Podcasts about beerology

Mirella Amato started out with her Italian temperament as a furious opera singer, but then discovered the fascinating world of beer for herself. First she combined live music with beers, then followed beer events, beer education and beer judging with her own brand Beerology. In 2014, she published her first book, also under the name Beerology, which is also available in German. In 2021, she broke new ground with an online course on food pairing. In BierTalk, we talk about this fascinating development and learn about the innovative course concept...

Every year the Brewers Association puts together the Craft Brewers Conference, or CBC, as a means for industry professionals to continue their education, network with peers and improve quality and performance. I attended this year's CBC as a member of the media, and because there are plenty of beer pros that didn't make it, I wanted to share a few of the many exhibitors that I think you ought to know about. Some of these companies I'm already familiar with and I personally know they're doing great things. But, some I recently discovered and thought were cool enough to share with you. Either way, I hope you enjoy this highlight of CBC 2022. Oh, and by the way, I have not been compensated by any company to produce this series. I simply want to help good things get out into the world. Why? Because Good Beer Matters, of course. Thank you for listening. Cheers Check out Beerology and the Mastering Beer & Food Course here. The Good Beer Matters Podcast comes to you with support from BreweryDB.com, your digital destination for brewery experiences! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jeremy-storton/message

It's great fun to have Mirella Amato on the show this week. I've had the good pleasure of knowing her for years and have enjoyed her writings and keen insight into the proper way to pair beer and food.  Amato is a Master Cicerone, as well as a Doemens Bier Sommelier. She the also the author of Beerology: Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Beer…Even More, which is available where books are sold.  Recently the sensory and craft beer consultant launched a new online course through her website, Beerology. It's called Mastering Beer and Food Pairing, and on this episode we talk about the course along with opera, current trends and tastes, and finding the right beer to match a mood. This Episode is sponsored by:World Beer AwardsI'm honored to serve as a co-chair of judges for the U.S. portion this year and we're bringing experienced, fair-minded, and engaged judges to Washington D.C. later on this summer to blind taste beers and to hand out medals. The World Beer Awards ensures that each beer is judged both rigorously and fairly to give it its best chance in the competition. If you're a professional brewer, Learn more about the competition and categories and sign up to enter at WorldBeerAwards.com.  Early bird discount rates are available through April 1, 2022. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer or to check out Beer Edge: The Newsletter for Beer Professionals, follow us on Twitter @thebeeredge and subscribe to our beer industry focused newsletter. There is more information, articles, and engaging content at Beer Edge. Host: John Holl Guest: Mirella Amato Sponsors: World Beer Awards and The Beer Edge Tags: Beer, Food, IPA, Hazy IPA, Kettle Sours, Pairings, Opera  

This week, Beer Sessions Radio will introduce you to the world of lagers and beer-food pairings. Jimmy and our guests Mirella Amato, Todd DiMatteo, along with Luc “Bim” LaFontaine will have a lively discussion about pairing techniques and considerations, as well as the light beer scene around the world. The episode breaks off with Todd from Good Word Brewing and Public House promoting his upcoming Little Beer Fest on April 9 with 65 breweries gathering in Duluth, Georgia. Godspeed Brewery's Luc then talks about his time in Japan and Czech exploring the world of craft small beers, before explaining his process when it comes to pairing beers and food at his retail shop house. All these conversations happen as Mirella from Beerology took us through a demo of her new course Mastering Beer & Food Pairing, brought to you by Beerology® by using Todd and Luc's examples to demonstrate her technique-focused curriculum!Photo Courtesy of Andrew Budziak.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.

Beerology is a word that simply means the study of all things beer. It's also a book written by my next guest who has made it her life's work to educate and improve the beer industry. Together we explore beer knowledge and advanced beer pairing techniques. All in the name of experiencing better beer. The Good Beer Matters Podcast comes to you with support from BreweryDB.com, your digital destination for brewery experiences! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/jeremy-storton/message

Episode 013 :: Beer Me: Dudeology Meets Beerology and the Universe Stops!On this episode the Dudeologist are "quite hoppy" to be able taste delicious craft beers with our good friend and Beerologist, Tim Brack, owner of Really Good Beer Stop. Free from hipsters, beer snobs and pretentiousness, this episode is more than just tipsy chit-chat...you might actually learn a thing or two about Hops, Lagers, IPAs and more. We also dive deeper into what it takes to starting a craft beer store and tasting room and dudes taking risks to pursue their passion. Crack open a cold one and give this episode a listen! You might even get a chemistry lesson on yeast digestion! Notable Craft Beers mentioned on the show: Coppertail Brewing Co. - Florida Special Lager - https://coppertailbrewing.com/floridaspecialIlluminated Brew Works - TRUST - https://www.ibw-chicago.com/Captain Lawrence - Powder Dreams Hazy IPA - https://www.captainlawrencebrewing.com/powder-dreams/Urban Artifact - Epicurean Spicy Pickle Sour - https://www.artifactbeer.com/This show was sponsored by Really Good Beer Stop, North Florida’s ultimate craft beer store and tasting room — bringing the highest quality craft brews to all you hop heads and casual beer drinkers alike. They offer many grab-n-go bottles and cans as well as 20 rotating taps ranging from local brews to regional and national craft beers. Stop in and enjoy a pint, then take your favorite beer to go in a Crowler (giant 32oz can) for you to enjoy virtually anywhere. As craft beer experts, they're always on the hunt for both popular and hard-to-find beers so check the beer list daily then drop by and see if we can help you discover your new favorite brew.Check them out at http://www.reallygoodbeerstop.com/Check us out on iTunes, Spotify, GooglePlay and YouTubeMusic

Tavern Talk Beer of the Week Beerology 101 (IPAs) Mailbag Weekly 6 Pack Keep, Trade, Cut #SportsAndSuds --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sportsandsuds/message

Beer of the Week Beerology 101 Top 10 List (Draft Winners and Losers) Mailbag Keep, Trade, Cut #SportsAndSuds --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sportsandsuds/message

“Unlike others, her beer journey started with tasting local brews and craft beer and this led her to develop a passion for craft beer which was very niche 12 years ago.” Meet Mirella Amato, Canada’s only Master Cicerone, beer judge and the author of Beerology on Cheers Chatty Podcast. Subscribe and listen to Cheers Chatty on iTunes, YouTube, Google Podcast, Spotify and Sound Cloud.

