Beer Guys Radio | Craft Beer Podcast

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 reco

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

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 s

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 b

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 an

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 Distan

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 Weekend Link to the GoFundMe as mentioned in the show. Bud Light is

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

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

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&a

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

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

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 f

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 man

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 w

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 Bar

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 Annive

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 frie

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 Coron

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