the news, we discuss a beer that was gone before we knew it existed, the growth of CANarchy, an out of this world collaboration at Crystal Lake Brewing, Buffalo Wild Wings' brewery partnerships for football season, barley shortages in Europe, and bottle
Arcadia Ales are British Inspired, American Brewed Michigan has a thriving craft beer scene and Arcadia Ales has been a part of it for over 20 years. Originally based in Battle Creek, an expansion brought them to Kalamazoo where their brewery sits on 400' of riverfront allowing visitors to launch their kayaks and canoes, or just relax and have a beer.
For most of their history, Arcadia brewed exclusively via a process unique to most American breweries. All of their beers were fermented in open vessels with a single yeast strain. In 2016 they added closed fermenters and other yeasts, but a large portion of their portfolio is still brewed with their open fermentation method. They've also started a sour program and released beers like Battle Kriek, and further experimentation recently brought them to making mead.
Arcadia's Director of Sales Steffan Phillippo joined us this week to talk about how the Britsh inspiration is implemented, the challenges of open fermentation, cherry festivals, glitter beers, and pasties. We also discuss their recent collaboration with heavy metal legends Motörhead for a US beer release, Röad Crew IPA, which pairs perfectly with headbanging.
We also talk with local Atlanta artist Catlanta about his work and tease a collaboration project with Beer Guys Radio to benefit an awesome local charity. Stay tuned for more info on what we're up to. Catlanta also shared a special beer he scored in Iceland. Hvalur 2 is brewed with sheep dung smoked whale's testicles. Hvalur 1 had the whale testicles but left out the important dung smoking step. #whalezbro
News and Brews In the news this week we share some mid-year craft beer stats, research progress in pursuit of a Florida hop farming industry, and some drama between Toppling Goliath and a former brewer over non-compete issues.
In addition to the whale balls beer, we enjoyed Arcadia's Röad Crew, Barrel-aged Shipwreck Porter, and Mango Surprise IPA. We also cracked a few Florida brews courtesy of a beer mail from our friend Darryl, a Creature Comforts Crescendo, and Hopstix Rice and Shine.
Next week... Tune in for our conversation with Fremont Brewing's Matt Li
Common Bond Brewers is helping revitalize Downtown Montgomery, Alabama Many homebrewers have a dream to open their own brewery. For Common Bond Brewers co-founder Andrew McNally the dream grabbed him in 2014 after participating in a homebrew competition with Good People Brewing in Birmingham, AL. As he drove home her pondered life, liberty, and starting his own brewery. He decided then that he was going to make it happen. Andrew partnered with his friend Tim Doles and the two set out to build a brewery. With the help of friends investments and putting their own financial tails on the line they opened in April 2018, the first production brewery in town in Montgomery.
McNally and Doles admit that Montgomery isn't a craft beer town, yet. However, there was overwhelming excitement from the community leading up to the brewery opening and fantastic support since they've opened. Their core beers (a Blonde, Pale Ale. IPA, and a Rye Amber) offer familiar flavors and a little something different. Through their Hop Workshop series, they'll explore a variety of styles with a focus on the hop profile.
Common Bond is also helping to revitalize the downtown area, a location that just a few years ago, "was not somewhere you wanted to be," according to McNally. Their building has been around for decades and is shared with Bibb Street Pizza. Elements from the original building were used in the decor of their taproom.
In the news this week Brian shares info on changes to the brewery-to-brewery transfer laws, the first beer brewed from marijuana plants, and the upcoming IPA Day and Mead Day.
Our beers this week included Common Bond's Blonde, Ramber (Rye Amber), and Hop Workshop 001 brewed with Denali hops. We also cracked open a Pontoon Kill the Pain, Creature Comforts Arcadiana, Hutton & Smith Wheatwine, and Ironmonger's Billett, a blood orange Pilsner.
Reformation Brewery prepares to 'Set Beer Free' at their second location Woodstock, GA is a fairly small community about 30 miles north of Atlanta. It's been my home for 14 years and Reformation Brewery's home for nearly five. When I moved here the "big" news/controversy in town was the opening of a new Super Wal-Mart. Many of the city's elder residents didn't think we needed that kind of growth, the old Wal-Mart was just fine (it wasn't). Now, the Downtown Woodstock area is lined with shops and restaurants, we have an amphitheater, a really nice trail system, and a brewery.
As Reformation approaches that 5th anniversary, they're preparing to open their second location. The 6,00-square-foot space is in the heart of Downtown Woodstock, close to all those fancy amenities I mentioned earlier. A 5-barrel brewhouse will serve up a variety of small-batch beers to visitors. The split plan will have various areas to relax and enjoy your brew, with one section set up to have a coffeehouse feel. The brewery has partnered with Queenie's Southern Restaurant & Bar for food service and space will be available for private events.
We sat down with Reformation Co-founder and Brewmaster Nick Downs this week to talk about the new digs, new beers, his faith and how that influences his business, and what he envisions for Reformation in the future. We also share a story about Martin Luther and how he helped promote the use of hops in beer.
Fresh back from Las Vegas, Brian drops some cigar info our way with his recap of new offerings discovered at the annual IPCPR cigar convention. If you want more cigar info be sure to check out StogieReview.com where Brian waxes poetic about his love for burning dead leaves.
In the news this week Three Weavers joins CANarchy, the Great American Beer Fest will be bigger than ever, and a punk album about craft beer. We also welcome KCPX 1490 AM in Moab, UT as our newest radio affiliate. Catch Beer Guys Radio on KCPX Canyon Crossing every Sunday at 3:00 PM Mountain time.
Next week make sure to tune in for our interview with Alabama's Common Bond Brewers.
Beers of the Week * Reformation Nolan IPA * Reformation Sabine Saison * Reformation Wine Barrel-aged Cadence (Test batch for the 5th-anniversary beer) * Burial / Jackie-O's Blackfalls Baltic Porter with spicebush
Two Tides owner James Massey talks about the journey from CPA to IPA Savannah, Georgia's Two Tides Brewing Co. is only four months old but they're already making waves with their IPAs and sour beers. While getting his accounting degree, Owner and Head Brewer James Massey started homebrewing. After college, he became a CPA and spent several years shuffling numbers before deciding it was time to start his brewery. Savannah already had a few breweries but James wanted to build in an area where they weren't allowed. He worked with business owners in the area and the city to change that. After a long battle, Two Tides became a reality.
We talk with James about hazy IPAs, sour beers, small-batch brewing, the importance of branding and artwork, and serving frozen beer from a gas station slushie machine. We also get a few pairing suggestions for Two Tides' beers and decide that each day needs a total of four drinking sessions.
Craft Beer News In the news this week Brian tells us about more Big Beer buyouts, celebrating a Belgian saint (with beer, of course), breweries returning to reusable bottles, and a brewery and a donut shop collaborating on a beer.
Beers of the Week
The 5th Segment with Hop Soul Brewery Hop Soul founders Justin and Elizabeth Crandall were in Atlanta over the 4th of July holiday and joined us in the studio last week. Our featured guest was Chris Meadows of Elkmont Exchange, but we wanted to give a bit of info on Hop Soul as well. I mean, they did take time out to come visit us, it's the least we could do. After the regular taping we kept chatting and we realized we still had some good info to share so we turned the mics back on and... boom, 5th segment.
In this extra episode we find out a bit more about what's going to happen at Hop Soul, why they chose an old Shoney's for their brewery location, the craft beer scene in Georgia's Golden Isles, tasting rooms, the beach, quality vs. quantity, and who Justin considers craft beer's "new Budweiser."
Hop Soul is targeting to open in Brunswick, GA by October 1, 2018. To keep up with their progress visit their website or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
What is "The 5th Segment" The 5th segment is unscripted, uninterrupted, casual conversation. It could be additional content we couldn't fit in a regular episode or other short interviews, previews, or discussions. We don't really have any rules here, but we hope you enjoy them.
Elkmont Exchange brings craft beer and charcuterie to Knoxville, TN Above Photo: Elkmont Exchange You may be surprised to find out that a brewpub in Tennessee was founded by a team whose first brewing venture was in Saigon (or is that Ho Chi Minh City?) Vietnam. Alex Violette started his boozy career at Upslope Brewing in Boulder, CO where he met Bethany Lovato, a craft beer industry veteran. After falling head over heels for each other they had the opportunity to move to Vietnam and open an American craft brewery, Pasteur Street. Elkmont Exchange's third founder, Ryan Davenport, had grown up in Knoxville with Violette and after honing his culinary skills in Southern restaurants joined the team at Pasteur Street. The brewery thrived and continues to thrive, but the team was ready for their next challenge. They returned to Knoxville and Elkmont Exchange was born.
The trio selected Chris Meadows as Head Brewer at their new brewpub. Meadows got his start at Atlanta's SweetWater Brewing where he worked for 8 1/2 years eventually becoming Lead Brewer and helping to launch SweetWater's Woodlands. Like Elkmont's founders, Meadows was ready for a new challenge and packed his bags for Tennessee.
Meadows took some time off from brewing a multitude of beers to chat with us this week. We talk about Elkmont's unique brewhouse, some of the crazy beers they've brewed, heavy metal collaborations, their sour beer program, and of course, we had to get the scoop on that charcuterie program.
Hop Soul Brewery isn't open yet, but we've been in touch with founder Justin Crandall since the idea was fresh. Crandall and his wife Elizabeth were in the Atlanta area this week and joined us in the studio to share some beers with us and chat about their plans to be Brunswick, GA's first brewery.
Craft Beer News In the news this week Brian fills us in on the craft beer industry growth through the first half of 2018, the continued drama surrounding Beavertown Brewing and their festival, 1,600-year-old Swedish beer (that's pre-Viking era), and the brewing habits of Hittites in Turkey 4,000 years ago.
Beers of the Week As we're known to do, we sampled several beers this week including Dead Beach Brewing's I Could Teach You But I'd Have to Charge (a Milkshake IPA, duh.), The Southern Brewing Company's Southern Woodpile Raspberry (Raspberry Sour Ale), Southern Prohibition Paradise Lost (DIPA), Bell's Whiskey Barrel-aged Cherry Stout (it is what it is), Southbound Mountain Jam (a delicious Southern Lager), and Three Taverns Crave (IPA).
Get ready for the 4th of July with Beer & BBQ pairing tips Just in time for the mid-week (don't you hate that?) holiday, The Beer Sommelier Matt Simpson and Smyrna Beer Market owner Brandon King join us to offer up tips on pairing your backyard BBQ with some tasty brews.
Simpson is Siemens/Doemens Bier Sommelier Certified, a Kansas City Barbecue Society certified judge, former instructor of Beer Education at Atlanta's Emory University, and craft beer consultant. His expertise has been featured on The Today Show, Fox Business News, NPR Radio and through many other TV, radio, and magazine appearances. More information on his experience and services can be found at TheBeerExpert.com.
King is the owner of Smyrna Beer Market by The Stout Bros. and has spent many years in the restaurant industry including co-owning a BBQ restaurant. He also serves as a consultant to the food-service industry for menu development and beverage programs.
On this week's show, we learn the difference in barbecuing vs. grilling, how to choose a beer to pair with you favorite meats including beef, pork, chicken, and turkey. Our experts also offer advice on other fare from fish and seafood to vegetarian options like a grilled portobello cap, and even dessert beers. We also dip into how the rubs and sauces you choose can impact your pairing selections, and how one beer might be perfect in a sauce but not as a pairing choice.
The show couldn't be contained in the allotted time this week so we have an unprecedented 5th Segment for our podcast listeners. We go freestyle in the 5th and talk about how carbonation levels impact pairing, sour beers and BBQ, Devo, Thanksgiving dinner, gravy, "New Wave" beers and whether they are even a reak beer style, aging your beers, and Brian gets a date with one of our guests.
Huge shout out to Loyal Q and Brew for providing an awesome spread of BBQ for our "research." We enjoyed ribs, brisket, smoked turkey, baked beans, mac & cheese, and some awesome banana pudding. Give them a follow or drop by one of their Atlanta-area locations. I can highly recommend the smoked turkey.
If you'd like to beef up your BBQ even more, check out Meat Masters Radio. Grab the podcast or tune in on many of the same great stations that carry Beer Guys Radio.
CRAFT BEER NEWS In the news this week Brian gives us an update on the Russian beer shortage, info on breweries backing out of a festival after Beavertown's minority sell to Heineken, and a Trappist brewery coming to New York.
BEERS OF THE WEEK The list is too long to list them all but we had some amazing beers this week.
- Creature Comforts Tiki Time IPA and Get Artistic Tart Wheat Ale
- Ironmonger Brewing Quench Pilsner
- 1986 Anchor Our Special Ale - 32 years old! Thanks to Matt Simpson for sharing
- Orpheus Yesternow Spontaneous Ale
- Omnipollo Yellow Belly Peanut Butter Biscuit Stout
Thanks for listening, have a great 4th!
When Travis Fritts and Nate Rykse started Old Nation Brewing Co. they brought 14+ years of brewing education and experience with them. They'd dedicated their lives to learning the technical aspects of brewing as well as the differences in brewing methods and ingredients across different cultures. The result is a brewery that blends these different methods and ingredients to produce unique beers.
Initially, the beer they offered was "very traditional and technically accurate." Director of Growth & Strategy Mark Logusz recounts, "The beer was great, but it was not what anybody wanted to drink." With that realization, Fritts engaged the members of a local beer group to talk about new styles and after some discussion invited a few out to help with a pilot batch. The result was the first batch of M-43.
Logusz sat down with us recently during M-43's Atlanta market launch. We chat about "testing the waters" in Atlanta at the Day of the Juice festival, trying to keep up with the demand for hazy IPAs, the difference in pasties and pasties, Old Nation's non-hazy offerings, and the International Festival of Lagers.
On our quest to visit every brewery in Georgia in 2018 we visited Abide Brewing in Newnan and caught Line Creek Brewing Company's opening day. We also joined Wrecking Bar Brewpub to celebrate their 7th anniversary, and took a trip to SweetWater to sample their new 420 Strain G13 IPA, brewed with cannabis terpenes and hemp flavor.
In the news this week Chinese-made brewing equipment gets exempted from tariffs, American aluminum price hikes raise some questions, a Swedish brewery prints tweets on beer foam, World Cup fans cause a beer shortage in Moscow, and London's Beavertown Brewery sells a minority stake to Heineken.
Next week we're talking Beer and BBQ with The Beer Sommelier Matt Simpson and Smyrna Beer Market owner Brandon King. Just in time for your 4th of July planning.
Beers of the Week * Old Nation Boss Tweed | NE DIPA * Old Nation Full Earth | NE DIPA * Old Nation Greenstone | DDH American Pale Ale * Old Nation M-43 |NE IPA
New Realm Brewing Co. is booming on the Beltline In early 2018, New Realm Brewing Co. opened on the Beltline in the heart of Atlanta. Co-founders Carey Falcone, Bob Powers, and Mitch Steele aren't new to the beer business. Falcone and Powers have worked various roles in the industry for over 25 years. Steele managed fermentation for three breweries as well as new beer development at Anheuser-Busch, and prior to starting New Realm, he was the Brewmaster for Stone Brewing in California. Steele helped define the West Coast IPA style and authored a book on the subject, IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipe, and the Evolution of India Pale Ale. With a power team and a prime location, New Realm has seen explosive growth in their short six-month existence.
With the unfortunate shuttering of Green Flash Brewing in Virginia Beach, New Realm seized an opportunity to grow quickly. They purchased the brewery assets of the location and later worked a multi-year lease on the building. Their soon-to-open Virginia brewery will allow New Realm to increase production as well as innovate new beers. And then there's Charlotte. After opening in Atlanta, a building they'd previously considered in Charlotte became available at a deal "too good to pass up", they purchased it. Falcone shares a bit with us this week on what's going to happen in Virginia Beach and what the plans are for Charlotte.
With Steele's masterful knowledge of IPA, we had to pick his brain on the subject. We discuss the early days of American craft beer, how quickly its grown in a relatively short time period, the evolution of IPA, trends and fads, and whether or not he'll brew a NE Milkshake Smoothie Glitter IPA. (Spoiler: No. Definitely no.)
Craft Beer News In this week's news, Brian shares the long-awaited location and date for 2018's Shelton Bros. Festival, info on a lawsuit about a beer named after a van that was named after a man, the cheapest place in the world to buy a beer, and a brewery that's going to be 100% non-alcoholic.
Beers of the Week * New Realm CJ's Breakfast Thunder | Amber Ale brewed with coffee, maple syrup... and pancakes. * New Realm Golden Goal | Golden Goal * New Realm Hoptropolis | American IPA * New Realm Peter Danklage | NEIPA
Next Week: Old Nation Brewing Co.
Hardywood Park is determined to 'Brew With Purpose' Hardywood Park Craft Brewery's founders Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh have known each other most of their lives. After sampling some homebrew on a farm in Australia the stage was set. After many years working in the craft beer industry, they were destined to open their own brewery. McKay became Richmond, Virginia's first Certified Cicerone and while attending brewing school Murtaugh found out his family's brewing history goes back several generations.
