The True Craft Podcast

In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Brewmaster & Marketing Professional Ryan Seiz from Warwick Farm Brewing to discuss how they've built one of Pennsylvania's premier destination breweries by intentionally avoiding the traditional distribution game. From transforming a former meat processing facility into a thriving taproom to creating events that draw hundreds of people ev...

In this episode, we are sitting down with Alan Brinton, the co-founder of Grey Sail Brewing, located right on the coastal border of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Alan shares his journey from brewing "God-awful" beer in his college apartment to establishing one of Rhode Island's largest production breweries and successfully navigating 15 years of industry evolution. We dive into the realities of sc...

In this episode, we’re trekking to a tiny town of 350 people in rural Newfoundland to chat with Alicia MacDonald, co-founder of Port Rexton Brewing (who is celebrating 10 years this summer)! Along with her business partner, Alicia has spent the last decade navigating island logistics, dodging icebergs, and balancing summer tourism with distribution-filled winters. Highlights include: Turning a DIY...

In this episode, we are hanging out with Bobby Fleshman and Emy Senkbeil of McFleshman’s Brewing Company out of Appleton, Wisconsin. Quick question for you: what happens when you trade a career at NASA for a mash tun? Well, we’re finding out that and so much more on this episode! We chat with Bobby and Emy about how astrophysics and "unreasonable" hospitality created a brewery for brewers. Highlig...

Join us at CBC 2026 for our free Brewery Profit Workshop on Monday, April 20th. Learn more and grab a spot at sbstandard.com/cbcprofit — In this episode we sit down with Brad Fitzgerald of Swellsa Brewing about building a modern craft staple in the heart of Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina. From navigating the unique challenges of the Outer Banks to winning a World Beer Cup gold medal, Swellsa h...

Join us at CBC 2026 for our free Brewery Profit Workshop on Monday, April 20th. Learn more and grab a spot at sbstandard.com/cbcprofit — In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Warren Bondi, the co-founder of Wood Foot Beer Co. in Fort Walton Beach and the founder of marketing agency Beer Marketeers. With a background spanning from stocking shelves for major distributors to ser...

Join us at CBC 2026 for our free Brewery Profit Workshop on Monday, April 20th. Learn more and grab a spot at sbstandard.com/cbcprofit — In this episode of The True Craft Podcast , we are sitting down with Hannah Ison of Zeroday Brewing Company and the Brewers of Pennsylvania to discuss the evolving definition of a craft brewery. We explore why leaning into the "beverage manufacturer" label might...

Join us at CBC 2026 for our free Brewery Profit Workshop on Monday, April 20th. Learn more and grab a spot at sbstandard.com/cbcprofit — In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we’re chatting with Brian Durand of Asbury Park Brewery about what it takes to build a wholesale presence in a competitive, seasonal shore market. We unpack how distribution fits into their broader strategy and what it r...

Join us at CBC 2026 for our free Brewery Profit Workshop on Monday, April 20th. Learn more and grab a spot at sbstandard.com/cbcprofit — In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Chris O’Neill of One Well Brewing out of Kalamazoo, Michigan. We unpack how a brewery that started with just $80K grew into a ~$1M business by paying close attention to why customers behave the way they...

Join us at CBC 2026 for our free Brewery Profit Workshop on Monday, April 20th. Learn more and grab a spot at sbstandard.com/cbcprofit — In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we’re chatting with Kevin Drake of Alibi Ale Works. We unpack how operating two busy brewpubs in a tourist-driven market ultimately pushed them toward contract brewing (and why it turned out to be one of the most stabili...

In this episode, we chat with Doug McLaughlin and Mike Orozco (the “M” and “O” behind M&O Spirits), a small but mighty distillery just outside Columbus, Ohio. What started as a bourbon experiment in a basement quickly turned into an award-winning craft distillery! Doug and Mike share how years in the film industry led to distilling, how a curious neighbor sparked their decision to “go legal,” and...

In this episode we are sitting down with Justin Vitti, co-founder of Wander Back Beerworks in New Jersey. After helping Cape May Brewing grow from 1,200 to over 40,000 barrels in distribution, Justin launched Wanderback—a self-distributing brewery...without a taproom! Some highlights include: The simple distribution equation every brewery needs to master: Volume = Points of Distribution × Rate of...