Mirella Amato, Master Cicerone - aka a beer master, joined Michelle and Matt in studio to talk about her journey, how she became one of a few very masters on earth and her philosophy on beer and the enjoyment of ale.An author, Mirella chats about her book Beerology and the creation of the book that outlines everything you need to enjoy beer…even more. Its a hands on, no pretentiousness, straight to the point guide. “I have a very low tolerance for bad beer…” - Mirella Amato. Visit the website: http://beerology.ca/the-book/Scott Madore joined Michelle and Matt to promote his new show on Sauga 960AM. “It’s Complicated” is a dating show with a heavy slice of humour. Visit the website: https://www.facebook.com/MrDatingCoach/Cameron Miller from Edrington joined the DoU crew to catch up with his buddies and tell them of his adventures. Cam talks about refining his palette and helps your hosts to have an adventure with whisky consumption. The history of whisky, the differences between maturation processes and how the various woods affect the flavour and colour of the whisky. Does the age of the whisky affect the colour of the liquid?Visit the website: https://www.edrington.com

Drinks On Us July 7, 2019: Mirella Amato, Master Cicerone - aka a beer master, joined Michelle and Matt in studio to talk about her journey, how she became one of a few very masters on earth and her philosophy on beer and the enjoyment of ale. An author, Mirella chats about her book Beerology and the creation of the book that outlines everything you need to enjoy beer…even more. Its a hands on, no pretentiousness, straight to the point guide. “I have a very low tolerance for bad beer…” - Mirella Amato. Visit the website: http://beerology.ca/the-book/ Scott Madore joined Michelle and Matt to promote his new show on Sauga 960AM. “It’s Complicated” is a dating show with a heavy slice of humour. Visit the website: https://www.facebook.com/MrDatingCoach/ Cameron Miller from Edrington joined the DoU crew to catch up with his buddies and tell them of his adventures. Cam talks about refining his palette and helps your hosts to have an adventure with whisky consumption. The history of whisky, the differences between maturation processes and how the various woods affect the flavour and colour of the whisky. Does the age of the whisky affect the colour of the liquid? Visit the website: https://www.edrington.com

Cultural appropriation with Chef Suzanne Barr, the five year anniversary of Mirella’s book Beerology, food safety in cookbooks, and a #blindbeerdate ends happily ever after. We are so excited to welcome Chef Suzanne Barr, whose brand and infamy are on a steady rise in Toronto and beyond. She joins Mirella and Joshna to dig deeper … Continue reading "Authenticity is the emperor’s new clothes"

This week, Jimmy and his guests talk about the pernicious Instagram phenomenon known as the #BossPour, where a glass is filled to the rim without any head, at the expense of taste and aromatics, and all for the sake of a good pic. In the studio weighing in are Dan Lamonaca of bar and bottle shop Beer Karma in Williamsburg, James Tai of Beer Acolyte, and Joel Suarez and Matt Negron of The Sampler and Uptown Beer Society. Mirella Amato, Master Cicerone and author of the award-winning book Beerology calls in to talk about the many obstacles to excellent beer photography and later in the show, Julia Herz from the Brewers Association breaks down best practices for pouring and keeping draft lines clean. Tune in to find out how experts are thinking about beer presentation, helping customers find a beer they will love, and what a real boss pour would look like. Beer List: Finback Brewery’s Lounge, Saison Transmitter Brewing’s B6 American Porter Beer Sessions Radio is powered by Simplecast.

Part One: Lauren tells us about her experience at Belt Line Brewery, the Tappo Igloos, Perks, Duffs & their Micro Brewery, and more. Part Two: Coming up this weekend we have Buffalo International Jewish Film Festival, Ariana Grande, Tokyo Police Club, Mariah Carey: Caution World Tour, Beerology, WWE Live, and Buffalo Whiskey Riot.

Welcome back to Drinking Alone, With Friends! We have a long yet extremely good episode for you today! Also in this episode, Tud is now a water animal, Chris unloads some of his mail house and Obert is the man of honor! Also in this episode: Mail bag!, the golden man named Tony, craft light beer?, we kinda meet a future Dr. of Beerology, new brewery discussions, we learn some latin, and some hashtags!  Hangover Book Three Handles: Modern Romance: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23453112-modern-romance Tetris 99: https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/tetris-99-switch Chris' Long Confusing Pokemon Handle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrGAWRNFTtg

Beerology & The Brewers Invitationalare two of my favorite events of the year. The local breweries seem to save their special beers and on-offs for these two events in the beginning of the new year.Beerology is a fundraiser for the Buffalo Museum of Science featuring local and regional craft beer after normal museum hours. My wife, kids, and I love the museum, we're there multiple times a month and even more in the summer, so the first time I went to Beerology it was somewhat surreal to see grown adults, in various levels of inebriation, enjoying the exhibits. It's the kind of event that bring beer-snobs, casual craft-beer lovers, and the Labatt drinkers out in equal force. The local brewers generally bring a seasonal or one-off beer, and the local homebrew clubs set up experiments to test out brewing myths or to explore ingredients in a deeper way.This year, I'm bringing interviews with the local clubs to describe their experiments.The second half of the episode is from New York Beer Project for the BNBA Brewers Invitational. This is another of my favorite events where the brewers seem to bring their best and newest creations. On this episode we have a Pączki beer, a Manhattan beer, some killer NEIPAs and some local favorites that have been on hiatus. If you've never been to this event, check out the BNBA Events page for details next year, it's worth it. We're a proud member of The Hopped Up NetworkAs always, please check out:WNYBrews.comPlease review the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher: Rate PleasePlease connect with us: Scott@WNYBrews.com Facebook.com/WNYBrews Twitter.com/WNYBrews Untappd @WNYBrews WNYBrews on Youtube (716) 391-CAST See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode Chris joins back up with Alex and Dan to try some tasty brews at Beerology at the Buffalo Museum of Science! Listen in while they interview some of the brewers. (Please forgive the sound quality as it was a very noisy event)

Britton talks coolest job ever plus beer pairing. Plus is there a lying trend. We discuss.

