The Brit and Yankee Craft Beer Podcast

This week head up to Mundelein IL to visit with Tony Bena, co-founder and head brewer at Tonality Brewing Company. One of the newest breweries in the Chicagoland area, they opened last November with a solid, classic taplist and a full restaurant menu. Tony chats with The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen (Fox Republic Brewing) while they sample some of his brews, including what could be called his 'early days' flagship beer, a rather delicious Kölsch. We hope we have set the 'tone' for your next brewery visit! Cheers!!

We've reached our 400th show and we've put together a retrospective of some of our milestones along the way. It's thanks to all our listeners who keep us recording each episode, and thanks to all the brewers who have given their time to talk to us. Plus thanks to all my co-hosts along the way, especially the 'original' Yankee, Lingo! We've drunk a bunch of brews on our journey, and the last 17 years have been a blast, so we'll keep podcasting as long as we can. Here's our story so far...CHEERS! Join us next week when we visit another of Illinois great craft breweries.

Since 2021, Lisle has been home to Bubblehouse Brewing, and when we asked the craft beer community in the Chicago area where we should visit for our next interview, the Bubblehouse 'popped' up as a favorite. The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen (Fox Republic Brewing brewmaster) headed over there and sat down with Jon Miller, Head Brewer and co-Founder, to discover more about this very popular brewery and taproom! CHEERS!

In this episode we venture back up to Lake County and the village of Lake Villa, where we visit with Harbor Brewing Company Founder Kyle Wenzel, and Head Brewer Adam Brose. HBC has been around for over 5 years and has built a large following in their taproom, plus the biergarten located at Winthrop Harbor where you can find awesome beer and views of Lake Michigan. With over 24 taps, these guys seem to be doing it right, and we recommend a visit to one or both of the locations! CHEERS!

This year, The Brit has asked a panel of brewers and chums to help him taste, chat about, and arbitrarily pass judgement on a range of barley wines. We have gathered them from across the USA, plus we have a couple that come from the UK, home of the barley wine style. Joining The Brit are, from Art History Brewing Tom Rau, Ed and Mike Seaman from Broken Brix, Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, and ex-tavern landlord John Karwoski. Thanks to Tom, we are recording this at Geneva Lager Works, home to the production arm of Art History Brewing. We also have a short video to accompany a couple of the tastings which can be found on our YouTube channel. Plus Cindy Rau stops by later, just to make sure Tom is not getting too rowdy! CHEERS!

It was during Covid in December of 2020 when we first checked in via Zoom with Josh Grubbs at Black Lung Brewing. Since then he has opened his primary brewery and taproom in Round Lake Beach, and has expanded to a satellite taproom in Fox Lake beside beautiful Lake Nippersink. After our short recording hiatus, we wanted to restart our podcast episodes with a success story. We find out more on their first 3 years, how their brews have been refined, and hear lots of stories about the brewery and beer names. Guest co-host is ex-landlord John Karwoski, and BLB assistant brewer/metal band member Rob Noon is on hand as well. We recommend a visit if you haven't done so yet! CHEERS!

We are back in the pub studio for this episode, which will be the last one until the end of January, as we are taking a short hiatus. We do have an all-star cast in the house with co-host Ken McMullen from Fox Republic Brewing, co-host Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, plus the head brewer from Church Street, Sean Gregor. And in this is a bumper edition we have a 6-pack of seasonal brews to taste, plus all the pub chat on many topics. We hope you enjoy our festivities and Cheers for the Holidays!

The greater Chicagoland area hosts many of Illinois craft breweries, but there are plenty of downstate options to visit and enjoy. In this episode The Brit, and co-host Ken McMullen of Fox Republic, travel to Kankakee IL to visit  founder and brewer Matt Strysik, who together with his wife Emily, co-own Knack Brewing located alongside the Kankakee River. This is a grass roots operation but Matt is producing extremely high quality, and very drinkable beers, tapping in to the tastes of the area clientele but also testing out the waters with some adjunct variants. Definitely worth a visit downstate!! Cheers!

