Podcasts about hopleaf

Co-Creator of ‘Poochie & Pang Eat Chicago,' Kevin Pang, joins Bob Sirott to talk about some of Chicago’s best restaurants, including Johnnie’s Beef, Hopleaf, and Superdawg. He also shares details about a Chicago bakery that made The New York Times Best Bakeries in America article and what he thinks about food trends.

This week, we sidle up next to our favorite curmudgeon at the end of the bar — a legend of Chicago's bar and beer scene, the one and only Michael Roper. He opened Andersonville's Hopleaf back in 1992, a bar renowned for its extensive selection of Belgian beers and its famous mussels and fries. He joins us to tell us all about his journey — how being laid off from his assembly line job and doored (in the throat) on his bike changed the trajectory of his life, to how he's failing at being retired (but still giving it the old college try). Join us for a conversation about the historical significance of Trappist ales, one of the first R.E.M. shows on record, how a bunch of barflies reacted to having their noontime porno viewing taken away, and so much more.

There are some iconic beer bars in America, and on the Mt. Rushmore is Hopleaf, the venerable Chicago institution. Michael Roper, its long-time publican, who recently announced his retirement is on this episode. Late last year  Roper, who founded the Hopleaf in Chicago in 1992 announced that he'd be retiring from the bar. He'll stay involved in various ways, as you'll hear shortly, but the day to day is now the responsibility of others. His retirement came on the occasion of his 70th birthday, we recorded this a week after. It's hard to overstate the importance of the Hopleaf in terms of beer bars in America.  Located in the city's Andersonville neighborhood it has been the place for a well curated and uncompromising beer list and an equally thoughtful food menu. Roper will walk us through the history of the bar and thoughts for the future of hospitality, and along the way gives us a reason to strive for better bar experiences. For more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.This Episode is Sponsored By:The Best of Craft Beer AwardsAttention brewers: registration is now open for the 2024 Best of Craft Beer Awards. Now in its 10th year, this is a BJCP sanctioned event judged by fellow brewers, professional judges, and industry leaders. Judged in Oregon, it's the third largest professional brewing competition in North America and is a chance to have your hard work evaluated and rewarded. In addition to traditional styles, new this year is the smoothie sour style category, and the collaboration competition. Learn more and register your beers through January 31, 2024 by visiting www.BestofCraftBeerAwards.com/registerHost: John HollGuest: Michael RoperSponsors: Best of Craft Beer Awards, All About BeerTags: Beer, Bars, History, Chicago, Hospitality

Mike sits down to talk with Chris, Michael Roper of The Hopleaf, and Pat Berger of Kaiser Tiger - three beer bar owners -  to see where they see the industry going, and how they have changed their businesses in relation to the current market. Email Eletters to: Insiders@craftbeertemple.comMailing address: The Beer Temple 3173 N. Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618Intro/Outro Music: Gorilla Meat by Jogger UYD4L!

Hopleaf has been a both a mecca for craft beer fans and a relaxed neighborhood pub in Andersonville. For over 15 years, Hopleaf has also offered thoughtfully sourced, in-house prepped, chef-inspired dining. We had the pleasure in talking to Michael Roper, the man who started it all.

We invite Michael Roper of The Hopleaf and Jacob Sembrano, the head brewer for Cruz Blanca onto the roundtable to discuss why some have called a flavoring extract company the most important business in craft beer.  Keep the letters coming! Our next book club November 22nd - Barrel Aged Stout & Selling Out. Let us know what you want to hear from author Josh Noel!Emails to: Insiders@craftbeertemple.comLetters to: 3173 N Elston Ave. Chicago, IL 60618

