Barley & Me

Host Ben Rice remote-calls Teri Fahrendorf, the founder of the Pink Boots Society, to talk about the creation of this wonderful program, its expansion, and why she had to fire herself. Joining us are Alyssa Steger, the President of the Sacramento Pink Boots Society chapter and head brewer at Fort Rock Brewing, and Heidi Wilder, Fort Rock's director of fun-tivities. We discuss scholarship programs, how the Pink Boots has changed over the years and why, the current Pink Boots collaboration releases, and the weight of being an inspiration for future generations (and how PBS has helped to lift that). Plus! Secrets Revealed! What it's really like to be a woman in beer! The answer, may surprise you. All this and so much more, on the latest episode of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
Find out more about the Pink Boots Society and how to support them at www.pinkbootssociety.org
Follow Fort Rock Brewing for all their delicious beers and ways to buy it @fortrockbrewing
Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod
Also, during this crisis, 100% of profits from sales of Barley & Me shirts via Zen-Threads.com will go to Another Round, Another Rally, a charity that supports front- and back-of-house members of the service industry whose wages and benefits may be affected. So grab a shirt and help a good cause and people you love! https://zen-threads.com/collections/beer-wine/products/barley-and-me-podcast-mens-crew-tee?fbclid=IwAR1G_5HJ3NCoWTRgmG6Q2PVALEiJsb1KtHClCaDli0NhsjZsc4KPmWCp_os
Ben is also posting #Chugs4Charity videos semi-daily on Instagram (@barleyandmepod), to help raise funds for those affected by this shutdown. You can Venmo Ben ($comedianbenrice) and all money will go to support service industry workers, teachers, students, and performing arts theaters.
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro Music (not featured in this episode): “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alchemistqueen)
Speaking of music, bandcamp.com is currently giving 100% of money paid for music directly to the artist, so buy a Breez or Be Bold Brave Robot EP or LP and support your local artists.
Cheers!

Host Ben Rice practices shelter in place and social distancing by interviewing Mike Mraz of Mraz Brewing remotely. We chow down on chicken wings with various hot sauces while discussing Mraz's upcoming/postponed 7th anniversary, the coronavirus's effect on Mraz's business, as well as the craft beer industry and small businesses in general, as well as how to stay fit during this shutdown. Plus! Ben reveals how he's raising funds for service workers, teachers, students, and performing arts theaters affected by the shutdown and Mike announces an exciting upcoming collaboration with Red Bus Brewing. All this and more, on episode 124 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
Find out more about Mraz Brewing, their current beer availability, and more, at www.mrazbrewingcompany.com
Follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod
Thank you to Granites Famous Cheesesteaks & Wings, on Foothill Blvd, in Roseville, CA, for providing Ben’s hot wings. Order online at www.graniteswings.com or follow them on Instagram @graniteswingsroseville
Also, during this crisis, 100% of profits from sales of Barley & Me shirts via Zen-Threads.com will go to Another Round, Another Rally, a charity that supports front- and back-of-house members of the service industry whose wages and benefits may be affected. So grab a shirt and help a good cause and people you love! https://zen-threads.com/collections/beer-wine/products/barley-and-me-podcast-mens-crew-tee?fbclid=IwAR1G_5HJ3NCoWTRgmG6Q2PVALEiJsb1KtHClCaDli0NhsjZsc4KPmWCp_os
Ben is also posting #Chugs4Charity videos semi-daily on Instagram (@barleyandmepod), to help raise funds for those affected by this shutdown. You can Venmo Ben ($comedianbenrice) and all money will go to support service industry workers, teachers, students, and performing arts theaters.
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro Music (not featured in this episode): “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
Speaking of music, bandcamp.com is currently giving 100% of money paid for music directly to the artist, so buy a Breez or Be Bold Brave Robot EP or LP and support your local artists.
Cheers!