We're back, with a new two-part episode! Part One features the irreverently delicious Against the Grain Brewery, and for Part Two we recorded segments live from Beerology in Buffalo. The brews we tasted from ATG were The Brown Note, 35K, All Funked Up, Pile of Face, and Citra Ass Down, and they were all fantastic. The 35K even earned the distinction of being the milkiest milk stout we've ever tasted. For the Beerology recordings, after a brief intro, we speak to Tessa about 12 Gates, John from Buffalo Brewing Company, Devin of Big Ditch Brewing, Derek for Gordon Biersch, and Shawn representing Long Trail Brewing. It was a pretty lively, fun, and hectic event, so we'd like to thank everyone who took the time to record a bit with us. Cheers!

Mike Schilling delves into the joy of letting a cider go wild, stopping fermentation, double pitching yeast and funky/sour cider. This chat was recorded before a live audience at Beerology in Northampton Massachusetts on Friday November 4, 2016. Mike and his wife Jordana Starr who co-own the store invited cidermakers traveling to CiderDays to stop in pick up supplies. It is an easy on off location just a block shy of the hub and bub of downtown Northampton. Note that there is ample parking behind the storefront. In this chat we discuss: Wild yeast Double pitching yeast Fermentation temperatures Making cider in an apartment vs in a cellar Contact info for Mike Schilling Beerology - website Address: 342 Pleasant Street, #1 Northampton, Massachusetts Telephone: 413 - 829-2337 email: info@beerology.beer FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/beerologynoho/ Twitter: @BeerologyNoho  Mentions in this chat "Funky Lama", a nano brewery in Normandy France is making beer with cider from Manoir d'Apreval in Normandy - The brewers Octave Letellier and Baptiste Guyot do a double yeast adjunct. First with the yeast of the beer and then at the end of the first fermentation of the wort they add the yeast from cider as well as Apple juice. Listen to the chat with Octave Letellier's mom Agathe Letellier episode #049.  Ask for the following 3 #CiderGoingUP Campaign cider supporters - By supporting these cider makers, you in turn help Ciderville.  Big Apple Hard Cider - NYC  Kurant Cider - Pennsylvania  Oliver’s Cider and Perry - Herefordshire/UK  Go to this page to see the ciderchat.com show notes page with photos  Please Help Support Cider Chat's (Ria's) trip to the International Hall of Gala Ciders. I am sure I won't have this trip paid off for a while and every little bit counts. Please donate today. Social Media company mentioned in this chat We Are Pr - helping small business manage social media Donate to Cider Chat! Help keep the chat thriving! Find this episode and all episodes at the page for Cider Chat's podcasts. Listen also at iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher (for Android), iHeartRadio and where ever you love to listen to podcasts. Follow on twitter @ciderchat    

Simultaneous cider events! Oh My! In this chat I provide insider tips on: The 2016 CiderDays Schedule, held in Franklin County Massachusetts on the first week of November since 1994 Where to buy cider Where to find bulk sweet cider for sale - Bring you barrels Is this family friendly? You bet! Ticket events Free events Places and people you do not want to miss Link to download you CiderDays schedule for 2016 now! Listen to episode 046: Going to CiderDays | Massachusetts - providing tips on where to stay, where to pick up cidermaking supplies along the way and off the beaten tips for walks. Cider Chat epsiodes mentioned on this chat 003: Robert Colnes | Building a Ciderhouse The 2016 CiderDays is dedicated to Robert who passed away this spring. 016: John Bunker | Super Chilly Farm, Maine 028: John Bunker | Apple Identification I will be tweeting via @ciderchat and chatting more about events as we roll up to CiderDays 2016 Extra tidbits not on the schedule but mentioned on this chat November 4th a live recording with Ellen Cavelli of Tilted Shed Cider, California at Beerology in Northampton - time will be announced and an event invite will go out so like the Cider Chat Facebook page, because that is where I will be posting more info. Look for cider pouring at Seymours in Greenfield all weekend, but on friday I hope to be there after Darlene's presentation across the street. Need Breakfast while in Greenfield? Go to Denny's Pantry 469 Bernardston Rd, Greenfield, MA 01301, big breakfast for a good cost that only the locals really know about...until now. They don't have a website, but you can find more info on Yelp. Take a hike up Poet's Seat Tower in Greenfield. Please Help Support Cider Chat's (Ria's) trip to the International Hall of Gala Ciders. I am sure I won't have this trip paid off for a while and every little bit counts. Please donate today. Social Media company mentioned in this chat We Are Pr - helping small business manage social media Donate to Cider Chat! Help keep the chat thriving!  

