Beer Guys Radio Craft Beer Podcast

Can AI make our beer better?

AI is everywhere these days, and now it's coming for our beer. Is that a good thing? AI research was used to optimize beer fermentation and reduce the time to get to a finished beer, supposedly with the same quality. I don't trust it, but I'm open to tasting the results.

In keeping with tradition when Sam Adams Utopias releases every news outlet mentioning it has to include the fact that it's "illegal in 15 states." We know, we know. This year's version hit a milestone, clocking in...

Another GABF is in the books...

Reports from the field say this year's Great American Beer Festival was a shell of what it once was. That's not surprising considering the overall craft landscape, but still a bummer.

Seeing the beers and breweries that win, and what categories are popular is always fun. I learn about new breweries every year. Also, the West Coast IPA continues to make a comeback. There were 300 entries in the category with Hazy/Juicy edging it out for the top spot but just 1 more entry. Impressive.

More...

How much beer would it take for you to change your name?

What kind of beer? For how long? How about 19 years worth of Busch Light? That's the dream for someone, I'm sure. And Busch Light is ready to deliver.

Oktoberfest is officially over in Germany but in keeping with American traditions it will be going strong here for about another month. We're OK with it. More festbiers and schnitzels are fine with us. A little scare at Oktoberfest last week, it had to be shut down briefly due to a potential bomb...

Another week and more Oktoberfest fun. We got out for some barrel aged goodness and hot pretzels as the Fest season rolls on.

Big news on a couple fronts this week as Iron Hill announces the closure of all locations. They'd previously stated few were slated to close so this was a surprise. Asahi also announced all (or several, it's unclear) of their breweries were shut down due to a cyberattack.

Michelob Ultra takes the top spot as the best selling beer in America, dethroning Modelo which took a bit quicker rise to the top...

It is time once again to drink a bunch of Oktoberfest beers, for science.

Is it Oktoberfest again already? Almost. But we're ahead of the curve. Not enough to be seasonal creepy, mind you, just enough to get you prepped for the festivities.

Our annual Oktoberfest blind tasting is one of our (and your) favorite episodes. We sit down and sample a dozen Oktoberfest beers and pick our favorites. This year was a fun one.

Shout out to the Nates for hosting and catering the event. We had brats, charcuterie, beer...

How much would you pay for brewery swag???

Brian and I checked out Atlanta’s new soju distillery this week and learned a lot—everything from smooth 17% pours to a fiery 40% bottle, plus makgeolli, the cloudy, tangy rice wine that surprised us in the best way. Back at Halfway Crooks, I nearly bought a tote bag until I saw the $20 price tag, which sparked a whole chat about brewery swag sticker shock.

We also dug into the sad news that 21st Amendment is closing after 25 years, shared our beers of the week (including Foca...

Big booze gets a beating from boycotts

Beer adjacent news here. It seems Canadian boycotts are hurting American whiskey wine report sales down massively across Canada. I imagine these aren't the only international pains we'll be feeling.

Some beer growth is happening, even if it's for Big Beer. Guinness announced they're undertaking a massive expansion to relieve pressure on their main brewery. The new location will also brew other brands under parent company Diageo's umbrella.

RIP to an OG. Gordon Bowker, co-founder of Redhook (and Strabucks!) has died. He was 82.

With so many ups and downs it's no wonder we need a beer.

Mo Mic Nate will be on the road next week on a great New England beer adventure. Hopefully he drinks a lot of great beers we can't get here, and brings plenty back to share.

Survey says that beer consumption is at an 86 year low. We're not sure we trust the math, but we know it's a struggle out there. Aluminum costs on the other hand, they're up, and may get even more upper. I'm sure higher costs will help...

What would be the first beers you put in the Craft Beer Hall of Fame?

We've talked a good bit about the Craft Beer Hall of Fame since their early planning stages. They added their inaugural group of brewers not long ago and new they've welcome their first beers. Those had to be some tough decisions.