Host Ben Rice practices social distancing by ringing up Sacramento Beer Frontier's Aaron O'Callaghan to discuss the Coronavirus/COVID-19 and its potential effects on the beer industry and the world. With no medical background and no skin in the beer game, Ben & Aaron can talk freely about this topic. But for proper perspective, Ben created an anonymous industry survey, which gathered responses from brewers, owners, sales reps, taproom managers, hop growers, maltsters, and media relations members in the industry. We try to keep the Barley & Me charm and improvisational interview style as well, so this may be a long episode but hopefully it's an easy listen. All this and a shocking amount more, on episode 123 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
Find out more about our guests today by following them on Instagram:
Sacramento Beer Frontier: @sacbeerfrontier
Also, during this crisis, 100% of profits from sales of Barley & Me shirts via Zen-Threads.com will go to Another Round, Another Rally, a charity that supports front- and back-of-house members of the service industry whose wages and benefits may be affected. So grab a shirt and help a good cause and people you love! https://zen-threads.com/collections/beer-wine/products/barley-and-me-podcast-mens-crew-tee?fbclid=IwAR1G_5HJ3NCoWTRgmG6Q2PVALEiJsb1KtHClCaDli0NhsjZsc4KPmWCp_os
Find out more about Another Round, Another Rally at www.anotherroundanotherrally.org
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro Music (not featured in this episode): “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
Speaking of music, bandcamp.com is currently giving 100% of money paid for music directly to the artist, so buy a Breez or Be Bold Brave Robot EP or LP and support your local artists.
Cheers!

Host Ben Rice travels to Chico, CA, to talk to the town's second-ever brewery, Secret Trail Brewing, and owner/brewer Charlie Barrett, as well as Chico's indie-pop darlings Surrogate (represented by guitarist Michael Lee and keyboardist Daniel Martin). We talk consumption, creativity, and a change to the digital/internet era, as well as pesky ABC regulations, marketing tactics, and how to retain your individuality in a market that has certain expectations. Plus! Expansion! Singles on tape! Knowing you might fail but at least you tried! And the challenges of live performance, especially in Sacramento, CA. But it's not all doom and gloom! We also talk about Surrogate's upcoming appearance at The Maltese's 10th anniversary show (May 30th) and Secret Trail's SpringFest on May 9! Enjoy!
Find out more about our guests today by following them on Instagram:
Secret Trail Brewing: @secrettrailbrewingco
Surrogate: @_surrogate
And of course, you can follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod
This episode is brought to you by staying at home and avoiding infection risks! We'll bring back the ads you know and hate once we know we can all safely assemble once again.
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
During this coronavirus pandemic, I will be trying to get episodes out. With the added risks in live interaction, I will be organizing phone interviews, which opens my range to WORLDWIDE, babyyyyyy. Let me know what breweries and industry professionals you want to hear from, and I will try my best to make that happen. Hit me up on the social meeds, or via email at [email protected] or [email protected]
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro Music: “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
Thanks so much for listening. Get home safe!

Host Ben Rice travels to PRINCETON!, California, to sit down with Farmers Brewing's Bill Weller. We talk about the humble beginnings of Farmers Brewing and how random happenstance changed their initial trajectory tremendously. Plus! Rice in beer? What happens when a craft brewery makes that their grain of focus and what does it take to make medium grain japonica rice amplify the profile of a craft beer? Trial, error, more trials, and importing equipment from Spain! All with the goal of reclaiming American light lagers from large multinational conglomerates while giving the people what they want! From their Core Fore, to seasonal brews, to how life as a farmer influenced Bill's plans and techniques, there's a lot to learn, on episode 121 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
You can follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod. You can email questions/comments/concerns to [email protected] or [email protected]. New website! www.barleyandmepod.com! And, of course, you can buy Barley & Me t-shirts at www.zen-threads.com.
Find out more about our guest today by following them on Instagram:
Farmers Brewing: @farmersbrewing
This episode is brought to you by:
-Comedy Night at Crooked Lane! The next show is Thursday, March 19, at Crooked Lane Brewing in Auburn, CA. Tickets are $10 and are available on Eventbrite, at the brewery (536 Grass Valley Hwy, Auburn, CA) or by phone (530) 878-5232. March’s headliner, back by popular demand, is Anthony K, with featured performer Jason Sohm and host Andre Morton.
-FEMME FEST 2020, taking place March 20-March 22 at the Sacramento Comedy Spot! A weekend of all-female-identifying stand-up, sketch, and improv comedy. Get show, single-day, or full festival passes at www.sacramentocomedyspot.com!
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro/Ad Music: “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)