Today's guest has been a bit of a ghost int he GBH machine for more than a decade - since our founding really - and he's someone I think about every time someone asks me how GBH got started - and as you'll discover shortly, he had no idea.  Greg Browne was the brewer at a brewpub in Chicago's NW suburbs - a place called Mickey Finn's. He was known for brewing a hefeweizen - a recipe he inherited from his predecessor when he took over as head brewer.  More importantly, for me, he was the host of a weekly Beer School at The Map Room in Chicago - a midday gathering on Saturday's where guests would enjoy some bread and cheese and learn about beers in a thematic way - and the themes were whatever happened to be on Greg's mind that week.  It's an incredible memory for me - from a time when I'd only had a smattering of craft beer experiences to rely on - and I hardly considered myself a fan of beer in any particular way. It was just causal and sometimes interesting fun. Most of my bar experiencers a the time involved $1 off specials of Blue Moon and some Golden Tee. Not exactly sophisticated stuff - but it was kind of the Chicago way.  Map Room - and Greg Browne's beer school painted an entirely different picture however. And I'm forever indebted to that moment when he served me my first Saison Dupont. That's the beer that inspired GBH - and Greg is the one who created that moment, unbeknownst to him.  But that's not the real reason we're talking today - that's a story we could have shared at any point in in past decade really. Today I'm talking to Greg because for the first time in a long time, I saw his name pop up as part of a new brewing project called Art History, and it recently started supplying two fantastic beers to Chicago's Hopleaf Bar. As far as I know the sis the first time Hopleaf has ever had a house beer. The venerated tap list there is a target for anyone trying to make a name for themselves in Chicago's beer scene. Brewers host parties just to celebrate getting on tao there for the first time if they're lucky enough to make the list at all. So for Greg to have a new gig - and so quickly become a mainstay on that list as a pair of house beers - is an unprecedented achievement.  And for this episode, I reached out to Michael Roper of Hopleaf for his perspective on all that.  It was a sign for me that it was finally time to get Greg on the podcast, share this story with him, and hear so much more about his own. It takes us deep into Chicago's craft brewing past - and paints pa picture of the future that I'm very excited about. 

Dan Bickel joins the podcast to discuss his company: Hopleaf Tea. A product made right here in Erie, Pennsylvania, Hopleaf blends fresh hops and natural tea leaves into over 20 current blends. Along with being able to buy these blends on Etsy, locals can also find Hopleaf at places like The Tipsy Bean, Luminary Distilling and Voodoo Brewery. In fact, Dan and Voodoo just unveiled their newest collaboration, an organic ceylon tea blend with lemon grass and citra hops called “Voobrew.” The Edinboro Beehive helped Hopleaf with its branding, while the Mercyhurst Beehive provided crucial market research. Sponsored by: Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership Music: Kevin Macleod's "pamgaea" available via Creative Commons Attribution-International 4.0. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, No changes were made. Audionautix's "Roboskater" by Jason Shaw available via Creative Commons Attribution-International 4.0. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, No changes were made.

It's St. Paddy's Day again. Remember last year, when local officials warned Chicagoans not to party this week, and they did anyway? Less than a week later, Governor JB Pritzker put Illinois under a stay at home order. A year on, in a city longing for normalcy, mayor Lori Lightfoot surprised us all by dyeing the Chicago River its iconic green after all. We admire its neon glow and wonder – how much has changed? It's the inaugural episode of City Cast Chicago! Guests: Simone Alicea, Producer, City Cast Chicago; Michael Roper, Owner, Hopleaf

It will be a difficult winter for restaurants, taverns and the associated businesses. We talk to Michael Cameron from Uncommon Ground, Michael Roper of Hopleaf, and Marty Travis from Spence Farm about how people in the food industry expect to cope. Lisa Albrecht says that funding for Illinois solar energy projects is about to run out, and what can be done about it.

Michael Roper, owner of the great Hopleaf in Andersonville, joins Anna to talk about how COVID-19 has impacted his business, why he decided to close his doors for the winter and when he anticipates he will open again.

Jen Sabella, the Director of Strategy and co-founder of Block Club Chicago, joined Bob Sirott to share the latest Chicago neighborhood stories. She provided details on Andersonville’s Hopleaf, a skateboarding program to West Side kids and a window display contest to bring Christmas magic to businesses in Pilsen.

There is this one woman named Ethel Merman. Justin Flowers, Jo-Elle Munchak, Heather Morgan, Janki Mody, Angelica Davila, Lauren Huffman, Aaron McDavis and Maggie Tomasek share performances inspired by the suggestion of Ethel Merman. (Recorded live on March 25, 2019 at Hopleaf in Chicago.)

