Market The Brew

Back in March of 2017 we interviewed David Geary for Episode 019. In that episode David shared with us the unique program he had started years earlier. Each year he would run a competition at the local college where design students would compete to design the packaging for Geary's annual Oktoberfest beer. Not only would the student who won have their art become the packaging for that year's beer, but they would also receive a check for a portion of their tuition from David and the brewery. Little did we know at the time that David was also working on the sale of the brewery, and by the end of 2017, the brewery would be under new ownership and David would be working on his retirement. Listen in as we talk with Alan Lapoint, who, along with his wife Robin, purchased the Geary Brewing Company in Portland, Maine.  They kept the Geary Brewing name and since the purchase have not only maintained the Geary Legacy Brands of beer, but also introducing and building their own style of beers to the Maine beer community.  And, if that weren't a big enough challenge for this young couple, they also launched a Non-alcoholic brewery named 1820 with the current brewery in 2022.  Alan walks us through all of this and more in this episode. Please also check out episode 19 with David Geary where you can hear from the founder of Geary Brewing Company himself as he shares with us more about the brewery and the special competition he held each year. Cheers!

This episode's brewery derives its name from the first two atomic bombs detonated at the Nevada Test Site. These two test explosions were codenamed after the military's phonetic alphabet of the time, making them tests “Able” and “Baker”.   The experimentation at the Nevada Test Site led to the refining of the Atomic Bomb and the ushering in of the Nuclear Age. This was a notable time in Nevada as “Atomic Blast” viewing parties were commonplace and several “Miss Atomic” beauty queens were crowned. The Atomic Age influences their artwork and concepts while allowing them to give a respectful nod to Nevada's unique state history.   The brewery has a mascot of sorts, the Atomic Duck. Legend has it, that a duck was the only animal to survive the Atomic tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site. That duck, bested the blasts, wandered off and waddled into history, becoming forever known as … the “Atomic Duck”.   The duck has become a large part of their branding and has evolved over time.  The first thing you see when you get close to the brewery is the large grain silo on the brewery that features a duck design. It was not part of the original brewery plan but evolved since the brewery opened.    The flight handle is in the shape of a duck's foot and even comes with a small rubber duck you can keep. They have become a collectable for many of their customers. At the time of the podcast recording, they had just ordered 50,000 more ducks as they have become that popular. The duck is a big part of this breweries branding. Listen in as Danielle and Travis enjoy their conversation with Kevin Lingley, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Able Baker Brewing Company in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kevin shares with us a lot of the back story behind the name ABLE BAKER, the history, and the duck.

Welcome to today's episode, where we're diving into a unique and inspiring story. Our guest today has a personal connection to a rare disease that affects only 200 people worldwide—his 6-year-old son is one of them. Instead of dwelling on the challenges, our guest has chosen a different path, asking, 'How can I make a positive impact on others with disabilities?' In this episode, we'll explore how he's transforming his brewery into a more inclusive space for everyone. He's not just educating himself about his son's rare condition but also reaching out to understand the diverse needs of his community in Milwaukee. Today, our hope is that you'll be inspired to take action. Visit the rare disease website and consider making a donation, the equivalent of a beer or two, to support those 200 individuals worldwide. Let's raise a glass in solidarity, showing them they're not alone in this journey. After all, it's a reminder that, but for the grace of God, any one of us could face such challenges. Cheers to empathy, understanding, and making a positive impact together!

AS THE 19TH CENTURY ENDED, THE AIRPLANE, GASOLINE ENGINE, AND OTHER ADVANCES MADE THE WORLD A BIT SMALLER. Explorers and adventurers pushed into uncharted territories and made great discoveries. Returning to their homeland, they congregated with others of a similar nature and swapped stories and shared the artifacts they'd found. In London, New York, San Francisco and other cities, explorers' clubs were founded for these intrepid souls to delight their peers. Lost Worlds Brewing Company borrows from the history of these original clubs. Listen in as we explore what makes Lost Worlds a unique experiential outpost of beer and adventure.

Luck number 13, that was the episode that todays guest originally joined us back on September 6th, 2016.  In that episode we discuss their business model called an Alternating Proprietorship. He also joined us again on October 17th, 2017 as part of our series on Beer & Baseball.  A 3-part series that looked at what is involved in developing a relationship with a local professional sports team. That episode, number 35, was entitled Good Ryes Wear Black at the White Sox's U.S. Cellular Field.  The Good Ryes Wear Black, a Black IPA, was inspired by their beloved South Siders and was available in single 16oz cans at the Midwest Craft Beer Kiosk. Well, it's been a long time since we've had him on the podcast and a lot has happened since he first joined us back in 2016. But I will let you hear it all from him. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay on top of new episodes before they're released. And while you're on Facebook and Instagram we hope that if you like the podcasts you'll share these episodes with your family, friends and followers. If not…let's just keep that between us! Listen in as I chat with Jeremiah Zimmer, Co-Founder of Hop Butcher for the World located in Chicago, Illinois, as he brings us up-to-date on everything at Hop Butcher.   Cheers!

