A new perspective on the Podcast, talking to Ammar Sheikah who's family owns Joe's Beverage Warehouse in Joliet.  We sat right in the aisle amongst the beer and talked about what it takes to pivot from your run of the mill neighborhood liquor store, to a Craft Beer Super Store fit for a Beer Geek.  And their upcoming collaboration with MyGrain Brewing, Escape from Staeville.  They truly do "Speak Craft Beer" there.  We talked about their utilization of Social Media when hosting big time releases of CBS or Bourbon County, and Daily beer drops.  Great guy and a great spot to buy really good local beer and some damn good Bourbon and all types of other booze as well!  Go pay them a visit, they have it all.

Average Joe's Facebook Page - Go quick and Like it!

Cardinal Liquor Depot Social Media:

BrewsFlash Blog

Facebook Page

Twitter Page: @LiqDepotJoliet

A new perspective on the Podcast, talking to Ammar Sheikah who's family owns Joe's Beverage Warehouse in Joliet.  We sat right in the aisle amongst the beer and talked about what it takes to pivot from your run of the mill neighborhood liquor store, to a Craft Beer Super Store fit for a Beer Geek.  And their upcoming collaboration with MyGrain Brewing, Escape from Staeville.  They truly do "Speak Craft Beer" there.  We talked about their utilization of Social Media when hosting big time releases of CBS or Bourbon County, and Daily beer drops.  Great guy and a great spot to buy really good local beer and some damn good Bourbon and all types of other booze as well!  Go pay them a visit, they have it all.

Average Joe's Facebook Page - Go quick and Like it!

Cardinal Liquor Depot Social Media:

BrewsFlash Blog

Facebook Page

Twitter Page: @LiqDepotJoliet

A new perspective on the Podcast, talking to Ammar Sheikah who's family owns the Cardinal Liquor Depot in Joliet.  We sat right in the aisle amongst the beer and talked about what it takes to pivot from your run of the mill neighborhood liquor store, to a Craft Beer Super Store fit for a Beer Geek.  And their upcoming collaboration with MyGrain Brewing, Escape from Staeville.  They truly do "Speak Craft Beer" there.  We talked about their utilization of Social Media when hosting big time releases of CBS or Bourbon County, and Daily beer drops.  Great guy and a great spot to buy really good local beer and some damn good Bourbon and all types of other booze as well!  Go pay them a visit, they have it all.

Average Joe's Facebook Page - Go quick and Like it!

Cardinal Liquor Depot Social Media:

BrewsFlash Blog: https://thebrewsflash.blogspot.com/?m=1

Facebook Page: Cardinal Liquor Depot on Facebook

Twitter Page: @LiqDepotJoliet

I was so pumped for this episode and Brandon and Amanda did not disappoint.  We laughed we cried, we consumed, and we gave Brando a platform to tell the full story of the legend of "Brando's House of Awesomeness".  Though that dream had to be tempered, it lives on within each beer he brews.  I know you all will love this Orgin story along with a bunch of banter and nonsense thrown in.  Amanda and Brandon are two local entrepenuers worth supporting so, get out to Werk Force Brewing and Chicago Brew Werks Brewing supplies, and make sure to have a beer and saddle up for story or 2 as well.  They have a huge accomadating taproom they opened recently and the small tasting room is still there like your favorite old hoodie ready to give you some comfort and an experimental beer or 2.  

Facebook Page: Average Joe's Above Average Beer Podcast

Werk Force Social Media:

Website: http://www.werkforcebrewing.com

Instagram: @Werkforcebrewing

Twitter: @werkforcebrew

Facebook: Werk Force Facebook Page

I sat down for a lengthy conversation with head brewer Dan Rosenberg at MyGrain Brewing in the old Joliet Train Station.  It is an impressive space centered around a 100 Year old building, with a large taplist, an out of this world Food Menu, and plenty of beer to go in Cans and Crowlers.  Pretty advanced for a 5 month old brewery.  Dan is Uber intelligent and provides some great insight into this unique space, and the beer world in general.  I prodded him for his past, present and future in the beer industry, and we got down into the weeds on non-sense as well.  Great experience and if you have not been there, come hungry and thirsty, they got what you need.  