From the time they opened in 2011, Hardywood Park has strived to 'Brew With Purpose.' They implement that mantra in their recipes, employee and customer relations, brewing with local ingredients, and minimizing their impact on the environment. The brewery has grown to include three locations and expanded distribution offering a huge variety of styles and variants. Their sought-after Gingerbread Stout taught them about dealing with hordes of consumers and is still anticipated each year.
McKay and Murtaugh visited the Beer Guys Radio studios on their recent Atlanta market launch. We sampled several of their beers while talking about their history, brewery growth, keeping up with demand, future expansion plans, brewing for Broadway, Brian shares a terrible collaboration suggestion, and we invent the Candall™.
In the news, Brian gives us the scoop on ABInBev dirty tactics, NOFX acting foolish and getting the boot from beer sponsors, and Boston Beer Co.'s big fines in New York.
Beers of the Week * Bearded Iris Kinetic | IPA * Creature Comforts Stone Ground | Pilsner * Creature Comforts Calculating Infinity | Pale Ale * Hardywood Park Bourbon Cru | BBA Quad * Hardywood Park Cuvee Peach | White wine barrel-aged Tripel with peaches * Hardywood Park Singel | Blonde Ale * Hardywood Park Pils | German Pilsner * Hardywood Park VIPA | Virgindia Pale Ale
an Pilsner
- Hardywood Park VIPA | Virgindia Pale Ale
In the land of hazy IPAs, von Trapp loves their lagers von Trapp brewing in Stowe, Vermont is smack in the middle of NE IPA country, but they're all about lagers.
Founder Johannes von Trapp was inspired by the lagers her sampled while visiting the countryside of his ancestral home on Austria. With a goal to brew an American version of these beers, von Trapp Brewing opened in the lower level of Trapp Family Lodge's DeliBakery. Today, they're brewing 50,000 gallons of beer each year and distributing to several neighboring states.
Brewmaster JP Williams was born in New Jersey and attended college in New Hampshire. During his college days, he took a trip to Dublin, Ireland and visited the Guinness Brewery, sparking his interest in all things beer. He later traded in some textbooks to buy homebrew gear and even changed his major to include more chemistry. His brewing career started at Magic Hat where he worked his way up to Operations Manager however he realized big brewery life wasn't for him and joined von Trapp in 2012.
This week we talk with JP about von Trapp's beer and other ventures, if he's ever been tempted to jump on the haze craze bandwagon, what Lager life is like with increasing demand for the styles, Vermont's new franchise reform laws, and what's coming up from the brewhouse.
We also welcome Brian to the bigs as he takes on his new role as Co-Host and say hello to Jerry Payne, who joins Beer Guys Radio as our Audio Engineer. Jerry brings 10+ years in radio and podcasting to the team - and he loves beer. Perfect. Plus, we'll reminisce about all the beers we enjoyed over the last week with stops at Orpheus for their multi-day anniversary celebration, the brand new Porter Pizza & Brewery, and a visit to Pontoon Brewing to sample their new Fluffy Otter Oatmeal Cream Stout with marshmallows and vanilla. What a week.
What's better than beer and baseball?
On this Memorial Day weekend, we celebrate these two great things. Terrapin's ATL Brew Lab is located in the Battery, home of SunTrust Park and the Atlanta Braves.
We talk to the crew from the Brew Lab about brewing beer for ballparks, creative brewing at a smaller facility vs. a larger production brewery, and the sheer joy of Fox Brothers country fried ribs.
TRUCK AND TAP'S BEERS OF THE WEEK:
- A bevy of Terrapin ATL Taproom beers, including an English mild, Helles Lager and Dopplebock.
HEADLINES:
- The TTB has brought the hammer down on “cannabis derivatives” in beer
- Schmaltz Brewing Company has sold its Clifton Park, NY Brewery
- Zundert Trappist 8 Ale is Heading to the US
- Craft Beer Crowdfunding Organization “The Brewing Investors Guild” Launched in Colorado
- Sweetwater Plans to Convert their Tasting Room into a Bar and Restaurant
Next week, we're talking to Vermont's Von Trapp Brewery. Have a great weekend, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL. Cheers!
PS: Aaron here. I just wanted to let you all know this is my last Beer Guys Radio show as full time host. With three children and increasingly heavy workload at my "real" job, it's time to pass the torch to someone who can take this show to the next level.
I'll still be around, hanging with the crew from time to time. And I'll also be working on the marketing team at Monday Night Brewing. But after 20+ years in broadcasting, it's time to call it a career. I have truly enjoyed my time with Beer Guys, and am incredibly indebted to Tim for introducing me to the world of beer. I am happy to call Tim, Brian and Becky friends, and I look forward to what they can do with this show. Cheers! - Aaron.
When you think about Augusta, you probably think about that big golf tournament.
You likely don't think about craft beer. And up until a couple years ago, you'd be right. Georgia's second largest city had been a beer desert. But some pioneers are starting to change that.
From beer bars like the Hive to breweries like Riverwatch and Savannah River Brewing Company, it's now possible to get some great craft beer in the city.
On this episode, we talk to Savannah River Brewing Company owner Steve Ellison, head brewer Adam Fullmer and taproom manager Ashlie Arsenault about the craft scene, developing a brewery, and the startup process. Plus, Tim tries to pronounce "Phinizy Swamp" with hilarious results.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- All of the beers from Savannah River Brewing company. And we mean all of them.
Headlines:
- A Study Finds Microplastics in Beer Made With Great Lakes Water
- Corporate Giant Beer Company Lion Is Trying to Trademark “Dank” and “Common”
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- Retracts trademark application under pressure
- MA’s Springdale and KY’s Against The Grain Collaborate on Clear NEIPA
- Brooklyn Brewery’s “Beer Mansion” is Hitting Atlanta, Dallas and Minneapolis
- Pizza Hut is Expanding their Beer Delivery Pilot to Nearly 100 Restaurants
Harris Stewart used to procrastinate studying law in college by brewing beer. Until one day, he realized that he should probably brew for a living. TrimTab was born out of that desire. We talk to Harris about the Alabama brewing scene, running a business and managing a family, expansion into Georgia and of course the beer.
Plus, with the summer months coming, we'll learn why it's not a great idea to leave your beer in the car.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week: * Trim Tab Paradise Waits Berliner Weisse * Trim Tab IPA * TrimTab 006 Hazy IPA * Southern Grist Hair of the Wizard
Headlines: * MillerCoors Chairman, Pete Coors, Writes “Open Letter” to Brewers Association + Nikos Ridge President of Ninkasi Brewing Writes Response * Big Win For GA: The Governor has Signed the Sunday Brunch Bill
Coming up next week, we're taking a trip to Augusta to check out the beer scene. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL. Cheers!
It's no secret that Atlanta is a great food town. But it's also becoming a fantastic beer town as well.
So if you're a brewpub, you have to keep up with both.
Wrecking Bar Brewpub has been able to do that. From crafting amazing beers (that are now being canned, thanks to new law changes) to providing fine fare, the Atlanta brewpub has managed to thrive in this busy and competitive market.
We talk to owner and brewer emeritus Bob Sandage about his brewpub, new Georgia laws, and whether or not milkshake IPAs are really a beer.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Numerous beers from Wrecking Bar
- Weihenstephaner/Sierra Nevada Braupakt
Headlines:
- Update: New Realm to Open Brewery and Tap Room in VA Green Flash Location
- Molson Coors Reported a Big Drop in Beer Sales
- Nappy Roots Collaborating on New Beers, Developing Craft Beer/Travel Reality Show
- A 220 Year-Old Ale From A Shipwreck Has Been Brought Back To Life in Australia
- AB-InBev is Releasing Beer “Inspired” by a Recipe from George Washington
- Laura Bell is Stepping down as Bell’s CEO on May 18th
- Monday Night Brewing’s Brewing Han Brolo tops Paste Magazine’s Best Pale Ale List
Coming up next week, we're talking to Alabama's Trim Tab Brewing. Cheers!
Not long ago, if you wanted an amazing craft beer, you reached for something from Belgium. Today, American craft beer has made huge strides, and many Americans (and non-Americans) reach for American beers first. But Belgian beer is still the bomb and should definitely not be missed by any beer fan.
On this week's show Kraig Torres (Hop City, Barleygarden) and Jen Price (The Chick's Guide to Beer, Atlanta Beer Boutique) join us to talk about all things Belgian beer.
Where's a better place to start a brewpub than a college town?
We last spoke with the Akademia crew where they were a brewpub in planning. Now they are open and slinging great beer and food in Athens, GA and distributing their beer to the local area. They've got a barrel-aging program in the works, and a prime rib night. Count me in.
Owners Matt Casey and Morgan Wireman join us for this week's episode of Beer Guys Radio live from the (very noisy) Classic City Brew Fest.
420 Fest descends on Atlanta this week and we sat down with brewers Nick Nock and Nick Burgoyne to talk about the SweetWater Experience tent. They share info on the beers available - from collaboration brews to barrel-aged offerings, and wild and funky stuff from SweetWater's Woodlands.
If you only know SweetWater for their hoppy beers (like 420) then the SweetWater Experience is a great way to explore more of what they can do. SweetWater's pilot brewery, dubbed The Hatchery, allows brewers to get creative on small-batch beers that visitors get to sample in the taproom. For the more adventurous, SweetWater's Woodlands is brewing up a variety of wild, sour, and funky beers as well as big, barrel-aged stouts. There's a lot more to SweetWater than IPA.
Beer journalist, author and homebrewer Stan Hieronymus joined us this week. If you have an interest in hops, this is the show for you. Stan talks about the modern evolution of hops, and whether there is really a hop shortage. Plus, we learn about why you shouldn't use the term "noble hops." It's great information for homebrewers and pros alike.
Plus, we talk about the 2nd annual Columbus Beer Bash, how to win a membership in the SweetWater Woodlands Circle. And, we completely suck up to an upper midwestern state for a very good reason.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week: - Monday Night Brewing Space Lettuce Double IPA - Wrecking Bar Jemmy Stout - Scofflaw POG Basement IPA - Sweetwater Woodlands Series #4
Headlines: - Lager/Light Ale Growth is Outpacing Other Styles
Related: Brewers Association releases 2017 Craft Brewery Growth Statistics
Related: Paste Interview with Arches on Lager Coming up next week, we're on the road once again from the Classic City Brew Fest from Athens, Georgia. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL. Cheers!
If you are an IPA lover, you needed to be at Monday Night Brewing's Garage.
The inaugural Day of the Juice Festival took place there, and while there were more than IPAs on tap, this was definitely a celebration of all things hoppy.
We talked to two great IPA brewers from the East Coast. First up was Basil Lee from New York City's Finback. Next, we spoke to the crew from the Emerald Coast's (that's the Florida Panhandle) Idyll Hounds.
Plus, we talked to the crew behind this event from Modern Hops.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- IPAs. All of them. From Finback, Idyll Hounds, Old Nation, Dancing Gnome, Charles Towne Fermentory...so many amazing breweries were on hand at Day of the Juice.
Headlines:
- Many popular beers and wine are contaminated with Monsanto’s Roundup Weedkiller
- Brewers Association releases 2017 Craft Brewery Growth Statistics
- New Belgium is Releasing a Hemp IPA (or HPA) in April/May
- Keith Villa, creator of Blue Moon Planning to Release Non-Alcoholic THC “Beers”
- Abbey of the Holy Goats Taproom is Closed, Future Uncertain
- Spencer Trappist Brewery has released a Grapefruit IPA
- Atlanta’s First Kombucha Taproom Opens May 20th
Coming up next week, we're talking to journalist, brewer and author Stan Hieronymus. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL!
Lincoln Fill Station has been bringing craft beer to Snellville, Georgia for several years.
They also are the home of a little Beer Guys history - the site of our very first live broadcast.
We joined Tiny and the crew at TinyPalooza 3.5 once again this year, and sampled a great variety of beers on tap.
We also got to chat with Trey Sinclair and Steve Anderson. The Dry County Brewing company gents were celebrating with Tiny and drinking some great beer.
We were able to catch up with them, and talk all things Dry County, including their forays into coffee and distilling.
Owen Ogletree also stopped by to talk about the upcoming Classic City Brew Fest.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Monday Night Brewing Tears of My Enemies
- TrimTab Language of Thunder
- Numerous Dry County Beers
Headlines: * Scientists have reportedly eliminated the need for hops in beer, including IPA’s
-
Green Flash’s VA Beach brewery is going under the gavel.
-
Monday Night’s Space Lettuce USA Today’s Reader’s Choice 2018 Best Beer Label
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Hopstix, From the Earth, and Wrecking Bar are in the Top 5 of USA Today’s 10 Best Brewpubs
- Back Forty receives the 2018 Governor’s Trade Excellence Award
- Eater Atlanta tells us Cold Beer is coming to the Beltine
- The owners of 18.21 Bitters opening Drafts + Dogs in Ponce City Market
- Pabst is getting sued for not using “pure mountain water” in Pabst Olympia
Coming up next week, the festivals don't stop. We're at the inaugural Day of the Juice Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.
Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL. Cheers!
Despite the challenges brewers have faced post-Prohibition in Georgia, our state has a rich history of brewing. The first brewery was started in Georgia in 1738 and Atlanta was home to one of the largest breweries in the country from 1858 until 1955. Early craft breweries had varying levels of success in a world where most people were still content with their macro-brewed lagers. However, in the past 5 years the number of breweries in Georgia has more than doubled, and there are more on the way.
Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle, authors of Atlanta Beer and Prohibition in Atlanta sit down with us at the 2018 Roswell Beer Festival to share some of the great stories behind Georgia's breweries. From the very first brewery, whose early foundations were based on the necessity of having a drink that wasn't filled with bacteria (like water) through to the modern movement towards local and hyper-local breweries.
Credit to Michael Lundmark of Jekyll Brewing for the information on Georgia's first brewery, located on Jekyll Island.
Mead is one of the, if not the, oldest forms of alcohol in existence. And you can see why - take honey, add water, and voila! Of course, it's much more complicated than that. And Dawsonville's BeeCraft Meadery is working hard to make its mead stand out. From entry level meads to barrel aging to terracotta vessels, BeeCraft is making its mead from local honey and creating a buzz in the area. See what we did there?
We are at Monday Night Brewing's Garage to talk to co-founders Derek Piper and Tom Dilbeck about the mead making industry and more!
(Did you know that it takes more than a million blossoms to make one bottle of mead?)
Truck and Tap's Beers Of the Week: * Wrecking Bar Jemmy Stout and Tampa Timeshare * BeeCraft Meadery meads * Dry County Bad Hombre and Imperial Milk Chocolate Stout
Headlines: * 2018 Beer Style Guidelines from the Brewers Association has “Juicy or Hazy” styles * Reddit has banned r/beertrade * Two Tides Brewing Company opened last Saturday in Savannah * Hop Soul Brewery is coming to Georgia’s Golden Isles * STAR House marks their 25th year with a new logo and additions to Roswell Beer Fest
Coming up next week, while Tim and Smalls are out on assignment, Brian and Aaron take to Tinypalooza to cover the shenanigans there. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL. Cheers!
As Atlanta's oldest (still operating) craft brewery, it would be easy for Red Brick to rest on its laurels.
However, the Westside brewery has undergone an overhaul of its image and its beers.
The taproom boasts dozens of new beers, and their release schedule has been extremely busy.
We join President/Brewmaster Garret Lockhart and Director of Brewing Operations Gavin McKenna at the brewery. We talk about the development of their new brews, the taproom, and memories of Myrtle Beach.
TRUCK AND TAP BEERS OF THE WEEK:
- Red Brick Airbrush Daydream, their new "Myrtle Beach" style IPA
- Red Brick Hype Whale and various and sundry variants
- Three Taverns Rowdy and Proud
- Three Taverns Morning Smack
HEADLINES:
- Marietta has approved plans for Wise Owl Brewery
- Brewed To Serve Restaurant Group is Moving forward with The Bold Monk Brewing
- GA House has OK’ed the Brunch Bill
- Brewers Association has released its Annual list of the Top 50 U.S. Craft Beer Companies
- Paste Magazine crowns Hamm’s king of Cheap Macro Lagers
- In related news, the Chicago Tribune sez “Told You So.”
- Forth Worth’s Collective Brewing Project is brewing a Beer with Peeps and Glitter
- Wine and Spirits Sales are Scaring Big Beer
- Glitter is the Crazy-Fabulous New Hazy in craft beer
- Natty Boh is making their first new beer in 30 years
Presented by the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild the "Dreamer's Workshop" is a two-part series aimed at educating breweries-in-planning (or dreaming) on navigating the process of opening a brewery. Aimed at Georgia-based brewers, most of the information will be valuable to brewers in every state.
In Part 2 we'll hear from professional brewers about some of the challenges they faced in opening their brewery, and things they would do differently today.
PANELISTS
- CJ Putnicki | New Realm Brewing Co.
- Brian Borngesser | Gate City Brewing Co.
- Brandon Hintz | Hop Alley Brewpub & Currahee Brewing
- Michael Lundmark | Jekyll Brewing Co.