It only makes sense for the home of the Milwaukee Brewers to have a brewery. American Family Field is now home to the J. Leinenkugel's Barrel Tard, which is a restaurant and brewery, that overlooks the field of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Barrel Yard is open everyday, including game days. Not only can you expect to find a long list of Wisconsin comfort foods on their menu, J. Leinenkugel's Barrel Yard is also brewing specialty beers that can only be found at the Barrel Yard.   

When his childhood dream of becoming a professional baseball player was replaced with a degree from Marquette University, he began to ask what's next? That started the conversation with a childhood friend and eventually lead them to Milwaukee's first craft brewery incubator.  They spent time learning the fine art of brewing, along with the business end of owning a brewery. The incubator has helped to launch several successful Milwaukee area craft breweries. This set them up for success as they began to build their small brewery into a Milwaukee destination. Today's guest has many great stories about the road he's taken to get where the business is today. Listen in to the steamy story of their first breweries melt down…literally.  And how that event put the wheels in motion, and eventually rolling them into their new location. What started out as a love of the game, has become the cornerstone of the brewery, and has opened some very interesting doors. From the indoor wiffle ball field to the Field Of Dreams, and the upper mezzanine party space to baseball stitching on the building. You won't want to miss a minute of this podcast.

Randy Romens knew his beer was good when his 6 pack sold for $100 at a fundraiser.  and with their head brewer, Mitch John, constantly creating new beers, it comes as no surprise that Keg Creek has received multiple awards at the US Open Beer Championship. Listen in as we learn more about Keg Creek Brewing in Glenwood, Iowa.

The Bridge Up Brewing story and brand is and continues to be a truly organic one. After moving back to Door County with his wife and two daughters, Trent was looking for a job that would allow him to completely immerse himself back into the culture and the community that was such an amazing part of his childhood. One day he got a call. A brief phone conversation with Jason Estes, owner of Sonny's Pizzeria, about the brewing process and its requirements. This call led to a face-to-face meeting to look for available space for what could someday be a brewery. It felt very consultative in nature until the end of the meeting when Jason said, “Well, I think you are the right guy for the job.” At no point did Trent ever think this was any kind of an interview – but he is so grateful that it was. The next few months were filled with investigating and buying brewing equipment, building relationships with grain and hop providers and designing recipes that would become the first few Bridge Up Brewing beers However, they still needed a name, a hugely important and vital part of the business. Trent spent weeks compiling potential brewery names and filling a notebook with ideas and concepts that would someday become the brand that people know and love today.

Did you know Hot Air Brewing was originally a Hallmark store? Katie took the old Hallmark store, with apartments located above the brewery, and turned it into her dream brewery. Katie Davidson wanted a place in her hometown where anyone and everyone could gather for a drink, so she created one. Hot Air Brewing in Creston, Iowa has become a popular brewery with 13 different beers on tap with various styles. Katie has been dedicated to supporting her hometown and growing the craft beer community in her city with new craft beers.    Katie and her head brewer, Jay Wilson, have made an impact on the Iowa beer community. Jay worked with the Iowa brewers guild while also helping to grow the Iowa Craft Beer Festival. More than 80 breweries and cideries can be found at the Iowa Craft Beer Festival with more than 300 craft beer samples this June. Jay has also created several craft beers of various styles at Hot Air Brewing and one of them can even be found at the airport!  

Welcome to West Allis! Perspective Brewing is a new brewery that two brothers have always dreamed of becoming a reality. They went from being high school teachers to opening their own brewery in a suburb of Milwaukee. Perspective Brewing has become the place to be on Saturday mornings for soccer fans in the Milwaukee area and with a strong lineup of cocktail-inspired seltzers, this brewery is a place for everyone. Listen in as we talk to Dan, co-owner of Perspective Brewing, about their perspective on beer.

The Post Opening Interview with Nick. Welcome to the last episode in our Opening A Second Brewery Location series. We hope you have enjoyed the different episodes describing the different challenges each faced as they opened a 2nd location during a global pandemic, in a different state, across town, in your existing brewery and finally todays episode…across the state. This last episode is actually 2 episodes. The first was our interview prior to their opening and the second was several months after they had opened.  We wanted to find out what their thoughts and perceptions were prior to opening and in the follow up interview what the reality was. Our guest Nick, the VP of Operations & Marketing, is someone you can have a great conversation with any day of the week, but his passion for what he does comes through in both interviews. When we met for the first interview, they had just completed painting the space and you could tell that Nick was a little worn out, but he became totally animated as he talked about the brewery, the new space and the people he had met in the community as they converted the space into a brewery.

