Average Joe's Above Average Beer Podcast

Sure, I explain all this verbally and make tons of excuses.  But I have not put out a legit episode since March 2020, I had not recorded a legit episode since Feb 2021, and here I am now putting out an 8 month old episode I finally finished editing.  Well, whatever, I love the guys at Brothership Brewing.  We had a great conversation and we got to hear some dope stories and drink insanely good beer.  From home brewers, right to the hearts of the SW Burbs beer nerd.  Broship has it working.   Instagram: @brothership_brewing Facebook Search Brothership Brewing

Leading up to Mikerphone's BBA Imperial Bean Spirit, Mike Pallen and I decided to do a little Sunday Morning chat while tasting some delicious new Barrel Aged Bean!  We got a surprise visit from Co-Owner of Phase Three Brewing, Mr. Evan Morris.  A good time was had by all.   Mikerphone Online Store Mikerphone Facbook Mikerphone Instagram Phase Three Online Store Phase Three Instagram

Lockdown sucks, but it sucks less with a little Zoom chat with Alex Lovinggood and Pete from Barn Town Brewing in Iowa.  We recorded this before I went with the Pro License so it was recorded in 2 35+ minute chunks.  We even got guest appearances from Brandon and Amanda Wright (Werk Force) and Steve Miller (Hailstorm).  There were beers chugged and shotgunned and some pretty hilarious conversation.  Now you can even check out the Zoom video recording on my Youtube Channel.     Barn Town Brewing Social Media: Instagram Facebook

Despite my best efforts, I made the choice to move the podcast to a remote setting by hosting it on Zoom Meeting.  Mike Pallen at Mikerphone is deeply entrenched in this New World of To Go/Carryout only due to Covid 19, so I wanted to gets some thoughts from him and give people something to do while we are all locked down and Quarantined.  The crew was awesome enough to accommodate my Podcast request, so here is the Pilot Episode of Quarantine Content! Youtube link: Coming Soon!

Just another interesting human to talk to.  Brian Barclay of Barclay Brewing is doing something truly unique, with a completely fresh perspective.  His story is pretty damn cool, and You get to hear from Armando, the beer buyer over at Warehouse Liquors in the South Loop.  We did drink through some pretty high octane stuff, so we may ramble a bit, but man did we have some fun.  We even had an Inception moment with Don't Drink Beer creator, Alex Kidd.  This one should be a fun listen for anybody.

The ladies of Mikerphone took over the brew house and let me hang out with them all day while they brewed a big ol Hazy DIPA Called, Dripping So Much Sauce.  This Citra, El Dorado, and Sabro hop banger, lyrically inspired by Juicy from Lizzo, will come out at Mikerphone on Sunday March 8th to celebrate International Womens Day!  These are some awesome and Intelligent people and I had too much fun.   Here is a link to the Facebook Event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/199336281191816

Katy and Michelle rolled out the red carpet for me with a little tour, some coffee, a lot of conversation, and some food and science to cap it all off.  These two have plenty of stories surrounding their beautiful space in Old Irving Park.  The Place was just tremendous and so were the hosts.  Get to know about this Brewery and Ciderhouse and get out there immediately.   Eris Social Media: Website Instagram Facebook

This episode was about Confusion, Fun, and Chaos.  I think it should be entertaining for the listeners. It starts with an Original Song by St. Louis musician Adam Gaffney and spins out of control from their with voices from Bloomingtons White Oak Brewing, and Sparta, IL White Rooster brewing.  Also with a guest appearance from my man Tyson Shroyer of home Brew fame, Fire Hop Brewing.  

At the beginning of December Crafted 1979 hosted a panel discussion led by Josh Noel, Author of Barrel Aged Stouts and Selling out, Josh Deth, Founder and owner of Revolution Brewing, Bob Iggins, VP at Windy City Distribution, and Denver Worker, Owner of Crafted 1979.  Discussion was over an Hour long, and it includes parts of Josh's book, The recent purchase of Ballast Point by Kings and Convicts Brewing, and the current state of beer complete with predictions on the future of the craft beer industry.  It is a must listen for beer nerds everywhere.