This episode we start the podcast with an apology! We have overlooked BBGB for over 5 years, and now we are here to sample the brews and realize we definitely missed out on some good ones! Brewmaster Bob Salzman has turned around the brewery side of this gastropub, and is producing some well-made classic styles. We talk to him about the unique features of Hardware, the restaurant, and what it is like to have a hopfarm as part of the brewing side, one benefit being that his Harvest Ale is fresh and tasty! Cheers!!

If you are a homebrewer or a professional you have likely heard of Brülosophy, a website where they take the art of homebrewing beer to a new level with recipes, methods and their exciting 'Exbeeriments', which scientifically test our palates and push the boundaries of our perceptions of beer. As one of the main contributors to the site, Steve Thanos conducts these Exbeeriments, and in this episode he visits The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen down in the pub studios to put their palates to the test. As a long-standing member of the Plainfield Ale and Lager Enthusiasts (PALE) homebrew club, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the topic, and he's fresh off winning some medals at a local beer festival. Do The Brit and Ken pass the test? Tune in and found it in this fascinating look into the grass roots of craft beer! Cheers!!

Glen Ellyn IL is only a 15 minute drive from the pub studio and yet we have yet to visit their brewpub, Two Hound Red! So we have rectified that in this episode and we sit down with brewer Steve Woertendyke, just ahead of their Oktoberfest celebration, so we can intentionally sample the Oktoberfest offerings. Very impressed with the Marzen and the Smoked Marzen, plus the full liter steins are all sure to make the day a great success. Listen in and hear how 2HR got started and how Steve is now brewing great beers while the restaurant turns out fantastic dishes to accompany those brews. Definitely worth a trip out west...you won't be disappointed...Cheers!!

Our Labor Day weekend edition is a first for the podcast team as we visit the one and only non-alcoholic craft brewery in Illinois, Go Brewing. We sit down with Joe Chura, one of the co-founders and the President of GBC, and James Bigler, their head brewer. So at this weekend's barbecues, why not offer your designated drivers and non-drinkers an alternative, and perhaps your craft beer afficienados can try them as well! Listen in as we talk about Go's meteoric rise to be a leading provider of NA brews, while we sample some of their great offerings...Cheers!

After last weeks visit to Fox Republic, the newest Chicagoland brewery, we head out to one that opened about a week before, Sundial Brewing and Blending. Located in the old Flesk Brewing space in the Icehouse Mall in Barrington, IL, co-owners Mike DeMalpartida and lan Swanson welcome The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen into the taproom to find out what they are all about. After tasting the first sample brew, and then reading through their fantastic tap list, we were sold! We find out about how they came to be, and why they decided to take a more unique approach to their beer offerings. So, if you are looking for somewhere that has a different take on craft beers, then a trip to SBB should definitely be on your calendar. They already have a couple of their beers going on the Brit's list of top beers for 2023, so listen in and find out why! Cheers!

This week my normal co-host, Ken McMullen is on the other side of the mic as he is the interviewee, and we are visiting his new brewery project, Fox Republic Brewing. Joining him is his brewer, the VERY tall, Sam Walstaff, and The Brit chats to both of them about their newly opened watering hole. We are sampling their brews, including the range of Tequila Seltzers, their collabs, and their own-brewed offerings. The guys talk about all the challenges they faced getting ready to open, and some of the ones they face now, getting food trucks to show up for example! It's a great place to visit, down in Yorkville IL, and definitely worth a trip out there! Cheers!

McHenry County in northern Illinois, is home to several great craft breweries, all of which you can check out on the McHenry Co. Craft Beverage Trail. This week we are visiting one of the two located in Woodstock IL, Kishwaukee Brewing, who recently won a silver medal for their Bufflehead Brown Ale at the 2023 World Beer Cup. Kishwaukee Brewing Co., is the pride of founders and owners, Dan and Cara Payson, and we visited with Dan and his head brewer, Mark Gres, to find out a little more about their success. Joining me for this interview was my co-host, Ken McMullen from Fox Republic Brewing, and we sample some of KBC's excellent brews while we find out more about this excellent craft brewery. Cheers!

We jump in the car and head south to Route 66 in Wilmington, IL., where located on an island between the Kankakee River and the Mill Race channel is Old School Brewing. Paul 'Pauly' Bidne is the head brewer there, and we chat with him about his brewery which can literally be described as an 'old school' tap room/brewery producing great beers and full of friendly people and lively chat! Pauly is one of the characters we love in the craft beer industry and we encourage you to take that trip down Rt 66 to visit OSB and try his beers, especially the California Common! Cheers!

