Barley & Me

In this episode of This Is Why I Drink... with Ben Rice, I sit down with my good friend and marketer extraordinaire Karen Lewis, an absolute dynamo who immediately seizes the means of production over a pint of Beautiful Blues at Nitty's Cider in Sacramento.
WARNING: We are also there on cornhole night, so expect a lot of bang for your buck with this very much free episode.
ALSO: There will be many references to the video of this episode, but one of the files got corrupted so...no. But we have a YouTube for this, I swear!
Karens are gonna Karen, so Madame Lewis drives hard through conversations about the history of electronics, weird thumbs, pooping so hard you pass out, being raised by lesbians, stealing friends, and all the many, many reasons she drinks...cider and other gluten-free beverages due to Celiac's disease. Somehow, she undersells herself throughout the episode.
Be sure to learn more about Karen at her website think4it.com or across social media @think4it
Nitty's Cider (now with beer!) can be found at nittyscider.com or @nittyscider. Thanks to Nick and his crew for having us!
You can find out more about host Ben Rice, Barley & Me, This Is Why I Drink..., and his comedy (shows) @barleyandmepod or at www.barleyandmepod.com
Intro Music: "Functional Alcoholism" by Be Brave Bold Robot
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez
Logo by Jaclyn Weiand

Host Ben Rice visits Sacramento dive bar mainstay Benny's AKA Q Street Bar & Grill to chat with STAB! Comedy Theater owner Jesse Jones about why he drinks well. Well, well, well, there are so many reasons and ways to pair well vodka with cranberry juice in a desperate attempt to keep costs low and your joie de vivre high!
Some might call it the bottom shelf, some might call it cost-effective drunkenness, and for others like Jesse, it's just because the flavor isn't why we're here. Walk down Jesse's long road of life, taking him from the burgeoning Sacramento sketch and improv scene to the fast-paced, high-flying, Chicago-influenced sketch and improv scene of Los Angeles in the early aughts, and back to Sacramento, where he has spread his wings to develop one of the internet's most inexplicable comedy game show/podcast/writing competitions, the long-running STAB!, which existed before its titular comedy club STAB! Comedy Theater. Bask in Jesse's well-crafted improv character stylings and scene chewing recurring characters and act outs, his self-published book, his glancing mention in the New York Times.
Are host Ben Rice and guest Jesse Jones perhaps the same person, splintered at some unknown and unknowable crossroads, forever indebted to lifting those around them no matter the cost? Or are we both just bottom shelf vodka crans, more sugar than juice, more hydrating than intoxicating? So many questions, so many answers, to be found here, on the latest episode of This Is Why I Drink...with Ben Rice. And if your questions remain unanswered, consider joining (from a vast distance) Jesse Jones on his yearly voyage to the desert for Burning Man, in search of those remains.
STAB! Comedy Theater can be found physically at 1710 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, on YouTube, Twitch, or elsewhere @stabcomedy or stabcomedytheater.com
Jesse Jones is...around, and also at those same places, nearly every hour of every day!
Thank you again to Benny's/Q Street Bar & Grill for allowing us to record - they can be found at 2013 Q Street in Sacramento or on IG @bennysofficialqstreet
You can find out more about host Ben Rice, Barley & Me, This Is Why I Drink..., and his comedy (shows) @barleyandmepod or at www.barleyandmepod.com
Intro Music: "Functional Alcoholism" by Be Brave Bold Robot
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez
Logo by Ben Rice and Jaclyn Weiand

This Is Why I Drink... is a new Barley & Me Podcast offshoot, where Ben Rice sits down with a comedian, musician, writer, or other creative type, over a glass of their favorite beverage. Today, we're talking to comedian Kalea McNeill over a cup of STASH Refreshing Peppermint tea.
Find out why Kalea drinks it, as we also discuss her time in the ROTC, acting, theme parks, lifetime bans, bad jobs, harassment, a dash of 9/11, and, oh yeah, comedy. Including the fact that she is headlining Ben's new show The Bomb Shelter on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 9pm at The Silver Lining in Sacramento. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.com or at the door.
Learn more about Kalea McNeill at www.kaleamcneill.com or on socials  @WhateverKalea 
Follow Ben Rice, Barley & Me, and This Is Why I Drink... @barleyandmepod or find shows, other podcasts, and more at www.barleyandmepod.com
Intro Music: "Functional Alcoholism" by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Ben Rice