Smoked Meats and Beer Talk.  You can't really beat that.  With 40 taps to choose from, DYB is a sweet little spot to have a beer and kick it.  I got to sit down with the owners of all 4 breweries that dwell within DYB.  Its a long one but damn was it entertaining.  We got technical, we got comical, we sang, we drank, but more importantly, we learned how and why they started this whole thing.

From being drugged by your friends on Thanksgiving, to Turkey Day Turducken and living in the bush, Todd and Jake covered just about everything in the epic episode.  And we talked a little about beer and shit too.  These guys are two of the most engaging people I have had on, and the stories just keep coming.  You can't not listen to this one.   Cruz Blanca Social: Website Instagram Facebook

Oz opened up his doors and his skills to make Crafted 1979 an Anniversary beer.  So as our crew so often does, we descended upon his place on a Monday morning with beers to share, and shit to talk.  It was an awesome day, hanging with good friends, talking beer and consuming it.  We also got to hear from Matt Griseta, the executive chef over at Square Roots, and one half of the new Mokena Brewery Brothership brewing in Ryne Willig.

Is/Was Brewing is small and it is new, and I suggest everyone put them on their radar now.  What my guest, Mike Schallau, is doing is completely different than everything we are consuming in the current Chicago market.  It is not a "never been done" scenario, but out side of Off Color, Afterthought, and a handful of others, no one is focusing on these Saison style beers.  There are other Fermentation forward breweries out there, but Mike is doing it with 5 barrel fermentors out of Marz Brewing in Chicago.  He is splitting off batches of the same beer and fermenting half straight up with a specific yeast and the other half with the same yeast but treating it with Brettomyces.  You can taste the beer as it is and as it was.  Please follow this young brewery: Social Media: Instagram Facebook 

So one year after leaving my "regular" job to join the beer world, Crafted 1979 decided to surprise me by having my wife bring my podcast gear to the shop so that they could do a performance review podcast with customers and beer industry folks.  They thought, I ask enough questions on this podcast, they wanted to have our customers and some beer industry folks as me some questions.  It was a fun day either way, even if it was weird as shit for me.  Thanks to Crafted 1979 for allowing to live my passion daily while also supporting a family.  It means everything to me.

That Woodridge area is so hot right now.  I love the design and layout of the place, and the beer was spraying to all fields.  Nathan the brewmaster and owner Ed were a great pair to chat with about some beer, pizza, and Iktoberfest activities.  Wish I had gotten out to this place sooner.  It always fascinates me to hear about how a place goes from planning to opening those doors to the public.  Their story satiated that impulse. Social Media: Website Instagram Facebook

Finally, I got to sit down with a Chicago original, Goose Island Beer co.  Thanks to Renee for putting this together and getting me Keith Gabbett (Brewmaster), Mike Siegel (Research & Development), and Bjorn Johnson (Lead Brewer).  We got to explore a little about what drove them all to beer and ultimately Goose Island.  We talked about some new beers they have in the works, and exactly what it takes to get them from idea states to actual products.  Bjorn, broke down a little about process on how to create some beer.  Of course we talked Bourbon County Stout and where the beer world is going. Social Media: Website Instagram Facebook Twitter  Youtube

If you don't know, you soon will.  Viking Artisan Ales is incredible.  And I got a bonus with Aaron, the owner of Boneflower Craft Mead, who is making a massive name for themselves.  We had a blast and drank some insanely good beer while we bullshitted for 2 and a half hours.  Really impressed with both these dudes and the beverages they are creating.   Viking Artisan Ales: Instagram Facebook Boneflower: Website Instagram Facebook

Cruising Down I57 with my beef jerky in hand I shot down to Savoy, IL to document a pretty awesome Collaboration brew day with Triptych Brewing and Windmill Brewing.  I was joined by Anthony Benjamin, brewer and managing partner of Triptych Brewing, along with Mike G. and Justin V. from Windmill Brewing.  They brewed up a Horchata style Milkshake IPA with tons of Silk Almond milk, vanilla and a little bit of lactose.  It was really awesome to see these guys interact and actively learn while drinking and having a little fun as well.  

