Bar Towel Radio, Ontario's Premier Beer Podcast

In this episode we chat with Brad Clifford, founder of Clifford Brewing, who was recently awarded Canadian Brewery of the Year at the Canadian Brewing Awards. Brad and I chat about how he started in brewing and his stops along the way to starting Clifford Brewing in East Hamilton.

In this episode we have a round-table chat about London, Ontario's emerging beer scene with Dave Reed of Forked River Brewing Company, Gavin Anderson of Anderson Craft Ales and award-winning beer writer Ben Johnson.

In this episode we visit the impressive Cowbell Brewing in Blyth, Ontario and have a chat with Stephen Rich, their Brewmaster and Director of Brewing Operations. We chat about Stephen's start in beer and how he got involved in Cowbell, the beer program and some of the unique methods and equipment that Cowbell employs at the brewery, and what's in store for Cowbell now and in the future.

In this episode we share a few beers and many beer memories with acclaimed beer writer Stephen Beaumont. Catching up at Toronto beer hall WVRST, we chat about how Stephen got into beer, the past and present state of the beer industry, his beer travel adventures crossing the globe, his writing and publishing and more.

In this episode we have a chat with Ryan Morrow, head brewer of Collective Arts and Nickel Brook, at Collective Arts' Liquid Art Fest which took place in June 2018.

In this episode we have a chat with longtime friend Carl Milroy, founder and partner of the Red Thread Brewing Co. We share a beer and discuss how Red Thread came to be, and what it's like to launch in Ontario without a bricks and mortar brewery.

We have a beer and a chat with longtime friend of The Bar Towel, Michael Hancock, who was the brewer at the famed Denison's brewpub in Toronto and currently brewer and ambassador at Side Launch in Collingwood.

In this episode we have a beer with famed beer author Pete Brown at the Camden Town Brewery in London, England, chatting about his background in marketing and beer, his latest book Miracle Brew, the Beer and Cider Marketing Awards, the craft beer and food scene in the U.K., and more.

In this episode we have a chat with beer historian Gary Gillman and brewer Cody Noland about Amsterdam's 1870 AK Bitter, a special collaboration beer between Gary and Amsterdam that was a recreation of an historical recipe from nearly 150 years ago.

This special episode was recorded live at the launch of Upper Canada Repatriation, a recreation of the original Rebellion Lager by the famed Upper Canada Brewing Company, brought back by Henderson Brewing of Toronto. We chat with Steve Himel, General Manager of Henderson and Oliver Dawson, former head of marketing at Upper Canada about how the brand originally came to be, what it was like to create "craft" beer brands in the 1980s and 1990s, and how it returned in 2018.

In this episode we pay a visit to the long planned and newly opened Kensington Brewing Company in Toronto's Kensington Market. We chat with Mike Gurr, KBC's VP Operations along with Johnny Briggs, KBC's head brewer, about the brewery's history and road to opening, their past and present beers and their relationship to the neighbourhood.

In this episode we visit the new Goose Island Toronto Brewhouse and have a chat with Head Brewer Bernard Priest and Assistant Brewer Marc Mammoliti. We have a great discussion about their backgrounds in the beer industry, all about the brewery and the beers they've developed for Goose Island Toronto, and their relationship to Goose in Chicago.

In this episode we have a beer with Greg Koch, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Stone Brewing of San Diego, California. With special guest host Jason Fisher, the Founder of Indie Alehouse, we chat with Greg about his recent visit to Toronto and the beer scene in Ontario, Stone's foray into Europe, the evolving beer scene of southern California and more.

In this episode we chat with Buffalo's Mike Shatzel, owner of Thin Man Brewery, Cole's, Moor Pat, Colter Bay, Allen Burger Venture (and more) about the beer and brewing scenes in Buffalo and Ontario, Mike's history in the bar and beer industry, how Thin Man got started and about their beers, and some other beery reminiscing and storytelling.

In this episode we chat with Peter Bulut and Mike Lackey of Great Lakes Brewery on the occasion of their 30th anniversary, about their favourite GLB and collaboration beers from the past and present, some memorable stories from the brewery's past, about their new pilot brewing system, and their thoughts about how the Ontario beer scene has evolved and where it's going.

Bar Towel Radio goes continental, as today we have a chat with Marc Rauschmann, Master Brewer at BraufactuM in Frankfurt, Germany. Marc recently visited Toronto to support the launch of a number of BraufactuM beers available on draught in Ontario. In this episode we chat about Marc's beer background, the beer scene in Germany and his beers.

In this episode we have a beer with Casey Laforet, Mark Sasso and Stephen Pitkin of the Juno Award-winning band Elliott Brood at Toronto's Festival of Beer Spring Sessions, chatting about the band's favourite beers and breweries, fond beer memories from the road and what's to come from this great Canadian band.

In this episode we chat with Mychal Renteria from the La Quinta Brewing Co., a craft brewery and taproom located in the Coachella Valley in California.

In this episode we chat with Aaron Spinney, one of the founders and head brewer of Merit Brewing, a new brewery set to open in Hamilton, Ontario.