Host Ben Rice travels to Sacramento, CA's Tower Brewing to talk to TV/radio/podcast producer Cindy Baker, plus Tower Brewing crew Mike Ungerbuhler (head brewer), Micah Ochej (brewer), and Calvin Crawford (taproom manager) about creativity, commitment to passions, and how your backgrounds help you build to your present and future. Plus! Buying Rubicon IP(A), rum varieties, why it feels worse when someone is disappointed in you instead of mad at you, the rise and fall of Brut IPA, and an odd first/fourth anniversary. All this and more, on episode 120 of Barley & Me. Enjoy
You can follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod. You can email questions/comments/concerns to [email protected] or [email protected]. New website! www.barleyandmepod.com! And, of course, you can buy Barley & Me t-shirts at www.zen-threads.com.
Find out more about our guests today by following them on Instagram:
Tower Brewing: @towerbrewingco
Cindy Baker: @sindeevicious
This episode is brought to you by:
-Comedy Night at Crooked Lane! The next show is Thursday, February 20, at Crooked Lane Brewing in Auburn, CA. Tickets are $10 and are available on Eventbrite, at the brewery (536 Grass Valley Hwy, Auburn, CA) or by phone (530) 878-5232. February’s headliner is Chelsea Bearce (YouTube’s “Street Comic”), featuring Chad Opitz and hosted by Roman Spinale.
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro Music (not featured in this episode): “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Background Music for this episode provided by: Nipper Brothers (@nipperbrothers)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)

Host Ben Rice travels to the Art of Beer Invitational 2020 to conduct a handful of mini-interviews!
In segment one, Ben sits down with Cynthia Lee and Trish Showen of DarkHeart Brewing (Sacramento) plus beer volunteer and secret Barley & Me MVP Scott Mills to talk the art and influence of Art of Beer, designing a pirate-themed brewery, releasing the Kraken, and the sunken costs and buried treasures of the beer business.
In segment two, Ben is joined by Laine Ruona of Almanac Brewing (Alameda) and Chris Smith of South Lake Brewing (South Lake Tahoe) to talk family ties, our strange and winding paths through the beer industry, and the difficulty of establishing a new brewing identity and crafting beers for beer fans and tourists alike. Plus upcoming Almanac collabs and South Lake’s TAMBA fundraisers.
And in our final segment, Ben has an earnest conversation with brewer Jared Long, Jack Alexander of Burning Barrel Brewing (Rancho Cordova), and Tom Jones of the California Aerospace Museum (and creator of the Hops & Props Invitational beer event). We talk about the best music of 2019, before diving headlong into the realities facing craft brewers in 2020 vs the realities as we entered the 2010s. As more talent has entered the industry, the beer drinker’s expectations and demands have increased, resulting in a world where there is a lot of excitement, but no one is excited by an individual beer. We (Ben) pontificates on why heroin is in heavy rotation in the rock industry, while Jared and Jack discuss what separates the craft beer industry from other career paths and the challenge of pleasing customers while maintaining your integrity. One of the best conversations we’ve had on Barley & Me. Do not miss it.
You can follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod. You can email questions/comments/concerns to [email protected] or [email protected]. New website! www.barleyandmepod.com! And, of course, you can buy Barley & Me t-shirts at www.zen-threads.com.
Find out more about our guests today by following them on Instagram:
DarkHeart: @darkheartbrewing
Almanac: @almanacbeer
South Lake Brewing: @southlakebrewco
Burning Barrel Brewing: @burningbarrelbrewco
Hops & Props: @aerospaceca (get tickets to Hops & Props, happening April 25, 2020, at the Aerospace Museum of California, at www.aerospaceca.org/events)
This episode is brought to you by:
-Comedy Night at Crooked Lane! The next show is Thursday, February 20, at Crooked Lane Brewing in Auburn, CA. Tickets are $10 and are available on Eventbrite, at the brewery (536 Grass Valley Hwy, Auburn, CA) or by phone (530) 878-5232. February’s headliner is Chelsea Bearce (YouTube’s “Street Comic”), featuring Chad Opitz and hosted by Roman Spinale.
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro Music: “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)

