Volume 8 Archives - The Gnarly Gnome

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I enjoy Bockfest every year. It’s very, very Cincinnati – and always stands out as one of the best festivals that happens every year. This year was no exception… even though the weather forced the parade to cancel, folks showed up in droves on Saturday to celebrate, and I thought it might make a good chance to hang out and make a podcast (why not?) Podcast we did. I was joined by Bret Kollmann Baker from Urban Artifact and Author, Historian, and all-around fun podcast guest Mike Morgan to have a few drinks, tell some Bockfest stories and have a blast hanging out. We recorded this one in front of a live audience – which always keeps things even more exciting! I hope you have as much fun with it as we did! Guests This Episode Bret Kollmann Baker Mike Morgan From The Beer Fridge West Side – Bock MadTree – Guten Bock MadTree – Psychopathy

It’s not a topic that anyone wants to discuss, the closing of a brewery. But it’s part of what we must come to terms with as our beer scene keeps growing and evolving. New places open, and others close their doors. In this episode, I sat down with Jason Surniak from the former Queen City Brewery to talk about what happened with them, what it meant for him as a brewer and a beer fan, and what we as drinkers can take away from it. This was a great conversation over a few beers out at Little Miami Brewing Company one afternoon, and it was great not just reminiscing about the brewery – but getting a chance to catch up with Jason. I hope that you get as much value out of this one as I did! Guests This Episode Jason Surniak – Formerly of Queen City Brewery Of Cincinnati From The Beer Fridge Little Miami Brewing Company – Blackbird Fly Little Miami Brewing Company – Don’t Feed The Hippies Little Miami Brewing Company – Funk #49 Little Miami Brewing Company – Smoke On The Water

It’s been a really long time since I’ve had Third Eye on the podcast. Things have been busy for the Sharonville Brewery since opening back in the summer of 2020. With that being said, they aren’t about to get any less busy in the near future, they’re planning a big production space in Hamilton and a mystery third taproom, too. I managed to get Tom Collins and Kelly Montgomery to sit down and share with me some of their big plans, and some of the mindset that has gotten them to the point they’re at today. We dove deep into a lot of different things that I think you’ll find really interesting from current trends in craft beer, to a bunch of really nerdy beer talk from Kelly that if you’ve ever geeked out over a pint I know you’ll enjoy. We drank a few beers along the way too… you know we wouldn’t let you down on that front! Guests This Episode Tom Collins – Third Eye Brewing Company Kelly Montgomery – Third Eye Brewing Company From The Beer Fridge Third Eye – Groovy, Baby! Third Eye – Kelly’s Private Stash Third Eye – Third EyePA

It’s been a while since we did this. The founding crew from Sonder, in a big, empty, echoey room, talking about what a new location is going to be like. It feels great. I sat down with Justin, Chase and Jen to talk about how they got here – and where exactly “here” is. Their new West Chester spot is going to be awesome, and I hope that this gets you as excited as I am. We drank a few beers to christen things the right way… of course! Guests This Episode Justin Neff – Sonder Brewing Company Chase Legler – Sonder Brewing Company Jen Meisner – Sonder Brewing Company From The Beer Fridge Sonder – Nocturnal Sonder – You Betcha Sonder – William Goat Show Links Sonder’s Website Sonder’s Facebook Page Sonder’s Instagram The Sonder Stories Podcast Chapter 99 (Where they talk about the Taphaus and Kitchen)

I assume at this point that you’ve heard of these folks. Rhinegeist is a pretty big deal, not just around Cincinnati, but in craft beer today. This show takes a little different look at what our city’s biggest “local” spot does to help tell it’s story via packaging, and marketing materials. I was lucky enough to sit down with the brewery’s director of Marketing, Tracey Irel,and and Creative Director Mike Gertz to see what goes into their process. We talked about a lot, but used a couple of new products to illustrate some of it all – namely their Imperial IPA, called ‘Terror Bird’ and their new hazy/juicy IPA ‘Juicy Truth’ – it was not just a great peek at what makes these two products come to life – but it did give me a really great excuse to drink both of them on a gorgeous afternoon. I hope that you guys find this as much fun as I do – I love having the opportunity to explore some sides of our local spots that we might not always appreciate when we’re cracking open a beer with friends! Guests This Episode Tracey Ireland – Rhinegeist Mike Gertz – Rhinegeist From The Beer Fridge Rhinegeist – Terror Bird Rhinegeist – Juicy Truth (Read More About This Beer, Here)