Welcome to the last episode in our Opening A Second Brewery Location series. We hope you have enjoyed the different episodes describing the different challenges each faced as they opened a 2nd location during a global pandemic, in a different state, across town, in your existing brewery and finally todays episode…across the state. This last episode is actually 2 episodes. The first was our interview prior to their opening and the second was several months after they had opened.  We wanted to find out what their thoughts and perceptions were prior to opening and in the follow up interview what the reality was. Our guest Nick, the VP of Operations & Marketing, is someone you can have a great conversation with any day of the week, but his passion for what he does comes through in both interviews. When we met for the first interview they had just completed painting the space and you could tell that Nick was a little worn out, but he became totally animated as he talked about the brewery, the new space and the people he had met in the community as they converted the space into a brewery.

This brewery has been super lucky as it has grown in a Milwaukee Suburb. What started out as a house the brewer/owner and his family lived in later turned out to have been zoned as a brewery 100 plus years earlier when the house was built. This home brewer who found his passion for beer at a Friday Night Fish Fry at another Milwaukee brewery. Each Friday he would stop in for fish, ask a lot of questions and then spend the weekend brewing.  The more he brewed the greater his passion for brewing grew. He finally found a job at a brewery in Illinois that would help him to experience how to run a brewery and help him on his path to his own brewery.  With a brewery in his basement, licensed and permitted to sell packaged beer, he started to sell barrel aged beers in bottles out of his house on Saturdays once a month. You had to pre-buy and drive by to pick up your beer during the hours they had specified. If this sounds a little rigid, it is because they started selling beer during the global covid pandemic.   If you were going to open a brewery, this was definitely the route that you'd want to take. You could almost say that the planets started to align for this brewer as he and his wife discussed the future of their home, and the business.  But I don't want to ruin the story. Listen in as Danielle and Travis talk to this new brewer about his unique entry into the world of brewing and brewery ownership.    

In Episode 059 we spend time with Joe Yeado, owner of Gathering Place Brewing Company in the Riverwest area of Milwaukee. Home to 4 other prominent Milwaukee breweries, with one literally just around the corner.  Joe and his wife just purchased a small brewery located in another Milwaukee suburb call Wauwatosa (Tosa to the locals). And similar to the original brewery, this location is on a street with 4 other breweries. But that is where the similarities end. Both locations have their own vibe and a different set of customer demographics. Listen in as Danielle and Travis learn from Joe Yeado what makes Gathering Place Brewing so special and why they bought the other brewery.

We have all become familiar with the beer passports that many states and regions have.  The process is a lot like this, stop in a brewery, order a drink, get your book stamped and head off to the next location. It is a great way to see your state, visit breweries you might not have visited without the passport, have some fun and meet some interesting people. But what happens when the passport is much more than a tool to get people to stop in for a drink to get the stamp. What is people got much more information about craft beer, your location, your history, and access to an app that supports the passport, and it never expires?  Now, tie the passport, the app, and social media together and you begin to develop a digital community that meets at breweries. The Passport is only $25, but it is the best $25 you'll spend to explore Wisconsin's craft, distillery and food destinations. Pop for the extra $30 and begin to explore the Minnesota craft beverage community as well. Listen in as Danielle and Travis talk to the founder and curator of the Craft Drinks Passports from Craft Notes. Find out why the Craft Drink Passports are the easiest way to explore and support local craft.  Uniquely curated, fun, and full of great stories, art, and complimentary drinks. Passports invite you to join friends, support the best local businesses, drink some drinks, try something new, and meet new people… what's not to love?