Welcome to the inaugural name pending offshoot of Barley & Me, where I (host Ben Rice) sit down with interesting people over their favorite drinks at their favorite places, whether it be beer, hard alcohol, coffee, or anything else.
Today, we're talking to improvisor Lacey Carroll (@lacey.m.carroll) about this weekend's (Friday March 28/Saturday March 29, 2025) Femme Fest at Sacramento Comedy Spot (tickets at www.saccomedyspot.com/femmefest) while seated on the patio at Sacramento's first Belgian beer bar, Pangaea Bier Cafe.
Lacey is a big fan of saisons, so we started with Sante Adairius's Jaybird, a foudre-aged saison with mango. We then tried a beer both of us were hesitant on, a hoppy brown from Ghost Town called Rust & Ruin.
Aside from Femme Fest, we also discussed Lacey's attempts to get into improv at the age of 12, why she loves a good saison, merch-making, marketing, corporate comedy, and how local news journalists have some of the worst background work instincts on the planet.
All this and more on...Bevy of Bevvies? Bevs with Ben? What Are You Drinking? Let's Grab a Drink? Imbibin' with Ben? If you have an idea, let me know!
As always, you can folow me across social media (but really just Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube) @barleyandmepod. You can also visit www.barleyandmepod.com to find out what projects I'm working on, latest episodes, and my comedy shows.
Thanks for listening!

Host Ben Rice travels to Santa Rosa, CA, to record with US craft beer legends Moonlight Brewing, with Moonlight's Chaos Management Specialist and Adult In Charge Erin Latham-Ponneck. Joining us for the conversation is comedian Jon Lehre, who is also the booker at Santa Rosa's premier comedy club Barrel Proof Lounge. Together, we'll discuss Moonlight's magnificent flagship beers, their efforts to keep to their goal of clean, beautiful beers that still break the rules in an increasingly bolder craft model; replacing hops with redwoods; and do side by sides of Bombay By Boat IPA on draft and on cask and Reality Czech versus its supercharged cousin 14 P Special. Plus! FeBREWary, which takes place every Saturday in February, which involves a free shuttle between Sonoma County mainstays Moonlight, Shady Oak, Cooperage, Iron Ox, Cuvee, and Russian River (Windsor); doing comedy on a dare; and some of Ben's worst ideas ever. Enjoy!
You can always learn more about Moonlight Brewing at moonlightbrewing.com or on IG @moonlightbrewing
See what's going on at Barrel Proof Lounge, including live stand up and music, at www.barrelprooflounge.com or on IG @barrelprooflounge
You can follow Jon Lehre's comedy journey @jlehre or at www.stepdadofcomedy.com
Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod
Check out past episodes, show dates, and more at barleyandmepod.com
Email questions, comments, concerns, guest ideas, brewery ideas to [email protected]
Intro Music: "Functional Alcoholism" by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alchemistqueen)

Host Ben Rice travels to Roseville, CA to sit down with Andy Klein, brewmaster and owner of the Monk's Cellar, to discuss their upcoming 10th anniversary (taking place October 15-19, 2024). Joining us on this journey is BJCP judge, softball star, and all-around badass Amber Dalske. We sip on some anniversary ales as well as the Monk's Cellar Festbier, since we recorded during their Oktoberfest celebration.
Obviously, I am most excited for their final anniversary event, the return of FIRKINFEST! Which we discuss at length, sure, but you can also hear about body-changing saisons, harvesting yeast, working with mixed culture barrels, and our shared love of old-school British-style beers. Plus! Special FOOD anniversary collaborations, Andy and Amber's early days in Davis, growing out of the concept of 'favorites,' and beer judging woes. All this and more, on episode 184 of Barley & Me! (and Anniversary 10 of Monk's Cellar!) Enjoy!
Find out more about the anniversary, the brewery, the bourbon collection, the food, the on and on and goings-on at Monk's Cellar on IG @themonkscellar
Check out the various ventures of guest Amber Dalske @ambeezy10
Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Check out past episodes, show dates, and more, at the newly-revamped barleyandmepod.com
Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to [email protected] or [email protected]
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alchemistqueen)