It’s not enough just being a brewery in Cincinnati these days… and as Jason Brewer from the upcoming Wandering Monsters Brewery points out, it’s not enough to do that and also to have a great food program, either. His new project is designed from the ground up with that one more needed thing; for him, it’s duckpin bowling. If you don’t know Jason Brewer, do yourself a favor and start searching through this website to learn a little more about his history here in Cincinnati, because I promise it will get you even more excited about this project! We sat down in the space that this year will become the new brewery to talk about it and hopefully get you a little more excited about seeing it come to life. Guests This Episode Jason Brewer – Wandering Monsters Brewing Company Show Links Wandering Monsters Website Wandering Monsters Facebook Wandering Monsters Instagram

I hope that you get the same warm fuzzy feelings from this as I do. Fifty West is celebrating its tenth year in business by returning to its roots. The brewpub is reopening its doors, and that’s about the best reason I can think of to show up and sit down for an episode with them. I sat down with Bobby and Max to talk about it all… the brewery’s journey to get here, how they fit into craft beer today, the return of the brewpub (and how that fits in with who they are, too). It’s an extensive conversation that could have really stretched out even longer if we had the time. I love what this does for them, for Cincy beer, and if I’m being honest – for me as a craft beer drinker, too! Guests This Episode Bobby Slattery – Fifty West Brewing Company Max Fram – Fifty West Brewing Company From The Beer Fridge Fifty West – Slow Pour Helles Show Links Fifty West Brewing Company – Website Volume 6, Episode 8 – Fifty West And How They Take It On The Chin and Keep Rolling

DogBerry is a fascinating example of what a Cincinnati brewery can be, they aren’t the biggest or the smallest in town. They do things differently than many newer places seem to do – and that’s one of the biggest things that I love about them. But as craft beer (and craft beer drinkers) keep evolving, so does DogBerry. They are prepping to add a food partner into an expanded space and a menu that will include canned cocktails and wine for those folks who want the taproom experience but aren’t beer drinkers. I’m fascinated by a place like this that has to not only know who they are but know how to use their personality to drive growth like this. I sat down with owner Tony Meyer to drink a couple of beers, and talk about it all. I’m excited to see what the next stage in the evolution of DogBerry looks like! Guests This Episode Tony Meyer – DogBerry Brewing From The Beer Fridge DogBerry Brewing – Time, Blue! Disclaimer For full disclosure, I want to let you know that at the time of recording this, I have a working relationship with DogBerry Brewing Company through my business – Gnome Creative. That doesn’t change any of my thoughts or opinions that I express during the show, but you should still know about it!

As soon as I heard the news I was pretty freaking excited to share it with you… Cincinnati’s OG beer blog is coming back! Hoperatives will look a little bit different (with a much bigger scope than before) – and I can’t even tell you how pumped I am to see what they have up their sleeves! I sat down with Tom and Carla to talk about what they’re planning and why it’s relevant today, too. We explored a little bit about what we love about the current industry, and what we’re excited about… and even drank a couple of beers (of course). Huge thanks to Wooden Cask for hosting us this week (although they didn’t know we were coming, I always like surprising folks like that). Go there… drink the beer. Guests This Episode Carla Gesell-Streeter – Hoperatives Tom Streeter – Hoperatives From The Beer Fridge Wooden Cask – Reformation Wooden Cask – Plum Pho Real

A brewery like Brink gets a lot of its identity from its taproom, which makes growth a little trickier than it might be for other breweries. As they move into the next phase of their life, they have to figure out exactly what that means – which is much of what we discussed in this episode. Who are they? Do they hang their hat in their neighborhood, alone? Do medals mean anything? What role does packaging play in their story? It’s all pretty complicated, but I’m excited to watch how they learn how to adjust to growing up! Guests This Episode Andy McCleese – Brink Brewing From The Beer Fridge Brink Brewing Company – Moozie

The show this week was built on chaos – isn’t it always? Coming off of a busy week, there’s always a ton to talk about, though – from Dark Charge Day to Beervent and a big brewery being bought this week, I could sit and talk about it all day! Join me this week in the studio as I crack open a beer and share my thoughts on what’s been going on! From The Beer Fridge Erdinger – Weissbier