You might not be able to drown your sorrow at this episodes location, but you could sure soak them away, in beer! Yes, soak away your sorrows, or just about anything else.   Beer, as many of you know, has for centuries been brewed not only for our drinking enjoyment, but for its medicinal properties.  The Trappist monks of Belgium first began brewing their bock styled beers to sustain them during times of fasting. But, Is soaking in beer good for you? Sorry for the pun, but Hop into a beer bath for the hops. As they contain many of natures best remedies such as an abundance of polyphenols such as kaempferol, quercetin, tyrosol, ferulic acid, xanthohumol/isoxanthohumol/8-prenylnaringenin, α-bitter acids like humulone and β-bitter acids like lupulone. 8-prenylnaringenin is the most potent phytoestrogen known to date. These compounds have been shown to possess various anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-angiogenic, anti-melanogenic, anti-osteo porotic and anti-carcinogenic effects. We have only been able to find 5 beer spas in the US, and several hotel chains that boast a beer spa of sorts, but European countries such as the Czech Republic have been bathing in beer for years.  Todays podcast guest and his family have been to several of the Czech beer spas and decided to bring the experience back to the US, specifically to Chicago.  We hope that you will join us and share these episodes with your family and friends. Now find a comfortable place to sit, grab a glass of your favorite beer, kick back and relax and listen in as Danielle and Travis talk with Dino Sarancic of the Piva Beer Spa located in the Noble Square neighborhood of Chicago, as he shares information about himself, the beer spaand the relaxing and therapeutic effects of soaking in beer. Cheers!

As part of our series on breweries opening a second location, we have episodes with Mike Doble about opening a second location during an epidemic (episode 48) and recently we launched our episode with Morgan Halska and Ryan Bandy of Indeed Brewing as they share information about opening a 2nd brewery in another state. In this episode we are talking to a brewery that opened a second brewery within their existing brewery. Sorry if I lost you there… It is more of a branding and product differentiation thing and not so much a location thing.  But none the less a second set of branding, licensing, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau or TTB approvals, production runs and distribution does have its own unique set of challenges. And, in addition to having 2 breweries in one location they have also taken naming their beers to a new level of fun and creativity.  Beers such as YOLO Is My Strategy, Imperial Murder Hornet is my safe word, Bluegrass Mosh Pit, and A Fine Tapestry Of Profanity. Find a comfortable place to sit, grab a glass of your favorite beer, kick back and relax and listen in as Danielle and Travis chat with Tom Dufek of Young Blood Beer Company and the Saturday Beer Company in Madison, Wisconsin, as he shares information about himself, the Young Blood Beer Company and Saturday Beer Company as well as their unique names and naming process. Cheers!

Don't drown your sorrows in beer, instead soak them away in beer. Yes beer! In this episode we speak with Dino Sarancic about the family beer spa located in Chicago. It is a new concept here in the US, but in Europe they have been bathing in beer for years. Join us for a "DEEP DIVE' into the subject!

It started out as a conversation and has evolved into a three-part series of multiple location breweries. In episode 48 we discussed with Mike Doble of the Explorium Brewpub the challenges with opening a 2nd brewery across town. Not only did Mike open a new brewery across town, but he did so during the covid shutdown. The podcast we are working on now is with a brewery that is in the process of opening a new brewery in a location across the state.  And, in the episode you're about to listen to we discuss the challenges in building a new brewery across state lines. A 5-hour drive between locations on a good day  Not only does the distance present some challenges, the state laws also present challenges. In their home state they are only allowed to have a single taproom. Over the past 10 years as they grew they had to decide if they wanted to become a contract brewery to push out volume as part of their growth or find a location to build a new taproom. With the success they've had in their original brewery they chose the later as they wanted to share the taproom experience their beers provided to a new city and the customers in that area.  They chose Wisconsin as the customer demographics are similar to their home brewery with a strong midwestern ethic and blue-collar workforce. Milwaukee has many attributes that are similar, but still has a unique vibe that allows for the pilot house to develop creative new brews that are well received not only in Milwaukee, but in the Minneapolis taproom as well. 

The Taproom is a lot like their hives. From the outside it looks pretty laid back, but when you look inside there is a buzz of activity. Many breweries talk of community and buying local, but this brewery is different in so many ways. There are few that can say they have 2 thriving communities they serve. The one they live and work in, and the one that produces the honey they use to make their session meads. What started out 4 years ago with 10,000 honeybees has grown each year with care and love for their bee community. Over the winter of 2021-22 they had a 92% survival rate of their bee community. This is very impressive when you learn the industry average is only 40 – 50%. It is that love and care you not only see in their relationship with each other, but in their family, their staff, customers and their community. You can see it in the taproom that has not TV's, no WiFi, and because of the buildings structure no cell service. In this community you engage with the people around you. Our guests are not Wisconsin natives. One is from California and the other from Philadelphia. They met while in college and the rest as they say is history.  One is a veterinarian and the other an engineer. They learned of the community that would become their home in the days before opening. As they stressed trying to get things done in time to open, people would stop by to ask when they would be opening. Then, to the surprise of our guests, they would ask, “Do you need any help?” Each with a different skill or trade experience, pitching in to lend a hand. These people would not only become their customers, but their friends.