- Nancy Palmer | Georgia Craft Brewers Guild
TOPICS INCLUDE
- Common pitfalls for new brewers
- Starting a brewery under Georgia's new brewery laws
- Budget allocation
- Raising capital
- Estimating the timeline of opening your brewery
- Governmental, licensing, and permitting challenges
- Types of experience needed to run a successful brewery
- Things a homebrewer won't know before opening a brewery
- Deciding to use a brewery consultant
- Estimating production schedules
- Selecting the right location
- What being a member of the brewers guild does for brewers
- Own-premise sales vs. distribution
- Using social media for your brewery marketing
Be sure to check out Part 1 of the series where we hear from experts in the legal, banking, accounting and tax fields on things brewers need to know before opening a brewery.
Presented by the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild the "Dreamer's Workshop" is a two-part series aimed at educating breweries-in-planning (or dreaming) on navigating the process of opening a brewery. Aimed at Georgia-based brewers, most of the information will be valuable to brewers in every state.
In Part 1 we'll hear from experts in the legal, banking, and accounting/tax fields.
PANELISTS
- Taylor Harper | TFH Beverage Law
- Jason Sleeman | Fifth Third Bank
- Pat Tuley | Porter Keadle Moore Accountants
TOPICS INCLUDE
- LEGAL
- Operating within the three-tier system
- Tied-house laws
- Franchise law
- Licensing and permitting
- Distribution and selecting a distributor
- Brand registration / ATT-104 filing
- FUNDING AND BANKING
- Credit and background checks
- Equity injection
- Investors
- Construction costs
- Location selection
- Equity vs debt
- Choosing the right size loan
- Financial guarantees
- Collateral
- Repayment sources and terms
- Managing growth (slow start vs growing too quickly)
- Financial repercussions of quality issues
- Understanding your competition
- Evaluating your experience level
- Cost of labor
- ACCOUNTING, TAXES, AND CORPORATE ENTITIES
- "First things first"
- Shifting objectives as your business grows
- Choosing a brewery or brewpub, financial considerations
- Crafting a business plan
- Evaluating capital needs
- Choosing the right funding sources
- Evaluating the proper use of funds
- Choosing your business entity (LLC, LLP, S-Corp, C-Corp)
- Partnering with the right professionals (Banker, CPA, Attorney)
- Understanding tax structures
- Choosing the right accounting software
Be sure to check out Part 2 of the Dreamer's Workshop series where we talk with professional brewers about what they wish they'd known before starting their brewery.
We're broadcasting from Monday Night Brewing's Garage this week.
Does your homebrew blonde ale continually have an underripe apple taste? Or is there a rancid butter taste in your porter? Does your IPA taste more like band-aids than tropical hops?
This is the show for you. BJCP Grand Master beer judge Mike Castagno was an award-winning homebrewer before going pro at Decatur, GA's Twain's Brewpub. And BJCP Certified beer judge Nate Watkins is another award-winning prolific homebrewer. We talk about some of the mistakes homebrewers make, the off-flavors that can crop up, and how to fix them.
We discuss some of the things you can do before you brew to minimize the risk of off-flavors as well as sharing some details on common off-flavors such as acetaldehyde, diacetyl, chlorophenol, fusel / alcoholic, DMS (dimethyl sulfide), esters, oxidation, and the much-dreaded skunking. Mike and Nate also share some info on homebrew clubs and ways you can train your palate to recognize off-flavors.
Plus, we talk to Michael Lowenberg of Modern Hops about the upcoming Day of the Juice festival.
Jason Pellett's beers are out of the ordinary. After all, it was certainly a bold move for Atlanta's Orpheus Brewing to make a tart plum saison (Atalanta) one of its flagship beers.
But persistence pays off. Now, the downtown brewery is filled to capacity, has one of the first coolship projects in the state, and is making some of the most unique beers in the south.
We talk to Jason about the brewery, it's future, and the importance of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Orpheus Beers
- Wild Heaven To Dan! LE rum barrel-aged
- Wild Heaven Blackrose
- Phantom Horse Chocolate Cherry Imperial Sour Stout (Experimental, no official name)
Headlines: * CraftBeer.com has published their list of the Best Beer Bars in America * Members of The Alabama Brewers Guild have collaborated on a new Capital Series Beer * Tremble mere mortals, for North Korea has made a new Ale * Buncha BrewDog: First Beer Hotel and 1 Million Beer Giveaway * New Belgium lays off nearly 4% of their staff after missing forecast * New study: Drinking two beers a night could be the key to living a long life * + Related: Excessive use could increase risk for all forms of dementia + Related: 2015 study finds antioxidant in hops slows cognitive decline * Hip-hop Duo Run The Jewels has announced a second beer Collaboration * Spencer Trappist brewery coming out with Fruit Series * Charitably Drinking: Saturday March 24th is Orval Day 2018
(note: Ironmonger Brewing is a partner of Beer Guys Radio)
David Sheets loves a challenge.
As the founder of Ironmonger Brewing, he was looking for a way to get his brewery's beers noticed.
So he made the bold decision: Blind taste his beers against one of the most heralded breweries in the country.
The Trillium Challenge was born. How did it work? He lets us know during the show.
Broadcasting from their new Barrel room, we speak to Sheets and taproom manager Cam Goershel about Ironmonger's history, its future, and the upcoming festival season.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Ironmonger Beers
- Creature Comforts Reclaimed Rye
Headlines:
- Halfway Crooks Making Progress on Brewery in Summerhill
- Highland Brewing Co. has completely revamped their branding
- Smyrna approves “carry-out” alcohol policy in downtown restaurant district
- Sam Adams has gotten on board the Haze Craze Train
- Guinness is launching a new line of Non Alcoholic beer this month
-
- Related: German olympic athletes herald benefit of NA Hefeweizen
- BrewDog is opening the world’s first “beer hotel” in Scotland
- New study: Drinking two beers a night could be the key to living a long life
-
- Related: Excessive use could increase risk for all forms of dementia
- Related: 2015 study finds antioxidant in hops slows cognitive decline
- Hip-hop Duo Run The Jewels has announced a second beer Collaboration
- Spencer Trappist brewery coming out with Fruit Series
- Charitably Drinking: Saturday March 24th is Orval Day 2018
ROAD TRIP! The Beer Guys have a quest. To visit every brewery in Georgia this year. We were able to head to southwest Georgia this episode, and check out Pretoria Fields Collective.
It's a brewery started by farmers and dedicated to making everything as local as possible - from the fruits they use in some of their beers, to the malt to even the hops.Head brewer Eric Kirchner and marketing director Jennifer Harris joined us this week to talk about starting up a brewery in a rural area, the importance of a true farm-to-glass program, and the differences between California and Southwest Georgia.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Pretoria Fields Collective beers
Headlines: J.R. Revelry distillery coming to downtown Roswell, Brewbound/TTB: US Beer Makers Shipped 3.8 Million Fewer Barrels in 2017, Cannabis Beer? A Canadian Brewer has filed for a Patent, Spencer Trappist brewery coming out with Fruit Series, starting with peach saison, Prattville (just outside Montgomery, AL) not getting entertainment district.
Coming up next week, we'll be broadcasting at Ironmonger Brewing in Marietta, Georgia. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL.
This week, we're talking to the couple behind Variant Brewing Company. Matt and Lauren Curling opened up their Roswell brewery in 2017, and immediately caused a splash in the Georgia craft beer scene.
We talk to Matt and Lauren Curling about starting up a brewery, the importance of keeping a variety of beers in your taproom, and a distinct lack of shiplap.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
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Variant Brewing Beers
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Gate City Awe Deuce Triple IPA
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Bearded Iris Waffle Talk and Mood Ring
Headlines:
Brunch Bill Update: Retail Stores Are Out, World of Beer in Midtown Atlanta Closes Abruptly, Buzz about Burial’s Forestry Camp Opening This Summer, Weihenstephan collaborating with Sierra Nevada on Two Beers in 2018
Coming up next weekend, we're taking a road trip! We'll be broadcasting from Pretoria Fields brewery in Albany, Georgia. Cheers!
Shades On, Bottoms Up! That's the motto of Sandy Spring's newest (and first) brewery, Pontoon. Sean O'Keefe, CEO and Co-Owner and brewmaster Cole Brown welcomed us to the brewery this week. We sample their newest brew, a hazy IPA called "Don't Haze Me, Bro!" talk about starting a brewery, and Pontoon's obsession over otters. Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week: * TrimTab Language of Thunder * Pontoon Brewing Don’t Haze Me Bro
Headlines: * New HopCity coming to west sides’ Lee + White development * Rome City Brewing Co. wins case against SysTech Stainless Works * Brewbound/TTB: US Beer Makers Shipped 3.8 Million Fewer Barrels in 2017 * Someone has created a Scratch and Sniff Beer Book * Spencer Trappist brewery coming out with Fruit Series, starting with peach saison * Prattville (just outside Montgomery, AL) not getting entertainment district * BrewDog beats Elvis Presley’s Estate in court on appeal over beer name
Coming up next week, we'll head down the street and check out Variant Brewing Company. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL. Cheers!
When you think of cask ales, you may think of warm, flat beer.
That's not the case, and Owen Ogletree wants you to know about it.
For the past 14 years, he's hosted the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting. Breweries from around the south (and the world) send in their special beers they've made specifically to go on cask.
For this show, we talk to some breweries in planning, including:
- Line Creek Brewing (Peachtree City)
- Split Batch Brewery (Duluth area)
- Banyan Roots (Atlanta Westside)
Truck and Tap Beers of the Week:
- Cask ales, of course!
Coming up next week, we're talking to another new brewery. Pontoon Brewing just opened its doors in Sandy Springs, so we'll talk to the crew. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL.
Cheers!
Yash Patel first started brewing at age 13.
While his dad was pretty happy about that, mom...not so much. However, since the brewing bug hit him quickly, he has spent a lot of time brewing beer. So it only made sense for him to take over ownership of Macon Beer company, central Georgia's first craft brewery.
We talk to Yash, a native Maconite, about his beers, the growing craft beer scene in Macon, and his ideas behind brewing beer.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- New Realm Radegast
- Monday Night Whirling Dervish
Headlines: * Johns Creek Now Allows Breweries to Sell Beer * Terrapin’s Luau Krunkles to be a Year Round Beer in 2018 * The International Herb Association Recognizes Hops as Herb of the Year * Beer Can Appreciation Day is Coming * Amazon Alexa Has a Favorite Beer and She is Wrong
Coming up next week, we're broadcasting from the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL. Cheers!
For those that don't know, The Giving Kitchen was founded to help those in the service industry going through some tough financial times. SweetWater Brewing has helped out for the past several years by brewing "Second Helping," an IPA with juniper berries. We talk to SweetWater's Steve Farace about the development of the beer. We'll also learn more about The Giving Kitchen's mission with director Bryan Schroeder.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- SweetWater Second Helping IPA
Headlines: * Six Bridges Brewing coming to Johns Creek (1/9) * Scofflaw adds former Brewdog/Founders exec as partner (1/9) * Beer and Chicken Wing Science (1/8) * Dogfish Head unveils 'survival beer' (1/5)
Coming up next week, we'll be talking to a central Georgia brewery undergoing a bit of an overhaul. Macon Beer Company joins us in our NEW studios at Monday Night Brewing's Garage. Check it out! Cheers, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL.
If you got a homebrew kit over the holidays, listen up. This week, we are talking to some innovative homebrewers that are taking their game professional.
Kevin Downing, Corby Hannah, and William Teasley are three friends that formed Brothers that Brew. Now, they're prepping for the launch of Khonso Brewing.
We talk to them about their beers, getting started in homebrewing and African-Americans in craft beer.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Wild Heaven Gravitational Wave
- Khonso Brewing Standing Peachtree and Pullman Yard Porter
Headlines: * Scofflaw Holding a Craft Beer Championship * Alabama, Georgia mayors bet beer, cash on CFP championship (1/4) * Birmingham council approves alcohol on pedal tour buses (1/3)
Coming up next week, we'll be at SweetWater Brewing talking about their partnership with the Giving Kitchen. Enjoy the weekend, and Go Dawgs!
Our listeners (over 2,500) have spoken, and we've got the results!
Check out the best of Georgia and Alabama beer 2017.
A full list will be available on Monday, Jan. 1 2018 at beerguysradio.com.
Merry Christmas from Beer Guys Radio!
We hope you're having a good time with friends and family this weekend. We're also taking a break. Please enjoy this "best of" show with Second Self, Modern Hops, Eventide, Burnt Hickory and Monday Night.
Next week, it's the BEST OF GEORGIA BEER show - keep on voting!
STATS has been a staple of downtown Atlanta for nearly a decade.
But they recently made a big change, becoming a brewpub.
Austin Edwards has worked tirelessly for months, and now there are six of STATS own brews on tap.
We talk to Austin about starting up a brewpub, recipe selection, and the downtown Atlanta "Tourist Triangle" area.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
-
STATS beers, including:
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Atlanta Brewnited Pale Ale
- Bushwood IPA
- Red Zone Amber Ale
- 300 Pilsner
- Shooter McGavin Wit
- Southpaw Saison
Headlines: * Steady Hand Opening Update * New Brewpubs: Porter Pizza and Brewery, PorterQ * Back Forty Beer Co. opening Birmingham brewery, restaurant in 2018 * SweetWater Last Cast Bar & Grill coming to Atlanta airport * Beyoncé Cease and Desist Over Beer Name
Coming up next week, we'll be doing a best of show, highlighting some of our favorite interviews of the past year. Have a merry Christmas, and Cheers!
In case you missed it, there was snow in Atlanta on Friday. Amidst the panic and general hullabaloo, the grocery stores emptied of bread and milk, the perpetual traffic jam, there's a good side to this weather. Winter beers.
We talk about everything from Stouts to Barleywines to Scotch Ales, including sampling some of our favorites.
Joining us in the studio was FishScales, one of the members of hip-hop group Nappy Roots. Scales is a friend of the show and a serious craft beer fan. In fact, Nappy Roots are so serious, they're starting their own brewery. We talk to him about the origins of Atlantucky Brewing. For our new listeners on KLAY 1180 AM in Tacoma, WA you can catch Nappy Roots in Seattle at Nectar Lounge on January 9, 2018
He's also partnered with chef Lara Holland to turn spent brewing grain into dog treats. Check out Healthy Bark here.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
Winter beers, of course! Including....
- Red Brick Hype Whale
- 2017 Three Taverns Helm’s Deep (officially launching on December 17)
- Straight to Ale Barrel Aged Laika
- Scofflaw Absentium
- Monday Night Garage Club #6
Headlines:
- Marietta's IronMonger Barrel Room Grand Opening is set for Jan 4th
- Scofflaw, Brewdog USA announce partnership
- Is Atlanta's New Realm adding a location in Charlotte?
- Dry County Brewing to add distilled spirits to their portfolio
- Lost Druid Brewery to open in Avondale Estates in early 2018
- SweetWater Last Cast Bar & Grill coming to Atlanta airport
- Bluewater Brewing Company is moving from Florence to Huntsville.
- Pontoon Brewing Relaxed Opening
Coming up next week? We'll be broadcasting live from STATS in downtown Atlanta! Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL.
Cheers!
What do you think of when Ginger Beer comes up?
A Dark and Stormy? Maybe you're mixing it up with Ginger Ale. Shane Kelly recently opened up a new type of brewery - Interstellar Ginger Beer and Exploration Company - in Alabaster, Alabama.
We talk to him about the science (!) of brewing ginger beer, and how Alabama is embracing craft beer, cider and ginger beer.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Interstellar Beers - First Contact and Sunspot
- Creature Comforts Golden Door
- Red Brick Hype Whale
Headlines:
- Southbound Taphouse is now open in the Savannah/Hilton Head Intl Airport
- Halfway Crooks opening in Summerhill Redevelopment, Summer 2018
- Oskar Blues Holding Company Changes Name To CANarchy, Creates Platform
- Avery Sells Minority Stake to Spanish Beer Conglomerate Mahou San Miguel
- Inventor of “Cat Wine” Introduces Line of Dog Beers
- Budweiser Wants To Put Beer On Mars
- Henderson’s Black Star Line brewery hit with anti-gay, racist graffiti
We celebrate Thanksgiving....and our 100th episode with two of our favorite spots. Creature Comforts was our first guest, so it was appropriate to invite them on. Jonathan Chinouth and Matt Stevens joins us to talk about a busy year for the Athens brewery, as well as plans for next year's Get Comfortable Campaign.
We also talked to longtime sponsors Lisa and Morgan McLellan from Your Pie-Perimeter. They are about to have two new additions soon - a second location in Grant Park, and a baby girl! We talk to them, as well as sample their collaboration with Creature Comforts.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
Orange Crush, a Creature Comforts and Your Pie-Perimeter Collaboration | Creature Comforts Mutualism, Table Beer and Tropicalia | Schlafly Thank You
Headlines: Superstition Meadery coming to GA | Georgia DOR Held Hearing On Online Alcohol Sales | Survey: Brewery Taprooms Category Growth Centers | Left Hand sues White Labs for contaminated yeast
Now that SB85 is law, it's a lot more feasable for breweries to stake their claim in Georgia.
And one of the more impressive trends we've seen is breweries opening up in smaller communities.