I may sound like a broken record, but another episode and another world class human to talk beer with.  The one, the only Oswald White of The Sour Note Brewing.  The self-proclaimed Southern Wild Boy.  What a smart and insightful dude Oz is.  Loved hearing about his path to brewing beer and the early days of his relationship with Drew Fox of 18th Street, who also joined us for a few minutes.  The beer is killer and the conversation even exceeded that! The Sour Note Social Media: Website Instagram Facebook

Lane and Beth opened up their doors on a Monday morning for me, and then they served me one of the best over fruited sours I have had the pleasure of tasting.  We had a great conversation about what led them to open up a cozy and elegant taproom in the middle of a crazy strip mall in Lake Zurich, IL.  These guys are a must visit with killer NEIPA's, the Fruit Shoppe Series, and a ton of classic styles they are hitting out of the park right now.     Roaring Table Social: Website Instagram Facebook  Untappd

It is early in their life, but they have already cracked my top 5 breweries in the suburbs of Chicago.  They are doing everything from the over fruited Sour to Pub ales, and they do not seem to be missing.  They are only about 2 months into opening and already making some of the best Hazy IPAs in the game.  Their Rye IPA Skeleton Revival was an absolute homerun and I look forward to more offering from Riverlands for a long time to come.  The space is beautiful and the taps are packed with Bangers. Riverland Social Media: Website Instagram Facebook

So the night before any respectable beer festival, the host throws a little party for the brewers and industry folks he/she has invited to their fest.  Well Mike Pallen was kind enough to invite me and let me set up some "Mikerphones" for a little Smells like a Beer Fest Podcast takeover.  When Mike Pallen keeps feeding you amazing guests from all across the country, and also High Lifes, you just go with it!  

We broke the record set by Hop Butcher for longest podcast during a 10 hour brew day.  Sit back and relax and strap it in for a 4 hour and 10 minute marathon as Jake Edwards and I brew the podcasts first collaboration beer at Lake Zurich Brewing.  A Triple Berry Milkshake that should be hitting bottle Shops and the LZB taproom in late April/Early May.  We really covered some ground on this one, we even got a special appearance by James O'Brien from Flesk Brewing. Lake Zurich Social Media: Facebook Instagram

My first Mead episode.  Clint welcomed me into his cozy spot in downtown Valpo, IN and schooled me on the mead game.  I probably could have talked to him for 8 hours and barely scratched the surface of Mead brewing, but we were hungry and need some Ricochet Tacos!  This was an amazing experience for me and Im all about the mead at this point.  Social Media: Website Instagram Facebook

It is coming on 04/20/19, Mad Hatchet Brewing will be opening its doors to the public!  I got to sit down with my old friend Mike Fosnaugh better known as FOZ, who will be their head brewer, along with their Owner and Brewer Mike Stevenson and Assistant brewer Sean McTighe!  We talked about what led them all on this path to opening a brewery and what they can expect when they get going. Website Instagram Facebook  

I got to cruise up to Elk Grove Village to hang with the Mikerphone crew and check out the new Blue Room, the canning line, and preview this years Smells Like a Beer Fest!  It is always a great spot to visit.  The first 20 minutes we have the whole gang together, but then Mike Pallen has a fire to put out, so we recorded more of a one on one which is directly after the first 20 minutes, and then after that you get a half an hour of bonus content with Kyle and Mike W.  CHEERS AND ENJOY.  

