Episode 29 - Christian DeBenedetti, Wolves & People

Episode 29 - Christian DeBenedetti, Wolves & People

Most people know Christian DeBenedetti as a beer writer and author of The Great American Ale Trail. He's now released a second book, a beer-pairing cookbook called Beer Bites, and is opening a brewery outside of Portland, Ore., called Wolves & People, on the his childhood farm. Christian chatted with us about how he got started as a beer writer, his friendship with the legendary Michael Jackson, and his plans for Wolves & People.  

**Please feel free to email us with any questions, complaints, whimpers, or whines. We read everything we get and we'll try to respond as quickly as we can. If not online, then on air! We'll keep doing more of these mail and news shows if you guys keep writing in. Thanks!!!***

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 28 - Brian Strumke, Stillwater Artisanal

Episode 28 - Brian Strumke, Stillwater Artisanal

This week we're psyched to welcome Brian Strumke of Stillwater Artisanal to Steal This Beer! Brian's been brewing professionally for about five years under the Stillwater moniker and has traveled throughout the world making beers at other people's breweries. He's once again settled in Brooklyn (for the second time) but still travels more than he's home. Tune in to hear about what he considered his great work (HINT: it's an adjunct beer) and a new sour and wild ale project that he's launching later this year.

**Please feel free to email us with any questions, complaints, whimpers, or whines. We read everything we get and we'll try to respond as quickly as we can. If not online, then on air! We'll keep doing more of these mail and news shows if you guys keep writing in. Thanks!!!***

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 27 - Rob Kolb, Transmitter Brewing

Episode 27 - Rob Kolb, Transmitter Brewing

Our second installment of our conversations with the Transmitter Brewing duo is here! This episode we're talking with Rob Kolb, the bearded half of the group. Rob brings some cool beers for us to try including a chocolaty surprise from the Appalachian Mountain South!  

**Please feel free to email us with any questions, complaints, whimpers, or whines. We read everything we get and we'll try to respond as quickly as we can. If not online, then on air! We'll keep doing more of these mail and news shows if you guys keep writing in. Thanks!!!***

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 26 - Anthony Accardi, Transmitter Brewing

Episode 26 - Anthony Accardi, Transmitter Brewing

Anthony Accardi is one-half of the Long Island City brewing team known as Transmitter Brewing. (His other half, Rob Kolb, will be featured next week.) Anthony talked to us about the challenges of owning a brewery in New York City and why he and Kolb decided to specialize in Brett-fermented beers. 

**Please feel free to email us with any questions, complaints, whimpers, or whines. We read everything we get and we'll try to respond as quickly as we can. If not online, then on air! We'll keep doing more of these mail and news shows if you guys keep writing in. Thanks!!!***

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 25 - Greg Doroski, Threes Brewing

Episode 25 - Greg Doroski, Threes Brewing

This week we welcome Greg Doroski, headbrewer at Threes Brewing in Brooklyn. Greg was a brewer at Greenport Harbor, out on Long Island, before relocating to Brooklyn last year to help open Threes, where his passion for saisons and farmhouse ales is currently on display. Greg tells us about how he got into the business and why his best selling beers are not necessary his favorite ones (HINT: they include lots of hops and cheeky names like I Hate Myself and You People). 

**Please feel free to email us with any questions, complaints, whimpers, or whines. We read everything we get and we'll try to respond as quickly as we can. If not online, then on air! We'll keep doing more of these mail and news shows if you guys keep writing in. Thanks!!!***

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 24 - Industry News Show

Episode 24 - Industry News Show

With news of craft beer buyouts and mergers coming in almost weekly now, we decided to weigh in on the issue. (Before you tune in, maybe check out this article from our friend Jeff Alworth as well as this one over on Mitch Steele's blog if you'd like to contextualize our frames of reference in the days leading up to recording this show.) We brought our old friends Aaron Goldfarb (Episode 2) and John Kleinchester (Episode 18) along to weigh in with their takes. It was a lively discussion. We didn't all agree on the meanings of these mergers and buyouts but that's to be expected. We hope you enjoy.    