I’m a massive fan of Braxton Brewing Company. I think they are kicking out some really tasty beers – and the center of that universe might be their annual Dark Charge release that is quickly approaching. I sat down with founders Evan and Jake Rouse to talk about not only Dark Charge, but how you manage a craft brewery’s growth in 2022 and beyond. It’s a really, really fun conversation that not only gives us a sneak peek at what we can expect from this year’s release… but from the brewery in the coming years. Strap in! Guests This Episode Evan Rouse – Braxton Brewing Company Jake Rouse – Braxton Brewing Company From The Beer Fridge Braxton – Jubilee

I had full intentions to sporadically make this episode over a whole day at Beer, Booze, and Bonks – but forgot how chaotic a day like that could actually be. That’s not to say that I didn’t try, in fact, half of the episode was recorded live at the festival. The other half, though, I had to record once I got back home in studio. While we were at Beer, Booze, and Bonks I managed to get Del Hall from 16 Lots to sit down with me for a few minutes to talk about what’s been going on with their big new taproom down at Newport on the Levee – and it’s such a big topic that I fully recognize that he needs an entire episode to talk about it all. The festival was an absolute blast, but if you missed it, this might give you a sneak peek at what it was all about! Guests This Episode Del Hall – 16 Lots From The Beer Fridge HighGrain – Goldrush

Sometimes there’s an idea that someone has that is just absolutely perfect. Vets And Brews is one of those ideas. Matt DeMaris is no stranger to good ideas, though, and that’s why he’s always a blast to sit down and talk to, whether it’s on or off the show. Luckily for all of us, he made a few minutes for us this week to sit down on the Brewcast and talk not only about Vets And Brews (and their honor bus that happened this weekend) – but a little bit about what makes it all work for him. This is one of those episodes that I hope inspires you a little bit. It certainly does me! This episode was recorded on location at Grainworks Brewing Company in West Chester Ohio… while it’s not really a “Grainworks” show – we still hung out there and drank their beer! Guests This Episode Matt DeMaris – Vets And Brews From The Beer Fridge Grainworks – Old Ghosts Grainworks – Defroster Grainworks – Westchesteren VIII Grainworks – What’s In The Middle?

There’s been a long history for the Cincinnati Beverage Company here in Cincy (That’s the parent company that owns a lot of the historical brands around town, Moerlein, Schoenling/Little Kings, Burger, Red Top, Clyffside… the list is very long). There are a lot of folks like me that have over time developed a very deep love and appreciation for the history of beer in this city, and this is the company that waves the flag for that history. When new owners came in early this year and took things over, there was a lot of concern about what that meant. In the months that have passed, we’ve seen a ton of construction on some really old historical brewery buildings in town, followed by the news that CinBev was planning something big for it all. It sets us up for a great time to sit down with Elliot Culter. Elliot is the guy manning the helm of the CinBev “ship” and lays it all out for us. We dive in deep to figure out what we can expect as beer fans from the company, both very, very soon – and in the coming years. This is a wonderful episode – and get’s me really excited about what’s coming up! If you like Cincy Brewcast – and want to support the show – make sure you head over to TheGnarlyGnome.com/Support to do just that! Guests This Episode Elliot Culter – Cincinnati Beverage Company From The Beer Fridge Sam Adams – Cincinnati Lager

I always love a good conversation with Michael Amann from Adena Distributing – and this week’s episode is definitely no exception. We cracked open a few beers and talked about how “normal” some of the “odd” stuff really is. How common are the “crazy” beers that seem to get such a bad rap with the beer folks these days? I don’t think that we really solved any of life’s problems that we set out to… but we had fun trying! Guests This Episode Michael Amann – Adena Distribution From The Beer Fridge Bhramari – Old Crispy, American Lager Listermann Brewing Company – Liquid Sword 2.0 Burley Oak Brewing – Jelly Gose Jam, Fruited Gose Untitled Art – Caramel Coconut Cookie Pastry Stout Pipeworks Brewing Company – NvU Vs the Cryo

I love episodes like this one. We didn’t have any real agenda when I scheduled this week’s Brewcast down at Alexandria Brewing Company but put a pint of Pilsner in front of me, and sure enough… we went down a few really fun rabbit holes including ‘What exactly does a beer style mean, anyways?’ I always love sitting down over a few beers with Andy Reynolds, who is never shy about getting a little geeky or letting his opinion known, either. I hope you have as much fun with this one as I do – and If you want to know more about Alexandria Brewing Company… get down there to their taproom! Guests This Episode Andy Reynolds – Alexandria Brewing Company From The Beer Fridge Alexandria Brewing Company – Stolz Alexandria Brewing Company – Regular Domestic Beer Alexandria Brewing Company – Till The Battle Is Won Alexandria Brewing Company – Little Miss Scare All Alexandria Brewing Company – Cosmic Punch Go Hop Yourself