Host Ben Rice travels to Rocklin, CA, to talk about the inaugural I Can Fight Cancer Brewfest with organizer/creator Steve Hayer, beertender at Moksa Brewing and co-founder of Sacramento Beer Enthusiasts. The brewfest is taking place on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at The Village Green Park in Rancho Cordova, from 1pm-5pm for VIPs and 2-5 for everyone else. This the bigger, better, more marketable version of Steve's initial project, F*** Cancer, which we discussed last year.
In this episode, we talk about why this fundraiser is so important, who it helps, how it helps, and all the breweries that responded with no hesitation. Before I forget, you can grab your tickets, buy shirts, or just donate at give.albieaware.org. Albie Aware supports breast cancer research as well as provides financial benefits to people fighting breast cancer, helping to deal with the cost of medical care as well as the hidden costs associated with a breast cancer diagnosis. While we continue to fight to learn more and find a way to eradicate this deadly and life-altering disease, events like I Can Fight Cancer help make this physically, mentally, emotionally, and family-altering disease just a little bit more bearable. Together, we can help to do more than just keep people afloat. We can help them find their footing back on dry land.
We also discuss finding joy in an increasingly bitter world, maturity in the beer-drinking world, and HELPING STEVE PASS OUT FLYERS.
By the way, there are shirts available for pre-order, but that pre-order ends Friday, August 23, so order now at give.albieaware.org. That's give.albieaware.org. I know you're reading this, but what if you're having someone read it out loud to you? That's give dot albie a as in alpha l as in lima b as in bravo i as in igloo e as in elephant dot org give.albieaware.org. Buy tickets to the brewfest there too. Give what you can, maybe even a little teensy tiny bit more. Mention you heard about the event on the podcast and receive a 0% discount because we're fighting cancer and there are no shortcuts. On episode 183 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
In case you missed it, support I Can Fight Cancer on FB/IG at I Can Fight Cancer Brewfest
Or buy tickets at give.albieaware.org
Follow Moksa Brewing @moksabrewing and thank you again for giving us the time and space to discuss this event and issue
Learn more about Albie Aware at albieaware.org
Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Check out past episodes, show dates, and more, at the newly-revamped barleyandmepod.com
Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to [email protected] or [email protected]
Ben is also posting #Chugs4Charity videos semi-regularly on Instagram (@barleyandmepod), to help raise funds for various local and national charities with goals of making our world a better place. You can Venmo Ben ($comedianbenrice) or hit his PayPal (@barleyandmepod) and all money will go to support the NAACP, ACLU, Black Lives Matter, and other civil rights helpers. Charities will change with the times and as emergencies arise. But the point is: all donations will go to help those who need it.
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alchemistqueen)

Host Ben Rice travels to Davis, CA to sit down with Ryan Fry and Trenton Yackzan of the legendary Sudwerk, with special guest Paulina Olivares of the Sacramento Pink Boots Society and co-host of Barley & Me Presents: Leonard Malting, our beer movie offshoot. In this episode, we talk about the past, present, and future of Sudwerk specifically and beer in general, in three separate parts, recorded in their new outdoor seating area, in their new restaurant, and in their meeting hall. In part 3, we're joined by surprise guest (he just happened to be there while we recorded), Chris White of White Labs!
Join us as we discuss the origins of what was once America's #1 craft brewery for pints poured, including how it started as a hobby for Trenton's grandfather and his friends and how their original brewer stopped making beer for Sudwerk (and how the design of the brewhouse was meant to keep it from happening). Plus! Professional pilsner battles! Gateway beers! Open fermentation! And so much more, like the ever-hovering Year of the Lager, getting ahead of trends, and how old school marketing and education might help move craft beer forward in a drasticly changing market. All this and more, on episode 150 of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
You can see what's going on with Sudwerk @sudwerkbrew
Catch up with Sacramento icon Paulina Olivares @holapaulina and find out more about Sacramento Pink Boots Society @pinkbootssacramento
Got questions about yeast? Turn to Chris White and White Labs Yeast at www.whitelabs.com
And of course, Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod.
Check out past episodes, show dates, and more, at the newly-revamped barleyandmepod.com 
Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to [email protected] or [email protected]
Ben is also posting #Chugs4Charity videos semi-regularly on Instagram (@barleyandmepod), to help raise funds for various local and national charities with goals of making our world a better place. You can Venmo Ben ($comedianbenrice) or hit his PayPal (@barleyandmepod) and all money will go to support the NAACP, ACLU, Black Lives Matter, and other civil rights helpers. Charities will change with the times and as emergencies arise. But the point is: all donations will go to help those who need it.
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alchemistqueen)