Frank Fejeran is the owner of Ricewood and Pocai restaurants in Ann Arbor, MI. Ricewood does barbecue right and is known for their incredible brisket and ribs, while Pocai offers a healthier perspective with refreshing Acai and Poke bowls. I’m inspired by Frank’s knowledge of the food business, work ethic, and commitment to quality. Frank is a no BS guy, and that shows up as we discuss basketball, how to get ahead in culinary school, the value of working for free, and the craziness of a restaurant kitchen. About the Guest: To say that Frank has been around is a bit of an understatement. He was born in California, but moved to Ann Arbor while in the early years of elementary school. He returned to California for high school and then went to culinary school at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona. Frank began working in restaurants in California and met his mentor chef Riko Bartolome in Southern California. From there he moved back to Southeast Michigan to work at Tribute in Farmington Hills. Then it was to Chicago, where he cooked at Takashi and Hopleaf. Prior to opening Ricewood BBQ, Frank had been the executive chef at Raven’s Club in Ann Arbor. It was the position at Hopleaf that Frank identified as career changing. He went from having the skillset of a chef to focusing on the food that he was preparing. Frank said that we live in a global economy and freshness is possible from many places, just the carbon footprint is different. Rather than solely focusing on extremely local food sources, the chef’s job is to entertain, to fill bellies and make people happy. Frank did a good bit of research to determine how to make his BBQ the best it could be. He traveled to Texas to conduct this research. It was there that he determined that smoking the meat over a wood fire provided the best, most authentic flavor. As a result, you can see the offset firebox wood-fired smoker when you go to eat at Ricewood BBQ.   Personal Links: Restaurants: www.ricewoodbbq.com and http://www.a2pocai.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricewoodbbq/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricewoodbbq/   Resource Links: Chef: https://amzn.to/3aqEPk5 About the Host: Dan McPherson, International Speaker, Business and Personal Development Coach, and CEO of Leaders Must Lead, is on a mission to help Creatives and Entrepreneurs create and grow profit and understand that Dreams ARE Real. With more than 25 years’ experience in corporate roles leading teams of up to 2000 and responsible for more than $150M in revenue, Dan is a recognized expert in leadership, sales, and business strategy. Through his Leaders Must Learn Mastermind, Dreams ARE Real Podcast, Foundations of Success Training, and powerful 1-1 coaching, Dan helps hundreds of entrepreneurs around the world from musicians and artists to chiropractors, coaches, retailers, and beyond experience success and accomplish their goals. To learn more about Dan or to follow him on Social Media, you can find him on: Website: www.leadersmustlead.com Leaders Must Lead Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadersmustlead Free Coaching Assessment: https://leadersmustlead.com/free-coaching-assessment Dreams are Real Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/365493184118010/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadersmustlead/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leadersmustlead YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZXypDeFKyZnpeQXcX-AsBQ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to my podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a note in the comment section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. You can also subscribe from the podcast app on your mobile device. Leave us an iTunes review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to me and greatly appreciated. They help my podcast rank higher on iTunes, which exposes the show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on iTunes.

Chris Walsh returns for a Dinner and a pod! We dined at Hopleaf and review our experiences including the cool approach to their wine program. Spoiler alert the Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett was delicious. We also discuss the plebeian way to enjoy the Taste of Chicago. Trivia on Beetles and Colleges JPPP: Isidewith.com NSSS: Noods at the el platform

This week, Laura and Sara are joined by Michael Roper owner of Hopleaf Bar. A relaxed neighborhood pub, Hopleaf has been promoting better beers, wines and spirits in Andersonville since 1992. Come experience the Belgian-inspired kitchen featuring their famous mussels and frites in an adults only setting at 5148 N Clark. To view episode show notes, please click here. 

This episode is a two-parter devoted to the intersection of taprooms and retailers as they increasingly find themselves in competition with each other for the limited number of customers and dollars available in their markets for craft beer. There are a number of factors that have made taprooms a newly competitive aspect of the three-tier system—or what’s left of it in some cases. Laws have been changing, the consumer experience is shifting, OG beer bars are feeling the squeeze from every bar and restaurant seemingly carrying craft beer now, and larger trends like at-home consumption, bottle shares, trading circuits, and beer tourism. It’s hard out there for a retailer right now, and it’s kind of becoming taprooms versus everybody. The purpose of this two-part series was to dig into that tension and determine if there’s a concrete principle at play, or if, like most things in craft beer, it’s more of a loose relationship-based thing where some competition is welcome, and some isn’t. Most of all: how are we going to be thinking about all this in the future? Because I think we can all agree that competition that works in the drinker’s favor is generally a good thing, but if we start losing great bars in the process, then maybe we’re not all getting what we want in the end. Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville, Illinois is the catalyst behind these episodes. As a small production brewery making right about 8,000 barrels, with an expanded taproom and a new one opening in the city of Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, they were starting to feel the pushback from some key retail accounts who see them as competition. So they took the bold step of reaching out, inviting those accounts to brew a beer called Taproom Exclusive, and serving it anywhere but. They asked us to come along and lead a discussion around how we can maybe sort all this out productively and gain some perspective. Bavarian Lodge and Hopleaf joined in—both accounts that have carried Solemn Oath over the years, but who have been vocal about how they don’t like where things are heading. Kudos to everyone for being willing to come the the table—both figuratively and quite literally—over a beer and dig into the issue. This episode is recorded at the Hopleaf, and I’m joined by: Michael Roper, proprietor of Hopleaf Peter Rock-Tiernes of Middlebrow, who just owned a taproom in Logan Square Jay Jankowski of Maproom, just down the street from Middlebrow and Solmenn Oath’s future second taproom Eric Hobbs, sales director at Solemn Oath This is Taprooms Vs. Everybody, Pt. 1. Listen in.