This special episode was recorded over the final two days of Bar Volo, with live stories from Maz Brereton, Nick Pashley, Ken Woods, Doug Shoemaker, Russ Burdick, Jason Fisher, Ryan Morrow, Robin LeBlanc, Rob Morra, Mike Lackey, Cody Noland, Michael Hancock, Sam Corbeil, Zack Weinberg, Matt Tweedy, Jason Tremblay, Iain Mcoustra, Luc Lafontaine, Julian Morana and Ralph Morana.

In this episode we have a fireside chat with Gary McMullen, Founder of Muskoka Brewery. Gary discusses the origins of the Muskoka Brewery, some of their early beer adventures, the importance of their branding and some of their latest beer releases.

In this episode we have a Sam Adams with Jim Koch, Founder and Brewer of the Boston Beer Company. It was a great honour to chat with one of craft brewing's pioneers about Samuel Adams' history in Ontario and the past, present and future of the Boston Beer Company.

In this episode we chat with Jill Davidson, President of the San Diego Brewers Guild about the rich craft brewing history, great breweries, neighbourhoods and beer events to explore in this dynamic and welcoming region.

In this episode we chat with Aaron Champion, a former Torontonian now living in Los Angeles and founder of the craft beer website Cask Ale LA.

In this episode we chat with Ontario beer writers Ben Johnson and David Ort about the past, present and future of the Golden Tap Awards.

In this episode we chat with Jacob Sembrano, Head Brewer of Cruz Blanca in Chicago, the new brewery from Mexican restauranteur Rick Bayless, of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and Xoco fame.

In this episode we chat with Adam Vavrick, Beer Director of The Publican restaurant in Chicago's hot Fulton Market / West Loop neighbourhood.

Listen in on a live conversation and beer tasting with Jerry Vietz, Brewmaster and Sylvain Bouchard, Beer Sommelier of Quebec's famed Unibroue.

Recorded at the Craft Brewers Conference in Portland in April 2015, a conversation with Steve Beauchesne of Beau's, Ben Love of Gigantic and Anders Kissmeyer of Kissmeyer Beer about the B-Side Brewing Label.

Recorded at the Craft Brewers Conference in Portland, a conversation with Jesse Friedman, co-founder of Almanac Beer Company about the brewery's past, future and more.

Recorded live at the Craft Brewers Conference, a roundtable discussion with Ben Johnson, Jason Fisher, Dimitri van Kampen, Rob McIsaac and Shane Clark about the news that beer is coming to grocery stores in the province.

A chat with Dave McLean, founder and brewmaster of Magnolia Brewing Company of San Francisco. Recorded at Magnolia's new brewery and restaurant Smokestack, the episode also features an overview of some of San Francisco's can't-miss beer spots.

Recorded at Goose Island's Chicago brewpub, this episode features a live recording of the brewpub tour, along with a rundown of some of the best beer destinations in Chicago.

Recorded at Goose Island's Chicago brewpub Black Friday event, this episode features a live tutored tasting of the 2014 slate of Bourbon County Brand Stout beers, hosted by the brewery staff of Goose Island.

Live from Beau's Oktoberfest, this raucous debate featured four pilot beers competing for a production run in the Beau's Wild Oats series.

Live from Beau's Oktoberfest, this oral history of Beau's features great stories told by Steve Beauchesne, Tim Beauchesne, Matt O'Hara and Jordan Bamforth.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we meet with Jeff Baker of the amazing Farmhouse Tap and Grill of Burlington, Vermont.

Chat with Rob Creighton of Grand River at the 2008 Volo Cask Days.

Chat with Michael Hancock of Denison's at the 2008 Volo Cask Days.

Chat with Larry Kress of Dieu du Ciel! at the 2008 Volo Cask Days.

Chat with Ken Woods of Black Oak Brewery at the 2008 Volo Cask Days.

Chat with Erica from the Amsterdam brewery at the 2008 Volo Cask Days.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we enjoy a beer with Phin DeMink and Paul Cain of Southern Tier Brewing from Lakewood, New York.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we enjoy a beer with Brian Morin and Dayna Guy of beerbistro.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we enjoy a beer with Michael Hancock, Founder and Brewer of Denison's Brewing Company.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we enjoy a beer with Lindsey Key, Director of Marketing of Trafalgar Ales and Meads in Oakville, Ontario.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we enjoy a beer with John Romano, president of the Nickel Brook Brewery in Burlington, Ontario.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we are proud to present the complete audio recording from the 2007 Golden Tap Awards ceremony, which took place on Saturday, August 18th at beerbistro.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we have a chat with Karen Gaudino, director of sales and marketing of the Creemore Springs Brewery.

In this episode of Bar Towel Radio, we have a live discussion with Phil DiFonzo, brewmaster of the King Brewery in Nobleton, Ontario.

In the fourth episode of Bar Towel Radio, we interview Peter Lopaty, president of Esprit Agencies, one of the leading beer importers in Ontario.