It’s here! It’s finally time to crown this year’s champion and winner of the ‘Golden Gnome’ trophy! I was joined this week at a live event at Fretboard Brewing Company by everyone’s favorite podcasters who podcast about Cincinnati beer podcasts… Marco and Julia from Truth Beer Podsequences. We drank through the final four Oktoberfest beers to decide which one would be crowned this year’s champion! Technical difficulties on my end aside… ugh… this was an incredible show – and I’m so, so grateful to everyone who showed up and made it such a blast! If you’re looking for all the information about THIS year’s Oktoberfest celebration – check out this!

It seemed like it was about time to get back down to Darkness Brewing in Bellevue to talk to owner Eric Bosler after what felt like way too long between episodes down there. We sat down the day before the release of one of my favorite beers that they make, Blumpkin – and not only drank that but a couple of other new things that they have going on. The conversation went into a lot of really fun places, including what makes taprooms special – the “soul” of the place if you will. It was a great conversation and one that I have been thinking about a lot lately. Let this be your notice… get down there as soon as you can! Darkness has some really special stuff going on! Guests This Episode Eric Bosler – Darkness Brewing From The Beer Fridge Darkness Brewing – He Wolf Darkness Brewing – Pale Stallion Darkness Brewing – Blumpkin

I hope that this isn’t catching you by surprise – Big Cis is a big collaboration beer that I help with every year in memory of Mike Cisneros (who started Cincy Brewcast with me back in 2015. Every year we get together and make a beer, throw an event, and do a live podcast, too. It’s an absolute blast, and a great excuse to just hang out with some friends every year. It’s a bit of a twist from a normal episode of the podcast, but in a good way. Come celebrate with us! Guests This Episode Marco Penilla – Truth Beer Podsequences/FigLeaf Brewing Eric Bosler – Darkness Brewing Julia Rohs – Truth Beer Podsequences Andy Reynolds – Alexandria Brewing Company From The Beer Fridge Braxton – Big Cis 7

You are aware at this point, right, that I’m sort of obsessed with Oktoberfest? I do my big Oktoberfest Quest every year, and I get obsessed with visiting as many festivals as my time (and my family) will allow me to… I love every aspect of it, from the beers to the food to the celebrations – but the best part of it all is getting a chance to spend some time with friends and family over a couple of beers. Sonder gets this, very, very well. Their festival every year captures perfectly the things that I love about it all – so it’s become a critical part of my “festing” each year. This episode is just us, hanging out as friends… drinking a couple of beers, and talking about what we love about it all – it’s a fun one… and old-school Brewcast with a healthy dose of chaos. If you’re looking for all the information about THIS year’s Oktoberfest celebration – check out this!

The folks behind Verge Brewing have been working their butts off for literally years to get their doors open, and are finally getting close. Things have been hard. Throw a global pandemic into the mix of normal difficulties that a brewery comes across, and it’s a recipe for trouble. They aren’t slowing down, though, and they certainly aren’t stopping. Things are closer than ever, and that means that it’s a great time to sit down for an episode of The Brewcast. We made out way out to Brink in College Hill to grab a few beers and chat about what Verge is (or will be) all about. It’s a great conversation, and definitely, one that you’re not going to want to miss! Guests This Episode Pete Bender – Verge Brewing Greg Schmidt – Verge Brewing From The Beer Fridge Brink – No Way Helles Brink – Brinktoberfest Brink – Moozie Show Links Verge Brewing – Website Verge Brewing – Wunderfund

It’s not that I thought Barleycorn’s Brewhouse was going to be “bad’ when I stopped in the first time. As beer drinkers we’ve been trained for so long to fear the worst out of a chain, and out of a brewpub. The great thing for us is that far more often than not these days they surprise us by being remarkable. Barleycorn’s is another example of a place that pleasantly surprised me by coming out of the gate swinging. I sat down with head brewer, Shane Trego to talk about the brewery, his journey to get there, and what this all means for Barleycorn’s (and One Holland’s other project down in Independence). We drank a few beers and had a blast exploring what it means to open a brewpub in a city like Cincinnati in 2022 – which… spoiler alert – is a lot different than it was in the 90s. Guests This Episode Shane Trego – Barleycorn’s Brewhouse From The Beer Fridge Barleycorn’s Brewhouse – Creamy Kitty Barleycorn’s Brewhouse – Poppin’ Pils Barleycorn’s Brewhouse – Hail Mary Barleycorn’s Brewhouse – Valhalla Barleycorn’s Brewhouse – Wet & Wilder

This is an apology episode, of sorts. I’ve been really bad about releasing episodes lately, and instead of trying to make a bunch of excuses and explain why, I thought I’d apologize by releasing a fun little “in-betweener” episode until the next one is finished! This episode is part of the big Oktoberfest Quest that I’m in the middle of. For this, I drink every packaged oktoberfest beer in the city and put them head to head with each other. It’s a quest to find the best fest! The beers work through a bracket until only one remains. This showdown brings Braxton and Sam Adams back together in a rematch from last year – and it’s a tough one! We will definitely be back on track with shows very soon… but hopefully this helps hold you over! From The Beer Fridge Braxton – Oktober Fuel Sam Adams – Oktoberfest

I love this time of year! Not only does Dangerwheel return to Cincinnati, but we also get more Oktoberfest beers than any person actually needs (except me… because I drink them all) – this week’s episode starts out with me drinking a couple of tasty Oktoberfest treats, before venturing down to Pendleton to hang out with Lee during a very loud Dangerwheel event… (don’t say I didn’t warn you). We’ll be back to normal volume next week, and I promise I’ll get Lee back on the show soon to talk at a normal volume. If you’re looking for all the information about THIS year’s Oktoberfest celebration – check out this! Guests This Episode Lee Wennerstrom – Fellow Drinker, Friend of the Show From The Beer Fridge Fifty West – Vienermobile Rhinegeist – Franz

It’s not like Moeller Brew Barn is a “new brewery” – they’ve been cranking out great beer from their taproom in Maria Stein since 2015 – but with the recent news that they were buying the old Rivertown Production facility up in Monroe… it’s certainly time to welcome them to Cincy, now. I made the trip up to Maria Stein to sit with their founder, Nick Moeller – and we had a great conversation over a few beers. We talked about their story, their philosophy, and the growth that is defining them coming out of the Pandemic. These folks are planning big things, and I can’t wait to see it all come to life! Guests This Episode Nick Moeller – Moeller Brew Barn From The Beer Fridge Moller Brew Barn – El Gallo Moller Brew Barn – Cabrewin’ Moller Brew Barn – Trappist Triple Show Links Moeller Brew Barn’s Website

This is a big one. There have been rumors flying around for a while now, and it’s time to put the guys at BCs on the spot and see what’s true and what isn’t. (Spoiler Alert… it’s all true) – the bottle shop is growing and becoming a brewery. We dive in to understand why they are making this change, what it’s going to look like, and what makes them think that they will be able to pivot their business. I can’t thank Caleb and Brian enough for taking out some time to sit down and break the news with us, I hope that you are as excited about it as I am! Guests This Episode Brian Brownlow, BC’s Brewing Co. Caleb Colbert, BC’s Brewing Co. From The Beer Fridge Fair State Brewing Cooperative/Bierstadt – Side Pull Lager

I’m not saying that I’m ready for winter – actually… I’m not even close to ready for winter. I am 100% ready for Beervent season, though! (Don’t send me an email, I recognize that Beervent season is winter… but let me have this one). I sat down with Jason at Higher Gravity to dive into what all goes into these calendars (and to remind you to get your preorder in before they sell out this year) – we had a couple of beers and talked about a lot of stuff. From the opening of their second location, and all that went into that to what makes running a store like Higher Gravity fun, and difficult. This is a fun one, and I can’t thank the guys at Higher Gravity enough for making some time to put this episode together! Guests This Episode Jason Parnes – Higher Gravity From The Beer Fridge Brink – Hold The Reins West Side – Lo-G Links From This Episode Higher Gravity’s Website Preorder Your Beervent Calendar Here!