With a bit of history on the oldest Cider Fest in the US held the 1st weekend of November CiderDays (yes it has always been spelled as one word) was founded in 1994, by Judith and Terry Maloney or West County Cider in Colrain, Massachusetts. Listen to their son West County's cidermaker in 001: Field Maloney | West County Cider, MA USA CiderDays is always held on the first weekend of November. For many years, it was a one day event. It took a few years, but before we knew it CiderDays became a two days and then three days. This podcast chat provides insider tips on traveling to CiderDays, places to stay, where to get cider and off beaten tips for this region. 047: Attending CiderDays provides info 2016's  schedule, that chat goes live on September 21, 2016. Where you can get supplies to make your own cider or buy cider to take home. Tip: Place your order for cider supplies now - especially yeast! Beerology this is a brand new store and it will be open by CiderDays 2016 (Northampton, MA) Beer and Wine Making Supplies, Inc (Northampton, MA) Pine Hill Apple Orchard (Colrain, MA) also has a retail outlet with some cidermaking supplies and they sell bulk cider on CiderDays (usually 3-4 large cider blends so bring your carboys and barrels). Let's begin with a bit of history; The first CiderDays began as a one day event on the first saturday of November, the year was 1994. It has been held on the first weekend of November every year since. Of course the Maloney's didn't do this all alone, but they were certainly the catalyst. Local orchards like Pine Hill, Clarkdale Fruit Farm, the now closed Greenwood Orchard in Northfield, which I regretfully say had one of the most amazing assortment of cider trees around along with a beautiful old press was sold after the owner just couldn't sustain the lack of interest in apples. Ug! Some of those trees are still there shrouded in vines. That orchard sold to folks who don't care about apples. It happens. You can now stop in at so many more orchards to get a jug of cider or buy pear juice at Clarkdale for instance. Many sell  fresh apples - pears and you can also enjoy a walk in the orchard. One of the main source for CiderDays volunteers  was Valley Fermenters, consider to be the oldest homebrew club in the US. I am a member and as such I gladly volunteered to go out to a cider house in the region and stand ready with carboy, airlock and sweet cider to provide a demo on cidermaking. At the end of the day, we all congregated at the building next to Pine Hill which has since been turned into a residence. It was there that West County use to have a tasting room. A few of use showed up and Judith and Terry would provide a big round of cheese and we would all bring out our own bottles of cider. The chatter would grow louder and louder and eventually Judith would stand up on a chair and  thank the group and do a toast. Little did we know that that after party would eventually turn in to the two session Cider Salon that is sold out every year. In 1998, I was invited to the after after party/dinner at the Maloney's. Their home is tucked up high onCatamount Hill. A catamount is another name for a mountain lion. There are many sightings of these big cats and just as many denials by the Fish and Wildlife department in Massachusetts. Driving north of Pine Hill Orchard in Colrain, make sure to look to the right as you go down a long steep and I mean steep hill. You'll want to shift down and slow a bit, not only because of the hill but to see the beautiful life size metal shadow figure that is mounted on the side of the rocky hill that was cut in the form of a mountain lion.  If you see it, you too can say that you saw a Catamount! I certainly passed the lion on my way to the Maloneys, when I was invited to attend their special CiderDays after after dinner party with  local apple farmers like Ben Clark of Clarkdale Orchard and Dave Shear of Pine Hill Orchard.  Along with Paul Correnty who was the chef for many years at the Cider Dinner, up until the Maloney's and the other organizers realized that a larger community dinner made sense for CiderDays. Paul is quick to a smile and also the author of The Art of Cidermaking (1998). Published in 1998, it was the first book I ever owned at the time on cidermaking and by the way he spelled cidermaking as one word. In that book are photos taken of local orchards that are still to this day involved in CiderDays. It was at that first dinner I attend, likely in 1998 cuz Paul was sitting next to me on a milk crate as there were no more chairs. We sat at a long table, with candles illuminating lots of cider smiles, bottles and jugs of cider and good conversation. It was then that I proclaimed out loud that I would really like to help promote apples and cider. And so I did, with many subsequent writes ups and features in Brewing News. I wrote the obituary for Terry Maloney when we lost him due to an industrial accident while working in his cidery in 2010. I had to really work hard to convince the editors to let me have space for cider in the well known beeriodical Brewing News, but they relented and now just this year all the writers for Yankee Brew News were told that they could put cider news in their regular beer column. I'm not precise on the date, but soon I was the only person teaching cidermaking at CiderDays.  For about two years in a row, I did a demo on saturday and sunday. I'm posting a photo of me taken at the saturday event that was held back when the old brick building in Colrain was used. I remember seeing Terry watching me and then saw Mike Beck standing way in the back…I think shaking his head. I had brought along a big jug and bottles to share. I'm a bit of a rogue cidermaker and at the time didn't give a hoot about specific gravity or the science. Mike, probably thought I was crazy and he'd be right. But I also thought what up with this cidery from Michigan that is encasing their bottles is lime green? Of course that has changed, but back then - it was pretty wiggy branding for Uncle John's. I taught cidermaking for the first 16 years of that event, but as my professional work as an international consultant in curriculum and crisis intervention became more demanding I had to pull back. Between 2008 and 2012 I was only able to do my demo at New Salem Preserves and that was about it. I barely had time to make my own cider, and as a result the quality in most recents years really declined. Which leads me to say,  "Yes getting sweet cider to ferment is easy to do. The work of nurturing and paying attention to the cider once you get it rolling requires time and a bit of skill". I suspect I will get back to it and certainly will make cider this year, but not the same volume  that I use to make. My cider is now the voice of many around the world chatting about what you and I love to sip and savor. There are more stories to tell and I plan on collecting those during this coming CiderDays, so if you have one, please don't be shy. I want to hear your tales if you have ever attend Ciderdays and would like to share a special moment for this amazing event - or leave me a message on this site via Speakpipe! Overview of chat tips and mentions Franklin County is located in Western Ma - which is 75 miles to the west of Bos. Folks can fly into Logan airport, Manchester Airport in New Hampshire, the Providence Rhode Island airport and Bradley Field Airport in Ct. Any of these airports will drop