If his voice and his story sound vaguely familiar it is because he was our very first guest on the Market The Brew Podcast 52 episodes ago. Since then, he has grown both professionally and personally. One of the biggest changes came recently and the podcast notes show him with his new wife as they honeymooned on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Great weather, picturesque views, amazing food and something he doesn't make, yet, fine wine… During the first podcast we learned of their Beer Amnesty Week in which you would bring in a 6 pack of BAD beer (macro brews) in exchange for a 6-pack of their beer…no questions asked. They would then find unique and interesting ways to use the BAD beer, such as a slip and slide or a beer pool on the roof, just to name a few.  We also learned how his mother was upset about his decision to switch from pre-med to brewing until he started distilling vodka.  After the University of Wisconsin, he spent several years working for a brewery and decided that is what he wanted to do and took off to Edinburgh Scotland to get his master's degree in brewing and distilling.  Well, if you want to learn more about our guest, re-listen to the first podcast. If you want to hear what he's been up to since his first appearance on the podcast listen in and Danielle and Travis chat with Zac Treimert of Brickway Brewing and Distillery in Omaha, Nebraska.

We have shared stories from many accomplished brewer's whose journey started with a home brew kit they received as a gift. Many can still remember the first beer they brewed and like today's guest, kept a journal of all the beers they have brewed since receiving that first kit. All have taken different but similar paths in their careers to get where they are today. Our guest is still at the beginning of his journey. Building big beers from his small, but growing home brewing system. From family and friends serving as beer tasters to eventually becoming brewing assistances and servers at local beer festivals.  Today's guest has a small group of friends that has stayed together since those early days of brewing helping this small homebrewer grow. Each year he tries to get into more beer festivals. He relates that most reluctantly agree to let him serve and are surprised when people are talking about how good their beer is. All have invited him back to serve his beers at their festivals. But, like every homebrewer, you lose money brewing for festivals because as a homebrewer you can not charge for your beer.  So, our guest, like so many before him, is working on his business plan. Keeping a list of potential investors, and building a fan base until he can eventually build his own brewery.   Listen in as Danielle and Travis chat with Home Brewer Tyler Sallee owner of Nosey Neighbor Brewing as he shares his brewing journey to date, and his plans for the future.

This brewery is located in a county that until recently had been a dry county in central North Carolina. But in July 2008, voters decisively passed a referendum allowing beer, wine, and mixed beverage alcohol to be sold in the city for the first time in nearly sixty years. Almost 7 years later a schoolteacher and a Lowes manager who became friends, started to brew together and would eventually open the county's first brewery EVER.   When they first opened the goal was to use inexpensive Gildan t-shirts with a 1 color logo on back to promote the brewery within the city. Later those shirts would evolve into the same branding available in several colors. Realizing their customers had one of each color of the same shirt, they had to start developing new designs that customers and travelers would want to buy and wear. Crafting the first couple of new designs after several of their more popular beers they began to see the sales of those shirts grow. They needed to develop new designs on a regular basis and turn inventory of those designs faster. Listen in as our guests share how they adopted the “buy less but buy more often” philosophy and soon began to sell through smaller quantities of apparel with new designs.

This brewery is located in a county that until recently had been a dry county in central North Carolina. But in July 2008, voters decisively passed a referendum allowing beer, wine, and mixed beverage alcohol to be sold in the city for the first time in nearly sixty years. Almost 7 years later a schoolteacher and a Lowes manager who became friends, started to brew together and would eventually open the county's first brewery EVER.   When they first opened the goal was to use inexpensive Gildan t-shirts with a 1 color logo on back to promote the brewery within the city. Later those shirts would evolve into the same branding available in several colors. Realizing their customers had one of each color of the same shirt, they had to start developing new designs that customers and travelers would want to buy and wear. Crafting the first couple of new designs after several of their more popular beers they began to see the sales of those shirts grow. They needed to develop new designs on a regular basis and turn inventory of those designs faster. Listen in as our guests share how they adopted the “buy less but buy more often” philosophy and soon began to sell through smaller quantities of apparel with new designs.

Front Page Brewing Company opened its doors in beautiful, historic Downtown Bartow, FL in 2020.  Founded by Johnnie and Bill Levin, Front Page was created to provide a gathering place for the local and greater communities to enjoy brewed on-site quality craft beer and socialize.  After semi-retiring from corporate life, Johnnie was looking for something to take on in the next chapter of her life.  As a long-time fan of craft beer and breweries, this was a perfect opportunity to explore.  After completing the Univ of South Florida - St. Pete Brewing Arts certification program, she realized that she'd found her new “home” and Front Page Brewing Company started coming to life.  Opening on March 14, just prior to the start of the state and nationwide shutdown, certainly proved to be an unexpected challenge, but with the support of a wonderful city and community, Front Page Brewing Company was able to weather the storm and continues to grow and thrive.