Host Ben Rice travels to West Sacramento, CA, to chat with Jackrabbit Brewing's head brewer Rob Moreno and Sacramento-based improvisor Justine Lopez. We kick off 2020 with conversations about secondary businesses to drive success, Sacramento's growing arts and comedy communities, what 2020 holds for craft beer (and Jackrabbit in particular), plus brand management and business planning, marriage and child-raising pros and cons, and how dogs can tell if you're a good person or not. Also! How improv is like sports, Ben's bad decision making, and the drawbacks of capitalism. All this and more, on episode 118 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
You can follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod. You can email questions/comments/concerns to [email protected] or [email protected]. New website! www.barleyandmepod.com! And, of course, you can buy Barley & Me t-shirts at www.zen-threads.com.
Find out more about Jackrabbit’s goals and progress, plus can releases on Instagram @jackrabbitbrewingcompany
If you’re lucky, you can follow guest Justine Lopez on Instagram @justine____
This episode is brought to you by:
-The Art of Beer, happening January 24, 2020, at McClelland Conference Center in Sacramento, CA. Get your tickets online at www.artofbeerinvitational.com
Barley & Me listeners can get 10% off their purchase of tickets and packages by using promo code Barley10
-Comedy Night at Crooked Lane! The next show is Thursday, February 20, at Crooked Lane Brewing in Auburn, CA. Tickets are $10 and are available on Eventbrite, at the brewery (536 Grass Valley Hwy, Auburn, CA) or by phone (530) 878-5232. February’s headliner is Chelsea Bearce (YouTube’s “Street Comic”), featuring Chad Opitz and hosted by Roman Spinale.
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro Music (not included in this particular episode): “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)

Host Ben Rice travels to New Helvetia Brewing in Sacramento, CA, to sit down with friends of the pod and truly terrific comedians Stephen Furey, Emma Haney, and Becky Lynn, to talk about their accomplishments in 2019, their hopes and aspirations for 2020, and drink some beers we've never had before. We also all realize that to make a living in the arts, you have to be a corporate shill, so we rave about our favorite things (please send us money) and rant about Ben's dictatorial hosting style. In this episode, we tackle beers from Little Beast, Sierra Nevada, North Coast, and Ruhstaller, bookended by known quantities from Asahi and New Helvetia. Thank you to New Helvetia for giving us a place to record and crafting some tasty stuff. Cheers to you all in the year 2020, and thank you for listening. Enjoy!
You can follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod. You can email questions/comments/concerns to [email protected] or [email protected]. New website! www.barleyandmepod.com! And, of course, you can buy Barley & Me t-shirts at www.zen-threads.com.
You can follow our guests’ career paths (and their social media) here:
Stephen Furey @scubastevefurey
Emma Haney IG @ehaneycomedy Twitter @emmaiscool69
Becky Lynn @ohthatsbecky
This episode is brought to you by:
-The Art of Beer, happening January 24, 2020, at McClelland Conference Center in Sacramento, CA. Get your tickets online at www.artofbeerinvitational.com
Barley & Me listeners can get 10% off their purchase of tickets and packages by using promo code Barley10
Congratulations to Joel McLemore for winning our contest from last episode and winning two (2) VIP tickets to Art of Beer!
-“Drink Better Beer” by Joshua Bernstein, available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and www.joshuambernstein.com. Makes a great gift for any beer lover this holiday season!
-Comedy Night at Crooked Lane! The next show is Thursday, January 16, at Crooked Lane Brewing in Auburn, CA. Tickets are $10 and are available on Eventbrite, at the brewery (536 Grass Valley Hwy, Auburn, CA) or by phone (530) 878-5232. January’s headliner, Caitlin Weierhauser, recently made her late night debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and will be featured in the upcoming Disney film Timmy Failure, was Portland’s Funniest Person 2017, and has performed at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. Also appearing are Nick Sahoyah of popular YouTube series “Cool Moms” and Chazz Hawkins, who has opened for such acts as Hannibal Burress, Ali Wong, and Craig Robinson.
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Alternate Intro Music (not included in this particular episode): “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)