This episode is a two-parter devoted to the intersection of taprooms and retailers as they increasingly find themselves in competition with each other for the limited number of customers and dollars available in their markets for craft beer. There are a number of factors that have made taprooms a newly competitive aspect of the three-tier system—or what’s left of it in some cases. Laws have been changing, the consumer experience is shifting, OG beer bars are feeling the squeeze from every bar and restaurant seemingly carrying craft beer now, and larger trends like at-home consumption, bottle shares, trading circuits, and beer tourism. It’s hard out there for a retailer right now, and it’s kind of becoming taprooms versus everybody. The purpose of this two-part series was to dig into that tension and determine if there’s a concrete principle at play, or if, like most things in craft beer, it’s more of a loose relationship-based thing where some competition is welcome, and some isn’t. Most of all: how are we going to be thinking about all this in the future? Because I think we can all agree that competition that works in the drinker’s favor is generally a good thing, but if we start losing great bars in the process, then maybe we’re not all getting what we want in the end. Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville, Illinois is the catalyst behind these episodes. As a small production brewery making right about 8,000 barrels, with an expanded taproom and a new one opening in the city of Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, they were starting to feel the pushback from some key retail accounts who see them as competition. So they took the bold step of reaching out, inviting those accounts to brew a beer called Taproom Exclusive, and serving it anywhere but. They asked us to come along and lead a discussion around how we can maybe sort all this out productively and gain some perspective. Bavarian Lodge and Hopleaf joined in—both accounts that have carried Solemn Oath over the years, but who have been vocal about how they don’t like where things are heading. Kudos to everyone for being willing to come the the table—both figuratively and quite literally—over a beer and dig into the issue. This episode is recorded at the Bavarian Lodge in Naperville, Illinois, and I’m joined by: Alan Taylor, owner of the Bavarian Lodge John Barley, co-founder of Solemn Oath Brewery Dave Hawley, owner of the Beer Cellar, a bottle shop and taproom Dakota Defever, Minor Threat Restaurant Group in nearby Plainfield, Illinois This is Taprooms Vs. Everybody, Pt. 2. Listen in.

When faced with placing an order in a bar or restaurant, I always gravitate to lighter, more quaffable, or sessionable beers, because I don’t want to get hammered after one round. Coming up on this episode, we are going dark. Beer, that is. Imperial Stouts, brown ales, schwartbiers, you name it. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, why not pour yourself something a little more beguiling to ease into winter.

Belgium is a tiny country. You might think of chocolate as its most famous export, but beer is just as important, if not more so. There are nearly 200 breweries in this country of about 11 million people, so you know beer there is practically a religion. Coming up on this week’s show, we dive deep into the world of Belgian beers, with a few experts. We’ll talk to a legendary bar owner, Michael Roper, who carries more Belgian beers on his list than just about any bar in the U.S. Then we’ll meet a pair of brewers, each of whom are producing some Belgian-style beers, right here in the middle of the country. Claudia Jendron, the Head Brewer at Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, and Tom Korder, the Founder of Penrose Brewery in bucolic Geneva, Illinois, who'll tell us about Belgian-style session ales, aged in oak barrels with alternative fermentation.