***Want to let us know your thoughts on these issues? We love having a back-and-forth with you guys. So please feel free to email us with any questions, complaints, whimpers, or whines. We read everything we get and we'll try to respond as quickly as we can. If not online, then on air! We'll keep doing more of these mail and news shows if you guys keep writing in. Thanks!!!***

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 23 - We've Got Mail!

Episode 23 - We've Got Mail!

This episode is dedicated to you, dear listeners. That's right--you've been flooding our inbox and filling in our comments form for months, with all manner of questions and concerns about beer and beyond. (Thank you!) And today we take a breather from our regular format to address many of those here on our very first mail episode! We even brought along a few beers to blind taste on each other. 

We love having a back-and-forth with you guys. So please feel free to email us with any questions, complaints, whimpers, or whines. We read everything we get and we'll try to respond as quickly as we can. If not online, then on air with episodes like this!

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 22 - Bob Olson, Bolero Snort Brewery

Episode 22 - Bob Olson, Bolero Snort Brewery

It's Monday and we've got more Jersey brewing for you. Today, Bob Olson from Bolero Snort Brewery joins us to talk about his bull- and pun-obsessed brewing operation. Bob's also well connected in the beer trading world so he's brought some killer obscure stuff for us to blind taste.

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 21 - Brendan O'Neil, NJ Beer Co.

Episode 21 - Brendan O'Neil, NJ Beer Co.

Today, head brewer of Jersey City's own NJ Beer Co., Brendan O'Neil, drops by the B-rizzle Mobile Studios™ to talk to the STB gang about he became a brewer in the Garden State.

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 20 - Jimmy Ludwig, The Happy Hour Guys

Episode 20 - Jimmy Ludwig, The Happy Hour Guys

This week Augie and John sit down with Jimmy Ludwig, one-half of the duo known as The Happy Hour Guys. You know, those two affable Broadway actors who travel all over the country visiting amazing breweries, bars and distilleries, interviewing on camera some of the nation's top craft beer personalities? As of this taping, they had surpassed 300 episodes! Congrats guys. 

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 19 - Grimm Artisanal Ales

Episode 19 - Grimm Artisanal Ales

Lauren and Joe Grimm are nomad brewers based in Brookyn, NY. They make small batches of their esoteric and artful Grimm Artisanal Ales at Beltway Brewing in Virginia and now Flagship Brewing in their native New York City. Tune in to hear them tell their story and to discuss what it's like to be a couple of wandering brewers in the wild world of craft beer!

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 18 - John Kleinchester, Two Roads & Beertography

Episode 18 - John Kleinchester, Two Roads & Beertography

Today we're talking to John Kleinchester of Two Roads Brewing and the man craft beer photography website, Beertography. John tells us what it's like working at one of the coolest and most forward-thinking production and contract breweries on the East Coast (no, he can't get you an Lawson's Sip of Sunshine) and for one of the best brewers in the business (Phil Markowski).  As a Jersey City resident, he indulges us in some local color walking the streets outside our Barcade Jersey City mobile studios.

As always, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 17 - Mary Izett, author of Speed Brewing

Episode 17 - Mary Izett, author of Speed Brewing

Mary Izett is a fixture in the New York City homebrew scene, and she's just released an awesome quick-brewing book that documents many of her awesome fast fermenting recipes,  Speed Brewing: Techniques and Recipes for Fast-Fermenting Beers, Ciders, Meads, and More. Mary is also one-half of Cuzett Libations along with her partner Chris Cuzme. 

REMEMBER! You can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 16 - Dan McLaughlin (Pony Bar, Kiabacca)

Episode 16 - Dan McLaughlin (Pony Bar, Kiabacca)

This week we welcome Dan McLaughlin of Hell's Kitchen's legendary beer bar, The Pony Bar, and its next door neighbor and Dan's newest bar, Kiabacca. Dan's been around the NYC beer scene for a while now, starting as a bartender at the original Blind Tiger before branching out on his own. He's seen a lot of changes and in the scene and he talks to Augie and John about these changes. Of course he brings some utterly rare killer whales for the panel to try.