Kinds new and kinda old at the same time.  A lot of people may remember the brewery as Myths and Legends or Urban Legends in Westmont.  Well since 2018 it has been known as Whiskey Hill Brewing and they are kicking out some badass beers.  They are doing great old world styles while bringing the creativity with big NEIPA, Pastry Stouts, and Fruited Milkshakes or FLOATS!  The atmosphere is great and the people behind the place are really fun to talk to.  My fellow Leatherneck, Matt, Headbrewer Jon, and JJ were amazing hosts and provided me with a bunch of good stories and pure entertainment.

Nice to have a class and intelligence on the show for once, but enough about Alex Lovinggood and his Pit Vipers.  Danielle and Katie brought the knowledge on the podcast.  I frequently found my eyes glazing over trying to keep up with Danielle's well thought out explanations to my moronic questions.  This is an impressive group and they do so much for the Illinois Craft Beer scene, which is now widely considered one of the best 2 or 3 beer scenes in country.  From Springfield government shenanigans to FoBAB, the work never stops, so sit and listen and get to know these cats!  And get ready for Alex Lovinggoods new podcast coming soon "The Maker in Me"   Website Facebook Instagram 

Feeling lucky to have Shaun Berns and Evan Morris share their huge news on my little podcast.  They are finally stepping out on their own.  They sent out some cryptic social media the day before recording and then share all the dirty little details with me!  Days like this are why I started this podcast in the first place.  Can not wait to watch them grow. Website Facebook Instagram Twitter

Happy international Women's Day 2019!  Emily Slayton, Owner and Brewer at Skeleton Key Brewery in Woodridge was kind enough to let me be a part of this awesome collaboration brew day extravaganza.  They made a Lithuanian style IPA with a yeast strain brought to America by Omega Yeast Labs of Chicago.  It was a great day that was enjoyed by all the participants and the patrons of Skeleton Key.  Look for the beer in early April.

My friend John Brand makes his 3rd appearance on the show, this time showcasing a new brewer at the southside brewpub, Wil Turner.  A man who has been in the game as long as anyone in Chicago, making great beers and moving it forward while paying homage to the classic styles.  We had a fun conversation over some cheese curds, Wil's homemade beef jerky, and some tasty beers.  Gotta love that southside baby!   Social Media: Website Facebook Instagram

What a stunning place to have a beer in the burbs.  Every detail mattered on this one.  Just has the feel of a Northwoods tavern meets an old Irish Pub.  The wood work, layout, and atmosphere are insanely cool.  They are young but they will be a powerhouse summer spot.

Took a long trip up north and west of Chicago to sit down with the crew at Lake Zurich Brewing.  Their Head brewer Jake and owners Jason and Eric had some great stories to share and some outstanding beers.  Get out to their taproom and be on the lookout for their cans under the Beltane and Magnetic North name. They also did a recent collaboration with youtube fishing star Jon B follow him on Instagram.  https://www.instagram.com/rigged_official/?hl=en  

An event 1 year in the making.  Great things come to those who wait.  Jude and Justin were an outstanding time.  We covered so much in a short 4 hour time span.  We talked hops, business, movies, nonsense, life, the beginnings and the current state of Hop Butcher.  We also got to drink some of their newest offerings hitting shelves today.  Double Grid, Elder Secrets of an Ancient Past, and a new run of Milkstachio.  Cheers to one year and the "Hop Gods of Chicago"!   Hop Butcher For the World Social Media Website Instagram Facebook

During FOBAB week I got a chance to do an episode with Bottle Logic while they did a collaboration beer at More Brewing.  Well, while doing that, Mike Pallen from Mikerphone happen to walk into the More taproom, so I asked for a minute of his time as well.  What happened was an awesome 1 hour conversation between Shaun Berns (More Brewing), Mike Pallen (Mikerphone Brewing), and Brandon Buckner (Bottle Logic Brewing).  

Thanks to Shaun at More Brewing, I got to piggy back on his collab with Bottle Logic and get a conversation in with Wes, Dylan, Brandon, and Steve from BL! Their beers are legendary in the secondary and trade market, so talking to them during FOBAB week just seemed to make sense.  Just an awesome group of humble guys who are still having fun after 5 years!

Crafted 1979 Bottleshop in Mokena brewed their first collaboration beer for their one year anniversary with Hubbard's Cave.  I got to accompany them for brew day along with a bunch of Crafted regulars they call Hoperatives.  I set up the podcast gear and pitched in to help can V6 and dump some grain into this big ass dessert stout.  Bananas Foster ingredients make breweries smell amazing by the way.

I set up some Mics at the Bolingbrook Brewfest October 13th and talked to whoever I could grab in the middle of chaos underneath the McQs Golf dome.  Got to hear from some people at the fest like Mike Layhew and Dave Benes.  And talk to some brewers like John Newton at Woggly Square and Dan Rosenberg at MyGrain brewing.  The famous Chet Brett joined me and Co-Owner of Elder Brewing in Joliet, Melissa Polykandriotis.  Good times were had by all!

 THE CREEEEAAAAMMMM RIIIIIISES TO THE TOP!  What a crazy day this one was.  This episode was originally going to be centered around the group texts between brewers Brandon Banbury, Steve Miller (Hailstorm), Chris Betts (Transient), Alex Lovinggood (Brickstone), Brando Wright (Werk Force), Shaun Berns (More), Erik Pizer (Rock Bottom Warrenville), and James and Will O'Brian (Flesk).  It turned into a giant Imperial Stout Collab called Surrounded by idiots.  So Alex reached out and asked if I could spend the day with them and just record some of the nonsense that ensues.  It was an amazing day, hopefully the audio reflects that.

I travelled way on down past Champaign, IL to visit Triptych Brewing for their.  Sausage (And Beer) Party.  But before the party I got to spend 2+ hours with Anthony, Luke, and Mike from Triptych and find out a little bit about their story.  We honestly could have gone 4 hours if need be, but the sausages were calling.  What a great group making some outstanding beer. Triptych Social Media: Website Facebook Instagram SPONSOR: J & B Music Lessons: Website

Nice monday morning trip up to Lyons to visit Sean and Ike over at Buckledown Brewing.  This is the brewery you need to convince your wife to stop at before or after trips to the zoo with the kids.  It is located perfectly to pair with a Brookfield Zoo trip.  They were coming off their huge Oktoberfest party and they were there bright and early canning up some fresh Fritzticuffs.  The guys are the real deal, blue color all day!

Afterthought Brewing was introduced to me by Ryan Jacobs of Saint Errant Brewing, in Episode 17 he referred to their beer as "HILL FARMSTEAD Level".. Saisons are not always thought of as the "Sexy" Style.  But god damn is Afterthought making some beautiful beers.  It is a small operation, but Mike and now his two brewers are just killing it.  You can only get his beer in Glen Ellyn at the OG suburban bottleshop The Beer Cellar.  Dave Hawley, owner of the Beer Cellar, has supported Mike's beer from the jump and helped get it into more people hands.  If you have not tried his beers I recommend driving there immediately.  We had a great conversation about the Past Present and future of Aftethought, including the great story of how it got it's name.  The world should look forward to more from this brewery.

After an almost 3 week Podcastless streak I ventured west to Oswego Brewing to sit down with Marc Wilson and Chris H.  Marc is the headbrewer at OBC, and just so happens to a World Beer Cup Gold Medal under his belt.  Chris is one of the founders and owners of Oswego Brewing, and I would say the 3 of us had a great time.  We talked about everything from first brew mishaps to industry trends, and water chemistry.  It is an amazing spot and everyone should head out that way and try these really techinically sound and tasty beers.  Also a special thanks to Eric, on instagram, @TheBrewtog for taking pictures during the episode.  Dude is talented!  Oswego Brewing Social: Website Facebook Instagram

Adjunct stout talk with "The Avengers" of the Chicagoland Stout game.  I was very honored to lead this conversation with 3 guys who make such amazing beer.  It was a stellar night for the audience and myself.  We got to listen to some great discussion and drink some incredible beer.  All 3 brewers spent time with the audience after the recording and appeared to have an absolute blast.  The next one of these will be a highly sought after event.  I can not wait to do this again. Follow Chicago Brew Werks, Werk Force, Hailstorm, and More on social media!

