Beer Guys Radio | Craft Beer Podcast

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 hereAs we fight to get cann

In a sea of closures Jekyll Brewing continues to growIt'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

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)

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 th

Former Cigar City brewmaster opening a North Carolina breweryNo 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.Subsc

We do love our Georgia beerLast 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

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 bac

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" Elli

Another CBC is a wrap, and we have some new World Beer Cup winnersThe 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 reco

At least there's beer after Total Nuclear AnnihilationBrian 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 BeerThe 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 co

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 Miche

Beer Families, Closing Times, and a BankruptcyGlad 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 bankrup

Exploring the Future of Beer and Beyond with Anderson Valley BrewingAnderson 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 RiseNon-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 TraditionFor a taste of history, let's explore the Solera method. This unique aging process involves stackin

Ale Max Day - A celebration of Air and aleMuch 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 IPAWe 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

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 th

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) ListGuinness & 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 StoutSlane Irish WhiskeyWhistle 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 di

Wooden Robot co-founder dies in brewery fallWe 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

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 comfor

Disclaimer: Ride the Clydesdales at your own riskTouchdown 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

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 reside