REMEMBER! You can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 15 - Anne Becerra (Anne Likes Beer)

Episode 15 - Anne Becerra (Anne Likes Beer)

Writer, beer-slinger, and Certified Cicerone Anne Becerra (better known online as Anne Likes Beer) joins Augie and John for a candid discussion in the B-Rizzle Mobile Studios™. Anne's list of publications and televisions appearances are far too long to list completely here, but they include Serious Eats, Fox and Friends, TIME magazine, Beer Sessions Radio, and Martha Stewart.  She's also bar tends at The Blind Tiger and is the beer director at Taproom 307, both in Manhattan.  

REMEMBER! You can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 14 - Joe Carroll, Spuyten Duyvil, Fette Sau, St. Anselm, etc.

Episode 14 - Joe Carroll of Spuyten Duyvil, Fette Sau, and St. Anselm

Steal this Beer? More like Steal This Barbeque... Fette Sau pitmaster and Spuyten Duyvil beer genie Joe Carroll stops by the STB mobile studio to chat about his new cookbook, Feeding the Fire. Joe and Augie discuss the four major styles of smoked meats as well as more obscure varieties like Cornell Chicken, Western Kentucky smoked mutton, and southern New Jersey Pine Barren roadside meat. And of course there's some beer talk to boot.

REMEMBER! You can now subscribe to STB on iTunes and please leave us a review!!!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 13 - Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, Evil Twin Brewing

Episode 13 - Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, Evil Twin Brewing

World-wandering brewer Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø stops by the "beer ranch" this week to chat with Augie about his gypsy operation, Evil Twin; his bar, Tørst, in Greenpoint; and its sister restaurant, Luksus, which is probably the only Michelin-starred beer establishment in the whole entire world. And yeah, you know he brought the good for us to blind taste...

REMEMBER! You can now subscribe to STB on iTunes. Please leave us a review!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 12 - Ben Keene, Beer Advocate Magazine

Episode 12 - Ben Keene, Beer Advocate Magazine

Ben Keene is an author of beer and outdoors book, and is the current managing editor of Beer Advocate Magazine. When we learned that he'd relocated to Brooklyn for the summer, we quickly dispatched him to the STB headquarters in Jersey City for a genial chat about the current state of beer writing in America. Ben shared his thoughtful insider assessment of the genre and brought along some unexpected beers , one classic and one newfangled, to share with the panel. 

Also, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes, and please remember to leave us a review!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 11 - Mat Falco (Philly Beer Scene) and Tom Kehoe (Yards Brewing)

Episode 11 - Mat Falco and Tom Kehoe

Our second episode from Philly Beer Week 2015 features two legends from the Philadelphia beer scene: co-founder of Philly Beer Scene Magazine, Mat Falco, and Tom Kehoe, owner of Yards Brewing Co. Our buddy Lew Bryson, the revered beer and spirits writer, also stops by for a cameo appearance. Check it out here and get at us in the comments and social media.

Also, you can now subscribe to STB on iTunes, and please remember to leave us a review!

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant

Episode 10 - Tomme Arthur, The Lost Abbey and Port Brewing Co.

Episode 10 - Tomme Arthur, The Lost Abeey and Port Brewing Co.

Last week was Philly Beer Week, so we packed the gear and hit the road down to the City of Brotherly Love. We were lucky enough to hook up with Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey founder Tomme Arthur and recorded this, our tenth episode of Steal This Beer. Tomme tells us about which hop varieties he loves (and hates) and why he refuses to drink coffee in the morning, or pretty much ever. He also recounts a late-night, beer-fueled gourmet dinner with co-host John Holl.  

Producer: Justin Kennedy  Engineer: Brian Casse  Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant