Steve Holle spent decades in real estate investment before walking away at 55, moving back to his Kansas City hometown and opening KC Bier Co. — one of the region's most distinctive breweries. Now 12 years in, Steve sits down with Nigel and Nick to talk about the brewery's German roots, the Reinheitsgebot purity law it follows, and why imported Bavarian malt changes everything in the glass. He also breaks down the realities of running a craft brewery today: tariffs on German ingredients, a softening wholesale market, and why the tasting room model is quietly winning. Plus — a second KC Bier Co. location is coming to Lenexa, Kansas, complete with a beer garden, live music stage, full scratch kitchen, and yes, an off-leash dog area. Three mystery beers round out the episode, including a Krampus winter warmer and a West Coast IPA that earns some genuine praise from a certified beer judge.

Nigel and Nick head to J. Rieger & Co. in Kansas City's east bottoms to sit down with co-founder Ryan Maybee for one of the most remarkable in Kansas City history. Ryan traces how he stumbled onto the forgotten legacy of Jacob Rieger, a 19th-century immigrant who built the largest mail-order whiskey house in the United States, only to be shut down by Prohibition in 1919. A century later, Ryan — then a bartender and bar owner who'd helped spark KC's craft cocktail scene with his underground bar Manifesto — decided to bring it all back. He shares a chance encounter with the last living Rieger descendant and the years developing an authentic pre-Prohibition blend before launching the brand during the Royals' 2014 World Series run with zero employees. Since then, the company has transformed a crumbling east bottoms warehouse into a 10,000-square-foot distillery destination drawing nearly 200,000 guests a year. It's a conversation about history, hospitality, civic pride, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts.

It's the 5th annual Beer Karma release at Transparent Brewing! Nigel and Nick celebrate this year's experimental stout featuring spruce tips and figs (yeah, we went there) while catching up on a year of massive changes at one of Kansas City's best breweries.

Brewery owner Nolan Brown joins to discuss stepping away from brewing after five years, the transition to head brewer Chris Ham, expanding into canned distribution across Kansas and Missouri, and the addition of their Series Beers lineup. Plus, Nolan reveals his new role focusing on sales and distribution growth during a challenging time in the craft beer industry.

New head brewer Chris Ham shares his fascinating journey from Air Force aircraft mechanic to pharmaceutical scientist to professional brewer, including his time at Flying Fish Brewing in New Jersey and brewing school. Chris discusses his brewing philosophy, the story behind Transparent's unique Grisette, and the infamous "Bollocks Up" brown ale that started as a recipe mistake.

Special segments include Mystery Beer with Boulevard's Vanilla Imperial Stout, Chad's homebrewed "Flying Blind" Caramel Stout from Last Flight Brewing in Jefferson City, and the crew's honest reactions to this year's polarizing Beer Karma recipe.

🍺 Beers Featured: Beer Karma #5, Boulevard Vanilla Imperial Stout, Flying Blind Caramel Stout, Transparent Grisette

📍 Recorded live at Transparent Brewing Company, Kansas City

Day Bracey returns to Beers with Nigel to discuss his international adventures, from representing Black-owned breweries in Barcelona to expanding Barrel and Flow to New Orleans in 2026. Day shares stories from Spain, reveals this year's festival innovations including the debut "Barrel and Float" boat party, and explains why "Day Bracey is my war name." We taste mystery beers, discuss the challenges of global beer representation, and get an inside look at what makes Barrel and Flow the most unique festival experience in America. Plus: exclusive vinyl collaborations, Pittsburgh's hidden beer scene, and why getting reading glasses is a whole thing.

Barrel and Flow Festival - August 9th, Pittsburgh

Visit: barrelandflow.com

In this episode of Beers with Nigel, hosts Nigel Woodberry and Nick Parker clink their glasses to the scene in Platte City and Barley & Vine brewery and wine store. Recording from the Barley and Vine taproom, they dive into the expansion of the Ales West beer festival and have a hoppy chat with local brewer and festival maestro, Billy Campbell, about self-distribution, community collaboration, and the transformation of Platte City’s downtown. From sipping on standout brews to sharing yarns of how local businesses are giving the area a fresh brew, this episode is a toast to craft beer lovers and the lively spirit of local brewing.

Pour yourself a cold one and join Nigel Woodberry and Nick Parker for Episode 128 of Beers with Nigel! This time, they’re lakeside at Lotawana Brewing, diving headfirst into tales of brewing mishaps, mystery beers, spontaneous bull rides, and the eternal debate: is it burping with flair or just a strong commitment to the craft? Expect laughs, unexpected beer trivia, and maybe — just maybe — a few heartfelt shout-outs to beloved dogs and even seltzers? Cheers to community, creativity, and questionable ABV guesses!

What happens when you combine a couple of foolish beer nerds and a food wizard? Gold, Jerry... wait, that's not our show. What happens is anentertaining conversation with Chef Taylor Jones about his journey from food prepping for his kids to the successful business that is Burn Theory Fire Kitchen.

From slinging VHS tapes to pouring pints, John Couture has been on a wild ride through the world of craft beer! This episode, John — co-founder of the beloved and gone, but not forgotten, Beer Station — joins Nigel and Nick to talk about his latest venture, Local Liquid KC, an online marketplace bringing Kansas City’s best local beverages straight to you.

John takes us back to his beer-drinking origins (shoutout to Boulevard Wheat in ‘95), spills the secrets of his own “beer karma,” and shares the highs and lows of running a craft beer bar. Plus, we dive into the changing landscape of the beer industry, the rise (and challenges) of craft brewing in KC, and how Local Liquid is shaking things up with curated mix packs, mystery boxes, and workplace beer delivery.

And because this is Beers with Nigel, expect plenty of tangents—like grandparent nicknames, why a beer garden shower might be a bad idea, and a strong case for catching a Neil Diamond tribute show.

Crack open a cold one and join the fun! 🍻

She is, as we say, a force of nature. Celina Tio has long been a presence in Kansas City's restaurant and bar scene as a critically acclaimed and award-winning chef, restaurateur, bar owner and distiller. Act 125 was all over the place as Nigel and Nick had fun trying to keep up with this big personality committed to providing people with the best experiences possible surrounding her food and curated beer and spirits offerings. Viewers beware because when she walks in the room — Boom!

Beer Karma is back! Nigel and Nick are celebrating their fourth annual Beer Karma collab with Transparent Brewing with a live episode inside the taproom on the eve of Thanksgiving. Transparent owner Nolan Brown and his Cellartween Conor Payne join the show to talk about this year’s brew and whatever else pops up during the evening — including the question of is Nolan Conor’s daddy, or do Nigel and Nick share the duty of raising one half of their podcast offspring. This year’s release is a coffee and peanut butter stout and is obviously the best of the releases so far because it was Nick’s idea.