Reporting from a packed room at the Hopleaf at Lit Crawl 2018, it's THE SKEWER bringing you that hot hot news satire now in mini-show form! Join us as we represent the best of Chicago's live lit scene with Erika Price's meme anthropology, Archy Arch J explains the fucked-up state of the Thai royal family, and Ian Rigg and Alisa Rosenthal engage in a truly astounding debate to decide who should play Superman in the next big screen adaptation. This was one for the books. Many thanks to Gwynn Fulcher, Jessica Anne, and Lindsay Muscato for having us at Lit Crawl! Erika Price- 2:10 Archy Arch J- 14:15 DEBATE: Ian Rigg vs. Alisa Rosenthal- 26:03

Belgium is a tiny country. You might think of chocolate as its most famous export, but beer is just as important, if not more so. There are nearly 200 breweries in this country of about 11 million people, so you know beer there is practically a religion. Belgian beers have been the go-to, the Valhalla, the king of the beer geeks’ preferred beverage. Coming up on this week’s show, we dive deep into the world of Belgian beers, with a few experts. We’ll talk to a legendary bar owner, Michael Roper, carries more Belgians than just about any bar in the U.S. Then we’ll meet a pair of brewers, each of whom are producing some Belgian-style beers, right here in the middle of the country. Claudia Jendron, the Head Brewer at Pipeworks Brewing here in Chicago. Claudia has worked has brewed beers for some of Chicago’s best breweries. And Tom Korder is the Founder of Penrose Brewery in bucolic Geneva, Illinois gives us a lesson in Belgian-style session ales, aged in oak barrels with alternative fermentation.

Play Until Your Fingers Bleed - Liokness; Theory - Full Circle; The Truth - State Line Syndicate, Doors - Nightbird Casino, Paper Games - KANEHOLLER; Geeknotes: 01/02 - January Silent Reading Party @ The Bindery, SF, 01/02 - Tuesday Funk #112 @ Hopleaf, Chicago; Practice - Magnets And Wheels Continued; Simple Cure - Mayssa Karaa

This week's guest is the stuff of legend—Tomme Arthur, the founder and brewmaster of Lost Abbey. He's a brewer associated with both San Diego’s hop-forward dominance in craft beer, but also the world of barrel-aged Saison and Belgian-inspired farmhouse beers that continue to carve out a niche amongst the geekiest of beer drinkers in the U.S. And Tomme continues to impress both of these highly critical audiences. But Tomme's also a big part of the future. His voice carries weight. His opinions matter to the next generation. And his expectations only seem to get higher for others, not to mention himself. I first met Tomme when we helped judge the Brewbound Start-up Brewery Challenge in San Diego. Later, we'd meet up again, this time in Belgium at Brasserie Dupont when GBH was there filming our mini-documentary about Saison Dupont. We also were lucky enough to document the historic collaboration between Tomme and Olivier Dedeycker, Dupont’s fourth-generation owner, that occurred that day. On the site, we described that collaboration as "punching a hole in time." As hyperbolic as that might seem, to the people involved that day, it barely served to capture the feeling.  So when Tomme came to town for the Windy City Expo, an annual showcase with his distributor parter here, we decided to get together at the Hopleaf, a place that’s supported Lost Abbey from its early days, and have a conversation with a small group of fans in the upstairs bar. We also had some bottles from the cellar that Michael Roper was kind enough to share —and drink—with us.  Here, we dig into Tomme’s origin story, San Diego then and now, brand, portfolio, and barrel-management, and at least a dozen other things. Plus, we had a great Q+A at the end with the folks in the room. 

Drew Larson is one of those people that’s everyone’s favorite person. He’s funny, smart, affable, and, other than brewers themselves, I don’t think there’s a guy in Chicago that works harder behind the scenes to bring you great beer.  Drew has an interesting road to beer. He was in the military, went to culinary school, became a sommelier, then a cicerone, then studied draft technology while he was managing the beverage program at the Hopleaf. He’s also an incredible hobbyist, and we get to that right at the start here. Eventually, all that obsession and curiosity lead him to start a company called Leaders Beverage. He now handles the design, installation, and maintenance of draft systems in a growing number of bars, breweries, and restaurants in Chicago. And he does it all with a singular approach to quality and businesse sense that you won’t find in most people who just want to clean your lines. This guy cares about the health of the industry overall, and his clients’ businesses specifically. In fact, his company maintains the six lines we have here at GBH studio. He’s the reason I’m confident in having six stainless steel flow control taps pouring some of the best beer in the city on any given day. I know it’s going to taste right.  So let’s get into it with Drew and learn a lot more about draft maintenance, how it affects the beer you drink and the business that’s selling it. And of course, all the other fun stuff he does. 