The Great American Beer Fest is just around the corner and they've got some new things planned for 2025. There were some interesting changes last year as well. As we all know our beloved beverage is having tough...

It's a daggum good time to drink a beer, I tell you hwhat...

Have you watched the reboot of King of the Hill yet? It's pretty good. Push on through to Episode 2 and see Hank Hill take up a hobby that merges two of his true loves.

It's hold and cold here in Georgia. Hot, and cool. Either way, it's important to stay hydrated. We got tips.

Whether we like it or not, the Oktoberfest beers are out in full force. I know these breweries have to be first to market...

It's been a hot one here in Georgia. We had a few days where it "felt like" it was over 100 degrees. Terrible temps make for good drinking weather, though.

In this week's show...

Thanks for listening...

We finally got our hands on some Bapple, for better or worse. We'll find out if it's worth the hype.

We've also come to one of our favorite times of the year for complaining, Oktoberfest beer releases in July. I even saw an local business pitching their Christmas party events. Pure madness.

New Zealand was hit with heavy rain and widespread flooding. The hop growing region was hit pretty hard. What does this mean for the NZ hop harvest this year, and next?

As tourists avoid the US a Vermont beer fest has...

Sad news this week with the passing of Jack McAuliffe of New Albion beer. When you talk OGs in craft beer his name should definitely be in the conversation. Jacks was an innaugural inductee into the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame along with co-founder Suzy Stern and Jane Zimmerman.

How many of you have seen a bar on a plane? I feel like I flew on a couple when I was a youngin. I remember thinking how interesting it was to have a bar on a plane - then I took my seat in coach and...

Welcome back for another amazing episode of Beer Guys Radio.

We can't seem to get a full house lately. Nate's out this week but Tim and Brian roll on. Lots to recap from the holiday, some good and not so good brewery news. Always an adventure.

Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are...

Tim's back after a battle with Covid that took him out had for two days and took his sense of smell for a week. Rough.

We re-hash the NA story from last week about it being not-so-healthy. We didn't think it was, but maybe some folks thought the absence of alcohol made it a health drink. I think it's just more bad press from the haters.

In our Style Profile series Nate breaks down the Italian Pilsner for us and we turn to ChatGPT to get the exact scoop in the difference between German, Czech...

Tim was out sick again this week, Covid really hanging on. Brian likes to call it "being on assignment" for some reason. Covid is a terrible assignment.

But Brian and Nate held down the fort, here's what they talked about...

Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate"...

This week Brian and Nate recap their casual bottle share which they didn't invite Tim to or even tell him about. What the hell? Anyhow... they kept it chill and shared a few brews just like the old days. Good times were had by all those that knew it was happening

A company claims to have been the first to formulate a beer meant for drinking on a flight and brewed for the higher altitude. We feel like we've heard this before though.

More online conversations from a few places about kids in taprooms but...

As we get things going this week we find out Nate has been flexing his culinary muscles on some ice cream adventures. Naturally, we ask if he's made any with booze. He has not. He continues to be a source of disappointment.

Seems like every week there's something new to blame on Gen Z. We've decided to embrace it. It's all Gen Z's fault - and they'll pay for this, one beer at a time.

GABF announced some new beer styles for this year's competition and in interesting one-time category for a new hop. On...

Before diving into the terrible news of increasing tariffs on the aluminum needed to make our beer cans we "review" the Miller & Pringles collaboration chips we talked about a while back. Are they good? Do they taste like beer can chicken and beer brats? Find out!

Nate gives us a style profile on American Cream Ale. We're fans, and there's more out there than you might realize. Coffee versions are especially tasty.

In some surprising news, or maybe note, Non-Alcoholic beer is poised to surpass Ale as the 2nd largest beer category. As beer nerds...

Kentucky roads, Drop Bears, and weird drinking traditions

Fresh off a tiring vacation Brian shares his drinking adventures in Louisville, KY and educates on the proper pronunciation of it's name. A bit of beer, a lot of whiskey, and a disappointing chicken fried steak.