The Founders of Third Space Brewing, a thriving small business in their hometown, are Milwaukee natives with a passion for creating great beer. They first met at their third space–Camp Minikani, a summer camp located along the shores of Lake Amy Belle in Hubertus, Wisconsin.  Andy Gehl, Co-founder and Director of Sales and Marketing, is a recovering attorney with a passion for craft beer. Andy does a great job heading up sales, marketing and community outreach for the brewery. Kevin Wright, Co-founder and Brewmaster, holds a certificate in brewing from the world-renowned University of California-Davis Master Brewing Program.  Kevin Wright is certainly qualified as he graduated at the top of his class in 2009 before going on to win the JS Ford Award.  An award bestowed each year to the person who scores the highest on the Diploma in Brewing exam, given by London's Institute of Brewing and Distilling. After graduation, Kevin spent seven years brewing award-winning beer at Hangar 24, a popular Redlands, CA brewery. Eventually moving home to partner with his Camp Minikani buddy to open Third Space Brewing. Located in an old industrial area of Milwaukee the brewery is close to the American Family Stadium, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, and also a location where their beer is sold. During the summer you will often see social media posts of their beer cans in the hands of fans attending games. Beer school came about when Kara Olds, Event Coordinator for Third Space, was talking with a coworker about the lack of accessible education on alcohol/beer in the Milwaukee area. That, combined with Kevin's wealth of beer knowledge and his love of teaching, made sense to start the Beer School for anyone wanting to learn more about beer.  Kara told us that “For us, it's a great opportunity to engage with our customers and showcase interesting beer from around the state.”

In 2020 the USA Today rated Milwaukee as the 2nd best beer scene in the US second to St Louis, MO. One of the breweries that helped Milwaukee make this list is The Explorium Brewpub. Mike Doble, like the beers he brews, is deep and complex on the inside and wrapped in a playful and unpretentious exterior.  If you live in the Milwaukee area you are familiar with Mike as his name and his brewery are in the news quite often. As a self-proclaimed Type A personality, he has trouble sitting still. He is very active both personally and professionally on social media and makes no apologies for anything that he says or posts. During the Covid shutdown most people made the transition from office to work from home. The service industry took a huge hit with regulations and reductions to their usable space. As most brewery owners were trying to figure it all out, Mike was planning a second location. Listen in as Mike Talks about opening his second location.

You might notice this episode's guest Christian Layke as he and his business partner Brett were the guests on our last podcast that posted on June 14, 2018. A lot has happened in the world since that last episode, and we have invited Christian back to talk about the past 4 years and to talk about their future. Listen in as Christian shares some exciting new news for the brewery with us.

Having spent the past 20 years managing a foodservice that oversees large events at sports and entertainment venues across the country, Andrew learned that it's about more than just a baseball game or concert. It's about creating an overall exceptional customer experience. Andrew has taken this belief and combined it with his passion for craft beer to help breweries monitor their tasting rooms, increase their in-house revenues, and learn to differentiate as the craft beer industry soars past 9,000 breweries. In addition, Andrew has successfully built a community of 14,000+ Craft Beer Professionals dedicated to the growth and betterment of craft beer across the United States.

Living in Milwaukee has led us to discovering some great beers and even better breweries. We wanted to find a way to share all of the places we have found with our family and friends, which led us to our Instagram page @TheKlevensBrewTour. This page has introduced us to incredible people in the craft beer community and we look forward to connecting with more interesting people through the Market the Brew podcast.

This is our first Market the Brew profile of a Brewery In Planning. Our two guests, Christian Layke and Brett Robinson, are the cofounders of a brewery that will be opening in the DC area in the next 6 months. We’ll be diving into their marketing strategy to build up excitement and visibility around their opening. What’s unique about their approach is that they are making a series of collaborative beers with other local breweries to gain some pre-opening traction in what they are calling the Convergent Worlds Collaboration Series. CHRISTIAN LAYKE Co-founder and Head Brewer Beer has been a part of Christian’s fondest memories—travel to far-flung locations with family and friends, toasting his engagement at Ankor Wat, chatting around many a campfire, and so many more. Drinking beer in Europe, Africa, Asia and, of course, America, got him hooked on enjoying quaffable beer served from beautiful glassware in cozy settings. So much so he was compelled to leave his job at an environmental non-profit 10 years ago to become a commercial brewer. Christian is excited to now be realizing his dream of creating a spot like that in his home community. BRETT ROBISON Co-founder and General Manager It was a revelation when Brett realized beer wasn’t just a flavorless yellow beverage. He told his friends he’d open his own brewery someday. Ten years later the dream is about the become a reality. Brett has toured Europe drinking beer, quit his job in finance and did a brief stint as an assistant brewer. He followed that with managing multiple restaurants and most recently was General Manager of Republic in Takoma Park.