LaGrange's Wild Leap Brewing is one of those. Rob Goldstein and Chris Elliott join us in studio this week to talk about the process.
Plus, we'll talk Thanksgiving beer pairings, and we'll have news of breweries opening...and closing.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Wild Leap's Chance IPA, Local Gold Blonde
- Monday Night Brewing's Bourbon Barrel Drafty Kilt
- Modern Times Critical Band IPA
- Dark Sky Brewing Roasted and Toasted
Headlines:
- Copper Creek Brewing Co. in Athens closing doors -
- Serda Brewing announces opening day
- Truck and Tap Alpharetta grand opening
- Etowah Meadery grand opening
- AB InBev & Portland, Oregon vs. a Craft Brewery
Coming up next week, we'll celebrate our 100th episode! We will be live at Your Pie Perimeter, talking to our very first guest, Creature Comforts! Hope you'll join us. In the meantime, have a great Thanksgiving and CHEERS!
Gwinnett County is metro Atlanta's second most populous county.
However, until recently, it lacked one thing: Its own craft brewery. Lawrenceville's Slow Pour Brewing Company changed that earlier this year.
Located just off the Lawrenceville Square, Slow Pour took a dilapidated building and turned it into a gathering place.
One of Slow Pour's founders, John Reynolds and brewer Chase Medlin joins us on the show this week to talk about their journey...and their beers.
We also head to SweetWater Brewing to check out a collaboration with Relix Magazine and Kyle Hollingsworth of the String Cheese Incident.
Plus, we sample Southbound's newest version of Moonlight Drive....and compare it to a 2015 version Aaron found in the back of his fridge.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Slow pour Beers
- Southbound Moonlight Drive
- Creature Comforts Galactic Space Circus
- Terrapin Mootella
Headlines:
- Line Creek Brewing Co. coming to Peachtree City
- Oconee Brewing - Beer. In. Spaaace.
- Good People Brewing’s 2nd El Gordo Day 2017
- Founders Brewing to Release CBS again
You know that we love craft beer. But sometimes, it’s good to take a little break. So in the studios with us are two co-founders of Treehorn Cider, Justin Pierce and Andrew Wheeler.
Plus, we recap of a busy week in beer, including a Creature Comforts collaboration, a preview of Roswell’s newest brewpub, and homebrew talk with Gary Glass, the director of the American Homebrewer’s Association!
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Treehorn Ciders
- Steady Hand Flower Business
- Cherry Street Half-a-Brain Pina Colada Shake IPA
- SweetWater Sinner’s Son (Today is Int’l Stout Day.)
Headlines: * Craft Buyouts are turning ABI into the Walmart of Beer * 2017 Utopias is coming. We can’t get it in Georgia or Alabama. * Tampa Bay pizza restaurant known for its craft beer selection bans kids. * A World Series craft beer michelada costs $23.50 at Dodger Stadium * Fort Lauderdale Craft Beer Sporting Games and Food Fest * How Martin Luther changed our beer
Phillip Barnes and Eric Levin were beer traders at first.
One day, they realized that the distribution system in Georgia was broken, and worked to find a better way to do it.
That idea is now Modern Hops. We talk to Philip, Eric and Michael Lowenberg about the craft beer scene in Georgia, what they are doing to change it, and what's been different since SB85.
We also get a chance to talk to Jekyll Brewing's Josh Rachel about Southern Juicy Juice, and Field Hoperative Brian Hewitt reviews a revival of an old school cigar.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Allagash Little Sal
- Allagash Farm To Face
- Rising Tide Nikita
- Boothbay Brewing Thirsty Botanist
- Jekyll Southern Juicy Juice
Headlines: * Gordon Biersch Downtown to close after 18 years (Buckhead spot to remain open) * Pontoon Brewing gets license, will start brewing in Sandy Springs * City of Atlanta looking to add license fees to $5k per license * Will the last remaining exec at Stone Brewing turn out the lights? * Citing regulatory and legislative issues, Flying Dog abandons plan for a farm brewery project
Coming up next week, we're talking Ciders! Treehorn pays us a visit. Don't forget to subscribe, and DRINK LOCAL. Cheers!
Georgia Senator Hunter Hill joined us on the show this week. He was instrumental in passing SB 63 - which led to this year's passage of SB 85. We talk small business, sensible laws, and why he's running for governor.
We also talk to Chris Morley, owner of Mason's Brewing in Brewer, Maine. He got an interesting letter from ABInbev's legal department.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Foolproof Shakolad
- Wild Heaven Mavis
- Mason’s Hipster Apocalypse DIPA (see news below)
- Sole Brewing Koji-Mon
Headlines:
- Your Pie Grant Park gearing up for November opening. (Their FB page has a link to a post with more info.)
- Akademia Brewpub opens in Athens
- Good People purchases Avondale Brewing
- Cherry Street opening second location in Alpharetta
- Russian River Raises Money for California Wildfire Victims with Pliny the Younger Contest (CraftBeer.com, 10/13)
- 10 Barrel sends C&D to small Maine Brewery. Small Maine brewery fights back.
To some, making a BEER cocktail is a sin.
Jason Santamaria, one of the founders of Second Self Beer Co., started experimenting with beer cocktails in college as a way to make cheap beer taste better.
Today? You could call him a mixologist. He regularly crafts cocktails for friends and family, and they dabble a little bit in (non-alcoholic) mixers at Second Self's taproom.
We also talked about what's happening in the Atlanta brewery's world, including the new release of their ATAle cans to celebrate Pride week.
Skye Estroff from the Taste of Atlanta also stopped by to tell us about their beers at the event.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Wild Heaven Fortress of Sourtude
- Second Self AT-Ale
- Beer Cocktails (check beerguysradio.com for the recipies)
Headlines * GABF wrapup - Georgia winners, Alabama’s TrimTab also placed. * Variant set to open soon in Roswell * Reformation Brewery announces plans for second location in Downtown Woodstock
Coming up next week, we're talking to craft beer advocate, state lawmaker and gubernatorial candidate Hunter Hill!
Chattabrewchee Southern Brewhouse is making history.
- It's West Point (Georgia)'s first brewery
- It's the first brewery in the state to have self-serve taps
- It's the first brewery in the country to have a female, active duty military owner.
We talked to co-owner Mike Denehy and brewmaster Barry Stevens this week. With a grand opening, some delays from Irma, it's been an eventful first month of operation. But now they are stepping up production, ready to go and are dedicated on becoming a must-visit location for beer lovers.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Chattabrewchee brews, including:
- 85 South Red Ale
- Backwater Blonde
- Crow Hop IPA
- Bridge Builder Brown Ale
- Pumpkin Oktoberfest
- SweetWater Brewing's Fresh Sticky Nugs
- Brew Hub Keybilly
- Concrete Jungle LA Calling
Headlines (Sponsored By Your Pie Perimeter):
- GABF is this week and Macro-owned craft brewers not allowed to be sponsors this year.
- What’s the best MLB ballpark for craft beer? One guy crunches numbers from 130k social media reviews. Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati #1. Sun Trust is 25th.
- Terrapin is one of 4 breweries (Schmaltz, Renegade and 8th Wonder) to collaborate on 2017 Reunion Ale. Proceeds go to Hurricane Harvey relief.
- Craft beer reigns in California, Oregon and Colorado. The South has some catching up to do.
Coming up next week, we talk Second Self and craft beer cocktails with Jason Santamaria. Have a great week, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL!
For the Beer Guys, every season is beer drinking season.
But Oktoberfest is another level entirely.
Plates of sausages and spaetzle, liters of lager...it's a great celebration to mark fall.
Atlanta's Der Biergarten is the closest you can get to Munich. With an authentic experience, traditional German fare and a great German beer list, it's the home of Bayern Munich soccer fans, so there you go.
We talked to Jeff Sime, Director of Operations and Matt Yuhasz, Executive General Manager of Legacy Ventures. They own not only Der Biergarten, but also Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria, Twin Smokers BBQ and STATS. All four restaurants are located in the Atlanta "Tourist Triangle," so they can get quite busy.
Der Biergarten is holding a big Oktoberfest event on Oct. 14. Get your tickets now!
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Spaten Oktoberfest
- Wild Heaven Kalisto IPA
- Wild Heaven Mavis
- Oconee Brewing Kolsch
- Creature Comforts Duende
Headlines - Brought to you by Your Pie Perimeter! * Beer Guys appear on Nappy Roots Podcast. * Marietta Open Container law rejected by the city. * Mobile, AL Craft Beer update: Serda, Haint Blue, Iron Hand * The next big thing in craft beer? Be a small taproom. * Wanna get paid to drink beer? Well, you’ll have to move to London. * Best airports for craft beer? Savannah, Tampa, Orlando for starters. * Irma beer collaboration
Coming up next week, we're talking to Chattabrewchee!
As it does so often, Geoffrey Williams' craft beer journey started with a Mr. Beer Kit.
As students at Georgia Southern, Williams and friends Haley and Nathan Cowan, they brewed beer and experimented with fermentation.
Fast forward, and Eventide Brewery is now Grant Park's brewery of choice.
With a core brand of "Drinking Beers" (Kolsch, Pale Ale, IPA) on bottle shop shelves and a rotating tap of seasonals and one-offs in the tap room, Eventide has become a gathering place for locals in the Atlanta neighborhood.
Speaking of gathering place, we broadcast on-location at Your Pie Perimeter. Not only are they one of our awesome sponsors, but they sling some great pie, with an amazing tap list. Thanks for their hospitality!
Truck and Tap Beers of The Week:
- Eventide's The A IPA
- Eventide's newest seasonal, Red Headed Haley
- We also sampled beers from Sole and Tired Hands, thanks to our awesome friend Mac Maguire
- New cans from Arches - Queens Weiss (Hefeweizen) and Southern Bel (Belgian Pale Ale)
Headlines (Sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter):
- Budweiser and Lyft offering free rides this weekend
- Red Brick continuing animal series w/Penguin Pale Ale
- Prattville considering downtown entertainment (open container) district.
- Matt Shirah and Travis Herman talk all things Scofflaw with Good Beer Hunting
- Independent Brewing Label starting to show up
- Pour a foamier beer to eliminate stomach bloating/gas
Coming up next week? We're talking all things Oktoberfest with Der Biergarten! Have a great week, and DRINK LOCAL.
Green Bus doesn't distribute, rarely sells its beer outside its taproom, and they're OK with that.
When Jason Sledd named his homebrewery (Green Bus Brewing), many people joked that it was just a matter of time before he went "pro."
But to Jason, that sounded like a great way to turn his hobby into drudgery. Learn more about Huntsville's "first neighborhood brewery" this week!
Plus, we'll talk about how we survived Irma and Tim regales us with tales from his trip to Arkansas.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Terrapin Dave’s Not Here DIPA
- Bearded Iris Homestyle
- Bearded Iris Double Double Homestyle
- Bearded Iris Attention Please!
- Ozark Cream Stout
- Lost Forty Rockhound IPA
Headlines (Sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter):
- Gwinnett’s first brewery opens in Snellville
- Goat Island big winner at Alabama Craft Beer and State Championship
- How Sublime brought 40 oz Mexican lager to craft beer
*Note: Due to the after-effects of Hurricane Irma, we were not able to get Chattabrewchee to the studio this week. We've rescheduled them for an upcoming episode.
Next week, we'll be broadcasting from Your Pie Perimeter and talking to Atlanta's Eventide Brewing. Come out and see us Thursday 9/21 and don't forget...DRINK LOCAL!
More info: www.beerguysradio.com
Support: www.patreon.com/beerguys
Is there a more overused term than "farm to table"?
Probably not. But the meaning is still important - bringing fresh, local ingredients into a restaurant has been a big trend in dining.
Tim Stevens, owner of From the Earth Brewing Company, is bringing that to Roswell.
With an amazing menu, the veteran of fine dining establishments in Atlanta and Birmingham is bringing his love of beer along as well.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- From the Earth Stout and IPA
- Sweetwater Pit and Pendulum
- Southbound Picture of Nectar
- Three Taverns Blueberry Inceptus
- Wild Heaven Fortress of Sourtude
Headlines - Sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter:
- Do most Americans care about independent craft beer?
- A month of milestones in Atlanta craft beer
- Lawsuit over Kona beer not being brewed in Hawaii allowed to proceed
- Craft Beer Bar coming to Lenox Mall
- Layoffs at The High End
Coming up next week, we'll talk to another brand new brewery: Chattabrewchee! Let us know where you are and what you're drinking on the socials.
And our thoughts go out to our Florida friends affected by Hurricane Irma. Cheers!
A historic show this week.
Finally, direct sales are here. That's right, you can actually go into a Georgia brewery and actually buy their product! To celebrate, we talked to Nancy Palmer, Executive Director of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild and Taylor Harper of Taylor, Feil, Harper, Lumsden & Hess (aka “The Georgia Craft Beer Lawyer”). They joined us in studio to talk about the fight to get to this point and what’s in store for the future.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the week:
Some amazing brews, including:
- Creature Comforts Athena Paradiso with Passionfruit and Guava
- Reformation Barrel-Aged Jude
- Red Brick Vanilla Gorilla
- Creature Comforts/Arizona Wildwerness/Boulevard Collaboration
- Red Brick Red Wine Barrel Aged Beard Envy
- Creature Comforts Existence
- Dogwood Brewing Company (Yes, THAT Dogwood) Winter Ale
Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter):
- Hurricane Harvey affects Texas. Gainesville A-B facility cans water for relief effort. So does Oskar Blues.
- Houston brewers respond to the crisis
- Jekyll’s Michael Lundmark named the Greater N. Fulton Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Small Businessperson of the Year award.
- Jekyll is collecting donations to take a truckload of goods to Houston, details on socials
Next week we’re talking to From the Earth Brewing! Soon to be one of Georgia’s newest brewpubs, From the Earth is finishing their build out in Roswell. Founder Tim Stevens will join us to talk about the process so far and what to expect when the taps start flowing.
More: www.beerguysradio.com Support: www.patreon.com/BeerGuys
Take a trip down memory lane
Sarah Belanger and Kamara Davis, authors of the brand new book "North Alabama Beer: An Intoxicating History" joined us this episode.
The early residents of North Alabama had a love-hate relationship with alcohol over the years. We talked about:
- The brothers who opened the first brewery in Alabama who had a "Badlun" of bad luck
- The city of Cullman, founded by German immigrants, became famous for its alcohol-free Ocktoberfest
- The time noted abolitionist Carrie Nation visited Huntsville
- Why water fountains were a key part of the abolitionist movement
- The Free the Hops movement playing a key role in shifting the Alabama laws.
- "What's wrong with the beer we got?"
If you want to get your hands on the book, be sure to head to Straight to Ale on Monday, 8/28 for the official launch!
Truck and Tap's Beers of the week:
Sarah brought a bevy of Alabama beers to the studio, and we were able to try....
- Rocket Republic Coffee Vapor Trail Cream Ale
- Straight to Ale Project Juicy Bunny
- Blue Pants Dry Hop Sour
- Blue Pants Candy Bar Pinstripe Stout
- Green Bus Brewing White Stout
Headlines (Sponsored By Your Pie Perimeter):
- Sept. 1 will start a new era in Georgia beer
- Sierra Nevada, Abita, Sam Adams caught in the middle of the craft beer “glut.”
- How to predict if your favorite brewery will “sell out”
Coming up next week? We will be celebrating the historic day of September 1 when breweries will be able to directly sell to consumers. Nancy Palmer of the Georgia Craft Brewer's Guild and "Craft Beer Lawyer" Taylor Harper will join us...and maybe some more!
It's Shelton Fest week in Atlanta And we took advantage of it! Michael Kiser, founder of Good Beer Hunting and writer Austin Louis Ray joined us in the studio. We had a great conversation about branding, what "selling out" really means and more! Meanwhile, Brian Whitley from Macon's Piedmont Brewery and Kitchen also joined us in the studio. He brought a couple of samples, and we took advantage.
Have a great week. If you'll be at Shelton Fest, make sure to stop by our booth and say hi!
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Piedmont Brewing's Midnight Rider and Porch Song
- Southern Prohibition Selfie Destruct
- SweetWater Belgian Rose
- Wild Heaven Emmylou
Headlines - Brought to you by Your Pie Perimeter! * ECLIPSE! Craft beer options for viewing * A local brewery gets into a little social media scuffle. * Mercedes Benz Stadium will have lots of taps. * Go hang with Governor Deal on Sept. 1 at LNB
What goes better with good beer than good food and good times?
How about some good people too. We welcomed Michael Goot from Ormsby's and Billy Streck from Hampton & Hudson to the studios this week.
We talked about the competitive Atlanta restaurant scene, the importance of staying loyal to local brewers, and how a great craft beer list can make or break your business these days.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
A veritable smorgasbord of brews, including:
- Orpheus Serpent Bite
- Bissell Brothers Lux
- Marshall Wharf Pemaquid Oyster Stout
- Little Cottage Love Letter from Space
- Southern Prohibition Humble Farmhouse Ale
- Brouwerij Bosteels DeuS Brut des Flanders
Headlines (Sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter):
- Bob Sandage keeping up search for the person (people) behind Dan Rosen’s killing
- Funky Buddha sells out to Constellation Brands
- What happens when a neural network comes up with beer names?