you into a region where you can plot your own map to CiderDays. Want to find a local cidery? Check out Cydermarket LLC If you are traveling west on Route 2, pick up cidermaking supplies at NFG Home Brew Supply Shop. They are open  thursday 3-8, friday 9-2 and saturday from 10 - 3. I would recommend Bradley Field, mainly because it is the closest, super easy to get around, with lots of choices for local hotels - and some nearby Beer stops with tasting rooms - note there aren't that many cider hotspots. Its an easy one hour drive up  interstate 91 to Franklin county. Or take Route 75 north and into Agawam and stop at Kaptain Jimmy's. They are part of the Opa Opa Brew Label (yes this is owned by two greek brothers who came to the US with nothing more than a blanket) and they have built up a big beer empire locally. I like this place because they have great food, big pours and a distillery on site. Easy stop, affordable and on you go. Then pop on route 57 and it will take you back to Interstate 91 or go along the mighty Connecticut River and follow Route 5 all the way. That will drop you right smack into Northampton Massachusetts, where Smith College is located. As you are entering town on Pleasant Street you will see to your right Beerology at 324 Pleasant. This is a new home brew supply store own by husband and wife team Mike Schilling and Jordana Starr. I am going to record a Cider Chat at Beerology on Friday November 4th with Ellen Cavalli of Tilted Shed Cider in California and maybe Darlene Hayes too. They are both traveling together. You can listen to my chat with Darlene by going to episode 18. Stop in and get your supplies at Beerology on the way in as they are really stoked to share their wealth of knowledge. Northampton is a college town and a very eclectic city with excellent coffee shops, beer bars, like The Foundry, Dirty Truth, and Sierra Grille. The Sierra Grille has two dedicated cider taps. And I am talking with O'Brain Tomlin (who by the way is actor Susan Sarandon's brother - cool right) he is a great dude in his own right believe me and he loves to talk about food. I expect he will be doing a cider menu that weekend, so stay tuned for last minute tips as we get closer to CiderDays. As you are rolling north on Route 5 out of Northampton you can stop in at Beer and Winemaking Supplies Inc - also a homebrew shop, incase you forgot some critical items like a carboy or a food grade plastic 5 gallon bucket to get some unpasteurized sweet juice that weekend. Also, this stretch of road has a  bunch of gas stations and further up on Route 5 you can hop back on Interstate 91 and sail north or if you decide to take the back way you will pass Big Y grocery store and then River Vally Market - which has a nice selection of food and a bit of cider. From here you are about 20 minutes to Greenfield and Franklin County. Franklin county spans both sides of the Connecticut River. There is a spectacular view at Mount Sugarloaf  which is a State Park. I don't think you will be able to drive up this late in the season, but there is a nice hike that would take an hour of your time to get up and down. Here they filmed a Mel Gibson motion picture a couple years back now. Whatever…and many folks travel here to view the Ct River. You can see all the way south to Springfield. There is a great hike up the road, but I recommend taking the trail with its switchbacks and views along the way and then coming back down the road. Believe me it is worth it. You can then drive north from Sugar Loaf and pass into South Deerfield. that will take you back to Route 5 and in no time you will be in Old Deerfield. There are two big attractions right in South Deerfield, Yankee Candle which is a trippy tourist area, but it has lots of restrooms and a restaurant and then also the Butterfly museum. There is also a Red Roof Inn right off the highway here. This is not a bad location to land after a busy day, because you can fly right up the highway and manever about pretty easily from this spot. It is about a 10 minute drive up the road to downtown Greenfield. Deerfield Academy is located in the Heart of Old Deerfield or Historic Deerfield as some prefer to call it. This is where a lot of events have taken place over the years for CiderDays at the White Church, where we also hold our monthly Valley Fermenters meeting on the second thursday of every month. There is a ton of history here to see. A world class museum and the Deerfield Inn, if you have the bucks to stay here, they do have a very nice restaurant and the location is perfect for many CiderDays events. If you are just driving through this town you will see a ton of old New England homes and the Sheldon Hatchet Door. It is the original door that was there when during a very bloody 1704 Raid on the town. Check the link provided to find more info. Swing up north on Route 5 and soon you will be in Downtown Greenfield. Stop in at Seymour a beer bar, that I know will have cider on hand - I expect they will be having a bit of a cidercentric selection all weekend. I will be there on friday night post Darlene Hayes talk across the street. Watch for my tweets on last minute updates on events and meetups on my twitter feed @ciderchat If you are looking for lodging during your stay check out Airbnb and also some of the fine Bnb's  There are a bunch of selections. There is also a Hampton Inn, a Days Inn in Greefield.  You might be caught having to look south in Amherst and Hadley for lodging or even Northampton. But don't worry, it is all pretty darn drivable and as this is considered the 5 college area there are lots of cheap darn good eats to find too. I use Hotels.com to peruse the reviews and make the best selection and recommend the same to you. As I said earlier Franklin County covers a very wide area. You will hear folks calling the hill towns of Colrain and Shelburne Falls " West County" and some think this is the Berkshires, but in the end it is all still Franklin County. Do know there is lodging also in Shelburne Falls and out this way on Route 2, which is also called the Mohawk Trail. In Shelburne Falls, you have to see the Bridge of Flowers, which was an old trolley track that is now adorn with flowers and lovely to walk year round. This town has also been  used for filming major motion pictures like the Judge and Labor Day. But I know it as a great place to walk about and get a good bite to eat, view the Pothole area south of the bridge that connects Shelburne Falls and Buckland across the river and get a cone of ice cream before heading home. Dinner Options: West End Pub Blue Rock Have treat at Mo's Fudge Factory Recommended hike in Shelburne area: High Ledges (approximately 1 hour back and forth) While you are up at High Ledges, you will pass by a sign that says Wheel-View Farm. This is also a cidery and has a Tasting Room. Check with their webpage to find timing. Coming up from Northampton or Pittsfield, Ashfield's Elmer Store serves food and has wifi. Help Support Cider Chat's (Ria's) trip to the International Hall of Gala Ciders. I am sure I won't have this trip paid off for a while and every little bit counts. Please donate today. Donate to Cider Chat! Help keep the chat thriving!   No need to scroll up. I have posted the chat right here for you to start listening. Enjoy![app_audio src="http://ciderchat.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/046-Going-to-CiderDays-Insider-Tips-Massachusetts.mp3"]