Average Joe's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Averagejoesaboveaveragebeerpodcast/

MyGrain Brewing Social Media:

Website - http://www.mygrainbrewing.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MyGrainbrewing/

Instagram - mygrainbrewing

Twitter - @MyGrainBrewing

Got to spend a little time in the Monkey House with the guys at Metal Monkey Brewing in Romeoville, IL.  Dan and Jason were gracious hosts, letting me sample their delicious brews, and all the while telling me their story.  We covered the beginnings of a Home brew addict to how the two of them hooked up at the Joliet Brewers Guild, and thought hmmm, Maybe we should start a brewery.  With a large and outstanding taplist and a bunch of changes coming down the pipeline, this is a must listen for any Chicagoland beer lover.  There was talk of Canning and expanded Distro in the near future, along with a new 10 Barrel system in the works.  Don't miss their Anniversary Party January 27th.  The guys let us in on some of the special tappings and other things planned for the event, it is going to be pretty sick!

Average Joe's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Averagejoesaboveaveragebeerpodcast/

Metal Monkey Social Media:

Website: http://www.metalmonkeybrewing.com/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetalMonkeyBrewing/?fref=ts

Instagram: @metalmonkeybrew

Twitter: @MetalMonkeyBrew

What an Episode!  Tom and Jake were outstanding.  They rolled out the Beer Red Carpet for us, and let us sit in the Barrel House #1 while doing the podcast.  Meanwhile they broke out bottles of some of the best beers I have ever had.  Including some "Wild" Stuff, some Jester King, River City, and a collab with Une Annee.  We tried their The Dorado and Vanta, which were outstanding, but most importanly we talked, for a long time.  I also want to thank my guy, Mike Maxwell, for tagging along and adding to the conversation.  These guys were so gracious with their time touching on the beer industry as a whole, their starts in the business, what's coming down the pipeline, and a little of what they do when they are not elbows deep in Hops.  I hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording it.

Average Joe's Above Average Facebook Page

Penrose Brewing Social Media:

Website: http://penrosebrewing.com

Instgram: @PenroseBrewing

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/PenroseBrewing/

Twitter: @PenroseBrewing

2 Weeks into being open, I sat with Denver and Dan, owners of Crafted 1979 Bottle Shop and Taproom to talk about their crazy journey.  We covered the stories behind the pours, from their beginnings, their trips to FoBAB and Dark Lord day, and the approach they took when opening their Store.  We tasted some Hubbards Cave Fresh IPA V9 and cracked a whale of a beer in a De Garde Kriek Premiere.  The fellas were outstanding, organic, and authetic as all hell.  We got a surprise visit from Eric Anderson from Doc's Smokehouse in Mokena.  We covered a bunch, and I think you will be informed and very entertained.  Cheers!  Please go check them out.  Here is some info on the Crafted 1979

Website: https://www.crafted1979.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Crafted-1979-603773063344313/

Twitter: @Crafted79

Instagram: @Crafted1979

Location: 

19200 LaGrange Road, Mokena, IL

I sat down with Headbrewer and part owner Jamie Albert at the soon to be Will County Brew Co. Taproom.  WCBC will be the first brewery to open in Shorewood, IL, and despite some small speed bumps along the way, they are scheduled to open in January 2018.  I had a blast talking about the space and the story behind it, and drinking what will be their first bottle release upon opening, Zero Year Anniversary.  Please take some time to check out their webpage and their Kickstarter page (Links Below).  They will be an awesome addition to the southwest burbs craft scene.  Jamie gives some insight on what to expect with the doors open from what kind of beers you can expect to find on tap, to decor, events, and other happenings WCBC's future.

Website: https://www.willcountybrew.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willcountybrew/

twitter: @willcountybrew

Instagram: @willcountybrewingcompany

Kickstarter: Donate here and become a private backer of Will County Brewing Co. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/willcountybrew/welcome-to-will-county-brewing-company-support-loc?ref=project_tweet

This episode is from a bottleshare this past weekend hosted by my good friend Mike Maxwell.  Mike, myself, and our buddy Steve Crobie sit down and drink some outstanding Barrel aged beers and a few DDH DIPA's, while tossing in a Werk Force Imperial Saison.  We talk about our starts into craft beer and some of the styles we enjoy.  Like any good bottle share, it may get a little sketchy towards the end.  Hope you enjoy it.  Here is the list of what we drank.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 2016 Regular

Forbidden Root Snoochie Boochies

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee

Perrin Unfinished Business

Deth by Cherries

Founders CBS Canadian Breakfast Stout

Oddside Ales Rye Hipster

Saint Errant Watasha

Werk Force Blackberry Vultures

Hailstorm 2016 Vlad The Second Order with Vanilla