Friends of the podcast and owners of Broken Brix Fermentation Emporium, Ed and Sue Seaman, took a trip to Iceland and came back with craft beer galore, which they wanted to share with the podcast team! So, in this episode we get to taste some craft styles that are brewed with glacial water, and hear a little about their adventures in Viking country, including their 3-night attendance at the Wilco concert in the capital, Reykjavík. Some of the beers surprised us with their quality, and some not so much. Co-hosts and brewers, Chuck and Ken, are on and to pass on their professional comments. Skál!

It's a special edition this episode and while out in Denver CO., The Brit took an opportunity to visit with a unique brewery known for their outstanding real ales. Hogshead 54 Brewery has 7 engines and produces a range of British ales, second to none. Robert Bell is the brewer out there, and he sat down with us to talk about how he brews, what he brews, and who is drinking these beers. It's a fascinating insight into a side of craft beer that we are VERY fond of, so take a listen and then make it a destination brewery next time you visit Denver. Cheers to real ale!

We're back with and audio podcast this week, and recording down in the Brit and Yankee Pub studio. The Brit's co-host is Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing, and together they welcome Chuck Grote of Wood Fired Pizza fame. Chuck is probably one of the most well-known food truck vendors in Chicagoland's western suburbs, but not many people know that he also has recipes for brewing excellent beers, and has a fascinating back-story. We're peeling back the onion, and finding out a little more about the man with the distinctive look and great pizzas. Cheers!

It's a long overdue visit to the Lombard taproom, and a chat with Afterthought Brewing's owner/brewer, Mike Thorpe. Mike's passion for the saison style is front and center in the award-winning ales he produces, and The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen, get to taste some of his best examples. If you can't visit Belgian, then head to Afterthought where you can try some of the most simple to most complex saisons this side of the Atlantic! It was a little 'echoey' in the taproom, but hopefully it won't detract too much from the conversation. Santé!

For our St. Patrick's Day show, we are at the newest addition to the Chicago brewing scene, 206 Brewing Company and we talk with owner/brewer/retired firefighter Bill King. When we showed up, the nano brewpub had just opened for the day, so you may get a little background noise, but hey, it's all pub ambiance! We hear from Bill about why he wanted to embark on this project and how he plans to make it THE craft beer place where First Responders and Veterans can come by for a chat and a brew! This podcast is published the day before their Grand Opening on March 18th, 2023, so you may want to head over there that weekend and check them out...tell them The Brit sent you! Cheers!

We return to the pub for this show and welcome an illustrious panel of FOBAB volunteers and brewers, who all bring past FOBAB winner beers. This show was suggested by long-time volunteer, Kevin Herbst, and he is joined by Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing, John Bittermann, and co-owner of Art History Brewing, Tom Rau, plus your host Phil 'The Brit' Clark. We find out why the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild relies heavily on volunteer help to ensure the festival is a success, plus how you can sign up and help out in the future, and of course a dollop of the usual pub chat. There are 6 brews to sample, and we find out which one is the preference of each of the panel. This is a bumper edition so it's a 'travel to work' and a 'travel home' listen. Cheers!

We have been waiting a long time to chat with this brewer, and recently David Files from Energy City Brewing entertained The Brit and co-host Chuck Fort at his Batavia taproom. We found out that ECB is not all about fruit beers and that there are many more great styles available! Listen in to find out how David and his wife Heidi have taken their brewery from a small location, open once a month, to flexible business model that has a taproom and international distro. Plus, The Brit keeps an open mind on the fruit beers, and finds out they are pretty darn good! Cheers!

This week we visit with an old chum of the podcast, Erik Pizer, who has opened Flipside Brewing in Tinley Park. This brewpub is fast becoming the local to hang out at, and we talk about his beers, his great food, and why he decided to go with this business model. The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen are treated to some very good and balanced brews, plus some of the best fried cheese curds around. Comfort food, good beer, and a good time...what more do you need! Cheers!