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for December, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues her exploration of OCB-brewed Double IPAs. She is once again joined by Greg Clow, Publisher & Editor of Canadian Beer News, and Robin LeBlanc, beer writer and owner of TheThirstyWench.com. Having correctly guessed which Double IPA was in front of them in the last podcast, Robin and Greg are looking forward to enjoying two other OCB-brewed interpretations of the style. The three Double IPAs featured this month are Amsterdam's Fracture Imperial IPA, Black Oak's Ten Bitter Years Imperial IPA and Manantler's Seismic Narwahl Imperial IPA. About our two guests this month: Greg Clow is the publisher, editor, and everything-else-er at Canadian Beer News, a comprehensive news website dedicated exclusively to coverage of Canada’s beer and brewing industry. www.canadianbeernews.comand @cdnbeernews Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based Photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer.www.thethirstywench.com

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Greg Clow, Publisher & Editor of Canadian Beer News and Robin LeBlanc, beer writer and owner of TheThirstyWench.com. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed Double IPA in front of them by asking a series of six questions  … can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Greg Clow is the publisher, editor, and everything-else-er at Canadian Beer News, a comprehensive news website dedicated exclusively to coverage of Canada's beer and brewing industry. www.canadianbeernews.com and @cdnbeernews Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based Photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer. www.thethirstywench.com

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for November, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues her exploration of OCB-brewed Belgian Style IPAs. She is once again joined by Greg Clow, Publisher & Editor of Canadian Beer News, and Certified Cicerone and beer columnist, Crystal Luxmore, at craftbeertastings.com. Having correctly guessed which Belgian Style IPA was in front of them in the last podcast, Crystal and Greg are looking forward to enjoying two other OCB-brewed interpretations of the style. The three Belgian Style IPAs featured this month were Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company’s B-side Gigantic Brewing La Formidable American-Belgo IPA, Great Lakes Brewery’s Audrey Hopburn and The Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery’s La Belle Epoque. About our two guests this month: Greg Clow is the publisher, editor, and everything-else-er at Canadian Beer News, a comprehensive news website dedicated exclusively to coverage of Canada’s beer and brewing industry. www.canadianbeernews.comand @cdnbeernews Crystal Luxmore is a beer writer and Certified Cicerone whose stories appear in The Globe & Mail, Sun Media, enRoute and more. She leads beer tastings for corporate and private clients, and talks about beer trends on Global TV and CBC Radio. www.craftbeertastings.com  

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Greg Clow, Publisher & Editor of Canadian Beer News and Certified Cicerone and beer columnist, Crystal Luxmore, at craftbeertastings.com. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed Belgian Style IPA in front of them by asking a series of six questions … can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Greg Clow is the publisher, editor, and everything-else-er at Canadian Beer News, a comprehensive news website dedicated exclusively to coverage of Canada’s beer and brewing industry. www.canadianbeernews.com and @cdnbeernews Crystal Luxmore is a beer writer and Certified Cicerone whose stories appear in The Globe & Mail, Sun Media, enRoute and more. She leads beer tastings for corporate and private clients, and talks about beer trends on Global TV and CBC Radio. www.craftbeertastings.com  

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for September, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues her exploration of OCB-brewed Stouts. She is once again joined by Robin LeBlanc, beer writer and owner of TheThirstyWench.com, and historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John at saintjohnswort.ca Having correctly guessed which stout was in front of them in the last podcast, Robin and Jordan are looking forward to enjoying two other OCB-brewed interpretations of the style. The three stouts featured this month were Granite Brewery Keefe's Irish Stout, Mill Street Cobblestone Stout*, and Perth Brewery Oatmeal Stout. * At the time these podcasts were recorded, Mill Street Brewery was still a member of Ontario Craft Brewers. Since then, the brewery has been purchased and has left OCB. We thank Mill Street for their past contributions and wish them well in the future. Click here for OCB's response to Mill Street's sale. About our two guests this month: Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based Photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer.www.thethirstywench.com  Jordan St.John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Robin LeBlanc, beer writer and owner of TheThirstyWench.com, and Historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John at saintjohnswort.ca. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed stout in front of them by asking a series of six questions …can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based Photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer. www.thethirstywench.com  Jordan St.John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for September, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues her exploration of OCB-brewed American-style pale ales. She is once again joined by cookbook author David Ort from davidort.com, and historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John at saintjohnswort.ca. Having correctly guessed which American-style pale ale was in front of them in the last podcast, David and Jordan are looking forward to enjoying two other OCB-brewed interpretations of the style. The three American-style pale ales featured this month were Collective Arts Rhyme & Reason Pale Ale, Collingwood Brewery Downhill Pale Ale, and Side Launch Pale Ale. About our two guests this month: Jordan St.John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca David Ort is the author of the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, a freelance food and drink writer, and the web editor at PostCity.com. Follow his writing on all things from beer to Toronto restaurants on his site at davidort.com or on Twitter @ortdavid    

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Cookbook author David Ort from davidort.com, and Historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John at saintjohnswort.ca. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed American-style pale ale in front of them by asking a series of six questions … can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Jordan St.John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca David Ort is the author of the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, a freelance food and drink writer, and the web editor at PostCity.com. Follow his writing on all things from beer to Toronto restaurants on his site at davidort.com or on Twitter @ortdavid

