Barley & Me

Host Ben Rice travels to the 2018 California Craft Beer Summit to conduct mini-episodes with brewers, vendors, and beer industry professionals. This is the 3rd of 3 episodes recorded during that trip. In Segment One, Ben chats with old friends Scott Williams of Moksa Brewing and Delayna Fitzgerald of Drake's at the Barn, to discuss brewery expansion, as Moksa plans to increase its production area and Drake's Brewing is opening a new satellite location in Sacramento. We also talk about the importance of building community. In segment two, Ben sits down with Stan Brown of Barnum Mechanical and Will Fox of Pacific Island Beer Company to talk about how there are no shortcuts in brewery building and how passion drives the industry. And in our final segment, we speak with Jason VerHoef of BioGill and Kevin Martino of Chev Kev's Specialty Foods to talk about waste management and beer snacks, two items we tend to overlook when downing some tasty suds. Enjoy!
Follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod
Follow Moksa on Instagram @moksabrewing
Follow Drake's at the Barn for info on their grand opening at @drakesthebarn
Find out more about Barnum Mechanical at www.barnummech.com
Check out Pacific Island Beer Co at @pacificislandbeerco
Check out BioGill at brewery.biogill.com
Order some noms from Chef Kev's Specialty Foods at www.chefkevfoods.com
As a reminder, you can now buy Barley & Me t-shirts at www.zen-threads.com (https://bit.ly/BarleyZen)
This episode is brought to you by ABV Magazine. Subscribe now at www.abvmagazine.com!
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
Email me questions, comments, concerns, and/or guest ideas at [email protected]

Host Ben Rice travels to the California Craft Beer Summit 2018 to conduct short-form interviews with brewers and industry professionals. In the 2nd of 3 episodes from this event, there are two segments: the first with Alex Larrabee of Big Stump Brewing (Sacramento), Kelly Lohrmeyer of Yakima Chief Hops, and Tanner Davies of Country Malt Group, to talk about how hops, malt, water, and yeast come together to make phenomenal beer and forge friendships. Then in segment two, Ben chats with Josie Becker of Common Space Brewing (Los Angeles) and Rob Cartwright of DataQuencher to dig deep on surprising beer trends and how non-brewer brewery workers can surprise you. Enjoy!
Follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod
Find out more about Big Stump Brewing @bigstumpbrewco
Get into that Yakima Gold with Yakima Chief Hops @yakimachiefhops on Twitter and @yakimachief on Instagram
Get roasted by Country Malt Group @countrymalt
Discover Common Space Brewing @commonspacela
Learn more about DataQuencher @dataquencher on Twitter
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
Barley & Me t-shirts are now available at Zen-Threads.com (https://bit.ly/BarleyZen)
This episode has been brought to you by ABV Magazine. Subscribe for just $1 a month at www.abvmagazine.com

Host Ben Rice travels to the 2018 California Craft Beer Summit to talk to beer industry near and far about themselves, their beer, and their specialties. This is the first of three episodes recorded there. The first segment features Meghan Peltz, the Sensory Manager at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. We dive into the quality control world of the craft beer industry, its importance, and how to separate that nerdy side from the beer enjoyment side, plus how Meghan found herself in this interesting career. In segment two, we chat with Mike Brennan and Annie Johnson of PicoBrew, the innovate automated homebrew system. Mike doubles as a representative of the Master Brewers Association and Annie was the 2013 American Homebrewer of the Year. We catch up on old times, talk about the changing beer industry, the burgeoning craft beer cocktail scene, and what's new from PicoBrew, plus fart jokes and more! Enjoy!
Follow Sierra Nevada @sierranevada
Find out more about PicoBrew and their existing and upcoming products at www.picobrew.com or on social media at @picobrewbeer
Fall in love with Annie Johnson on Instagram @smellsofhotdogs and on Twitter @buffalowing
Follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod
Rate and subscribe, even share links, if you would be so kind!
You can buy Barley & Me t-shirts at Zen-Threads.com / https://www.bit.ly/BarleyZen
This episode is brought to you by ABV Magazine. Subscribe for just $1 a month or find out more at www.abvmagazine.com
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
Email Barley & Me with questions, comments, concerns, or guest ideas at [email protected]
Thanks for listening!

