Crafty Brewers: Tales Behind Craft Beer

Explore lager history, techniques, and misconceptions with the head brewer of one of the best Lager breweries in the U.S. 02:00 Beer Myth: Is draft beer always better than canned or bottled beer? It turns out that draft systems and draft lines have a lot to do with the quality of the beer you’re drinking, and Katherine breaks down what you might want to consider before you order your next beer. Th...

The lifelong friends who founded Funkytown Brewing discuss the strategic planning that propelled their brewery to success. 01:34 Beer Myth: Are lighter colored beers healthier? Learn the truth behind beer color’s correlation with calorie content so you can savor your brews without compromising on flavor or falling for inaccurate health claims. 06:09 Funkytown Brewery Interview: Funkytown Brewery’s...

Learn about a taproom-focused brewery that brews a wide variety of styles and does a lot of small batch experimentation. 01:40 Beer Myth: Should all craft beer be aged to improve the flavor? Or is craft beer ready to drink when it’s served? And how long do you need to cellar a beer before you notice a difference in how it tastes? Learn when a beer is worth aging and when it’s not, and get some ide...

Head Brewer Carolyn Stephens from Art History Brewing discusses smoked porters, English styles, and delicious dark beers. 01:52 Beer Myth: Does proper glassware really enhance the beer drinking experience? Or is it all marketing? Katherine and Carolyn break down the way they use glasses at their breweries and what difference it actually makes in a beer drinker’s drinking experience. 07:10 Carolyn...

Chicago brewing legend Wil Turner shares his craft beer journey through breweries of all sizes, from California to Europe. Wil has significantly contributed to the Chicago craft beer scene at multiple breweries and served on the board of the Illinois Craft Beer Association. 02:54 Beer Myth: Is draft beer always better than packaged beer, whether it's in a can or a bottle? Katherine and Wil dis...

Hear what it’s like to finally drink cellared barrel-aged beers, then hear a legendary tale of bizarre customer behavior. 3:06 Drinking Cellared Beer: Brian, Katherine, and Cody discuss the ins and outs of cellaring beer, from how long you need to hang onto your beer in order to consider it “cellared” and what actually happens to the beer while it’s in your cellar. They also describe what it’s lik...

Brother Chimp Brewing’s Steve Newman helps bust a myth about IPAs, shares the secrets of his brewery’s name, and more. 02:29 Beer Myth: Are all IPAs bitter? Katherine breaks down IPA misconceptions and explores the various types of IPAs that exist, including hazy, juicy, dank, sour, white, black, and mountain style IPAs. You’ll also learn about the different factors that can affect the bitterness...

Brothers Paul and James Macchione talk about what it’s like to run the family-owned Flapjack Brewery in Berwyn, Illinois. 1:01 Flapjack Brewery Interview: Flapjack Brewery Co-Owners Paul and Jamie Macchione join Brian and Katherine for a hilarious journey into the world of craft beer. Imagine you’re sitting at the table as they share a few pints and plunge headfirst into the brothers' saga, fr...

Hear from craft brewers, organizers, and award winners LIVE from FOBAB 2023, the Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer. Learn more about FOBAB at https://www.fobab.com/   If you enjoyed this episode, then please tell at least one friend about the show! And if you’re a brewer or know any brewers who would like to share their story on the podcast, then email craftybrewerspod@gmail.com . We’re always...

Get an inside look at the challenges of running a craft brewery, including industry challenges and economic realities. 02:14 Beer Myth: Learn why owning and operating a brewery is not all fun and games, along with why some of the most common misconceptions about brewers are a real problem. 03:28 Katherine Shares Her Story: Katherine Valleau explores the difficult realities of running a craft brewe...

Alex Stankus of Black Horizon Brewing discusses his brewing process and how science can help you enjoy your beer more. 02:54 Beer Myth: When it comes to dark beers like stouts, are they always heavier and do they always have more alcohol? Brian, Katherine, and Alex reveal the truth behind this myth, explain what makes dark beers dark, and make dark beers more approachable than ever. 08:49 Black Ho...

Learn why all beer is different, but all beer is also the same, with Kinslahger Brewing Company Co-Owner Keith Huizinga. 01:16 Beer Myth: Are all beers the same? Brian, Katherine, and Keith answer the question definitively… or do they? Catch a healthy helping of SCIENCE to start the show.  08:08 Kinslahger Brewing Company: Keith shares the story of how he became increasingly interested in beer dur...

Hear what saved Skeleton Key Brewery after a tornado destroyed their brewery. Plus: busting a myth about bitter hops. Skeleton Key Brewery Co-Owners Paul Slayton, Emily Slayton, and John Szopa (who is also their head brewer) join Brian Noonan and Katherine Valleau to bust a pervasive beer myth and share an inspiring story that may change the way you look at your local brewery. Stick around until t...

Hear how Exit Strategy Brewing Co’s co-owners went from homebrewers to brewery owners. Plus: a cold beer myth is busted. In this episode, you’ll get to know hosts Brian Noonan, semi-professional beer drinker, and Katherine Valleau, co-owner and Chief Everything Officer at Exit Strategy Brewing Company in Forest Park, Illinois. They explain why you should listen to this podcast, how Katherine got i...