Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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.

Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS
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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 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 | RSS
Follow 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 | RSS
Follow 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!

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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Listen and Subscribe | https://omny.fm/shows/beer-guys-radio
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If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support! | https://www.patreon.com/beerguys 

Follow Us!
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 | RSS
Follow 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!

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!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Listen and Subscribe | https://omny.fm/shows/beer-guys-radio 

Part of the Podcast Park network | https://www.thepodcastpark.com 

If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support!  | https://www.patreon.com/beerguys

Follow Us!
- Website | https://beerguysradio.com
- Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/beerguysradio
- Twitter | https://twitter.com/BeerGuysRadio
- Facebook | https://www.facebook.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 | RSS
Follow 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!

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.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Listen and Subscribe | https://omny.fm/shows/beer-guys-radio
Part of the Podcast Park network | https://www.thepodcastpark.com
If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support!  | https://www.patreon.com/beerguys

Follow Us!
- Website | https://beerguysradio.com
- Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/beerguysradio
- Twitter | https://twitter.com/BeerGuysRadio
- Facebook | https://www.facebook.com

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 | RSS
Follow 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!

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 | RSS
Follow 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 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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 | RSS
Follow 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!

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 | RSS
Follow 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!

Devil's Club is not weed. Sorry.

What's up, Y'all? How's your week gone? I'd say this week was busy but that just seems to be the way life goes anymore. It's hot here in Georgia again, we got some cool temps in the 80s this week. As a huge contrast to that we talked to Evan Wood and Jake Ridle from Devil's Club Brewing Co. in Juneau, Alaska. When we mentioned our upper 90s heat wave i think they both were ready to pass out.

I've never been to Alaska. Maybe I'll jump on one of the cruise ships that Evan tells us raises the population of the town each Summer. Juneau's the 3rd largest city in Alaska at about 30,000 year-round residents. They've got mixed feelings on those tourists. On one hand, it's great for business. Devil's Club says beers that months to empty during the slower season move in about 1 1/2 weeks. This allows them to try out more, new recipes. On the other hand, it's a bunch of tourists wandering around your town.

Beer laws be crazy.

Brewing isn't an easy game in Juneau. The laws are surprisingly strict considering they are all about their legal weed. Taprooms have to close at 8:00 PM but a new law that passed will allow them to stay open until 9:00 PM... starting in two years.

Besides the tough laws, it's crazy expensive to get ingredients shipped in. They do have some cool local ingredients to brew with, lots of berries, and it's nearly a requirement for an Alaska brewery to do a spruce tip beer.

Jake was sipping a Disc Dog Pilsner as we chatted but noted the locals aren't really on board with craft Pilsners yet. They do love their signature IPA, Signature IPA, though. And the Silt Milk Stout is a favorite as well.

We get the scoop on the next big thing for Devil's Club, hard seltzers. They're working their magic on them now and they'll launch very soon.

Devil's Club is a medicinal plant.

In case you're wondering, Devil's Club is a plant and the brewery's logo is the plant's leaf. They get asked a lot if it's a pot leaf. Probably from people that are high since it looks nothing like one. It does have medicinal properties used by the native people. Have they brewed a beer with it? Nope. The native population requested they don't use it in alcohol and they are honoring that request.

If you're planning a trip to Alaska then put Devil's Club on your to-do list. Just remember to watch out for the grizzlies and drink your fill before 8 o'clock.

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 | RSS
Follow 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!