On today’s episode of The True Craft Podcast , we sit down with Karl Sanford — co-founder of Manhattan Project Beer Company out of Dallas, TX. In just seven years, Karl and his team have grown the brewery to 17,000 barrels a year and show no signs of slowing down! With a clear strategy, a powerhouse flagship beer, and some Texas-sized expansion plans, MPBC is showing that craft is alive and well i...

In this episode, we sit down with Erik Shewmaker, co-founder of Field Day Brewing and longtime restaurateur. Erik shares how a quarter of a century in hospitality shaped the launch of Field Day in 2023, the challenges of navigating Iowa distribution laws, the early adoption of THC beverages, and everything in-between! Highlights include: How a restaurant-first mindset changes how a brewery inheren...

On this episode of The True Craft Podcast , we chat with Adam Charnack, co-founder of Hi-Wire Brewing out of Asheville, NC. From weathering natural disasters like Hurricane Helene to shifting their business model to stay ahead of the ever-evolving craft beer industry, Adam shares what it takes to keep a brewery moving forward. Highlights include: What to consider when expanding into multiple locat...

In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Bobby Cheek of Heavale Brewing Company in Calhoun, GA. Have you heard of a new brewery opening for under $200k? With a turnkey space, secondhand tanks, and a dash of DYI, the small-but-mighty Heavale team did exactly that! Bobby shares what it takes to build a brewery from scratch in a rural market and why community might just be the bigg...

E115: The Taproom and Distro Balancing Act with Doug Bellenger of Well Crafted Beer Co. In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we chat with Doug Bellenger of Well Crafted Beer Co. out of Lansdale, PA to unpack the ever-present balance of running a brewery. From creating an enjoyable fast casual atmosphere in the taproom to recalibrating wholesale margins, Doug gives a clear-eyed look at the tr...

In this episode, we sit down with Ted Mitzlaff, Owner and CEO of Goodwood Beer & Spirits, to unpack how a Louisville, KY brewery grew from a small production operation into a multiple locations with restaurants, spirits, and experiences. (Anyone wanna go bowling?) From navigating the market downturn to sometimes embracing necessary business pivots, Ted shares insights with over two decades of bein...

In this episode, we sit down with Charlie Berger, co-founder of Denver Beer Company and now one of the minds behind Wilding Brands—the growing group that includes Denver Beer Co, Stem Ciders, Funkwerks, Howdy Beer, Great Divide Brewing Company, and (breaking news!) Station 26 Brewing Company. Charlie shares how he and his team are bringing together some of Colorado’s most beloved breweries and cid...

This week on The True Craft Podcast, we’re joined by Brian Walker, the co-owner of Cody Craft Brewing in Cody, Wyoming. A former tech professional turned brewery owner, Brian shares how he made the leap from cybersecurity to craft beer, and how he and his team have built a destination-worthy taproom in a town of just 10,000 people. Some highlights include: Why Cody Craft never wanted to run a kitc...

Adam Robbings of Reuben’s Brews returns to The True Craft Podcast to share how he’s putting AI to work behind the scenes, from forecasting taproom traffic to simplifying the hiring process. He and Chris also unpack key takeaways from this year’s CBC and preview Adam’s upcoming book on optimizing the way departments work together across a brewery. Some highlights include: How his AI-powered tool, H...

On today’s episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Jeremy Duffy, co-founder of Isle Brewers Guild (IBG) in Pawtucket, RI. IBG is a 100-barrel contract brewing facility that also runs three successful retail locations under The Guild Brewing Company brand. Jeremy gives us a behind-the-scenes look into large-scale production with a strong retail presence focused on food, events, and sale...

In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Dan Callender, co-founder of Salty Turtle Beer Company out of Surf City, NC. We kick things off with a recap of CBC in Indianapolis! (Shoutout to the BA for organizing a conference that put a huge spotlight on learning and connection). Dan then walks us through Salty Turtle’s origin story, how they’ve strategically scaled, and why being n...

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: retail is the future of craft . On this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we sit down with Jeff Heck, co-founder of Monday Night Brewing out of Atlanta, GA, to talk about how his team made that shift. What started as a backyard homebrew club has grown into six unique taproom locations across the Southeast. Jeff shares the mindset behind expanding thei...

In this episode of The True Craft Podcast, we are grabbing a pint with Dave Winslow, Owner of Jackson Street Brewing out of Sioux City, IA to chat about what it takes to build a successful brewery over a 10-year period! Highlights include: How Jackson Street Beer grew from a 3.5-barrel system to a thriving operation without outside investors or mountains of debt The impact of how defining a brewer...