This episode is a two-parter and it’s about podcasting as a medium to promote your brew. Have you noticed that podcasting, like craft beer, has blown up in the past few years? When it comes to beer podcasts, I find that they fall into one of three categories: beer tasting and beer drinking podcasts; beer making and brewing podcasts; and podcasts that cover the business side of craft beer. This episode explores the idea of appearing on podcasts as a way to tell your brewery’s story and promote your brand. Our guests are Matthew Muncy, founder of the Hopped Up Podcast Network and host of the Barrel Chat podcast PLUS Jessica Rhodes, founder and CEO of Interview Connections and the host of Rock the Podcast.

This episode is about driving traffic – butts in barstools. Specifically, the use of events in creating a compelling reason to come and visit. We are getting the perspective on this from two different breweries. Amanda Zivkovic is the Associate Brand Manager at Heavy Seas in Baltimore, MD. She assists in consumer promotion, tap room events and charity initiatives among other things. Our other guest is Amanda Martin with Walking Tree Brewery in Vero Beach, FL. Amanda is the Event Coordinator & Tasting Room Manager and one of the original team members of the Walking Tree Crew. She has been an integral part of developing the brewery as a highly sought-after event venue.

Ray Goodrich has bounced around from dream job to dream job—starting his post college life as a marine mammal trainer at Sea World. Then he decided to pick up a few Emmys by producing SCC football for Fox Sports. And now? Well now he talks beer for a living. He is the Director of Marketing at Foothill Brewing in Winston Salem, North Carolina and on the show to talk about Foothill Brewing’s unique community-focused promotions.

This is a special compilation episode. We pull the origin stories and behind the brand stories from previous Market The Brew episodes. Here we review 6 special breweries: D.L Geary Brewing Co.; Jester King Brewery; Lakefront Brewery; Our Mutual Friend Brewing Co.; Station 26 Brewing Co.; and MobCraft Beer.

Sarah and John McGarry are a husband and wife duo and are part of a five-person ownership/leadership team that runs Brink Brewing Company in College Hill, Cincinnati. Even though Sarah and John are located in Denver, the pair both have integral roles in the brewery’s operation. With her background in architecture and design, Sarah helped design and build out the brewery before evolving her duties into social media and promoting the brewery. John is a long-time craft enthusiast and a certified Cicerone who works in the financial tech industry by day. At Brink, John contributes to menu planning, beer style planning, and merchandise design.

Like most brewers nowadays, Kyle Vetter got his foot in home brewing. He has been the oak manager at Aspen Brewing, where his fondness for barrel aged beer started to grow. A Milwaukee native, Kyle wanted to bring what he learned in Colorado home. He is the founder of 1840 Brewing – an urban farmhouse brewery focused on barrel aging and blending. He lives by the saying, “Drink slow beer!”

Ryan Wheaton has been a professional graphic designer for the last 15 years. He noticed that his design style catered itself nicely to the craft beer industry and started doing freelance design in the market around 5 years ago. He has been hosting the Branding Brews podcast where he interviews experts in the beer branding space. He is currently the Creative Director at an advertising agency. The conversation in this episode we’ll be discussing what is involved when engaging with a design resource for branding your beer.

This is Market the Brew’s covert, cloak and dagger, Mystery Shopper episode. Our gest is “Sandi” – which isn’t our guest’s real name. Since the episode deals with the private topic of sending in mystery shoppers to a brewery, our guest has their voice masked to remain anonymous. Sandi is the taproom manager at a brewery that can accommodate around 400 people and is projected to produce between 16-18,000 barrels this year.  

Jeremiah Zimmer is an experienced home brewer with over ten years of work history in branding marketing and sales. A few years ago, he partnered up with Jude La Rose and Jason Maxwell to launch Hop Butcher for the World in Chicago. Jeremiah was key in getting Hop Butcher for the World’s Good Ryes Wear Black IPA into the White Sox’s U.S. Cellular Field. The beer is inspired by their beloved south siders and is available in single 16oz cans at the Midwest Craft Beer Kiosk.

Joe Hudson is the general manager of the Inland Empire 66ers and a native of San Bernardino. He started working at the organization in 2001 in food and beverage. After attending the University of Utah, he was promoted to Assistant General Manager in 2010, and then in 2012 assumed the day to day operations of the club. His focus as General Manager is to provide the absolute best experience for guests in the beautiful setting of the San Manuel Stadium. Part of that experience, and the focus of this episode, will be with the partnership between the stadium and Hangar 24 brewing.

Andy Gehl, spent a few years bouncing around trying to find a passion to drive his life before the beginnings of Third Space Brewing came to be. Andy met Kevin Wright, Third Space’s Head Brewer and Co-founder, twenty years prior when they were camp counselors at a summer camp. Kevin went to brewing school at UC Davis and ended up at Hangar 24. Meanwhile Andy went to law school and became an attorney. After running into each other at a wedding and having a conversation about opening a brewery, the two went on to found Third Space Brewing in the old industrial corridor of Milwaukee.

Daylen Dalrymple is the Marketing and Digital Communications Manager at Stone Brewing based in San Diego where she oversees social media strategy and content, helps foster influencer and brand partnerships, and steers her team toward tools to help Stone execute their goals including being the standard bearer of independent craft beer. She was born and raised in Washington DC, ordered her first Arrogant Bastard Ale in an east village bar in 1999, and has been dedicated to spreading the gospel of craft beer ever since.   Francesca Jasinski was born and raised in Grand Rapids and she has no shortage of affection for her West Michigan homeland. She graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2006 with a BA in Philosophy and began working in mental health with the intent to eventually pursue a Master’s degree in Social Work. Instead, after developing a strong appreciation for craft beer, she started working for Founders Brewing Co. in 2007 and never looked back. She worked as a server and a taproom manager before landing in her current role as PR & Communications Assistant.

In this episode we are trying a different format than the usual Market The Brew Podcast. I’ve been wanting to do a Round Up Episode because I like to hear different perspectives on a topic. A Round Up is where you have different people give their answer to the same questions. I asked several friends of the show to participate by picking 2 of the 3 questions I provided and record their answers. The questions I provided and this Round Up focus on Social Media. Joining me for this is Shawndra Russell in Asheville, NC; Maggie Skinner in Milwaukee, WI; and Hannah Barnett from Boise, Idaho. I’m also going to take a stab at this myself.

We have with us, Justin Baccary, the Founder + President. Like most entrepreneurs, Justin has served in every role at the brewery at some point, including bartender, salesman, delivery driver, assistant brewer, and of course, janitor. Currently, he is focused on the areas of operations, human resources, accounting, and managing a growing wholesale business of kegs and cans. . Along with Justin we are joined by Hamlet Fort, the Marketing and Events Manager for Station 26. Hamlet most recently was with a PR firm in Nashville. His experience includes digital marketing, advertising, PR, media, photography and writing, all of which he does for Station 26. A native of the mountains of western North Carolina, Hamlet chased great beer and higher mountains out to Colorado. 

Aaron O' Callaghan is a Sacramento native. This dude is into travel, beer, curiosity, and conversation! He has a background in environmental biology, freshwater systems, and mapping, which you’ll find out has come in handy in his current endeavor.He is the creator of the Sacramento Beer Frontier.

Matt Henderson hails from Verona, Virginia and is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College with a B.S. in Biology. After college, Matt worked for Scott Fly Rods in Colorado for a few years. He ended up back in Virginia in 2012 working the bottling line at Blue Mountain Barrel House, where he worked his way to his current role as Assistant Director of Brewery Operations. He also took on an additional role as the project lead for Blue Mountain Brewery’s rebrand.

Harvey Shepard fell in love with beer packaging as a kid after gazing upon a Coors Light bottle shaped as a baseball bat. During his college years, Harvey needed a portfolio to showcase his graphic design work. Many portfolios at the time piggybacked on blogs, so he launched Oh Beautiful Beer – a blog showcasing innovative and well-designed craft beer labels and packaging. Since its launch, Oh Beautiful Beer has become a central hub for highlighting the best graphics and design the craft beer industry has to offer.   I’ve been following the Oh Beautiful Beer blog for long time. Finally, at the CBC in 2017, I met Harvey Shepard, the creator of this wonderful blog.

Our guest today is a Certified Cicerone®. He’s a cookbook author. He’s been marketing a small lifestyle company for over 10 years, has worked in media, and is an avid home brewer. This experience lead him to Cicerone in 2015 for a newly created marketing role.

This episode's guest, Henry Schwartz, began his entrepreneurial career at age 13 by following his passion for skateboarding. This lead to him owning and operating, while a teenage, Board to Death Skate Shop. He had the skate shop until he went to the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater to Study Entrepreneurship and Spanish. Upon graduation, he started MobCraft Beer, a crowdsourced brewery that turns people's ideas into beer. In 2015 he won a Silver Medal at the GABF; in 2016 he pitched his idea on Shark Tank, and in 2017 he was named the SBA Young entrepreneur of the year.