Host Ben Rice travels to Rancho Cordova, CA, to meet with David Mathis of the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce, Strad Meadery's Dan Slort, and Fort Rock Brewing's Heidi Wilder, to discuss the upcoming Barrel District Experience event. Longtime listeners may have heard rumors of this upcoming project, celebrating the burgeoning beer, mead, and spirits community in Rancho Cordova. The grand opening/kickoff event is happening Saturday, October 6, featuring live music, art, drinks, and food throughout the Barrel District. Get tickets and more info at www.barreldistrict.com. In this episode, we talk about the events planned, the growth of the Rancho Cordova craft community, and other exciting news from the Rancho Cordova community, plus some dad jokes about business ownership. If you haven't had a chance to check out what is happening in Rancho the last few years, this is your chance to sample some wares and meet the people who have helped lift Rancho Cordova from empty space to thriving community. Enjoy!

Host Ben Rice travels to Rancho Cordova, CA, to speak Jason Williams, Duncan Alexander, and Jack Alexander of the newly-opened Burning Barrel Brewing. You may remember Jack and Duncan from episode 61, which was recorded during their planning and build-out phase. We now catch up with them 5 weeks after their grand opening, to compare and contrast their expections versus reality of brewery ownership and operation, plus what they think is in store for the future. As we continue to chat, we eschew the classic three-tiered/tied-house distribution regulations to find out how the current craft beer boom is impacting that ancient law. We also discuss military service and the importance of being good with your hands. Plus! Color-changing beers, new school beer marketing, and Burning Barrel's already-ordered expansion. All this and more, on another jam-packed episode of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
Follow Burning Barrel Brewing @burningbarrelbrewco. Check out their website, www.burningbarrelbrewco.com.
And don't forget to follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod
Email questions, comments, concerns, guest ideas, brewery ideas, etc., to [email protected]
This episode has been brought to you by the California Craft Beer Summit, occurring in Sacramento, CA September 6-8. That's this coming weekend! You can find out more and buy tickets at www.cacraftbeer.com
This episode is also brought to you by ABV Magazine, a Bay Area beer magazine featuring enticing articles, beer reviews, and a dash of music and art. Check them out on social media @abvmagbayarea or at www.abvmagazine.com
You can now buy Barley & Me shirts through Sacramento-based clothier Zen Threads, at www.zen-threads.com or at bit.ly/BarleyZen
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)

Host Ben Rice travels to Rancho Cordova, CA, to sit down with Old Hangtown Beer Works's head brewer/owner Michael Frenn and sales director Tyler Getz, as well as beer blogger Amber Clemons of Hopular Culture. Together, we discuss the role classic beer styles play in the modern American craft beer world, and Michael discusses his humble beginnings as a teensie tiny nanobrewery. As we take a stroll down Memory Lane, discussing beer greats Michael Jackson and Fred Eckhardt, we also delve into our guests' beer beginnings, including what led Amber to start her beer blog, Hopular Culture. Plus Ben talks about his best day ever, Tyler goes hunting for John Connor, Mike brings his beloved Ale Camino into the shop, and Amber helps her non-craft-minded friends learn to enjoy beer. All this, plus an in-depth discussion of the ancient Steinbier style, imaginary bluegrass bands, how millenials are killing breakfast, and so much more, on episode 80 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
Find out more about Old Hangtown Beer Works at www.oldhangtownbeerworks.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @oldhangtownbeerworks
Track down Amber Clemons and Hopular Culture on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @hopularculture
Follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod or email questions, comments, concerns, guest ideas, whatever, to [email protected]
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
You can buy Barley & Me t-shirts at Zen-Threads.com (https://bit.ly/BarleyZen)
This episode is brought to you by the California Craft Beer Summit, taking place in Sacramento, CA September 6-8. Get your tickets today at www.cacraftbeersummit.com
This episode is also brought to you by ABV Magazine, the Bay Area's newest premier beer magazine. Subscribe and get more info at www.abvmagazine.com!

