Explore every episode of the podcast Double Hopbeat: A Homebrewing Podcast

Some of the best homebrew stories aren’t really about beer at all.

Shannon and James are headed to New Jersey to meet Dave from Kerrupt Brewing.

BJCP Recognized Judge. Ocean County Homebrewers member. Competition medal winner. Tune in to find out what makes Dave’s story special.

Thank you to Dave (@kerruptbrewing) for sharing your story.

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Every brewer remembers the brewer they used to be. The nervous beginner. The recipe tinkerer. The over-thinker. The brewer who almost quit. But what about the brewer you haven't become yet? Join James and Shannon on the next stop of the Brew Map Project as they explore the brewers they have yet to become. 

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Homebrewing has a funny way of pulling people in. For some, it's just a weekend project. For others it's a rabbit hole they happily disappear into. Benji's story is exactly that. Join us on this next stop of the Brew Map and see just how deep the rabbit hole can go.

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At some point, you stop following the recipe. And start asking — what if? That’s where the best beers — and worst mistakes, happen. 

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Every brewer chases that perfect sip. Now imagine doing it without being able to taste a certain flavor profile. The next stop on the Brew Map takes Shannon and James to Florida where they chat with Brian, a homebrewer who’s brewing path has taken some unexpected turns.

Thank you to @sacrificial_grist for sharing your story.

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Homebrewing promised us fresh beer and a cool hobby. Instead it delivered garage laboratories, hop addictions, friendships, competitions, existential mash questions and somehow five different buckets. This stop on the brew map Shannon and James discuss what Homebrewing promised vs what it delivered. 

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Would you stay at a home brewery? On this episode of the Brew Map Project, Shannon and James drop a pin in Denver and talk to a homebrewer who turned their brewery into an Airbnb experience.

If you are traveling to Denver CO and want to stay at the cliffsedgebrewing bnb, use discount code DOUBLEHOPBEATPODCAST for 15% DISCOUNT, YOU CAN FIND THE LISTING at cliffsedgebrewingbnb.directstays.com or on AIRBNB. 

Continuing the road trip, this week James and Shannon hit the road to Indiana with Cody’s Brewing Story. A story about an Indiana homebrewer to professional brewing back to homebrewing for family. 

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Every beer tells a story but every brewer does too. From that first nervous batch to the recipes we obsess over late at night, every pint we pour leaves behind a version of ourselves. On this episode James and Shannon about brewing who we are.

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Continuing the brewing road trip, Shannon and James travel to North Carolina with Keith’s Brewing Story. A story about a homebrewer who’s been at it for decades and realized brewing didn’t fail them, the season just changed.

If you’ve ever looked at your brew gear and thought, ‘I don’t have the energy for this today,’ this episode is for you. Homebrewing is supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be relaxing. But somewhere along the way, for a lot of us, it starts to feel like homework. In this edition of the Brew Map Project James and Shannon are talking about why that happens, how common it actually is, and why the answer might not be brewing harder, but changing the assignment.

A Valentine treat from Double Hopbeat.

There’s a moment a lot of brewers remember-not the first brew day, not the best beer but the first time it felt different.

For this episode of the brew map project James and Shannon continue to pack their bags and prepare to embark on their brewing road trip by discussing the homebrews that changed the way they viewed brewing. 

This is THE BREW MAP PROJECT edition of Double Hopbeat.  We’re mapping the real stories behind homebrewing across the country, the good ones, the quiet ones and the unfinished ones. Moments that changed how brewing felt and sometimes why it stopped. These are the stories that don’t usually get told. Every stop has a story and we’re mapping them one brewer at a time. Let’s hit the road!

James and Shannon are back with a homebrewer hang out! Ben, from Apt. 6 Brewing, joins the duo all the way from Idaho to share his origin story, how he’s encouraging homebrewing in the new generation and his adventures in competitions.

Thank you to @apt6brewing for coming on the show!

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James and Shannon pop in to give an update on their recent homebrewing activities. The pair chat about an experimental beer put together by their Homebrew club, a double brew day and James’ contamination issue. 

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In this episode, the Shannon and James take fantasy football season in a different direction by holding their very own draft—only instead of quarterbacks and wide receivers, they’re selecting their dream lineups of beer styles. From hoppy heavy-hitters to dark and malty sleepers, the duo debate their picks, defend their strategies, and have a few laughs along the way.

Make sure to visit our Instagram @doublehopbeatpodcast to vote on who has the best team, best name and best strategy.

Alongside the draft fun, James and Shannon share updates from their latest homebrewing adventures, including how fermentation is going, new recipes in the works, and lessons learned from their recent batches. Whether you’re a fantasy football fanatic, a beer enthusiast, or just love some good banter, this episode is the perfect blend of competition and craft.

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Shannon tested out MoreBeer’s Citra Session Pale Ale Flash Brewing kit. The duo discuss the process, pros and cons and who these kits could be geared towards.

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The podcast hit the road traveling to Utah to explore the craftbeer scene. Join hosts Shannon and James on their travels to breweries across Salt Lake City and Park City Utah! Be sure to listen in on their recommendations and hear James’ Pretty Women moment. Highlighted breweries include Uinta Brewing, Bewilder Brewing, Top of Main and High West Distillery. 