Host Ben Rice travels to San Diego, CA, to conduct mini-interviews during Karl Strauss’s Collabapalooza 2019! This is the second episode in that series of mini’s. In segment one, Ben sits down with Craig Nelson of Resident Brewing and Nyle Molina of Abnormal Brewing, to discuss their strange shared history, lager collaborations, POGs, tribal tattoos, the brewpub model, and the similarities (and surprising differences) between the San Diego and Florida craft beer markets. In segment two, Lost Abbey’s Chase Michaels and Nick Tretow go in-depth on the sour/wild ale process, as well as the fairy new offshoot brewery model (Lost Abbey is itself an offshoot of Port Brewing, as is The Hop Concept), and why anyone would ever want to live in the Midwest. And finally, in segment three, Ben chats with Larry Monasakanian of Fall Brewing and Justin Stambaugh of Stave & Nail, to learn about the exciting world of small-scale craft brewing, mass-produced craft Mexican lagers, Fall’s involvement with Who Cares, and the difference between a beer nerd and a beer douchebag. All this and more, on episode 116 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
And if you missed the first part of this series, recorded at Collabapalooza 2019, I encourage you to listen to episode 115, featuring interviews with Societe, Burning Beard, White Labs, Melvin, and Latchkey.
You can follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod. You can email questions/comments/concerns to [email protected] or [email protected]. New website! www.barleyandmepod.com! And, of course, you can buy Barley & Me t-shirts at www.zen-threads.com.
You can find our guests online as well, and they pretty much all agree Instagram is the best place to get news on upcoming events, tap lists, and new products, so follow them!
Abnormal Beer @abnormalbeerco
Resident Brewing @residentbrewing
Lost Abbey @lostabbey / @portbrewing @thehopconcept
Stave & Nail @staveandnailbeer
Fall Brewing @fallbrewingcompany
Thank you to Karl Strauss (@karlstraussbeer) and Rad Craft Beer (@radcraftbeer) for the invite and opportunity. Thank you to Jay Jones of Thorn Brewing (@thornbeer) and Emily Hutto and Chea Franz of Rad Craft Beer for helping connect me with brewers on-site at Collabapalooza and for refilling my glass as needed.
This episode is brought to you by:
-The Art of Beer, happening January 24, 2020, at McClelland Conference Center in Sacramento, CA. Get your tickets online at www.artofbeerinvitational.com
Barley & Me listeners can get 10% off their purchase of tickets and packages by using promo code Barley10
Attentive listeners (and readers), Barley & Me is giving away two (2) VIP tickets to the upcoming Art of Beer. There are two (2!) ways to enter: review the podcast on your favorite podcast app (then take a screenshot and email it to me or slide in those DMs) OR come up with a catchy name for our upcoming New Year’s episode (by email or those wet DMs). Host Ben Rice will pick his favorite review or favorite episode name idea and that listener will get two (2) free tickets. IF you submit a killer review and name idea (so killer they’re Ben’s favorite in each category), you can win FOUR (4!!!) VIP tickets to Art of Beer. So get those reviews and names in!
-“Drink Better Beer” by Joshua Bernstein, available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and www.joshuambernstein.com. Makes a great gift for any beer lover this holiday season!
-Comedy Night at Crooked Lane! The next show is Thursday, January 16, at Crooked Lane Brewing in Auburn, CA. Tickets are $10 and are available on Eventbrite, at the brewery (536 Grass Valley Hwy, Auburn, CA) or by phone (530) 878-5232. January’s headliner, Caitlin Weierhauser, recently made her late night debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and will be featured in the upcoming Disney film Timmy Failure, was Portland’s Funniest Person 2017, and has performed at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. Also appearing are Nick Sahoyah of popular YouTube series “Cool Moms” and Chazz Hawkins, who has opened for such acts as Hannibal Burress, Ali Wong, and Craig Robinson.
Do you have a story about racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia in the beer industry? You can submit your story anonymously, to be read on a future episode of Barley & Me at https://forms.gle/SmDuBT3zGKxNCVZ757
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Additional Music: “JamRoc” by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)