Up next week, we're talking to the newest entry in Macon's craft beer scene. Brian Whitley from Piedmont joins us in the studio. Cheers, and DRINK LOCAL!
By popular demand, we're talking home brewing this week!
Homebrewers Andrew Cooper and Michael Rothlisberger joined us in the studio to talk about the joys of brewing. We talked about extracts getting a bad rap, tips for entering contests, and the importance of having a brewing community around you.
Plus, we recapped Aaron's trip to Maine and our tour of Monday Night Brewing's newest facility, The Garage.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Orono Brewing Company Lightning Tree NE IPA
- SweetWater Belgian Rose Sour
- Three Taverns Crave Hazy IPA
- Wild Heaven / Max Lager’s / Cigar City / Mazurt To Dan! - Double IPA with Coconut
- Homebrews from our guest, including a beet saison. Yes, a beet saison.
Headlines - Brought to you by Your Pie Perimeter! * GA Department of Revenue issues regulation guidelines for SB85 * Anchor Brewing Sells out to Sapporo * Monday Night Brewing shows off The Garage; new branding coming. * Danner Kline, one of the Free the Hops Founders, is running for congress in Alabama, running an ultramarathon * Macon Beer Company raising money for Goodwill during “First Pint Pour” event.
Do you have friends who love wine, but turn their nose up at beer?
Listen to this episode. We've got:
- Dan Pernice, the General Manager at Osteria Mattone. Beverage Director for OM, Table & Main, and new restaurant in Alpharetta - Coalition Food & Beverage.
- Peter Kiley, Head Brewer at Monday Night Brewing and former winemaker
- Heddy Proctor, Craft beer and wine fan, attended the Culinary Institute of America in NAPA for wine studies
We talk about beers that will work with the wine palate.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
Some big-time beers this week, including:
- Three Taverns Crave
- Drie Fontenin Oude Geuze
- Side Project Saison du Ble
- Rodenbach Grand Cru
- Cascade Noyeaux
Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter):
- Brewers taste macro lagers. Rank them.
- Zymurgy ranks top beers in every state. One guess what won in GA. Yellowhammer’s Rebellion and Folklore’s Shadowcaster Porter tied in Alabama.
- Scofflaw expands, resumes canning.
- New Realm shares some details on the look and layout of their brewery
Coming up next week? By popular demand, we're talking homebrewing. Have a great week, and don't forget...DRINK LOCAL!
Just ahead of their Atlanta stop on their 40th Anniversary Tour, Foreigner guitarist, craft beer enthusiast, and Cicerone Certified Beer Server Bruce Watson chats with the Beer Guys about craft beer and their "VIB" meet and greet craft beer tastings he hosts along with bandmate Michael Bluestein.
Beer has a long history in the United States and the world.
In America, we have had thousands of breweries through the ages. And when you've got history, you've got collectors.
We talked to two dedicated collectors of "breweriana," Lee Dickson and Ken Jones. We were privileged to get a look of just a tiny portion of their collections, and talk about how you get started in collecting breweriana. Even if it's just for fun - and no, that can of Billy Beer your uncle gave you 10 years ago isn't worth anything.
The annual Atlanta Breweriana Collectibles Show is Saturday, July 29.
9am-2pm at:
Greater Good BBQ 4431 Hugh Howell Road Tucker, GA 30084
If you have any questions, contact Ken at abico1876@yahoo.com
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Omnipollo Shploing!
- Jailhouse Five-O
- Cigar City Oatmeal raisin cookie
Headlines - Sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter
- Citing “freedom of expression” Flying Dog leaves Brewers Association over updated Advertising and Marketing Code
Avondale Brewing is the second-oldest brewery in Birmingham. Housed in a historic building that used to be a fire station, saloon and brothel (which may or may not be haunted), they used their saison to really build Avondale’s brand. From there, they haven’t been still. From opening up Birmingham’s first sour-only facility (the Barrel Works) and distilling, the crew is pushing the boundaries in Alabama. Head brewer Nate Darnell joined the Beer Guys in studio. We talked about his brewing background, the Birmingham beer scene, and the differences between brewing and distilling. Plus, we show love to a beer-drinking elephant named Miss Fancy.
That shouldn’t shock many people. But about the only thing we love more than craft beer is pairing it with great food.
That’s why we invited Tom Moran from Roswell’s Peach & The Porkchop into the studio. We sampled some delicious food, paired it with some local craft beers, and generally enjoyed ourselves. Not a bad way to spend an evening.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of one of the most iconic craft beer bars in the nation, we took our show on the road to Decatur, GA this week. We talked to the owners of the Brick Store pub...as well as a couple of extra interviews too!
While one brewery won’t likely change that, Phantom Horse Brewing Company owner Skip Welsh hopes you’ll keep their neck of the woods in mind. Skip also owns Pie Slingers pizza. in 2014, he got an extract homebrew kit, and the bug hit him quickly. They started serving their own beers in 2016, and Skip, along with his partner Jason Randles, have been going strong ever since.
The three Kosoris(es?) were in the studio. Robin, Tamara and Brian are the family members behind Marietta's Viking Alchemist Meadery.
If you think that mead is that cloyingly sweet alcohol they serve at your local Renaissance Festival, you need to try these out. In fact, according to Robin, if you won't really get a honey flavor from their meads.
Plus, we learn how to brew your own mead (hint: it's pretty easy to get started!)
Plus, Brian Hewitt has his Cigar in 60, and Jay Williams checks out Red Hare Brewing's Sparkling Grapefruit soda.
On this week's show, we're talking to Keith Yager, the owner and brewmaster for Huntsville's Yellowhammer Brewing. Also, we remember Dan Rosen. A good friend and co-founder of MAZURT Brewing.
Good Word Brewing, a brand new brewpub set to open this fall in downtown Duluth, joined us in studio. Ryan Skinner and Todd DiMatteo are soon-to-be former employees of Brickstore, striking out on this new venture. Working with them are CRL Contracting (one of our sponsors). After working with Orpheus, Second Self and Scofflaw, CRL has earned their slogan “We Build Breweries.” We talk about how they got into the business, and they’ve got a (long) list of breweries and brewpubs that are in planning.
This week's episode brings Gainesville's Left Nut Brewing into the studio. Brewmaster Jason Ford and R&D director Rick Foote answer our questions. And yes, we do ask the question.
Plus, a podcast extra - if you want to know what ranch dressing soda tastes like, we've got the answer!
The gents behind Carrolton's first production brewery joins us on the show today. We talked about starting up a new brewery in the western suburbs of Atlanta, growing hops and the benefit of having an in house print shop.
The crew behind Torched Hop Brewpub joined us in studio today. Co-Owner Chris Bivens joined us to talk about their journey from a pizza and salad idea to a full-fledged restaurant.
Plus, we talk about the controversy over ABInbev's decision not to sell South African hops to independent breweries.
This week's show comes on the heels of the news that Ab-InBev "partnered" with North Carolina craft brew stalwart Wicked Weed Brewing. When the largest brewer in the world buys one of the "craftiest" companies out there, it's sure to ruffle some feathers. So that's what we talked about.
We broadcast at Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative, who recently celebrated their anniversary. The brewpub out of Cumming, Georgia, is growing and distributing rapidly, and that keeps Nick Tanner's team busy!
If you're out and about this weekend, we'll be at the Wrecking Bar's Wild Wild Beer Festival (without Wicked Weed, apparently) as well as the Gwinnett Beer Fest. Come out and say hi to us. Cheers! and DRINK LOCAL.
The Beer Guys dusted off their Chacos and hit the SweetWater 420 Festival! Since it's one of the largest beer (and music and comedy) festivals in the state, we figured it was a good time to talk about beer fests. Specifically, some of the great ones in the southeast (and the country), and our opinions on what makes a great beer fest. Also, some tips for newbies on surviving one!
We broadcast from the mobile Airstream studios of 30A Radio, so we talked to Cory Davis about the beer scene in the Florida panhandle. Some great information for folks looking to travel south on vacation this summer.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week At the SweetWater Experience tent, they really pulled out the stops. With 28 beers on tap - almost every one only available in limited amounts and usually at the brewery - we took advantage of it.
First, we sampled SweetWater's Mexican Lager, a great easy drinker for beach, parties...or concerts!
But next, Tim and Aaron were able to introduce Cory to one of their favorite SweetWater beers, the Exodus Porter. And in no way should this serve as a plea for SweetWater to return this brew back into production.....
Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter): * Brass Tap expanding to Tuscaloosa * Scofflaw doubling production capacity - 4 new 90 barrel tanks coming - from CRL Contracting! * Shelton Brothers Festival coming to Atlanta * Printer’s Ale Manufacturing opens up first production brewery in Carrolton. * New Realm seeking development bonds from the city of Atlanta. * Cherry Street has expanded production - look for 16oz cans coming this summer.
Coming up next week? Speaking of Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative, we'll be up in Cumming to help celebrate their anniversary. Have a great week, join us on the socials, and don't forget...DRINK LOCAL!
Special thanks to Corey Davis and the crew from 30A Radio for their awesome hospitality! * Are you looking into building your own brewery? CRL Contracting can help! * Sign up for THIS WEEK IN GEORGIA BEER (in the right column) and get Tim’s great listing of all events and releases for the week…and be entered to win some awesome swag! * Thanks for listening and supporting the show! If you like what you’re hearing and seeing, consider becoming a patron! Details here.
Max Lager's and Friends Brewing bring a long gone Georgia beer back to life Opened in Helen in 1990, Friends Brewing and the Helenboch Brewery was Georgia's first craft brewery. It was a very different time for beer in Georgia, and across the US. Microbrew was the term used for what we call craft beer today, Georgia still had a 6% cap on ABV, lagers were the preferred styles, and Friends Brewing was just the 175th microbrewery in the US.
Friends made a great impression on the beer scene when they launched, Helenboch won silver at the Great American Beer Festival in 1989 and Helenboch Oktoberfest took gold in 1991. The famed beer writer Michael Jackson visited the brewery as well, and no visit to Georgia is complete without a trip to Waffle House where Jackson experienced the greatness of hash browns served scattered, smothered, covered, topped, and chunked.
Helenboch Brewery Produced Award Winning Beers Helenboch beer was brewed in Helen from 1990-1991 and contract brewed through 1998. After being gone for nearly 20 years a Facebook message to Friends Brewing's PrAward-Winningcoggins from Helenback Race Series founder Dan Wilkins set the wheels in motion to bring it back to life. Scoggins posted to see if a brewery would let him brew his beer with them... or give him $500,000 to re-open a brewery. He didn't get any funding offers but Max Lager's John Roberts saw the post and reached out to Dow and in short order they agreed to make Helenboch happen again.
As with many microbreweries of the day Friends Brewing is no more, but the original owners are still very passionate about beer. I sat down recently with Rick Roberts, Frank Cronin, and Dow Scoggins from Friends; John Roberts from Max Lager's; and Dan Wilkins from the Helenback Race Series to sample and talk about this old/new brew and the memories it brought back.
You can try Helenboch beer at Max Lager's now "until it's gone" or run the Helenback Race Series on April 29th and enjoy a pour at the finish line.
Brandon Hintz is owner of Hop Alley Brewpub in Alpharetta, GA and Currahee Brewing in Franklin, NC. Hop Alley was one of the first to break into the now growing Alpharetta craft beer scene back in 2013 and Brandon added Currahee to his arsenal in 2016. Along with head brewer Taylor Yates, he has grown the North Carolina brewery, and is now distributing in Georgia. And if that’s not all, Hop Alley was one of the first brewpubs in the Alpharetta area. We talk to Brandon about his homebrewing background, his reasoning behind opening up a brewpub, and why he had to open Currahee in North Carolina instead of Georgia.
We're talking all about Athens-area beers with Chris Herron, CEO of Creature Comforts Brewing Company, Brian Roth of Southern Brewing Company and Owen Ogletree from Brewtopia Events.
Owen was kind enough to invite us to broadcast from the 22nd annual festival, and it was awesome as expected. The guys from Scofflaw also crashed the party too!
Have a great week, check out beerguysradio.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter...and DRINK LOCAL!
Rocket Republic owner Eric Crigger makes the journey to Atlanta from Huntsville to talk about his brewery and the growing Alabama craft beer scene.
Tim and Aaron sat down at the Porter Beer Bar with Nick Purdy from Wild Heaven Beer. We had a great conversation, ranging from SB85's impact on their brewery, the plans for the second location, and how to get the best watermelon flavor out of a watermelon (hint: it involves lots of work).
No foolin' around here! We attended TinyPalooza 2.5 at Snellville's Lincoln Fill Station. Before we went around sampling some amazing beers, and after the wind tried to literally take our production equipment away, we were able to talk to Athens newest brewpub in planning, Akademia.
On a dark and stormy night, we headed out to TopGolf Midtown for the finals of their winter league.
As luck would have it, we were joined by Tucker Berta-Sarkisian and Brian "Diggs" Diggelmann from SweetWater Brewing, Gina Silva and Tyler Vigue from TopGolf, and the one and only Ale Sharpton!
Spring Beers were on the discussion list, and we talked about the change in season, and the transition from maltier, darker beers to hops and saisons.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
Lots of them. Ale shared some beers from his recent trip to Charlotte, including NoDa's Hop Cakes Double IPA. Plus, SweetWater's Wookie Down Imperial Red Ale, its newest Dank Tank Release. And 420, Jekyll's Hop Dang Diggity....and more!
Headlines (Sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter)
SB85 HAS PASSED! Finally, Georgia becomes the last state to allow direct sales for brewers and distillers in the state. What does that mean? Basically, we will no longer have to deal with the farce of buying a tour and getting free samples. Yes, that means that you can actually go to a brewery and order a pint of their beer. Amazing stuff on 2017. Looks like the rules will go into effect late summer or early fall of this year, so stay tuned.
One great announcement on the heels of this - Wild Heaven will open a second location on the Beltline.
Other news headlines:
- Phil Ferrell running for AHA Board of Governors
- Max Lager’s revives one of Georgia’s first craft beers: Helenboch lager from Friends Brewing Co.
- Tennessee’s Mill Creek Brewing Signs agreement to distro in Alabama
- Student on Spring Break caught with truckload of natty light
- Michelin star brewery the future for craft beer?
- Stone makes beer out of sewage water
- Paul Ryan ties have some people boycotting Ballast Point
Next week, we're continuing this road trip. We are headed to the Lincoln Fill Station in Snellville, checking out TinyPalooza 2.5. Cheers!
We took the show to TopGolf Alpharetta. While Tim and Aaron would most likely never be mistaken for athletes, we had a great time talking with Gina Silva and David Gleeson from TopGolf.
We also talked to Jekyll’s Sales Director Bryan Lehman about what’s coming up with their brewery. Be sure to check out their campaign to raise awareness for colorectal cancer all this month.
Finally, we grabbed one of Reformation Brewery‘s Ballard Shearer joined us, shared a beer, and what’s new with the brewery.
The Porter Beer Bar in Little Five Points is one of the best. Opened in 2008, The Porter features an amazing list of draft and bottled beers and a creative and delicious dining menu. Voted best beer bar in Georgia and the US many times over, it should be on every craft beer lovers destination list.
We joined owners Nick Rutherford and Molly Gunn today in their cozy beer cellar to chat about their iconic hotspot, the business of beer…and what exactly a Sankey cask is anyway!
If you're like Aaron, you love Asian food, but hate the beer selection.
Andy Tan and Chris Collier aim to change that. They have just opened up Hopstix. The Chamblee restaurant combines Asian fusion cuisine (including sushi hot dogs and amazing ramen) along with craft beer brewed on site. We talk about Andy and Chris' journeys through craft beer, their relationship with the Covert Hops homebrew club, and more!
What better way to celebrate the mild weather with a coastal brewery? Big Beach Brewing Company from Gulf Shores, Alabama, joined us for this episode. We talked to head brewer Rod Murray and co-owner Jim Schamburger about their craft beer journey, the differences in brewing beer for the beach crowd, and their rapid growth over the year.
We also had Brandon King in studio. He's one of the minds behind two great craft beer destinations - The Stout Brothers / Smyrna Beer Market and The Nest restaurant in Kennesaw. We talked beer, barbecue...and their anniversary party that will feature such things as smoked alligator.
Truck and Tap Beers of the Week: * Big Beach Brewing Rod’s Reel Cream Ale * Big Beach Brewing For the love of Mosaic IPA * Orpheus Brewing's Maenads Tripel
Headlines (brought to you by Your Pie Perimeter) * Tim gave us an update on SB 85 * The Georgia Brunch Bill is front and center on the minds of many restaurateurs across the state. * Atlanta magazine 50 best bars. Including some great beer bars, like Wrecking Bar, Brick Store, Porter, Leon’s, Argosy and more. * Sweetwater celebrated its 20th anniversary with an Atlanta legend. * Hopstix set to open in Chamblee , and we’ll have owner Andy Tan on next week
Marietta’s Ironmonger Brewing joined us in the studios today. Specifically, owner David Sheets. A newcomer to the show, we were excited to talk about Ironmonger. Originally a side project of Naughty Soda, Sheets was able to spin off Ironmonger to its own brand. And even though they share a facility with Naughty Soda, they are separate. Our old friend Barron Sluder recently came aboard as head brewer. And even though he hasn’t been able to finish his brews yet, the Ironmonger crew brought plenty of liquid.
