Host Ben Rice travels to Loomis, CA, to meet with Kenny Gowan, owner and head brewer of Loomis Basin Brewery, at the Loomis Basin Brewing Gastropub & Smokehouse, to discuss the beer business. Kenny and Ben delve deep on this episode, getting into Kenny's history as a restauranteur in San Diego and his family's ties to the beer and restaurant industry. We also talk about the overlooked business side of the industry, including expansion, employee wages and benefits, and healthcare. And of course, BBQ. Gotta talk some BBQ. Plus! Kenny discusses his excitement over the upcoming additions to the Sacramento beer scene and how Moksa, even if only for a moment, brought the region's brewers closer together. All that and much, much more, on episode 63 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
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Intro Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
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Host Ben Rice travels to Stockton, CA to sit down with area comedian Rhoda Ramone and Barri & Steve Altimari of High Water Brewing at their unofficial taproom, Taps. Barri & Steve have been brewing under the High Water name for over 20 years and made a big splash in the beer world with their Campfire Stout, which tastes exactly like S'mores. But their experimentation goes back to day one. One of the few remaining "gypsy" breweries in California, High Water is pleased to announce that they'll be opening their own facility in Lodi later this year. So sit down and enjoy the tales of some of the friendliest people in the beer business as they tell you of their triumphs and failures. It's a joy. This episode is dedicated to the memory of beer connoisseur Mike Long, a long-time friend of the Altimaris and beer lovers everywhere. RIP, Mike.
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Intro: "JamRoc" by Breez (@mr4proaudio)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
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Host Ben Rice travels to Rancho Cordova, CA, to speak with father-and-son team Jack and Duncan Alexander of forthcoming Burning Barrel Brewing, with special guest Peter Wisham of Beers In Sac, a mobile beer tracking app that has expanded to get into the personal, corporate, and beerfest events game. Be sure to check out their first annual Hazy IPA Fest in Sacramento this Friday. Peter also assisted SacTown Union when they were opening, so we talk about the trials and tribulations of brewery openings and ownership, the Oregon and California beer scenes, plus bad beer memories. Duncan turns the tables on Ben, forcing him to talk about this podcast you're listening to. And it is simply the worst. But everything else is great! Plus! Jack talks about beer in the 80s and 90s and Barley & Me gets its first chance to hear what beers got a 23-year-old excited about entering the beer industry. All this and more on Episode 61 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
Follow Burning Barrel Brewing @burningbarrelbrewco
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Buy tickets to the Hazy IPA Fest at here.
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Intro Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@mr4proaudio)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
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For the first episode of 2018, host Ben Rice travels to Davis, CA, to sit down with Brennan Fleming (Dunloe??) of Dunloe Brewing and the esteemed Dr. Charlie Bamforth for a Barley & Me first! A professor and pupil sit down to see just how much the student has learned and discuss how far beer has come in the last 40 years. Dr. Bamforth holds forth on what happened to the British beer business under Margaret Thatcher and the ramifications that could befall American beer. Plus we talk about how beer has changed in the last few years and how taste and industry standards evolve. Brennan shares some beer memories and the joys of small business onwnership and Dr. Bamforth drops his first-ever on-air cuss. It's another action-packed episode of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
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Celebrate Charlie Bamforth's entire catalogue wherever fine books are sold.
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@mr4proaudio)Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)

For the last episode of 2017, host Ben Rice invites some of his favorite people over for a riveting BATTLE OF WITS! Comedians Emma Haney and Stephen Furey return, having appeared on last year's Christmas Bottle Share episode AND the 40s episode, Garrett Boatman of that same previous Christmas episode also appears, plus Andy Armstrong (formerly of American River Brewing) and his wife Lea Gibson (both of whom you may recognize from the Lil Sumpin Sumpin to Talk About episode) as well! We break down 13 wits, whites, and weisses while discussing the year 2017 and relentlessly smack-talking each other as host Ben Rice gets progressively drunker and seemingly no one else does. For those who like to spoil Christmas, here are the final rankings of the white ales we tasted: 13) Einstok Icelandic White Ale 12) Hoegaarden 11) Blue Moon 10) Lost Coast Great White 9) Franziskaner Weissbier 8) Erdinger Weissbier 7) Allagash White 6) Moylan's White Christmas Spiced Winter Ale 5) Urban Roots/Alvarado Street Hoeygaarden 4) St. Archer White 3) Bruery 7 Lords a-Leapin 2) Monk's Cellar Biere Blanche 1) Hacker Pschorr Weiss
Follow Emma Haney on Twitter @emmamhaney, on Instagram @ehaneycomedy
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Intro: "JamRoc" by Breez (@mr4proaudio)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
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Thanks for listening!

Host Ben Rice travels to San Francisco to sit down with Anchor Brewing's brewmaster, Scott Ungermann, about Anchor's lauded history and the lovely Our Special Ale, AKA Anchor Christmas. We also get into Sapporo's recent purchase of Anchor, Scott's unique intersectional history with Anchor Brewing, and whether or not the buyout affects Anchor's "craft beer" status. The answer may surprise you. Also, we chat about how Anchor's brewing methods stand out against the typical methods you see at breweries today, Scott's favorite winter activities. and get a tad profound. Enjoy!
Follow Barley & Me on social media @barleyandmepod
Follow Anchor Brewing @anchorbrewing
Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez
Logo by Jessica DiMesio

Host Ben Rice travels to Yolo Brewing (West Sacramento) to chat with director of brewing operations David Weiss. His guest this week is comedian and musician Alfonso Portela. We discuss Yolo ownership's previous endeavors, coffee, death, and drums. Alfonso learns about the brewing process and David talks about what he's excited about in the Sacramento beer scene. All this and more, on Episode 57 of Barley & Me!
Follow Yolo Brewing @yolobrew
Follow Alfonso Portela on Twitter @alfonsoportela or on Instagram @fonzieportela
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Intro Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@mr4proaudio)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)
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Host Ben Rice travels to Nixtaco Taqueria in Roseville, CA, to host Danksgiving with Nixtaco owner Patricio Wise and special guests Zak Souza and Ismael Alarcon. While sipping on some IPA's, we discuss labor laws that leave your favorite restaurants closed on Mondays, what makes a good and bad dank IPA, the importance of good labeling and logos in beer, how to properly fry a turkey, why Patricio is the Lord of Rice, and what we're dankful for in the year 2017. Enjoy!
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Intro: "JamRoc" by Breez (@mr4proaudio)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (alivingclicheart)

Host Ben Rice travels to Windsor, CA with guest Steve Ausburne of Barrel Proof Comedy Podcast to sit down with Daniel Weber and Wes Deal of Barrel Brothers Brewing Company to discuss their first year in business and their plans to expansion. We take a few sidebars down some unsavory paths before coming out clean on the other side, thanks to some double-filtered, two-ply assistants. Then we get into their bottling and canning side, how to properly and improperly barrel a beer, and what goes into naming beers in an increasingly competitive and creative beer community. All this and more, on Episode 55 of Barley & Me!
Follow Barley & Me @barleyandmepod
Find out more about Barrel Brothers Brewing at www.barrelbrothersbrewing.com or find them on social media: @barrelbrothersbrewing on Facebook and Instagram and @barrelbrosbeer on Twitter
Follow Steve Ausburne @doctorausburne on Twitter and @mondaleferraro on Instagram
Check out Barrel Proof Comedy Podcast @barrelproofcomedy on Facebook and @barrelproofpod on Twitter
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Intro music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@mr4proaudio)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alivingclicheart)