Secondary Fermentation

As we're in the middle of Oktoberfest, we found it appropriate to do a tasting and ranking of some North Carolina-brewed Oktoberfest beers, including Marzens, Festbiers, and a Harvest Ale! For the lineup, we have The Mason Jar Lager Company, Funguys Brewing, Brewery Bhavana, Hi-Wire Brewing, and a collab featuring Dirtbag Ales and Proximity Brewing Company.

Today, Joe, Lauren, and Nick discuss a couple beers and some craft brew news about the latest with Anchor Brewing, and then dive into a discussion about red flags when going to a brewery (inspired by Reddit and Vinepair). Does a dirty glass mean it's time to find a new brewery? Do you get annoyed when all they serve are IPAs? Tune in to see if we agree with some of your red flags!

Nick and Jen are back on the mic, doing another special episode! Today opens with some upcoming Oktoberfest events in North Carolina and moves into a lengthy discussion about the history of beer flights, when and why you should order a flight, and recommendations for enjoying your flight. Jen graciously fills in for LC's Pick of the Week and gives Nick a solo shot at guessing the mystery beer's st...

The gang is back together, including LC herself! Baby Owen makes his podcast debut and really loved all of our jokes and banter. First up, we discussed the latest news with AB InBev's deal to sell craft brands to Tilray, before sliding into some details on various sour beer styles and how they're defined by BJCP. If you want to hear about sours, this is the episode for you!

While summer is dwindling, there's still time to enjoy the sunshine at the pool or the beach, which of course requires some cold beverages and snacks! On this episode, Nick and returning special guest, Jen, pair four popular poolside/beach snacks with beer styles in the hopes of making good matches. Joe and LC are enjoying time with their little guy and staying plenty busy, but will be back soon -...

Joe and Nick are joined by a special guest host, Jen, to do a blind tasting of four unknown hazy IPAs. The guys taste a sample of each brew, describing them as they go, and ultimately rank them without knowing what the beers are and which breweries made them. Along the way, they discuss...retro video games? LC still set us up with an "LC Pick of the Week" despite being on maternity leave, so there...

Joe and Nick are on the mics for this episode, as Lauren begins her maternity leave after having Baby Davis! The guys discuss the recent news of the upcoming closures for Double Barley Brewing (Smithfield, NC) and Eurisko Beer Company (Asheville, NC), which leads into a review of some historical data provided by the Brewers Association. Has the craft beer industry plateaued or become too saturated...

Joe and Nick are back (LC is taking a hiatus until after the baby arrives) and talking about some recent news in the craft beer industry: Anchor Brewing Company and their decision to stop distributing outside of California. After recapping this big announcement, we dive into the world of North Carolina hops. The NC State Extension has a North Carolina hops project that has been underway for more t...

Today we discuss the traditional Czech beer pouring methods. Tapsters in the Czech Republic have different techniques they employ, using side-pull taps, to produce different pours of the same beer. Joe and Nick recall their recent experience with a Mlíko pour (or milk pour), and relate that to other popular Czech pours such as Šnyt, Hladinka, and Čochtan. No LC today, but she did leave the guys wi...

Just in time for summer, we decided to highlight two popular beer beverages: the shandy and the radler. Both drinks are beer-based and contain various mix-in options, and both have an interesting origin story (if the tales are true). If you ever wondered what was in a shandy or a radler, or what the difference is between the two popular summer drinks, this is the episode for you! As usual, the guy...

The gang finally made it to Brewgaloo, the largest craft beer festival in North Carolina. Joe attended the Friday night block party while Nick attended on Saturday. We recap our individual experiences (spoiler alert: we had a great time) and talk about what goes into making Brewgaloo a success after getting a firsthand look volunteering. Finally, we share some information about a festival checklis...

The story of New Belgium Brewing Company is crucial when telling the story of the craft beer industry and its growth over the past few decades. Joe, Nick, and Lauren share some information about the brewery's early days, growth, and their four core values that have nurtured a healthy culture since they started in 1991. While they are known for making great beer, some people may not be aware of the...

"In this episode, we'll be talking about how to use artificial intelligence to generate your own beer recipes. We'll discuss the different AI tools that are available, and we'll even share a few of our own recipes that were generated by AI. We'll also talk about the challenges and opportunities of using AI to generate beer recipes." - Sticking with the theme of this episode, the episode title and...

This week the crew discusses inflation as it relates to the beer world. They discuss the dynamics of consumer trends and rising costs. They try a couple great beers and LC attempts to stump Nick and Joe with her pick of the week. Tune in to see if she succeeds!

This week the crew discusses the recent closure of Platform Beer Co. and the age of big beer acquisitions. Stick around as we dive into some of the hierarchy of big beer brands and as LC tries to stump us with a pick of the week. Cheers!

We've finally made it to episode 50! To celebrate we are doing a power hour and answering your questions! Thanks for listening and here's to 50 more!

This week the crew discusses the 3 tier distribution system for beer. They talk about the history of the system as well as the pros and cons. They even get into the first beer legally sold after prohibition was repealed. Then LC's pick of the week returns and she attempts to stump Nick and Joe. Check it out to see if she is successful or not!

This week the crew dives into the culinary realm with some discussion on beer and food. They talk basic principles and some common flavor profile pairings. They even design a menu and beer pairing (which was quite a challenge as well as fun). Cheers!

This week the crew dives into a bit of an ambiguous style, Oenobeer. This brew made using wine ingredients and techniques blends the lines of the two beverages. Check out the episode for more information on this somewhat forgotten style that may just be making a come back.

Happy holidays from the Secondary Fermentation crew! This week we try a festive beer by Delirium and discuss the Untappd year in review. Check it out to hear some stats (including ours).

This week its all about the barrel as the crew discusses the basics of barrel aged beers. They also try a bourbon barrel aged variant of Ommegang's Three Philosophers series and a spontaneously fermented blueberry aged sour from Barrel Culture. Sadly, they also discuss the recent closing announcement from Barrel Culture Brewing and Blending in Raleigh/Durham.

This week we're taking a break from podcasting and getting our fill on turkey (and beer). Don't worry, we'll see you for our next regularly schedule programming! Cheers!

This week we're trying a selection of NA beers and giving our thoughts on the category. We answer the question of "where do NA beers fit in our fridge?" and even go (very superficially) into some of the techniques used to produce them. Check it out for a great discussion on this growing segment of brews.

This week the gang gets Belgian and discusses an under appreciated style... the Flanders Red Ale. They geek out over the tart, fruity, and slightly sweet style and while on a sour kick break out a mixed fermentation brew by Barrel Culture in Durham. Check it out!

This week Joe and Lauren discuss their recent trip to Munich, Germany to visit Oktoberfest...that's right the Oktoberfest. They had a great time and came back with some stories, advice, and fun anecdotes about the trip. Listen in for a peek into the world's largest folk festival. P.s. please excuse the congested voices. Prost!