In this episode, we talk to Mike Castagno, the brand new head brewer at the iconic Decatur brewpub, Twain's.
We also have Twain's owners (and brothers) Ethan and Uri Wurtzel on the show, talking about Twain's past 21 years in Decatur and how they've had to adapt and change to compete in the great craft beer market in that city.
Tim gives us an update on SB85, and we'll talk about an Atlanta brewery making a cameo appearance during the Super Bowl!
Next week, Ironmonger Brewing will join us in the studios. As always, drink local, and cheers!
A busy week! Not only is there some important football game going on this Sunday (#RISEUP), we invited a veritable plethora of guests on the show.
Nancy Palmer of the Georgia Craft Brewer's Guild joined us on the exciting news about SB 85 - a bill that would actually (gasp) allow brewers to sell beer (wait for it...) at the brewery! Regardless, this is great news for Georgia's beer community. This bill, a compromise between the Guild and distributors, would allow:
- Breweries to sell up to 3,000 barrels of beer made on premises, by the glass and up to one case per customer. Read more details here.
In studio? We had a little change of pace. Tony Jones and Ian Flom from Mercier Orchards took a trip down from Blue Ridge to talk all things cider. We were able to talk about the history of Mercier Orchards and cider, as well as the process for making it.
Also, we talked to Matt Leff of Nuit Belge. Coming to Atlanta's The Foundry At Puritan Mill, Nuit Belge combines some amazing chefs with Belgian (and Belgian-inspired) beers. It's coming up on Feb. 25, and if you use the promo code BGR10, you'll get $10 off the ticket! Tickets and details here.
Truck and Tap's Beer of the Week Well, OK. Ciders of the week. Including:
- Mercier Orchards Grumpy Granny, made from Granny Smith apples
- Rock Steady Red, a cider blended with strawberries
- Black Bee, made from Arkansas Black apples and clover honey
- Old #3, made from Gold Rush apples
Coming up next week? Back to the beer, as we talk to the folks behind the iconic Decatur spot Twain's Brewpub & Billiards and new head brewer Mark Castagno joins us, among others. In the meantime, drink local...and Cheers!
Thanks to our show sponsors: * Truck and Tap * Your Pie Perimeter * CRL Contracting * Nuit Belge * The Nest * Stout Brothers / Smyrna Beer Market
What an amazing event!
If you haven't been to one of the 13 iterations of the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting, then you're missing out. Owen Ogletree, owner of Brewtopia.com, puts on the event every year at the Prado in Sandy Springs. This year's version featured more than 60 casks of unique and creative beers from Georgia, national and international brewers!
We took advantage of our attendance at ACAT to drink some amazing beers (of course), but also to get updates on a few breweries and brewpubs in planning.
First on the list was Mitch Steele. The former brewmaster for Stone Brewing is working with his partners to open up a brewpub on the Atlanta beltline sometime late in 2017. We spoke with him about the plans, and the reason why they picked Atlanta.
Next, Owen took some time out of his busy day to talk about casks. What they are, the history involved, and why they are so much more nuanced than "normal" tapped beers.
In our third segment, we speak to Matt and Lauren Curling, the husband and wife team behind Roswell's Variant Brewing Company. Also planning a 2017 launch, we talk about how they got started in craft beer (hint: it wasn't Matt at first!) and the trials and tribulations of starting up a new brewery.
We also talk with our great sponsors, Your Pie Perimeter, about their upcoming Second Anniversary party.
Ryan Skinner and Todd DeMatteo joined us in the fourth segment. Ryan and Todd are planning a new brewpub, Good Word, in craft beer starved Gwinnett County. We talked about starting up a new brewpub in downtown Duluth, as well as their idea for bringing the comforts of home to a brewpub.
Finally, we were lucky enough to grab two of the world's foremost experts on cask ales. Des de Moor is a London-based beer judge and writer; and Steve Hamburg is a Chicago-area writer and beer judge. Both are cask experts, and we talk about the cask movement in the United States and what makes a great cask ale.
Next week, we'll be cidering it up with the folks behind Mercier Orchards. Thanks for listening, and don't forget...drink local!
A packed house in the studio this weekend! We were lucky to have three awesome guests. First, the evil genius (not really evil, but it sounds good) behind Burnt Hickory Brewery, Scott Hedeen, joined us in studio. We uncapped plenty of whales from BHB, thanks to Scott (and Brian Hewitt's) stash.
Scott talked about the challenges of operating a small brewery under current Georgia laws, the special ambiance of the tap room (including one crazy Yelp review), and the ideas behind their many creative variants. We also talked about Georgia Beer Day, the growth of craft beer (and spirits) in Kennesaw, as well as the fist BHB Town Hall meeting this week. Finally, Tim tests Scott on music and beer pairings. You'll find out what the best beer is for listening to Taylor Swift, natch.
Also joining us was Morgan and Lisa Maclellan, the owners of Your Pie Perimeter. Not only are they one of our great sponsors, they are renowned among the Your Pie community when it comes to their craft beer program. We talk shop, and learn more about the importance of craft beer on their bottom line.
TRUCK AND TAP'S BEERS OF THE WEEK * Southbound Brewing's Mystery Ship * Burnt Hickory Brewery Freak Flag Apricot Saison w/Brett * BHB's Noggin Knocker Imperial Eggnog Milk Stout * BHB's Kolb's Farm Russian Imperial Stout * BHB's Machine Gun Etiquette Lemon Pale Ale * BHB's Feeling Gravity's Pull Maple Bacon Habanero Coffee Stout
HEADLINES (Sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter) * Second Self Releasing Manic Pixie Dream * Creature Comforts expansion * Haint Blue Brewing Co. running into some city zoning/planning issues from Mobile * Wild Leap Brewing coming to LaGrange * Rome City Brewing Company bringing craft beer to Floyd County * Direct sales for distillers? * Falcons #RISEUP!
A special shout out to our newest sponsor, CRL CONTRACTING. Working on opening a brewery? CRL is the most experienced contractors when it comes to building breweries and tap rooms. They've built for Orpheus, Second Self and Scofflaw. Thanks for your support!
While Aaron is "on assignment", Brian Hewitt steps in to help co-host the show. We sit down with Robert E. "Doc" Lee to talk about his brewery deep in the woods of Georgia. Omaha Brewing Co. is an oasis in the desert. We tape the show at Your Pie Perimeter, one of our great sponsors and a great place for craft beer and pizza.
It's a new year, and it's time to get back into the beer!
And, as luck would have it, it was a Northeast Metro Atlanta show.
We had the crew from Reformation Brewery in the house this week. Co-founder Spencer Nix, along with Ryan Morley-Stockton and photographer extraordinaire Jessica Miller joined us in studio this weekend.
We talked about the brewery's origin story, which includes some in depth conversations about religious history, seminary school, and parties that got just too popular for a house to hold.
2016 was a big year for Reformation. They canned their first brew (and have now expanded to 5 canned products). 2017 looks to be another growth opportunity for them, with potential expansion out of Georgia.
We also spoke to Spencer about the challenges and opportunities facing Georgia's beer community this year.
Headlines (furnished by Your Pie Perimeter)
The biggest news in Georgia beer was a personnel move. Steve Anderson, formerly of Atlanta's Red Brick Brewing, has joined Kennesaw's Dry County Brewing as its brewmaster. We spoke briefly about his first week on the job, the challenges, and the advantages of not having to deal with a daily commute to Atlanta!
Truck and Tap Beers of the Week:
- Reformation Wilder Blackberry Strong Ale
- Reformation French Saison (coming soon)
- Reformation Jude Trippel
Coming up next week, we're going on the road. We'll be broadcasting from Your Pie Perimeter on Thursday, January 12. We'll talk to the crew behind Omaha Brewing. Come join Tim and have some pizza and beers at a great spot! We'll see you next week, and don't forget...DRINK LOCAL.
Happy New Year!
As we say goodbye to 2016, we wanted to hand out some awards. We asked you, our listeners, to vote on the best of craft beer in Georgia and Alabama. Nearly 1,000 of you responded, and we have the results.
Want the complete list of winners? Here's Georgia and Alabama.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Jekyll Redneck Christmas Stout
- Wild Heaven Ode to Mercy Special Winter Ale
- Creature Comforts Koko Buni
- and more!
Headlines (brought to you by Your Pie Perimeter)
- Pies and Pints opening this week in Montgomery
- How to deal with “SKU-Mageddon”
- Craft beer shampoo? Why not?
- Brewer’s Association tries to predict 2017 trends
- For craft beer lovers, long lines are part of the experience
Next week? We'll ring in the New Year with a conversation with Reformation Brewing. Have a great week, we'll see you on the socials...and don't forget to drink local!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Festivus, etc!
It's the holidays, so we're spending time with friends and family this weekend. Enjoy our "best of" edition, featuring interviews from:
- Scofflaw Brewing Company
- Trim Tab Brewing Co.
- Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative
- Good People Brewing Company
Thanks again to all of our sponsors who make the show possible, and all of our awesome fans!
We'll be back next week with our "Best in Craft Beer 2016" awards show.
Be sure to vote for your favorites in Georgia and Alabama.
Happy holidays, and cheers!
Huntsville's Mad Malts Brewing joined us this week. NOTE: We need your vote! Be sure to cast your ballot for the BEST OF CRAFT BEER 2016 in Georgia and Alabama. We'll have the results on our end of the year show December 31.
As we get into the homestretch into Christmas and the new year, we were able to talk with the crew behind Huntsville's Mad Malts Brewing. Co-Owners Chris Bramon and Jeff Peck joined us to talk about their start in craft beer, the reason behind their name change, what they learned at the Great American Beer Fest, and what year 2 has in store for them.
We also had homebrewer extraordinaire Jon Shari (of Little Cottage Brewery fame). Brian Hewitt also joined us in studio, bringing in a bomber of Shari's American Imperial Stout, Wax Off.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week: * Wild Heaven Gravitational Wave Russian Imperial Stout * Terrapin Mosaic Red Rye IPA * Coastal Empire Nettles and Ross ESB * Highland Brewing Company Cold Mountain Winter Ale * Tired Hands Ourison Oak Aged Saison * Little Cottage Wax Off American Imperial Stout
Headlines - Brought to you by Your Pie Perimeter! * Georgia Beer Company’s plans to move downtown going forward. * Haint Blue, Serda brewing company plan on opening in Mobile in 2017 * NC Beer uses Wu Tang in the brewing process. * Goose Island opens up “first American Craft Beer Bar” in UK * Brewers Assn. kicks off homebrewing competition amongst staffers and politicans in DC * Marijuana use and lower beer sales? Not so fast, my friend.
Coming up next week? It's Christmas, so we're giving you the present of some of our favorite interviews of the past year. Our last show of the year on Dec. 31 will feature our BEST OF CRAFT BEER 2016, so be sure to vote for your favorites in Georgia and Alabama.
Cheers, and have a Merry Christmas!
The Beer Guys head up north for this week's interview. North Georgia, that is.
A few weeks ago, Tim took a trip to Blue Ridge. While there, he ran into Tom Fennell, owner of Fannin County Brewing. He joined us on the show via phone this week.
We talked to Tom about his start in the craft beer industry, after realizing that a winery may not be in the cards for him. We also speak to the growth of craft beer in his small town, and the popularity of craft with the tourist crowd.
Finally, we discuss the upcoming legislative session, and some of his conversations with Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston, an influential member of the state house.
In studio, we welcomed beer fan and podcaster Nubyjas Wilborn. A sportswriter by trade, he also talks craft beer on his Beer it Is Podcast. Tim, Aaron and Nubyjas went over the craft beer scene in Georgia, and last week's Wrecking Bar Strong Beer Fest.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Funky Buddha Undefeated Saison
- Cigar City Vanilla Hazelnut Marshall Zhukov Imperial Stout
- Little Cottage Night Breed Coffee Porter
- Fannin Hive Kicker and a special Fannin wine-beer hybrid available only at the brewery.
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
We're talking, of course, about stouts, porters, and all those great roasty holiday beers that come out this time of the year.
To help us enjoy them, we invited the trio from Dry County Brewing company into the studio.
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
Dry County served up some of their dark beers, including their Bad Hombre.
Other wintry-type beers we talked about:
- Burnt Hickory Courageous Conductor - Red Velvet Cake Porter
- Creature Comforts Koko Buni - Milk porter with Coffee and coconut
- Terrapin Moo Hoo (Chocolate milk stout) and its several variants.
- Wild Heaven Ode to Mercy Special Winter Ale (Coffee brown with bourbon barrel chips.)
- Good People El Gordo (13.9% Russian Imperial Stout)
- Back Forty Peanut Butter Porter
- Red Brick Vanilla Gorilla (Vanilla Porter)
- Red Brick Hype Whale (Bourbon Imperial Stout - Releases around February)
- Southbound Moonlight Drive - Imperial Coffee Stout
- Scofflaw Barrel Aged Absentia - Imperial Stout in Buffalo Trace Barrels (Release 01/14)
- Three Taverns Helm’s Deep (Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imeperial Stout) & Third Age (Sherry Barrel Old Ale)
- Monday Night Bourbon Barrel Drafty Kilt - Bourbon Barrel Aged Scotch Ale
- Orpheus The Ferryman - BBA Imperial Stout with coffee, chiles, vanilla beans
- Jekyll Redneck Christmas Stout - Imperial Stout with coffee, chocolate, and peppermint
Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter):
- Second Self distributing into Alabama
- Georgia Beer Company requesting permit in downtown Valdosta
- Beer Gardens popping up in Decatur and downtown
- Beer volumes decline where marijuana is legal
- Gatlinburg fires - Smoky Mountain Brewery is OK, but they will be closed “indefinitely”
- Trim Tab, Creature Comforts makes list of Craft Breweries to watch
- BrewDog domestic beer production delayed, to begin in April
- How much would you pay for a beer? One guy paid $5k for a 2013 Toppling Goliath Vanilla Bean Assassin Stout (via beerblackbook.com)
Coming up next week? We'll head up north.... North Georgia that is, to talk to Fannin Brewing. Have a great week, and cheers!
Happy Thanksgiving! We're taking a little break this week to spend some QT with friends and family. And we're releasing the show a bit early so you can listen while you travel!
(looking for more craft beer stuff to listen to on your drive? Check out Project BGR, our other craft beer podcast!)
In the meantime, please enjoy some of our best interviews from the year, including:
Three Taverns Craft Beers
Blue Pants Brewery
Monday Night Brewing
SweetWater Brewing.
We want to thank our show sponsors, Truck and Tap, Hopspot Beer Tours and Your Pie Perimeter.
But most importantly, we want to thank you so much for your support! It's been a great year so far, and we're looking forward to telling the story of craft beer for many years to come.
Have a great Thanksgiving. Be thankful, drink local, and CHEERS!
If you haven't noticed, downtown Roswell is becoming a pretty good craft beer destination. Gate City Brewing Company is one of the reasons why.
On this week's show, we talk to Brian Borngesser and Pat Rains, co-founder of Roswell, Georgia's Gate City Brewing Company.
They discuss their start, the challenges of moving from gypsy brewing to their own system, and the difference between contract and gypsy brewing.
Also, we talk about the growth of the downtown Roswell area, especially as a craft beer destination. Cheers!
Truck and Tap’s Beers of the Week:
- Gate City Terminus Porter
- Gate City OTP IPA
- Gate City Double Tropical Stout
- Three Taverns Cranberry Sauced
- Monday Night Brewing Centaur
- Terrapin Moo-HooChiatto Chocolate Espresso Milk Stout
- 21st Amendment/Stone/Firestone Walker El Camino (un)Real Dark Ale
Headlines - Brought to you by Your Pie Perimeter! * New brewpub coming to Roswell, From the Earth Brewing * Dr. John Isenhour is Dry County’s new Chief Technical Brewing Officer * Paulding County also approves Sunday sales * Twain’s Mike Castagno talks about how he approaches brewing * How the elections affect beer * Creature Comforts Koko Buni is coming back
Next week, we will have our special Thanksgiving Day show, featuring clips from some of our best interviews over the past year. Enjoy your turkey, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL!
At the Beer Guys Radio Show, we love our craft beer.
But once in a while, we like to break the mold a bit. And that's what we did this week. We talk distilling - whiskey and rum to be specific. Erik Vonk from Savannah's Richland Rum joined us, as did Michael Anderson from Decatur's Independent Distilling.
Craft beer and craft distilling has many things in common, and we talk to Erik and Michael about that, including how they got their start in distilling. Also the vagaries involved in barrel aging, and the importance of keeping their ingredients local.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week
Of course, we had beers of the week, including:
- A flight of Terrapin's Wake and Bake Coffee Stout from 2015 and 2016.
- We also got to try Independent Distilling's Outlier #1, a whiskey made from a Scotch Ale mash courtesy of Blue Tarp Brewing.
Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter):
- Oconee County votes yes on Sunday alcohol sales.
- Groundbreaking on new Albany brewery
- What to bring? Wine and beer for a party
- Dogfish Head getting into the can game
- Hurd delivers vinyl and beer. Unfortunately only in the UK for now.
Coming up next week? Back to the craft beer. We'll be talking to the crew from Gate City Brewing Company. Drink local, and CHEERS!
Eventide Brewing's brand manager Haley Cowan joined us in the studios this week.
We talked about the origins of the brewery, their Kickstarter campaign, and the importance of being a community destination for the Grant Park neighborhood.
Truck and Tap's beers of the week:
- Eventide's Pale Ale
- Eventide Kolsch
- Eventide Highlander Scotch Ale
Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter)
- Marietta's Ironmonger Brewing is set to expand, offer new lineup in a few weeks.
- Project BGR launches!
- Arabi to vote on alcohol sales referendum (WALB)Augusta museum of history brewing 146 year old beer (WSAW)Amendment seeks to protect local laws being overturned (News Courier)From the “Ulterior Motive” Department: ABInbev reports craft beer growth slowing (VinePair.com)
It takes some courage to open up a craft brewery focusing mainly on lagers.
After all, lagers require a little more love...time...and temperature control before they're ready to serve.
And for the most part, craft beer drinkers are mainly an ale-centric bunch.
But for the men behind Hapeville's Arches Brewing, craft lagers are a way to showcase their brewing skills.
Ryan Fogelgren and Jamey Adams joined us in the studios this week.
Specializing in crisp, clean-drinking (mainly) German-style beers, the crew behind Arches have gained a good following in the community, and have even gained fans at the nearby Porsche headquarters.
We talked about their start in the brewing business, their growth, and the future.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
Speaking of lagers, we tried:
- Reformation Brewery's new "95" German Dunkel
- Arches Unseasonal Lager
- Arches Imperial Pilsner
- Arches Aged Russian Imperial Stout
Headlines - Brought to you by Your Pie Perimeter! GEORGIA NEWS Atlanta's Wrecking Bar Brewpub becomes latest brewpub to offer growlers to go(source: Wrecking Bar)
More variety coming to Athens' Creature Comforts tasting room (source: Creature Comforts)
Design changes, new offerings for Marietta's Red Hare (source: Marietta Daily Journal)
ALABAMA NEWS Big Beach Brewing opens in Gulf Shores (source: AL.com)
Hammer-wielding suspect dies fleeing scene of Alabama beer theft (source: AL.com)
Second Craft Brewfest going on this weekend in Albertville (Source: The Gadsden Times)
NATIONAL NEWS Craft beer suffers from growing pains (Source: CBS Marketwatch)
So many questions. Such as: What beer? Judge convicted of bribing officer with beer(source: WALB News 10)
Coming up next week, we'll be talking with another southside (sort of) Atlanta brewery, Eventide. Be sure to check us out on the socials, and subscribe to our podcast. Cheers, and we'll talk to you next week.
A little history for you this week.
Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle are with us today. Not only are they craft beer fans, they are the authors of “Atlanta Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the South” as well as “Prohibition in Atlanta: Temperance, Tiger Kings and White Lightning.”
Atlanta and the south have had a love/hate relationship with alcohol over the past 250 or so years.
From the Whitehall Tavern opening on the West End in 1835 (back when Atlanta was called Terminus), to the mayoral election of Moses Frumwalt (of the awesomely named "Free and Rowdy" party) over Jonathan Norcross (of the "Moral Party), the early years of the region were quite...interesting.
Then, with the Civil War, reconstruction, and the abolitionist movement, the region underwent many, many changes.
The opening of Atlantic Brewing in 1935 (it was located on the current site of the downtown Hilton) marked a turn in Atlanta's brewing history. After its closing in the 50s, Atlanta's only brewery was a branch of Canadian beer maker Carling (now made by Molson/Coors). And when it closed in 1973, Atlanta went nearly 4 decades without a brewery until Atlanta Brewing Company (now Red Brick) opened its doors in 1993.
We really needed 3 hours to get in-depth with this topic, and we definitely plan on having Mary and Ron on the show in the future. In the meantime, we highly recommend picking up their two books:
- “Atlanta Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the South"
- “Prohibition in Atlanta: Temperance, Tiger Kings and White Lightning”
Truck and Tap's Beers of the week:
In keeping with the historical theme, we went with a couple from the vault, including:
- Red Brick 20th anniversary (2013)
- SweetWater 17th anniversary (2014)
- Terrapin Tiramisu Hoo (2015)
- And a newer one, Monday Night Brewing Blood Orange Blind Pirate IPA
Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter)
- Damien Schaefer, a stalwart in Georgia's craft beer scene, has passed away. (source: Ale Sharpton)
- Creature Comforts brews up a few new releases (source: Beer Guys Radio)
- Mike Castagno is new head brewer at Twain’s (source: AJC)
- Terrapin, Fox Brothers team up for brewpub at SunTrust Park (source: Beer Guys Radio)
- Savannah / Coastal Georgia's craft beer breweries and bottle shops came through Hurricane Matthew (relatively) unharmed (Source: Connect Savannah)
- Red Hare refreshes can design; announces winter lineup (Source: Brewbound.com)
Next week? We'll be talking water chemistry, German beers and more with Hapeville's Arches Brewing! Have a great week, and don't forget to drink local. Cheers!
Beer, Baseball and Barbecue. What's more American than that? Not much, if you ask me.
The new home for the Atlanta Braves is going up in Cobb County. It will not only feature the ballpark, but also a shopping and dining space called the Battery Atlanta.
Some of the Atlanta stalwart restaurants that are planned for the Battery are Antico Pizza, Ford Fry's Superica, and the iconic BBQ joint Fox Brothers.
Joining Fox Brothers in their venture? Terrapin Beer Company.
Co-founder "Spike" Buckowski, and representatives from the Atlanta Braves were on hand at Fox Brothers to make the announcement.
The tap room will not only feature Terrapin's regular and seasonal releases, but will also house a brand new pilot system that will allow Terrapin's brewers to experiment with new recipes on a smaller scale.
We talked to Spike about this new venture.
Spike was in the house today.
No, not the inspiration for the great Elvis Costello album (at least not as far as we know), but "Spike" Buckowski, one of the founders of Athens' Terrapin Beer Company joined us in studio this week.
We talked about their start, and growth - as the third oldest craft brewery in Georgia, they were instrumental in building the scene as we know it today. And yes, we also talked about Tenth and Blake (the craft and import division of Miller/Coors) acquiring a majority stake in the brewery.
Of course, we also talked beer. We cracked open a few of Terrapin's newest releases, inlcuding:
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Terrapin Moo-Hoo chocolate milk stout
- Terrapin Luau Krunkles IPA
- Terrapin So Fresh and So Green, Green
- Terrapin/Shmaltz 2016 Reunion Ale
- Almanac White Label (silver medal winner at GABF)
Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter)
- GEORGIA
- Festival showscases local breweries (Source: LaGrange News)
- Cartersville AB plant sends canned water to help out victims of Hurricane Matthew (Source: AJC)
- ALABAMA
- Gulf Shores has a new brewery (Source: Pensacola News-Journal)
- Red Hills Brewing Company is hoppy in Homewood (source: OTMJ)
- NATIONAL
- Oskar Blues expanding international distribution (source: All About Beer)
- Sudwerk Brewing captures triple crown with GABF gold (Source: The Full Pint)
- Blue Jays to now serve beer in cups after beer-throwing incident (source: KWWL)
- Winner of Maine wife-carrying competition wins beer. Goose Island Oktoberfest, to be specific. (Source: News on 6)
- Craft beer is the devil's craft ad backfires on Texas church (source: Wide open country.com)
Coming up next week, we're going to do some fancy book learnin' about beer history! Author and historians Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle will be in studio..Thanks for listening, have a great week, and remember to DRINK LOCAL.
BTW: It's Atlanta Beer Week! Check this out for all the details.
Oktoberfest may be over in Munich, but it's on our mind this time of the year.
With that in mind, we talked to Max Lager's owner John "JR" Roberts and Brewtopia's Owen Ogletree. Both are experts in the field, and we talked, drank, and learned more about Martzens, Festbiers and all sorts of styles popular this time of the year. Owen just returned to the states from a trip to Munich, and he shares his experiences with us.
It's also the weekend of the Great American Beer Festival. We will be there, and so we talked to John about the GABF...and some tips on surviving!
Truck and Tap's Beers of the week:
- Bell’s Octoberfest
- Cigar City Good Gourd
- Funky Buddha Sweet poe-tay-toe
- Wild Heaven Autumn Defense
Headlines (brought to you by Your Pie - Perimeter) * Monday Night Brewing has a new facility in planning. It will be dedicated to brewing sours and barrel aging. It's to be on the SW side of Atlanta, along the beltline. We got the scoop - read and listen here.
Tim's Whales of the Week:
- Three Taverns Hoplicity cans
- Creature Comforts Epicurious
- Alabama - Get your Orpheus Brewing beers! While they were available in limited numbers/places, they will be fully launching by next week.
Beer Guys Announcement
Project BGR is coming! Our new podcast will feature interviews from national brewers and beer experts....and some cool things we're interested in. Stay tuned for the official launch, coming soon!
On next week's show, we're talking to Terrapin Beer Company's Spike Bukowski. And we'll have a recap of GABF...that is, if we can remember what happened.
Cheers, have a great weekend, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL.
Atlanta's Monday Night Brewing is expanding. They just announced they will be opening a new facility on Westside Atlanta, dedicated to sour and barrel aging. We talked to Operations Manager Joel Iverson, Marketing Director Jonathan Baker and Brewmaster Adam Bishop about the new facility, and how they plan to use it.
Thanks for listening!
We've made it to 40 episodes!
This week, we're talking to Alabama's oldest craft brewery, Good People.
Jason Malone takes a break from watching his kid's soccer practice to join us. We talk about how he got started in the brewing business, and all the changes he's seen in Alabama brewing since they sold their first keg in 2008.
Slowly growing, they've recently completed expansion into Tennessee; developed their first sour/funk beer program as well as barrel aging.
We also talk about Good People's Birmingham Airport location, and the importance of educating the area about craft beer.
(also, a sneak peek into Good People's plans on expanding into Georgia!)
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week:
- Terrapin Beer's Krunkles Luau IPA
- Terrapin's 2016 So Fresh and So Green, Green
- Weyerbacher Sunday Mole Stout
Headlines (Sponsored by Your Pie - Perimeter)
GEORGIA NEWS Atlanta's comics and brewmasters have struck a beautiful friendship (Source: Creative Loafing)
Creature Comforts (and Alabama's Druid City) mentioned in the 11 best college town breweries in America (source: Thrillist.com)
Is Georgia the worst state in the U.S. for craft brewing? (Source: AJC)
Home brewing: Freedom to Create (Source: Rome News-Tribune)
SweetWater Brewing Company Keeps it Heady (Source: Glidemagazine.com)
ALABAMA NEWS For as little as $100, you too can invest in a Mobile brewery! (Source: wefunder.com)
Mobile brewing, part 2: Serda Brewing Company finds a home (source: AL.com)
Supreme Court rules on Sweetwater beer dispute (Source: AL.com)
New beer distribution center under construction in Opelika (Source: wtvm.com)
NATIONAL NEWS Who'da thunk it? Craft Breweries Abound in States with Fewer Regulations (Source: fee.org)
Craft brewers draw drinkers eyes with snazzy tap handles (Source: WAMU)
Congress finds something it can finally agree on: craft beer (Source: Quartz)
Red Robin, New Belgium partner for a collaboration brew (Source: press release)
Rwanda's first microbrewery will be all female-owned (Source: Take Part)
Listen to the show to see if you're this week's Swag Bag winner!
Next week, it's all about Oktoberfest. John Roberts from Atlanta's Max Lager's joins us in studio, as well as Owen Ogletree. We'll also get a preview of the upcoming Great American Beer Festival.
Be sure to listen live each week (details here). Also, subscribe to our podcast...and leave a review!
Cheers, and don't forget to DRINK LOCAL.
What do you get when you combine a Georgia native, an interest in home brewing and an education in Colorado?
A really awesome brewpub, that's what. Nick Tanner, brewmaster of Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative in Cumming joined the Beer Guys in studio.
We were able to grab Nick for an interview as he was in the midst of shipping beer to the upcoming Great American Beer Festival.
Nick talked about his background, growing up in the restaurant industry, discovering craft beer while at Colorado State University, and heading back to his hometown to open a brewpub and tap room in partnership with Rick Tanner's Grille and Bar in the Vickery Village center. We also talked about their recent tap room expansion and their many, many, many varieties of beer.
Truck and Tap's beers of the week include Cherry Street's O.A.S.I.S barrel aged Imperial stout (don't ask what O.A.S.I.S stands for). Plus, a couple beers from Florida's Cycle Brewing that Becky brought back from her recent trip.
In Headlines (sponsored by Your Pie Perimeter)....
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Mississippi gets on site sales (source: Beer Guys Radio)
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Reformation Brewery Prepares for 3-year Anniversary (Source: Woodstock Patch)
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SweetWater announces 420 Fest Headliners (source: Beer Guys Radio)
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Straight to Ale expands distribution into North Carolina (Source: Triangle Business Journal)
- Good People Brewing expands can offering (Source: Beer Guys Radio)
- Ring in the Fall with these Oktoberfest brews and festivals (Source: AL.com)
- New brewery in planning for Mobile (Source: lagniappe.com)
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Hootie and the Blowfish Beer set to hit shelves in FL, GA and SC (Source: WFTS)
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From the "Georgia is a great place to be in the beer business" department: Virginia in the midst of a craft beer boom (Source: The Progress-Index)
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From the "Even ABInbev is tired of this election" department: Blue Point Brewery unveils "Debate Beer" (Source: Newsday)
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Pumpkin beer on the decline? (Source: New York Upstate.com)
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Ballast Point set to mark 20th anniversary (Source: Times of San Diego)
Coming up next week, we'll talk to Alabama's oldest (currently operating) craft breweries, Good People Brewing Company!
Don't forget to tune in, streaming or on the radio. And subscribe to our podcast. Details here.
Cheers!
We took the show on the road this week.
All the way out to Avondale Estates to the home of Wild Heaven Craft Beers.
The folks there were busy, you see. They were brewing a collaboration with a little place from Florida called Cigar City.
So we were able to interview two amazing brewers at once - Wild Heaven's Eric Johnson and Cigar City's Wayne Wambles.
We talk about Eric's non traditional entry into brewing, Wild Heaven's move to canning, and many more things...including what he and Wayne are cooking up! We'll also learn about the success of Emergency Drinking Beer and crack open a special sour that's in the works.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the week included Wild Heaven's Autumn Defense, and a surprise from across the pond. Wayne and the Cigar City crew have spent the last several months traveling around the world, collaborating with brewers. One of their collabs happened to be with Ireland's Galway Bay Brewery, home of friend of the show Wil Avery. We sampled the result - Phaethon IPA - and gave Wayne his first taste as well!
In the headlines (sponsored by Your Pie - Perimeter), we talk about Atlanta's newest planned brewpub, headed by former Stone Brewing brewmaster Mitch Steele. Also, Tim talked to Nick Hudson from Albama's Free the Hops, and has an update on the proposed regulations regarding to-go brewery sales.
Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast (and leave a review!). Coming up next week, we'll have Cherry Street Brewing Co-Op's Nick Tanner. We'll be on the socials all week long, and we'd love to have you join us.
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What do you do when you start a brewery in a college town with two other amazing breweries in town? Create some amazing beers.
Brian Roth, founder and chief bottle washer at Southern Brewing Company joined the Beer Guys in the studios.
We talked about their craft beer lineup, what they learned in their year of existence, and the importance of keeping everything as local as possible....down to the yeast!
Tyler Nelson, southeast rep for Green Flash and Alpine also joined us in the studio.
Truck and Tap's beers of the week included some great Southern beers, including a few from their new Southern Woodpile line.
In Headlines, sponsored by Your Pie - Perimeter, we talk to Alabama's newest craft beer destination, Green Bus Brewing in downtown Huntsville.
Tim's Whalez of the week include Juiceless IPA, a collaboration between Creature Comforts and Wicked Weed and Burial Beer Company from North Carolina, hitting the shelves soon.
Next week, we're on the road, talking to Wild Heaven Craft Beers.
Thanks for listening - Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And sign up for This Week in Georgia Beer for your chance to win some awesome swag from our guests and sponsors.
Cheers, and don't forget to drink local!
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JP Watts, Matt Shirah and the rest of the Scofflaw Brewing Company have been pretty busy.
Ahead of their Sept. 17th "official" tasting room opening in West Atlanta, the men behind Scofflaw have been going to bars and events to get the word out. And their brewers have been working overtime getting orders out.
So far, it's worked. Scofflaw has created quite a buzz in the market in a short amount of time. And a very tired JP and Matt joined us in the studio this week.
We talk to them about their start -- from life in the corporate world, to running a beer bar in California to brewing in Matt's mother in law's house -- to all the hard work of opening up Georgia's newest brewery.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the Week? Scofflaw's Sneaky Wheat, Basement IPA and Interrogation Coffee stout.