A couple of weeks after celebrating their 7th Anniversary, brewers/owners Dan Camp and Jason Janes talk with the podcast team in a retrospective episode. We have been tracking them since their opening, which incidentally saw some 1100 people attend, checked in with them 1 year later in show 215, and featured them in our series of 'live' recordings featuring breweries along the I-55 corridor. Most recently, albeit March of 2020, we 'zoomed' with Dan during the pandemic. So, it just made sense that we should sit down and find out how this journey is progressing. We are pleased to say that the beers and their prospects are still great! But don't take our word for it. Listen to this podcast where Dan and Jason provide some stories from their history, including how their 'original' pickle sour, Rick, came into being. Plus an insight into the future, all to the background of construction noises. Construction for what? Tune in to find out! Cheers!

Join the podcast team as they chat with co-owner and brewer, Frank Mercadante along with his wife Diane, and General Manager Oliver Bulley, recorded at the newest brewery to open in Batavia IL. We find out how the name of the Italian Pilsner came about, the history of the building, and plans for the future. Plus we sample a few of their brews and discover why this taproom and brewery has become an important meeting place in the Batavia community. Cheers!

This year we are focusing on a vertical of a classic beer as The Brit was able to source 4 variants of the classic J. W. Lee's Harvest Ale. To share the tasting he invited his co-hosts and some guest brewers to sample them, at the Pub and in their breweries. On hand to help The Brit are co-host Ken McMullen, head brewer at Hopvine Brewing, Steve Newman and Sam Altaner from Brother Chimp Brewing, and co-host Chuck Fort, and head brewer Sean Gregor from Church Street Brewing. Oh, and a cameo from Mike Seaman of Broken Brix! What are the panel's opinions on the brews? Do the beer they stand up to the 'historical' hype? Are they 'treat' beers that are worth seeking out? Tune in and find out! This is the audio version of our YouTube channel video, so if you want the 'full Monty', head over to here to view it - https://youtu.be/6QreGGD2CrM - Cheers!

It's the time of year that breweries release beers that contain cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and other adjuncts. The Brit visited a local chain liquor store and randomly selected 7 beers for the panel to taste and chat about. And that panel comprised the two co-hosts of the podcast, Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing, and back because he hasn't been to the pub for a while, beer-nerd and chum, Tom Ryan. We of course divert from chat about the beers and cover many topics including the World Cup, and the origins of demerara sugar. Which of these brews came out the favorite? Or perhaps it was more than one! Tune in and find out! Cheers!

The Brit is on vacation visiting family in the UK, so what better opportunity than to visit a few pubs and a brewery! The southern county of Sussex is home to Harvey's Brewing, originating in 1745, but it also boasts plenty of new craft breweries including the one we visited, Firebird Brewing, located in an old brickworks factory in Rudgwick, Sussex. Founded by brewers Bill King and Richard Peters, The Brit sat down with Richard in their taproom and chatted about their brewery and US/UK brewing differences. It's a working brewery and it was cleaning day so excuse the background noises. Tune in to this episode to get a great insight into modern British brewing! Cheers!

In this bumper episode of Behind The Pint we are exploring why lagers have experienced a new surge in popularity, even though they have been the backbone of the beer industry for hundreds of years. The Brit and his Yankee co-host, Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, took a roadtrip downstate to Urbana IL, and met up at Riggs Beer with the two brewing Riggs brothers, Matt and Darin. Both Church and Riggs have been making lagers for many years, and doing so very successfully. We dive into lager styles, what the secret to making a great lager is, and Matt talks to his experiences brewing in Germany. Of course the conversation takes a few diversions along the way and we sample the Riggs lagers, including their new 6-Row Pils. Cheers!

Every year in the January/February time period, the pub staff and a lineup of guests sample a selection of that outlier style, the barleywine. For 2022, we had set a couple of dates but had to postpone them due to some life stuff happening. Then it got to be summer when a young beer drinker's fancy turns to lighter styles. Well, not us! Gathering in the air conditioned climate of our favorite winery and meadery, Broken Brix in St. Charles IL, The Brit and his co-hosts faced the challenge of six high-ABV barleywines, most of which were barrel-aged, and brewed in several states, including our home state of Illinois. Listen in and find out which brew the panel preferred...Cheers!

This week we are excited to be talking to Reeve Joseph who is bringing mixed culture and sour ales to Chicago with his project called Odious Cellars. He is currently brewing out of Duneyrr Fermenta Brewery in Chicago's Motor Row, while working on their taproom in west Logan Square. That said, you can obtain their brews at various outlets across the area, and we highly encourage you to do so! This episode was recorded via Zoom, but joining The Brit in the pub studio are the pubcast's co-hosts, Chuck Fort from Church Street Brewing, and Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing. We have a couple of shout-outs for this edition; first to Marge Wright who first opined on the marvels of OC styles, and secondly to Beer On The Wall in Park Ridge for opening their doors on a 'closed' day to allow me to purchase some additional cans. We covered the obligatory topics of Reeve's start in brewing, but wanted to focus on the 5 beers we had to drink. Each had a unique profile, plus the can art is magnificent - it's worth buying just for that! So, listen in and hear what Reeve and the lads have to say about his beers! Cheers!!

We all know that the cost of goods and labor is going up, but how does this affect the cost of your pint of craft beer? We gathered 3 brewers to discuss this and help you, the craft consumer, understand why the price of your pint and 4-pack might be a little higher this year. The Brit and his co-host Ken McMullen from Hopvine Brewing (Aurora IL), are joined in the pub studio by Art History Brewing (Geneva IL) co-owner, Tom Rau. And over Zoom, we welcome Josh Grubbs, owner/brewer of Black Lung Brewing (Round Lake IL). It is an interesting insight into the many factors that every brewery needs to consider when pricing their tap room and distributed product...some of which you may not realize. Cheers!

This edition is our Craft Beer Week offering and we 'zoom' in with Will County's Jamie Albert who , tells us about what's happening at the brewery including expansion plans! Also, Jamie plugs a very important fest coming up this weekend at the Joliet Hollywood Casino, The House That Beer Built, which benefits the Will County chapter of Habitat for Humanity...yup, they're actually framing walls for the house at the event, so maybe you'll catch Jamie swinging a hammer! Cheers!!

Church Street Brewing is celebrating their 10 year anniversary! We have always had a great relationship with these fine folks, and we have enjoyed their brews for many years and followed their changes and expansion with interest. There was a social media post asking for memories of the brewery, so we thought we would replay our first visit to them back in July of 2013, when The Brit sat down with the owners Lisa and Joe (who was also then the head brewer) Gregor. Their classic approach and styles have long server the palates of their faithful customers, and today we see this family business stronger than ever with Sean Gregor taking the reins of head brewer. Take a listen down memory lane and hear how it all started. Cheers!

Today we examine the craft style phenomenon which seems to be highly divisive, Hazy or New England IPAs. You either love 'em or hate 'em! We assembled a panel of  local expert brewers from the Chicagoland area who join Phil 'The Brit' Clark to examine this relatively new style. They include my co-host Chuck Fort, Sr. Brewing Consultant at Church Street Brewing, head brewer Eric Bramwell from Riverlands Brewing, and Steve Kamp from Evil Horse Brewing. We dive into what the style is, the differences between NEIPA and West Coast IPAs, what hops are used, how the boil process goes, and we even talk about hop and pint pricing and how the costs are rising these days, and also if you should add lactose or not. All this and more as The Brit gets educated in an effort to get a better appreciation for the style....Cheers!

We begin a new series of podcasts where we try to delve a little deeper into the business of craft beer. We want to go Behind the Pint. To kick us off, we're asking if Craft Beer is really just beer, or if it's a marketing ploy that has exploded into an industry. We have three local Chicago industry experts, 2 brewers and one craft beer guru, on hand to pass opinions and talk about the topic in general.  First up is my co-host for this episode. brewmaster at Hopvine Brewing in Aurora IL, Ken McMullen. Supporting the brewing side is owner/brewer Chris Valleau from Forest Park's Exit Strategy Brewing. And finally, beer consultant, educator and writer, and international beer judge, Marty Nachel who helps provide the bridge between the brewers and the consumer. Phil Clark asks the questions, and of course we all have something good to drink while we chat...Cheers!

In this edition, my co-host Chuck Fort and The Brit welcome a 2021 GABF Gold Medal winner and someone who is intensely passionate about his craft. Matt Manthe is the brewer behind Odd Breed Ales, a small brewery in Pompano Beach FL, who is making quite a mark in the arena of wild and farmhouse ales using a unique mixed culture of wild yeast and bacteria, and aged them in oak barrels. Also joining us is return guest and chum of the podcast, Kevin Abbott, who is Director of Operations for Barrel of Monks Brewing in Boca Raton FL. BoM is the partner brewery to Odd Breed and he tells us how the relationship came into being and the many benefits it brings both parties. This is an in-depth podcast which should appeal to home and professional brewers as well as the craft beer drinker who wants to understand more about this side of the industry. If you liked this edition, we are hoping to get Matt back on for more insight, so please send us your comments, emails and questions, and we'll work on a better mic and connection for Matt!! Cheers!

We finally made it up to Lake Zurich and to a brewery that we have long wanted to check out and sample their brews, and with a 4th Anniversary looming at the end of September this was the right time! Roaring Table Brewing has been slowly but surely producing some of the finest brews in the area, and even national craft industry magazines are starting to be aware of how good they are. Co-host Ken McMullen and The Brit sat down with Lane Fearing, half of the dynamic duo who run the business, Beth May being the other. Due to a storm running through the area and knocking out the home power, Beth couldn't be with us, so it fell to Lane to face the questions from the podcast team. We sampled their beers and they are knockouts! Check out our YouTube channel for a video teaser...Cheers!

Not much to say about this episode except that we miss our dear friend and prior co-host, Mark Naski. This podcast recorded in 2012 was our first with Mark, and he taught us beer school, from John's Tavern (now also no more) in Winfield. He joined the show as our technical expert and we never looked back. He will be sorely missed, but we will celebrate his life and achievements. Kippis, Mark!

A second 'vacation' recording, and this time we are at the Sedona Beer Company, gazing at the beautiful red rocks and getting a good dose of vortex energy. Heading up this operation, together with her husband Mack, is Sedona native Kali Gajewski. The Brit sat down in the beautiful patio beer garden and chatted with Kali, while sampling a couple of their excellent brews. This is a location that should not be missed if you visiting northern Arizona! Cheers!

It's a vacation edition of the podcast this week, and we are in Arizona. Nestled just south of Sedona AZ, is a small town of 15,000 called Camp Verde, centered around the Verde River valley. Alex Goetting is a 32 year old who has founded a local watering hole in a small industrial area, where Verde Brewing Company provides some great craft beers to the local community and tourist population. We visited, we loved it, and here is a podcast lauding the praises of the talent of Alex. Friendly, great food, great ambience...great beers! Cheers!

It is our early Father's Day edition in which we feature a beer that will be released on that day. We return to Big Thorn Farm and Brewery to once again experience the fantastic ambience, and enjoy tasting their magnificent brews. The Brit called on co-hosts Ken McMullen and Chuck Fort to join him outdoors on the Pub deck, and select a couple of bottles that were brought back from this unique brewery. Located in Georgetown, IL., they use natural ingredients and grass-roots brewing methods to produce extraordinary brews with many different flavors. It's about 3 hours to head down there, but once you see the Tree Bar, you will know the trip was worth it...plus they now have fantastic food offerings, so make a day of it! BTW...the bourbon-stout that is being released on June 20, is like no other you have tasted...delicate and balanced and leaves you wanting more. Cheers!

Our Memorial Day weekend edition, and we are happy to say it is 'in memoriam' of pandemic year 2020, and how it affected one (and probably many) of the breweries in the Chicago area. We visit with brewmaster Chris Valleau, who together with his wife Katherine, is co-owner of Exit Strategy Brewing located in Forest Park, IL. The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen of Hopvine Brewing, sat down with Chris to look back at how the pandemic year affected them on a personal level, how it changed their business model so they survived to be open today, and how the future looks for them and the craft brewing industry. As usual, we sample some of the brews on tap at ESBC, and we recommend a visit as their patio is large and the beers are great. We finally put 2020 into the history books, and we move on stronger than ever! Cheers!!