Two beer legends pass away

Oscar Wong, founder of Asheville's Highland Brewing Co. passed away this week. Highland was the first brewery in Asheville and Mr. Wong contribute immeasurably to the beer scene there and across the country. Our thoughts go out to his family...

What beer pairs with caviar and Doritos?

I should be able to answer this question as I have had caviar on Doritos. It's not bad, but I forget what beer I had with it. I'll have to revisit.

Outside of crazy caviar parties we learn there's a new world's strongest "beer." The method for making it means it doesn't technically qualify as beer some places, but that's how it's being billed.

We learn about distro laws for Thailand. I had no idea some of the limitations craft brewers had there. Guess...

This week, we’re raising a glass to American Craft Beer Week—because if there’s one thing we do best, it’s drinking local and talking about it loudly into microphones.

Tim’s off on a secret beer mission (probably), so Brian calls in reinforcements in the form of Mo Mic Nate— beverage philosopher, and man of many hats (most of them ball caps). 

The Setup

It’s been one of those weeks. Nate’s fresh off sweating through a Georgia scorcher with a frosty pint in hand, and Brian’s just survived a m...

"Bitter" Truths, Big Beers, and Bold Moves

This week, we crack open a triple dose of hop-fueled commentary, brewery gossip, and World Beer Cup bombshells. We even got a little salty—literally.

In Beers of the Week we pay tribute to a fallen Georgia brewer with Jekyll Brewing’s Big Creek Kölsch. Jekyll, a longtime staple with both supporters and haters, is set to shut down all locations on Mother’s Day. We dove deep into their history, rise, Kickstarter roots, and the harsh economics of brewery expansion in a post-industrial park taproom...

Drink Local!

We've discovered over the years that local beer can mean different things to different people and that can vary depending on where you are. We're a bit flexible with the term and even our opinions have changed a bit over the years. How do you define local beer?

Analyzing beer with your phone. An app has been developed that can measure the level of DMS in beer. Scientifically known as Dimethyl Sulfide, it's presence can give beer flavor of cooked corn, cabbage, tomato juice, and even seafood. There's a...

I do love a good hotel bar

Hotel bars. Like regular bars (OK, I guess they are regular bars) they run the gamut from super divey to classy. They've got their own vibe though and in some smaller towns they may be the best thing going. What are your thoughts?

With all the news of closures lately it was nice to see that Fifty-Fifty Brewing is planning a major expansion. These folks had a lot of hype 8-10 years ago. Their big, barrel-aged bombers commanded a hefty price and were always...

Everything sucks, but at least we still have beer

The Brewers Association released their 2024 brewing industry stats recently. As expected, it wasn't great, but it could be worse. There are still passionate people opening breweries and us consumers still have more options for great beer than we ever have before. Praise be.\

ChatGPT and Beer (and other things)

Do you use AI in your job? For Brian and I it's become a daily tool. It's advancing amazingly fast. There are fun beery things you can do with it, too...

Record setting vintage beer can sold

I enjoy breweriana but I always struggle with saying it. Serious collectors will pay big money to add to their collections. Last week, a vintage beer can in excellent condition sold for over $100,000. Now that's a serious brewerianaian.

From the "We'll take any good news we can get" files, people are still preferring to go out for beers vs. grabbing them to drink at home. A surprising percentage of the population said they'd still go to a bar or restaurant even if they were tight...

Spring has sprung and everything is covered in pollen

We attended Little Beer Fest in Duluth, GA last weekend and the Atlanta area set a record for pollen count.  The sky was a bit yellow-green hazy.  Madness.  The sneezes and itchy eyes didn't keep us from enjoying a lot of great beers, though.

You ever think about the various "eras" of craft beer?  The IBU wars, the race to be the most sour, Haze Craze.  We ponder what the various eras have been and what may be next.