This is going to be another deep dive into the world of brewing malts. We previously chatted with a micro maltster, Troubadour, in Fort Collins. That gave us some insight into the niche world of specialty craft malts. But today's guest covers a much wider spread.  She’s Sara Hagerty of Malteurop's U.S. division. She has an incredible technical background in biology, chemistry, yeast, and now, malt sales. It’s an interesting role, working across so many different kinds of breweries in a large region of the U.S., trying to meet their needs with barley malt. And in her time with Malteurop, she’s seen the company adapt to fit the rapidly changing needs of craft brewers after so many years of providing for the largest brewers in the world. It’s quite a different beast.  I met Sara at the Hopleaf recently, and within minutes of talking about her job, I knew, or at least hoped, that we’d get her in to the studio for a podcast interview so that I could share her insight and experience with you all. Thankfully, her insane travel schedule lined up with my own, and we found an hour to dig in. 

So I’m just going to start by saying this might have been my favorite interview ever. Maybe it’s the Pennsylvania connection, or maybe it’s just Bill’s way of giving zero fucks while also being a strong competitor in the market, or maybe it’s just the lame-duck ease with which he’s handling himself after the sale and partnership with a private equity group and Southern Tier Brewing, but yeah, I think this is the one. It summarizes everything I love about doing the podcast. People sit in that chair across from me, either ready to do battle, or ready to dance, and I have the utmost appreciation for how open they are about their lives and business with me for an hour. And then letting me share it with you all.  I’ve said many times that this podcast isn’t an issues-driven show — and by that I mean that I’m not looking for a hot take or new trend thinkpiece fart, or recent acquisition gossip. I’m trying to document an oral history for an industry that’s changing faster than I could possibly record. It’s guaranteed to fail in the sense that I’ll always miss more opportunities than I get. But if I thought about that, I’d probably have a panic attack. Instead, I just get what I can and hope for the best.  Bill was in town for an event at the Hopleaf alongside Sam Calagione of Dogfishead and Greg Koch of Stone Brewing when this recording took place. And while I was about to hit the road, the only timeslot I had was late on a Sunday night after putting the kids to bed and Bill was happy to oblige. I’m thankful for that.  Victory Brewing, man, I don’t think there’s a brewery that better defines that first wave resilience of craft beer, but still adapts and riffs on its own success to remain relevant and pioneering here in 2016.  And I think you’l understand why after hearing this conversation. 

Special Guest: Drew Larson from Hopleaf. The beginning of the 3rd round!

Special Guest: Drew Larson from Hopleaf. The beginning of the 3rd round!

Special guest: Benjamin Bogolub. Have Ben's tastes changed since his last appearance on the show? Opening beers Allagash Black and others. Homebrewing again? Half Acre end of Summer event at Hopleaf. The guys taste two high alcohol beers to see which is better. Download Episode 37.

Special guest: Benjamin Bogolub. Have Ben's tastes changed since his last appearance on the show? Opening beers Allagash Black and others. Homebrewing again? Half Acre end of Summer event at Hopleaf. The guys taste two high alcohol beers to see which is better. Download Episode 37.

Gordon update. Pete pays up. Goose Island event at Hopleaf. Sausage Fest. Haymarket opening date set. Whisky Point Road. A double IPA vs a Barley Wine. Beer Download Episode 18

Gordon update. Pete pays up. Goose Island event at Hopleaf. Sausage Fest. Haymarket opening date set. Whisky Point Road. A double IPA vs a Barley Wine. Beer Download Episode 18

Jessa Crispin is editor and founder of Bookslut.com "a monthly web magazine and daily blog dedicated to those who love to read. We provide a constant supply of news, reviews, commentary, insight, and more than occasional opinions." Author Jana Martin describes her this way:  "Certainly she's a reader, a great reader, and she knows how to make one good party after another, whether in a beer-poster-clad upstairs room at the Hopleaf or Bookslut. She's a hostess for all of us, a sundress'd impressario. In that way she belongs on the same hearty category as Mike McGonigal: self-made, peripatetic, generous but with standards and boundaries. The other thing is that, like McGonigal, she gives off a slightly timeless vibe: a bit San Francisco 1950s, a bit Chianti in Greenwich Village, a bit rockabilly, a bit Christina's World." We met at her home in Chicago, and talked about, among other things, the origins of Bookslut, her under-employment at Planned Parenthood, ex-boyfriends, blog advertising, hiring writers, shrinking book review sections, writing for oneself, inexplicable successes, the name ‘Bookslut' and thoughts of changing it, Somerset Maugham, favourite novels, and the future of blogs.