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for August, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues her exploration of OCB-brewed saisons. She is once again joined by Certified Cicerone and beer columnist, Crystal Luxmore, at craftbeertastings.com and historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John at saintjohnswort.ca. Having correctly guessed which saison was in front of them in the last podcast, Crystal and Jordan are looking forward to enjoying two other OCB-brewed interpretations of the style. The three saisons featured this month were Block 3 King Street Saison, Niagara Oast House Brewers Saison  and Nickel Brook Le Paysan Saison. About our two guests this month: Jordan St.John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer, and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca Crystal Luxmore is a beer writer and Certified Cicerone whose stories appear in The Globe & Mail, Sun Media, enRoute and more. She leads beer tastings for corporate and private clients, and talks about beer trends on Global TV and CBC Radio. www.craftbeertastings.com  

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Certified Cicerone and beer columnist, Crystal Luxmore, at craftbeertastings.com and Historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John at saintjohnswort.ca. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed saison in front of them by asking a series of six questions  … can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Jordan St.John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer, and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca Crystal Luxmore is a beer writer and Certified Cicerone whose stories appear in The Globe & Mail, Sun Media, enRoute and more. She leads beer tastings for corporate and private clients, and talks about beer trends on Global TV and CBC Radio. www.craftbeertastings.com

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for July, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues her exploration of OCB-brewed pilsners. She is once again joined by Robin LeBlanc, beer writer and owner of TheThirstyWench.com and Greg Clow, Publisher & Editor of Canadian Beer News.After being stumped by the pilsner in front of them in the last podcast, Greg and Robin are looking forward to sitting back and enjoying two more OCB-brewed examples of the style. The three pilsners featured this month were Old Credit Pale Pilsner, Ramblin’ Road Country Pilsner and Steam Whistle. About our two guests this month: Greg Clow is the publisher, editor, and everything-else-er at Canadian Beer News, a comprehensive news website dedicated exclusively to coverage of Canada’s beer and brewing industry. www.canadianbeernews.com and @cdnbeernews Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer. www.thethirstywench.com

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Robin LeBlanc, beer writer and owner of TheThirstyWench.com and Greg Clow, Publisher & Editor of Canadian Beer News. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed pilsner in front of them by asking a series of six questions …can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Greg Clow is the publisher, editor, and everything-else-er at Canadian Beer News, a comprehensive news website dedicated exclusively to coverage of Canada's beer and brewing industry. www.canadianbeernews.com and @cdnbeernews Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer. www.thethirstywench.com

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for June, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues her exploration of OCB-brewed American-style India Pale Ales. She is once again joined by beer Writer Ben Johnson from Ben's Beer Blog and historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John at saintjohnswort.ca. After being stumped by the American-style IPA in front of them in the last podcast, Ben and Jordan are looking forward to sitting back and enjoying two more OCB-brewed examples of the style. The three American-style IPAs featured this month were The Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery Smashbomb Atomic IPA, Great Lakes Brewing THRUST! an IPA and Sleeping Giant Brewery's Hoppet IPA. About our two guests this month: Jordan St.John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca Ben Johnson: Beer Writer • Humorist • Father • Husband • Bike Rider • All Around Charming Son of a Bitch. http://www.bensbeerblog.com

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests, beer Writer Ben Johnson from Ben's Beer Blog and historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John at saintjohnswort.ca. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed American-style IPA in front of them by asking a series of six questions  ... can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Jordan St.John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca Ben Johnson: Beer Writer • Humorist • Father • Husband • Bike Rider • All Around Charming Son of a Bitch. http://www.bensbeerblog.com

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for May, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues her exploration of OCB-brewed Altbiers. She is once again joined by cookbook author David Ort from davidort.com. Having correctly guessed which Altbier he was tasting in the first May podcast, David joins Mirella in sampling two more Ontario beers brewed in the same style. The three Altbiers featured this month were Beau's All Natural Brewing Co. Festivale, Kilannan Altbier, and Sawdust City Ol' Woody Alt. About our guest this month: David Ort is the author of the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, a freelance food and drink writer, and the web editor at PostCity.com. Follow his writing on all things from beer to Toronto restaurants on his site at davidort.com or on Twitter @ortdavid

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by cookbook author David Ort from davidort.com. Having been stumped by the mystery Bock featured in last month's guessing-game podcast, David is on a mission to correctly identify the OCB-brewed Altbier in front of him today. He can ask a series of six questions to lead him to the correct answer … can you beat him to it? About our guest this month: David Ort is the author of the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, a freelance food and drink writer, and the web editor at PostCity.com. Follow his writing on all things from beer to Toronto restaurants on his site at davidort.com or on Twitter @ortdavid

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for April, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues our exploration of OCB-brewed Bocks. She is once again joined by the two featured guests for April: cookbook author David Ort from davidort.com and Robin LeBlanc, beer writer and owner of TheThirstyWench.com. The duo were stumped by the Bock they sampled in the last Ontario Brewer Podcast and this week, they dive into two more. The three Bocks featured this month were Amsterdam Spring Bock, Lake of Bays Darcy Tucker Crazy Eyes Winter Bock Lager and Railway City Sham Bock.   About our two guests this month: Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based Photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer.www.thethirstywench.com David Ort is the author of the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, a freelance food and drink writer, and the web editor at PostCity.com. Follow his writing on all things from beer to Toronto restaurants on his site at davidort.com or on Twitter @ortdavid 

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Robin LeBlanc, beer writer and owner of TheThirstyWench.com and cookbook author David Ort from davidort.com. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed Bock in front of them by asking a series of six questions …can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based Photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer. www.thethirstywench.com David Ort is the author of the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, a freelance food and drink writer, and the web editor at PostCity.com. Follow his writing on all things from beer to Toronto restaurants on his site at davidort.com or on Twitter @ortdavid   