It's an early look at a new venture for Pollyanna Brewing, as we depart from craft beer to visit with podcast chum Ed Malnar and find out all about distilling spirits. The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen discover what all that shiny new equipment is being used to produce, ahead of the official launch date of May 20, which Ed is calling 'Spirits Day'! We did get to sample the American Gin, which is infused with botanicals and we find out how that is done also. Bottoms up!

Our final part of the 4th Annual Barleywine classic, and we head to Riverlands Brewing Company for an experiment in keeping beer, which with all due apologies to Riggs Beer Company did not stand the test of time. Luckily, the beer was so good we want it fresh now! Then it's off to Church Street Brewing, and we have the full co-host team back together for a couple of tastings, one from Karetas Brewing Co., and a wrap up where we feature a barleywine from Clairvoyant Brewing Company. This year was challenging, but we had a blast with all our awesome brewing chums! Cheers!

We head to two more breweries for part 2 of our 4th Annual Barleywine Classic, to get the brewers to taste and comment on the brews we have selected. This time it's Alex Drayer from D and G Brewing who gets to try a barrel-aged offering from The Forge Brewhouse, who he did a collaboration with last year. Then it's back to Milk Money Brewing, where we present a 'mystery' barleywine to Erik Pizer, and only reveal it is from Black and Gray Brewing after he has tasted it. Did he like it? Tune in and find out!

The Brit loves a good Barleywine, and since 2017, we've held an annual get-together to taste and chat about this classic style. Over each year, Barleywines are collected from any brewery that has one, with no particular connection other than we try to focus on Illinois. Our the last celebration was held back in January 2020 at Riverlands Brewing, and little did we know then that it might be a while before we held the next one, or for that matter got together as a group to chat and sample. This year, The Brit had to come up with another approach so that social distancing protocols could be still observed. So instead of gathering together, Ken McMullen and The Brit headed out to 7 breweries and tasted one or two barleywines at each location. Luckily, as we recorded throughout March, restrictions were being lifted, people were getting vaxxed, and we were able to keep our mask wearing to a minimum. In Part 1 we head to Hopvine Brewing for our introduction, then to Werk Force and Oswego Brewing for 2 beers at each. It's a great start, and stay tuned for the next part! Cheers!

At last we could get out to record a show in-person with the lifting of some restrictions, here in Illinois. We still followed distancing guidelines and this edition has The Brit and co-host Ken McMullen (@Hopvine Brewing Company) in the same room, but also apart from our guest, Head Brewer, Erik Pizer. We finally got our chance to visit newly opened Milk Money Brewing, and we found that they are doing GREAT things with food and beer at this LaGrange brewpub. Of course, we sampled some of their offerings while we chatted to Erik on many topics...you know how it goes when you have beer with someone! Almost back to normal...finally!

In this show, we are welcoming back to the pub our pinch-hitter co-host, Chuck Fort, who is head brewer for Church Street Brewing in Itasca, IL. Illinois has opened up for restricted capacity so we take advantage of this and get Chuck into the pub to help taste and chat with an old friend of the pubcast. Back in October 2019 we first talked with Kevin Abbott, VP of Operations for Boca Raton's Belgium-styles brewery Barrel of Monks. Now he's back and we get a BoM update, and find out about four brews that he sent us in a Covid-care-package, one of which is a fantastic wild ale from their sister brewery, Odd Breed Wild Ales. Again we have a video or audio version of this show, so select which you prefer, and then head down to the Barrel for your next Florida vacation. Cheers!

Our final episode in this series takes us 10 miles west of Boise to Nampa ID, and a brewery that has helped revitalize the downtown area, and restored one of the oldest buildings to be a great community meeting place. 2C Family Brewing holds a special place in the heart of our roving correspondent, Mark Naski, as they have collaborated with our own Church Street Brewing to produce Idaho versions of Karma Kolsch and Heavenly Helles. Dan Shamy is the brewer who Mark has teamed up with, and together with founder Alvin Mullins, we chat to them about the styles they are producing on their 10-barrel decoction system, the drinking palates out there in Idaho, and how they see the direction and growth of their market. The Brit is joined for this final edition in the Boise Zoom series by co-host Ken McMullen, and this one is actually recorded from the Ken's brewhouse at Hopvine Brewing. Cheers!