It’s a topic that comes up a LOT in discussions amongst beer geeks. I’ve asked, and been asked it over and over, and never really answered or gotten an answer that satisfied me. Why in the world would we think that this time would be any different? Perhaps because on this week’s episode we had the wonderful Julia from Truth, Beer, Podsequences on? Maybe because she was joined by her “other half” Josh? This might be the time we finally get an answer we’re happy with. Or… maybe we’ll just drink a few great beers, talk about nonsense and have a great time – you be the judge. We hung out at West Side Brewing for this one (unbeknownst to them… which is always fun, and feels like you’re sneaking around – I like that) – it’s a great episode and I can’t thank Julia and Josh enough for making it happen! Guests This Episode Julia Rohs – Truth Beer Podsequences Josh Hester – Behind-the-scenes TBP Producer From The Beer Fridge West Side – Nelson DIPA West Side – H&R IPA Links From This Episode Truth Beer Podsequences

The Queen City Mobile Food Truck Association has been working hard prepping for their upcoming Street Food XPO at Bechtold Park on 6/25 – and since I’ve been hanging out, helping them out with some “stuff” (That’s a long conversation for another day) I figured the timing was right to sit down and have some beers with good friend Tony Lange to talk about the festival (but mainly just to drink some beers…) We cracked open some cans out of the magic backpack, we were interrupted like 75 times by real work… and we had a blast. Check this one out, and make sure you make it out to the Street Food XPO! Guests This Episode Tony Lange – Queen City Mobile Food Truck Association From The Beer Fridge Streetside – MidWesty Listermann – Helles Rauch Streetside – Hazy Day In The Hood Fifty West – Road To The Jungle Volume 3 (With Jungle Jim’s) Show Links Street Food XPO – Website

I’m absolutely crazy about lager beer. I love it. It’s not just the actual beer itself, though… it goes deep for me. We’re blessed to live in a city like Cincinnati where folks get that – folks like Northern Row. Not only does the brewery make great lager – they get it. On the week approaching their Lagerfest – a celebration of everything lager – it only makes sense to sit down and talk about it all. Guests This Week Brenden Douglass – Northern Row From The Beer Fridge Northern Row – Hustler Show Links Lagerfest Tickets

There’s a lot to cover in this episode… a whole bunch. I was joined by Mike Morgan and Bret Kohlmann Baker – and we talked about everything from their podcast (Brew Skies Happy Hour) – we talked about Urban Artifact brewing the most expensive beverage in the world – Missing Linck, and even spent a bunch of time trying to figure out what craft beer is all about anymore. My goodness… no wonder I was late getting home and made my wife mad. Enjoy this one… it was a ton of fun. Guests This Episode Bret Kohlmann Baker – Urban Artifact, Brew Skies Happy Hour Michael D Morgan – Queen City History, Brew Skies Happy Hour From The Beer Fridge Urban Artifact – Peaches and Cream (Nitro) Urban Artifact – Spicy Key Lime Urban Artifact – Blueberry Grape and Terpenes Urban Artifact – Strawberry Gazpacho Urban Artifact – Astronaut Food, Blackberry and Blueberry Show Links Brew Skies Happy Hour Podcast Missing Linck Episode (2019) Missing Linck Episode (2021) Missing Linck Website QueenCityHistory.com Mike’s Cincy Beer Books (These are Amazon Affiliate links, so I get paid if you click on them and make a purchase – full disclosure) Over The Rhine – When Beer Was King Cincinnati Beer

16 Lots is fresh off not only their first big barrel-aged bottle release but also the massive announcement that they are going to be opening up a second location in Newport Kentucky, right at the Levy. It sounds like a great time to sit down for another episode of the Brewcast, right? Del Hall was generous enough to give me a few minutes of his time to break it all down for me – and my goodness, it gets me pretty excited about the future for these folks! Guests This Episode Del Hall – 16 Lots Brewing From The Beer Fridge 16 Lots Brewing – Subtle Nuances #3 16 Lots Brewing – Kenny’s Dey Drinkin’ Lager

I didn’t think when we were planning this episode that it would also be Cinco De Mayo, I also am not always a fan of the fact that so many beers that folks make for the holiday are pretty much the same thing… so for those reasons, this isn’t a Cinco De Mayo themed show… but Michael Amann (from Adena Distributing) and I certainly talked about it. We also talked about “alternative beverages” and their place in modern craft beer… and we had a great discussion about some really nerdy beer stuff that you can’t hear because my memory card freaked out on me (always carry a backup, podcasters). It’s an excellent episode! Guests This Episode Michael Amann – Adena Distribution From The Beer Fridge Brink Brewing – Summertide Singlecut – Wild and Gilly Pipeworks – Ninja vs Unicorn Fifty West – Hard Pink Lemonade Karrikin – Bourbon Wheel Newtopia Cyder – Amethyst Airwaves