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Sources for Utah liquor laws:

The Salt Lake Tribune

The Forum

utahrestaurantassociation.org

Visitsaltlake.com

James and Shannon share their recent brewery adventures and also talk about a hot button topic: kids and breweries. The pair discuss recent news stories regarding updated signage and guidelines for kids in breweries and share their thoughts on the topic.

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@phantomfarmsbrewing

@greysail

In honor of Memorial Day, Shannon and James talk a little about beer in wartime and spotlight some Veteran owned breweries. 

Looking for Veteran owned breweries near you? Search for them here. 

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Sources:

https://www.beachesofnormandy.com/articles/A_helmet_full_of_beer/?id=ed105a392a#:~:text=bringing%20beer%20in%20his%20helmet%20for%20the,in%20ceramic%20pots%20shaped%20like%20a%20helmet.

https://www.14thstarbrewing.com

https://www.ateasebrewing.com

https://launchpadbrewery.com

https://www.vubrew.com

Following the release of their collaboration beer with Murder Hill Brewing, James and Shannon jump into the ins and outs of the Belgian White (Witbier) style of beer.

Don’t forget to check out the limited release merch to support the Whitin Community Center here!

Another day, another deep dive. James and Shannon delve into the world of IPAs: the history behind them, tips for brewing, and the different styles that make up the overarching family of IPAs.

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Shannon and James recap their recent trip to Puerto Rico, highlighting the craft beer culture and breweries on the island.

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James and Shannon take a mini deep dive into the style of the Kentucky Common. Touching on the BJCP guidelines as well as the history behind the brew. 

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Shannon and James sit down with Brandon from Proost Brewing (@proostbrewing) to talk about his Solera barrel project, love of Belgium beers and his experience as a BJCP/Kentucky State Fair judge. 

Check out everything Brandon is working on by following his Instagram @proostbrewing

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For the first episode of the year, James and Shannon talk about recent brewery mergers and give tips on how to know if your brewing ingredients have got to go. And did Shannon ever brew that strawberry rhubarb sour? Tune in to find out!

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Rounding out the East Bay Homebrew Club spotlights, James and Shannon are joined by Steve, The Plumber of Brewing.  Steve talks about taking on leadership roles in the club, how bad beer made him start brewing and his hopes for the future of homebrewing.

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On the next installment of their Eastbay Homebrew Club highlight series, Shannon and James welcome @Happylilyeastbrewery, Ricky to the show. They jump into Ricky's background in brewing, writing articles for MoreBeer and using tinctures in beer.

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Check out Ricky's articles from MoreBeer here:

Brewing Fruited Sours

Brewing Suds with Buds

Nordic Harvest Ale in New England

Shannon and James kick off their East Bay Homebrew Club Series with Charles, the Wizard of Ciders and Meads. On this special episode, Charles shares how he got started in homebrewing, tips on how to make cider and mead at home and why he joined a homebrew club. Tune in and find out what has Shannon talking about drunken monkeys.

James and Shannon recount some recent brewing mishaps. Shannon discusses her ChatGPT generated pumpkin beer recipe and the duo talk about the pros and cons of PET kegs.

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ChatGPT takes over Double Hopbeat! After a quick recap of end of summer brewery visits (@oakbay_brewery and @hogislandbeer), James and Shannon answer "Would you rather" homebrewing questions generated by ChatGPT.

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Coming off of their group brew taste testing, James and Shannon explore the common off-flavors in beer, how they get there, and how to avoid them.

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Sources for this week's episode:

Cicerone Certification Program website: https://www.cicerone.org/us-en/blog/off-flavors-in-beer-the-basics

AHA site: https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/acceptable-off-flavors-in-beer-and-homebrew/

and

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/the-beer-off-flavor-series-diacetyl/

Home brew talk forum: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/best-practices-for-co2-scrubbing-of-dms.732500/

BeerSmith Podcast episode 296 from Jan 2024 Dr Charlie Bamforth

Kegerator.com: https://learn.kegerator.com/off-flavors-in-beer/

Micetcraft.com: https://www.micetcraft.com/beer-off-flavor-guide-chlorophenol/

In another mix pack episode, James and Shannon review the Polar Park Food Truck, Beers & Bevs festival, give insight on the group brew day with their homebrew club (@eastbayhomebrew), share the steps of James's first attempt at a hard seltzer and discuss the latest double brew day (Kolsch and Heady Topper clone).

Shout out to @eastbayhomebrew

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James and Shannon are joined by Adam Hellman, Engineering Manager at Spike Brewing! Adam delves into his background as an engineer and how he entered the homebrewing space. The trio also touch on Spike's commitment to interacting with customers and products that make home brewing easier.

Adam's Oatmeal Stout recipe: https://spikebrewing.com/blogs/recipes/oatmeal-stout-recipe

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On this week’s TGIF episode, Shannon shares what craft beer she tried in Canada while avoiding wild bears. James discusses entering a beer into the 2024 National Homebrewing Competition and his experience entering a Red IPA into the first round for the first time. So tune in and let’s dive into the scoresheet. What information can a homebrewer gather from entering into a competition?

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James and Shannon dive into a homebrew discussion while tasting three versions of a Red IPA collaboration. Differences in style and comparison shows what homebrewing is all about.