Host Ben Rice travels to Elk Grove, CA, to talk to their newest brewery owner, Enrique Silva of Coatza Brewing, as well as Daniel Savala, partner in CervezaLandia, Sacramento's only bottle shop to focus Mexicano/Chicano-brewed beer. In addition to discussions on the culture itself and the rarity of these brewers/breweries, we also talk up the debut CervezaLandia pop-up beer festival and market, taking place Sunday, June 9, 2024, from 2-6pm at Cesar Chavez Park in Sacramento, which features 8 Mexicano/Chicano-owned breweries, arts and crafts, vendors, music, and more. You can find tickets on Eventbrite or at the door. Plus! Enrique's goal to make Coatza Elk Grove's go-to venue for live music and the creation of the inaugural Elk Grove Music Festival (and plans for year two), CervezaLandia's taproom dreams (and how you can help), and making your local brewery a truly family-friendly space. All this and more, on the latest episode of Barley & Me. Enjoy!
You can follow CervezaLandia's latest offerings on Instagram @cerveza_landia or cervezalandia.co
Grab your tickets to CervezaLandia on Eventbrite or at the door
Follow Coatza Brewing, their on-site food vendors, and their music schedule on IG @coatzabrewing
Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Check out past episodes, show dates, and more, at the newly-revamped barleyandmepod.com Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to [email protected] or [email protected]
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot) Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist) Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alchemistqueen)

Host Ben Rice travels to Sacramento, CA, to sit down with Sacramento Area Brewers Guild president Chris Keeton (head brewer at Alaro) and vice president David Weiss (brewer at Blue Note) to talk about Sacramento Beer Week 2024 (happening April 26-May 5). We discuss this year's iteration of the Rising Together guild collaboration (among other things). In past years, it's been an IPA using certain ingredients, but this year, in honor of the Sacramento Brewers Showcase happening on Saturday May 4 (at Heart Health Park), they're honoring May the 4th Be With You, by letting breweries choose the Light Side or Dark Side, allowing for a wide range of beer styles and flavors, and reminding consumers of the vast array of beers available in the beer scene and what differentiates each brewery. Plus! Taprooms and bars are back in business at Sac Beer Week 2024! Internal strife has diminished that in recent years, but those are the sins of the father, not the current administration, who is working hard to recapture the spirit of Sac Beer Week. This episode is not only a celebration of what Beer Week and the beer scene once was, but an exploration of where it's going and how it will handle a more educated and less alcohol-friendly next generation of consumers. We also shout out some people who keep the scene alive and show that, even when day-to-day excitement may be down, there's still a strong supportive and passionate base of brewers, marketers, and drinkers. David Weiss damn near gets emotional on the episode and Chris shows why he was put in charge in the first place. Sac Beer Week 2024 - it's like Sac Beer Week 2014 all over again!
Find out more about Sac Beer Week 2024 at www.sacramentobeerweek.com or on IG @sacramentobeerweek - Events will be added more and more as the date gets closer
And of course, seek out delicious food and beverages from Alaro Craft Brewery @alarobrewing and from Blue Note Brewing in Woodland @bluenotebrewing
Barley & Me can be found across social media @barleyandmepod. Check out past episodes, show dates, and more, at the newly-revamped barleyandmepod.com
Email questions/comments/concerns/guest ideas/brewery ideas to [email protected] or [email protected]
Ben is also posting #Chugs4Charity videos semi-regularly on Instagram (@barleyandmepod), to help raise funds for various local and national charities with goals of making our world a better place. You can Venmo Ben ($comedianbenrice) or hit his PayPal (@barleyandmepod) and all money will go to support the NAACP, ACLU, Black Lives Matter, and other civil rights helpers. Charities will change with the times and as emergencies arise. But the point is: all donations will go to help those who need it.
Intro Music: “Functional Alcoholism” by Be Brave Bold Robot (@bebraveboldrobot)
Interstitial Music: "JamRoc" by Breez (@breeztheartist)
Logo by Jessica DiMesio (@alchemistqueen)