We also had some other treats in store. Thanks to the city of Atlanta (finally) passing growlers-to-go, 5 Seasons Westside gave us 64 ounces in celebration.
Also, Eventide Brewing just released their seasonal Red Headed Haley, a 5.3% ABV, very drinkable red ale.
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Blue Pants Brewery owner Michael Spratley joins the Beer Guys this week. Over the past six years, Spratley and his wife have grown the operation from a 1.5 barrel setup to their current production line based in Madison, Alabama.
We talk to Spratley about the beers, his sour program and Blue Pants plans to start canning....and possible expansion of their distribution.....
Truck and Tap's beers of the week are from Blue Pants, including their Oktoberfest (a much lighter version than what we usually see in the states), Weedy's Double IPA and two variations of their Pinstripe Stout - Candy Bar and Peanut Butter.
Tim's Whale of the week is Creature Comforts Athena Paradiso - their Berliner Weiss with Passion Fruit and Guava, one of Tim's all-time favorites.
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We're talking bottle shops on this week's Beer Guys show! Kraig Torres, owner of Hop City joins us in studio along with Josh Doherty, specialty department manager of Harry's Farmers Market (Whole Foods).
We talk about their craft beer journey, how beer has evolved and grew all over the south, and what trends they are seeing in the industry.
Kraig also lets us know about Hop City's newest venture in Alpharetta, and how they figured out the importance of selling pints at their Krog Street Market location.
Also, talented local artist Rory "Catlanta" Hawkins stopped by to hang out as well. Check out his artwork here.
Tim and Aaron also talked to Dan Roberts, Executive Director of the Alabama Brewer's Guild about the latest in their beer-to-go debate.
Truck and Tap's beers of the week include some selections our guests brought in, including a vintage one from Shmaltz, Green Bench, Monday Night and Westbrook.
Next week? One of Tim and Aaron's favorite brewers from Alabama, Blue Pants!
Thanks for listening, and don't forget to drink local.
Also, sign up for This Week in Georgia Beer to get great news and events, and also enter to win some sweet swag from our guests!
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"Drinkin' Beer."
It's a beer that you always keep stocked in the fridge or cooler, ready to go after a hard day of work or relaxing at the beach or a party.
Red Hare Brewing Company aims to be the craft beer that's stocking that fridge or cooler.
We talked to Roger Davis, Managing Partner and Bobby Thomas, Head Brewer of Red Hare on the show. We talked about their start, born out of the recession of 2008-09, and the importance of canning their offerings.
Truck and Tap's beers of the week? Red Hare's SPF 50/50 "IPR," an India Pale Radler with grapefruit soda. And their newest creation, Cotton Tail Orange Creamsic-Ale, an orange/vanilla take on their pale ale.
Tim's Whales of the week are Orpheus Brewing's Even The Furies Wept. We sampled this earlier in the year on the show, and now it's available. Also, Three Taverns Night On Ponce IPA, which is their second can release.
The Hot list includes the Georgia launch of Hi-Wire Brewing, as well as Wish You Were Beer's third anniversary week. Details at beerguysradio.com.
Next week? We'll be talking all things bottle shops with Hop City and Whole Foods. Join us on the socials for even more beer happenings across the southeast!
Creature Comforts is big into the collaboration game these days.
Earlier this year, the Athens-based brewers teamed up with New York's Other Half for King's Ransom Baltic Porter and Grits 'n' Greens Pilsner.
More recently, Creature Comforts teamed up with Austin, Texas brewers Jester King.
The result, Mutualism, is a "Southern Style Farmhouse Lager," with a nice mix of both Creature Comforts and Jester King's attitudes, approaches and ingredients.
Aaron sat down with Jester King's Founder Jeffrey Stuffings and Creature Comforts Blake Tyers during their release party earlier this summer.
They talk about how this collaboration came about, the two breweries' common philosophy, and what's coming up next for the two.
Creature Comfort's year of collaborations continues, by the way. They just partnered with Gilbert (Arizona)'s Arizona Wilderness to come out with Transmission, a citrus saison.
Thanks for listening! If you like what we're doing, consider becoming our partner. Details here. Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast Extra
The Beer Guys sit down with Taylor Lamm, co-owner and head brewer at Oconee Brewing Company in Greensboro, Georgia.
We talk to him about the startup process, and his background in brewing.
Also, we speak with Jeremy Cowan from New York's Shmaltz Brewing about his new collaboration with Terrapin....as well as their new distribution partnership with Liberator.
Finally, friend of the show Nick Hudson from Alabama's Free the Hops talks to us about a ridiculous new proposal affecting growler sales.
Truck and Tap's Beers of the week are Oconee's Kolsch, IPA and Chili Pale Ale.
We also have Tim's Whalez of the Week, the Hot List and more!
Thanks for listening. Head to beerguysradio.com for more information...subscribe to the show (and leave a review!).
Coming up next week, we'll be in studio with Marietta's Red Hare Brewing. Cheers!
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Craft Beer 101 with Jason Dominy.
If you don't know your ales from your lagers or your porters from your pales, this show is for you. Atlanta craft beer connoisseur (and coffee geek) Jason Dominy joins us for a boozy primer.
Twitter and Instagram: @BeerGuysRadio
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Tim and Aaron talk with Brian Purcell: Founder, and Joran Van Ginderachter: Head Brewer, of Three Taverens Brewery about their beer and inspirations.
http://www.beerguysradio.com
http://patreon.com/beerguys
Twitter and Instagram: @BeerGuysRadio
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Cahaba's Eric Meyer and Atlanta-based blogger, media personality and all around raconteur Ale Sharpton joins us for this week's show.
We talk to Eric about how he got his start in the industry, the amazing growth of his brewery, and the expansion of Birmingham's craft beer scene.
Along the way, we'll talk with Ale about what he's up to, including recent travels to Detroit and Dallas.
http://www.beerguysradio.com
http://patreon.com/beerguys
Twitter and Instagram: @BeerGuysRadio
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Want to learn how to homebrew? Afraid to start? This is the show for you.
The Beer Guys talk to two veteran, award-winning home brewers. Jim Walker and Nate Watkins take you through the basics of home brewing.
Also, we talk to Phillip Petracca, CEO of Fizzics, about his new draft beer system.
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Ever wanted to home brew? Scared to take the leap? We've got you covered.
Tim and Aaron talk to veteran home brewers Jim Walker and Nate Watkins about how to get started.
Follow along with the show notes here
Like what we're doing? We'd love your support. Head over to Patreon and consider becoming one of our sponsors. We've got some cool swag too!
Cheers!
Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast Extra
Happy 4th of July! One of the newest and coolest breweries in Birmingham, Trim Tab, stopped by today.
Well, OK, he didn't physically stop by, but Trim Tab owner Harris Stewart was on the line. A former law student at the University of Alabama, Stewart soon realized that he was having a lot more fun home brewing than learning about being a barrister. So he and his wife set up shop in Birmingham.
We talk about the inspiration behind "Trim Tab" (hint: Buckminster Fuller had something to do with it), and the importance of craft beer / breweries in creating a community.
Plus, Mike O'Sullivan of Taproom Press stopped by to talk Georgia beer, and friend of the show Brian Hewitt came by with some of the beers he grabbed on a recent trip to Oregon.
It's the Beer Guys 6 month anniversary!
We celebrate with the crew from Atlanta's Second Self Beer Company. We talk to one of the newest breweries in the state as they prepare to open up their new tasting room.
We also talk to Steve from SweetWater, who fills us in on the latest about the theft of their beers.
Finally, Craig from the ABV Chicago podcast stopped by. He was on a tour of major league baseball parks and found himself in Atlanta. We share some Chi-Town beers, and his bewilderment over Georgia's terrible beer laws.
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This week, we talk to Kathy Davis. The owner of one of Georgia's newest breweries, Abbey of the Holy Goats in Roswell, talks about the challenges of starting a brewery, their Kickstarter campaign, and exactly why the brewery is named after an abbey....and goats!
We'll also talk to Forbes contributor Tara Nurin on the ongoing debate on the definition of "craft" beer.
Plus, we'll have Tim's Whale of the Week and a listener question!
If you like the show, please leave a review on iTunes. It really helps. Thanks for listening!
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This week, we talk to Jonathan Baker from Atlanta's Monday Night Brewing. Our drinkin' pants were on, as he brought a bevy of brews, including their new Nerd Alert "pseudo pilsner," the much sought after Slap Fight IPA (that was literally hours old), as well as their Laissez Faire wheat wine aged in Cabernet barrels.
Also, we'll talk to Cary Fordyce from the Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce, who is actively seeking to bring a brewery to their northeast Georgia County.
Plus, we'll have Tim's Whale of the Week (hint: it has to do with cake), a cigar digression, and a homebrew question from producer Marquis.
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We're talking homebrewing on this week's Beer Guys Radio show. Home brewer, scientist, and one of the founders of Four Fathers Brewing Adam Lukey joins us in studio. If you're looking to get a little more advanced with home brewing, Adam's got some advice.
Also, we'll talk to Tim Schiavone, an award winning home brewer looking to make the jump to the professional ranks with his new concept, Standing Pitch Brewing Company.
Finally, we'll talk to Nick Hudson with the upcoming Magic City Brewfest in Birmingham.
Plus, we'll talk about new beer regulations/laws in Georgia and Alabama. Tim has his Whale of the Week and the one thing you need to know.
Truck and Tap's beers of the week are Four Father's Wheelhouse Coffee Imperial Stout and Wheelhouse Bourbon Barrel Coffee Imperial Stout.
As always, check us out at beerguysradio.com for news and information throughout the week. And we're on the socials too.
Sign up for This Week in Georgia Beer for Tim's comprehensive list of events and happenings around the state. And get entered to win some awesome swag.
Have a great Memorial Day Weekend and drink local!
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Note: We apologize for the audio issues during this show.
The Beer Guys made a trip to Huntsville to talk to the team at Straight to Ale. While there, they sampled some of their great beers, including the 6th Anniversary and MonkeyNaut, their popular malty IPA.
They also talked about the expansion of the brewery and the great things developing in Alabama now their beer laws have relaxed (ahem....)
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We've got a couple of A-listers this week. Nick Nock from SweetWater Brewing stopped by. He talked about what's new with the largest craft brewer in the South, about some new releases coming out....and the story behind "Don's Bella Donna," his collaboration with Burnt Hickory.
Also, we talked to podcaster and comedian Adam Carolla about his new venture, Endless Rant IPA, a collaboration between him and California's King Harbor Brewing.
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Adam Carolla joined the Beer Guys to talk about his love of craft beer and the creation of his Endless Rant IPA.
Want more Beer Guys? We're live in Atlanta at 1pm eastern. Also in Huntsville/Decatur, AL at 1pm Central. Or, just subscribe to our podcast.....and give us a review! Beerguysradio.com | Facebook | Twitter, Instagram @beerguysradio
The Beer Guys welcome Atlanta's newest (and first) cidery, Urban Tree to the studios. We talk all things cider - the difference and similarities between brewing it and beer, the unique situation of operating under the Farmstead Exemption in Georgia, and many other things! Jason Jones, owner of HopSpot Beer Tours, also joins us in the studio.
Please don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss a show....and leave a review!
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Tim and Aaron welcome Georgia's oldest (still operating) brewery to the Beer Guys Studios.
From Red Brick brewing stop by. They talk about the growth of the industry, the changes in Red Brick's lineup....and what it was like being featured in the Walking Dead.
If you like the show, please subscribe and leave a rating. It's a big help to us, and we appreciate it.
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The Beer Guys do not just live on beer alone. Broadcasting from Buckhead Cigar, Tim and Aaron welcomed El Primer Mundo founder Sean Williams and StogieReview.com blogger Brian Hewitt to the show.
They talked about pairing cigars with beer and tried a couple great Truck and Tap beers of the week. One from Terrapin....and another special one from across the pond!
Don't forget to head to beerguysradio.com and sign up for This Week in Beer, our comprehensive look at local events and beer releases. Plus, you'll get a chance to win some awesome swag from our guests and sponsors!
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The Beer Guys welcome Evan Scanlan, one of the co-owners of Newnan's Abide Brewing, into the studios.
They talk about the joys of operating in a dry county, and their efforts to expand the business.
Truck and Tap's beers of the week include Abide's Coweta Common and their Local Pale Ale.
Be sure to head to beerguysradio.com for all the Georgia beer news and events you can handle. Oh, and give us a review while you're downloading this podcast. It really helps. Thanks! - Tim and Aaron.
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The Beer Guys are back in the Buckhead studios for this weekend's episode. They're welcoming Josh Rachel, Co-Owner and Brewmaster of Alpharetta's Jekyll Brewing. Truck and Tap's Beers of the week include Jekyll's Fixin' To Session IPA as well as their Hop Dang Diggity Pineapple Habanero IPA.
Don't forget to head over to beerguysradio.com for Georgia beer news and information throughout the week - follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@beerguysradio) and Instagram. And sign up for THIS WEEK IN GEORGIA BEER - your weekly guide to events, news and releases across the state. Thanks for listening!
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The Beer Guys are live from Kennesaw's Depot Park Beer Festival, talking all things, well....Kennesaw Beer! Trey and "Coop" from Dry County kick off the show, talking about their nascent brewery. Jon Near from Southern Sky was up next. Make sure to follow us on social media and head to beerguysradio.com for all your Georgia beer news!
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The Beer Guys delve into the belly of the Burnt Hickory Beast as they get ready for the Depot Park Beer Festival. Tim and Aaron talk to owner Scott Hedeen about the origins of the brewery, how he comes up with his unique beers, and what the future holds. Greg Niznik also stops by to talk about the upcoming Depot Park Beer Festival.
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The Beer Guys dedicate their entire show this week to one of the greatest beer bars in the metro area - Decatur's Brick Store pub.
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The Beer Guys talk to a couple of Georgia's neighbor breweries. Jason Wilson, founder of Alabama's Back Forty, talks about his award-winning beers and his company's Atlanta connection. And Evan Crutchfield, National Sales Manager for Wicked Weed, joins us in studio and brings some of the North Carolina brewery's newest releases.
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The Beer Guys go LIVE in Snellville, Georgia for TinyPalooza at Lincoln Fill Station.
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Tim and Aaron talk to Wrecking Bar owner Bob Sandage and Brewmaster Neal Engleman about their acclaimed brewpub off of Moreland Avenue.
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It's homebrew day! The Beer Guys talk to Scott Lathrop of the Covert Hops Society, an old Atlanta homebrew group who sponsors the prestigious Peach State Brew Off. Next, the guys have Bob Southard, two-time winner of the PSBO's people's choice awards.
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Glenn Golden and Nick Bonetti from Hampton's Jail House Brewing join the Beer Guys this week. They talk about their newest releases, including their Conjugal Visit red IPA. The guys then connect with Niall Walsh and Wil Avery with Galway Bay in Ireland. Details at Beerguysradio.com
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We're talking brewpubs with two Atlanta beer stalwarts, Crawford Moran from 5 Seasons Brewing and Max Lager's John Roberts.
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The Beer Guys are talking about two things this week. First, they discuss what they know about the GA beer bill "compromise" - which is hardly a compromise at all.
All that news discussion leaves a sour taste in their mouths, so they cracked open a couple sour beers (see what we did there?). Chatting with Orpheus Founder/Brewmaster Jason Pellet and two guys from Creature Comforts - Brewmaster Adam Beauchamp and Head Brewer Blake Tyers, they get to the bottom of the sour beer movement. Plus, a giveaway!
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Tim and Aaron are talking session beers. They start out by interviewing Kevin Ryan, from Savannah's Service Brewing. Next, Hunter Lainhart from Crossfit 404 talks about maintaining your weight while still being able to drink beer. Plus, they talk about the news of the week, and Aaron's major life decision.
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The Beer Guys talk to Owen Ogletree, one of the biggest influencers in the Georgia Craft beer scene. We discuss a brief history of beer in Atlanta, as well as the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting event on January 23. We also talk to Zach Yurchick, owner of Truck and Tap. And a special guest stops by!
With the legislative session kicking off next week, we talked to Nancy Palmer, Executive Director of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild. She discussed the challenges facing the small brewing industry, and what can be done to level the playing field for these small businesses.
We also talked to Matt Leff from Nuit Belge. The January 23rd event features Belgian beers and some great restaurants. If you want tickets, click on the link above or right here. Use discount code "BGR" for $30 off!
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Popular Athens-based Creature Comforts Brewing Company join the Beer Guys. They discuss their much anticipated release of Koko Buni, as well as their expansion plans. Tim and Aaron also talk to award-winning homebrewer Jon Shari of Little Cottage Brewery.
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It's the debut of the Beer Guys Radio show! OK, let's call it the preseason. Tim and Aaron talk about various and sundry AB Inbev shenanigans. Also, new releases in Georgia, including Orpheus' The Ferryman. They sample Three Taverns Feest Noel, and talk to Clown Shoes Brewery about their Georgia only release of Aurora Orangealis. Subscribe so you don't miss a show!
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