Host Ben Rice travels to Placerville, CA, to sit down with Solid Ground Brewing's KC and Scott, with BJCP judge and professional brewer Ellen Sherrill in tow, to dig deep into the depths of start-up breweries. Celebrating 13 months in existence, but decades of experience in the beer and wine industry, KC and Scott openly discuss the reasons why they opened in Placerville instead of a metropolitan area, the trials of opening a full production brewery without a focus on IPAs, and exceeding expectations. Listen as we go in-depth on how barrels affect beer, how barrel fermentation differs from standard steel fermenters, and how selecting a beer style and/or beer name can affect sales. We dig deep on their barrel-fermented saison, delve into their decidedly-one-off Pho Gose, and their year-round wine-barrel aged stout. All this and even more tech talk, like self-distribution pros and cons, preventing boil-over, seasonal variance on hops, and how tap handle style can affect carbonation and, therefore, flavor. If you thought you knew beer, prepare for a master class. Enjoy episode 79, of Barley & Me!
Find out more about Solid Ground at www.solidgroundbrewing.com
Ellen Sherrill can be found on social media if you do your do diligence. Or try to locate her on Untappd through her mysterious username. Heck, follow me on Untapped via username BeerDevilsAdvocate because 2008 me was a genius.
Follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod
Email questions, comments, concerns, or brewery/guest ideas to [email protected]
Rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts!
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
You can now buy Barley & Me t-shirts at Zen Threads (www.zen-threads.com or bit.ly/BarleyZen). Made locally by rad beer-loving folks!
This episode is brought to you by ABV Magazine (@abvmagbayarea) and the California Craft Beer Summit (taking place September 6-8; get your tickets at www.californiacraftbeer.com)!
Thanks for listening!

Host Ben Rice travels to Portland, Oregon, to drop in on Patrick Lawrence of Oregon Mead & Cider Company, with comedian, artist, podcaster, card game creator, and general creative Carolyn Main, to discuss the wonderful world of mead, a Barley & Me first! We talk the mead-creation process and how it compares to beer, cider, braggot, and more, plus the surprising ingredient that can cause cross-contamination and the importance of bees to mead and the world's food supply. And, as is par for the course, we trash the Star Wars prequels while talking about Carolyn's latest card game creation, Pitch Please!, where you create a movie pitch based on movie tropes. We also delve into Patrick's multiple jobs that have, despite his best efforts, centered around any and all kinds of apples, planned obsolescence in technology, and the fermentation tank naming process. All this and more, on episode 78 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
Find out more about Oregon Mead & Cider Co @ www.oregonmeadandcider.com or follow them on social media @ormeadandcider
Follow Carolyn Main @carolynmain and don't forget to check out Pitch Please! in its podcast format or buy a set for home use! Go to pitchplease.fun for more info!
Follow Barley & Me @barleyandmepod Email questions, comments, concerns, guest ideas, etc., to [email protected]
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
Don't forget; you can buy a snazzy Barley & Me tee from Zen Threads (@zenthreads): http://bit.ly/BarleyZen
This episode is brought to you by ABV Magazine (@abvmagbayarea) and the California Craft Beer Summit (www.californiacraftbeer.com). Get your tickets now, as the event runs Sept 6-8.
Thanks for listening!

Host Ben Rice travels to Empress Tavern in Sacramento, CA, on behalf of the California Craft Brewer's Association, to talk with restauranteurs and brewers moments after they are picked to collaborate with each other on food and beer pairings for the upcoming California Craft Beer Summit (Sept 6-8). Ben talks to Leia Bailey, managing direction for the CCBA, about the Brewed for Food event and the CA Craft Beer Summit, then he sits down with Patricio Wise of Nixtaco and Lauren Zehnder of Mraz Brewing to see how this beloved taco joint will try to pair flavors with the esteemed sour factory that is Mraz, followed by an interview with Ryan Donahue of Empress Tavern and Sage Smith of Bike Dog Brewing to see how this upscale eatery can craft a menu around Bike Dog's outstanding everyday drinkers. All this and more, on episode 77 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
Find out more about the California Craft Beer Summit and/or get tickets at www.cacraftbeersummit.com or www.californiacraftbeer.com
Follow Mraz @mrazbrewing on Twitter and @mrazbrewingco on Instagram
Check out Nixtaco @nixtaco
Find Empress Tavern @empresstavern
Check out Bike Dog's two Sacramento locations by following @bikedogbrewing
Follow Barley & Me across social media @barleyandmepod
Thank you so much to Empress Tavern for hosting us for this event.
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
This episode is brought to you by ABV Magazine (@abvmagbayarea) and the California Craft Beer Summit!
Barley & Me t-shirts are available in all shapes and colors at Zen Threads, zen-threads.com
Thanks so much for listening!