It’s hard to believe that the last time we sat down with Randy and Karen at Wooden Cask, it was before things shut down in 2020, yet… here we are. The world is vastly different, plans are not the same and every brewery has been through a lot of “stuff” which means we definitely have plenty to talk about. We rolled through a hearty flight of beers and talked about it all. We covered how the brewery has managed things for the last couple of years, how it all changed their plans. The curiosity for me was how it changed the soul of what makes Wooden Cask who they are (or maybe how did it manage to not change it). I loved this one, it’s always a good time hanging out in Newport, Kentucky! Guests This Episode Randy Schiltz – Wooden Cask Karen Schiltz – Wooden Cask From The Beer Fridge Wooden Cask – Levee Lager Wooden Cask – Blackberry Sangria Sour Wooden Cask – Newporter Wooden Cask – Corruption Wooden Cask – Caribbean Night Out Wooden Cask – Dessert First Wooden Cask – Chocolate Praline Stout

I love beer holidays. And no, I’m not talking about national beer day or anything like that – I’m talking about those days around town when breweries release a beer, or a few beers and repeat it every year. We as craft beer drinkers can use these chances as an opportunity to hang out together, drink a few beers and be a community. That’s what this is all about, after all. It’s a community. Streetside gets this. Their tagline is “The Intersection of Craft Beer And Community” so it only makes sense that they’d find a way to create a few of these days for those of us who love craft beer. The latest? That’s the topic of this episode. Speak of the Devil day quickly approaches (It’s on April, 23rd) and I sat down with them to find out what it’s all about (as well as drink them ALL) – it was a good morning. Guests This Episode Garrett Hickey, Streetside John Ewars, Streetside Andy Sohoza, Streetside From The Beer Fridge Speak of the Devil, Barrel-Aged Base Speak of the Devil, Barrel-Aged Double Coconut Coffee Speak of the Devil, Barrel-Aged Snowball Speak of the Devil, Barrel-Aged Banana Trail Mix Speak of the Devil, Barrel-Aged Vanilla Bean Speak of the Devil, Barrel-Aged S’Mores Speak of the Devil, Barrel-Aged Maple Coffee

I don’t get to explore the beer scenes outside of Cincinnati nearly enough – and was thrilled to get away this weekend to do exactly that. Good Friend of the show (and me) Matt Demaris invited me and a couple of friends on a “Cincinnati Brews Travellers” trip down to check out the beer scene in the mountains of West Virginia. We hit up a bunch of breweries, recorded a bunch of podcasts and had an absolute blast doing it. I hope this one is as fun for you to listen to as it was for us to record! Guests This Episode Matt Demaris – The Cincy Brews Traveller Marco Penilla – Cellar Dweller/Truth Beer Podsequences Mark Miller – “Quick Trip” From The Beer Fridge Greenbriar Valley Brewing Company – Braxxie Blonde Ale

April Fools! I hope that I had you going with this one! While I may not be moving the show to Dayton… it was a fun chance to head up that way for a week and chat with a place that I’ve been impressed with each time I’ve tried their beer – Branch and Bone Artisan Ales. I convinced their Director of Sales, Trevor Sutherland to join me on this little adventure and I’m glad that I did! This peek behind what makes this place tick makes me that much more of a fan of what they’re doing – and might even convince me to take some more regular trips up north to share what’s happening in the Dayton beer scene! I hope you enjoyed this one… and I hope you’re not to upset that I played a little joke on you! Guests This Episode Trevor Sutherland – Branch and Bone Artistan Ales From The Beer Fridge Branch and Bone Artisan Ales – Buzzards & Dreadful Crows, Pilsner

It’s not how I wanted to kick off Volume 8 of the show, but it’s how it’s going to happen. I’m alone in the studio because of another chaotic week that saw the Brewcast being pushed aside…again. I promise though that a big push for me coming into our eighth year of the podcast is to make sure that doesn’t happen as much. It seems that when I keep thinking life is packed full of chaos and “things” there are always more that will pop up — So I’m going to make a very conscious effort to stop using that as an excuse, and just start making things happen. That’s not to say that you won’t hear me in the studio on this show anymore – but it won’t be because things had to happen that way – it will be because it’s how I wanted it to happen that week. From The Beer Fridge Fifty West – Fuel Up, Coffee Blonde Ale