When you get a shot to talk to the "Master of Barrels" at Pipeworks, you talk to the "Master of Barrels" at Pipeworks!  Otherwise known as the "Oaken Nap Coordinator". This was an amazing experience from the conversation to the tasting of different barrels of Murderous and Jones Dog out of random barrels, and even a couple custom blends on the spot.  Pipeworks is a true Chicago pioneer and they continue to pump out great products after revolutionizing IPA's in the area!  It was an honor to have this conversation.  Also thanks to Brian Pautsch for hooking this up! Pipeworks Social Media: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter

Joined by a couple of brilliant minds, I got an above average education in beer and particularly YEAST!  So much fun hearing about all the things that go into Omega Yeast labs and having one of my favorite brewers there to help further the conversation was not bad either.  Learn about these Nordic yeasts the lab is putting out.  They seem awesome.

Finally sat down with my friend and Beer Historian John Bitterman!  We used the monkey house as our studio to talk a bit about beer history and beer collectibles.  John has an immense collection of Beer history and you can see a large chunk of that on display at the Joiet Historical Society through the end of the year.  It is a beautifully done exhibit, and I encourage anyone who has a slight interest in beer to go check it out!   Follow John on Facebook: Facebook

What do you do the day after you throw an engagement rager in your brewing space?  A nice Sunday Nooner podcast.  At least that is what you do when you are Jim and Nate of Aleman.  These dudes opened up their space to me at noon on a Sunday and they powered through.  Loved hearing their story and drinking their beer.  Keep your eye out for these guys.  Legit humans.   Aleman Social media: Website Instagram Facebook Twitter

Hagen and Bill played host to the podcast this week, and treated me to a nice change of pace.  Sitting back and drinking lagers, wild Rauchbier, and Wild Table beers has never been more fun.  I got an education in "Dovetail German", beer styles, and the "CoolShip".  The cherry Kriek they released a day after recording (July 13th) was out of this world good and the tours are legendary.  Two guys that bonded in Munich over a "Slaughter Plate" sure have done a lot for furthering these old world styles in a new world beer scene. Dovetail Social Media: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter

We hit the brew pub then the impressive production facility.  And the thing I noticed the most is that everyone in the town of BearBonnais knows Alex Lovinggood!  Such a notable brewery in such a small "Farm Town"  Brickstone has picked up so much steam over the years it is hard to picture them as family owned, but they are indeed family owned and Independent.  They opened up the doors for me and showed me a great time and some great beers.  Matt Offerman took his shirt off mid podcast and Alex sat in his squashy arm chair.  I felt like part of the Brickstone family while I was there.  Get down there and drink some beer and eat some food.  And take the back country roads there.  Actually pretty nice to look at. Brickstone Social Media: Website Facebook Page (Brewery) Facebook Page (Production) Instagram Twitter

I stepped foot in the MouseTrap for the first time.  The place was great, nice light refreshing beers and a side of Dark Matter coffee and great atmosphere.  But the reason I was there was to talk to a man who stays just about as true to himself and the integrity of his beer as possible in this industry.  John Laffler, co-founder of Off Color Brewing.  We talked about everything from the current state of things, to how he came up, his time at Goose, bee keeping, and the spark that led them to think up such an Off Color idea.  Let's open up a production brewery, but not make an IPA, or any other beer we don't want to.  John was honest real for every second of this conversation, and I thank him for that.  We need more true originals. Off Color Brewing Social Media: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Mousetrap