The tariffs we've been...

Craft beer is having some tiny victories.

Most of the news about craft beer these days, is not good. Breweries closing, being bought, layoffs. Blech. But there are some tiny rays of hope out there that shows this ol' drink still has life. In some locations craft beer is up. That's right. Up. And in others it's taking market share from wine and spirits. We'll take all the good news we can, now matter how small.

We also was poetic about being able to sell beer from your house, which is totally cool...

Four more beers!

We just can't get away from talking about tariffs. The ever changing topic that politicians are using to swing their johnsons around at each other. Well, it's really just one politician, but it's impacting everyone. And, it could impact your beer in a big way. 

On a lighter note we learn about the highest brewery in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Did you know the records thing was started by Guinness the brewery? Sir Hugh Beaver (seriously) got into a debate about the fastest game b...

Grab a pint of Guinness and let's go!!!

As you all know, Brian and I are also cologne nerds. In the cologne world (fragcom) you have niche (craft) and designers (macro/Big Beer) but there are a few designers that get a pass by the "niche snobs" as being acceptable. Kind of like Guinness. It's really big beer, but most craft crazies don't mind and will still enjoy a Guinness. St. Patrick's Day is the perfect day for it.

You don't have to drink Guinness, there are several other great Irish stouts available...

On again, off again tariffs will impact beer prices

I don't know what to say about these tariffs. We record a show and talk about them going into effect, then they're paused again. We can't keep up. However, a lot of folks aren't buying the delays and making big changes to the way they do business. In the end, if they do go into effect, it's going to impact the price of your beer, and mostly likely everything else.

Monster Beverage took a huge loss on their beer business. Good. They gobbled up...

The American Craft Beer Hall of Fame announces their first inductees

Recently the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame held a ceremony to announce their innaguaral group of inductees. Lots of familiar, and deserving men and women made the cut. I'm sure it wasn't easy to choose.

NA beer continues to have lovers and haters. Despite the haters, the popularity continues to grow and the NA beer category continues to break its previous sales records, most recently in January.

If you've went to a bar and had a beer that you...

As craft beer struggles, brewers fight for better beer laws

The battle for better beer laws is a long one. I've personally been involved in the grassroots efforts for a decade now and many of Georgia's breweries have been at it 3x that long.

Beer laws don't get changed easily. The three-tier system is lonstanding and, with one tier have the majority of power (hint: it's not the brewers) they aren't keen on change. 

This year Georgia's brewers and the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild have put forward Senate Bill 122 to fight f...

Big Beer doesn't love you like craft beer does.

We're back and we're ready to party.  We missed a Super Bowl show but we're recapping the game and, more importantly, the beer commercials this week.  On that note, Atlanta's Monday Night Brewing isn't happy about Coors' "Case of the Mondays" campaign.  Monday Night has been selling a mix pack with the name for many years now.  A cease and desist sent to Molson was replied with, essentially, "too bad, it's done now."  

In Presidential news... tariffs.  So hot right now.  They're on, they're off, th...

Quicksand isn't nearly as prevalent as I thought it would be when I was a kid.

Have you ever been stuck in quicksand. I have. Seriously. But, I really expected my adult life to be a constant battle to dodge the killer soup and I'm pretty thrilled that's not the case.

Brewers Association and American Homebrewers Association to split

Some big news this week with the BA and AHA announcing they'll split. The two have operated together for decades but feel the split will allow both groups to focus...

Are you dry, damp, or wet this January?

We're not gonna let this one go. It's January, and folks are dry all over. It's almost done though, we'll make it through this. Nate is dry, Tim is moist, and Brian is so, so wet right now.

The folks at Pub Beer are fighting back against all this dryness with their Wet January initiative. Leonardo DiCheapio shares cheesy videos, contest, and deals on Instagram @CheapFunBeer.  Check it out.

It's not all fun and games though. The TTB is implementing s...