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for February, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues our exploration of OCB-brewed Brown Ales. She is once again joined by the two featured guests for February: beer Writer Ben Johnson from Ben's Beer Blog and Greg Clow, Publisher & Editor of Canadian Beer News. The duo successfully guessed which OCB-brewed Brown Ale they sampled in the last Ontario Brewer Podcast and this week, they dive into two more. The three Brown Ales featured this month were Clocktower Bytown Brown, Left Field Eephus and Neustadt 10W30. About our two guests this month: Greg Clow is the publisher, editor, and everything-else-er at Canadian Beer News, a comprehensive news website dedicated exclusively to coverage of Canada’s beer and brewing industry. www.canadianbeernews.comand @cdnbeernews Ben Johnson: Beer Writer • Humorist • Father • Husband • Bike Rider • All Around Charming Son of a Bitch. http://www.bensbeerblog.com

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Greg Clow, Publisher & Editor of Canadian Beer News and beer Writer Ben Johnson from Ben's Beer Blog.   These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed Brown Ale in front of them by asking a series of six questions ... can you beat them to the correct answer?   About our two guests this month:   Greg Clow is the publisher, editor, and everything-else-er at Canadian Beer News, a comprehensive news website dedicated exclusively to coverage of Canada's beer and brewing industry. www.canadianbeernews.com and @cdnbeernews   Ben Johnson: Beer Writer • Humorist • Father • Husband • Bike Rider • All Around Charming Son of a Bitch. http://www.bensbeerblog.com

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for February, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato continues our exploration of OCB-brewed Dark Ales. She is once again joined by the two featured guests for February: historian and beer writer, Jordan St.John and Certified Cicerone and beer columnist, Crystal Luxmore. The duo successfully guessed which OCB-brewed Dark Ale they sampled in the last Ontario Brewer Podcast and this week, they dive into two more. The three Dark Ales featured this month were the Barley Days Wind & Sail Dark Ale, Stone Hammer Dark Ale and Wellington Dark Ale.     About our two guests this month: Crystal Luxmore is a beer writer and Certified Cicerone whose stories appear in The Globe & Mail, Sun Media, enRoute and more. She leads beer tastings for corporate and private clients, and talks about beer trends on Global TV and CBC Radio. www.craftbeertastings.com Jordan St. John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca

In this podcast, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is joined by two featured guests: Certified Cicerone and beer columnist, Crystal Luxmore and historian and beer writer, Jordan St. John. These two beer writers are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed Dark Ale in front of them by asking a series of six questions … can you beat them to the correct answer? About our two guests this month: Crystal Luxmore is a beer writer and Certified Cicerone whose stories appear in The Globe & Mail, Sun Media, enRoute and more. She leads beer tastings for corporate and private clients, and talks about beer trends on Global TV and CBC Radio. www.craftbeertastings.com Jordan St. John is a Certified Cicerone, Beer Writer and Historian who trained as a brewer but opted out of having to clean all that equipment. He deals with elaborate concepts and total nonsense at saintjohnswort.ca  

In this second Ontario Brewer Podcast for 2015, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato is once again joined by our two featured guests for January: cookbook author David Ort and beer writer Robin LeBlanc. Having successfully guessed which OCB-brewed Russian Imperial Stout they sampled in the first January podcast, the trio dive into two more. The three Russian Imperial Stouts featured this month were the Amsterdam Tempest, Grand River Russian Gun and Nickel Brook Bolshevik Bastard. About our two guests this month: Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based Photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer siteThe Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer.www.thethirstywench.com David Ort is the author of the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, a freelance food and drink writer, and the web editor at PostCity.com. Follow his writing on all things from beer to Toronto restaurants on his site atdavidort.com or on Twitter: @ortdavid

In this first podcast for 2015, Master Cicerone Mirella Amato introduces our new guessing-game format. Featured guests, beer writer Robin LeBlanc and cookbook author David Ort are tasked with identifying the OCB-brewed Russian Imperial Stout in front of them. They can ask six questions to help them zero in on the correct answer ... can you beat them to it? About our two guests this month: Robin LeBlanc is a Toronto-based Photographer and writer. As the owner of the award-winning craft beer site The Thirsty Wench and Beer Writer for Torontoist, she has appeared on television, radio and newspapers preaching the gospel of good beer. www.thethirstywench.com David Ort is the author of the Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook, a freelance food and drink writer, and the web editor at PostCity.com. Follow his writing on all things from beer to Toronto restaurants on his site at davidort.com or on Twitter: @ortdavid

In this last Ontario Brewer podcast for 2014, Master Cicerone®, Mirella Amato is once again joined by Matthew O’Hara from Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co. Also in the studio is Lon Ladell, from Big Rig Brewery. Lon and Matthew share their impressions of the beer scene in the Capital Region. Find out: How the Ottawa area beer scene has evolved in the past 10 years How brewers feel about the current Ottawa region brewery boom What’s new in the upcoming 2015 edition of Ontario Brewer  

In this Episode of Ontario Brewer, Master Cicerone® Mirella Amato chats with Lon Ladell, co-owner and operator at Big Rig Brewery and Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co. brewmaster, Matthew O'Hara. The trio samples a collaboration brew, called Peppermint Porter that was brewed especially for the Ontario Brewer podcast. Find out: How to make sure you don't over-mint your beer The role that balance plays in a beer’s flavour profile Where & when this special limited-edition brew will be released  

In this second Ontario Brewer podcast for August, Master Cicerone®, Mirella Amato is once again joined by Paul Brady, from Walkerville Brewery Also in the studio is Lon Ladell, from Big Rig Brewery who has brought in a bottle of his seasonal Release the Hounds Black IPA. Find out: About the Ottawa beer scene How brewers adapt to new equipment The origins of the Black IPA style

In this Episode of Ontario Brewer, Master Cicerone®, Mirella Amato chats with Lon Ladell, co-owner and operator at Big Rig Brewery and Paul Brady, the head brewer for Walkerville Brewery. The trio samples a Milk Stout, currently available from Walkerville Brewery. Find out: Where the name Big Rig comes from The brewery version of hot chocolate mix How to make a hot scotchy